The Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) has released a recruitment notification, No. KPSCKA/EXA1/EXMF/9/2026-EXAM-1/I/251710/2026 dated 31-07-2026, inviting online applications for 319 Gazetted Probationers posts for the year 2026-27 under the Karnataka Gazetted Probationers (Appointment by Competitive Examinations) Rules, 1997. The recruitment covers 5 Group A posts and 13 Group B posts across various Karnataka Government departments. Eligible candidates can apply online through kpsconline.karnataka.gov.in from 01-08-2026 to 31-08-2026.
- Recruiting Body: Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC)
- Post Category: Gazetted Probationers, 2026-27 (18 different posts under Group A and Group B)
- Total Vacancies: 319 (117 Group A + 202 Group B)
- Who Can Apply: Candidates holding a Bachelor's or Master's Degree from a University established by law in India, or an equivalent qualification, meeting the prescribed age limit
- Application Start Date: 01-08-2026
- Application Last Date: 31-08-2026
- Tentative Preliminary Exam Date: 15-11-2026
- Application Mode: Online only, through kpsconline.karnataka.gov.in (One Time Registration required)
- Job Location: Karnataka (various government departments)
KPSC Gazetted Probationers Recruitment 2026 Notification PDF
KPSC Gazetted Probationers Recruitment 2026 Overview
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Organization | Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC), "Udyoga Soudha", Bengaluru-560 001 |
| Notification No. | KPSCKA/EXA1/EXMF/9/2026-EXAM-1/I/251710/2026 |
| Notification Date | 31-07-2026 |
| Post Category | Gazetted Probationers 2026-27 (Group A and Group B) |
| Total Vacancies | 319 (Group A: 117, Group B: 202) |
| Governing Rules | Karnataka Gazetted Probationers (Appointment by Competitive Examinations) Rules, 1997, as amended |
| Application Mode | Online (One Time Registration/OTR) |
| Official Website | kpsconline.karnataka.gov.in / kpsc.kar.nic.in |
KPSC Gazetted Probationers Important Dates
Candidates should keep track of the following dates related to the KPSC Gazetted Probationers Recruitment 2026 online application process.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Online Application Start Date | 01-08-2026 |
| Online Application Last Date | 31-08-2026 |
| Tentative Preliminary Examination Date | 15-11-2026 (subject to change; confirm on the KPSC website) |
The notification states that the exact date, time and venue for the preliminary examination will be published separately on the KPSC website closer to the exam. The Main Examination and Personality Test (interview) dates are not specified in this notification and will be announced later.
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KPSC Gazetted Probationers Vacancy 2026 Details
A total of 319 vacancies are notified, split into 117 Group A posts and 202 Group B posts across 18 different designations. Of these, 22 posts (5 in Group A and 17 in Group B) are reserved under the Hyderabad-Karnataka (Article 371(J)) local cadre quota, in addition to the vacancies in the general cadre. The post-wise vacancy break-up is given below.
Group 'A' Posts – 117 Vacancies
| Sl. No. | Post Name | General Cadre Vacancies | Hyderabad-Karnataka Cadre Vacancies | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Assistant Commissioner (Junior Scale), Personnel and Administrative Reforms Department | 36 | 3 | 39 |
| 2 | Assistant Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Commercial Tax Department | 50 | Not specified in the official notification | 50 |
| 3 | Assistant Director, Treasury Department | 2 | Not specified in the official notification | 2 |
| 4 | Executive Officer / Assistant Secretary, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department | 13 | 2 | 15 |
| 5 | Assistant Director Grade-1, Social Welfare Department | 11 | Not specified in the official notification | 11 |
| Group A Total | - | 112 | 5 | 117 |
Group 'B' Posts – 202 Vacancies
| Sl. No. | Post Name | General Cadre Vacancies | Hyderabad-Karnataka Cadre Vacancies | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tahsildar Grade-2, Revenue Department | 18 | 7 | 25 |
| 2 | Commercial Tax Officer, Commercial Tax Department | 74 | Not specified in the official notification | 74 |
| 3 | Assistant Superintendent, Prisons Department | 5 | 1 | 6 |
| 4 | Assistant Registrar of Co-operative Societies, Co-operation Department | 19 | 2 | 21 |
| 5 | Assistant Director, Department of Agricultural Marketing (Co-operation Department) | 10 | 2 | 12 |
| 6 | Deputy Superintendent of Excise, Finance Department (Excise Department) | 5 | Not specified in the official notification | 5 |
| 7 | Employment Officer, Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood Department | 3 | Not specified in the official notification | 3 |
| 8 | Chief Officer Grade-1, Urban Development Department | 18 | 2 | 20 |
| 9 | Assistant Treasury Officer, Finance Department (Treasury Department) | 12 | Not specified in the official notification | 12 |
| 10 | Assistant Director, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 11 | Section Officer, Karnataka Government Secretariat | 5 | Not specified in the official notification | 5 |
| 12 | Section Officer, Karnataka Public Service Commission | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| 13 | Assistant Director Grade-2, Social Welfare Department | 11 | Not specified in the official notification | 11 |
| Group B Total | - | 185 | 17 | 202 |
Grand Total: 319 vacancies (297 general cadre + 22 Hyderabad-Karnataka cadre). Detailed category-wise (General Merit, SC, ST, Category-1, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, Ex-Military, Kannada Medium, Physically Handicapped, Transgender) reservation break-up for each individual post is provided in Annexure-1 of the official notification and has not been reproduced here for brevity; candidates should refer to the official PDF for the exact category-wise vacancy split relevant to them.
KPSC Gazetted Probationers Eligibility Criteria
KPSC Gazetted Probationers Qualification
As per Rule 7 of the Karnataka Recruitment of Gazetted Probationers (Appointment by Competitive Examinations) Rules, 1997 (as amended by the 8th Amendment Rules, 2010), no candidate is eligible for recruitment under these rules unless they possess a Bachelor's Degree or Master's Degree awarded by a University established by law in India, or an equivalent qualification.
Candidates who have appeared for an examination that would render them educationally qualified, but whose results have not yet been declared, are also eligible for admission to the Preliminary Examination; however, they must produce proof of passing the qualifying examination along with their Main Examination application, failing which they will not be admitted to the Main Examination. Candidates who have passed their final professional/medical examination but not completed internship at the time of application are provisionally admitted, subject to submitting the required proof at the time of interview.
The notification does not specify a separate, distinct educational qualification for each of the 18 individual posts beyond this general Bachelor's/Master's Degree requirement under the Gazetted Probationers Rules, 1997.
KPSC Gazetted Probationers Age Limit
The age limit is prescribed as per Rule of the Gazetted Probationers Rules, 1997, along with a one-time special relaxation announced for this recruitment.
| Category | Age Limit |
|---|---|
| Minimum age (all candidates) | 21 years |
| Maximum age – General Merit candidates | 40 years |
| Maximum age – Category 2A / 2B / 3A / 3B candidates | 43 years |
| Maximum age – SC / ST / Category-1 candidates | 45 years |
As per Government Order No. ಸಕಇ 262 ಪಿಆರಇ 2025, dated 29-01-2026, candidates belonging to all categories covered under the above age-limit rules are entitled to a further one-time additional relaxation of 5 years in the maximum age limit for this recruitment.
Additional age relaxation is also available as follows: Ex-servicemen get relaxation equal to their length of military service plus 3 years (subject to conditions); Persons with Disabilities get 10 years' relaxation; and candidates who are widowed/divorced and have not remarried get 10 years' relaxation, subject to the conditions specified in the notification.
KPSC Gazetted Probationers Application Fee
The application fee for KPSC Gazetted Probationers Recruitment 2026 varies by category and must be paid online during the application process.
| Category | Application Fee |
|---|---|
| General Merit and other categories | Rs. 600/- |
| Category 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B | Rs. 300/- |
| Ex-Military Personnel | Rs. 50/- |
| SC, ST, Category-1, and Persons with Disabilities | Exempted (no fee) |
The fee can be paid online through Net Banking, Debit Card, Credit Card, or UPI. Once paid, the fee is non-refundable and cannot be adjusted against any other examination or notification. Applications with unsuccessful or incomplete payment will be rejected.
KPSC Gazetted Probationers Selection Process
Selection for the Gazetted Probationers posts under this notification follows a two-stage process as prescribed under the Gazetted Probationers Rules, 1997: a Preliminary Examination, followed by a Main Examination and Personality Test (interview) for candidates who qualify.
Preliminary Examination
The Preliminary Examination is objective type (multiple choice) and consists of two papers, each of 200 marks and 2 hours' duration (400 marks total). It is a screening test only; marks scored in the Preliminary Examination are not counted towards the final merit.
| Paper | Subject Area | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper I | General Studies related to National and International importance (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, etc.) | 100 | 200 |
| Paper II | General Studies related to State importance, General Science & Technology, Environment & Ecology, General Mental Ability | 100 | 200 |
There is negative marking of 0.25 marks (one-fourth) for every wrong answer in the Preliminary Examination. Candidates are admitted to the Main Examination in a ratio of 1:15 against notified vacancies, in order of merit, subject to category-wise representation.
Main Examination and Personality Test
The Main Examination is descriptive/conventional type and consists of 5 compulsory papers, plus 2 qualifying language papers (Kannada and English).
| Paper | Subject | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qualifying Paper | Kannada | 150 | 2 hours |
| Qualifying Paper | English | 150 | 2 hours |
| Paper 1 | Essay | 250 | 3 hours |
| Paper 2 | General Studies-1 | 250 | 3 hours |
| Paper 3 | General Studies-2 | 250 | 3 hours |
| Paper 4 | General Studies-3 | 250 | 3 hours |
| Paper 5 | General Studies-4 | 250 | 3 hours |
| Total (Written Examination) | 1250 | - | |
| Personality Test (Interview) | 25 | - | |
| Grand Total | 1275 | - | |
Marks in the Kannada and English qualifying papers are not counted towards merit, but candidates must score a minimum of 35% (52.5 marks) in each to qualify for the Personality Test; those who do not meet this minimum are not evaluated in the other papers. All Main Examination papers can be answered entirely in Kannada or English (except the qualifying papers) and are of degree-level standard. Candidates are called for the Personality Test in a ratio of 1:3 against notified vacancies, based on Main Examination merit, and the Personality Test carries a maximum of 25 marks.
For certain posts involving field/law-and-order duties (Karnataka Police Service (Junior Scale) Group A, Karnataka Prisons Service, and Deputy Superintendent of Excise), the notification also prescribes minimum physical standards (height, chest measurement, and endurance/walking test) for male and female candidates; candidates applying for these specific posts should refer to the detailed physical standards table in the official notification.
KPSC Gazetted Probationers Required Documents
Candidates should keep the following documents ready for the online application, One Time Registration (OTR), and subsequent stages:
- Bachelor's/Master's Degree certificate or provisional pass certificate
- SSLC/10th standard marks card (for date of birth verification)
- Category certificate (SC/ST/Category-1/2A/2B/3A/3B), issued by the competent Tahsildar, where applicable
- Non-creamy layer certificate, where applicable for 2A/2B/3A/3B categories
- Rural study certificate, where claiming rural candidate benefit
- Kannada Medium study certificate, where claiming Kannada Medium candidate benefit
- Ex-Military Person certificate/discharge certificate, where applicable
- Disability certificate in the prescribed format, where applicable
- Hyderabad-Karnataka (Article 371(J)) local candidate proof, where applicable
- Recent photograph and scanned signature for upload (photo: below 200 KB, signature: below 70 KB, JPEG/JPG format)
How to Apply for KPSC Gazetted Probationers Recruitment 2026
Eligible candidates can apply online for KPSC Gazetted Probationers Recruitment 2026 by following the steps below.
- Visit the official KPSC website: kpsconline.karnataka.gov.in
- If applying for the first time, complete the One Time Registration (OTR) by entering all personal details step by step and submitting them; OTR details, once submitted, cannot be edited later.
- Log in to the applicant portal using your Enrollment Number/Mobile Number/Email ID and OTP.
- Go to the "Apply to Post" tab, select this notification, and review the eligibility conditions/instructions displayed.
- Complete the post-specific application form using the details carried over from your OTR profile.
- Click "Pay Now" and complete the application fee payment via UPI, Debit Card, Credit Card, or Net Banking.
- After successful payment, verify your submission status under the "Applied Post" tab and download the confirmation receipt containing a QR code.
Candidates should not close the browser or press the back/refresh button while payment is processing. If a payment shows "Processing" or "Pending," candidates must wait for the payment to complete before contacting KPSC; no manual intervention is possible during this stage. A submitted application under a particular post can only be edited by first deleting it under "Applied Post" and reapplying through the OTR profile before the last date; any fee already paid for a deleted application cannot be adjusted or refunded.
KPSC Gazetted Probationers Important Instructions
- Candidates can apply through the official KPSC website only; applications through any other website will not be accepted.
- Only one application per post/category combination will be accepted; if a candidate submits more than one application for the same post, only the first valid registration will be considered and subsequent ones will be rejected.
- Age, educational qualification, and other eligibility conditions are determined as on the last date fixed for submission of the online application, unless otherwise specified for a particular category/relaxation.
- Candidates claiming reservation, age relaxation, or fee concession must upload the relevant certificates within the prescribed format and validity at the time of application; certificates not matching the notification's requirements will not be considered.
- Furnishing incorrect information, impersonation, using unfair means in the examination, or submitting fabricated documents will lead to disqualification/debarment from KPSC examinations and Karnataka State Civil Services employment, after giving the candidate an opportunity to be heard.
- KPSC does not correspond with candidates on the status of their application/candidature by phone or letter; candidates should keep checking their registered login and the KPSC website for updates.
- The syllabus for the Main Examination is published separately on the KPSC website: kpsc.kar.nic.in/Syllabus
KPSC Gazetted Probationers Important Links
- Apply Online: Click here
- Official Notification PDF: Click here
- Official Website: Click here
Candidates who hold a Bachelor's or Master's Degree can also explore more Graduate Government Jobs and Karnataka Government Jobs available across India.
Candidates looking for more Group A and Group B opportunities in Karnataka can also explore the latest Bengaluru Government Jobs across various departments. Applicants searching for other competitive exam-based openings can check KPSC Recruitment Jobs for upcoming vacancies. Those holding a degree can also browse more Karnataka PSC Jobs and Gazetted Officer Jobs matching their qualification.
