Kerala PSC extends validity of rank lists till November 30

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC) has extended the validity of rank lists set to expire between May 25 and August 31, 2026, till November 30, offering relief to nearly 30,000 candidates awaiting appointments.

The decision was taken at the PSC commission meeting held on May 25. According to the official circular issued by the commission, the extension has been granted under the fifth proviso of Rule 13 of the Kerala PSC Rules of Procedure.

Around 280 rank lists across state and district categories are expected to benefit from the move. Many of these lists were nearing expiry without candidates receiving appointments, mainly due to delays in vacancy reporting and disputes over post calculations.

Most of the rank lists due to expire on August 31 are for Assistant Professor posts in colleges. In several subjects, including Islamic History, Urdu and Tamil, rank lists had already expired earlier without even a single appointment being made. Candidates had alleged that vacancies were not reported in time.

The issue had triggered protests from PSC candidates in recent months. During the Puduyuga Yatra led by Opposition leader V D Satheesan, several candidates submitted complaints demanding a review of post calculation methods and maximum possible appointments from existing rank lists.

The government had earlier indicated its willingness to consider extending the validity of the lists. The latest PSC decision follows a cabinet recommendation in this regard.

Besides Assistant Professor posts, other state-level lists covered under the extension include Higher Secondary School Teacher (HSS) Islamic History, Assistant in Administrative Tribunal, Special Branch Assistant in Police, Fisheries Assistant and LD Typist in Company-Board-Corporation categories. District-level lists such as HST Natural Science, English, Mathematics, Drawing and Junior Public Health Nurse are also included.

The government is also expected to examine measures to address delays in vacancy reporting during election periods, which candidates say significantly affected appointments from several rank lists.

Earlier LDF government had maintained that rank lists should generally not be extended despite protests or political pressure. Exceptions were made only during the Covid period, when appointments were disrupted statewide.