KEA FDA SDA Recruitment 2026 Notification Out for 5431 Group C Posts, Apply Online from 30 October
The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) has released four notifications on 29 October 2026 for the KEA FDA SDA Recruitment 2026. A total of 5431 Group C posts, including First Division Assistant (FDA), Second Division Assistant (SDA), Accounts Assistant, Warden, Hostel Supervisor, Gram Panchayat Secretary, Junior Assistant and others, will be filled in various departments, boards and corporations of the Government of Karnataka through a competitive exam.
The posts are divided into graduate-level and PUC-level posts, each for the Residual Parent Cadre (RPC) and the Kalyana Karnataka (KK) local cadre. Online applications are open from 30 October to 25 November 2026 at cetonline.karnataka.gov.in, and the exams will be held in January 2027. In this article, we cover the KEA FDA SDA vacancy, salary, eligibility, age limit, fee, exam pattern and how to apply. Students from Karnataka can also check the Karnataka SSLC Time Table 2027 and the Karnataka 2nd PUC Time Table 2027.
Quick summary:
➤ Conducting body: Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA)
➤ Posts: FDA, SDA and other Group C posts
➤ Total vacancies: 5431 (four notifications)
➤ Pay: Rs. 34,100 to Rs. 1,12,900 (post-wise)
➤ Qualification: Graduation (FDA-level) / PUC (SDA-level)
➤ Age: 18 to 40 years (General)
➤ Apply online: 30.10.2026 to 25.11.2026
➤ Exam: 9, 10, 16 and 17 January 2027
KEA FDA SDA Recruitment 2026 Overview
The KEA FDA SDA Recruitment 2026 has been released as four separate notifications. The key details are given below.
| Notification | Level | Cadre | Posts |
|---|---|---|---|
| ED/KEA/14/N.V./2026 (RPC) | Graduate-level (FDA and equivalent) | Residual Parent Cadre | 2163 |
| ED/KEA/15/N.V./2026 (KK) | Graduate-level (FDA and equivalent) | Kalyana Karnataka | 563 |
| ED/KEA/16/N.V./2026 (RPC) | PUC-level (SDA and equivalent) | Residual Parent Cadre | 2070 |
| ED/KEA/17/N.V./2026 (KK) | PUC-level (SDA and equivalent) | Kalyana Karnataka | 635 |
| Total | 5431 | ||
KEA FDA SDA Recruitment 2026 Important Dates
The KEA FDA SDA application dates are the same for all four notifications, but the exam dates are different. The important dates are given below.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification date | 29 October 2026 |
| Online application starts | 30 October 2026 (Friday) |
| Last date to apply online | 25 November 2026 (Wednesday) |
| Last date to pay fee | 26 November 2026 (Thursday) |
| Kannada Language Test (all) | 8 January 2027 (Friday), 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM |
| Graduate-level exam – KK | 9 January 2027 (Saturday) |
| Graduate-level exam – RPC | 10 January 2027 (Sunday) |
| PUC-level exam – KK | 16 January 2027 (Saturday) |
| PUC-level exam – RPC | 17 January 2027 (Sunday) |
On each exam day, Paper 1 is from 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM and Paper 2 from 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM.
KEA FDA Vacancy 2026 (Graduate-level, RPC)
The KEA FDA vacancy for the Residual Parent Cadre (graduate-level) is 2163. The department-wise list is given below. (B) means backlog posts; (IS) means posts reserved for in-service staff of that department.
| No. | Department | Post | Pay Scale (Rs.) | Posts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Karnataka State Accounts and Audit Dept | Accounts Assistant | 44425-83700 | 488 + 02 (B) |
| 2 | Social Welfare Dept | Warden (Male) | 44425-83700 | 294 |
| 3 | Judicial Dept | FDA | 44425-83700 | 249 |
| 4 | Backward Classes Welfare Dept | Hostel Supervisor (Male) | 44425-83700 | 171 + 09 (IS) |
| 5 | Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Dept | GP Secretary and RD Assistant Grade-1 | 44425-83700 | 135 |
| 6 | Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Dept | FDA (ZP and TP) | 44425-83700 | 100 |
| 7 | Backward Classes Welfare Dept | Hostel Supervisor (Female) | 44425-83700 | 95 + 05 (IS) |
| 8 | Karnataka Residential Educational Institutions Society | FDA cum Computer Operator | 44425-83700 | 75 + 04 (B) |
| 9 | Karnataka Residential Educational Institutions Society | Hostel Warden | 44425-83700 | 75 + 03 (B) |
| 10 | Commercial Taxes Dept | FDA | 44425-83700 | 56 |
| 11 | Agriculture Dept | FDA | 44425-83700 | 50 |
| 12 | Commercial Taxes Dept | Commercial Tax Inspector | 54175-99400 | 48 |
| 13 | Forest Dept | FDA | 44425-83700 | 36 |
| 14 | Karnataka Government Secretariat | Assistant | 49050-92500 | 32 |
| 15 | Social Welfare Dept | Warden (Female) | 44425-83700 | 31 |
| 16 | Co-operative Audit Dept | Auditor of Co-operative Societies | 44425-83700 | 23 |
| 17 | KIADB | Assistant | 49050-92500 | 20 |
| 18 | Karnataka State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission | FDA | 44425-83700 | 18 |
| 19 | Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Dept | FDA | 44425-83700 | 17 |
| 20 | Registration and Stamps Dept | Sub-Registrar | 54175-99400 | 17 |
| 21 | Karnataka Public Service Commission | Assistant | 49050-92500 | 15 |
| 22 | Karnataka Lokayukta | FDA | 44425-83700 | 13 |
| 23 | ESI Medical Services Dept | FDA | 44425-83700 | 12 |
| 24 | Electrical Inspectorate Dept | FDA | 44425-83700 | 12 |
| 25 | Labour Dept | FDA | 44425-83700 | 11 |
| 26 | Industries and Commerce Dept | FDA | 44425-83700 | 10 |
| 27 | Registration and Stamps Dept | FDA | 44425-83700 | 07 |
| 28 | Tourism Dept | Tourism Publicity Officer | 61300-112900 | 06 |
| 29 | Tourism Dept | Senior Tourist Guide | 44425-83700 | 06 |
| 30 | Karnataka Housing Board | FDA | 44425-83700 | 06 |
| 31 | Groundwater Directorate | FDA | 44425-83700 | 05 |
| 32 | Karnataka Slum Development Board | FDA | 44425-83700 | 05 |
| 33 | Karnataka Examinations Authority | FDA | 44425-83700 | 02 |
| Total | 2163 | |||
KEA FDA Vacancy 2026 (Graduate-level, Kalyana Karnataka)
The KEA FDA vacancy for the Kalyana Karnataka local cadre (graduate-level) is 563. The department-wise list is given below.
| No. | Department | Post | Posts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Backward Classes Welfare Dept | Hostel Supervisor (Male) | 89 + 05 (IS) |
| 2 | Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Dept | GP Secretary and RD Assistant Grade-1 | 49 |
| 3 | Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Dept | FDA (ZP and TP) | 48 |
| 4 | Judicial Dept | FDA | 33 |
| 5 | Karnataka Residential Educational Institutions Society | Hostel Warden | 27 + 01 (B) |
| 6 | Co-operative Audit Dept | Auditor of Co-operative Societies | 27 |
| 7 | Forest Dept | FDA | 26 |
| 8 | Social Welfare Dept | Warden (Male) | 25 |
| 9 | Karnataka Residential Educational Institutions Society | FDA cum Computer Operator | 17 + 08 (B) |
| 10 | Agricultural Marketing Dept | FDA | 15 |
| 11 | Directorate of Municipal Administration | FDA Revenue Inspector (ULB) | 15 |
| 12 | Directorate of Municipal Administration | KMAS Chief Officer Grade-2 (ULB) | 11 + 1 (IS) |
| 13 | Directorate of Economics and Statistics | Statistical Inspector | 12 |
| 14 | Backward Classes Welfare Dept | Hostel Supervisor (Female) | 11 + 01 (IS) |
| 15 | Karnataka State Accounts and Audit Dept | Accounts Assistant | 10 + 02 (B) |
| 16 | Agriculture Dept | FDA | 11 |
| 17 | Karnataka Government Secretariat | Assistant | 10 |
| 18 | Collegiate Education Dept | FDA | 10 |
| 19 | Commercial Taxes Dept | FDA | 10 |
| 20 | Sericulture Dept | FDA | 07 |
| 21 | Co-operative Audit Dept | FDA | 06 |
| 22 | Industrial Training and Employment Dept | FDA | 05 |
| 23 | Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Dept | FDA | 05 |
| 24 | Directorate of Municipal Administration | Accountant (City Corporations, excl. BBMP) | 05 |
| 25 | Directorate of Municipal Administration | FDA Revenue Inspector (City Corporations, excl. BBMP) | 05 |
| 26 | Transport Dept | FDA | 05 |
| 27 | Karnataka Lokayukta | FDA | 04 |
| 28 | Karnataka State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission | FDA | 04 |
| 29 | Labour Dept | FDA | 04 |
| 30 | CADA Munirabad (Water Resources) | FDA | 04 |
| 31 | Information and Public Relations Dept | Information Assistant | 04 |
| 32 | Karnataka Public Service Commission | Assistant | 03 |
| 33 | Mines and Geology Dept | FDA | 03 |
| 34 | KIADB | Assistant | 03 |
| 35 | Groundwater Directorate | FDA | 03 |
| 36 | Information and Public Relations Dept | FDA | 02 |
| 37 | Commercial Taxes Dept | Commercial Tax Inspector | 02 |
| 38 | Electrical Inspectorate Dept | FDA | 02 |
| 39 | Registrar of Co-operative Societies | FDA | 02 |
| 40 | CADA Kalaburagi (Water Resources) | FDA | 02 |
| 41 | Factories, Boilers, Industrial Safety and Health Dept | FDA | 02 |
| 42 | Youth Empowerment and Sports Dept | FDA | 01 |
| 43 | Karnataka State Remote Sensing Applications Centre | Assistant | 01 |
| 44 | KRIDL | Superintendent (Accounts) | 01 |
| 45 | KRIDL | FDA | 01 |
| 46 | Kannada and Culture Dept | FDA | 01 |
| 47 | Karnataka Slum Development Board | FDA | 01 |
| 48 | Karnataka Housing Board | FDA | 01 |
| Total | 563 | ||
KEA SDA Vacancy 2026 (PUC-level, RPC)
The KEA SDA vacancy for the Residual Parent Cadre (PUC-level) is 2070. All these posts are in the pay scale of Rs. 34,100 – 67,600. The department-wise list is given below.
| No. | Department | Post | Posts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Commercial Taxes Dept | SDA | 500 |
| 2 | Judicial Dept | SDA | 522 |
| 3 | Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Dept | GP Secretary and RD Assistant Grade-2 | 284 |
| 4 | Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Dept | SDA (ZP and TP) | 200 |
| 5 | Karnataka State Accounts and Audit Dept | Junior Accounts Assistant | 130 |
| 6 | Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Dept | SDA Accounts Assistant (GP) | 68 |
| 7 | ESI Medical Services Dept | SDA | 48 |
| 8 | Forest Dept | SDA | 45 |
| 9 | Registration and Stamps Dept | SDA | 38 |
| 10 | Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Dept | SDA | 31 |
| 11 | Karnataka Lokayukta | SDA | 28 |
| 12 | Transport Dept | SDA | 24 |
| 13 | Karnataka Public Service Commission | Junior Assistant | 21 |
| 14 | Social Welfare Dept | SDA | 20 |
| 15 | Labour Dept | SDA | 17 |
| 16 | Electrical Inspectorate Dept | SDA | 15 |
| 17 | Karnataka Housing Board | SDA | 15 |
| 18 | KIADB | Junior Assistant | 15 |
| 19 | KRIDL | SDA | 15 |
| 20 | ESI Medical Services Dept | SDA cum Record Sorter | 12 |
| 21 | Karnataka Slum Development Board | SDA | 10 |
| 22 | Tourism Dept | Tourist Guide | 6 |
| 23 | Youth Empowerment and Sports Dept | SDA | 4 |
| 24 | Karnataka State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission | SDA | 2 |
| Total | 2070 | ||
KEA SDA Vacancy 2026 (PUC-level, Kalyana Karnataka)
The KEA SDA vacancy for the Kalyana Karnataka local cadre (PUC-level) is 635. All these posts are in the pay scale of Rs. 34,100 – 67,600. The department-wise list is given below.
| No. | Department | Post | Posts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Dept | SDA | 109 |
| 2 | Judicial Dept | SDA | 104 |
| 3 | Commercial Taxes Dept | SDA | 90 |
| 4 | Agricultural Marketing Dept | Marketing Assistant | 44 |
| 5 | Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Dept | GP Secretary and RD Assistant Grade-2 | 38 |
| 6 | Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Dept | SDA Accounts Assistant (GP) | 25 |
| 7 | Forest Dept | SDA | 25 |
| 8 | Agriculture Dept | SDA | 17 |
| 9 | Industrial Training and Employment Dept | SDA | 16 |
| 10 | Registration and Stamps Dept | SDA | 16 |
| 11 | Karnataka Government Secretariat | Junior Assistant | 14 |
| 12 | Registrar of Co-operative Societies | SDA | 13 |
| 13 | Agricultural Marketing Dept | SDA | 9 |
| 14 | Transport Dept | SDA | 8 |
| 15 | Co-operative Audit Dept | SDA | 8 |
| 16 | CADA Bheemarayanagudi (Water Resources) | SDA | 8 |
| 17 | Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Dept | SDA | 7 |
| 18 | Mines and Geology Dept | SDA | 6 |
| 19 | Electrical Inspectorate Dept | SDA | 6 |
| 20 | Sericulture Dept | SDA | 6 |
| 21 | KIADB | Junior Assistant | 6 |
| 22 | Directorate of Economics and Statistics | Enumerator cum Data Entry Operator | 5 |
| 23 | ESI Medical Services Dept | SDA | 5 |
| 24 | Karnataka State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission | SDA | 5 |
| 25 | KRIDL | SDA | 5 |
| 26 | CADA Kalaburagi (Water Resources) | SDA | 5 |
| 27 | Karnataka Public Service Commission | Junior Assistant | 4 |
| 28 | Labour Dept | SDA | 4 |
| 29 | Groundwater Directorate | SDA | 4 |
| 30 | Fisheries Dept | SDA | 4 |
| 31 | Karnataka Lokayukta | SDA | 3 |
| 32 | ESI Medical Services Dept | SDA cum Record Sorter | 3 |
| 33 | Karnataka Slum Development Board | SDA | 3 |
| 34 | Industries and Commerce Dept | SDA | 3 |
| 35 | CADA Munirabad (Water Resources) | SDA | 3 |
| 36 | Kannada and Culture Dept | SDA | 1 |
| 37 | Youth Empowerment and Sports Dept | SDA | 1 |
| 38 | Directorate of CADA (Water Resources) | SDA | 1 |
| 39 | CADA Bheemarayanagudi (Water Resources) | SDA Accounts Assistant | 1 |
| Total | 635 | ||
Gram Panchayat Secretary, FDA / SDA (ZP and TP) and Judicial Department posts are district / court-wise; the district-wise break-up is given in the notifications. Warden (Male) posts are only for men and Hostel Supervisor (Female) / Warden (Female) posts are only for women.
KEA FDA SDA Salary 2026
The KEA FDA SDA salary depends on the post. The pay scales given in the notifications are below.
| Pay Scale (Rs.) | Posts |
|---|---|
| 61,300 – 1,12,900 | Tourism Publicity Officer, Superintendent (Accounts) – KRIDL |
| 54,175 – 99,400 | Commercial Tax Inspector, Sub-Registrar, KMAS Chief Officer Grade-2, Information Assistant |
| 49,050 – 92,500 | Assistant (Secretariat, KPSC, KIADB, KSRSAC), Accountant (City Corporations) |
| 44,425 – 83,700 | FDA, Accounts Assistant, GP Secretary Grade-1, Warden, Hostel Supervisor, Co-op Auditor and other graduate-level posts |
| 34,100 – 67,600 | SDA, Junior Assistant, Junior Accounts Assistant, GP Secretary Grade-2, Tourist Guide and other PUC-level posts |
Selected candidates will be on probation for two years. National Pension System (NPS) applies to most departments.
KEA FDA SDA Eligibility 2026
The KEA FDA SDA eligibility depends on the post level. The main requirements are given below; check the notification for the exact qualification of each post.
| Post | Qualification |
|---|---|
| FDA, Assistant, GP Secretary Grade-1, Sub-Registrar, Senior Tourist Guide | Any degree from a recognised university |
| Accounts Assistant | B.Com / BBM / BBA or equivalent |
| Hostel Supervisor, Hostel Warden (KREIS) | Degree and B.Ed. |
| Commercial Tax Inspector | Degree with Economics or Mathematics, or a Commerce degree |
| Auditor of Co-operative Societies | Commerce degree with Accountancy and Auditing |
| Tourism Publicity Officer | Degree (Tourism, History, Archaeology, Journalism etc. or any subject) and Diploma in Hotel Management |
| SDA, Junior Assistant, GP Secretary Grade-2 and other PUC-level posts | PUC or equivalent |
| Junior Accounts Assistant | PUC in Commerce with Accountancy |
| SDA Accounts Assistant (GP) | PUC with Commerce |
KEA FDA SDA Age Limit 2026
The KEA FDA SDA age limit is counted on the last date of application. The minimum age is 18 years. The maximum age, including a one-time 5-year relaxation given by the Government on 29.01.2026, is given below.
| Category | Maximum Age |
|---|---|
| General Merit | 40 years |
| Category 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B | 43 years |
| SC / ST / Category-1 | 45 years |
Further relaxation: persons with disabilities and widows 10 years; ex-servicemen service period + 3 years; Karnataka government employees service period or 10 years, whichever is less.
KEA FDA SDA Application Fee
The KEA FDA SDA application fee must be paid online and is not refundable. The category-wise fee is given below.
| Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| General Merit and Category 2A / 2B / 3A / 3B | Rs. 750 |
| SC / ST / Category-1 / Ex-Servicemen / Transgender | Rs. 500 |
| Persons with Disabilities | Rs. 250 |
KEA FDA SDA Exam Pattern 2026
The KEA FDA SDA exam is an offline OMR-based objective test with two papers. The pattern is the same for graduate-level and PUC-level posts, though the syllabus level differs.
| Paper | Subjects | Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | General Knowledge (current affairs, general science, geography, history of India and Karnataka, Constitution, Karnataka economy, rural development, mental ability etc.) | 100 | 100 | 2 hours |
| Paper 2 | General Kannada, General English, Computer Knowledge | 100 | 100 | 2 hours |
| Kannada Language Test (if not exempted) | Kannada (SSLC first language standard) | - | 150 (qualifying: 50) | 2 hours |
- Minimum 35% marks in the competitive exam are needed to qualify.
- Negative marking: 0.25 marks for each wrong answer. If no option (including the 5th "not answered" option) is shaded, 0.25 marks are also deducted.
- Candidates who studied Kannada as first or second language in SSLC or higher, or studied in Kannada medium, or passed an earlier compulsory Kannada test, are exempt from the Kannada Language Test.
- Selection is on merit, with posts allotted through online counselling based on candidates' preferences.
How to Apply for KEA FDA SDA Recruitment 2026
- Visit cetonline.karnataka.gov.in/kea between 30 October and 25 November 2026.
- Choose the right notification: graduate-level or PUC-level, and RPC or Kalyana Karnataka.
- Register and fill in the online application carefully. No changes are allowed after submission.
- Pay the fee online by 26 November 2026.
- Download and keep a copy of the submitted application.
KEA FDA SDA Recruitment 2026 FAQs
Q1. How many posts are there in KEA FDA SDA Recruitment 2026?
5431 posts: 2163 graduate-level (RPC), 563 graduate-level (KK), 2070 PUC-level (RPC) and 635 PUC-level (KK).
Q2. What is the last date to apply?
25 November 2026. The fee can be paid till 26 November 2026.
Q3. When is the KEA FDA SDA exam?
Graduate-level: 9 January 2027 (KK) and 10 January 2027 (RPC). PUC-level: 16 January 2027 (KK) and 17 January 2027 (RPC). Kannada test: 8 January 2027.
Q4. Is there negative marking?
Yes. 0.25 marks are deducted for each wrong answer and for each question left completely unshaded.
Q5. Can candidates from West Bengal apply?
The notifications do not bar other states, but candidates must know Kannada and pass the Kannada Language Test unless exempted. Kalyana Karnataka posts are for the local cadre of that region.
KEA FDA SDA Recruitment 2026 Important Links
Important Links
| Description | Link |
|---|---|
| Graduate-level (FDA) Notification – RPC | Download PDF |
| Graduate-level (FDA) Notification – Kalyana Karnataka | Download PDF |
| PUC-level (SDA) Notification – RPC | Download PDF |
| PUC-level (SDA) Notification – Kalyana Karnataka | Download PDF |
| Apply Online (KEA) | cetonline.karnataka.gov.in |
| Join WhatsApp Channel | Join Now |
| Join Telegram Channel | Join Now |
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Pradip Chakraborty is a Biology teacher with 6+ years in content writing, including 3.5+ years on government jobs and education. He checks every official notice and explains it in simple words for students and job seekers. Spotted a mistake? Let us know.