Excise Inspector
Uniformed enforcement service
What this role actually involves
Unlike purely administrative or community-centric desks, an Excise Inspector is a uniformed, law enforcement field officer exercising specific statutory powers under the Abkari Act, the NDPS Act, and the Medicinal and Toilet Preparations Act.
Department: Kerala Excise Department. Central duties: prevention of illicit liquor brewing, tracking narcotics and psychotropic contraband, inspecting licensed distilleries, breweries and retail outlets, and executing statutory border check-post enforcement. Holds active police-equivalent status within jurisdiction, including armed operations and arrests under state and central contraband codes.
Scale of pay: ₹43,400 to ₹91,200, per the updated executive recruitment scales. Status is Uniformed Executive Subordinate Cadre, moving directly into gazetted ranks upon the first clear promotion. Gross starting salary, including uniform and risk allowances plus HRA/DA, is roughly ₹62,000 to ₹65,000 per month.
Where this exam actually takes you
No competitor shows aspirants the real promotion path after selection. This is it, straight from entry post to ceiling post.
Excise Inspector (Trainee)
Assistant Excise Commissioner
GazettedFirst Gazetted Tier, district-level operations
Deputy Excise Commissioner
GazettedZonal administration, enforcement controlling officer
Joint Excise Commissioner
GazettedAdditional Excise Commissioner
GazettedExcise Commissioner
GazettedIAS cadre apex role
Stage by stage
Stage 1: Common Degree Prelims
- Format
- OMR-based objective type
- Marks
- 100 (screening only)
Screening threshold.
Stage 2: Specialized Mains
- Marks
- 100 (80 general knowledge and languages, 20 special topic)
Written ranking stage.
Stage 3: Physical measurements and medical
- Format
- Height, chest expansion, and vision matrix checks
Mandatory minimums: male candidates 165 cm (160 cm SC/ST), chest 81 cm with 5 cm expansion, 6/6 distant vision and 0.5 near vision without corrective spectacles, full color-blindness check.
Interview
- Marks
- 20
Final selection stage.
Mark-wise topic distribution
Section A: General Knowledge and Languages
- History5 Marks
Arrival of Europeans, Travancore historical timeline, Indian Freedom Struggle, major World Revolutions.
- Geography5 Marks
Atmosphere, landforms, physiography of India, Kerala's rivers, terrain, and transport.
- Economics5 Marks
Economic planning, NITI Aayog, GST, major agriculture paradigms.
- Indian Constitution8 Marks
Constituent assembly, Preamble, fundamental rights and writs, amendments 42, 44, 52, 73, 74, 101, 103.
- Governance Frameworks5 Marks
State administration structure, e-governance systems, citizen charters, accountability boards.
- Basic Sciences10 Marks
Life Science (4M): human anatomy and public health. Physics (3M) and Chemistry (3M): states of matter, acids and bases, mechanics.
- Arts, Sports, Literature4 Marks
Major state and national creative milestones, international sporting records.
- Current Affairs8 Marks
State, national, and international operational events in the preceding 12 months.
- Quantitative and Reasoning10 Marks
Mental capability, arithmetic formulas, sequences, logical deduction.
- Language Frameworks20 Marks
General English (10M): synonyms, prepositions, tenses. Regional Language (10M): Malayalam grammar and translation.
Section B: Special Topic
- Abkari Act, NDPS Act, and enforcement powers20 Marks
Statutory rules on manufacture, possession, transport of liquor and intoxicants; NDPS search, seizure, and bail parameters; search warrant and arrest procedures; the Information Technology Act 2000.
Who can apply
| Stream | Who can apply | Age limit |
|---|---|---|
| General | Recognized Bachelor's degree in Arts, Science, or Commerce, or equivalent UGC track. Male candidates: minimum height 165 cm, chest 81 cm with 5 cm expansion, 6/6 distant vision and 0.5 near vision without spectacles. | 19 to 31 years |
| OBC | Same educational and physical criteria as General. | Relaxation up to 34 years |
| SC/ST | Minimum height 160 cm; other criteria as General. | Relaxation up to 36 years |
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