Have a question?
Send enquiry
Message sent Close

Kerala Administrative Service – KAS

Preamble > Kerala Administrative Service – KAS

The Kerala Administrative Service (KAS) is one of the most prestigious state government jobs in Kerala.

The Kerala Administrative Service (KAS) is the administrative cadre of the Government of Kerala and was started in 2018. The Kerala Public Service Commission conducts exams to recruit candidates for the service. A threestage examination and 18 months of training follow selection. It aims to build a cadre of public servants as a second line of managerial talent for the effective implementation of government services in Kerala.

The declared objective of the Kerala Administrative Service is to create a new generation of officers to utilize the potential of modern technology to make governance more efficient. By identifying and hiring talented candidates through a rigorous three-stage examination process and then providing them with 18 months of training, the government hopes to increase the effectiveness of middle-level management in the government service. The first year of 18 months of training is pre-service training, and the subsequent six months of training must be done after entering service but before completing probation. Through KAS, the government is looking for a way to avoid hindering the realization of the objectives of government projects due to the significant shortage of professionals in the second tier of the government system.

The rank of first appointee in KAS is equivalent to the rank of undersecretary in the State Secretariat. Initially, the second-gazetted posts in 29 government departments were reserved for KAS. Officers in KAS, which is considered the feeder category for IAS, can enter the IAS cadre subject to satisfying conditions of promotion under the Indian Administrative Service (Appointment by Promotion) Regulations, 1955, after completing 8 years of service.

KAS officers are the higher-level administrative officers of Kerala government departments. The duties of KAS officers include administration, supervising government projects, filing approvals, and coordinating the departments.

KAS and IAS are both administrative service posts. The difference is that KAS is a state administrative post and IAS is a central administrative post. The state’s public service commission conducts the KPSC exam, and the UPSC conducts the IAS.

The Kerala Administrative Service Examination is considered the highest-level examination conducted by the Kerala Public Service Commission.

Selection is done through any of the three streams described below:

  • Stream 1: Direct recruitment
  • Stream 2: Direct recruitment from approved probationers or full members who have successfully completed probation in various departments of the Government of Kerala.
  • Stream 3: Direct recruitment from government employees holding the first gazetted post or above in the government departments mentioned in Schedule 1 of the Kerala Administrative Service Special Rules published in 2018 or holding the equivalent post in the general categories mentioned in Schedule 1.

Sl NoCategoryManner of AppointmentQualifications
1KAS Officer
(Junior Time Scale)
(Trainee) STREAM 1		Direct Recruitment(1) Must have completed 21 years and must not have completed 32 years of age as of January 1st of the year in which applications for appointments are invited.

(2) Must have obtained a bachelor degree, including a professional course in any subject, from a university recognized by a university established by the Government of Kerala or UGC or awarded by national institutes established by the Government of India.
STREAM 2By direct recruitment (from among full members or approved probationers in any government department)(1) Must have completed 21 years and must not have completed 40 years of age as of the first of January of the year inwhich applications for appointments are invited.

(2) Must have obtained a bachelor degree, including a professional course in any subject, from a university recognized by the Government of Kerala or UGC or awarded by national institutes established by the Government of India.

(3) Must be a full member or an approved probationer in any government department and must not be a 1st Gazetted Officer or above in the departments in Schedule 1

(4) Must have been regularized in service in any cadre as per Rule 10(b) in the Kerala State and Subordinate Services Rules 1958 or must have served for a period of not less than two years in a supernumerary post in government and against whom no major penalty has been imposed or proceedings for major penalty or criminal proceedings are in progress.
STREAM 3By direct recruitment (from among candidates holding the 1st Gazetted Post or above in Departments in Schedule 1 and equivalent posts in Common Categories listed in Schedule I)(1) Must not have completed 50 years of age by January 1 of the year in which applications for appointments are invited.

(2) Must have obtained a bachelor degree in any subject, including a professional course, from a university recognized by a university established by the Government of Kerala or UGC or awarded by a national institute established by the Government of India.

(3)Must have satisfactorily completed probation in any Cadre in Government or probation has not been declared in the current post even after the period of probation, due to administrative delay, but against whom no major penalty has been imposed or proceedings for major penalty or criminal proceedings are in progress.
2KAS Officer
(Senior Time Scale)		By Promotion(1) Must have satisfactorily completed the probation in the post-KAS (Junior Time Scale).

(2) Must have completed 8 years in the post-KAS (Junior Time Scale).
3KAS Officer
(Selection Grade Scale)		By PromotionMust have completed 6 years in the post-KAS (Senior Time Scale).
4KAS Officer
(Super Time Scale)		By PromotionMust have completed 8 years in the post of KAS (Selection Grade Scale).