Kerala PSC Assistant Engineer (Electrical): eligibility, age limit and relaxations (2026)
Two questions come up more than any other from engineers who want a Kerala PSC job: "Is my degree accepted?" and "Am I too old?" Here are the answers for the Assistant Engineer (Electrical) level posts, as of November 2026.
The big change in 2026: upper age limit is now 40
In February 2026 the Kerala Cabinet raised the upper age limit for PSC recruitment by four years. For the general category it went from 36 to 40, and for SC and ST candidates it went up to 45. The Housing Board AE notification of 2026 already uses 18 to 40.
So if you had given up because you crossed 36, check again. Many engineers in their late thirties, working or managing a family, are eligible once more.
Age relaxations
- SC and ST: 5 years
- OBC: 3 years
- Differently abled: up to 15 years (vision, hearing, speech) and up to 10 years (orthopaedic)
- Ex-servicemen and provisional employees: relaxation as set out in each notification
The general conditions cap the upper age, including all relaxations, at 50. Every notification states its exact birth-date range, and that range is what counts.
Degrees accepted, post by post
| Post | Degree accepted | Age in the last notification |
|---|---|---|
| AE, Kerala State Housing Board | Electrical, EEE, or Electronics and Telecommunication; AMIE Section A and B also accepted | 18 to 40 (Cat. No. 044/2026) |
| AE, PWD (Electrical) | Electrical, EEE, or Electronics and Telecommunication; AMIE also accepted | The next notification will state it |
| AE, KSEB | Electrical or EEE. An equivalent degree needs the relevant Government Order | 19 to 40 (Cat. No. 439/2022) |
| Lecturer in Electrical Engineering, Polytechnics | First-class B.Tech; Electrical preferred, then EEE | 20 to 39 (Cat. No. 306/2022, before the 2026 change) |
Three things engineers often miss
- AMIE counts. For Housing Board and PWD AE, an AMIE in Electrical is accepted. If you studied through the Institution of Engineers, you are not shut out.
- Electronics graduates can write AE too. Housing Board and PWD accept Electronics and Telecommunication. KSEB AE does not.
- Lecturer needs a first class. For Lecturer in Polytechnic the degree must be first class. For the AE posts it need not be.
Not sure? Ask before you give up
If your degree name is unusual, or your birth date is close to the limit, do not decide on your own. Send us your degree and date of birth on WhatsApp, and we will check them against the latest notification with you.
Prepare with Engineering PSC
The three AE posts share one core syllabus (Housing Board adds Communication and some electronics), and Lecturer in Polytechnic shares most of it (comparison). Our AE level course is live Monday to Friday mornings from 6 to 7, every class is recorded, with printed books, 10 questions a day and a weekly mock. The nearest exam is Housing Board AE on 21 January 2027. For the full list of posts open to you, read Kerala PSC exams for B.Tech Electrical and Electronics graduates.
Sources
- Onmanorama, 24 Feb 2026: Kerala Cabinet raises PSC age limit to 40
- Kerala PSC FAQ: usual age relaxation
- Kerala PSC general conditions on age relaxation (as printed in a 2025 notification)
- Each exam page links to its official notification