Chennai, Feb 15: Nearly 20 lakh people appeared for the exam conducted by the Tamil Nadu Public Sevice Commission (TNPSC) on February 11 to fill 9,500 posts of typists, Village Administrative officers (VAO) and stenographers. Also Read - School Reopening News: This State Has Decided to Resume All Classes Simultaneously | Here's When And How

What is surprising is that 992 PhD holders, 23,000 MPhil holders, 2.5 lakh post-graduates and eight lakh graduates were among the applicants for such clerk-level job. Also Read - BJP Workers Offer 70-kg 'Laddu' at Coimbatore Temple Ahead of PM Modi's 70th Birthday

According to data from the TNPSC, while 19.83 lakh applied for the exam, more than 15 lakh had appeared for the exam, reported Times of India. Candidates who have passed class 10 exam were eligible for appearing in the exam. Also Read - Sasikala's Probable Date of Release is Jan 27, 2021: Bangalore Central Prison

However, the number of graduate candidates outstripped those who had only cleared Class 10 or Class 12. According to government officials, the craze for the security government jobs provide is behind this trend.

“This trend was visible in the recent selection of police constables by TNUSRB where 4,000 graduates and around 500 post-graduates applied,” an official was quoted as saying.

The exam was conducted for recruitment of 494 VAOs, 4,349 junior assistants and bill collectors, 230 field surveyors and draftsmen, 3,463 typists and 815 steno-typists.