Applications are open. Apply before 31 Aug 2026 — 16 days left. Read the official notification in full before you submit the form.
About This Recruitment
Karnataka Public Service Commission has notified recruitment for 319 posts under KPSCKA/EXA1/EXMF/9/2026-EXAM-1/I/251710/2026, dated 31 July 2026. Applications are accepted online from 01 Aug 2026 to 31 Aug 2026. The prescribed qualification is A bachelor's or master's degree from a university established by law in India, and the age limit is 21 to 40 years before category relaxation is applied. The vacancies are spread across 18 distinct posts, and the category-wise split for each is set out in the vacancy table below.
Selection is made through Preliminary examination, Main examination and Personality test, followed by the remaining stages set out below. The place of posting is Karnataka, including 22 posts in the Hyderabad-Karnataka cadre. The examination is currently scheduled for 15 Nov 2026, which leaves a defined window to work back from when planning preparation.
The application fee is ₹600 for General Merit and others, and no fee is payable by SC, ST, Category 1 and PwD. The entire process is completed online, from registration through to fee payment and the final printout of the confirmation page. Check the notification for whether a correction window is offered, because most fields cannot be amended once the form is submitted.
Read the official notification in full before you begin the form. Eligibility, fees and dates are revised through corrigenda more often than candidates expect, and an application submitted against the wrong criteria is rejected at document verification rather than at submission — by which point the cycle is over.
Key Highlights
- 319 vacancies notified
- Qualification: A bachelor's or master's degree from a university established by law in India
- Age limit: 21 to 40 years, with relaxation by category
- Application fee: ₹600 for General Merit and others, no fee for SC, ST, Category 1 and PwD
- Last date to apply: 31 Aug 2026
- Examination expected on 15 Nov 2026
- Application mode: online
Quick Overview
The notification's own particulars, at a glance.
- Organization
- Karnataka Public Service Commission
- Advertisement No.
- KPSCKA/EXA1/EXMF/9/2026-EXAM-1/I/251710/2026, dated 31 July 2026
- Total Vacancies
- 319
- Job Location
- Karnataka, including 22 posts in the Hyderabad-Karnataka cadre
- Qualification
- A bachelor's or master's degree from a university established by law in India
- Age Limit
- 21 – 40 years
- Salary
- As per official notification
- Application Mode
- Online
- Official Website
- www.kpsc.kar.nic.in
Important Dates
Every date below is taken from the official notification. Portals close at the time stated in the notification, not at midnight, and the fee payment window often closes a day after the form does.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification released | 31 Jul 2026 |
| Online application opens | 01 Aug 2026 |
| Last date to apply | 31 Aug 2026 |
| Preliminary examination (tentative) | 15 Nov 2026 |
| Main examination and interview | To be announced |
Application Fee
Fee is paid on the official portal only. Category-wise exemptions are applied automatically once the category is declared correctly in the form.
| Category | Fee | Payment Mode |
|---|---|---|
| General Merit and others | ₹600 | Online |
| Categories 2A, 2B, 3A and 3B | ₹300 | Online |
| Ex-Servicemen | ₹50 | Online |
| SC, ST, Category 1 and PwD | Nil | — |
Vacancy Details
Vacancy counts are provisional and are revised through corrigenda. The category-wise split determines the cut-off you will actually be measured against.
| Post Name | Total |
|---|---|
| Commercial Tax Officer (Group B) | 74 |
| Commercial Tax Assistant Commissioner (Group A) | 50 |
| Assistant Commissioner, Junior Scale (Group A) | 39 |
| Tahsildar Grade 2 (Group B) | 25 |
| Assistant Registrar, Cooperation (Group B) | 21 |
| Chief Officer Grade 1, Urban Development (Group B) | 20 |
| Executive Officer and Assistant Secretary, Rural Development (Group A) | 15 |
| Assistant Director, Agricultural Marketing (Group B) | 12 |
| Assistant Treasury Officer (Group B) | 12 |
| Assistant Director Grade 1, Social Welfare (Group A) | 11 |
| Assistant Director Grade 2, Social Welfare (Group B) | 11 |
| Assistant Superintendent, Prisons (Group B) | 6 |
| Deputy Superintendent of Excise (Group B) | 5 |
| Section Officer, Secretariat (Group B) | 5 |
| Section Officer, KPSC (Group B) | 4 |
| Assistant Director, Food and Supplies (Group B) | 4 |
| Employment Officer (Group B) | 3 |
| Assistant Treasury Director (Group A) | 2 |
| Total | 319 |
Educational Qualification
The qualification must be held on or before the cut-off date stated in the notification. Final-year candidates should check whether provisional applications are permitted for this recruitment.
| Post | Required Qualification |
|---|---|
| All Group A and Group B posts | A bachelor's or master's degree awarded by a university established by law in India, or an equivalent qualification. |
- This is the Karnataka Administrative Service gazetted probationers examination — one application covers all 18 posts, with preferences given in the form.
- The preliminary marks do not count towards your rank. Only the mains and the personality test do.
- OTR details cannot be edited once submitted, so check them before you confirm.
- Physical standards apply only to the prisons and excise posts — height, chest and endurance tests.
Age Limit & Relaxation
Upper age limits are relaxed by category. Read the row that applies to you before you conclude you are ineligible.
| Category | Upper Age Relaxation |
|---|---|
| General Merit | Upper age 40 years |
| Categories 2A, 2B, 3A and 3B | Upper age 43 years |
| SC, ST and Category 1 | Upper age 45 years |
| All categories, one-time special relaxation | 5 years in addition |
| Ex-Servicemen | Length of service plus 3 years |
| Persons with Disabilities | 10 years |
| Widowed and divorced women | 10 years |
The upper limit is 40 years for General Merit, 43 for Categories 2A, 2B, 3A and 3B, and 45 for SC, ST and Category 1, with a one-time additional relaxation of five years.
Selection Process
Each stage is qualifying for the next. Clearing a stage does not carry marks forward unless the notification says so.
- 1Preliminary examination — two objective papers of 200 marks each, qualifying only, shortlisting at 1:15
- 2Main examination — two qualifying language papers and five descriptive papers of 250 marks each
- 3Personality test — 25 marks, with candidates called in a 1:3 ratio
- 4Physical standards — height, chest and endurance tests for the police, prison and excise posts only
- 5Final merit — out of 1,275 marks
Exam Pattern
Understanding the marking scheme is worth as much as the syllabus — attempt strategy depends on the negative marking below.
| Section | Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prelims Paper I — General Studies of national and international importance | 100 | 200 | 2 hours |
| Prelims Paper II — State General Studies, Science, Environment and Mental Ability | 100 | 200 | 2 hours |
| Mains — Kannada, qualifying only | — | 150 | 2 hours |
| Mains — English, qualifying only | — | 150 | 2 hours |
| Mains Paper 1 — Essay | — | 250 | 3 hours |
| Mains Paper 2 — General Studies 1 | — | 250 | 3 hours |
| Mains Paper 3 — General Studies 2 | — | 250 | 3 hours |
| Mains Paper 4 — General Studies 3 | — | 250 | 3 hours |
| Mains Paper 5 — General Studies 4 | — | 250 | 3 hours |
| Personality test | — | 25 | — |
| Total counted towards merit | — | 1275 | — |
The preliminary papers are objective with **0.25 deducted for each wrong answer**, and are qualifying only — candidates are shortlisted in a 1:15 ratio to the vacancies. The two language papers need 35%, that is 52.5 marks each, and do not count towards merit. The **final rank is built from the 1,250-mark written examination and a 25-mark personality test**, for which candidates are called in a 1:3 ratio.
How to Apply
Complete the form in one sitting where possible, and check the preview page carefully. Most fields cannot be changed once submitted, except during the correction window.
- 1Open the KPSC online portal and complete the One Time Registration if you are a first-time applicant.
- 2Log in with your enrolment number, mobile or email and an OTP.
- 3Choose Apply to Post and select this notification.
- 4Complete the post-specific application form and record your post preferences.
- 5Upload a photograph under 200 KB and a signature under 70 KB, both JPEG.
- 6Pay the fee online by UPI, card or net banking and download the confirmation receipt with its QR code.
Important Links
Official Links
Links go to the recruiting body’s own website- Apply onlineApply Online
- Karnataka Public Service CommissionVisit
Verify before you apply. Eligibility, vacancy counts, fees and dates change through corrigenda. Job Times 24 is an information service, not a recruiter, and never charges candidates. Always confirm every detail in the official notification above.