KEA Principal Recruitment 2026: Apply Online for 247 Posts, Check Eligibility, Fee, Salary and Last Date

The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA), Bengaluru has invited online applications for direct recruitment to the post of Principal in Government Pre-University Colleges of the Department of School Education (Pre-University Education), Government of Karnataka. A total of 247 Principal posts will be filled through a competitive examination — 216 posts in the Residual Parent Cadre (RPC) under notification ED/KEA/28/Recruitment/2026-RPC and 31 posts in the Kalyana-Karnataka cadre (KK) under notification ED/KEA/29/Recruitment/2026-KK, both dated 3 September 2026.

This recruitment is not open to the general public or freshers. Only serving Lecturers of Government PU Colleges who have completed at least 10 years of service in the Lecturer cadre can apply. Online applications started on 7 September 2026, and the KEA Principal Recruitment 2026 apply online last date is now 10 November 2026 after extensions — candidates who have not yet applied should complete the form on the KEA website today itself, because the notification does not allow any change or correction after submission.

KEA Principal Recruitment 2026 Overview

Candidates interested in other Karnataka teaching recruitments can also read our detailed guide on Karnataka Teacher Recruitment 2026 for school teacher vacancies in the state.

KEA Principal Recruitment 2026 Important Dates

KEA extended the application deadline in stages through official notices on its website; the final extension notice dated 6 November 2026 moved the last date to 10 November 2026. In short, the KEA Principal Recruitment 2026 apply online last date is 10 November 2026. The detailed timetable for Papers 1, 2 and 3 will be published separately on the authority’s website — the notification does not fix the exam date.

KEA Principal Vacancy 2026 Details

The 247 Principal posts are split between two cadres notified separately on 3 September 2026. Category-wise distribution is as per the reservation roster given in the notifications.

Category-wise posts — RPC (216): General Merit 108, SC (Group-A) 12, SC (Group-B) 11, SC (Group-C) 10, ST 7, Category-1 9, Category-2A 32, Category-2B 9, Category-3A 8, Category-3B 10.

Category-wise posts — Kalyana-Karnataka (31): General Merit 15, SC (Group-A) 2, SC (Group-B) 2, SC (Group-C) 1, ST 1, Category-1 2, Category-2A 5, Category-2B 1, Category-3A 1, Category-3B 1.

Within each vertical category, horizontal reservation applies for women, rural candidates, ex-servicemen, Kannada-medium candidates, persons with benchmark disabilities and transgender candidates, as per the roster in the notification.

KEA Principal Recruitment 2026 Eligibility Criteria

In-service recruitment only: These Principal posts are filled 100 percent from the Lecturer cadre. A candidate must be a serving Lecturer in the School Education Department (Government Pre-University Colleges) cadre and must satisfy every condition below as on the last date for application.

Service certificate is compulsory: Before applying, every candidate must obtain the service certificate in the format prescribed in the notification’s annexure, upload it in the online application, and produce the original at the time of document verification. Caste and reservation certificates must bear the RD number, which has to be entered correctly in the online application. Kalyana-Karnataka cadre candidates must also hold the local-cadre eligibility certificate under Article 371(J), as applicable.

KEA Principal Recruitment 2026 Application Fee

The fee is payable online only and is non-refundable. In the original notification the fee-payment last date was 5 October 2026; with the application deadline extended to 10 November 2026, candidates should complete the application and fee payment together before the portal closes.

How to Apply for KEA Principal Recruitment 2026

1. Keep the service certificate (in the prescribed annexure format), caste/reservation certificate with RD number, photograph and other documents ready before opening the form.
2. Visit the KEA website cetonline.karnataka.gov.in/kea and open the link for the Principal recruitment (RPC or Kalyana-Karnataka cadre, as applicable).
3. Fill the online application carefully and upload the service certificate and reservation certificates with the correct RD numbers.
4. Pay the application fee online according to your category — Rs. 1,500, Rs. 1,000 or Rs. 500.
5. Submit the application and save or print the submitted form. Read the notification carefully before submitting, because KEA does not permit any change or correction in the application after submission.

KEA Principal Exam Pattern 2026

The competitive examination will be held in online (CBT) or offline (OMR) mode with multiple-choice questions, as decided and announced by KEA. There are three papers of 150 questions each.

Paper-1 is qualifying only: A candidate must score a minimum of 50 marks in the Kannada Language Test to qualify. Its marks are not counted in the merit list, which is prepared only from Paper-2 and Paper-3.

Negative marking: In Paper-2 and Paper-3, one-fourth (0.25) of the marks allotted to a question is deducted for every wrong answer. Leaving the fifth (blank) option unshaded in the OMR sheet also attracts the same deduction, so candidates must shade one option for every question.

Exam day rules: The list of examination centres will be published on the KEA website and in newspapers; a change of centre is not permitted. Candidates must carry the admission ticket together with an original photo identity proof — PAN card, driving licence, Aadhaar card, passport, voter ID or government employee ID card.

KEA Principal Selection Process 2026

Competitive examination: Candidates appear in Papers 1, 2 and 3. Paper-1 (Kannada) is qualifying with a 50-mark minimum; merit is decided by Paper-2 and Paper-3 marks together.

Document verification: Based on the merit in Paper-2 and Paper-3, candidates are called for verification of original documents in the ratio of 1:2 against the notified vacancies, category-wise.

Provisional and final select list: After document verification, a provisional select list is prepared in the ratio of 1:1 following the reservation rules, followed by the final select list, which is sent to the appointing authority. If two or more candidates score equal marks, the older candidate is placed higher in merit. A waiting list of 20 percent over the notified posts is also prepared, though inclusion in it gives no right to appointment.

KEA Principal Salary 2026

Selected candidates are appointed as Principals of Government Pre-University Colleges in the 2024 revised Karnataka state pay scale of Rs. 90,200-2300-99400-2700-115600-3100-134200-3500-155200-4000-159200, i.e. a pay scale of Rs. 90,200 to Rs. 1,59,200, along with the allowances admissible to Karnataka state government employees. Pension in respect of the appointees will be governed by the pension rules applicable to their original Lecturer appointment, as stated in the notification.

KEA Principal Recruitment 2026 Important Links

Frequently Asked Questions

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

The last date to apply online for KEA Principal Recruitment 2026 is 10 November 2026. KEA extended the deadline in stages from the original 4 October 2026 through official notices, and the final extension notice dated 6 November 2026 fixed 10 November 2026 as the last date.

How many vacancies are there in KEA Principal Recruitment 2026?

There are 247 Principal posts in total — 216 posts in the Residual Parent Cadre (RPC) under notification ED/KEA/28/Recruitment/2026-RPC and 31 posts in the Kalyana-Karnataka cadre under notification ED/KEA/29/Recruitment/2026-KK, both dated 3 September 2026.

Who can apply for KEA Principal Recruitment 2026?

Only serving Lecturers of Government Pre-University Colleges under the Department of School Education can apply. The candidate must have completed at least 10 years of service in the Lecturer cadre and must have completed the probation period satisfactorily. Freshers and the general public cannot apply.

Is there any age limit for KEA Principal Recruitment 2026?

No age limit is prescribed in the notification. Since 100 percent of the Principal posts are filled from serving Lecturers who have rendered 10 years of service, the notification does not fix any separate minimum or maximum age.

What is the application fee for KEA Principal Recruitment 2026?

The application fee is Rs. 1,500 for General Merit and Category 2A, 2B, 3A and 3B candidates, Rs. 1,000 for SC, ST, Category-1, ex-servicemen and third gender candidates, and Rs. 500 for persons with benchmark disabilities. The fee is payable online only and is non-refundable.

What is the exam pattern of the KEA Principal competitive exam?

The exam has three papers of 150 questions and 150 marks each with a duration of 3 hours per paper — Paper-1 Kannada Language Test, Paper-2 General Studies and Paper-3 service rules and education subjects. The exam is held in CBT or OMR mode with multiple-choice questions.

Is Paper-1 compulsory to qualify in KEA Principal exam?

Yes. Paper-1, the Kannada Language Test, is qualifying in nature and a candidate must score a minimum of 50 marks in it. Its marks are not counted in the merit list, which is prepared only from the marks of Paper-2 and Paper-3.

Is there negative marking in the KEA Principal exam?

Yes. In Paper-2 and Paper-3, one-fourth (0.25) of the marks allotted to a question is deducted for each wrong answer. Leaving a question’s options unshaded in the OMR sheet also leads to the same deduction, so every question must be attempted with one shaded option.

What is the salary of a Government PU College Principal in Karnataka?

Principals are appointed in the 2024 revised Karnataka state pay scale of Rs. 90,200 to Rs. 1,59,200, along with admissible state government allowances. Pension is governed by the rules applicable to the candidate’s original Lecturer appointment.

Can I correct my KEA Principal application after submission?

No. The notification clearly states that no change or correction is allowed in the online application at any stage after submission. Candidates should fill the form carefully, enter the correct RD numbers of certificates and upload the service certificate before final submission.

Every figure in this article — 247 posts, the 10 November 2026 last date, the fee, the pay scale and the exam pattern — is taken from the official KEA notifications ED/KEA/28/Recruitment/2026-RPC and ED/KEA/29/Recruitment/2026-KK and KEA’s extension notice. Candidates should still verify the details on cetonline.karnataka.gov.in/kea before applying, as only the official notification is final.

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.