Kerala PSC Scheduled Castes Development Officer Grade II – SC Development Department Syllabus
പട്ടികജാതി വികസന ഓഫീസർ ഗ്രേഡ് II – പട്ടികജാതി വികസന വകുപ്പ് – സിലബസ്
Degree level preliminary and main exams · Category No. 027/2026
The full syllabus, organised section by section with the marks for each part: 22 sections and 105 topics, 100 marks in all. Tick topics off as you study and practise each part with the mock tests.
Detailed syllabus for Scheduled Castes Development Officer Grade II in the Scheduled Castes Development Department. It is an objective multiple-choice test (OMR/online) for 100 marks with questions in English. The syllabus has 22 modules and does not state the duration. The required qualification is a postgraduate degree or MSW, so the paper is at postgraduate level. Questions may also come from other topics prescribed for the educational qualification of the post.
- Sections
- 22
- Topics
- 105
- Total marks
- 100
Exam pattern & marks · പരീക്ഷാ ഘടന
1
Module I – Foundations of Sociologyസാമൂഹ്യശാസ്ത്രത്തിന്റെ അടിസ്ഥാനങ്ങൾ
3 marks- Sociology: nature, scope and status, sociological imagination
- Basic concepts: society, community, association, institution, social structure and social system, status and role, norms and values, culture and subculture
- Socialisation and its agencies: family, peer group, school, media, community
- Social control: formal and informal
- Social groups: primary and secondary, in-group and out-group, reference group
- Social processes: cooperation, competition, conflict, accommodation, assimilation
2
Module II – Sociological Thinkers and Perspectivesസാമൂഹ്യശാസ്ത്ര ചിന്തകരും കാഴ്ചപ്പാടുകളും
3 marks- Auguste Comte: positivism, law of three stages, social statics and dynamics
- Karl Marx: historical materialism, modes of production, class conflict, alienation
- Emile Durkheim: social facts, division of labour, mechanical and organic solidarity, anomie
- Max Weber: social action, ideal types, types of authority, bureaucracy
- Perspectives: functionalist, conflict, symbolic interactionist, feminist
3
Module III – Social Stratification and Casteസാമൂഹിക ശ്രേണീകരണവും ജാതിയും
4 marks- Social stratification: meaning, features, bases (caste, class, gender, race, ethnicity)
- Caste system: varna and jati, hierarchy, endogamy, hereditary occupation, purity and pollution, untouchability
- Perspectives on caste: G.S. Ghurye, M.N. Srinivas (sanskritisation, dominant caste), Louis Dumont, Andre Beteille, B.R. Ambedkar
- Social mobility: horizontal and vertical, inter-generational and intra-generational, structural mobility
4
Module IV – Indian Social Structure and Social Changeഇന്ത്യൻ സാമൂഹിക ഘടനയും സാമൂഹിക മാറ്റവും
3 marks- Unity and diversity: religion, language, region, ethnicity, tribe
- Family, marriage and kinship: joint and nuclear family, forms of marriage, patriarchy, changing family patterns
- Processes of social change: westernisation, modernisation, secularisation, industrialisation, urbanisation, globalisation
- Social movements: peasant, labour, women's, tribal and environmental movements, new social movements
5
Module V – Scheduled Castes: Deprivation, Exclusion and Empowermentപട്ടികജാതികൾ: അവശത, പുറന്തള്ളൽ, ശാക്തീകരണം
4 marks- Scheduled Castes: concept, historical background, untouchability and historical disabilities, changing social position
- Deprivation: poverty, landlessness, housing, education, occupation, unemployment, health
- Exclusion and discrimination: segregation, economic, educational and occupational exclusion, stigma
- Education of SCs: access, enrolment, retention, dropout, first-generation learners, higher education, educational mobility
- Livelihood of SCs: employment, skills, self-employment, entrepreneurship, informal labour, livelihood diversification
- Vulnerable groups: women, children, persons with disabilities, older persons, landless and poor households
- Empowerment: social, educational, economic and political participation, community action
6
Module VI – Social Development, Policy and Welfare Administrationസാമൂഹിക വികസനം, നയം, ക്ഷേമ ഭരണം
4 marks- Social development: objectives, inclusive, sustainable and participatory development
- Human development: HDI, social indicators, quality of life, Amartya Sen's capability approach
- Poverty: absolute, relative and multidimensional poverty, indicators of deprivation
- Social policy: objectives, social justice, welfare, social security, affirmative action
- Welfare administration: principles, social audit, transparency, accountability, grievance redressal, community participation
- Decentralisation: Panchayati Raj, Gram Sabha, local self-government, participatory planning
7
Module VII – Rural, Urban and Community Studiesഗ്രാമീണ, നഗര, സാമൂഹിക പഠനങ്ങൾ
2 marks- Rural society: characteristics, agrarian structure, land relations, rural leadership, rural poverty, rural transformation
- Urban society: urbanisation, rural-urban migration, slums, informal sector, urban poverty, housing and services
- Community organisation: meaning, objectives, mobilisation, participation, leadership, collective action
- Participatory methods: PRA, social mapping, resource mapping, transect walk
8
Module VIII – Constitutional and Legal Provisions for Scheduled Castesപട്ടികജാതിക്കാർക്കുള്ള ഭരണഘടനാ-നിയമ വ്യവസ്ഥകൾ
5 marks- Constitutional basis of social justice: Preamble, equality, fundamental rights, Directive Principles, special safeguards
- National Commission for Scheduled Castes: composition, functions, duties, powers, investigation, reporting, advisory role
- Reservation and affirmative action: education, employment, political representation
- Institutional mechanisms: national and state bodies, district vigilance mechanisms, district administration, police, special courts, role of the welfare department
9
Module IX – Social Research Methods and Statisticsസാമൂഹിക ഗവേഷണ രീതികളും സ്ഥിതിവിവരശാസ്ത്രവും
2 marks- Scientific method and types of research: exploratory, descriptive, explanatory, evaluation, action research
- Research approaches: quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods
- Research process: problem, objectives, design, data collection, analysis, reporting
- Sampling: probability and non-probability sampling
- Tools of data collection: questionnaire, schedule, interview, observation, case study
- Statistics: classification, tabulation, measures of central tendency, dispersion, correlation
- Programme evaluation: baseline and endline, indicators, process, outcome and impact evaluation
10
Module X – Kerala Society and Social Reformകേരള സമൂഹവും സാമൂഹിക പരിഷ്കരണവും
3 marks- Kerala society: characteristics, traditional social organisation, caste relations and their transformation
- Kerala development experience: education, health, land reforms, migration, social mobility, Kerala model
- Social reformers: Sree Narayana Guru, Ayyankali, Chattampi Swamikal, Sahodaran Ayyappan, Vakkom Abdul Khader Moulavi
- Reform movements: against untouchability and caste disabilities, temple entry, access to public roads and spaces, access to education, civil and social rights
11
Module XI – Social Work in Generalസാമൂഹിക പ്രവർത്തനം – പൊതു
3 marks- Social work: concept, purpose, goals, scope, from charity to profession, basic and auxiliary methods, social service, social welfare, social security, social reform, social development, social action
- History of social work: UK, USA and India, Poor Laws, Charity Organisation Society, Settlement Movement, Indian social reformers
- Social work as a profession: characteristics, values, ethics, competencies, person-in-environment perspective, professional accountability
12
Module XII – Social Case Workസോഷ്യൽ കേസ് വർക്ക്
6 marks- Social case work: meaning, objectives, scope, relation to other methods, case work vs counselling and psychotherapy, history, family social work, Duvall's family life cycle
- Principles: acceptance, individualisation, controlled emotional involvement, non-judgemental attitude, self-determination, confidentiality
- Professional relationship: rapport, empathy, trust, boundaries, transference, supervision
- Helping process: exploration, multidimensional assessment, goal setting, intervention, termination, follow-up
- Skills and techniques: interviewing, counselling, motivational interviewing, reframing, resource utilisation
- Tools: genogram, ecomap, case management, recording
- Models and fields: psychosocial, functional, problem-solving, systems, crisis intervention, task-centred, solution-focused and family systems models, practice in child care, schools, hospitals, disability, correctional settings, industry, elderly and palliative care
13
Module XIII – Social Group Workസോഷ്യൽ ഗ്രൂപ്പ് വർക്ക്
6 marks- Social group work: concept, types of groups (treatment, task, developmental), history, objectives
- Principles and group processes: Trecker's principles, bonding, conflict, cohesion, norms, subgroups
- Leadership and group dynamics: theories and types of leadership, sociometry, stages of group development
- Group work process and programme: intake to follow-up, programme media and methods
- Recording and supervision in group work
- Models and applications: social goals, remedial and reciprocal models, educational, health, community, correctional and life-skills groups, roles and competencies of the group worker
14
Module XIV – Community Organisation and Social Actionസാമൂഹിക സംഘാടനവും സാമൂഹിക ഇടപെടലും
5 marks- Concepts: community organisation, community development, social action, types of community, Brint's concept, Hart's Community Triangle, history
- Values: social justice, participation, self-reliance, empowerment, Gandhian approaches
- Process: entry, rapport building, community study, needs assessment, planning, mobilisation, evaluation, phase-out
- Social action: awareness building, advocacy, negotiation, conflict management, campaigns
- Skills and models: PRA, capacity building, networking, Rothman's models, asset-based and rights-based approaches
15
Module XV – Rural and Tribal Community Developmentഗ്രാമീണ-ഗോത്ര സാമൂഹിക വികസനം
4 marks- Community development: concept, principles, philosophy
- Rural development: rural poverty, indebtedness, migration, self-help groups, cooperatives, local self-government
- Tribal development: livelihoods, dependence on land and forest, displacement, rights-based approaches, tribal self-governance
- Participatory and sustainable development: PRA, asset-based development, convergence, monitoring, roles of the social worker
16
Module XVI – Social Welfare Administrationസാമൂഹിക ക്ഷേമ ഭരണം
4 marks- Administrative process: planning, organising, staffing, directing, coordinating, reporting, budgeting, evaluation
- Human service organisations: formal and informal structure, bureaucratic and human relations approaches, personnel management, financial management, MIS, materials management
- Voluntary organisations: registration as Society, Trust or Company, memorandum, constitution and bye-laws, governing boards, meetings and minutes, legal compliance
- Welfare and protection administration: programme delivery, beneficiary identification, convergence, monitoring, grievance redressal
17
Module XVII – Social Legislation, Social Policy and Advocacyസാമൂഹിക നിയമനിർമ്മാണം, സാമൂഹിക നയം, അഡ്വക്കസി
3 marks- Law and rights: rule of law, social legislation, fundamental rights and duties, Directive Principles, UDHR
- Protective legislation: laws for women, children, persons with disabilities, older persons and Scheduled Castes
- Rights institutions: NCSC, Human Rights Commissions, legal aid, public interest litigation, Lok Adalats
- Social policy and advocacy: policy formulation, implementation and evaluation, advocacy, lobbying, networking, rights-based practice
18
Module XVIII – Scheduled Caste Development and Social Work Practiceപട്ടികജാതി വികസനവും സാമൂഹിക പ്രവർത്തന പ്രയോഗവും
3 marks- SC Development Department: role, institutions, national and Kerala initiatives, scholarships, hostels, skill and livelihood schemes, housing, social security
- Social work practice with SCs: needs assessment, individual, group and community interventions, counselling, referral, awareness, convergence, participatory evaluation
- Role of the SC Development Officer: coordination, identifying service gaps, facilitating entitlements, case management, grievance redressal, reporting, empowerment
19
Module XIX – Indian Social Systemഇന്ത്യൻ സാമൂഹിക വ്യവസ്ഥ
8 marks- Caste and hierarchy: social structure, social stratification
- Concepts of caste, class, tribe and gender
- Poverty, inequality, social exclusion, social disabilities
- Social mobility and social change
- Contributions of Andre Beteille, Louis Dumont, S.C. Dube, M.N. Srinivas
20
Module XX – Scheduled Castes in Keralaകേരളത്തിലെ പട്ടികജാതികൾ
8 marks- Situation of SCs: institutional discrimination, stigma, exclusion, vulnerability, marginalisation, structural inequality
- Constitutional provisions, safeguards and directives for SC welfare, social reform movements
- Schemes, institutions and grievance mechanisms for SCs
- Laws and bodies: Protection of Civil Rights Act 1955, SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, NCSC, Scheduled Caste Sub Plan
21
Module XXI – Social Justice, Inclusivity and Fundamentals of Empowermentസാമൂഹിക നീതി, ഉൾക്കൊള്ളൽ, ശാക്തീകരണത്തിന്റെ അടിസ്ഥാനങ്ങൾ
8 marks- Caste and justice: caste-based movements, caste dynamics, reservation, protective discrimination, affirmative action
- Rights: social justice, human rights, women's rights
- Inclusive governance: social inclusion, disability inclusion, gender sensitivity, rights-based and ethical governance
- Participation: community engagement, partnership with NGOs and civil society, social empowerment
22
Module XXII – Bias and Exclusion in Developmentവികസനത്തിലെ പക്ഷപാതവും പുറന്തള്ളലും
9 marks- Equity, equality and social justice, PRA and Robert Chambers
- Participatory development, decentralisation, Panchayati Raj
- Bias and exclusion in development, "last first" policy approaches
- Types of bias: urban, institutional, elite, gender, professional, project-area, seasonal
- Development approaches: capability approach, basic needs approach, human development indicators, HDI, GDI, inclusive development
Practise this syllabus
Mock tests for the Kerala PSC Scheduled Castes Development Officer Grade II – SC Development Department are coming soon. Sign in to track your syllabus progress meanwhile.
This syllabus follows the one published by the Kerala Public Service Commission. Always confirm the latest syllabus and exam details in the official notification on keralapsc.gov.in.