KAS reservation: PSC approves draft amendment

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC) has given approval for draft amendments for applying reservation in all three streams in Kerala Administrative Service (KAS). 

All amendments but the suggestion for age relaxation as per reservation norms for the stream of first grade gazetted officers were approved.  In this stream, the upper age limit with relaxationwill be 50 years. The age limit was based on Kerala Service Rules which has set upper limit for reservation communities with age relaxation as 50 years.

Meanwhile, age relaxation will be applied in the other two streams,   21-32 is the age limit for direct recruitment.  In this stream, SC/STs can apply till 37 years and Other Backward Communities can apply till 35.

The second stream is meant for officials working in non-gazetted posts. Age limit for this stream is fixed as 21-40 years.  In this category SC/STs can apply till 45 years and OBCs can apply till 43 years. Moreover, ex-servicemen, widows and differently abled will have age-relaxation as per norms of Kerala Service Rules.

Graduation is the basic qualification for KAS.  KAS is conceived as a feeder category of the state for IAS. 10 per cent of second class gazetted posts of state services are transferred to KAS.  PSC will hand over the approved draft rules to the government on Tuesday.  Government will issue a final notification after this.

Earlier, when the government published draft rules in this regard, reservation was restricted to the stream of direct recruitment.  When the government had sought a legal opinion from the Advocate General, the latter also supported the government's policy. The government accepted this view and bypassed the opinion of Law Secretary. A huge protest followed.   

A demand for reservation for all streams was raised from the rulng alliance partners also. Thereafter,  the government decided to implement reservation in all three streams.