What Kerala PSC LDC is
Lower Division Clerk, universally shortened to LDC, is the single most searched government job term in Kerala, and Last Grade Servant (LGS) is its close companion at the next qualification tier down. Both are recruited by the Kerala Public Service Commission (Kerala PSC), but neither runs on the single annual notification cycle that SSC or TNPSC use. Kerala PSC instead issues many parallel, department or company-specific notifications throughout the year, each carrying its own “Category Number,” and each producing its own Ranked List that the Commission draws candidates from as vacancies are reported over an extended period, typically one to three years, rather than a single point-in-time hiring event. If you are used to how TNPSC Group 4 or UP Lekhpal run, this structure takes some adjustment: “the current LDC notification” is not one well-defined thing in Kerala, it is several running in parallel.
Who can apply
LDC asks for SSLC (Class 10) pass or an equivalent qualification. LGS asks for Standard VII (Class 7) pass or equivalent, with an unusual additional rule: a candidate holding a qualification higher than Higher Secondary is not eligible for LGS, since it is meant for the most basic qualification tier specifically. LGS also requires the ability to cycle, except for women and differently-abled candidates. The general age band across both posts runs 18 to 36 years, with the usual relaxation for OBC, SC and ST candidates under Kerala government rules, though the exact figures can differ slightly between individual category-number notifications, so confirm against the specific one you are applying to.
How the exam runs
Selection runs on an OMR-based written examination covering General Knowledge and Current Affairs, Arithmetic and Mental Ability, and English and/or Malayalam, followed by document verification for candidates whose rank on the resulting Ranked List gets called against a reported vacancy. Exact marks, duration and negative marking are set in each specific notification rather than fixed centrally, given how many parallel category-number notifications run at once; confirm the pattern against the notification you registered under rather than a generic LDC syllabus resource, since these can differ between category numbers.
There is no interview and no physical test for either LDC or LGS.
Preparing the application
Photograph and signature specifications follow the standard format given in the specific notification you are applying under. The photo resizer on this site adjusts an existing photo to the required size in the browser.
LDC applications currently carry no application fee under the notification this page tracks; confirm this against your own specific category-number notification, since fee policy can vary.
On exam day
Carry the printed admit card and an original government photo identification matching the name and photo on the admit card. No electronic devices are permitted inside the examination hall.
Understanding the Ranked List system
The single most important thing to understand about Kerala PSC recruitment is that clearing the written exam does not itself mean an immediate job offer. It places you on a Ranked List for that specific category number, valid for a period the Commission sets, typically one to three years, and you are called for document verification and appointment as vacancies under that category number are reported to the Commission during the list’s validity. A candidate ranked well but not immediately called is not necessarily out of contention; they may still be called later in the list’s validity window as more vacancies open. Track your specific rank list’s status through the Thulasi portal rather than assuming a single result date settles the matter.
For anything this page cannot answer, treat Kerala PSC’s own official website and the Thulasi portal, both linked above, as the last word: which category numbers are currently open, current vacancy reports against each Ranked List, and category-specific dates are published there.