GOVERNMENT OF KERALA

Abstract
Local Self Government Department Special Rules under Engineering Subordinate Services
orders issued

LOCAL SELF GOVERNMENT (EPA) DEPARTMENT

G.O. (P) No. 272/2007/LSGD

Dated, Thiruvananthapuram, 27.11.2007

NOTIFICATION
S.R.O. No. 996/2007,- In exercise of powers conferred by sub section (1) of section
2 of the Kerala Public Services Act, 1968 (19 of 1968) the Government of Kerala hereby
make the following Special Rules in respect of the qualifications and methods of appointment
for various posts under the Kerala Local Self Government Engineering Subordinate Services,
namely:RULES
1. Short title and commencement (1) These Rules may be called the Special Rules for
the Kerala Local Self Government Engineering Subordinate Services, 2007
(2) They shall come into force with effect from 1st January 2008
2. Constitution (1) The Services shall consists of the following categories of officers,
namely:Category 1
First Grade Overseer/First Grade Draftsman
Category 2
Second Grade Overseer/Second Grade
Draftsman
Category 3
Third Grade Overseer/Third Grade Draftsman

(2) This the Kerala Local Self Government Engineering Subordinate Service is
constituted by absorbing the Engineering Wing of the Kerala Panchayat Subordinate
Services, Kerala Municipal Common Services (Engineering & Town Planning Services)
and the excess staff in the Kerala Engineering Subordinate Services consequent to the
transfer of functions, responsibilities of Government to the Local Government
institutions.
(i) With effect from 1st January, 2008, the members in the categories of First Grade
Overseer/First Grade Draftsman, Second Grade Overseer/Second Grade
Draftsman, Third Grade Overseer/Third Grade Draftsman in the Kerala
Panchayats Subordinate Service shall be absorbed into the Kerala Local Self
Government Engineering Subordinate Service and included in the respective
category in the Kerala Local Self Government Engineering Subordinate Service.
(ii) With effect from 1st January, 2008, the members in the categories of Public Works
Overseer Grade I/Draftsman Grade I/Water Works Inspector Grade I/Town
Planning and Building Inspector/Town Planning Surveyor, Public Works
Overseer Grade II/Draftsman Grade II/Water Works Inspector Grade II/Town
Planning Surveyor Grade II and Public Works Overseer Grade III in the Kerala
Municipal Common Service (Engineering and Town Planning Service) shall be
absorbed into the Kerala Local Self Government Engineering Subordinate Service
and included in the categories of First Grade Overseer/First Grade Draftsman,

Second Grade Overseer/Second Grade Draftsman, Third Grade Overseer/Third

Grade Draftsman respectively in the Kerala Local Self Government Engineering
Subordinate Service.

(iii)With effect from 1st January 2008, the members in the categories of First Grade
Overseer/First Grade Draftsman, Second Grade Overseer/Second Grade
Draftsman, Third Grade Overseer/Third Grade Draftsman in the Kerala
Engineering Subordinate Service may opt to be included in the respective
categories in the Kerala Local Self Government Engineering Subordinate Service,
and on acceptance of their option they shall be absorbed into that Service and
included in the respective categories. The acceptance of option under this sub rule
shall be in the order of seniority and subject to requirement.
(iv) With effect from 1st January 2008, those members in the categories of First Grade
Overseer/First Grade Draftsman, Second Grade Overseer/Second Grade
Draftsman, Third Grade Overseer/Third Grade Draftsman in Kerala Engineering
Subordinate Service, who are found to be excess in the respective categories in
that Services, as a result of the transfer of functions and responsibilities of the
Government to Local Self Government Institutions and on consequent fixation of
staff strength and determination of number of posts required in those categories
and services, shall suo moto be absorbed into Kerala Local Self Government
Engineering Subordinate Services, and included in the respective categories in the
Kerala Local Self Government Engineering Subordinate Service. The absorption
under this sub rule shall be in the order of juniority and subject to requirement.

(v) The rank and seniority of a person absorbed into the Kerala Local Self Government
Engineering Subordinate Service and included in a category in that service, under
sub rule (2), (3), (4) or (5) shall be determined on the basis of his date of
appointment and seniority in the respective category in the former service, and if
he is a direct recruit in that category, on the basis of the date of advice of the
Public Service Commission for appointment to that category.
3. Method of appointment:- (1) Appointment to the various categories shall be as
follows, namely:Category
(1)

Method of Appointment
(2)

1. First Grade Draftsman/

1. By promotion from category 2
First Grade Overseer.
2. By direct recruitment
Note:- Appointment by promotion and by direct recruitment shall be made in the
Ratio 1:1
2. Second Grade Draftsman/
1. By promotion from category 3
Second Grade Overseer.
2. By direct recruitment
Note:- Appointment by promotion and by direct recruitment shall be made in the
Ratio 1:1
3. Third Grade Draftsman/
By direct recruitment
Third Grade Overseer.

4. Qualifications:- (1) No person shall be eligible for appointment to the category

mentioned in column (1) of the table below unless he possesses the qualification
prescribed in the corresponding entry in column (2) thereof.

TABLE
Category

Qualifications

(1)

(2)

1. First Grade Overseer/

First Grade Draftsman

By direct recruitment
Must possess a Diploma in Civil Engineering or any
other qualification recognized as equivalent thereto

2. Second Grade Overseer

By direct recruitment
Second Grade Draftsman (i) Must have passed S.S.L.C or equivalent and
(ii) Must posses any one of the following:(a) Kerala Government Certificate Examination
(2 years course) in Civil Engineering
(b) Diploma in Craftsmanship in the Trade of
Draftsman (Civil) obtained after 18 months
Course. (followed by 6 months practical
Training) at the Industrial Training Institutes/
Centres conducted by the Government of India,
Ministry of Labour
(b) Diploma (two years course) in Civil
Engineering in Womens Polytechnics
2. Third Grade Overseer
By direct recruitment
Third Grade Draftsman (i) Must have passed S.S.L.C or equivalent and
(ii) Must posses any one of the following:(c) Kerala Government Certificate Examination
(2 years course) in Civil Engineering
(b) Diploma in Craftsmanship in the Trade of
Draftsman (Civil) obtained after 18 months
Course. (followed by 6 months practical
Training) at the Industrial Training Institutes/
Centres conducted by the Government of India,
Ministry of Labour
(d) Diploma (two years course) in Civil
Engineering in Womens Polytechnics

5. Appointing Authority:- The appointing authority in respect of the posts under

categories 1, 2, and 3 shall be the Chief Engineer, Local Self Government
Department.
6. Qualification regarding age:- No person shall be eligible for appointment by direct
recruitment unless he has completed 18 years of age or if he has completed 35 years
of age on the first day of January of the year in which applications for appointment

are invited. Usual relaxation in upper age limit shall be allowed to candidates
belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes. In the
case of a candidate who is an Ex Serviceman the period of his service in the
Defense Forces and the period of unemployment on discharge up to a maximum
period of five years shall be excluded in computing his age for appointment by direct
recruitment.
7. Probation:- (1) Every person appointed to any of the categories shall, from the date
on which he joins duty, be on probation,
(i)
If appointed by direct recruitment or by transfer through P.S.C. or by
transfer to a category to which direct recruitment is one of the methods of
appointment for a total period of two years on duty within a continuous
period of three years.
(ii)
If appointed by transfer to a category to which direct recruitment is not one
of the methods of appointment or by promotion, for a total period of one
year on duty, within a continuous period of two years
(2) Any person who is absorbed in to the Local Self Government Engineering
Subordinate Service and included in a category under sub rules (2), (3), (4), or (5) of
Rule 2 shall be entitled to count his service in the respective category in the former
Service for probation in that category in the latter service. If he is already as approved
probationer in a category in the former service, he shall be deemed to be approved
probationer in the respective category in the latter service.
8. Reservation:- The rules regarding reservation of appointment contained in rules 14 to
17 of Part II of the Kerala State Subordinate Service Rules, 1958 shall apply to
appointment by direct recruitment.

By order of the Governor

S.M.VIJAYANAND
Principal Secretary to Government

Explanatory Note
(This does not form part of the notification, but is intended to indicate its
general purpose)
Consequent to transfer of functions, responsibilities and schemes to the three
tier Panchayats and Municipal bodies as provided in the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act: 1994
(13 of 1994) and the Kerala Municipalities Act, 1994 (20 of 1994), Government have
hitherto been providing the services of engineering staff to them by re deployment from
the Public Works Department and Water Resources Department. In the municipal bodies
(including Municipal Corporations) and in some Grama Panchayats there is already a
limited number of Engineering Staff who are attending to public works and
administration of building rules. Government are now of the view that a separate Local
Self Government Engineering Service and Engineering Subordinate Service are to be
constituted under the Kerala Public Services Act for the Local Self Government
Institutions in the State, drawing personnel from the Public Works Department and Water
Resources Department, in proportions to the functions, responsibilities and schemes
relating to roads, buildings, irrigations etc, transferred to Local Self Government
Institutions from those Departments. Government also consider if necessary that the
existing Engineering personnel of the Grama Panchayats who are at present Government
Servants, may also be absorbed into the proposed new Service. Further, certain categories
of the Engineering Staff in the Municipal Common Service are also proposed to be
absorbed into the new Service constituted under the Kerala Public Services Act, despite
that the fact that the staffs in the Kerala Municipal Common Service are as at present
covered by the Rules issued under the Kerala Municipal Act. Government as per G.O.
(Ms) No. 253/07/LSGD dated 13th November, 2007 have approved the creation of an
Engineering cadre drawing staff from various sources mentioned therein, and for framing
Special Rules for the new cadre. Accordingly the Special Rules for the Local Self
Government Engineering Subordinate Service consisting of three grades
Overseer/Draftsman is proposed to be issued prescribing the methods of appointment,
qualifications etc, for these posts.
This notification is intended to achieve the above purpose.

Extracted from KERAL GAZETTE, Extraordinary, dated 27th November 2007