The Karnataka Administrative Services (KAS) exam is conducted by the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) for staff selection and recruitment for the state civil service positions in Karnataka. It is also called the Gazetted Probationers examination. Every year, lakhs of candidates apply for KPSC KAS to secure prestigious administrative jobs under the Karnataka Government. It is a very competitive examination.
The Government has announced the KPSC KAS 2021 Notifications, and all the candidates planning to appear for KPSC KAS 2021 must be aware of the KPSC KAS – important dates/exam dates, eligibility criteria for different posts, application processes, selection procedures, and exam patterns, etc. And to help the candidates with this, we are providing you with this article on KPSC KAS 2021.
Karnataka Public Service Commission Overview
Before getting into the exam details, let’s have an overview of KPSC KAS Recruitment:
| Name of the Exam | Karnataka Administrative Services (KAS) |
| Conducting Authority | Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) |
| Name of Posts | Wide Variety of Posts under Group A and Group B Cadre |
| Vacancies | 106 |
| Type of Job | State Government |
| Location of Posting | All over Karnataka |
| Application Mode | Online |
| Exam Mode | Offline |
| Number of Stages | Three (Prelims, Mains & Interview) |
| Official Website | http://www.kpsc.kar.nic.in/ |
KPSC KAS Important Dates
The Government has released the KPSC KAS Notification 2021. Here are some critical dates that are announced:
| Release of KPSC KAS Notification 2021 | to be announced |
| Application Process Starts | to be announced |
| Application Process Ends | to be announced |
| Last Date for Application Fee Payment | to be announced |
| Issuance of Admit Card | to be announced |
| KPSC KAS Prelims Exam Date | to be announced |
| Release of Answer Key | to be announced |
| Results Declaration | to be announced |
KPSC KAS Vacancy Details for the Group A & Group B
KPSC KAS is a state-level entrance examination to fill the vacancies in the executive/managerial level positions in the state administration. These kinds of posts come under Group A and B cadre in the state bureaucracy.
The KPSC has also announced the 7 Grade A and 99 Group B vacancies this year 2020. Details of such posts to be filled are given in this table.
The posts included are as follows:
| Name of the Post | Number of Vacancies |
| Group A | |
| Deputy Superintendent of Police, Interior Dept | 03 |
| Asst. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Commercial Tax Dept | 02 |
| Asst. Labour Commissioner, Labour Dept | 02 |
| Group B | |
| Tehsildar Grade II, Revenue Dept. | 50 |
| Commercial Tax Officer, Commercial Tax Dept. | 07 |
| Asst. Superintendent, Dept. of Prisons | 06 |
| Deputy Superintendent of Excise, Excise Dept. | 05 |
| Asst. Director, Dept. of Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs | 02 |
| Asst. Director of Audit of Co-operative Societies, Dept. of Audit (Co-operative Societies) | 14 |
| Labour Officer, Labour Dept.- | 04 |
| Asst. Director, Dept. of Tourism | 11 |
| Total Vacancies= | 106 |
KPSC KAS Eligibility Criteria
- All the aspiring candidates must be aware of the KAS eligibility criteria after reading the notification. Only the eligible candidates must apply for this exam.
- And if any candidate is found not to meet the eligibility criteria set by the authorities at any given point, their candidature will be canceled.
- Candidates must have at least a Bachelor’s Degree or diploma from a recognized University.
- All candidates must be at least 21 years old. The upper age limit for candidates belonging to General Category is 35 years. The age limit is relaxed for up to 40 years for candidates from specific reserved categories.
- Candidates must know Kannada well.
The KPSC Karnataka Administrative Services Exam Syllabus
Aspirants must understand the topics and nature covered in the previous year’s paper and exam in general. All the candidates have to start their preparation earlier because there is a lot of syllabi to prepare. Professionals and previous years aspirants suggest that the applicants always download the KPSC KAS Syllabus 2020 directly from the official website and start preparing for the exam accordingly.
Prelims Syllabus
Paper-I
- Current Events related to National & International relevance.
- Humanities – History of India – Emphasis should be on the broad general understanding of the subject in its social, economic, cultural, and political aspects, focusing on Indian national movement with particular emphasis on Karnataka’s State.
- The World’s Geography and the concepts of Indian Geography with the focus on Karnataka.
- Indian Polity and the Economy, including the country’s political system, rural development, planning, and economic reforms in India-sustainable development, poverty alleviation, demographics, social sector initiatives, etc., related to India.
Paper-II
- Current events of State importance and the critical State Government programs.
- General Science & The technology, Environment & Ecology – contemporary developments in science and technology, and their implications including the matters of everyday observations and experience, as may be expected of a well-educated person who has not made a particular study of any scientific disciplines, general issues like-Health, the environmental ecology, biodiversity, and most importantly the climate change- that do not require any subject specializations.
- General Mental Ability includes the Comprehension, Logical Reasoning, and the Analytical ability, Decision-making, problem-solving, Basic innumeracy (numbers and their relations, the order of magnitude, etc.,) and data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency, etc., (Class X / SSLC level).
KPSC KAS Mains Syllabus
General Studies I:
- Modern History of India and an Indian Culture with particular references to the History and Culture of Karnataka
- Current events of State, National, and International importance
- Statistical Analysis, Graphs, and Diagrams.
General Studies – II:
- Indian Polity with particular reference to the state of Karnataka.
- Indian Economy and Geography of India with specific reference to Karnataka Economy and Karnataka Geography
- The role and the impact of Science and Technology in the development of Karnataka and India.
Optional Subjects
- Commerce
- Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences and Fisheries
- Botany
- Chemistry
- Civil Engineering
- Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Co-operation, and Sericulture
- Mathematics
- Criminology
- Economics
- Electrical Engineering
- Geography
- Law
- Philosophy
- History
- Mechanical Engineering
- Management
- Geology
- Physics
- Political Science & International Relations
- Psychology
- Public Administration
- Sociology
- Statistics
- Zoology
- Anthropology
- Rural Development & Co-operation
KPSC KAS Mains Exam Pattern
The exam pattern for the Mains stage of the KPSC KAS exam is as follows:
- Total of 9 papers
- English and Kannada language papers are compulsory and qualifying in nature
- At least 35% of marks are needed to clear English/Kannada papers
- The level of the questions will be of Honours degree level.
- The questions are descriptive-essay type in nature, and there is no negative marking.
- The question papers will be set in both Kannada and English.
- The standard of Kannada and English language papers will be of First Language Kannada and First Language English at SSLC level, respectively.
- Total marks – 1750
| Qualifying Papers | Duration | Marks |
| English | 2 hours | 150 (35%qualifying criteria) |
| Kannada | 2 hours | 150 (35%qualifying criteria) |
| Merit-ranking Papers | Duration | Marks |
| Paper 1 – Essay | 3 hours | 250 |
| Paper 2 –General Studies I | 3 hours | 250 |
| Paper 3 – General Studies II | 3 hours | 250 |
| Paper 4 – General Studies III | 3 hours | 250 |
| Paper 5 – General Studies IV | 3 hours | 250 |
| Paper 6 – Optional Paper I | 3 hours | 250 |
| Paper 7: Optional Paper-II | 3 hours | 250 |
The 4 GS papers in the KPSC KAS exam contain three sections each:
| GS 1 | GS 2 | GS 3 | GS 4 |
| – History and Cultural Heritage (India and Karnataka) – Social and Political Perspective Indian Economy – Planning -Rural Development-Data Collection-Analysis-Interpretation | – Physical Features and Natural Resources – Overview of the Indian Constitution Public Administration and Management, International Relations | – Role and impact of Science and Tech in the development of India, – Information Technology in Public Domain Advancement and Modern Trends in Natural Sciences, Life Sciences, Agriculture, Health and Hygiene – Challenges and issues of development on Environment and Ecology | Ethics Integrity Aptitude |
Personality Test
The candidates who score above the cut-off in the KAS Mains will be shortlisted for the KPSC board interview. Here are a few points to note:
- Usually, the ratio of the number of vacancies in that year, and candidates called for an interview is 1:3. Reportedly, it has been increased to 1:5
- The KPSC Chairman constitutes the Personality test board.
- The board consists of 4 persons out of which there shall be 2 KPSC members.
- The other two members will be from among:
- Retired All India Services officers
- Eminent Professors (Retired) from IITs, IIMs, Central/State Universities
- The senior-most KPSC member present will chair the panel.
- The maximum marks for the interview are 200
- The panel members will not be told the candidate’s marks in the Mains stage.
- The KAS interview tests the mental caliber, societal awareness, balance of judgment, and leadership abilities.
- The four-panel members will give marks individually, and then the average of those marks will constitute the candidate’s marks in the interview.
- The KPSC KAS result or the merit list is the sum of marks in the Mains and the Interview.
KPSC KAS Application Process
Important things to note:
- Applications can only be filled through the online mode on their official KPSC site – http://www.kpsc.kar.nic.in/.
- The only mode of fee payment available for the KPSC KAS exam as of now is via online. So if you are going to pay on the last date of application submission, remember that it has to be done within the post office’s working hours.
- The KPSC KAS application form will be considered invalid in case of a non-payment of fee.
- The application fee is non-refundable.
How to Apply for the KPSC Karnataka Administrative Services Exam?
- Applications can only be filled through the online mode on their official KPSC site – http://www.kpsc.kar.nic.in/.
- The only mode of fee payment available for the KPSC KAS 2020 exam as of now is Online mode.
- So if you are going to pay on the last date of application submission, remember that it has to be done within the post office’s working hours.
- The KPSC KAS application form will be considered invalid in case of a non-payment of fee.
- Also, the application fee is non-refundable.
KPSC KAS Selection Process
The KPSC KAS selection process involves the primary three stages:
- First- Prelims Exam
- Secondly- The Mains Exam
- Then after getting shortlisted in both – The final stage is the interview. All Candidates need to clear all of these rounds to be eligible – to appear for the next and final round.
KPSC KAS Cut-off
The KAS cut-off marks are decided by the KPSC based on the multiple factors, such as:
- The level of difficulty,
- Number of vacancies.
- The total number of candidates- who had appeared for the final exam,
- KPSC will also declare the cut-offs soon after the final results are announced.
KPSC KAS Interview Process
All the shortlisted candidates from the KAS Mains are called in by the KPSC board for an interview, a Personality Test. The questions explore the candidate’s intellectual caliber, leadership attributes, social awareness, and decision-making skills.
Usually, the number of candidates qualifying for this viva-voce is around 3 to 5 times the number of vacancies. The interview stage carries a maximum of 200 marks.
KPSC KAS Final Selection
Marks obtained by the candidates in the compulsory papers of KAS Mains and the interview are considered to compile the KPSC KAS final merit list. Your last ranks and preference are deciding factors for assignment to various services.
KPSC KAS Admit Card 2020
KPSC has released the KPSC Gazetted Probationers 2017-18 admit card on 17th August. The KPSC GPE Hall Ticket is available in online mode only. So, candidates have to download their KPSC KAS hall ticket from the KPSC official website.
The hardcopy of the call letter will not be mailed or posted to you. Therefore, check the official Website for updates. The admit card is usually made available three weeks before the exam. Candidates have to log in with their Registration ID and Password to download the admit card.
KPSC KAS Result 2020
The KPSC will announce the KPSC KAS results on its official Website after every round. Therefore, candidates need to keep an eye out for any recent updates on the results and exam. To check the results, candidates have to visit the official Website and log in with their unique registration ID and password.
So, now you are aware of all the necessary details regarding the KPSC KAS exam. As the exam is extremely competitive, the sooner you start your preparation, the better. You will have more time for revision.
Make the best use of the time you have and crack the exam with flying colors. We hope this detailed article helps you. If you have any queries, feel free to ask in the comment section below. We will get back to you at the earliest.
Karnataka Administrative Services Exam Preparation
- Time management: Self-assessment is a crucial part of any preparation. Practice needs to be done, and aspirants should practice as many Mock Tests as possible in close to examination environment as it will improve the result of time management incredibly.
- During preparation: Avoid oily food directly before the test – your brain needs proper digestion. Eat a lot of vegetables & drink water – like inexperienced leaves, carrots, etc. which can decrease your eyestrain and sharpen your memory.
- Planning: Plan your studies a minimum of two months before the test – this can be the foremost necessary side towards securing an honest rank. The plan should ideally and technically be drafted up to 2 months before the date of examination; after that, a revised schedule might be put into operation. Prepare a straightforward timetable with ample time for every subject.
- Last moment revisions are critical: It all depends on the previous three days before the final examination. Relax the schedule’s bit, strive to recapitulate the knowledge, and revise the matter that you could not remember. Revise the utterly unmemorable data like organic chemistry values, aphorisms, observations, etc.
- Remember: Remember that there is no magic formula for success in an interview. Proper preparation, judicious application of common sense, and self-confidence are the key factors that will help us in an interview.
A few more tips for the Karnataka PSC KAS Exam Preparation
- First, list down all the subjects that are in syllabus both for preliminary exam and main exam.
- Be honest in preparing each subject thoroughly and list all critical events in a revision book—especially history, economic reforms in India and state.
- Take out all the questions from all the subjects and try to answer them without referring, the questions you don’t answer list down the topic you are facing trouble. Now start to prepare those topics.
- Purchase separate books for each subject in detail, read articles from the daily newspaper.
- Try to write down all the topics and schedule them and stick that time table in your room.
- Solve previous question papers, try to solve recent political and economic situations in the country, question yourself why this is happening, and different aspects to solve the problem. This will help you in analyzing practical situations and issues.
- The best time to Prepare is when your mind is active and ready to analyze the topic effectively- Means finishing topics more in less time and effectively.
- Have healthy foods, stick to vegetarian, and have fruits in each interval of your studies and have enough water during studies, physical workout, yoga, and meditation should be included I. Your daily routine. This keeps your body and mind inactive phase and gives you more benefits.
- Never be overconfident on subjects like Indian history economic condition and reforms, name of strikes, budget, years, political falls, etc. You’ll come to know while studying, to which one you have to give more importance.
Summary
The Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC), established in 1951 under the constitution’s provisions, recruits candidates to the various civil services across the state. The final selection is based on the marks scored by candidates in the commission’s examination (preliminary and main) and personality tests.
Note: For some services in the state, the commission only conducts written competitive examination or takes a personality test of the candidate.
Areas covered in this article
- KAS Exam Date
- KPSC KAS Eligibility Criteria
- KPSC KAS Application Process
- KPSC KAS Syllabus
- KPSC KAS Exam Pattern
- KPSC KAS Preparation Tips
Relevant Links
- For more information regarding eligibility and other rules, click on this link.
- Learn more about the State Public Service Commission in this link.
- Karnataka Administrative Services Exam : Previous Years Question Papers