KPSC KAS Syllabus and Exam Pattern 2026 - Overview
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Conducting Body | Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) |
| Exam Name | KPSC KAS Gazetted Probationers Exam 2026 |
| Notification Number | KPSCKA/EXA1/EXMF/9/2026-EXAM-1/I/251710/2026 |
| Notification Release Date | 31 July 2026 |
| Total Vacancies | 319 (117 Group A, 202 Group B) |
| Selection Stages | Prelims → Mains → Personality Test (Interview) |
| Prelims Papers | 2 (Paper I & Paper II, Objective Type) |
| Prelims Total Questions | 200 (100 per paper) |
| Prelims Total Marks | 400 (200 per paper) |
| Prelims Duration | 2 hours per paper |
| Negative Marking (Prelims) | 0.25 marks deducted per wrong answer |
| Mains Total Marks (for merit) | 1,250 (Essay + GS I-IV) |
| Personality Test Marks | 25 |
| Grand Total for Ranking | 1,275 |
| KPSC KAS Prelims Exam Date 2026 | 15 November 2026 (Tentative) |
| Official Website | kpsc.kar.nic.in |
KAS Prelims Exam Pattern 2026
| Paper | Subject Area | No. of Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper I | General Studies related to National and International Importance | 40 | 80 | 2 hours |
| Paper I | Humanities | 60 | 120 | 2 hours |
| Paper I Total | 100 | 200 | ||
| Paper II | General Studies related to State Importance | 40 | 80 | 2 hours |
| Paper II | General Science & Technology, Environment & Ecology | 30 | 60 | 2 hours |
| Paper II | General Mental Ability | 30 | 60 | 2 hours |
| Paper II Total | 100 | 200 | ||
| Prelims Grand Total | 200 | 400 |
KAS Mains Exam Pattern 2026
| Paper | Subject | Nature | Standard | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qualifying Paper 1 | Kannada | Qualifying | SSLC (First Language) | 150 | 2 hours |
| Qualifying Paper 2 | English | Qualifying | SSLC (First Language) | 150 | 2 hours |
| Paper 1 | Essay | Compulsory | Degree | 250 | 3 hours |
| Paper 2 | General Studies 1 | Compulsory | Degree | 250 | 3 hours |
| Paper 3 | General Studies 2 | Compulsory | Degree | 250 | 3 hours |
| Paper 4 | General Studies 3 | Compulsory | Degree | 250 | 3 hours |
| Paper 5 | General Studies 4 | Compulsory | Degree | 250 | 3 hours |
| Total Marks Counted for Merit (Essay + GS 1-4) | 1,250 | ||||
| Personality Test | 25 | ||||
| Grand Total | 1,275 |
1. KAS Prelims Paper I Syllabus
- Current events of national and international importance
- World Geography and Geography of India with a focus on Karnataka
2. KAS Prelims Paper II Syllabus
- Current events of State importance and important State Government programmes
- Comprehension
- Logical reasoning and analytical ability
- Decision making and problem solving
- Basic numeracy (numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude, etc.)
- Data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency, etc. - Class X/SSLC level)