Kerala SET — the exam that unlocks HSST
Kerala SET is a qualifying exam, not a recruitment exam. Clearing it does not give you a post; it makes you eligible to be considered for Higher Secondary School Teacher and Non-Vocational Teacher posts, which Kerala PSC recruits for separately. Understanding that split is the first thing that saves you time.
Who conducts what
- LBS Centre for Science and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram conducts Kerala SET on behalf of the Government of Kerala. Your SET application, hall ticket and result all come from LBS — not from Kerala PSC.
- Kerala PSC recruits HSST and related posts, and asks for SET, UGC NET or an equivalent qualification as an eligibility condition. That is a separate notification, separate application, separate exam — see the HSST / Plus-2 Lecturer hub.
- For college teaching, the parallel route is UGC NET or Kerala SET plus the Kerala PSC Assistant Professor recruitment.
Exam structure
As per recent notifications. Question counts, marks per question and the subject list are restated in every notification — confirm against the one you are applying under.
Part A: general knowledge, including Kerala and India awareness and current affairs. Part B: teaching aptitude and research aptitude. Two hours, objective (OMR).
The subject you register for, at PG level, from the subject list in the notification. Two hours, objective (OMR). Mathematics and Statistics have historically used a different question count and per-question weight from the other subjects.
None, per recent notifications — so leaving a question blank gains you nothing. This is the opposite of the Kerala PSC pattern (−0.33 per wrong answer), and it should change how you guess.
A minimum in each paper plus a minimum aggregate across both, relaxed for SC/ST/OBC and differently-abled candidates. Exact percentages are notification-specific.
What you can actually prepare here
This site is built for Kerala PSC exams, so the honest mapping is: Paper I Part A transfers almost completely — the general knowledge, Kerala GK, polity, geography, economy and current-affairs ground is the same ground. Paper I Part B (teaching and research aptitude) and Paper II (your subject) are not covered here. Use a teaching-aptitude title and your PG syllabus for those, and don't let anyone sell you a "complete SET course" that is really a general-knowledge question bank.
Paper I Part A — timed practice sets
General-knowledge notes worth reading first
- 100 Most Frequently Asked Constitutional Articles — Quick Reference Table
- 101st Constitutional Amendment 2016 GST | Kerala PSC Graduate
- 103rd Constitutional Amendment 2019 EWS Reservation | Kerala PSC Graduate
- 42nd Constitutional Amendment 1976 Mini Constitution | Kerala PSC Graduate
- 44th Constitutional Amendment 1978 | Kerala PSC Graduate
- 50+ Government Schemes — Master Reference Table
- 500 One-Liner Facts About Kerala — Rapid Revision
- 73rd Constitutional Amendment 1992 Panchayati Raj | Kerala PSC Graduate
Kerala SET — common questions
Is Kerala SET conducted by Kerala PSC?
No. Kerala SET (State Eligibility Test) is conducted by LBS Centre for Science and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram, on behalf of the Government of Kerala. Kerala PSC is the body that later recruits Higher Secondary School Teachers (HSST) and related posts, for which a SET, NET or equivalent qualification is the eligibility condition. Two different organisations, two different application processes.
What is the Kerala SET exam pattern?
Per recent notifications, Kerala SET has two papers taken on the same day in OMR (offline) mode. Paper I is common to all candidates and covers general knowledge in Part A and teaching aptitude / research aptitude in Part B. Paper II is the subject paper from the subject you register for. Each paper runs two hours, and there is no negative marking. Question counts and marks per question are stated in each notification — Mathematics and Statistics have historically used a different count and per-question weight from the other subjects.
Who is eligible for Kerala SET?
Broadly, a Master’s degree in the relevant subject with the minimum marks stated in the notification, together with B.Ed as applicable to the post you are targeting. Relaxations for SC/ST/OBC and differently-abled candidates are specified in the notification. Candidates in the final year of their qualifying degree are allowed to apply in some cycles. Check the current notification — the exact combination of degree, marks and B.Ed requirement is the part that varies most.
What is the qualifying standard?
Kerala SET sets a minimum in each paper plus a minimum aggregate across both, with lower thresholds for reserved and differently-abled categories. The precise percentages are published in each notification, so treat the figures circulating on coaching sites — including this page — as indicative and verify against the notification you are sitting under.
Can I prepare for Kerala SET on this site?
Partly, and it is worth being exact about which part. Paper I Part A (general knowledge, Kerala and India awareness, current affairs) overlaps heavily with what this site publishes for Kerala PSC degree-level exams, so the notes, daily Current Affairs Brief and general practice sets transfer directly. Paper I Part B (teaching and research aptitude) and all of Paper II (your subject) are not covered here — use a dedicated teaching-aptitude book and your PG syllabus for those.
Kerala SET is conducted by LBS Centre for Science and Technology. This page is an independent study guide and is not affiliated with LBS Centre or Kerala PSC. Always verify eligibility, pattern and dates against the official notification.