How to Get Your PSTM Certificate for TNPSC

PSTM is worth 20% of vacancies in every category, and it fails at verification more than any other claim, usually because candidates bring one certificate where year-wise proof was needed.

Worth knowing

PSTM is worth 20% of vacancies in every category, the highest-value claim most people fumble
Prove Tamil medium for every year of the qualifying course, not a single year
Your OTR education rows must record Tamil medium for the same years

Step by step

01Confirm you qualify

PSTM applies when the education qualifying you for the post was studied in Tamil medium. For an SSLC-level post, that means your school years; for degree posts, the degree itself.

02Get the certificate from the institution head

The school headmaster or college principal issues the PSTM certificate in the format annexed to the TNPSC notification, stating Tamil was the medium of instruction.

03Cover every year of the qualifying course

Verification expects the claim proven for the whole qualifying education, not a single year. Institutions that have closed route through the education department office, start early if that's you.

04Match your OTR education entries

The medium of instruction recorded in your OTR education rows must say Tamil for the same years. Fix mismatches before applying.

Official links

What is PSTM?CV documents checklist

Frequently asked questions

Is PSTM a separate quota?

No. It is a 20% preferential reservation applied within each communal category, you compete in your category with PSTM priority, not in a separate list.

I studied partly in English medium. Can I claim PSTM?

The claim rests on the qualifying education being in Tamil medium. Mixed-medium histories depend on which qualification the post requires; check the notification's PSTM annexure for your case.

Who issues the PSTM certificate?

The head of your institution, the school headmaster or college principal, in the exact format annexed to the TNPSC notification. If the institution has closed, route the request through the district education office.

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Steps and specifications follow official TNPSC instructions and notification annexures. Sources: TNPSC official notifications. Figures are indicative and may change with each official notification. Data last reviewed: July 2026.

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