Kerala HC Gardener Recruitment 2026

The High Court of Kerala is hiring 5 Gardeners through Direct Recruitment. If you have passed SSLC along with a Diploma in Gardening (or an equivalent VHSE qualification), you can apply online. The last date to apply is 26 September 2026. The pay scale for this post is Rs. 23,700 to Rs. 52,600 per month.

High Court of Kerala (HCK) Gardener Recruitment 2026 - 5 Posts

The High Court of Kerala has issued Notification No. HCKL/7022/2025-REC1-HC KERALA (Recruitment No. 15/2026) inviting applications from qualified Indian citizens for direct recruitment to the post of Gardener. 4% of the vacancies are reserved for eligible differently abled candidates under the Kerala High Court Service Rules, 2007, covering categories such as low vision, deaf and hard of hearing, locomotor disability, autism spectrum disorder and multiple disabilities. Selected candidates will be added to a ranked list valid for a minimum of one year, so vacancies that arise later during the list's validity will also be filled from the same list — giving you a real shot even if you're not picked in the first round. The ranked list stays in force until a fresh list is published or for two years, whichever comes first.

Who Can Apply?

• Qualification: You need SSLC or an equivalent qualification.
• Technical Qualification: You also need a Diploma in Gardening, or VHSE in Nursery Management and Ornamental Gardening, or VHSE-Agriculture (Plant Protection), or VHSE Agriculture.
• Preference: Candidates with experience in horticulture or farm work will be preferred.
• Physique: You should have a good physique for this outdoor role.
• All qualifications must be acquired on or before the date of closure of the online application.

If you are claiming an equivalent qualification instead of the ones listed above, you will need to produce the relevant Government Order proving the equivalence when asked — a general claim without supporting documents will not be accepted.

Age Limit

• You should be born between 2 January 1986 and 1 January 2008 (both dates inclusive) to be eligible — roughly 18 to 40 years as on 1 January 2026.
• SC/ST candidates: born between 2 January 1981 and 1 January 2008 (up to 45 years).
• OBC candidates: born between 2 January 1983 and 1 January 2008 (up to 43 years).
• PwBD (Low Vision/Deaf & Hard of Hearing): age concession up to 15 years, capped at 50 years.
• PwBD (other benchmark disabilities): age concession up to 10 years, capped at 50 years.
• Widows: age relaxation up to 5 years, capped at 50 years.
• Ex-servicemen: you can exclude your period of defence service (plus up to 5 years of post-discharge unemployment) from your age, provided you haven't crossed 50 years.

Salary

• Selected candidates will get a salary of Rs. 23,700 to Rs. 52,600 per month.
• You will also get DA, HRA and other allowances as per Kerala Government rules.

Application Fee

• General / Other categories: Rs. 600
• SC/ST candidates and unemployed differently abled candidates: No fee
• Payment mode: System-generated Fee Payment Challan, or online via Debit Card/Credit Card/Net Banking/UPI.

Selection Process

Selection will be done in one of the following ways, depending on the number of valid applications:

1. Interview Only: Total 50 marks. The interview checks your theoretical and practical knowledge of gardening and your suitability for the post. Minimum qualifying marks: 20.
2. Written Test + Interview: Written test worth 100 marks (100 objective MCQs, 1 mark each) plus 10 marks for interview. You get 75 minutes for the written test, and 0.25 marks are deducted for every wrong answer. Minimum qualifying marks in the written test: 40. Questions are in English, based on the syllabus for Diploma in Gardening, VHSE-Nursery Management and Ornamental Gardening, VHSE-Agriculture (Plant Protection) and VHSE-Agriculture.

The written test, if conducted, will be held at Ernakulam. Differently abled candidates whose writing speed is affected can use a scribe or get 20 minutes' compensatory time per hour of examination, subject to producing a medical certificate.

Admission tickets for the written test will be available for download three weeks before the test date, and call letters for interview two weeks before the interview date — you'll be notified by SMS and email. Log in to your profile regularly to check your test/interview schedule, since the High Court is not responsible if you miss your admission ticket because you didn't check the portal.

How to Apply

1. Go to the Kerala High Court Recruitment Portal at hckrecruitment.keralacourts.in.
2. Complete your One Time Registration (OTR) with your photograph and signature.
3. Log in and click Apply Now from your dashboard.
4. Fill in your qualification and other details, and check the preview carefully before submitting — you cannot edit after submission.
5. Pay the application fee online, or download the offline challan if you're paying offline.
6. Take a printout of your submitted application for your own records — you don't need to send it to the High Court.

If you are applying from abroad, email your location and public IP address to recruitment.hckerala@nic.in to get portal access.

Important Dates

• Notification Date: 21 August 2026
• Online Application Start: 24 August 2026
• Last Date to Apply Online (with online fee payment): 26 September 2026
• Offline Fee Payment Start: 30 September 2026
• Last Date for Offline Fee Payment: 7 October 2026

• Maintain gardens, lawns and ornamental plants on the High Court premises
• Water, prune and fertilize plants and trees as per season
• Control pests and plant diseases using approved methods
• Prepare and maintain nursery beds for saplings and seasonal plants
• Keep garden tools and equipment clean and in working condition
• Assist in landscaping and maintaining green cover around the court complex
• Follow horticultural best practices to keep the premises well maintained