OverviewSSLC at a glance
Conducting body
Directorate of Government Examinations (DGE), Government of Tamil Nadu.
Class & board
Class 10 (SSLC) under the Tamil Nadu State Board (Samacheer Kalvi).
Subjects
Six — Language (Tamil/other), English, Mathematics, Science and Social Science.
Total marks
600 (100 per subject).
Passing marks
35 out of 100 in each subject.
Exam window
Usually March–April; the timetable is announced by DGE each year.
SubjectsSubjects & marks distribution
| Subject | Marks | Pass mark |
|---|---|---|
| Language (Tamil / other) | 100 | 35 |
| English | 100 | 35 |
| Mathematics | 100 | 35 |
| Science | 100 | 35 |
| Social Science | 100 | 35 |
| Total | 500–600* | — |
*Note
Most students take five core subjects plus a language paper. Where internal assessment is applicable, the subject total is split between the public-exam paper and internal marks as notified by the board.
BlueprintQuestion-paper blueprint (typical)
Part I — Objective (1 mark each)
Multiple-choice questions testing the whole syllabus; all are to be answered.
Part II — Short answer (2 marks each)
Short-answer questions, usually with a "answer any N of M" choice.
Part III — Long answer (5 marks each)
Descriptive questions with internal choice (either/or), often including diagrams, derivations or map work depending on the subject.
Part IV — Essay / higher-order (8 marks)
Essay-type or higher-order questions (for example, full essays in languages, graph/construction in Maths, or map-marking in Social Science).
Important
The exact number of questions and the section split vary by subject and year. Use the official SSLC blueprint and previous years' papers for the precise pattern. Practice question papers →
ResultPassing marks & grading
Minimum to pass
35 out of 100 in every subject (public-exam + internal combined where applicable).
Grades
Results are reported with marks and grades; high aggregates earn distinction. The exact grade bands are set by the board.
Supplementary exam
Students who do not clear a subject can appear for the supplementary (instant) examination held later in the year.
FreeFree SSLC preparation resources
Chapter-wise book-back solutions
Every Class 10 chapter with answers, flashcards and a scored self-test. Science → Maths → Social Science →
Important questions (exam-weighted)
Formula sheets
Practice question papers & revision
StrategyHow to prepare for SSLC
1. Finish the book-back questions first
SSLC papers draw heavily from the Samacheer book-back exercises — master them chapter by chapter with the solutions and self-tests.
2. Revise with important questions & formula sheets
Focus your last weeks on the exam-weighted important questions and keep the formula sheets handy for Maths and Science.
3. Solve previous-year & practice papers under time
Train for the 3-hour paper; practise map work, diagrams and graphs to avoid easy mark loss.
4. Use active recall, not re-reading
Test yourself with flashcards and self-tests on each chapter page — recall beats passive reading for retention.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the TN SSLC exam pattern?
- Each subject is for 100 marks with objective (1-mark), short (2-mark) and long (5-mark + essay) sections; 35/100 is the pass mark. Conducted by DGE Tamil Nadu.
- How many subjects and total marks in SSLC?
- Six subjects, 100 marks each — a grand total of 600 marks.
- What are the passing marks?
- A minimum of 35 out of 100 in each subject.
- Where can I get free SSLC preparation material?
- Brain Grain has free chapter-wise Samacheer solutions, important questions, formula sheets and practice papers for all Class 10 subjects.
This page summarises the Tamil Nadu SSLC (Class 10) exam pattern and a typical question-paper blueprint for quick reference. Subject marks splits, internal-assessment rules, grade bands and the exam timetable are set by the Directorate of Government Examinations (DGE), Tamil Nadu and can change each year — always confirm the latest official SSLC blueprint and timetable (dge.tn.gov.in) before your exam. Going to Class 12 next? See the TN HSC exam pattern.