The Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) KAS Prelims 2026 is approaching, with thousands of candidates preparing for the highly competitive Gazetted Probationers recruitment examination. For the 2026-27 recruitment cycle, KPSC has notified 319 Group A and Group B vacancies. The preliminary examination is tentatively scheduled for November 15, 2026.
The recruitment notification was issued on July 31, 2026. Applications were initially invited from August 1, with the deadline subsequently extended to September 7, 2026. Candidates who successfully applied should now focus on revision, mock tests and current affairs preparation ahead of the preliminary examination.
KPSC KAS 2026 Vacancy Details
The recruitment covers 319 posts, including 117 Group A and 202 Group B positions. The vacancies include important administrative roles such as Assistant Commissioner, Commercial Tax Officer, Tahsildar (Grade-II), Assistant Registrar of Cooperative Societies and other government posts.
The vacancies are divided between the residual cadre and the Kalyana Karnataka cadre, with candidates required to follow the applicable reservation and cadre provisions mentioned in the official notification.
KPSC KAS Prelims Exam Pattern
The Preliminary Examination consists of two objective-type papers. Each paper contains 100 questions and carries 200 marks, making the combined examination worth 400 marks. Each paper is conducted for two hours.
Paper I covers General Studies related to national and international importance along with Humanities.
Paper II focuses on General Studies related to Karnataka, General Science and Technology, Environment and Ecology, and General Mental Ability. The Mental Ability portion is based on approximately SSLC/Class 10 level, while the remaining sections are at degree level.
The question papers are set in Kannada and English. Negative marking is applicable for incorrect answers, with one-fourth of the marks assigned to a question deducted for a wrong response.
How Candidates Should Prepare
With the prelims approaching, candidates should prioritise Karnataka-specific current affairs, Indian polity, history, geography, economy, science and technology, environment and mental ability.
Instead of trying to cover new topics endlessly, aspirants should concentrate on multiple revisions of the core syllabus. Solving previous KPSC papers and full-length mock tests can help improve accuracy and time management.
Current affairs from Karnataka, India and international developments should receive particular attention. Candidates should also revise important government schemes, constitutional developments, economic issues and Karnataka-specific events.
Selection Process
The KPSC recruitment follows a three-stage process: Preliminary Examination, Main Examination and Personality Test. The prelims is a screening stage, while performance in the subsequent stages determines the final selection.
Candidates should continue preparing for the Mains alongside prelims preparation rather than waiting for the preliminary results. The official KPSC website remains the most reliable source for any changes to the examination schedule, hall ticket and further recruitment announcements
