Malayalam Basics for Kerala PSC

1. Malayalam Grammar Areas Asked in the Exam

The LDC paper has 10 marks for Malayalam (or Tamil/Kannada for linguistic minority candidates). The questions test basic grammar and word knowledge. This lesson explains the main areas with simple examples in Malayalam script.

സന്ധി (Sandhi): joining sounds

• When two words or sounds join, the change that happens is called സന്ധി. A.R. Raja Raja Varma's grammar book Keralapaniniyam (1896) describes four types.
• ലോപസന്ധി (lopa: a sound drops): കണ്ടു + ഇല്ല = കണ്ടില്ല.
• ആഗമസന്ധി (agama: a new sound comes in): തിരു + ഓണം = തിരുവോണം (വ is added).
• ആദേശസന്ധി (adesha: one sound replaces another): നൽ + മ = നന്മ.
• ദ്വിത്വസന്ധി (dvitva: a sound doubles): കിളി + കൂട് = കിളിക്കൂട്.

സമാസം (Samasam): compound words

• When two or more words join to make one word with a combined meaning, it is called സമാസം.
• തത്പുരുഷൻ: the second word is the main one. Example: ദേവാലയം (ദേവന്റെ ആലയം, the house of god).
• ദ്വന്ദ്വൻ: both words are equally important. Example: രാമലക്ഷ്മണന്മാർ (Rama and Lakshmana).
• ബഹുവ്രീഹി: the compound points to a third person or thing. Example: പീതാംബരൻ (one who wears yellow cloth, that is, Krishna).
• അവ്യയീഭാവൻ: the first word is an indeclinable (അവ്യയം) and is the main one.

Word knowledge

• പര്യായം (synonyms): സൂര്യൻ = ആദിത്യൻ, ഭാനു, ദിവാകരൻ. ചന്ദ്രൻ = ശശി, ഇന്ദു, സോമൻ.
• വിപരീതം (antonyms): ഉദയം × അസ്തമയം, ജനനം × മരണം, ധനികൻ × ദരിദ്രൻ.
• ശൈലികൾ (idioms): മുതലക്കണ്ണീർ (false sorrow), ചിറ്റമ്മനയം (unfair, partial treatment).
• പഴഞ്ചൊല്ലുകൾ (proverbs): മിന്നുന്നതെല്ലാം പൊന്നല്ല (all that glitters is not gold); അണ്ണാൻ കുഞ്ഞും തന്നാലായത് (everyone helps as much as they can).
• Other common areas: splitting words (പിരിച്ചെഴുതുക), joining words (ചേർത്തെഴുതുക), one-word substitutes (ഒറ്റപ്പദം), correct spelling (പദശുദ്ധി), gender (ലിംഗം) and number (വചനം).

💡 For sandhi questions, split the word and ask: did a sound drop, get added, change, or double? That tells you the type.

📝 5-question quiz on this lesson: enrol free to take it and track your score.

2. Malayalam Literature Facts and Preparation Strategy

Questions on Malayalam literature appear both in the Malayalam part and in GK (art, literature and culture). This lesson covers the key writers, works and awards, and ends with a plan to score well.

Classical writers

• Thunchath Ramanujan Ezhuthachan (16th century) is called the father of modern Malayalam. His best-known work is Adhyathma Ramayanam Kilippattu, in the kilippattu (parrot song) style.
• His birthplace, Thunchan Parambu, is at Tirur in Malappuram district.
• Cherusseri wrote Krishnagatha. Kunchan Nambiar created the art form Ottanthullal.
• Kumaran Asan, Ulloor S. Parameswara Iyer and Vallathol Narayana Menon are known as the modern triumvirate of Malayalam poetry. Vallathol founded the Kerala Kalamandalam in 1930.
• O. Chandu Menon's Indulekha (1889) is regarded as the first major Malayalam novel.
• Malayalam was given classical language status by the Government of India in 2013.

Jnanpith Award winners from Malayalam

• G. Sankara Kurup (1965): the first-ever Jnanpith Award, for his poetry collection Odakkuzhal.
• S. K. Pottekkatt (1980): known for Oru Desathinte Katha.
• Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai (1984): author of Chemmeen and Kayar.
• M. T. Vasudevan Nair (1995): author of Randamoozham and Naalukettu. He died in December 2024.
• O. N. V. Kurup (2007) and Akkitham Achuthan Namboothiri (2019). In all, six Malayalam writers have won the Jnanpith up to the 2025 award.

Other writers and awards

• Vaikom Muhammad Basheer, called the 'Beypore Sultan', wrote Balyakalasakhi and Pathummayude Aadu.
• O. V. Vijayan wrote Khasakkinte Itihasam.
• The Ezhuthachan Puraskaram (from 1993) is the Kerala government's highest literary award. The first winner was Sooranad Kunjan Pillai.
• The Kerala Sahitya Akademi is in Thrissur.

How to score the 10 Malayalam marks

• Learn 5 to 10 synonyms, antonyms and idioms every day and revise them at the weekend.
• Practise sandhi and samasam with previous LDC questions; the same examples are often repeated.
• Make a two-column table: writer and famous work. Add pen names (തൂലികാനാമം) as you find them.
• Read a Malayalam newspaper daily for spelling and current affairs together.

💡 Remember the Jnanpith order by year: 1965 G, 1980 Pottekkatt, 1984 Thakazhi, 1995 M.T., 2007 O.N.V., 2019 Akkitham.

📝 5-question quiz on this lesson: enrol free to take it and track your score.