KEA FDA SDA Recruitment 2026: Apply Online for 5,431 Posts, Check Vacancy, Eligibility, Fee and Last Date

The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA), Bengaluru has released four notifications dated 29 October 2026 for the KEA FDA SDA Recruitment 2026. Through this recruitment, 5,431 First Division Assistant (FDA), Second Division Assistant (SDA) and equivalent Group C posts will be filled across various Karnataka government departments, boards and corporations. The KEA FDA SDA Recruitment 2026 apply online last date is 25 November 2026, and the fee can be paid till 26 November 2026. Applications opened on 30 October 2026 on the official portal cetonline.karnataka.gov.in/kea. The written examination will be held in January 2027, with the Kannada Language Test on 8 January 2027 for all four groups. All details below are from the four official notification PDFs. Candidates tracking other Karnataka recruitments can also read our Karnataka Teacher Recruitment 2026 guide.

KEA FDA SDA Recruitment 2026 – Overview

KEA FDA SDA Recruitment 2026 Apply Online – Important Dates

The KEA FDA SDA Recruitment 2026 apply online last date is 25 November 2026, but the fee window stays open one day longer, till 26 November 2026. Do not wait for the last day: the notifications warn that technical problems in the final hours are the candidate’s own responsibility, and there is no correction window after submission.

KEA FDA SDA Vacancy 2026 – Notification-Wise Details

The 5,431 posts are not one recruitment. KEA issued four separate notifications, one for each combination of qualification level and cadre. The notification you apply under decides your qualification, your fee, your exam date and your cadre. The totals below are the totals printed in the four official notifications:

The Kalyana Karnataka point matters most. The 1,198 KK posts are a separate local cadre under Article 371-J. Only candidates holding the Kalyana Karnataka local-cadre certificate can apply for them. Candidates from the Residual Parent Cadre cannot claim KK posts, and KK candidates cannot claim RPC posts. Check the local-cadre certificate requirement in the KK notification before you pay, because the fee is not refunded.

Category-wise split. The notifications do not print a category-wise (General Merit, SC, ST, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B) vacancy split. They state that post-wise and category-wise details will be published separately by the departments concerned, and that the figures are provisional and may be revised. No category-wise table is given in this article because the official notifications do not carry one.

KEA FDA Vacancy 2026 – Degree-Level Posts (RPC)

The degree-level RPC notification (ED/KEA/14/2026) carries 2,163 posts across 33 department and post combinations. The largest blocks are Accounts Assistant with 490 posts and Warden (Male) with 294 posts. The main posts are:

The Judiciary FDA posts (249), the Gram Panchayat Secretary and RD Assistant Grade-1 posts (135) and the District and Taluk Panchayat FDA posts (100) are split district-wise and court-wise in the notification itself. The degree-level Kalyana Karnataka notification (563 posts) is led by Hostel Superintendent (Male) with 94 posts, Gram Panchayat Secretary and RD Assistant Grade-1 with 49 posts, FDA (District and Taluk Panchayat) with 48 posts and FDA, Judiciary with 33 posts.

KEA SDA Vacancy 2026 – PUC-Level Posts (RPC)

The PUC-level RPC notification (ED/KEA/16/2026) carries 2,070 posts across 24 department and post combinations. The largest blocks are in the Judiciary and Commercial Taxes departments. The main posts are:

The PUC-level Kalyana Karnataka notification (635 posts) is led by SDA, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj with 109 posts, SDA, Judiciary with 104 posts, SDA, Commercial Taxes with 90 posts, Marata Sahayakaru (Agricultural Marketing) with 44 posts and Gram Panchayat Secretary and RD Assistant Grade-2 with 38 posts. All PUC-level posts carry the same pay scale of Rs 34,100 – Rs 67,600.

KEA FDA SDA Eligibility Criteria 2026

Age limit. The minimum age is 18 years on the last date for applying, 25 November 2026. The maximum age limits already include a one-time 5-year relaxation granted by a Government Order dated 29 January 2026. The limits are:

Government servants get relaxation equal to their years of service or 10 years, whichever is less. Ex-servicemen get 3 years over their service period. Further relaxations for NCC cadet instructors, rural candidates, widows and other categories are given in the notifications under the Karnataka Civil Services rules.

Qualification must be held on the last date. Candidates must hold the prescribed qualification on 25 November 2026. Candidates waiting for results cannot apply, and a higher qualification is not counted in place of the prescribed one.

Degree-level posts (FDA and equivalent). A Bachelor’s degree from a recognised university is needed for FDA and most equivalent posts. Post-specific conditions are:

PUC-level posts (SDA and equivalent). Candidates must have passed 2nd PUC (Class 12) or an equivalent qualification recognised under the rules — CBSE or ICSE Class 12, another state board Class 12, NIOS senior secondary, a two-year ITI course or a three-year diploma, as per the Government Orders cited in the notification. Post-specific conditions are:

Who can apply. Warden (Male) and Hostel Superintendent (Male) posts are for male candidates only; Warden (Female) and Hostel Superintendent (Female) posts are for female candidates only. The Gram Panchayat Secretary and RD Assistant posts are district-cadre posts — selected candidates serve in the district they are allotted to. Only candidates holding the Kalyana Karnataka local-cadre certificate under Article 371-J can apply for the 1,198 KK posts.

KEA FDA SDA Application Fee 2026

How the fee is paid. The fee is paid online only, through the application portal, and it is not refunded once paid. Check your eligibility, age and reservation claim before you pay. One exemption is easy to miss: candidates who applied for the two FDA posts under Notification No. ED/KEA/07/2026 (RPC) dated 19 May 2026 and paid the fee then do not pay again for the degree-level RPC notification.

How to Apply for KEA FDA SDA Recruitment 2026

1. Open the official KEA portal at cetonline.karnataka.gov.in/kea and find the Group C FDA and SDA recruitment for RPC and KK.
2. Read the notification that matches your qualification level (degree or PUC) and your cadre (RPC or KK) before filling anything — the four notifications carry different post lists and different eligibility conditions.
3. Register with a valid mobile number and email ID, then log in to open the application form.
4. Select the cadre and the post matching your eligibility. Apply under the wrong cadre and the form is wasted, because RPC and KK posts are separate.
5. Fill in personal, educational and reservation details carefully. Keep your 2nd PUC or degree certificate, date-of-birth proof, caste or category certificate and Kalyana Karnataka local-cadre certificate (if applying for KK posts) ready.
6. Upload your photograph and signature in the prescribed format.
7. Pay the fee online (Rs 750, Rs 500 or Rs 250 as per your category) by 26 November 2026 and submit the form by 25 November 2026.
8. Save the application printout and the fee receipt after submitting — they are needed at document verification.

One application only, and no correction window. Once submitted, no detail in the application can be changed at any stage. Check every entry before you pay, because a wrong cadre, post or category choice cannot be fixed later. For other open government jobs, see the Active Govt Jobs page.

KEA FDA SDA Exam Pattern 2026

The competitive examination is an offline OMR test. It has two objective papers of 100 marks each, and the Kannada Language Test sits outside the merit list — its marks do not count for selection, but a candidate who fails it is out of the race. The pattern is:

Qualifying mark. A candidate must score at least 35 percent in the competitive examination to qualify. Candidates below 35 percent are ineligible for selection, and the merit list is drawn on the total marks in the two papers.

Negative marking. Each wrong answer loses 0.25 marks. An unanswered question also loses 0.25 marks unless the candidate shades the fifth option on the OMR sheet, which is the “not attempted” circle. Five extra minutes are given after the closing bell to shade that circle, so use it rather than leaving blanks open.

Kannada Language Test exemption. Candidates who studied Kannada as a first or second language in SSLC or above, studied in Kannada medium, or have already passed a Kannada language test conducted by KEA or another competent authority are exempt from the test.

Exam centres and admit card. The exam centre details will be announced later on the KEA website. Candidates must download the hall ticket from the website and carry an original photo ID (PAN card, driving licence, Aadhaar, passport, voter ID or government ID) to the centre. The exam centre cannot be changed for any reason. The Govt Jobs Exam Calendar tracks this recruitment and other exam dates.

KEA FDA SDA Selection Process 2026

Stage 1 – Written examination. The merit list is drawn on the total marks in the two competitive papers. There is no interview in this recruitment.

Stage 2 – Document verification. Shortlisted candidates must present original certificates — qualification, age proof, reservation and local-cadre certificates — for verification. The notification warns that a wrong preference or a false eligibility claim makes the candidate directly responsible, and the application can be rejected at any stage.

Stage 3 – Online counselling. After the result, candidates submit their post preferences online through the candidate login, in order of merit. Posts are allotted by merit and preference through online counselling. Details and the schedule of the counselling are published separately on the KEA website after the result.

Tie-breaking rule. If two or more candidates score equal marks, the older candidate is ranked higher. If the age is also equal, the candidate with higher marks in the eligibility examination is ranked higher.

KEA FDA SDA Salary 2026

Selected candidates are placed in the pay scale of their post, with a probation period of 2 years. The pay scales in the notifications are:

Starting basic pay is the first figure of the scale, plus DA, HRA and other allowances under Karnataka government rules. The National Pension System applies to most posts; it does not apply to Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board posts and Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Ltd posts. The notifications publish only the pay scales — no exact “in-hand” figure is given, so in-hand amounts on unofficial websites are estimates that vary with current DA and HRA rates.

Important Links

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How many vacancies are there in KEA FDA SDA Recruitment 2026?

There are 5,431 vacancies in total under four notifications dated 29 October 2026: 2,163 degree-level posts under the Residual Parent Cadre, 563 degree-level posts under the Kalyana Karnataka cadre, 2,070 PUC-level posts under the Residual Parent Cadre and 635 PUC-level posts under the Kalyana Karnataka cadre.

What is the last date to apply for KEA FDA SDA Recruitment 2026?

The KEA FDA SDA Recruitment 2026 apply online last date is 25 November 2026. Applications opened on 30 October 2026 on cetonline.karnataka.gov.in/kea, and the fee can be paid till 26 November 2026.

What is the qualification for KEA FDA and SDA posts?

For FDA and other degree-level posts, a Bachelor’s degree from a recognised university is needed, with post-specific conditions such as B.Com for Accounts Assistant and a degree plus B.Ed for Warden and Hostel Superintendent posts. For SDA and other PUC-level posts, candidates must have passed 2nd PUC (Class 12) or an equivalent qualification.

What is the age limit for KEA FDA SDA Recruitment 2026?

The minimum age is 18 years on 25 November 2026. The maximum age is 40 years for General Merit candidates, 43 years for Category 2A, 2B, 3A and 3B, and 45 years for SC, ST and Category 1 candidates. These limits already include a one-time 5-year relaxation granted by a Government Order dated 29 January 2026.

What is the application fee for KEA FDA SDA Recruitment 2026?

The fee is Rs 750 for General Merit, 2A, 2B, 3A and 3B candidates, Rs 500 for SC, ST, Category 1, Ex-Servicemen and Third Gender candidates, and Rs 250 for differently-abled candidates. The fee is paid online only and is not refunded.

What is the exam pattern for KEA FDA SDA Recruitment 2026?

The offline OMR examination has two papers of 100 marks each: Paper 1 on General Knowledge and Paper 2 on General Kannada, General English and Computer Knowledge, each of 2 hours. The Kannada Language Test carries 150 marks with a minimum of 50 to qualify, and its marks are not counted for merit. Candidates must score at least 35 percent in the competitive examination, and each wrong answer loses 0.25 marks.

When is the KEA FDA SDA exam in January 2027?

The Kannada Language Test is on 8 January 2027 for all four groups. The two competitive papers are on 9 January 2027 for FDA (Kalyana Karnataka), 10 January 2027 for FDA (Residual Parent Cadre), 16 January 2027 for SDA (Kalyana Karnataka) and 17 January 2027 for SDA (Residual Parent Cadre).

What is the salary of KEA FDA and SDA posts?

FDA and most degree-level posts carry a pay scale of Rs 44,425 – Rs 83,700 per month, with higher scales up to Rs 61,300 – Rs 1,12,900 for posts such as Tourism Publicity Officer. SDA and all PUC-level posts carry a pay scale of Rs 34,100 – Rs 67,600 per month. The notifications publish pay scales only and no exact in-hand figure.

Is there a correction window for the KEA FDA SDA application form?

No. The notifications state clearly that once submitted, no detail in the application can be changed at any stage. Candidates must check every entry, especially the cadre and the post, before paying the fee and submitting the form.

Who can apply for the Kalyana Karnataka (KK) posts in KEA FDA SDA Recruitment 2026?

Only candidates holding the Kalyana Karnataka local-cadre certificate under Article 371-J can apply for the 1,198 KK posts (563 degree-level and 635 PUC-level). Candidates from the Residual Parent Cadre cannot claim KK posts, and KK candidates cannot claim RPC posts.

For more government jobs and daily updates, browse the Latest Jobs section of New Sarkari Results, and always verify the final details in the official Notifications ED/KEA/14, 15, 16 and 17 of 2026 on cetonline.karnataka.gov.in/kea before applying.

Written by Ravi Singh

Ravi Singh is the Editor (Government Jobs) at New Sarkari Results, an independent information portal for Sarkari Result, Sarkari Naukri, admit card, answer key, syllabus and admission updates. He has 10+ years of experience covering Government Jobs, Railway Jobs, SSC, Banking, Teaching, Police, Defence and state recruitment boards. Every update on this site is verified directly from the official notification PDF issued by the commission or board — never from third-party aggregators.