Karnataka KAS 2026 Notification: Post-Wise Vacancy, Exam Pattern, Eligibility and Application Guide
The Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) has released the much-awaited notification for 319 Gazetted Probationer posts — the Karnataka Administrative Service examination that thousands of graduates in the state prepare for every year. The recruitment covers 117 Group A and 202 Group B posts, including Assistant Commissioner, Commercial Tax Officer, Tahsildar (Grade-2), Assistant Registrar of Co-operative Societies and Chief Officer (Grade-1). Any graduate from any stream can apply, which makes this one of the biggest opportunities in Karnataka government jobs this year.
The application window is short — it opened on 1 August 2026 and closes on 31 August 2026. The Preliminary Examination is tentatively scheduled for 15 November 2026, so you have roughly two and a half months to prepare after applying. If you have been waiting for the KAS notification to begin serious preparation, the wait is over. Read this complete guide from GovtJobsAlert.in — we have covered the post-wise vacancy, the full exam pattern, age limits and the number of attempts allowed.
Key Highlights — KPSC KAS Recruitment 2026
The KPSC conducts the Gazetted Probationers examination to fill senior administrative posts across Karnataka’s revenue, commercial tax, co-operation, treasury and municipal administration departments. Selected candidates join as gazetted officers and handle real decision-making responsibility from early in their careers. This year’s advertisement covers 18 different post categories in a single competitive examination.
- Post Names: Assistant Commissioner, Commercial Tax Officer, Tahsildar (Grade-2), Assistant Director, Assistant Registrar of Co-operative Societies, Chief Officer (Grade-1), Executive Officer, Assistant Treasury Officer, Section Officer and others
- Total Vacancies: 319 posts (Group A — 117, Group B — 202)
- Educational Qualification: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in any discipline
- Job Location: Across Karnataka
- Application Start Date: 1 August 2026
- Last Date to Apply: 31 August 2026
- Preliminary Exam Date: 15 November 2026 (tentative)
KPSC KAS 2026 Vacancy Breakdown — Post-Wise and Group-Wise Details
Commercial Tax Officer has the highest number of vacancies at 74 posts, followed by Assistant Commissioner of Commercial Taxes with 50 posts.
| Post Name | Group | Vacancies |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial Tax Officer | B | 74 |
| Assistant Commissioner of Commercial Taxes | A | 50 |
| Assistant Commissioner (Junior Scale) | A | 39 |
| Tahsildar (Grade-2) | B | 25 |
| Assistant Registrar of Co-operative Societies | B | 21 |
| Chief Officer (Grade-1) | B | 20 |
| Executive Officer / Assistant Secretary | A | 15 |
| Assistant Director, Agricultural Marketing | B | 12 |
| Assistant Treasury Officer | B | 12 |
| Assistant Director Grade-1 | A | 11 |
| Assistant Director (Grade-2) | B | 11 |
| Assistant Superintendent | B | 6 |
| Excise Deputy Superintendent | B | 5 |
| Section Officer (Secretariat) | B | 5 |
| Section Officer (KPSC) | B | 4 |
| Assistant Director (Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs) | B | 4 |
| Employment Officer | B | 3 |
| Assistant Director (Treasury Department) | A | 2 |
| Total | — | 319 |
Of the total, 297 posts fall under the Residual Parent Cadre and 22 posts are earmarked for the Hyderabad-Karnataka region under Article 371-J.
Eligibility Criteria — KPSC KAS Recruitment 2026
Educational Qualification
The qualification requirement is refreshingly simple and the same for all 18 posts. This is a genuine opening for graduates from any stream — arts, science, commerce, engineering or medicine.
- A Bachelor’s Degree or a Master’s Degree from a university established by law in India, or an equivalent qualification
- Candidates whose final-year results have not yet been declared may apply for the Preliminary Examination only. You must produce proof of passing along with your Main Examination application — if you cannot, your candidature is rejected and you will not be admitted to the Mains
- Medical candidates who have passed the final professional examination but have not yet completed their internship at the time of applying are provisionally admitted under the notification’s special provision
There is no specific subject or percentage requirement — if you hold a degree, you are eligible to compete on the academic side.
A few other bars do apply, though, and they are easy to overlook: candidates permanently debarred by UPSC, KPSC or any State Public Service Commission are ineligible, as are those convicted of an offence involving moral turpitude. The notification also carries marital disqualification clauses and requires medical fitness, with the State Government retaining discretion on a Medical Board report. Separately, certain services carry physical standards — check Section 11 of the notification if you are applying for a post in the Prisons or Excise departments.
Age Limit
Age is calculated as on 31 August 2026. The minimum age for all categories is 21 years.
| Category | Maximum Age |
|---|---|
| General Merit | 40 years |
| Category 2A, 2B, 3A and 3B | 43 years |
| SC, ST and Category-1 | 45 years |
These upper limits already include a one-time 5-year relaxation granted by the Karnataka Government for this recruitment, which is why they run higher than the usual KAS limits.
🎂 Not sure if you meet the age criteria? Use our free Age Calculator for Government Exams to find your exact age on the cut-off date and instantly check your eligibility — including SC / ST / OBC / PwBD age relaxation. →
Further relaxations apply: Persons with Disability get 10 years, widows get 10 years, and ex-servicemen get relaxation equal to the period of service rendered plus three years.
Number of Attempts Allowed
KPSC limits how many times you can appear for this examination, and this is something many candidates overlook.
- General Merit: 5 attempts
- Category-1, 2A, 2B, 3A and 3B: 7 attempts
- SC and ST: no limit on attempts
What is the Salary for KPSC KAS Gazetted Probationer Posts 2026?
Here we have to be straight with you: the notification does not publish the pay scale for any of the 319 posts. Across all 90 pages of the advertisement, KPSC has not printed a pay band, pay scale or monthly figure for these posts. We will not guess a number — that would only mislead you.
What the notification does establish is the grade and status of the posts:
- 117 posts are Group A — senior gazetted officer positions such as Assistant Commissioner and Assistant Commissioner of Commercial Taxes
- 202 posts are Group B — gazetted posts such as Commercial Tax Officer, Tahsildar (Grade-2) and Chief Officer (Grade-1)
- All selected candidates join as Gazetted Probationers under the Karnataka Administrative Service
Pay for these posts will be as per the scale applicable to the respective cadre under Government of Karnataka rules. For the exact figures, refer to the official notification and KPSC announcements.
Beyond pay, what draws candidates to KAS is the authority that comes with a gazetted post in the state administration from early in the career.
What is the Selection Process for KPSC KAS 2026?
The KAS selection runs in three stages, and the total merit is calculated out of 1275 marks.
Stage 1: Preliminary Examination
Two objective papers, each of 100 questions carrying 2 marks each — that is 200 marks per paper and 400 marks in total. Each paper runs for 2 hours. There is negative marking of 0.25 marks for every wrong answer. The Prelims is only a screening test; its marks are not counted in the final merit. Candidates are shortlisted for the Mains at a ratio of 1:15 against the vacancies.
Stage 2: Main Examination
The Mains carries 1250 marks that count towards merit — five compulsory papers of 250 marks each. In addition there are two qualifying language papers: Kannada (150 marks) and English (150 marks). You must score at least 35% (52.5 marks) in each qualifying paper, but these marks are not added to your merit total.
Stage 3: Personality Test
Candidates are called for the interview at a ratio of 1:3. The Personality Test carries 25 marks. Your final rank comes from 1250 Mains marks plus 25 interview marks.
Start with the Prelims syllabus first and build your base — you can check our exam syllabus and pattern guides while you plan your study schedule.
How to Apply Online for KPSC KAS Recruitment 2026
Keep your degree certificate, marks cards, category certificate, Kannada language proof if applicable, a scanned photograph, signature and an online payment method ready before you start.
- Visit the KPSC online application portal (direct link given in the Essential Links section below)
- Complete the One Time Registration (OTR) if you have not already done so, as it is mandatory
- Log in and select the “Apply to Post” option for the Gazetted Probationers 2026 examination
- Fill in your personal, educational and category details exactly as they appear on your certificates
- Upload your scanned photograph and signature along with all age, qualification and reservation documents — applications with missing or unclear uploads are rejected
- Pay the application fee online through net banking, debit card, credit card or UPI
- Submit the application and download a printout for your records
Applications are accepted online only. Demand drafts, postal orders and money orders are not accepted at all.
KPSC KAS Recruitment 2026 Important Dates: Complete Timeline
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification Released | 31 July 2026 |
| Application Start Date | 1 August 2026 |
| Last Date to Apply Online | 31 August 2026 |
| Age Reckoned As On | 31 August 2026 |
| Preliminary Exam Date | 15 November 2026 (tentative) |
| Main Exam Date | To be announced |
KPSC KAS 2026 Application Fee — Category-Wise Details
| Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| General Merit | ₹600 |
| Category 2A, 2B, 3A and 3B | ₹300 |
| Ex-Servicemen | ₹50 |
| SC, ST, Category-1 and PwD | No Fee |
The fee can be paid through net banking, debit card, credit card or UPI. SC, ST, Category-1 and Persons with Disability are fully exempted from the application fee.
Essential Links — KPSC KAS Gazetted Probationers Recruitment 2026
- Download Official Notification PDF
- Apply Online for KPSC KAS Recruitment 2026
- Visit KPSC Official Website
- Join WhatsApp Channel for Government Jobs
- Join Telegram Channel for Government Jobs
- Join Karnataka Government Jobs Telegram Channel
319 gazetted posts open to any graduate does not come around often in Karnataka. Yes, the competition will be tough and the syllabus is long — but every officer who cleared KAS started exactly where you are today. Apply before 31 August 2026 and give yourself the two and a half months until Prelims. Keep visiting GovtJobsAlert.in for more Karnataka government job updates and exam results.