KSEB update: Both men, women must now ace 8-minute pole climbing test for electricity worker post

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) has overhauled recruitment rules for the post of Electricity Worker, making a rigorous pole-climbing test the primary filter for both male and female applicants. With 985 vacancies officially reported, the Board has mandated that candidates must successfully climb and descend a nine-meter electric pole within eight minutes to qualify.

Key changes to eligibility criteria

The KSEB Director Board approved these revisions following directives from the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) to modernise the workforce. The new rules completely replace the old system, which only required a 7th-grade pass and cycling skills for male candidates.

The new mandatory requirements are:

• All candidates must climb up and down a 9-meter pole within 8 minutes
• Must have passed SSLC
• A two-year ITI certificate in either the Electrician or Wireman trade
• Mandatory physical fitness for outdoor manual labor.

The decision to make pole climbing a "must-have" skill came from the KSEB HR department. Since Electricity Workers are the pool from which future Linemen are promoted, the board determined that on-the-job expertise must begin at the entry level. This ensures that every recruit, regardless of gender, is immediately capable of field maintenance and emergency repairs.

While the job was historically reserved for men, the board opened the post to women in November last year. 

Addressing worker shortage

The reporting of these 985 posts is a direct response to recent criticism from the Electricity Regulatory Commission. A severe shortage of ground-level workers has been blamed for operational delays and slow maintenance work across the state. This recruitment drive is expected to fill the gap and improve service reliability for Kerala’s consumers.