Kerala PSC AMVI 2026 Syllabus PDF Download – Exam Pattern, Mark Distribution & Weightage

Hydraulic Machines: Know the working principles of centrifugal pumps, reciprocating pumps, and turbines (reaction vs impulse). Key parameters: slip, efficiency, discharge, specific speed.

UNIT 2

THERMAL ENGINEERING (10 MARKS)

Laws of Thermodynamics: Know all four laws — Zeroth, First, and Second. Understand isothermal and isentropic processes with PV diagrams and work done equations.

Air Cycles: The four major cycles — Carnot, Otto (petrol engine), Diesel (diesel engine), Joule (gas turbine), and Dual combustion — must be mastered with their PV diagrams, efficiency formulas, and practical comparisons.

IC Engine Performance: Indicated Power (IP), Brake Power (BP), Frictional Power (FP), Mechanical Efficiency, Indicated Thermal Efficiency, Brake Thermal Efficiency, Relative Efficiency, SFC, and the Morse Test for multi-cylinder engines are all testable calculation-based topics.

Compressors: Single-stage vs multi-stage, single-action vs double-action — know the working, uses, and efficiency formulas. Heat Transfer — Fourier’s Law and thermal conductivity are typically 1-2 mark questions.

UNIT 3

STRENGTH OF MATERIALS (10 MARKS )

Stress & Strain: Tensile, compressive, shear — Poisson’s ratio, stress-strain diagram for mild steel and brittle materials, elastic limit, yield point, ultimate stress, factor of safety, and Hooke’s Law are all fundamental topics.

Elastic Moduli: Young’s Modulus (E), Bulk Modulus (K), and Modulus of Rigidity (G) — know the relationships between them. Thermal stress and composite bar problems are common numerical questions.

Beams: Types — cantilever, simply supported. Loading — point load and UDL. Drawing shear force and bending moment diagrams is an important skill tested in this unit.

Joints & Springs: Types of rivets, riveted joints (lap, butt), failure modes, joint efficiency. Welded joints — fillet and butt welds. Springs — spring index, deflection, and stiffness formulas are frequently tested.

UNIT 4

MACHANIC ELEMETS, MATERIALS AND BOILERS (10 marks )

Bearings: Radial, thrust, sliding contact, rolling contact, journal bearings — know the functions, types, bearing characteristic number, and heat generation considerations.

Governors vs Flywheels: A classic comparison question — functions of each, types of governors, technical terms (sensitiveness, hunting, stability), and flywheel energy storage calculations.

Gears: Spur gear nomenclature, velocity ratio, types of gear drives and gear trains (simple, compound, epicyclic) are all testable topics.

Materials: Cast iron types (grey, white, malleable), steel classification, heat treatment methods (annealing, normalizing, hardening, tempering), alloy steels and their applications, and non-ferrous metals like aluminium, copper, brass alloys.

MODULE 5

CONSTRUCTIONAL FEATURES OF ENGINE AND RELATED SYSTEMS (10 MARKS )

MODULE 6

CHASSIS (10 MARKS )

Chassis & Axles: Frame types, bumpers, sub-frames — dead vs live axle, stub axle arrangements (Elliot, Reverse Elliot, Marmon-Herrington) are important for AMVI job context.

Suspension: Front suspension for 2, 3, and 4 wheelers — MacPherson strut, double wishbone, trailing arm. Rear suspension types. Leaf spring, coil spring, helper spring arrangements, spring shackle. Telescopic shock absorbers.

Steering: Ackermann principle (most common exam question), Davis steering, fifth wheel steering, steering gear box types (worm & roller, rack & pinion, re-circulating ball), power steering (integral vs linkage), collapsible column. Wheel alignment factors (camber, castor, kingpin inclination, toe-in/toe-out).

Brakes: This is the most job-critical unit. Know ALL brake types — mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, servo, air brake. Drum vs disc, internal expanding vs external contracting. Master cylinder types, brake bleeding, wheel cylinder, servo brake working, ABS basics.

MODULE 7

TRANSMISSION SYSTEM AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (10 marks)

Clutch Types: Single plate dry, diaphragm, cone, centrifugal, semi-centrifugal, vacuum, hydraulic, electromagnetic, multi-plate — know the constructional features and working principles of each. Fluid flywheel is also included.

Gearboxes: Sliding mesh, constant mesh, synchromesh, progressive, epicyclic gearboxes — this is a very high-yield topic. Torque converter and gear selector mechanisms are frequently asked. 2-wheeler transmissions: gear drive, chain drive, CVT.

Drive & Differential: Propeller shaft, universal joint, Hotchkiss drive, torque tube drive, CVJ, front wheel drive, differential mechanism (essential AMVI topic), rear axle types (semi-floating, three-quarter floating, full floating).

Electrical: Dynamo vs alternator construction, charging system, voltage regulators. Starter motor types, Bendix drive, pre-engaged type. Ignition systems — coil ignition, magneto, electronic/transistorized, distributor-less (DLI), computer-controlled ignition. Spark plug types and advance/retard mechanisms.

UNIT 8

TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT & MODERN TECHNOLOGIES IN AUTOMOBILES (10 MARKS )

Transportation Management: MV Act definitions, driver/conductor duties, vehicle registration, MTO organizational chart. Road geometry — highway width, gradient, super elevation, sight distance, road intersections.

Modern Fuel Injection: EFI types — MPFI, Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI), Throttle Body Injection (TBI). Common Rail Diesel System (CRDI), ECM, types of sensors (MAF, MAP, O2, TPS, CPS), and actuators.

Emission Control: Sources of pollution, PCV system, EGR, catalytic converter, evaporative emission control (charcoal canister), diesel smoke and emission norms (BS VI) — directly relevant to vehicle inspection work.

EVs & Hybrid Vehicles: Social importance, components of EV drive systems, hybrid electric vehicle components, government policies on EVs. This is a growing area in AMVI examinations given Kerala’s push for electric vehicles.

PART 3 (A) The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 — Key Sections (7 Marks)

Seven marks are allocated to specific sections of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. These are directly job-relevant as an AMVI will apply these sections daily. The sections are spread across multiple chapters:

Chapter I — Definitions (Preliminary)

• Sec 2(1) Adapted vehicle
• Sec 2(1A) Aggregator
• Sec 2(2)Articulated vehicle
• Sec 2(15) Gross vehicle weight
• Sec 2(16) Heavy goods vehicle
• Sec 2(17) Heavy passenger motor vehicle
• Sec 2(21) Light motor vehicle
• Sec 2(22) Maxi cab
• Sec 2(23) Medium goods vehicle
• Sec 2(24) Medium passenger motor vehicle
• Sec 2(25) Motor Cab
• Sec 2(26) Motor Car
• Sec 2(29) Omni bus
• Sec 2(33) Private service vehicle
• Sec 2(35) Public service vehicle
• Sec 2(47) Transport vehicle
• Sec 2(48) Unladen weight

Chapter IV — Registration of Motor Vehicles

• Sec 39 Necessity for registration
• Sec 44 Production of vehicle at time of registration
• Sec 46 Effectiveness of registration in India
• Sec 52 Alteration in motor vehicle
• Sec 53 Suspension of registration
• Sec 55 Cancellation of registration
• Sec 56 Certificate of fitness of transport vehicles

Chapter V, VI, VII — Control & Construction

• Sec 66 Necessity of permits
• Sec 99 State transport undertaking proposals
• Sec 109 General provisions on construction & maintenance
• Sec 110 ARecall of Motor Vehicles
• Sec 110 BType-approval certificate and testing agencies

Chapter VIII — Control of Traffic

• Sec 112 Limits of speed
• Sec 113 Limits of weight and use restrictions
• Sec 114 Power to have vehicle weighed
• Sec 120 Left-hand control vehicles
• Sec 122 Leaving vehicle in dangerous position
• Sec 128 Safety measures for drivers and pillion riders
• Sec 129 Wearing of protective headgear
• Sec 134 Driver’s duty in case of accident
• Sec 134 AProtection of Good Samaritans
• Sec 136 Inspection of vehicles involved in accident
• Sec 136 AElectronic monitoring & enforcement of road safety

Chapter XI & XIII — Insurance & Penalties

• Sec 146 Necessity for insurance against third party risk
• Sec 177General provision for punishment
• Sec 183 Driving at excessive speed
• Sec 184 Driving dangerously
• Sec 185 Driving under influence of alcohol/drugs
• Sec 190 Using vehicle in unsafe condition
• Sec 192 Using vehicle without registration
• Sec 194 Driving vehicle exceeding permissible weight
• Sec 202 Power to arrest without warrant
• Sec 207 Power to detain vehicles
• Sec 213 Appointment of motor vehicles officers

Section 56 (Certificate of Fitness) and Section 213 (Appointment of MV Officers) are especially important as they directly define the AMVI role. These are very likely to appear in the exam.

PART 3 (B) Kerala Motor Vehicles Taxation Act, 1976 (3 Marks)

Three marks are allocated to the Kerala Motor Vehicles Taxation Act, 1976. While this carries fewer marks, the sections are precise and easy to memorise — making it a high-return area to prepare.

• Sec 2(e) Purchase value — definition
• Sec 3 Levy of tax
• Sec 3 ALevy of Green Tax
• Sec 4 Payment of tax and issue of licence
• Sec 5 Exemption from tax
• Sec 6 Refund of tax
• Sec 7 Payment of additional tax
• Sec 10 Power of Police/MV officers to stop motor vehicles
• Sec 11 Power to seize, detain and sell motor vehicles
• Sec 12 Additional tax when tax not paid
• Sec 13 Amounts recoverable as arrears of land revenue
• Sec 26 Escaped assessment

Section 3A (Green Tax) is especially current and frequently asked in recent AMVI exams, given Kerala’s focus on pollution control and older vehicle taxation. Don’t skip it.

How to Download Kerala PSC AMVI Syllabus 2026 PDF

1. Go to the official website: https://www.keralapsc.gov.in
2. Click on the menu option “Downloads” / “Syllabus” / “Recruitment”
3. Search for your post: “Assistant Motor Vehicle Inspector (AMVI)” or Category No. 26/2026
4. Open the notification or syllabus link
5. Click the Download PDF button
6. Save the file on your mobile or computer

Preparation Tips & Study Strategy for Kerala PSC AMVI Exam 2026

• Prioritize Units V, VI & VII – Engine construction, chassis, and transmission are the most job-relevant topics and carry 30 marks combined. These are also the units where AMVI-specific questions appear most frequently.
• Read the MV Act Directly – Don’t rely on summaries for the Motor Vehicles Act sections. Read the actual text of each listed section — exact wording matters in MCQ options.
• Master Formulas in Units II & III – Thermal Engineering and Strength of Materials have numerical questions. Practice IP, BP, efficiency formulas, stress calculations, and spring deflection regularly.
• Revise Previous AMVI Question Papers – Previous question papers from Cat. 517/2022 and 610/2022 follow the same syllabus. Solving them gives real insight into which sub-topics are repeatedly tested.
• Driving Licence Regulations — Easy 10 Marks – MV (Driving) Regulations 2017 and Chapter II of MV Act on driver licensing are highly predictable. Study all definitions, test requirements, and licence categories thoroughly.
• Modern Tech – Easy Marks – EV/Hybrid vehicles, CRDI, MPFI, ABS, airbags, and GPS/ADAS topics in Unit VIII are straightforward conceptual questions — 2–3 marks available here with minimal effort.