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The CDPO notification for 2026 is one of the most awaited women-only government openings in Kerala this year. The Kerala Public Service Commission (KPSC) has invited online applications for the post of Child Development Project Officer (CDPO) under the Women and Child Development Department through Category No. 25/2026. This guide answers all key question aspirants search for — what CDPO is, the CDPO qualification, the expected CDPO syllabus and CDPO exam date, the CDPO roles and responsibilities, salary, and exactly how to apply before the deadline.
Quick answer: CDPO stands for Child Development Project Officer — a women-only, gazetted-level post under the Women and Child Development Department. For the Kerala PSC CDPO notification 2026 (Category No. 25/2026), applications are open until 01 July 2026, the pay scale is ₹ 50,200–1,05,300, and the required CDPO qualification is a Master's Degree in Home Science, Social Work, Sociology or Psychology. No application fee is charged.
The Kerala PSC CDPO notification was released in the Gazette dated 30 May 2026. The post is filled by direct recruitment from female candidates only, and the ranked list published from this CDPO notification will stay in force for a minimum of one year and a maximum of three years. Below is a snapshot of every official detail you need from the Child Development Project Officer Kerala PSC recruitment.
| Recruiting body: | Kerala Public Service Commission (KPSC) |
| Post Name: | Child Development Project Officer (Women only) |
| Department: | Women and Child Development Department |
| Category Number: | 25/2026 |
| Scale Of Pay: | ₹ 50,200 – 1,05,300/- |
| Number Of Vacancies: | Anticipated vacancies |
| Method Of Appointment: | Direct recruitment (female candidates only) |
| Age Limit: | 25 – 45 years (born 02.01.1981 – 01.01.2001) |
| Application Fee: | No fee |
| Gazette Date: | 30 May 2026 |
| Last Date To Apply: | 01 July 2026 (Wednesday, up to 12:00 midnight) |
| Official Website: | www.keralapsc.gov.in |
A 4% reservation of total vacancies is provided for eligible differently-abled candidates as per the relevant Government Orders.
The full form of CDPO is Child Development Project Officer. A CDPO is a supervisory officer who plans, implements and monitors child development and women's welfare schemes within an assigned project area. In practice, the CDPO oversees the network of Anganwadi centres and supervisors, drives Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) programmes on nutrition, health and pre-school education, and reports progress to the district administration.
Because the role carries real administrative authority and a pay scale of ₹ 50,200–1,05,300, CDPO is widely regarded as a gazetted-level post in Kerala state service. For thousands of women graduates in social sciences, the CDPO post offers a stable, respected and socially meaningful career — which is why every fresh CDPO notification draws intense competition.
Meeting the exact CDPO qualification is the single most important step before applying. The Kerala PSC has prescribed clear academic, age and gender conditions for the Child Development Project Officer Kerala PSC post under this CDPO notification.
Educational Qualification
Essential CDPO qualification: A Master's Degree in Home Science or Social Work or Sociology or Psychology from a recognised university.
Preferential qualification: A Post Graduate Diploma in Social Work recognised by the Government of India or the Government of Kerala — candidates holding this are given preference.
Degrees and diplomas from UGC-approved universities or universities established by an Act of Parliament / State Legislature are accepted. Candidates claiming an equivalent or higher qualification must produce the relevant Government order when the Commission asks for it.
Age Limit
Minimum 25 years, maximum 45 years.
Only candidates born between 02.01.1981 and 01.01.2001 (both dates included) are eligible.
Usual age relaxation applies for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Communities as per Kerala PSC general conditions.
Gender & Other Conditions
The post is reserved exclusively for women, so only female candidates can apply. Selected candidates undergo a three-month training, serve a probation of two years within a continuous period of three years, and must pass the Account Test (Lower) and the Manual of Office Procedure Test during probation if not already passed.
Tracking the CDPO exam date correctly can make or break your application. Here is the official timeline from the CDPO notification, along with what to expect on the exam front.
| Gazette / notification date: | 30 May 2026 |
| Application Start: | From the date of notification (via One Time Registration) |
| Last Date to apply: | 01 July 2026, 12:00 midnight |
| CDPO Exam Date: | To be announced (see Kerala PSC examination calendar) |
| Admission Ticket: | Available in the last 15 days before the test, after confirmation |
The CDPO exam date has not yet been declared. The notification states that if a Written / OMR / Online Test is conducted as part of the selection, candidates must submit a confirmation through their One Time Registration profile, after which they can download the admission ticket. The exact CDPO exam date and confirmation window will be published in the Kerala PSC examination calendar and pushed to each candidate's profile and registered mobile number.
As per the CDPO notification, the scale of pay for a Child Development Project Officer in Kerala is ₹ 50,200 – 1,05,300. On top of the basic pay, a CDPO is entitled to Dearness Allowance, House Rent Allowance and other allowances admissible to Kerala government employees, making it a financially secure gazetted-level career.
Understanding the CDPO roles and responsibilities helps you both in the interview stage and in deciding whether this career suits you. A Child Development Project Officer is the operational head of an ICDS project block, and the CDPO roles and responsibilities broadly cover the following.
Supervising Anganwadi centres: overseeing Anganwadi workers and supervisors, monitoring attendance, infrastructure and service quality across the project area.
Implementing welfare schemes: rolling out and monitoring ICDS, supplementary nutrition, immunisation support, pre-school education and women-empowerment programmes.
Monitoring child & maternal health: tracking nutrition status of children and pregnant/lactating mothers and coordinating with health departments.
Administration & reporting: maintaining records, managing budgets and funds for the project, and submitting progress reports to district and state authorities.
Field inspection & grievance handling: conducting regular field visits, resolving issues at the centre level and ensuring schemes reach beneficiaries.
Community awareness: organising awareness drives on child rights, nutrition, sanitation and women's safety.
In short, the CDPO roles and responsibilities combine grassroots social work with mid-level government administration — a rewarding mix for candidates passionate about women and child welfare.
A clear understanding of the CDPO syllabus is essential to plan your study. The official CDPO notification does not print a separate subject list; it only states that a Written / OMR / Online Test may be conducted. Based on the established Kerala PSC pattern for Master's-degree-level posts, the expected CDPO exam syllabus is outlined below. Always cross-check against the official syllabus PDF on keralapsc.gov.in once it is released for this CDPO notification.
Expected Exam Pattern
Kerala PSC degree-level objective tests are typically conducted in OMR format with 100 questions for 100 marks and a duration of around 1 hour 15 minutes, with negative marking for wrong answers. The CDPO exam syllabus usually blends general aptitude with subject-specific topics relevant to women and child development.
Part A — General Studies (expected)
General Knowledge & Current Affairs (national, state and international events).
History — India and Kerala (national movement, social and reform movements in Kerala).
Geography of India and Kerala.
Indian Constitution, Polity & Civics.
Indian Economy and economic development.
General Science and Science & Technology.
Mental Ability, Reasoning & Simple Arithmetic.
General English and Regional Language (Malayalam).
Part B — Subject / Special Topics (expected)
Child development, child psychology and early childhood care & education.
Women's welfare, gender studies and empowerment schemes.
Nutrition, public health and the ICDS programme.
Social work concepts, community development and social legislation.
Government schemes and policies for women and children (central and Kerala-specific).
Acts such as the POCSO Act, Juvenile Justice Act and Domestic Violence Act.
This CDPO syllabus is indicative and built from previous Kerala PSC degree-level patterns. The final CDPO exam syllabus, mark distribution and exam date will be confirmed by the Commission in the official syllabus PDF and examination calendar.
Applications under this CDPO notification are accepted online only, through One Time Registration (OTR) on the Kerala PSC website. Follow these steps:
Visit www.keralapsc.gov.in and complete your One Time Registration (existing users simply log in).
Upload a photograph taken within the last six months, with your name and the date printed on it.
Log in with your User-ID and password and open the CDPO notification (Category No. 25/2026).
Click “Apply Now” against the post and verify that all profile details are correct.
Submit the application before 01 July 2026, 12:00 midnight. No application fee is required.
Save a printout or soft copy from “My Applications” for future reference.
Once submitted, an application is provisional and cannot be altered or deleted, so verify every detail carefully before final submission.
With anticipated vacancies and a women-only field, smart preparation gives a real edge. A focused approach to the CDPO syllabus works best:
Master the CDPO syllabus first: split your time between general studies and women-and-child-development special topics.
Strengthen current affairs: follow national and Kerala-specific welfare schemes and recent policy updates.
Practise previous Kerala PSC degree-level papers to understand question style and manage negative marking.
Revise core subjects from your Master's — Home Science, Social Work, Sociology or Psychology — as these overlap with the special topics.
Track the CDPO exam date through your KPSC profile so you confirm your test and download the admission ticket on time.
Q: What is CDPO?
A: CDPO stands for Child Development Project Officer. It is a supervisory government post under the Women and Child Development Department that manages and monitors Anganwadi centres, ICDS schemes, and women & child welfare programmes within an assigned project area.
Q: What is the full form of CDPO?
A: The full form of CDPO is Child Development Project Officer.
Q: What is the CDPO qualification for the Kerala PSC 2026 notification?
A: The essential CDPO qualification is a Master's Degree in Home Science, Social Work, Sociology or Psychology from a recognised university. A Post Graduate Diploma in Social Work recognised by the Government of India or Government of Kerala is a preferential qualification.
Q: What is the CDPO exam date 2026?
A: The CDPO exam date has not been announced yet. The last date to apply under the CDPO notification (Category No. 25/2026) is 01 July 2026. If a written/OMR/online test is conducted, the CDPO exam date will be published in the Kerala PSC examination calendar and in each candidate's profile.
Q: Is CDPO a gazetted officer?
A: Yes. In Kerala state service the Child Development Project Officer is treated as a gazetted-level post, drawing the pay scale of ₹ 50,200–1,05,300. It is a respected administrative position within the Women and Child Development Department.
Q: What is the salary of a CDPO in Kerala?
A: As per the CDPO notification, the scale of pay for a Child Development Project Officer is ₹ 50,200–1,05,300, plus Dearness Allowance, House Rent Allowance and other admissible benefits.
Q: What is the CDPO syllabus / CDPO exam syllabus?
A: The notification does not print a separate list, but based on Kerala PSC's degree-level pattern the CDPO exam syllabus is expected to cover General Studies (GK, history, geography, polity, economy, science, reasoning, English and Malayalam) plus special topics on child development, women's welfare, nutrition, social work and relevant Acts. Confirm the final CDPO syllabus from the official KPSC syllabus PDF.
Q: Can men apply for the CDPO post in Kerala?
A: No. The Kerala PSC CDPO post is reserved exclusively for women, so only female candidates can apply under this CDPO notification.
Q: What are the CDPO roles and responsibilities?
A: The CDPO roles and responsibilities include supervising Anganwadi centres, implementing and monitoring ICDS and women-and-child welfare schemes, tracking child and maternal nutrition and health, managing project administration and budgets, conducting field inspections, and running community awareness programmes.
Q: Is there an application fee for the CDPO notification?
A: No. There is no application fee for the Kerala PSC CDPO notification 2026. Applications are submitted free of cost through One Time Registration on www.keralapsc.gov.in.
Disclaimer: This article is a guide based on Kerala PSC Notification Category No. 25/2026 (Gazette dated 30.05.2026) and standard Kerala PSC exam patterns. Syllabus and exam-date details are indicative until officially confirmed. Always verify the latest information on the official website, www.keralapsc.gov.in, before applying.