🎓 Tamil Nadu State Eligibility Test
TNSET Question Bank
Previous Year Papers
தமிழ்நாடு மாநில தகுதித் தேர்வு — முந்தைய ஆண்டு வினாத்தாள்கள்
Bilingual MCQs (English + Tamil) · Instant answer reveal · AI-powered explanations in English & Tamil ·
Exam pattern, syllabus & cut-off marks. First 10 Qs free · Full paper ₹99.
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TNSET Paper II Syllabus follows UGC NET syllabus structure with 10 broad units per subject. Below are the units for subjects currently live in our portal. Full PDFs available at
msuniv.ac.in.
Anthropology — 6 Core Units
📐 Unit I — Research Methods
- Fieldwork & Participant Observation
- Interview, Questionnaire, Schedule
- Sampling (Probability & Non-probability)
- Statistical Measures (Mean, SD, Dispersion)
- Content Analysis & Social Mapping
🦴 Unit II — Physical Anthropology
- Evolution: Theories, Fossils, Evidence
- Human Fossils (Erectus, Neanderthal, Sapiens)
- Genetics, Cell Division, Chromosomes, DNA
- Racial Classification & Anthropometry
- Acclimatization, Adaptation, Epigenetics
🏺 Unit III — Prehistoric Archaeology
- Stone Age Cultures (Lower/Middle/Upper Palaeolithic)
- Mesolithic & Microlithic Industries
- Dating Methods (Absolute & Relative)
- Rock Art, Cave Paintings, Petroglyphs
- Prehistoric Sites in India
👥 Unit IV — Social & Cultural Anthropology
- Kinship, Marriage, Family Types
- Caste, Class & Social Stratification
- Religion, Magic, Ritual, Taboo
- Cultural Change, Acculturation, Diffusion
- Language & Culture
🌐 Unit V — Theoretical Perspectives
- Evolutionism, Diffusionism, Functionalism
- Structuralism (Lévi-Strauss)
- Post-Modernism & Interpretive Anthropology
- Feminist Anthropology
- Indian Anthropologists & Contributions
🏥 Unit VI — Applied Anthropology
- Tribal Policy & Development in India
- Medical & Forensic Anthropology
- Urban & Ecological Anthropology
- Action Anthropology & Advocacy
- Development Anthropology
Archaeology — 6 Core Units
🔍 Unit I — Field Methods
- Survey, Exploration & Remote Sensing
- Excavation Methods & Documentation
- Stratigraphy, Typology, Seriation
- GIS & Spatial Analysis
- Archaeological Legislation in India
🪨 Unit II — Prehistoric India
- Palaeolithic Cultures & Key Sites
- Mesolithic & Microlithic Industries
- Neolithic Cultures (Deccan, NE India, Kashmir)
- Chalcolithic Cultures (Maharashtra, Rajasthan)
- Megaliths & Iron Age in South India
🏙️ Unit III — Harappan Civilisation
- Origin, Phases, Spread & Decline
- Town Planning, Drainage & Architecture
- Economy, Trade & Craft Production
- Script, Seals & Weights
- Major Sites (Harappa, Mohenjo-daro, Lothal)
📜 Unit IV — Historical Archaeology
- OCP, PGW & NBP Ware Cultures
- Mahajanapadas & Mauryan Period
- Buddhist & Jain Art & Architecture
- Kushana, Gupta & Post-Gupta Dynasties
- South Indian Temple Architecture
🪙 Unit V — Numismatics & Epigraphy
- Punch-marked & Die-struck Coins
- Dynastic Coin Series (Satavahana, Gupta, Kushana)
- Tamil & Three Crowned Kings' Coins
- Ashokan Inscriptions & Scripts
- Copper Plate Grants & Tamil Brahmi
🔬 Unit VI — Scientific Methods
- Dating Methods (C14, K-Ar, TL, AAR, Fluorine)
- Archaeobotany, Archaeozoology, Phytoliths
- aDNA & Isotope Analysis
- Hypothesis Testing & Research Design
- Infrared Spectroscopy & GIS
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Download official syllabus PDFs subject-wise from
msuniv.ac.in (Manonmaniam Sundaranar University). TNSET Paper II closely follows UGC NET syllabus — UGC NET preparation books work equally well for TNSET Paper II preparation.
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Cut-off is calculated on aggregate marks of Paper I + Paper II combined (out of 300). Candidates must clear minimum marks in each paper individually AND meet the aggregate cutoff. Both conditions are mandatory.
Minimum Qualifying Marks (Category-wise)
| Category | Paper I (out of 100) | Paper II (out of 200) | Aggregate (out of 300) | % Required |
|---|
| General / OBC (Creamy Layer) |
40 marks (40%) |
80 marks (40%) |
120 marks |
|
| OBC (Non Creamy Layer) |
35 marks (35%) |
70 marks (35%) |
105 marks |
|
| SC / ST |
35 marks (35%) |
70 marks (35%) |
105 marks |
|
| PwD / Visually Challenged (VC) |
35 marks (35%) |
70 marks (35%) |
105 marks |
|
Important Cut-Off Notes
🚫No Negative Marking
There is no penalty for wrong answers. Always attempt every single question. An unattempted question = 0 marks; a guessed answer has a 25% chance of +2 marks.
📋Dual Condition
You must clear Paper I minimum AND Paper II minimum AND the combined aggregate — all three. Scoring high in Paper II but low in Paper I still disqualifies you.
🎯Subject Merit List
The minimum cutoff is fixed, but the final merit list cutoff varies by subject depending on number of qualified candidates and available posts in that subject.
📅Certificate Validity
TNSET certificate has no expiry and is valid for all Assistant Professor appointments in Tamil Nadu & Puducherry. No age limit applies for TNSET.
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Score Target: Aim for 85+ out of 100 in Paper II (170+ marks) and 40+ in Paper I. With no negative marking, a score of 210/300 (70%) comfortably clears most subject merit lists. Practice all 100 previous year questions per subject using our portal before the exam.
Educational Qualification
🎓General Category
- Master's Degree from a recognised university
- Minimum 55% marks — no rounding off, no grace
- Final year PG students also eligible (provisional)
- Must appear in Paper II of their PG subject only
- No upper age limit for TNSET
🛡️Reserved Categories
- SC / ST / OBC-NCL / PwD / VC: minimum 50%
- 5% relaxation on qualifying marks
- PwD with ≥40% disability: additional relaxation
- Caste certificate from competent authority required
- Same subject condition applies for Paper II
📚Ph.D Holders
- 5% relaxation: qualifying marks reduced 55% → 50%
- Applicable irrespective of date of declaration of result
- Ph.D must be from a UGC-recognised university
- Must still appear and qualify TNSET to get certificate
💳Application Fee
- General Category: ₹ 2,500
- Reserved Category (SC/ST/OBC-NCL/PwD/VC): ₹ 800
- Online application and payment only
- No fee refund once submitted
Documents Required for Application
- Recent passport-size photograph (JPEG)
- Scanned signature (JPEG)
- PG Degree certificate or final year mark sheet
- Valid photo ID (Aadhaar / Passport / Voter ID)
- Category certificate (if applicable)
- Ph.D certificate (if applicable)
- PwD / VC certificate (if applicable)
- OBC Non-Creamy Layer certificate (if applicable)
Scope & Value of TNSET Certificate
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TNSET qualification makes you eligible for the post of Assistant Professor in Universities, Colleges, and Higher Education Institutions in Tamil Nadu & Puducherry — Private / Government / Aided institutions. It is recognised by UGC as a state-level equivalent to NET for Tamil Nadu appointments. Conducted in 43 subjects by Manonmaniam Sundaranar University as the Nodal Agency under Govt. of Tamil Nadu.
