KEA FDA SDA Recruitment 2026: 5431 Posts, Apply

The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) has released four recruitment notifications dated 29 October 2026 for 5,431 vacancies across various Karnataka Government departments, boards and organisations. The recruitment covers First Division Assistant (FDA), Second Division Assistant (SDA), Accounts Assistant, Warden, Hostel Supervisor, computer-related posts and other equivalent Group-C positions, under the Residual Parent Cadre (RPC) and the Kalyana Karnataka (KK) cadre. Online applications opened today, 30 October 2026, and close on 25 November 2026, with the last date for fee payment on 26 November 2026. The competitive examinations are scheduled for 8, 9, 10, 16 and 17 January 2027, as applicable to each recruitment group.

KEA FDA SDA Recruitment 2026: Overview

Important Dates

Examinations are conducted according to the post-wise and cadre-wise schedule announced by KEA. Applicants should check the notification for their own recruitment category to identify the applicable examination dates and papers, and their admission ticket for the exact date, session, reporting time and centre.

Vacancy Details: Four Notifications

The four notifications contain separate department-wise, post-wise and reservation-related vacancy details. Candidates must use the vacancy statement in the notification for the post and cadre they are eligible for, because not all posts are open to candidates with the same qualification, and the Kalyana Karnataka notifications contain specific local-cadre reservation and eligibility provisions.

What Are FDA and SDA?

FDA stands for First Division Assistant and SDA stands for Second Division Assistant. Both are administrative and clerical positions in Karnataka Government departments and corporations. FDA is the higher clerical and administrative level, generally requiring a Bachelor degree, and involves file processing, documentation, correspondence and administrative coordination. SDA is the entry-level clerical position, generally requiring 2nd PUC, and focuses on data entry, record maintenance, filing and routine office assistance. FDA positions typically carry higher pay and greater responsibility, with promotion opportunities to higher administrative positions from both levels. The post categories in this recruitment also include Accounts Assistant and account-related posts, Warden and Hostel Supervisor posts in residential institutions, computer-related assistant positions, and various department-specific assistant and support posts.

Eligibility Criteria

The minimum educational qualification depends on the advertised post. PUC-level positions, including Second Division Assistant and equivalent posts, generally require 2nd PUC or a recognised equivalent qualification. Degree-level positions, including First Division Assistant and equivalent posts, require a Bachelor degree from a recognised university or the equivalent qualification prescribed for the relevant position. Depending on the post, additional requirements may include a specific degree discipline, professional training, computer knowledge or work experience — for example, Accounts Assistant posts carry a prescribed commerce or accountancy qualification, and computer-related positions carry an applicable computer training or certification requirement. Candidates should not assume that a general Bachelor degree qualifies them for every FDA-level vacancy, or that 2nd PUC is sufficient for every SDA-level position. Certain posts require specific subjects or additional qualifications, and candidates claiming Kalyana Karnataka local-cadre benefits must satisfy the relevant conditions and possess the required supporting certificates.

Age Limit

The general minimum age is 18 years. The notifications refer to the applicable Karnataka Civil Services recruitment rules and government amendments, including a one-time age relaxation provision under the prescribed conditions, and other special-category relaxation provisions may also apply. Candidates should calculate their age using the cut-off date and relaxation rules in the relevant notification.

Application Fee

Applicants should select the correct category in the online application and follow the fee displayed by the official KEA portal. The last date for fee payment is 26 November 2026, one day after the application closing date.

Salary / Pay Scales

The salary for each vacancy must be checked against the relevant post entry in the official notification. The pay scales are not equivalent to a fixed in-hand salary, since applicable allowances and deductions will affect the amount received.

Selection Process and Exam Pattern

Selection is through a competitive written examination followed by verification of certificates and eligibility, under the applicable recruitment rules. The notifications prescribe an offline OMR-based competitive examination with two papers of 100 marks each and two hours per paper — 200 marks in total over four hours. The papers cover the subjects prescribed in the relevant notification, including General Knowledge and language-related components, and candidates should check the specific examination syllabus for their application category. There is a penalty of 0.25 marks for an incorrect response in the objective examination, subject to the applicable question-paper instructions. After the examination, merit and the applicable selection rules determine shortlisting, document verification follows, and final recommendations are made under the post-wise and category-wise recruitment rules. Applicants should follow the OMR marking and examination-day instructions issued by KEA.

How to Apply Online

1. Visit the official KEA website at cetonline.karnataka.gov.in/kea.
2. Select the recruitment notification that matches your qualification level and cadre — RPC or Kalyana Karnataka, degree-level or PUC-level — and read it fully.
3. Complete the online application form for that notification, choosing the correct post and reservation category.
4. Pay the application fee online as displayed by the portal, by 26 November 2026.
5. Submit the form before 25 November 2026 and keep a printout of the submitted application and fee receipt for your records.

Apply well before the closing date. With 5,431 vacancies and four separate notifications, the most common mistake is applying under the wrong notification or cadre — double-check the notification number (14, 15, 16 or 17) before submitting.

Important Links

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. How many vacancies are there in KEA FDA SDA Recruitment 2026?
There are 5,431 vacancies across four notifications: 2,163 RPC degree-level, 563 KK degree-level, 2,070 RPC PUC-level and 635 KK PUC-level posts.

Q2. What is the last date to apply for KEA FDA SDA 2026?
Online applications close on 25 November 2026, and the last date for fee payment is 26 November 2026. Applications opened on 30 October 2026.

Q3. What is the qualification for FDA and SDA posts?
FDA-level (degree-level) posts generally require a Bachelor degree, and SDA-level (PUC-level) posts generally require 2nd PUC or an equivalent qualification. Some posts need specific subjects, commerce or accountancy qualifications, or computer training, so check the post-wise conditions.

Q4. What is the age limit for KEA FDA SDA?
The general limit is 18 to 40 years for General Merit candidates, 43 years for Category 2A, 2B, 3A and 3B, and 45 years for SC, ST and Category-1 candidates, with other relaxations as per the notifications.

Q5. What is the exam pattern and when is the exam?
The offline OMR examination has two papers of 100 marks each, two hours per paper, with 0.25 marks deducted for a wrong answer. Examinations are scheduled for 8, 9, 10, 16 and 17 January 2027, as applicable to each recruitment group.

Q6. What is the application fee?
Rs. 750 for General Merit and applicable non-concessional categories, Rs. 500 for eligible reserved categories, and Rs. 250 for eligible special-concession categories.

Q7. What is the difference between RPC and KK cadre?
RPC is the Residual Parent Cadre, and KK is the Kalyana Karnataka cadre under Article 371(J), which carries specific local-cadre reservation and eligibility provisions. Candidates claiming KK local-cadre benefits must meet those conditions and hold the required certificates.

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