KEA Principal Recruitment 2026 – Apply Online for 247 Posts

Post Date: 03 September 2026 | Last Update: 01 September 2026

Short Information

The Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA), Bengaluru, on behalf of the Department of School Education (Pre-University), Government of Karnataka, has announced recruitment for 247 Group-A Principal posts in Government Pre-University Colleges. The vacancies include 216 posts under the Residual Parent Cadre (RPC) and 31 posts under the Kalyana-Karnataka (KK) Local Cadre.

The recruitment is open to eligible in-service Government PU College lecturers who have completed at least 10 years of service and satisfactorily completed their probation. The application process will be conducted online through the KEA portal.

KEA Principal Recruitment 2026 – Key Details

Vacancy Details

Category-Wise Vacancy Breakup

RPC – 216 Posts: SC(A) – 12, SC(B) – 11, SC(C) – 10, ST – 7, Cat-1 – 9, Cat-2A – 32, Cat-2B – 9, Cat-3A – 8, Cat-3B – 10, GM – 108.

KK Local Cadre – 31 Posts: SC(A) – 2, SC(B) – 2, SC(C) – 1, ST – 1, Cat-1 – 2, Cat-2A – 5, Cat-2B – 1, Cat-3A – 1, Cat-3B – 1, GM – 15.

Educational Qualification & Eligibility

Principal – Government PU Colleges

Candidates must satisfy all the following requirements:

• Must be currently working as a Lecturer in a Government Pre-University College under the Department of School Education (Pre-University).
• Must have completed a minimum of 10 years of service in the Government PU College Lecturer cadre as on the last date of application.
• Must have successfully completed the probation period in the Lecturer post.
• Must have passed the Computer Literacy Examination prescribed under the Karnataka Civil Services Rules, or qualify for it before 31 December 2026.
• Must not have any pending criminal case, departmental enquiry or ongoing penalty period as on the application closing date.
• Must possess sound mental and physical health for performing the duties of the post.

Age Limit

Note: As the vacancies are being filled from eligible in-service lecturers, the source states that there is no upper age limit restriction.

Application Fee

Fee note: The detailed application instructions in the source mention a slightly different category grouping, including Ex-Servicemen. Candidates should verify the applicable fee category in the official notification before payment.

Salary / Pay Scale

Selected Principals will receive the revised Karnataka State Government pay scale:

₹90,200 – 2,300 – 99,400 – 2,700 – 1,15,600 – 3,100 – 1,34,200 – 3,500 – 1,55,200 – 4,000 – ₹1,59,200/- per month

In addition, applicable Dearness Allowance (DA), HRA and medical benefits will be provided as per Government of Karnataka rules. Pension benefits will continue according to the applicable rules at the time of the candidate's original appointment as Lecturer.

Exam Pattern

Paper 1 – Kannada Language

Topics include:

• Comprehension
• Vocabulary
• Summary writing
• Language usage
• English-to-Kannada translation

Paper 1 is qualifying in nature, with a minimum qualifying requirement of 50 marks.

Paper 2 – General Studies

The syllabus covers:

• Indian and Karnataka History
• Indian and Karnataka Polity
• Economy
• Geography
• Science & Technology
• Environment
• Ethics and Aptitude

Paper 3 – Service & Educational Rules

Topics include:

• Karnataka Civil Services Rules (KCSR)
• CCA Rules, 1957
• Karnataka Financial Code (KFC)
• Karnataka Treasury Code (KTC)
• Contingency Manual
• Karnataka Education Act, 1983
• Adolescent Psychology & Administration

Questions in Papers 2 and 3 will be available in Kannada and English. The OMR sheet will contain a separate fifth circle for unattempted questions; leaving all circles unshaded will also attract the prescribed 0.25-mark penalty.

Selection Process

The KEA Principal Recruitment 2026 selection process will consist of:

1. Competitive Examination

   • Paper 1 – Kannada Language – Qualifying
   • Paper 2 – General Studies – Merit
   • Paper 3 – Service & Educational Rules – Merit

2. Document Verification of shortlisted candidates in a 1:2 ratio

3. Provisional & Final Merit List

4. Physical Fitness Evaluation by Medical Board

The merit score will be prepared using Paper 2 and Paper 3, while Paper 1 will be qualifying only.

Important Dates

How to Apply Online

1. Visit the official KEA recruitment portal.
2. Find the application link for “Recruitment of Principals in Government PU Colleges – 2026.”
3. Select the appropriate cadre — RPC or KK Local Cadre (Article 371-J).
4. Enter your personal and registration details, including name, teaching subject, parent college, mobile number and email ID.
5. Enter your service details, including date of joining as Lecturer and probation completion particulars.
6. Download the prescribed Service Certificate (ಸೇವಾಪ್ರಮಾಣಪತ್ರ) from the notification.
7. Get the Service Certificate duly signed and sealed by the Principal/Head of Office.
8. Upload the required scanned documents in the prescribed format and file-size limits.
9. Pay the applicable application fee through the online payment facility.
10. Carefully verify the complete application before final submission.
11. Submit the application on or before 04 October 2026.
12. Download and print the submitted application form and payment receipt for future reference.

Documents Required

Candidates should keep the following documents ready:

• Recent passport-size photograph — 50 KB to 200 KB

• Candidate's signature — 50 KB to 70 KB

• Prescribed Service Certificate

• Caste/Category Certificate, wherever applicable

• Rural/Kannada Medium certificate, if claiming reservation

• Kalyana-Karnataka 371(J) certificate, if applicable

• Valid Government Photo ID, such as:

  • Government Employee ID
  • Voter ID
  • Driving Licence
  • PAN Card
  • Passport

Important Instructions

• This recruitment is specifically for eligible in-service Government PU College Lecturers.
• Candidates should verify the required 10 years of lecturer service and probation status before applying.
• The prescribed Service Certificate must be completed and authenticated by the competent authority.
• Upload photographs, signatures and certificates according to the prescribed file-size requirements.
• Verify all details carefully before final submission.
• Do not wait until the last date to complete the application.
• Keep the final application form and fee receipt safely for future use.
• The competitive examination date will be announced separately through the official KEA portal.

Notification Release 03 September 2026 Online Application Starts 07 September 2026 Last Date to Apply Online 04 October 2026 Last Date for Fee Payment 05 October 2026 Competitive Examination To be notified on KEA portal

Candidates should keep the following documents ready:

Recent passport-size photograph — 50 KB to 200 KB Candidate's signature — 50 KB to 70 KB Prescribed Service Certificate Caste/Category Certificate, wherever applicable Rural/Kannada Medium certificate, if claiming reservation Kalyana-Karnataka 371(J) certificate, if applicable Valid Government Photo ID, such as: Government Employee ID Voter ID Driving Licence PAN Card Passport

1.Visit the official KEA recruitment portal. 2.Find the application link for “Recruitment of Principals in Government PU Colleges – 2026.” 3.Select the appropriate cadre — RPC or KK Local Cadre (Article 371-J). 4.Enter your personal and registration details, including name, teaching subject, parent college, mobile number and email ID. 5.Enter your service details, including date of joining as Lecturer and probation completion particulars. 6.Download the prescribed Service Certificate (ಸೇವಾಪ್ರಮಾಣಪತ್ರ) from the notification. 7.Get the Service Certificate duly signed and sealed by the Principal/Head of Office. 8.Upload the required scanned documents in the prescribed format and file-size limits. 9.Pay the applicable application fee through the online payment facility. 10.Carefully verify the complete application before final submission. 11.Submit the application on or before 04 October 2026. 12.Download and print the submitted application form and payment receipt for future reference.