Secretariat Assistant Exam 2024 - Notification, New Exam Pattern, Syllabus

The Kerala Public Service Commission (KPSC) will issue a new notification for Secretariat Assistant post in December 2024, following its decision made on October 28, 2024. This notification will provide detailed information about the eligibility criteria, selection process, and other relevant details.For those aspiring to work in the administrative core of Kerala, here’s an in-depth look into the eligibility, salary, allowances, job responsibilities, promotional pathways, and preparation tips for the Kerala PSC Secretariat Assistant Exam 2025.

Know about Secretariat Assistant 2025 Exam

Secretariat Assistant Exam is the most awaited and attended exam among the degree level exams conducted by Kerala PSC. This is a post which is posted in well-equipped offices like Secretariat. This exam is conducted for the posts of several institutions like

• Government Secretariat

• Kerala Public Commission

• Advocate General Office (Ernakulam),

• Local Fund Audit Department

Notification

As per the Kerala Public Service Commission's meeting decision on October 28, 2024, a new notification for this post will be released in December 2024.

The previous notification for this post was issued in 2021. The subsequent examination was held in 2022, and the rank list was published in April 2023. As the current rank list's validity period of three years expires in 2026, a new examination for Secretariat Assistant posts will be conducted in 2025 to create a new rank list.

Please follow our WhatsApp channel for timely updates regarding the notification and other informations. The Secretariat Assistant notification PDF will be made available for download here.

As per the notification shown in the image below released by Kerala PSC, they are set to release the official notification for the Secretariat Assistant exam in December 2024.

Eligibility Criteria

To apply for the Kerala PSC Secretariat Assistant post, candidates must meet specific educational, age, and nationality requirements.

• Educational Qualification: Candidates must hold a bachelor’s degree from a recognized university or institution. This exam is open to graduates from any field. No specific subject is required.

• Age Limit: Applicants should be within the age range of 18 to 36 years (Born Between 02 January 1988 and 01 January 2006 (both dates inclusive)

• However, age relaxations apply to certain categories as follows:

  • SC/ST candidates: Up to 5 years of relaxation.

  • OBC candidates: Up to 3 years of relaxation.

    Category	Age limit
    General	36
    OBC	39
    SC/ST	41

• Nationality: Candidates must be Indian 🇮🇳 citizens, and Kerala domicile is generally required to avail age relaxations and other benefits.

Category Number

The category number of Secretariat Assistant examination is not yet available. It will be announced once the official notification is released by the Kerala PSC, which is expected in December 2024. We will update the category number here once its available.

Secretariat Assistant Exam Pattern

The Secretariat Assistant 2025 examination consists Prelims, Mains and Interview, a three-stage process. The initial stage is the preliminary examination, a 100-mark objective-type test conducted as a common preliminary exam for all degree level posts. Successful candidates from this prelims stage progress to the main examination, which consists of two 100-mark papers (Paper 1 and Paper 2) of objective-type questions. The final stage is a personal interview conducted to evaluate a candidate's personality, communication skills, general awareness, and overall suitability for the position. A final rank list will be published after the completion of the interview stage, determining the final selection.
Two papers of 1 hour 15 minutes each. Each paper will consist of 100 questions. Each question carries one mark. Each wrong answer carries a negative marking of 0.33 marks.
Paper 1 will be held in the morning and paper 2 in the afternoon.

Mark distribution of each paper is mentioned below.

Secretariat Assistant Exam Date 2025

As mentioned above, the notification has only been received that there will be a NOTIFICATION of this post in December. Anyway the exam will be in 2025. But the exam date is not mentioned. Exam date and exam time is not available yet. Will update here and in our WhatsApp channel once announced. Any questions related to the exam can be asked through WhatsApp chat.

Salary and Allowances 💰

The Secretariat Assistant role offers stability, good pay, and career growth in Kerala's government sector. This position offers an attractive salary package, accompanied by various allowances that enhance the overall compensation.

• Basic Pay: The starting basic pay for this role typically ranges from ₹27,800 to ₹59,400 per month. Over time, this salary can increase based on experience and promotions.

• Allowances:

  • Dearness Allowance (DA): Adjusted periodically to counter inflation, DA contributes significantly to the monthly salary.

  • House Rent Allowance (HRA): Calculated based on the posting location

  • Medical Allowance: Covers medical expenses for the employee and family members

  • Travel Allowance (TA): Provided for daily travel costs

  • Additional Benefits: Besides the regular salary and allowances, employees are eligible for health insurance, pension, and gratuity, ensuring post-retirement benefits and financial security.

Job Profile and Responsibilities

The role of a Secretariat Assistant is vital to the institutions's smooth functioning. It involves a wide range of administrative tasks, such as:

• Drafting Official Correspondence: Preparing letters, reports, and responses for internal and external communications.

• Document and File Management: Maintaining and organising important records and files to ensure quick retrieval and efficient workflow.

• Assistance to Higher Officers: Providing necessary support to senior officers in preparing policy drafts, managing schedules, and coordinating departmental activities.

• Data Entry and Office Management: Routine data entry, file updates, and assisting with day-to-day office functions. This role requires candidates to be detail-oriented, organised, and capable of multitasking.

Promotion and Career Progression

Secretariat Assistants have many opportunities for advancement within the institution where they post, with a structured promotion path .Following is the exact step-by-step career growth of this post which starts as a clerical assistant.

Assistant

⬇

Senior Grade Assistant

⬇

Assistant Sectional Officer

⬇

Sectional Officer

⬇

Under Secretary

⬇

Deputy Secretary

⬇

Joint Secretary

⬇

Additional Secretary

⬇

Special Secretary

• In this, Assistant, Senior Grade Assistant, Assistant Sectional Officer are group C positions. Under Secretary, Deputy Secretary and Joint Secretary are Group B positions. That is gazetted rank posts. Additional Secretary and Special Secretary are the highest positions that can be reached in the government service.

• Promotion Exams: Kerala PSC conducts departmental exams for faster career progression. These exams allow motivated candidates to climb the ladder more quickly and secure senior positions.

Secretariat Assistant Syllabus

As per reports from the Kerala PSC, the detailed syllabus and exam scheme will be incorporated into the notification, anticipated in December 2024. Understanding the syllabus for the Kerala PSC Secretariat Assistant exam is crucial for effective preparation. The syllabus outlines the specific topics and areas that the exam will cover, helping candidates focus on relevant content and avoid unnecessary topics. This targeted approach saves time and enhances productivity, as candidates can plan their studies to address weaker areas and strengthen core competencies. Additionally, familiarity with the syllabus allows candidates to better anticipate question patterns and allocate time efficiently, ultimately increasing their chances of performing well in the highly competitive exam. Click Here to know detailed syllabus of this exam.

Rank List 📃

The final rank list will be published after the written exam in 2025 and interview stages. Previous rank list of secretariat assistant will be expire only on 2026.So new rank list will be published on 2026 and valid till 2029.

Exam Preparation ✍🏻

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