KEA FDA SDA Recruitment 2026: 5,431 Posts Open
The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA), Bengaluru, has released the notification for 5,431 vacancies for First Division Assistant (FDA), Second Division Assistant (SDA) and other Group C posts in various Karnataka government departments, boards and corporations. Four separate notifications were issued on 29 October 2026 — two for graduates and two for II PUC pass candidates. Online applications are open from 30 October to 25 November 2026 on the official portal cetonline.karnataka.gov.in. The written examination will be held in January 2027. This is a Karnataka state recruitment, not a Haryana or central government recruitment.
Photo: Moheen Reeyad, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) — Vidhana Soudha, Bengaluru (representative image)
Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification released | 29 October 2026 |
| Online applications open | 30 October 2026 |
| Last date to apply online | 25 November 2026 |
| Last date for fee payment | 26 November 2026 |
| Kannada Language Test (all notices) | 8 January 2027, 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM |
| Papers 1 and 2 — Notice 15 (KK, FDA level) | 9 January 2027 |
| Papers 1 and 2 — Notice 14 (RPC, FDA level) | 10 January 2027 |
| Papers 1 and 2 — Notice 17 (KK, SDA level) | 16 January 2027 |
| Papers 1 and 2 — Notice 16 (RPC, SDA level) | 17 January 2027 |
| Admit card and exam centres | Not announced yet |
Total Vacancies: 5,431
The 5,431 posts are spread across four separate notifications. This is not one recruitment but four — each notification covers one qualification level and one cadre. A candidate can be selected for only one post, so choosing the right notification matters.
| Notification | Level and Cadre | Posts |
|---|---|---|
| ED/KEA/14/2026 | Degree level, Residual Parent Cadre (RPC) | 2,163 |
| ED/KEA/15/2026 | Degree level, Kalyana Karnataka (KK) | 563 |
| ED/KEA/16/2026 | PUC level, Residual Parent Cadre (RPC) | 2,070 |
| ED/KEA/17/2026 | PUC level, Kalyana Karnataka (KK) | 635 |
| Total | 5,431 |
The 1,198 Kalyana Karnataka (KK) posts are a local cadre under Article 371(J) of the Constitution. A local status certificate (in Annexure-A format) is required. RPC candidates cannot apply for KK posts, and KK candidates cannot apply for RPC posts.
Post-Wise Vacancies (Key Posts)
Notice 14 — RPC, FDA Level (2,163 Posts)
| Post (Department) | Posts |
|---|---|
| Accounts Assistant — Karnataka State Audit and Accounts Department | 490 |
| Warden (Male) — Social Welfare Department | 294 |
| First Division Assistant — Judiciary Department (various courts) | 249 |
| Hostel Superintendent (Male) — Backward Classes Welfare Department | 180 |
| GP Secretary & RD Assistant Grade-1 — Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department | 135 |
| First Division Assistant (Zilla and Taluk Panchayat) | 100 |
| Hostel Superintendent (Female) — Backward Classes Welfare Department | 100 |
| First Division Assistant cum Computer Operator — KREIS | 79 |
| Hostel Warden — KREIS | 78 |
| First Division Assistant — Commercial Taxes Department | 56 |
Notice 15 — KK, FDA Level (563 Posts)
| Post (Department) | Posts |
|---|---|
| Hostel Superintendent (Male) — Backward Classes Welfare Department | 94 |
| GP Secretary & RD Assistant Grade-1 | 49 |
| First Division Assistant (Zilla and Taluk Panchayat) | 48 |
| First Division Assistant — Judicial Department | 33 |
| Hostel Warden — KREIS | 28 |
Notice 16 — RPC, SDA Level (2,070 Posts)
| Post (Department) | Posts |
|---|---|
| Second Division Assistant — Judicial Department | 522 |
| Second Division Assistant — Commercial Taxes Department | 500 |
| GP Secretary & RD Assistant Grade-2 | 284 |
| Second Division Assistant (Zilla and Taluk Panchayat) | 200 |
| Junior Accounts Assistant — Karnataka State Audit and Accounts Department | 130 |
Notice 17 — KK, SDA Level (635 Posts)
| Post (Department) | Posts |
|---|---|
| Second Division Assistant (Zilla and Taluk Panchayats) | 109 |
| Second Division Assistant — Judiciary Department | 104 |
| Second Division Assistant — Commercial Taxes Department | 90 |
| Marketing Assistant — Agricultural Marketing Department | 44 |
| GP Secretary & RD Assistant Grade-2 | 38 |
See the official notification PDFs for the full post-wise lists. The notifications do not print a category-wise (SC, ST, 2A, GM and so on) split — post-wise and category-wise details are published separately by the departments. Vacancies are provisional and may be revised.
Educational Qualification
The qualification must be held on or before 25 November 2026. Final-year students whose results are still pending cannot apply.
| Post | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Most FDA, Assistant, Sub-Registrar, GP Secretary & RDA Grade-1 posts | Degree from a university established by law in India |
| Accounts Assistant | B.Com, BBM or BBA, or an equivalent notified by UGC |
| Warden, Hostel Superintendent, Hostel Warden | Degree and B.Ed |
| FDA cum Computer Operator | Postgraduate degree and a one-year computer course certificate (BE CS/IS/IT, BCA/MCA, BSc/MSc CS and PGDCA holders are exempt) |
| Commercial Tax Inspector | Degree with Economics or Mathematics, or a Commerce degree, or equivalent |
| Co-operative Societies Auditor | Commerce degree with Accountancy and Auditing |
| Tourism Promotion Officer | Degree in Tourism Communication, History, Archaeology or Journalism, or any degree and a Hotel Management diploma |
| SDA, Junior Assistant, GP Secretary & RDA Grade-2, Record Sorter, Tourist Guide, Marketing Assistant | II PUC or equivalent (12th pass) |
| Junior Accounts Assistant (RPC) | PUC (Commerce) with Accountancy |
Age Limit and Relaxation
The minimum age is 18 years. The maximum age limits already include a one-time 5-year relaxation granted by a government order dated 29 January 2026.
| Category | Maximum Age |
|---|---|
| General Merit | 40 years |
| Category 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B | 43 years |
| SC, ST, Category-1 | 45 years |
Further relaxation: Persons with disabilities get 10 years; widows (not remarried) and freed bonded labourers get 10 years; Karnataka government, local body and corporation employees get their years of service or 10 years, whichever is less; ex-servicemen get their service period plus 3 years.
Application Fee
| Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| General Merit, Category 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B | Rs 750 |
| SC, ST, Category-1, Ex-servicemen, Transgender | Rs 500 |
| Persons with disabilities | Rs 250 |
The fee is online only and non-refundable. Exemption: candidates who applied and paid for KEA’s 2 FDA posts under notification ED/KEA/07/NeVi/2026(RPC) dated 19.05.2026 do not pay again for this notification.
Salary
| Pay Scale | Posts |
|---|---|
| Rs 61,300 – Rs 1,12,900 | Tourism Promotion Officer (RPC); Superintendent (Accounts), KRIDL (KK) |
| Rs 54,175 – Rs 99,400 | Commercial Tax Inspector; Sub-Registrar (RPC); KMAS Chief Officer Grade-2 and Information Assistant (KK) |
| Rs 49,050 – Rs 92,500 | Assistant (Secretariat, KIADB, KPSC); Accountant (KK) |
| Rs 44,425 – Rs 83,700 | All other FDA-level posts |
| Rs 34,100 – Rs 67,600 | All SDA-level posts (Notices 16 and 17) |
Probation is 2 years. The National Pension System (NPS) applies to all listed departments except KIADB and KRIDL posts, which have no NPS facility.
Selection Process
- Kannada Language Test — qualifying only, 150 marks, minimum 50 to pass. Marks do not count for merit. Exempt if you studied Kannada as a first or second language up to SSLC or higher, studied in Kannada medium, or already passed the compulsory Kannada test.
- Competitive Exam — Paper-1 and Paper-2, offline OMR, minimum 35% mandatory to qualify.
- Online Counselling — option entry, mock allotment and merit-based allotment.
- Selection Lists — provisional list (1:1), final list and additional list.
- Document Verification — done by the appointing authority, not KEA; PwD claimants face a medical board.
There is no interview.
Exam Pattern
| Paper | Subject | Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper-1 | General Knowledge (current events, science, Indian and Karnataka history, geography, Constitution, Karnataka economy and rural development) | 100 | 100 | 2 hours |
| Paper-2 | General Kannada, General English, Computer Knowledge | 100 | 100 | 2 hours |
| Kannada Language Test | Compulsory Kannada (objective) | — | 150 (qualifying only) | 2 hours |
Negative marking: 0.25 marks are cut for each wrong answer. An unanswered question also loses 0.25 marks unless you shade the fifth circle (not attempted) on the OMR sheet. Ties go to the older candidate, then to higher marks in the qualifying exam for the post. Paper-1 runs 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM and Paper-2 runs 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM on each exam day.
Important Documents
- Recent photograph (JPEG, 50 to 200 KB) and signature (JPEG, 50 to 70 KB)
- SSLC or date-of-birth proof
- Degree or PUC marks cards
- Caste certificate in the prescribed form with the RD number
- Local status certificate (Annexure-A format) for Kalyana Karnataka posts
No change is allowed after you submit, so check every entry before you pay.
How to Apply Online
- Visit the KEA online portal at cetonline.karnataka.gov.in/kea.
- Register or sign in and open the notice for your cadre and level.
- Fill in the form and claim only the reservations you need.
- Upload a recent photo and your signature as JPEG files.
- Pay the fee online by 26 November 2026.
- Submit, then save the application copy and fee challan until recruitment ends.
Important Links
- KEA Official Portal — FDA, SDA Recruitment 2026
- Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) — Official Website
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: How many posts are there in KEA FDA SDA Recruitment 2026?
A: There are 5,431 posts in total — 2,726 degree-level posts (RPC 2,163 + KK 563) and 2,705 PUC-level posts (RPC 2,070 + KK 635).
Q2: What is the last date to apply for KEA FDA SDA Recruitment 2026?
A: The last date to submit the online application is 25 November 2026. The fee can be paid till 26 November 2026.
Q3: Can 12th pass candidates apply for KEA FDA SDA Recruitment 2026?
A: Yes. Candidates who have passed 2nd PUC or an equivalent qualification can apply for SDA and other PUC-level posts — 2,705 posts in total.
Q4: What is the age limit for KEA FDA SDA Recruitment 2026?
A: The minimum age is 18 years. The upper age limit is 40 years for General Merit, 43 years for Category 2A, 2B, 3A and 3B, and 45 years for SC, ST and Category-1 candidates.
Q5: What is the application fee?
A: Rs 750 for General Merit and Category 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B; Rs 500 for SC, ST, Category-1, ex-servicemen and transgender candidates; Rs 250 for persons with disabilities.
Q6: When is the KEA FDA SDA exam?
A: The Kannada Language Test is on 8 January 2027. Papers 1 and 2 are on 9, 10, 16 and 17 January 2027, depending on the notification group.
Q7: Is there an interview in this recruitment?
A: No. Selection runs through the written exam, document verification and online counselling.
Q8: What is special about the Kalyana Karnataka (KK) posts?
A: The 1,198 KK posts are a local cadre under Article 371(J). A local status certificate is required, and RPC candidates cannot apply for these posts.
Sources: Karnataka Examinations Authority, Group C FDA and SDA Recruitment 2026, Notifications ED/KEA/14, 15, 16 and 17 of 2026, dated 29 October 2026 — read the official notification on cetonline.karnataka.gov.in/kea before applying.
Note: this information has not yet been officially announced — admit card dates and exam centres have not been announced yet; check the KEA website.
