As many as 13.59 lakh candidates appeared for the Group IV examination conducted by the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission at 5,575 venues across the State on Sunday. A total of 2.7 lakh candidates, who received hall tickets, were absent.
“Of the 16.29 lakh candidates admitted by the TNPSC, 83.4% were present. Normally, the percentage of candidates who appear for the examination is around 70%,” an official said. The increase in number of candidates has been attributed to the efforts taken by the TNPSC to set up examination centres in the taluks of the applicant concerned. Most candidates were able to reach the venue utilising the services of special buses operated by transport authorities.
Chennai reported the largest number of candidates in the State but also had the highest percentage of absentees, estimated at 28%. Of the 1.25 lakh candidates who were admitted for 405 venues in Chennai, 90,200 appeared for the examination, while 35,081 were absent. The Nilgiris district reported the lowest number of candidates who appeared for the examination. Of the 7,341 candidates from the district, 5,940 were present and 1,401 candidates were absent. Dharmapuri reported the lowest percentage of absentees. The number of candidates from districts such as Tirunelveli, Salem and Madurai crossed 75,000.
Successful candidates will be selected for direct recruitment in posts in the Tamil Nadu Ministerial Service, Tamil Nadu Judicial Ministerial Service, Tamil Nadu Survey and Land Records Subordinate Service, Tamil Nadu Secretariat Service and Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Secretariat Service. The TNPSC has announced 397 vacancies in the post of Village Administrative Officer, 2,688 junior assistants, 509 filed surveyors, 1,901 typists and 34 bill collectors. Venues identified as sensitive by district authorities were monitored from the TNPSC office using webcasting using the services of ELCOT.
Videography of all the examination centres and flying squads were formed in all districts to prevent malpractice, officials said.
