Kerala Medical Officer / Assistant Surgeon (Kerala PSC) — Complete Guide
The Kerala Public Service Commission (Kerala PSC) is the body responsible for recruiting into the Kerala Health Services Department post officially named Assistant Surgeon/Casualty Medical Officer — commonly called "Medical Officer (Allopathy)" by aspirants. Kerala PSC separately recruits Medical Officer (Homoeopathy) and Medical Officer (Ayurveda) posts for their respective departments. This page focuses on the Allopathy (Assistant Surgeon) recruitment. Kerala PSC follows a written OMR examination followed by document verification and an interview, with recruitment conducted periodically via Ranked Lists as vacancies arise across government hospitals, PHCs, CHCs and family health centres.
| Conducting Body | Kerala Public Service Commission (KPSC) |
| Official Website | keralapsc.gov.in |
| Posts | Assistant Surgeon/Casualty Medical Officer (Allopathy); separately Medical Officer (Homoeo) and Medical Officer (Ayurveda) |
| Selection Process | Written (OMR) examination → document verification → interview → Ranked List |
| Pay Scale | Current notifications show approx Rs 63,700–1,23,700 per month (revised scale; older cycles show lower pre-revision figures) |
| Age Limit | 18–41 years (3–5 year relaxation for OBC/SC/ST) |
| Qualification | MBBS from a recognised university with NMC / Kerala Medical Council registration |
Kerala PSC follows a well-defined selection process for Medical Officer posts:
Stage 1 — Written Examination: Kerala PSC conducts a written test covering MBBS clinical and para-clinical subjects, along with General Knowledge and Current Affairs relevant to Kerala. The exam may be conducted online (OMR-based or computer-based) at various centres across the state.
Stage 2 — Interview / Document Verification: Candidates who qualify the written exam are called for an interview and document verification. The interview assesses clinical knowledge, communication skills and suitability for government health service in Kerala.
Direct Recruitment by Interview: For certain categories or when the number of qualified applicants is limited, Kerala PSC may conduct direct recruitment through interview only, based on academic marks and experience.
The rank list prepared by Kerala PSC remains valid for a specified period (typically 1–3 years) and candidates are appointed as vacancies arise. Recruitment is conducted periodically as and when vacancies are reported by the Health Services Department.
| Mode | OMR-based or Computer Based Test (CBT) |
| Question Type | Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) |
| Subject Coverage | MBBS clinical subjects (Medicine, Surgery, OBG, Paediatrics, PSM, etc.) |
| Additional Section | General Knowledge & Current Affairs (relevant to Kerala and India) |
| Duration | Varies by notification (typically 1.5–2 hours) |
| Marking Scheme | Varies by notification; check official Kerala PSC exam notification |
| Qualification | MBBS degree from a recognised university |
| Registration | Must be registered with the Kerala Medical Council or National Medical Commission (NMC) |
| Internship | Must have completed compulsory rotatory internship |
| Age (General) | 18 to 41 years (age calculated as on 1st January of the recruitment year) |
| Age (OBC) | 18 to 44 years (3-year relaxation) |
| Age (SC/ST) | 18 to 46 years (5-year relaxation) |
| Language | Must be able to read and write Malayalam |
| Pay Scale | Approx Rs 63,700 – Rs 1,23,700 per month (as per recent Assistant Surgeon/CMO notifications) |
| Dearness Allowance (DA) | As applicable, revised periodically by state government |
| House Rent Allowance (HRA) | Based on posting location |
| NPA | Non-Practising Allowance applicable for medical officers |
| Pension | State government pension under applicable rules |
| Other Benefits | Medical benefits, leave rules, GPF, gratuity, professional development allowances |