KAS 2025

Kerala Administrative Service Exam – All you need to know

Kerala Administrative Service Exam (KAS) is the most prestigious, high level examination conducted by Kerala PSC. The aim of KAS is to build a cadre of public servants as a second line of managerial talent for Government for effective implementation of Government policies and programs. KAS candidates are eligible for conferred IAS through the promotion conditions under the Indian Administrative Service Regulations, 1995.

Objective

(a) To build a cadre of public servants as a second line of managerial talent for Government for effective implementation of Government policies and programs.

(b) To provide opportunities for growth for bright, talented and committed officers in Government Service and prepare them for senior level administrative and managerial positions in public service.

(c) To constitute the feeder category for the recruitment of Indian Administrative Service officers in Kerala Cadre through appointment by promotion from State Civil Service (SCS) category superseding the existing rules in this regard.

Significance of KAS exam

• KAS exam is conducted to select eligible candidates for group A and group B services in Kerala.
• Kerala government has introduced the KAS exam in the year of 2019.
• The rank of the first appointee in KAS is equivalent to rank of under-secretary in the State secretariat.

Click here to view KAS Prelims 2019 question papers.

Eligibility Criteria for KAS Exam

Selection is done through the divided three streams:

• Stream – 1: Direct recruitment and the candidates who are between the ages of 21 – 32 years are eligible to apply.
• Stream – 2: Direct recruitment from approved Probationers or Full members who have successfully completed probation in various departments of the Government of Kerala aged between 21 years to 40 years.
• Stream – 3: Direct recruitment from Government Employees holding the first gazetted post or above in the Government Departments mentioned in Schedule 1 of Kerala Administrative Service Special Rules published in 2018 and not more than 50 years of age.

Age Conditions

             Streams                      Age limit                          Age relaxation

• Stream 1          21 – 32 years                    5 years ( SC, ST ), 3 years ( Backward Communities)
• Stream 2          21 – 40 years                    5 years ( SC, ST ), 3 years ( Backward Communities)
• Stream 3          < 50 years                        5 years ( SC, ST ), 3 years ( Backward Communities)

Click here to view KAS Mains question papers.

Required Qualifications for KAS

Education qualifications for each stream are as follows:

• Stream 1: Candidates must be a Bachelor’s degree holder from any of the universities recognized by the Government of Kerala.
• Stream 2: Candidates must have a Bachelor’s degree and be an approved probationer in any government department.
• Stream 3: Candidates who have Bachelor’s degree holding permanent 1st gazetted officer post.
• Candidate must be an Indian citizen.

First Kerala Administrative Service Appointments

A total of 105 posts have been identified for the first batch of KAS officers and the officers were placed across 25 departments. 12 KAS officials got appointed as the deputy collectors while 13 as the assistant commissioner post in the GST department.

The following are the list of departments under Kerala Administrative Service mentioned in the Kerala Civil Service Executive Special Rules.

1. Common Categories (Administrative Officer, Administrative Assistant, Account Officer, Financial Assistant and posts earmarked for transfer appointment through KPSC in the cadre of Financial Assistant and listed in Schedule II of these rules).
2. Civil Supplies
3. Urban affairs
4. Commercial Taxes
5. Stationery
6. Commissionerate of Entrance Examinations
7. State insurance
8. Social justice
9. Co-operative department
10. Finance Secretariat
11. National employment service
12. State lotteries
13. Administrative Secretariat
14. Culture
15. Industries and Commerce
16. Labour
17. Kerala State Audit
18. Land Revenue
19. Registration
20. National Savings
21. Panchayat
22. Kerala State land use board
23. Rural development
24. Sainik Welfare
25. Scheduled Tribe development
26. Scheduled Caste development
27. Survey and land records
28. Treasuries
29. General Education
30. Tourism

KAS Pay Scale

The government has fixed the basic salary at Rs. 81,800. It has also sanctioned Dearness Allowance, House Rent Allowance, and 10% grade pay. KAS officers could draw Rs. 81,800 as consolidated pay during their training period.

Training

Every person appointed to KAS (Junior Time Scale) shall undergo training for a period of 18 months or for such duration as may be prescribed by Government from time to time.

Probation

Every person appointed to KAS (Junior Time Scale) shall from the date on which he/she joins duty be on probation for a total period of 2 years on duty within a continuous period of 3 years inclusive of the period of training.