KPSC KAS Syllabus 2026 has been released along with the Karnataka Administrative Service (KAS) Gazetted Probationers Examination notification by the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC).
Candidates preparing for the KPSC KAS 2026 exam must understand the complete syllabus, exam pattern, selection process, and marking scheme to plan their preparation effectively.
The recruitment process includes three major stages — Preliminary Examination, Main Examination, and Personality Test (Interview).
The KPSC KAS Prelims exam is an objective-type screening test consisting of two papers with a total of 400 marks, while the Main Examination is descriptive in nature and plays the most important role in the final merit list.
For the KPSC KAS 2026 cycle, a total of 319 Group A and Group B posts are expected to be filled through this competitive examination.
The KAS syllabus covers important subjects such as Indian History, Karnataka History, Geography, Indian Polity, Economy, Science & Technology, Environment, Current Affairs, Ethics, Essay Writing, and General Studies. Candidates should focus especially on Karnataka-specific topics because they hold significant importance in both Preliminary and Main Examination stages.
This article provides the complete KPSC KAS Syllabus 2026, including Prelims Paper I & Paper II topics, Mains exam pattern, subject-wise syllabus, marks distribution, selection process, preparation strategy, and frequently asked questions to help aspirants prepare better for the upcoming examination.
Keep visiting Notification24.in for the latest government job updates, exam syllabus, admit cards, results, and recruitment notifications.
KPSC KAS Syllabus & Exam Pattern 2026 – Overview |
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| 319 Group A & B Posts | Prelims (Objective) + Mains (Descriptive) + Personality Test | Apply Online 1–31 August 2026 | |
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| Particulars | Details |
| Conducting Body | Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) |
| Exam Name | Karnataka Administrative Service (KAS) — Gazetted Probationers Examination 2026 |
| Notification Release Date | 31 July 2026 |
| Total Vacancies | 319 Posts (Group A & Group B) |
| Post Names | Assistant Commissioner, Tahsildar (Grade-2), Commercial Tax Officer, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Deputy Superintendent of Excise, Section Officer, Assistant Registrar, and other Group A & B posts |
| Application Mode | Online (through One Time Registration — OTR — on KPSC portal) |
| Application Dates | 01 August 2026 to 31 August 2026 |
| Selection Process | Preliminary Examination (Screening) → Main Examination (Descriptive) → Personality Test (Interview) |
| Prelims Exam Date | 15 November 2026 (Tentative) |
| Prelims Total Marks | 400 Marks (Paper I + Paper II, 200 each) — Qualifying only, not counted in final merit |
| Mains Merit Marks | 1,250 Marks (Essay + GS I–IV), excluding qualifying Kannada & English language papers |
| Personality Test (Interview) Marks | 25 Marks |
| Pay Scale (Reference) | ₹43,100 – ₹83,900 (as referenced in the notification for Class-II officer income/reservation criteria; refer to the official appointment order for exact post-wise pay) |
| Official Website | kpsc.kar.nic.in |
KPSC KAS 2026 Selection Process — Full StructureAs per the Karnataka Recruitment of Gazetted Probationers (Appointment by Competitive Examinations) Rules, 2011, and subsequent amendments, the KAS selection runs across two written stages and a personality test. Only the Main Examination and Interview marks count toward the final merit list — Prelims is purely a screening/qualifying stage. |
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| Stage | Nature & Purpose |
| Stage 1: Preliminary Examination | Objective (MCQ) type, two papers, used only to screen candidates for the Main Examination; marks NOT added to the final merit list |
| Stage 2: Main Examination | Descriptive/essay type; comprises qualifying language papers (Kannada & English) plus merit-ranking Essay and General Studies papers; used to shortlist candidates for the Personality Test |
| Stage 3: Personality Test (Interview) | Assesses overall suitability for public service; carries 25 marks, added to the Mains merit score for final ranking |
| Ratio for Mains Shortlisting: The number of candidates admitted to the Main Examination is 15 times the notified vacancies, in merit order, while proportionately accommodating candidates from SC, ST, each of the Other Backward Classes, and other reserved categories as per their respective ratios. | |
KPSC KAS Preliminary Examination Pattern 2026As per the Karnataka Recruitment of Gazetted Probationers (9th Amendment) Rules, 2011, the Preliminary Examination consists of two objective-type papers, each carrying 200 marks (100 questions × 2 marks), for a combined total of 400 marks across a 2-hour duration per paper. Question papers are set bilingually in both Kannada and English. |
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| Paper | Subject Area / Questions / Marks |
| Paper I | General Studies related to National & International importance — 40 Questions (80 Marks); Humanities — 60 Questions (120 Marks). Total: 100 Questions, 200 Marks |
| Paper II | General Studies related to State (Karnataka) importance — 40 Questions (80 Marks); General Science & Technology, Environment & Ecology — 30 Questions (60 Marks); General Mental Ability — 30 Questions (60 Marks). Total: 100 Questions, 200 Marks |
| Combined Total | 200 Questions, 400 Marks (2 Hours per Paper) |
| Negative Marking | 0.25 marks (¼) deducted per wrong answer; more than one answer marked for a question is treated as wrong; unattempted/blank questions carry no penalty |
| Standard of Difficulty | General Mental Ability (aptitude) questions are of Class X/SSLC standard; remaining papers are of Degree level |
| Note: As per the official syllabus document, the Preliminary Examination is purely a screening test — the marks obtained here are not added to the Main Examination score while preparing the final merit list. | |
KPSC KAS Preliminary Examination Syllabus — Topic-Wise (Official) |
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| Paper | Topics Covered |
| Paper I | (i) Current events of National & International importance; (ii) Humanities — History of India, with emphasis on its social, economic, cultural and political aspects, focusing on the Indian national movement with special emphasis on Karnataka; (iii) World Geography and Geography of India with a focus on Karnataka; (iv) Indian polity and economy — political system, rural development, planning and economic reforms, sustainable development, poverty alleviation, demographics, social sector initiatives, etc. |
| Paper II | (i) Current events of State (Karnataka) importance and important State Government programmes; (ii) General Science & Technology, Environment & Ecology — contemporary developments and their implications, everyday-observation-level science, health, biodiversity and climate change issues not requiring subject specialisation; (iii) General Mental Ability — Comprehension, Logical reasoning, Analytical ability, Decision making, problem solving, basic numeracy (numbers and relations, order of magnitude), and data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency) — all at Class X/SSLC level |
KPSC KAS Main Examination Pattern 2026The Main Examination is descriptive in nature. Under the current amended KAS rules, the optional subject papers seen in earlier cycles have been removed — all Group A & B aspirants now write the same compulsory papers, similar in spirit to the current UPSC Civil Services Mains structure. |
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| Paper | Nature / Marks |
| Qualifying Paper — Kannada | Qualifying in nature (minimum marks required, not added to final merit) |
| Qualifying Paper — English | Qualifying in nature (minimum marks required, not added to final merit) |
| Essay Paper | 250 Marks — Two essays of 125 marks each: Essay 1 (International/National importance) and Essay 2 (State/Local importance) |
| General Studies Paper I | 250 Marks — Cultural Heritage of India & Karnataka, Modern History of India, Karnataka History (Kadambas–Hoysalas onward), Indian Society & Diversity |
| General Studies Paper II | 250 Marks — Indian Constitution, Governance, Public Administration, Social Justice, International Relations |
| General Studies Paper III | 250 Marks — Indian Economy, Agriculture, Science & Technology, Environment, Disaster Management, Security |
| General Studies Paper IV | 250 Marks — Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude, with case studies relevant to public administration |
| Total Merit Marks (Mains) | 1,250 Marks (Essay + GS I–IV, 250 each) |
| Note: There is no negative marking in the Main Examination since it is fully descriptive. Candidates must clear the qualifying Kannada and English papers with the prescribed minimum marks; only the Essay and GS I–IV scores determine the final merit ranking, along with Interview marks. | |
Final Merit Calculation |
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| Component | Marks |
| Preliminary Examination | Not Counted (Qualifying/Screening Only) |
| Main Examination (Essay + GS I–IV) | 1,250 Marks |
| Personality Test (Interview) | 25 Marks |
| Grand Total for Final Merit | 1,275 Marks |
| Important Update: Under the amended Gazetted Probationers recruitment rules, Interview weightage was reduced from 200 marks (in older cycles) to 25 marks. Candidates preparing from older study material should note this change, as it significantly increases the relative importance of Mains performance over the interview stage compared to earlier KAS cycles. | |
Age Limit & Eligibility (2026) |
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| Category | Age Limit |
| General Merit (GM) | 21 to 35 Years |
| Category 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B (OBC – Karnataka) | Up to 38 Years (+3 Years relaxation) |
| SC / ST / Category 1 (Karnataka) | Up to 40 Years (+5 Years relaxation) |
| Educational Qualification | Bachelor’s Degree from a recognized university (post-specific requirements as per the official notification) |
Preparation Strategy for KPSC KAS 2026
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Important Points About the 2026 Cycle
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important links |
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| Apply Online (KPSC KAS 2026) | click here (Active 1–31 August 2026) |
| Download Official Syllabus PDF | click here |
| Official Website | click here |
| notification 24 jobs | click here |
| join telegram | click here |
| join whatsapp channel | click here |
| subscribe on youtube | click here |
KPSC KAS Syllabus & Exam Pattern 2026 — Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. How many stages are there in the KPSC KAS 2026 selection process?
Three stages: Preliminary Examination (screening), Main Examination (descriptive, merit-ranking), and Personality Test (Interview).
Q2. Are Prelims marks added to the final merit list?
No. The Preliminary Examination is purely a qualifying/screening stage used to shortlist candidates for the Main Examination; its marks are not counted in the final merit.
Q3. How many questions and marks are there in the Prelims exam?
Two papers of 100 questions each (200 marks per paper), totalling 200 questions and 400 marks, with a 2-hour duration per paper.
Q4. Is there negative marking in KPSC KAS 2026?
Yes. In the Preliminary Examination, 0.25 marks (¼) are deducted for every wrong answer. There is no negative marking in the Main Examination since it is descriptive.
Q5. How many papers are there in the Main Examination, and what is the total merit marks?
The Main Examination includes qualifying Kannada and English papers plus five merit-ranking papers — Essay and General Studies I to IV (250 marks each) — totalling 1,250 marks for merit purposes.
Q6. Are there optional subjects in the KAS Mains exam?
No. Under the current amended rules, optional subject papers have been removed from the Mains; all candidates now write the same compulsory Essay and GS I–IV papers.
Q7. How many marks are allotted for the Personality Test (Interview)?
The Personality Test carries 25 marks under the current amended Gazetted Probationers recruitment rules, a reduction from the 200 marks used in older KAS cycles.
Q8. What is the total number of vacancies in KPSC KAS 2026?
319 Group A and Group B vacancies have been notified across various Karnataka state government departments.
Q9. What is the age limit for KPSC KAS 2026?
21 to 35 years for General Merit candidates, with relaxation up to 38 years for Category 2A/2B/3A/3B and up to 40 years for SC/ST/Category-1 candidates.
Q10. What is the last date to apply for KPSC KAS 2026?
The online application window closes on 31 August 2026, and the Preliminary Examination is tentatively scheduled for 15 November 2026.
