KEA VAO Recruitment 2026 (KK) — 67 Vacancies

The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) is hiring 67 Village Administrative Officers for the Kalyana-Karnataka (Article 371J) cadre of the Karnataka Revenue Department. If you have passed PUC (12th) or an equivalent qualification, you can apply online. The last date to apply is 20 August 2026, and the fee payment deadline is 21 August 2026. Salary ranges from Rs. 34,100 to Rs. 67,600 per month under the Karnataka state pay scale.

Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) Village Administrative Officer Recruitment 2026 (Kalyana-Karnataka Cadre) - 67 Posts

The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) has released a notification to fill 67 Village Administrative Officer (VAO) posts reserved for the Kalyana-Karnataka local cadre under Article 371(J) of the Constitution, covering districts of the Kalyana-Karnataka region such as Kalaburagi, Bidar and Raichur. This is a Group C direct recruitment filled through a competitive written examination conducted by KEA on behalf of the Revenue Department. A separate, larger notification covers 505 posts for the General/RPC cadre across the rest of Karnataka. Article 371(J) gives special status to the Kalyana-Karnataka region to address regional imbalance in employment and education, which is why a dedicated local-cadre quota is notified for this recruitment. A Village Administrative Officer maintains land records, collects revenue and supports welfare schemes at the village level, so both PUC-pass freshers and experienced local candidates can apply for this stable, entry-level government job.

Who Can Apply?

• Qualification: You must have passed PUC (10+2) or an equivalent qualification recognized by the Government of Karnataka.
• Local Cadre Requirement: These posts are reserved for the Kalyana-Karnataka local cadre under Article 371(J) — check the notification for the exact local-candidate eligibility rules before applying.
• Equivalent Qualifications Accepted: Class 12 from CBSE/ICSE boards, Class 12 from any other state education board, Senior Secondary/HSC from the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), a 2-year ITI course combined with one NIOS language course and one subject course, or a 3-year Diploma from the Department of Technical Education — as per applicable government orders.
• You need to hold your marks card or certificate for the qualifying exam by the last date of application. Candidates who are still waiting for their qualifying exam result are not eligible to apply.
• You must produce original certificates and mark sheets for verification when asked — if you fail to do so, your candidature will be cancelled at any stage of the recruitment process.

Age Limit

• You should be at least 18 years old as on the last date of application.
• The maximum age limit is 40 years for General category, 43 years for 2A/2B/3A/3B category, and 45 years for SC/ST/Category-1 candidates (inclusive of the one-time 5-year age relaxation announced by the Karnataka government).
• Age Relaxation: Extra relaxation is available for candidates who have served in a Karnataka state government or local authority post (up to 10 years) and for Ex-Servicemen (their service period plus an additional 3 years).

Salary

• Selected candidates will get a salary of Rs. 34,100 to Rs. 67,600 per month under the Karnataka state pay scale applicable to the Village Administrative Officer post.
• You will also get DA, HRA and other allowances as per Karnataka government rules, along with NPS (National Pension System) benefits.
• Newly appointed VAOs must complete a 2-year probation period before being confirmed in service.

Application Fee

• General / 2A / 2B / 3A / 3B: Rs. 750
• SC / ST / Category-1 / Ex-Servicemen / Third Gender: Rs. 500
• PwBD (Special Chetana): Rs. 250
• Payment mode: Online, through the KEA application portal.

Selection Process

The selection will be done in these stages:

1. Compulsory Kannada Language Test: Required only for candidates who have not studied Kannada as a language subject up to the 10th standard.
2. Written Examination: Two OMR-based objective papers — Paper-1 (General Knowledge) and Paper-2 (General Kannada, General English and Computer Knowledge). Each paper has 100 questions for 100 marks in 2 hours, with 0.25 marks deducted for every wrong answer.
3. Document Verification: Shortlisted candidates must produce original certificates and mark sheets for verification.

There is no interview in this selection process — your final merit is based only on your written exam score. The written exam questions are set in Kannada and English, so you can attempt the paper in either language unless the notification specifies otherwise.

How to Apply

1. Go to the KEA recruitment portal at cetonline.karnataka.gov.in.
2. Register with a valid email ID and mobile number.
3. Log in and fill in your personal, educational and category details.
4. Select your preferred district within the Kalyana-Karnataka region — you can choose only one district, so choose carefully.
5. Upload your photo and signature in the specified format and size.
6. Pay the application fee online.
7. Check all the entered details carefully and submit — no corrections are allowed after final submission.
8. Save and print a copy of your submitted application for your records.

Important Dates

• Notification Date: 10 July 2026
• Online Application Start: 11 July 2026
• Last Date to Apply Online: 20 August 2026
• Last Date for Fee Payment: 21 August 2026
• Written Exam Date: 25 October 2026

• Maintain village-level land records and revenue registers
• Conduct land surveys and measurement work in the assigned village
• Collect land revenue and other government dues from villagers
• Issue caste, income, residence and other revenue certificates
• Assist in implementing government welfare schemes at the village level
• Update and maintain the Record of Rights, Tenancy and Crops (RTC)
• Report crop and agricultural data to the Tahsildar and district administration
• Support the district administration during natural calamities and surveys