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The Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA), Bengaluru, has released two separate notifications dated 06-08-2026 inviting online applications for the posts of Pharmacy Officer and Nursing Officer (Shushrushadhikari), Group-C, in departments/institutions under the Government of Karnataka. These posts are being filled through a competitive examination conducted by KEA. This article covers both the Kalyana-Karnataka cadre notification and the General/Open cadre (ESI Scheme) notification, including eligibility, important dates, vacancy details, salary, fee, and the application process.
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KEA Pharmacy Officer & Nursing Officer Recruitment 2026 Overview
- Recruiting body: Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA), Bengaluru
- Posts: Pharmacy Officer and Nursing Officer (Shushrushadhikari), Group-C
- Total vacancies: 233 posts across both notifications (45 posts in the Kalyana-Karnataka cadre notification + 188 posts in the General/Open cadre ESI Scheme notification)
- Who can apply: Candidates holding a Diploma in Pharmacy (for Pharmacy Officer) or a Diploma in General Nursing / B.Sc Nursing / PUC + GNM (for Nursing Officer), registered with the respective Karnataka Council, meeting the age criteria below
- Application start date: 07-08-2026
- Application last date: 30-08-2026
- Fee payment last date: 31-08-2026
- Mode of application: Online only, through the KEA website
- Job location: Various departments/institutions under the Government of Karnataka, including Kalyana-Karnataka region postings
- KEA (Pharmacy Officer, Nursing Officer (RPC) Posts) Notification PDF: Download Here
- KEA (Pharmacy Officer, Nursing Officer (KK) Posts) Notification PDF: Download Here
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Organization | Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA), Bengaluru |
| Notification No. (Kalyana-Karnataka cadre) | ಇಡಿ/ಕೆಇ1/35/ನೇ.ವಿ/2026(ಕೆಕೆ), dated 06-08-2026 |
| Notification No. (General/Open cadre) | ಇಡಿ/ಕೆಇ1/34/ನೇ.ವಿ/2026(ಆರ್.ಪಿ.ಸಿ), dated 06-08-2026 |
| Posts | Pharmacy Officer, Nursing Officer (Shushrushadhikari) |
| Total posts | 233 (45 + 188) |
| Application mode | Online |
| Official application portal | https://cetonline.karnataka.gov.in/kea/ |
| Selection process | Competitive written examination (CBT or OMR mode) |
KEA Pharmacy Officer & Nursing Officer Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification date | 06-08-2026 |
| Online application start date | 07-08-2026 |
| Online application last date | 30-08-2026 |
| Last date to pay application fee | 31-08-2026 |
| Competitive examination date | Not specified in the notification (to be announced separately by KEA) |
KEA Pharmacy Officer & Nursing Officer Vacancy 2026
Vacancy Details – Kalyana-Karnataka (KK) Cadre
This notification covers vacancies reserved for the Kalyana-Karnataka cadre under Article 371(J) of the Constitution.
| Department/Institution | Post | Pay Scale (₹) | No. of Posts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Karnataka Residential Educational Institutions Society (Karnataka Vasati Shikshana Sansthegala Sangha) | Nursing Officer (Shushrushadhikari) | 54175–99400 | 17 + 06 (backlog) = 23 |
| Employees' State Insurance Scheme (Karmika Rajya Vima Yojane) – Medical Services Department | Pharmacy Officer | 44425–83700 | 06 + 05 (Kre.) = 11 |
| Medical Services Department (Vaidyakiya Sevegala Ilakhe) | Nursing Officer (Shushrushadhikari) | 54175–99400 | 11 (Kre.) |
| Total (KK cadre) | 23 + 16 (Kre.) + 06 (backlog) = 45 | ||
Note: "Kre." posts are those to be filled following the local-candidate reservation points prescribed under Article 371(J). "Backlog" posts are vacancies left unfilled from a previous recruitment cycle.
Vacancy Details – General/Open Cadre (ESI Scheme, Medical Services Department)
This second notification covers the remaining/general cadre vacancies in the Employees' State Insurance (ESI) Scheme's Medical Services Department.
| Post | Pay Scale (₹) | No. of Posts |
|---|---|---|
| Pharmacy Officer | 44425–83700 | 92 + 05 (Kre.) + 01 (backlog) = 98 |
| Nursing Officer (Shushrushadhikari) | 54175–99400 | 72 + 11 (Kre.) + 07 (backlog) = 90 |
| Total (General cadre) | 164 + 16 (Kre.) + 08 (backlog) = 188 |
Combined total across both notifications: 233 posts (45 KK cadre + 188 General cadre).
KEA Pharmacy Officer & Nursing Officer Eligibility Criteria / Qualification
Educational Qualification
| Post | Qualification Required |
|---|---|
| Pharmacy Officer (ESI Scheme, Medical Services Department) | Must possess a Diploma in Pharmacy from an institution recognized by the Government of Karnataka, and must be registered with the Karnataka Pharmacy Council. |
| Nursing Officer / Shushrushadhikari (ESI Scheme, Medical Services Department) | Must possess a Diploma in General Nursing issued by an authority authorized by the Government of Karnataka, and must be registered with the Karnataka Nursing Council. |
| Nursing Officer / Shushrushadhikari (Karnataka Residential Educational Institutions Society – KK cadre only) | Must have passed a B.Sc Nursing degree from a recognized university, with the institution recognized by the Indian Nursing Council/Karnataka State Nursing Council; OR must have passed PUC (or equivalent) and General Nursing and Midwifery (GNM) from an institution recognized by the Indian Nursing Council/Karnataka State Nursing Council. In addition, the candidate must have studied Kannada as a language subject in a Postgraduate degree, Bachelor's degree, Pre-University course, SSLC, or Diploma, or must hold a Kannada certificate (Kavya/Jana/Rathna) conducted by the Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board/Kannada Sahitya Parishat, Bangalore. |
The notification specifies that if a candidate is found not to meet the above qualification at any stage of the recruitment process — even after appearing for the examination — the application/candidature will be rejected.
Other Eligibility Conditions
- Candidate must be a citizen of India.
- A male candidate having more than one living spouse, and a female candidate who has married a man who already has a living spouse, are not eligible for appointment unless prior Government approval has been obtained.
- The candidate must be mentally and physically fit and free from any physical defect likely to interfere with efficient discharge of duties.
KEA Pharmacy Officer & Nursing Officer Age Limit
As per the Karnataka Civil Services (General Recruitment) Rules, 1977, the candidate must have completed a minimum of 18 years of age as on the last date fixed for submission of applications. Per Government Order No. ಸಿಆಸು 262 ಸೇನವಿ 2025 dated 29-01-2026, a one-time relaxation of 5 years has been added to the upper age limit; candidates must not exceed this relaxed upper age limit.
| Category | Maximum Age Limit |
|---|---|
| General Merit candidates | 40 years |
| Category 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B candidates | 43 years |
| SC/ST/Category-1 candidates | 45 years |
Additional age relaxation (beyond the limits above) is available to specific categories as per the notification, including: Karnataka State Government/local authority/Central Government/undertaking employees (relaxation equal to years of service or 10 years, whichever is less), ex-servicemen, full-time NCC cadet instructors, Grameena Swayamsevaka Yojane volunteers, exceptionally talented candidates (10 years), persons belonging to Scheduled Tribes notified communities of Karnataka (as per service years or 5 years, whichever is less), widows (10 years), and retrenched permanent employees (10 years). Exact conditions for each category are listed in the original notification.
Candidates should ensure that they fulfill the prescribed age criteria. Calculate your exact age using our Age Calculator before submitting your application to confirm your eligibility.
KEA Pharmacy Officer & Nursing Officer Application Fee
The application fee must be paid online only; fees once paid will not be refunded.
| Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| General Merit and other categories (Category-2A / 2B / 3A / 3B) | ₹750 (₹500 application fee + ₹250 processing fee) |
| SC / ST / Category-1 / Ex-servicemen / Third Gender candidates | ₹500 (₹250 application fee + ₹250 processing fee) |
| Persons with Disability (PWD) candidates | ₹250 (processing fee only) |
Last date to pay the fee: 31-08-2026.
KEA Pharmacy Officer & Nursing Officer Salary
| Post | Pay Scale (₹) |
|---|---|
| Nursing Officer (Shushrushadhikari) | 54175-1375-58300-1500-64300-1650-74200-1900-85600-2300-99400 |
| Pharmacy Officer | 44425-1125-47800-1250-52800-1375-58300-1500-64300-1650-74200-1900-83700 |
Selected candidates recruited through direct recruitment will be on probation for two years from the date of appointment. The National Pension Scheme (NPS) benefit is applicable to Nursing Officer and Pharmacy Officer posts in the Karnataka Residential Educational Institutions Society and the ESI Scheme Medical Services Department.
KEA Pharmacy Officer & Nursing Officer Selection Process
Selection will be made through a competitive examination conducted by KEA, either in Online (CBT) mode or Offline-OMR mode. The examination centre allotted will not be changed for any reason.
Kannada Language Test
Candidates who have studied Kannada as a first or second language subject in SSLC or a higher-level examination conducted by the Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board or an equivalent examination recognized by the State Government, or who have passed a "Kadaya Kannada" test previously conducted by any authority for equivalent posts, are exempted from the Kannada Language Test. Other candidates must appear for the Kannada Language Test, which is objective type, carries 150 marks, and requires a minimum of 50 marks to qualify. Candidates who are absent or score below 50 marks in this test are disqualified. Marks scored in the Kannada Language Test are not counted towards merit or post allocation.
Examination Pattern
| Paper | Subject | Total Questions | Maximum Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper-1 | General Knowledge: current affairs; daily life topics; school-level Indian Constitution topics; Karnataka history (with special reference to Karnataka's role in India's history); Karnataka geography (in relation to India); state and regional language topics; rural development, Panchayat Raj institutions and rural cooperative institutions related to Karnataka's economic development; Karnataka's environmental issues and development topics. | 100 | 100 | 2 hours |
| Paper-2 | Subject-specific paper (syllabus to be published separately, subject-wise) | 100 | 100 | 2 hours |
Candidates must secure a minimum of 35% marks in the competitive examination to qualify. Candidates scoring below this will be declared unsuccessful.
Negative Marking
Each question in the competitive examination has 4 alternative answers, of which only one is correct. For every wrong answer, 0.25 marks (one-fourth of a mark) will be deducted. If a candidate shades more than one option for a question in the OMR answer sheet, and the discrepancy is not corrected before the end of the exam, 0.25 marks will be deducted for that question.
Also Read: VAO Recruitment 2026 Karnataka - KEA Notification for 572 Village Accountant Posts
How to Apply for KEA Pharmacy Officer & Nursing Officer Recruitment 2026
Candidates must apply online through the link available on the Karnataka Examination Authority website. Applications must be submitted only through the official website: https://cetonline.karnataka.gov.in/kea/
KEA Pharmacy Officer & Nursing Officer Apply Online – Steps
- Visit the official KEA website: https://cetonline.karnataka.gov.in/kea/
- Click on the relevant application link for this recruitment.
- Fill in the online application form carefully with all required details.
- Upload a recent passport-size colour photograph (JPEG format, white background, 50KB to 200KB) and a signature made in black ink on white paper, scanned (JPEG format, 50KB to 70KB). Applications submitted without the correct photograph and signature will be rejected.
- Pay the applicable application fee online before 31-08-2026.
- Once submitted, no information in the application can be modified or corrected at any stage.
- Keep a copy of the acknowledgment/fee payment receipt (chalan) until the recruitment process is complete.
Note: Candidates should read all instructions relating to eligibility for direct recruitment before filling the online application, and must fill the application only as per the given instructions. Applications submitted with incorrect or false information will be rejected at any stage, and legal action may be initiated as per rules.
Important Instructions
- Candidates must retain the acknowledgement/original certificates required for the post/category for which they are applying and produce them at the time of document verification. Failure to appear with original documents on the specified date will lead to rejection of candidature.
- Only candidates who apply online, appear for the competitive examination, and secure the qualifying marks will have any claim to appointment; the recruiting authority is not bound to fill all advertised posts.
- The mobile number and e-mail ID furnished in the application will be treated as final; all communication will be sent to this mobile number/e-mail ID, and no request for change will be entertained later.
- Caste/income certificates: only certificates obtained for the purpose of employment will be considered (certificates obtained for education or other benefits will not be considered).
- Candidates seeking rural, Kannada-medium, ex-serviceman, or other special reservation/relaxation benefits must submit the prescribed proof certificates in the specified formats by the last date of application submission.
- For more information, candidates may call the KEA helpdesk: 080-23460460 (10:00 AM to 6:00 PM). Note: this helpline is only for information related to the notification, written examination, and marks list — not for candidate-specific queries.
Important Links
- Apply Online: Click here
- Official Notification PDF: Click here
- Official Website: Click here
- Join Arattai Channel: Click Here
- Join Telegram Channel: Click Here
- Join WhatsApp Channel: Click Here
- Sarkari Result: Click Here
- Download Mobile App: Click Here
Candidates who have completed their postgraduate degree in life sciences can also explore more Diploma Government Jobs and B.Sc Life Sciences Jobs available across India. Candidates looking for more research opportunities can also explore the latest Karnataka Government Jobs across various departments. Applicants searching for openings closer to the NCR region can check Faridabad Government Jobs for upcoming vacancies. Those holding a postgraduate degree in science can also browse more M.Sc Government Jobs and Medical Govt Jobs matching their qualification.
