All state-government-held competitive exams, from now on, have a compulsory paper in the Tamil language and a pass in the subject is the basic qualifying norm for entry to Tamil Nadu government services and state-run public sector enterprises, the government announced on Friday, December 3. This rule is applicable to all state government recruiting agencies including the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission. 

A paper on Tamil language, conforming to Class X standards, is compulsory in all such exams and a score of 40 per cent is the minimum qualifying mark, according to a Government Order dated December 1, 2021. 

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If an aspirant does not get through the qualifying Tamil language paper, other subject papers that are part of the overall exam scheme, would not be taken up for evaluation, the order said. 

Regarding the TNPSC exams, the norm takes immediate effect, the government said. Other state recruitment agencies including the Teachers Recruitment Board, Medical Services Recruitment Board, TN Uniformed Services Recruitment Board and TN Forest Uniformed Services Recruitment Committee will soon release similar guidelines, the GO said.