Table of Contents
Kerala PSC Scheduled Castes Development Officer Syllabus 2026 PDF Download! The Kerala Public Service Commission (KPSC) has released the detailed syllabus for the post of Scheduled Castes Development Officer Gr.II in the Scheduled Castes Development Department, under Category No. 027/2026. The exam is conducted for a total of 100 marks across 22 modules, covering sociology, social work theory and practice, constitutional safeguards for Scheduled Castes, and Kerala-specific social history.
Candidates preparing for this post should note that the syllabus blends foundational sociology and social work concepts with department-specific knowledge on SC welfare administration — making it distinct from most other KPSC exams.
Kerala PSC Scheduled Castes Development Officer Syllabus 2026 PDF Download
The Kerala PSC Scheduled Castes Development Officer Syllabus 2026 PDF provides the detailed topics and subjects to be covered for the examination. Candidates can download the official syllabus PDF from the Kerala PSC website using the link below and use it to plan their preparation according to the prescribed topics.
Kerala PSC Scheduled Castes Development Officer Exam Pattern 2026
| Module | Topic | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| I | Foundations of Sociology | 3 |
| II | Sociological Thinkers and Perspectives | 3 |
| III | Social Stratification and Caste | 4 |
| IV | Indian Social Structure and Social Change | 3 |
| V | Scheduled Castes: Deprivation, Exclusion and Empowerment | 4 |
| VI | Social Development, Policy and Welfare Administration | 4 |
| VII | Rural, Urban and Community Studies | 2 |
| VIII | Constitutional and Legal Provisions for Scheduled Castes | 5 |
| IX | Social Research Methods and Statistics | 2 |
| X | Kerala Society and Social Reform | 3 |
| XI | Social Work in General | 3 |
| XII | Social Case Work | 6 |
| XIII | Social Group Work | 6 |
| XIV | Community Organisation and Social Action | 5 |
| XV | Rural and Tribal Community Development | 4 |
| XVI | Social Welfare Administration | 4 |
| XVII | Social Legislation, Social Policy and Advocacy | 3 |
| XVIII | Scheduled Caste Development and Social Work Practice | 3 |
| XIX | Indian Social System | 8 |
| XX | Scheduled Castes in Kerala | 8 |
| XXI | Social Justice, Inclusivity and Fundamentals of Empowerment | 8 |
| XXII | Bias and Exclusion in Development | 9 |
| Total | 100 |
Note the weightage skew: Modules XIX–XXII (Indian Social System, SCs in Kerala, Social Justice/Empowerment, and Bias & Exclusion) together carry 33 marks — nearly a third of the paper — making them the highest-priority section for focused preparation.
Kerala PSC Scheduled Castes Development Officer Detailed Syllabus 2026 (Module-wise)
Module I: Foundations of Sociology (3 Marks)
Sociology: meaning, nature and scope; sociology as a social science; sociological imagination. Basic concepts: society, community, association, social institution, social structure, social system, status and role, norms and values, culture and subculture. Socialisation: meaning, process, and agencies (family, peer group, educational institutions, media, community). Social control: formal and informal. Social groups: primary/secondary, in-group/out-group, reference group. Social processes: cooperation, competition, conflict, accommodation, assimilation.
Module II: Sociological Thinkers and Perspectives (3 Marks)
Auguste Comte (positivism, law of three stages, social statics/dynamics); Karl Marx (historical materialism, mode of production, class conflict, alienation); Émile Durkheim (social facts, division of labour, mechanical/organic solidarity, anomie); Max Weber (social action, ideal type, types of authority, bureaucracy). Perspectives: functionalist, conflict, symbolic interactionist, feminist.
Module III: Social Stratification and Caste (4 Marks)
Stratification meaning, bases and forms (caste, class, gender, race, ethnicity). Caste system: varna and jati, hierarchy, endogamy, hereditary occupation, purity/pollution, untouchability. Perspectives on caste: G.S. Ghurye, M.N. Srinivas (Sanskritisation, dominant caste), Louis Dumont (hierarchy and purity-pollution), André Béteille (caste, class and power), B.R. Ambedkar (graded inequality, annihilation of caste). Social mobility: horizontal/vertical, inter/intra-generational, structural.
Module IV: Indian Social Structure and Social Change (3 Marks)
Unity and diversity; religion, language, region, ethnicity, tribe. Family, marriage and kinship: joint/nuclear families, forms of marriage, patriarchy, changing family patterns. Social change processes: Westernisation, modernisation, secularisation, industrialisation, urbanisation, globalisation. Social movements: peasant, labour, women’s, tribal, environmental, new social movements.
Module V: Scheduled Castes — Deprivation, Exclusion and Empowerment (4 Marks)
SC concept, historical background, untouchability and historical disabilities. Dimensions of deprivation: poverty, landlessness, housing, education, occupational marginalisation, unemployment, health inequalities. Social exclusion and discrimination: segregation, economic/educational/occupational exclusion, stigma. SCs and education: access, enrolment, retention, dropout, first-generation learners. SCs and livelihood: employment, skilling, self-employment, entrepreneurship, informal labour. Vulnerable sub-groups: women, children, persons with disabilities, older persons. Empowerment: social, educational, economic, political.
Module VI: Social Development, Policy and Welfare Administration (4 Marks)
Social development meaning and objectives; inclusive, sustainable, participatory development. Human development: HDI, social indicators, Amartya Sen’s capability approach. Poverty: absolute, relative, multidimensional. Social policy: justice, welfare, security, affirmative action. Welfare administration: participatory governance, social audit, transparency, grievance redressal. Decentralised development: Panchayati Raj, Gram Sabha, local self-government, participatory planning.
Module VII: Rural, Urban and Community Studies (2 Marks)
Rural society: agrarian structure, land relations, rural leadership, rural poverty/transformation. Urban society: urbanisation, rural-urban migration, slums, informal sector, urban poverty. Community organisation: mobilisation, leadership, collective action. Participatory methods: PRA, social mapping, resource mapping, transect walk.
Module VIII: Constitutional and Legal Provisions for Scheduled Castes (5 Marks)
Constitutional principles: preamble, social justice and equality. Fundamental rights and SCs. Directive principles and special safeguards. National Commission for Scheduled Castes: composition, functions, powers, investigation of safeguards/complaints. Reservation and affirmative action: constitutional basis, reservation in education/employment/political representation. Institutional mechanisms: national/state-level protection mechanisms, district vigilance, role of police, special courts, welfare departments.
Module IX: Social Research Methods and Statistics (2 Marks)
Research meaning and scientific method. Types: exploratory, descriptive, explanatory, evaluation, action research. Approaches: quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods. Research process: problem, objectives, design, data collection, analysis, reporting. Sampling: probability/non-probability. Tools: questionnaire, schedule, interview, observation, case study. Basic statistics: mean, median, mode, dispersion, correlation. Programme evaluation: baseline/endline, indicators, process/outcome/impact evaluation.
Module X: Kerala Society and Social Reform (3 Marks)
Kerala society: characteristics, traditional social organisation, caste relations and transformation. Kerala Model of development: education, health, land reforms, migration, social mobility. Kerala Renaissance reformers: Sree Narayana Guru (social equality), Ayyankali (anti-caste struggles), Chattampi Swamikal (religious reform), Sahodaran Ayyappan (anti-caste rationalism), Vakkom Abdul Khader Moulavi (educational reform). Movements: temple-entry, public road/space access, educational access, anti-caste mobilisation.
Module XI: Social Work in General (3 Marks)
Concept, nature, scope of social work; social service, welfare, security, reform, development, action. Transition from charity to professional social work. Historical development: UK, USA, India — Elizabethan Poor Law, Charity Organisation Society, Settlement House Movement. Social work as a profession: values, ethics, competencies, person-in-environment perspective.
Module XII: Social Case Work (6 Marks)
Concept, definitions, objectives; distinction from counselling/psychotherapy. Family social work, family life cycle, Duvall’s model. Principles: acceptance, individualisation, self-determination, confidentiality. Helping process: exploration, assessment, planning, intervention, termination, follow-up. Skills: interviewing, empathy, paraphrasing, motivational interviewing. Assessment tools: genogram, ecomap, case management. Models: psychosocial, functional, problem-solving, crisis intervention, task-centred, solution-focused.
Module XIII: Social Group Work (6 Marks)
Concept, types of groups (treatment, task, developmental). Values and principles: H.B. Trecker’s principles, group processes, cohesion. Leadership: theories, sociometry, stages of group development (forming to adjourning). Group work process: intake, assessment, programme media (role play, brainstorming). Recording and supervision approaches. Models: social goals, remedial, reciprocal.
Module XIV: Community Organisation and Social Action (5 Marks)
Concepts: community organisation, development, social action; Brint’s concept, Hart’s Community Triangle. Philosophy: social justice, self-help, empowerment, Gandhian approaches. Process: community entry, needs assessment, mobilisation, phase-out. Social action: advocacy, negotiation, coalition building. Models: Rothman’s locality development, social planning, social action models.
Module XV: Rural and Tribal Community Development (4 Marks)
Community development concept, principles, philosophy. Rural development: social structure, poverty, livelihood, SHGs, cooperatives, decentralisation. Tribal development: livelihood systems, displacement, exclusion, rights-based approaches, self-governance. Participatory and sustainable development: PRA, asset-based development, convergence.
Module XVI: Social Welfare Administration (4 Marks)
Administrative process: planning, organising, staffing, budgeting, monitoring. Organisation and management of HSOs: personnel functions, MIS, materials management. Registration and governance: Society/Trust/Company forms, MoA, board governance. Social welfare and protection administration: delivery mechanisms, safety nets, interdepartmental convergence.
Module XVII: Social Legislation, Social Policy and Advocacy (3 Marks)
Constitution, law, human rights: preamble, fundamental rights/duties, DPSP, UDHR. Social legislation for women, children, PwDs, older persons, SCs. Institutional mechanisms: Human Rights Commissions, NCSC, legal aid, PIL, Lok Adalat. Social policy: formulation, advocacy, lobbying, rights-based practice.
Module XVIII: Scheduled Caste Development and Social Work Practice (3 Marks)
SC Development Department’s role and functions; national/Kerala initiatives; scholarships, hostels, skill development. Social work practice: beneficiary identification, individual/family/group/community interventions, convergence. Role of the SC Development Officer: coordination, service-gap identification, case management, grievance redressal, programme implementation.
Module XIX: Indian Social System (8 Marks)
Caste and hierarchical system, social structure, stratification. Concepts of caste, class, tribe, gender. Poverty, inequality, social exclusion, social disabilities. Social mobility and change. Contributions of André Béteille, Louis Dumont, S.C. Dube, M.N. Srinivas.
Module XX: Scheduled Castes in Kerala (8 Marks)
Social and institutional discrimination, social stigma, exclusion. Social vulnerability, marginalisation, untouchability, structural inequality. Constitutional provisions and safeguards; social reform movements. Government schemes, institutions, grievance mechanisms. The Protection of Civil Rights Act 1955; SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act; National Commission for Scheduled Castes; Scheduled Castes Sub Plan.
Module XXI: Social Justice, Inclusivity and Fundamentals of Empowerment (8 Marks)
Caste-based social movements. Caste dynamics, reservation, protective discrimination, affirmative action. Social justice and human rights, women’s rights. Social inclusion and disability considerations. Gender sensitivity, rights-based approaches, ethical governance. Community engagement, NGO partnerships, community participation.
Module XXII: Bias and Exclusion in Development (9 Marks)
Equity, equality, social justice; PRA and Robert Chambers. Participatory development, decentralisation, Panchayati Raj. “Putting the last first” in policy framework. Common biases: urban/institutional, elite, gender, professional, project-area, seasonal bias. Development approaches: capability approach, basic needs approach. HDI, GDI, inclusive development.
As per the official notification, questions may also be asked from topics beyond this detailed list that are relevant to the educational qualification prescribed for the post; full coverage of every topic above is not guaranteed in any single question paper.
