A Karnataka government job is not one exam. Different bodies recruit for different posts, publish on different websites and follow different rules for local cadres and Kannada. If you only track one site, you will miss most of the openings that fit you.
This guide maps the main state recruitment routes, with 2026 examples taken from each body's own website. Everything below was checked on 9 October 2026. Vacancies and dates change through corrigenda, so treat the examples as a snapshot and always open the current notification before you apply.
Who recruits for what
| Recruiting body | What it typically handles | 2026 example seen on the official site | Where to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) | Gazetted Probationers (KAS and allied Group A/B services), plus many departmental Group A, B and C posts | Gazetted Probationers 2026-27 notification dated 31 July 2026 for 319 Group A and B posts (117 Group A, 202 Group B); the online application deadline was later extended to 7 September 2026 | KPSC notifications page |
| Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) | Competitive exams it conducts on behalf of departments, boards and societies; also KSET | 2026 recruitment portals for Pre-University (School Education), Civil Police Constable, Village Administrative Officer, Land Surveyor, KREIS, Horticulture, KSRP and Nursing & Pharmacy posts | KEA portal |
| Department of School Education | Government school teacher recruitment and KARTET | 2026 teacher recruitment for PST, GPT, CST, HST and physical education posts; application deadline extended to 25 September 2026 | School Education Department |
| Karnataka State Police | Police recruitment notices and updates | The 2026 Civil Police Constable process is being run through KEA's portal, which posted written-exam marks lists in August 2026 and physical test admit cards in September 2026 | KSP website and KEA's CPC 2026 page |
KEA also published a press note dated 31 August 2026 listing posts for which it expects to issue notifications, split by department. For example, it lists 502 Account Assistant posts in the State Audit and Accounts Department (490 residual parent cadre + 12 Kalyana Karnataka) and 319 Warden (Male) posts in the Social Welfare Department (294 + 25). The note is in Kannada and is linked from the KEA homepage as "KEA Upcoming Recruitment Exam Notification Details [31-08-2026]". An announcement like this is not a notification; wait for the actual notice before treating these numbers as final.
Keep preparing
Continue with Document Verification Checklist – Central and Defence Recruitment₹299 — coaching के एक महीने से काफ़ी सस्ता / far cheaper than a month of coachingTwo Karnataka-specific rules you must understand
1. RPC and KK: two cadres, often two notifications
Article 371J of the Constitution, inserted by the Constitution (98th Amendment) Act, 2012, allows posts in the Hyderabad-Karnataka region (now called Kalyana Karnataka) to be identified and a proportion reserved for people who belong to the region by birth or domicile.
In practice, you will see the same recruitment split into a Residual Parent Cadre (RPC) notification and a Kalyana Karnataka (KK, also written HK) notification. KEA runs separate RPC and KK portals for almost every 2026 recruitment, and KPSC issued separate HK and RPC notifications for State Audit and Accounts Department posts on 27 August 2026.
What to do: read both notifications, check which cadre you can apply to, and keep whatever certificate the notification asks for to claim local status ready before the window opens.
2. Kannada is tested, not assumed
- KPSC's Gazetted Probationers main exam includes qualifying Kannada and English papers of 150 marks each at SSLC first-language standard. You need at least 35% (52.5 marks) in each, or you are not eligible for the personality test, even though these marks do not count towards merit.
- KPSC's homepage links to compulsory Kannada certificates, and KEA's 2026 Civil Police Constable page lists a compulsory Kannada test result dated 2 September 2026.
If Kannada is not your first language, budget months, not weeks, for it.
A closer look at the KAS route
The Gazetted Probationers exam is Karnataka's main civil services route, so it is worth knowing its structure from the 2026-27 notification. (If you want exam preparation itself, our state PSC preparation guide covers how to work from a notice and syllabus.)
| Stage | Structure per the notification |
|---|---|
| Preliminary | Two objective papers, each 100 questions × 2 marks = 200 marks, 2 hours (400 marks total); negative marking applies |
| Prelims content | Paper 1: national and international general studies (40 questions) and humanities (60). Paper 2: state-related general studies (40), general science, technology and environment (30), general mental ability (30) |
| Admission to mains | 15 candidates per vacancy, in merit order, maintaining the ratio across reservation categories |
| Main (written) | Qualifying Kannada and English (150 each); Essay (250); four General Studies papers (250 each) — 1,250 marks count for merit |
| Personality test | 25 marks |
| Total for merit | 1,250 + 25 = 1,275 marks |
The mental ability questions are set at SSLC level; the rest of the prelims papers are at degree level. Papers are set in both Kannada and English.
Worked example: match yourself to a route
These profiles are illustrative. The "verify first" column is the step most people skip.
| If you are… | Routes to watch | Verify first in the notification |
|---|---|---|
| A graduate aiming for an administrative career | KPSC Gazetted Probationers | Age limit for your category, any limit on attempts, and the qualifying Kannada paper |
| A graduate looking for clerical or accounts posts | KEA-conducted department exams (such as the Account Assistant posts in KEA's 31 August note) and KPSC Group B/C notifications | Whether the post asks for a degree or PUC, and whether you fall in RPC or KK |
| Trained as a teacher | Department of School Education recruitment | Whether you hold the required KARTET or other eligibility test, and the post-wise qualification |
| Physically fit and interested in policing | Civil Police Constable and KSRP recruitments | Physical standards, age limit, and the compulsory Kannada test |
| A postgraduate aiming to teach in colleges | KSET, conducted by KEA | Subject list and eligibility for the current KSET cycle |
A weekly tracking routine
- Monday: open the KPSC notifications page and the KEA homepage. Note new notices, corrigenda and cancellations — KPSC's list currently shows several older notifications that were cancelled, including posts in PWD, survey and agriculture.
- Wednesday: check the School Education Department and KSP websites for teacher and police updates.
- Friday: update a simple tracker with post, body, cadre (RPC/KK), last date, fee and documents needed.
- Monthly: recheck your documents folder.
Documents to keep ready
- SSLC marks card (the usual proof of date of birth; KPSC's online profile also asks for your SSLC details)
- PUC, degree and professional certificates
- Caste and income certificates, if you claim a reserved category
- Kalyana Karnataka local status certificate, if you apply under KK
- Certificates for other claims the notification lists, such as Rural, Kannada Medium Student, ex-serviceman or disability
- Compulsory Kannada certificate, if the post requires one and you already hold it
Common mistakes to avoid
- Following an "expected" calendar. Karnataka notifications are frequently extended, corrected or cancelled. Only the official notice and its corrigenda count.
- Applying to the wrong cadre. An RPC application does not automatically cover KK posts, and vice versa.
- Ignoring the language papers. A strong general studies score cannot rescue you if you miss the Kannada qualifying mark.
- Trusting middlemen. KPSC's homepage carries a warning against touts promising appointments for money; no agent can get you selected.
The bodies above are the starting points, not the full list. Boards, corporations and the judiciary publish their own notices too, so add any organisation you are targeting to your weekly routine.