Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA), Bengaluru, on behalf of the School Education Department (Pre-University Education), Govt. of Karnataka, has announced a total of 247 vacancies for the post of Principal under Kalyana-Karnataka Local Cadre and Residual Parent Cadre, for which the detailed notification has been released.
Serving Lecturers in Govt. Pre-University Colleges (School Education Dept.) with a minimum of 10 years’ service and satisfactory completion of probation are eligible to apply. The online application process will start from September 7, 2026 onwards at the KEA official website www.cetonline.karnataka.gov.in.
KEA Principal Recruitment 2026
The recruitment provides an opportunity for eligible and experienced teaching professionals to move into a senior administrative position in Karnataka’s Government Pre-University education system. The pay scale for the post is Rs. 90,200 to Rs. 1,59,200.
| KEA Principal Recruitment 2026- Overview | |
| Organization | Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) |
| Department | School Education Department, Karnataka |
| Post | Principal |
| Vacancy | 247 (RPC Vacancies: 216 and Kalyana Karnataka Vacancies: 31) |
| Cadre | Kalyana-Karnataka Local Cadre and Residual Parent Cadre |
| Mode of Application | Online |
| Registration Dates | September 7 to October 4, 2026 |
| Selection Process | Competitive Examination (Offline/Online) |
| Pay Scale | Rs. 90,200 to Rs. 1,59,200 |
| Job Location | Government Pre-University Colleges across Karnataka (KK posts limited to the Kalyana-Karnataka region) |
| Official Website | www.cetonline.karnataka.gov.in |
KEA Principal Notification 2026 PDF
Two KEA Principal Notifications 2026 have been released by the Karnataka Examination Authority, i.e., one for 216 Residual Parent Cadre (RPC/Rest of Karnataka) vacancies and the other for 31 Kalyana Karnataka (KK/HK) vacancies, making 247 posts in total. Candidates who are willing to apply must go through the detailed notification PDF to check all the recruitment details.
KEA Principal Recruitment 2026- Important Dates
The detailed notification has been released along with the complete registration schedule. The online application process will start on September 7, 2026, and the last date to apply online is October 4, 2026.
| Events | Dates |
| Notification Release Date | September 3, 2026 |
| Apply Online Starts | September 7, 2026 |
| Last Date to Apply Online | October 4, 2026 |
| Last Date to Pay the Application Fee | October 5, 2026 |
KEA Principal Vacancy 2026
Karnataka Examination Authority has announced a total of 247 Principal posts. These vacancies are divided between the Residual Parent Cadre (RPC) and Kalyana Karnataka (KK) cadre.
| Cadre | Number of Vacancies |
| Residual Parent Cadre (RPC) | 216 |
| Kalyana Karnataka (KK) | 31 |
| Total | 247 |
Kalyana Karnataka (KK) Cadre Vacancy 2026
| Category | Vacancies |
| General Merit | 15 |
| Category-1 | 2 |
| Category-2A | 5 |
| Category-2B | 1 |
| Category-3A | 1 |
| Category-3B | 1 |
| SC- A | 2 |
| SC- B | 2 |
| SC- C | 1 |
| ST | 1 |
| Total | 31 |
Residual Parent Cadre (RPC) Vacancy 2026
| Category | Vacancies |
| General Merit | 108 |
| Category-1 | 9 |
| Category-2A | 32 |
| Category-2B | 9 |
| Category-3A | 8 |
| Category-3B | 10 |
| SC- A | 12 |
| SC- B | 11 |
| SC- C | 10 |
| ST | 7 |
| Total | 216 |
KEA Principal Eligibility Criteria 2026
- Be working in the Lecturer cadre of Government Pre-University Colleges under the School Education Department (Pre-University), Karnataka.
- Have completed the prescribed probationary period satisfactorily.
- Have completed at least 10 years of service in the Lecturer cadre.
- Fulfil all other service conditions prescribed under the applicable Karnataka Government rules.
- Possess the required qualification and service status on or before the prescribed last date for submission of the application.
- There is no age limit specified by the officials.
KEA Principal Application Fee 2026
The fee must be paid online only, and once paid, it will not be refunded under any circumstances.
| Category | Fee |
| General Merit and other categories (2A / 2B / 3A / 3B) | Rs. 1,500/- |
| SC / ST / Category-1 / Ex-servicemen / Third Gender | Rs. 1,000/- |
| Persons with Disabilities (Special Category) | Rs. 500/- |
KEA Principal Selection Process 2026
KEA will select candidates for the Principal post through a competitive examination conducted in Online (CBT) or Offline (OMR) mode.
- Competitive Examination: Computer-Based Test (CBT) or Offline OMR mode
(i) Paper 1 is the Kannada language paper.
(ii) Papers 2 and 3 are the important papers for the selection/merit process.
KEA Principal Exam Pattern 2026
The KEA Principal Exam 2026 will include 3 papers. Each paper contains 150 objective-type questions, and each paper carries 150 marks. The duration of each paper is 3 hours. The total examination carries 450 marks.
- Paper 1 is the Kannada Language paper.
- Papers 2 and 3 cover the prescribed General Studies/Karnataka-related syllabus.
- Negative Marking: 0.25 mark will be deducted for each wrong answer.
- Paper 1 is qualifying in nature.
| Paper | Subject | Number of Questions | Maximum Marks | Duration |
| Paper 1 | Kannada Language | 150 | 150 | 3 Hours |
| Paper 2 | General Studies | 150 | 150 | 3 Hours |
| Paper 3 | Karnataka-related / General Studies | 150 | 150 | 3 Hours |
| Total | 450 | 450 | 9 Hours | |
KEA Principal Salary 2026
The Principal post carries the following pay scale: Rs. 90,200 – 1,59,200
The revised pay structure, as mentioned in the notification: Rs. 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
The applicable government allowances and service benefits will be provided according to the relevant Karnataka Government rules.
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