The Tamil Nadu Teachers Recruitment Board (TRB) and the state government have revised the qualifying marks for the Tamil Nadu Teacher Eligibility Test (TNTET) 2025 to make the exam more inclusive for candidates from reserved and marginalised communities. The updated criteria adjusts the minimum percentage required to qualify the eligibility test, which aspiring teachers must clear to be considered for teaching positions in state schools. Under the revised framework, candidates from Backward Classes (BC), Backward Class Muslims (BC (M)), Most Backward Classes (MBC), Denotified Communities (DNC) and Persons with Disabilities (PwD) will now need 50 per cent of the total marks to qualify, reduced from the earlier requirement of 55 per cent. Meanwhile, aspirants belonging to the Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) have seen their minimum threshold lowered to 40 per cent of total marks, down from 55 per cent. The qualifying criterion for general category candidates remains unchanged at 60 per cent.
New Category-Wise Minimum Qualifying Marks for TNTET 2025
The revised minimum qualifying marks out of 150 total marks for both Paper I and Paper II are as follows:
These changes are expected to apply to the TNTET exams conducted in November 2025 as well, offering a broader group of eligible candidates the opportunity to qualify for teacher eligibility certificates.
Rationale Behind the Revision
The state government’s order to lower qualifying marks follows similar eligibility thresholds adopted in other Indian states, such as Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha and Maharashtra, to promote greater inclusivity and fairness for candidates from diverse socio-economic backgrounds. Aligning TNTET norms with these states aims to reduce the barrier posed by high cut-off marks in the eligibility test.
What This Means for Aspirants?
Candidates who appeared for the TNTET 2025 — which was held on 15 and 16 November 2025 — will benefit from the revised minimum marks as they await the declaration of results. This adjustment could enable a larger number of candidates from reserve categories to meet the eligibility criteria for teacher eligibility certificates once results are released. Applicants should regularly check the TRB Tamil Nadu official portal for the latest notifications on TNTET results, scorecards and eligibility certificate issuance following the revised qualifying criteria.