TNUSRB Sub-Inspector (SI) Exam – Vacancies, Exam Dates, Eligibility, Exam Pattern, Physical Standards, Syllabus
Updated: 03-11-2026 · Shanmugam IAS Academy
TNUSRB Sub-Inspector of Police (Taluk & Armed Reserve) recruitment is the direct recruitment conducted by the Tamil Nadu Uniformed Services Recruitment Board (TNUSRB) for Sub-Inspector posts in the Taluk Police and the Armed Reserve (AR) of the Tamil Nadu Police Subordinate Service. Men, women and transgender candidates can apply. Latest notification: No. 01/2025 (04-04-2025), with Addendum No. 1A/2025 (31-10-2025). The 2025 notification covers Taluk and AR posts only; Tamil Nadu Special Police (TSP) personnel can apply under the Departmental Quota. Scale of pay: ₹36,900 – ₹1,16,600.
Current status (03-11-2026): the SI 2025 written examination was held on 21-12-2025 at 46 centres (Main Written Examination in the forenoon, Tamil Language Eligibility Test in the afternoon), and final answer keys were published. The 1:5 written-exam result was published on 27-01-2026. TNUSRB then noticed a software error: some candidates who had switched from Open to Departmental Quota were wrongly placed in the Open list, and it announced that a revised 1:5 result will be published shortly. On 03-11-2026 the TNUSRB home page did not link a revised result or any call for certificate verification / physical tests. Candidates who wrote the exam should keep checking the TNUSRB website and their application login, and should start physical-test training now.
Next notification: TNUSRB Annual Planner 2026–27 (tentative): Sub-Inspectors of Police (Women) – Taluk: December 2026; direct recruitment of Sub-Inspectors of Police: June 2027. These are tentative months; this page will be updated when a notification is issued.
This page is compiled from TNUSRB Notification 01/2025, Addendum 1A/2025, the SI 2025 syllabus, TNUSRB press releases and the Annual Planner. Rules can change in a new notification; for final details see tnusrb.tn.gov.in.
Important Dates – SI 2025
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification No. 01/2025 | 04-04-2025 |
| Online application opens | 07-04-2025 |
| Last date to apply | Originally 03-05-2025; extended to 10-05-2025 (TNUSRB clarification, 30-04-2025) |
| Last date to correct the application | Originally 13-05-2025; extended to 15-05-2025 |
| Edit window for Departmental candidates | 09-10-2025 – 30-10-2025 |
| Addendum 1A/2025 (common written exam for Open and Departmental candidates) | 31-10-2025 |
| Edit window for all candidates | 07-11-2025 – 10-11-2025 (till 5 pm) |
| Hall ticket – press release | 03-12-2025 |
| Written examination (46 centres) | 21-12-2025 – Main Written Exam (FN), Tamil Language Eligibility Test (AN) |
| Preliminary answer keys | 26-12-2025 (representations till 6 pm, 02-01-2026) |
| Written exam result (1:5 ratio) | 27-01-2026 |
| Revised 1:5 result (software error) | TNUSRB: "will be published shortly" – not on the home page as of 03-11-2026 |
| Certificate verification, PMT, ET, PET, Viva-Voce | Not yet announced (as of 03-11-2026) |
| Next notifications (Annual Planner 2026–27, tentative) | SI (Women) – Taluk: December 2026; SI direct recruitment: June 2027 |
Vacancies – SI 2025
Total 1,299 posts + 53 shortfall vacancies.
| Post | Men | Women | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sub-Inspector of Police (Taluk) | 654 | 279 | 933 |
| Sub-Inspector of Police (Armed Reserve) | 255 | 111 | 366 |
| Total | 909 | 390 | 1,299 |
| Shortfall vacancies – Taluk (SC 10, ST 43) | 37 | 16 | 53 |
Quotas: 20% of all vacancies are for the Departmental Quota (serving police personnel). Of the remaining 80%, 10% is the Wards cum Dependent Quota (9% Executive, 1% Ministerial) and 10% the Sports Quota (7% Sports Quota + 3% Meritorious Sports Persons, filled through the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu, SDAT). 20% preference for Persons Studied in Tamil Medium (PSTM) – the entire education from Class 1 to the degree must be in Tamil medium (not applicable to the Departmental Quota). Communal reservation: OC 31%, BC 26.5%, BC(M) 3.5%, MBC/DNC 20%, SC 15%, SC(A) 3%, ST 1%. If eligible women are not available, their vacancies go to men of the same community.
Eligibility
Educational qualification
- A Bachelor’s Degree from a university recognised by UGC / Government, on or before the date of notification.
- The degree must follow 10+2+3/4/5, or SSLC + Diploma (10+3+2 / 10+3+3), or SSLC + 2-year ITI (10+2+3). A degree obtained directly from an Open University without these patterns is not eligible.
- The notification said candidates who passed Class 10 without studying Class 9, or Class 12 without studying Class 11, are not eligible. However, after an interim order of the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, TNUSRB accepted such applications in 2025 provisionally, subject to the final outcome of the case (clarification dated 30-04-2025).
Age limit (as on 01-07-2025)
Must have completed 20 years and must not have completed 30 years (born between 02-07-1995 and 01-07-2005). Upper age limit by category:
| Category | Upper age limit |
|---|---|
| General (OC) | 30 |
| BC, BC(M), MBC/DNC | 32 |
| SC, SC(A), ST | 35 |
| Transgender | 35 |
| Destitute Widow | 37 |
| Ex-servicemen / ex-CAPF (discharged within 3 years); serving military personnel retiring within one year | 47 |
| 20% Departmental Quota | 47 (as on 01-07-2024, per the notification) |
| Meritorious Sports Persons (3% – SDAT) | 35 |
Departmental Quota (20%)
Grade II / Grade I Police Constables and Head Constables (and equivalent ranks) serving in the Taluk Police, Armed Reserve and Tamil Nadu Special Police can apply if they have completed 5 years of service as on 01-07-2024, have a clean record (no punishment other than black mark, reprimand or censure) and upload an NOC from their head of unit. Under Addendum 1A/2025, Departmental and Open candidates write one common written exam; Departmental candidates are exempted only from the Physical Measurement Test and take the ET and PET like Open candidates; they also get NCC / NSS / sports special marks like Open candidates (marks for National Police Duty Meet medals were removed).
Scheme of Selection
Stages: Written Examination (Tamil Language Eligibility Test + Main Written Examination) → Certificate Verification (CV) → Physical Measurement Test (PMT) → Endurance Test (ET) → Physical Efficiency Test (PET) → Viva-Voce + special marks → provisional selection list → medical examination and character verification.
| Stage | Details | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Tamil Language Eligibility Test (Part I) | 100 objective questions, 1 hour 40 minutes; at least 40 marks (40%) needed for the Main exam OMR sheet to be evaluated | 100 – qualifying only (not counted in the final list) |
| Main Written Examination (Part II) | 140 objective questions (½ mark each), 2½ hours; Part A General Knowledge – 80 Qs / 40 marks; Part B Psychology Test – 60 Qs / 30 marks; minimum 25 marks (35%) to qualify | 70 |
| Certificate Verification, PMT, ET | 5 times the vacancies (1:5) in each category, from those who qualify in the written exam | Qualifying |
| Physical Efficiency Test (PET) | Three events – 0 / 2 / 5 marks each | 15 |
| Viva-Voce | 2 times the vacancies (1:2); at TNUSRB office, Egmore, Chennai | 10 |
| Special marks (NCC / NSS / sports) | Awarded at the Viva-Voce based on certificates | 5 (max.) |
| Total | 100 |
Final provisional selection = written exam + PET + Viva-Voce + special marks, subject to communal reservation. On a tie, the older candidate gets priority. Top-ranked candidates are allotted Taluk, the next AR. The notification and syllabus do not mention any negative marking for wrong answers.
Physical Measurement Test (PMT) – Open candidates
| Measurement | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| Height – OC, BC, BC(M), MBC/DNC | Minimum 170 cm | Minimum 159 cm |
| Height – SC, SC(A), ST | Minimum 167 cm | Minimum 157 cm |
| Chest (men only) | Normal minimum 81 cm; expansion on full inspiration minimum 5 cm | – |
Measurements are rounded off to the nearest 0.5 cm (e.g. 169.8 → 170.0; 169.7 → 169.5). A candidate can appeal to the sub-committee chairperson for re-measurement; certificates from hospitals or other agencies are not accepted. Ex-servicemen, serving military personnel retiring within one year, ex-CAPF and Departmental Quota candidates are exempted from PMT. Transgender candidates take the tests with the gender (men / women) they choose.
Endurance Test (qualifying)
| Category | Run |
|---|---|
| Men | 1500 metres in 7 minutes or less |
| Women | 400 metres in 2 minutes 30 seconds or less |
Under Addendum 1A/2025 the same standard applies to Departmental candidates and to ex-servicemen / serving military personnel retiring within one year / ex-CAPF, and the separate PET norms for ex-servicemen / serving military personnel / ex-CAPF were deleted – they and Departmental candidates take the same PET as below. Only candidates who pass the ET can take the PET.
Physical Efficiency Test (PET – 15 marks)
Candidates must take part in all three events or they are disqualified. No star in an event = 0 marks, but the candidate may go on to the next event. One star = 2 marks; two stars = 5 marks.
Men:
| Event | One star (2 marks) | Two stars (5 marks) |
|---|---|---|
| Rope climbing (hands only) | 5.0 m and more but less than 6.0 m | 6.0 m and above |
| Long jump (or) | 3.80 m and more but less than 4.50 m | 4.50 m and more |
| High jump | 1.20 m and more but less than 1.40 m | 1.40 m and more |
| 100 m run (or) | 15.00 s or less but more than 13.50 s | 13.50 s and less |
| 400 m run | 80.00 s or less but more than 70.00 s | 70.00 s and less |
Rope climbing and jumps – two chances (best counts); runs – one chance only.
Women:
| Event | One star (2 marks) | Two stars (5 marks) |
|---|---|---|
| Long jump | 3.0 m and more but less than 3.75 m | 3.75 m and more |
| Shot put 4 kg (or) | 4.25 m and more but less than 5.50 m | 5.50 m and more |
| Cricket ball throw | 17 m and more but less than 24 m | 24 m and more |
| 100 m run (or) | 17.50 s or less but more than 15.50 s | 15.50 s and less |
| 200 m run | 38.00 s or less but more than 33.00 s | 33.00 s and less |
Long jump and throws – two chances; runs – one chance only.
Special marks (maximum 5)
| Category | Certificate / level | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| NCC (max. 2) | One-year member / "A" certificate | ½ |
| "B" certificate | 1 | |
| "C" certificate / Under Officer / Best Cadet at All-India level | 2 | |
| NSS (max. 1) | National programme such as Republic Day Parade (New Delhi) / National Integration and Motivation Camp / Inter-State Youth Exchange | ½ |
| Regular activities or State special camps | ½ | |
| Best Volunteer at State / National level or Best NSS Cadet at the Republic Day Parade | 1 | |
| Sports (max. 2; 16 approved games) | Medal for school at educational-district level | ½ |
| Medal for college at zonal (inter-collegiate) level | ½ | |
| Represented Tamil Nadu university at inter-university level (Form-III) | 1 | |
| Medal for district in inter-district tournament | 1 | |
| Represented Tamil Nadu State (Form-II) | 1½ | |
| Represented India in an international competition (Form-I) | 2 |
The 16 games: basketball, football, hockey, volleyball, handball, kabaddi, wrestling, boxing, gymnastics, judo, weightlifting, swimming, athletics, equitation, rifle shooting and silambam (silambam subject to SDAT approval of the association). Only the highest certificate in each category counts.
Syllabus – overview
- Tamil Language Eligibility Test: basic Tamil as taught up to Class 10 of the Tamil Nadu State Board. Part A – grammar (letters, words, meaning, prosody, figures of speech and more) and language skills (splitting / joining words, antonyms, odd word out, error correction, Tamil equivalents of English words); Part B – literature; Part C – Tamil scholars and their service to Tamil.
- Main exam Part A – General Knowledge (40 marks): General Science, History, Geography, Economics, Indian Polity, Chemistry, Biology, Diet & Nutrition, Environmental Science, Physics and Current Affairs.
- Part B – Psychology Test (30 marks): Logical Analysis, Numerical Analysis, Communication Skills (use of Tamil and English), Information Handling Ability and Mental Ability (inductive / deductive reasoning).
Official documents: Notification 01/2025 (PDF) · Addendum 1A/2025 (PDF) · SI 2025 syllabus (PDF) · Annual Planner 2026–27 (PDF)
Examination Fee
- Open or Departmental Quota: ₹500.
- Departmental candidate applying for both Open and Departmental Quota ("BOTH"): ₹1,000.
- Online payment only (Net Banking / Credit Card / Debit Card / UPI). The payment counts only when a receipt appears in the dashboard.
How to Apply
The SI 2025 application window is closed. For the next notification the process is:
- Apply online only through the TNUSRB website (tnusrb.tn.gov.in); any other mode is rejected.
- Use your own e-mail ID and mobile number – the same ones for the whole recruitment.
- Upload a photo (3.5 × 4.5 cm, white background), left thumb impression, signature and your certificates (education, community, PSTM, NCC / NSS / sports etc.). Only uploaded certificates are accepted at verification.
- Hall tickets and call letters are only on the website – nothing is sent by post.
TNUSRB help: 044-28413658 (application queries); technical 7305159124. TNUSRB says its recruitment is purely merit-based and warns candidates against touts promising jobs.
How we help you prepare
- Police / SI books
- Free GK quizzes (TNPSC Quiz – useful for SI Part A)
- Daily current affairs in Tamil · in English
- Weekly test · Free PDFs
- Exam calendar (incl. TNUSRB) · Job notifications
- Classroom coaching: SI coaching – Coimbatore ₹22,000, Madurai ₹15,000 (incl. GST, books and test series) · Fees · Madurai branch · Admission
- Talk to us: +91 99941 46662 · WhatsApp
Frequently asked questions
What is the TNUSRB SI exam and who conducts it?
It is the direct recruitment of Sub-Inspectors of Police conducted by the Tamil Nadu Uniformed Services Recruitment Board (TNUSRB) for Taluk Police and Armed Reserve (AR) posts. Scale of pay ₹36,900 – ₹1,16,600.
What is the current status of SI 2025?
The written exam was held on 21-12-2025 and the 1:5 result was published on 27-01-2026. Because of a software error, TNUSRB announced that a revised 1:5 result will be published shortly. As of 03-11-2026 the TNUSRB home page shows no revised result or physical-test call.
When is the next TNUSRB SI notification?
As per the TNUSRB Annual Planner 2026–27 (tentative): Sub-Inspectors of Police (Women) – Taluk in December 2026, and direct recruitment of Sub-Inspectors of Police in June 2027. These months are tentative.
What are the qualification and age limit for SI?
Any Bachelor’s degree (10+2+3 or the other permitted patterns). Under the 2025 notification, candidates must have completed 20 and not completed 30 years on 01-07-2025. BC/BC(M)/MBC – 32; SC/SC(A)/ST and transgender – 35; destitute widow – 37; ex-servicemen – 47; Departmental Quota – 47 (as on 01-07-2024).
What is the SI written exam pattern?
Two parts: Tamil Language Eligibility Test (100 Qs, 100 marks, minimum 40 – qualifying only) and Main Written Examination (140 Qs, 70 marks, 2½ hours: General Knowledge 40 + Psychology Test 30; minimum 25 marks). Final 100 marks = written 70 + PET 15 + Viva-Voce 10 + special marks 5.
What are the SI physical standards?
Height: men 170 cm (SC/SC(A)/ST 167), women 159 cm (SC/SC(A)/ST 157). Men’s chest minimum 81 cm with 5 cm expansion. Endurance run: men 1500 m in 7 minutes; women 400 m in 2 minutes 30 seconds. Then a 15-mark Physical Efficiency Test.
Do NCC, NSS and sports certificates give marks?
Yes. Up to 5 special marks at the Viva-Voce: NCC up to 2 ("C" certificate – 2), NSS up to 1, sports up to 2 (representing India internationally – 2). Under Addendum 1A/2025 the same applies to Departmental candidates.
How should I prepare for the SI exam?
Use our free TNPSC quizzes and daily current affairs for General Knowledge, Tamil grammar and literature up to Class 10 (State Board) for the Tamil test, and start daily running practice for the physical tests. We run SI classroom coaching in Coimbatore (₹22,000) and Madurai (₹15,000) – call +91 99941 46662.
