KEA Kalyana Karnataka Group C Recruitment 2026 – Apply Online for 210 Posts APPLY FROM 16 Sep 2026

KEA Kalyana Karnataka Group-C Recruitment 2026 — Complete Guide

What Is This Recruitment? — Quick Introduction

A total of 210 vacancies are open across four technical posts — Water Supply Operator, Electrician Grade-1, Assistant Water Supply Operator, and Electrician Grade-2 — meant for candidates with SSLC plus an ITI trade qualification. Applications open on 16 September 2026 and close on 30 September 2026, with selection through a KEA-conducted competitive written examination.

Important Dates 2026

• Notification Release Date: 11 September 2026
• Online Application Start Date: 16 September 2026
• Online Application Last Date: 30 September 2026
• Last Date for Fee Payment: 01 October 2026
• Correction Window: Not applicable — no corrections allowed after submission
• Competitive Written Examination (Paper-1 & Paper-2): Tentatively November 2026 (exact schedule to follow)
• Kannada Language Qualifying Test (where applicable): Along with/around the main exam — date to be notified
• Result / Provisional Merit List: To be announced on official website
• Document Verification: Tentative — after result declaration

Age Limit (As on Last Date of Application)

• Minimum Age: 18 Years
• As per Government Order No. CI 262 SENE 2026 dated 29.01.2026, a one-time 5-year relaxation has been added to the maximum age limit for General Merit candidates

Additional Age Relaxation (Over & Above the Ceilings Above)

• Karnataka Govt./local authority/Govt. undertaking employees: relaxation equal to years of service (capped at 10 years)
• Ex-servicemen: relaxation equal to service period + 3 years
• Full-time NCC supervisors: relaxation equal to years served as cadet supervisor
• Gram Samooha Inspectors under rural employment guarantee scheme: relaxation equal to years of such service
• Special-incentive category candidates: 10 years
• Census organisation (Govt. of India, Karnataka) employees: relaxation equal to years of service (capped at 5 years)
• Widows who have not remarried (with certificate): 10 years
• Retrenched employees eligible for compensation: 10 years (subject to District Magistrate certificate verification)

Tip: Use an online age calculator to double-check your exact age against the cut-off date before applying — an incorrect DOB entry cannot be corrected once submitted.

Vacancy Details — Post-Wise

Educational Qualification — Post-Wise

Important: Candidates must hold all required qualifications and certificates as on the last date of application submission (30.09.2026). Candidates awaiting results or without the required marks card/certificate must not apply. Original certificates are compulsory at document verification — failure to produce them cancels candidature.

Application Fee

Salary & Pay Structure 2026

• Selected candidates will be on probation for 2 years from the date of direct appointment
• National Pension Scheme (NPS) is applicable to all four posts (no old pension scheme)
• Standard state-government allowances (DA, HRA as applicable to urban local body staff) apply over and above basic pay, as per Karnataka Govt. rules

Eligibility & General Conditions

• Candidate must be an Indian citizen
• A candidate with a living spouse who remarries without prior Government permission is not eligible; similarly for a woman marrying a man who already has a living wife
• Candidates must be physically and mentally fit to perform the duties — the medical board’s decision is final
• Candidates dismissed for cheating or impersonation in any UPSC/KPSC/other State PSC/KEA/university exam are not eligible
• Candidates temporarily debarred from any recruitment exam by these bodies remain ineligible for the entire debarment period

Selection Process & Exam Pattern 2026

Selection will be through a competitive written examination consisting of two papers:

Kannada Language Qualifying Test

• Exempted: Candidates who studied Kannada as 1st/2nd language up to SSLC (or higher), through a degree/diploma course, or who already cleared a Kannada test conducted by a competent authority
• Not Exempted: Must additionally clear a compulsory, qualifying-only Kannada Language Paper of 150 marks with a minimum qualifying score of 50 marks — this paper does NOT count towards merit ranking

Documents Required

• Aadhaar Card
• SSLC/equivalent + ITI (NTC)/Apprenticeship (NAC) marks cards & certificates
• Date of Birth proof (SSLC marks card / school transfer certificate / birth register extract)
• Ex-servicemen: discharge certificate + pension/gratuity certificate (or disability certificate for dependents, where claimed)
• Caste certificate (SC/ST/Cat-1/2A/2B/3A/3B), where reservation is claimed
• Rural candidature certificate, where claimed
• Kannada-medium study certificate, where claimed
• Third-gender certificate issued by District Magistrate, where claimed
• Recent passport-size photo (JPEG, white background, 50KB–200KB) & scanned signature (JPEG, 50KB–70KB)

How to Apply Online

• Visit the official website — cetonline.karnataka.gov.in/kea
• Locate the recruitment link and open the online application form
• Read all instructions in the notification carefully before filling the form
• Fill the form correctly — no corrections are allowed after submission
• Choose only ONE post to apply for
• Upload photograph and signature exactly per the specified format & file size
• Pay the applicable application fee online before 01 October 2026
• Download and print the submitted application and fee receipt for future reference

Important Instructions for Candidates

• Applications can be submitted online only; no other mode is accepted
• No corrections or modifications are permitted after submission — double-check every field before hitting submit
• Complete application and fee payment well within time; the authority is not responsible for last-minute technical issues
• Furnishing incorrect information can lead to cancellation of candidature and further departmental/legal action
• The mobile number and email ID given in the application are treated as final for all communication
• Regularly check the KEA website for updates, admit card release, and exam centre details
• Helpline: 080-23460460 (10:00 AM – 6:00 PM)
• Beware of fake agents or middlemen demanding money for “guaranteed selection” — the process is purely merit-based through the written exam

Preparation Strategy — Post-Wise Tips

• Paper-1 (General Knowledge): Focus heavily on Karnataka-specific topics — Karnataka history, geography, Panchayat Raj & rural development, and Karnataka’s economic/environmental issues, since state-specific GK typically carries the highest weightage in KEA exams
• Paper-2 (Technical/Trade Paper): Revise your ITI Electrical/Fitter Trade syllabus thoroughly — basic electrical circuits, wiring, safety practices, tools & machinery, and water-supply-system fundamentals for Water Supply Operator posts
• Kannada Qualifying Paper: If not exempt, start basic Kannada grammar and comprehension practice early — 50/150 is the qualifying bar, so focus on scoring safely rather than perfection
• Manage negative marking: With 0.25 deducted per wrong answer, avoid guesswork on Paper-1 and Paper-2 unless reasonably confident
• Use official/previous KEA papers: Practicing past KEA Group-C question patterns (where available) helps understand the difficulty level and time management needed for a 2-hour, 100-question paper
• Since the exact exam date will be announced later (tentatively November 2026), use the extra lead time to build a steady daily revision routine instead of last-minute cramming

Why This Recruitment Matters — Career & Practical Notes

• This is a direct Group-C government job in Karnataka’s urban local body system, offering long-term stability, pay progression through defined increments, and NPS-backed retirement benefits
• Being specific to the Kalyana-Karnataka region, this recruitment supports the region’s development mandate under Article 371-J — a good fit for candidates rooted in or willing to work in Kalaburagi, Bidar, Raichur, Yadgir, Koppal, or Ballari districts
• ITI-qualified candidates (Electrical/Fitter trade) who may otherwise compete mainly for private-sector or contractual roles get a genuine shot at a permanent government post with only SSLC + ITI + apprenticeship as the bar — no degree required
• With only 210 posts but wide ITI-holder eligibility across Karnataka, competition is likely to be significant — early, focused preparation on Paper-2 (your technical trade) can be a real differentiator since many candidates tend to under-prepare for the state GK section (Paper-1)

Important Links