KEA VAO Exam Date 2026 Out for 572 Posts, Check Official Exam Schedule

Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) aims to fill a total of 572 vacancies for Village Administrative Officer (VAO)/Village Accountant (Grama Aadalitha Adhikari) posts under the Karnataka Revenue Department. The Karnataka VAO OMR-based written test for Village Administrative Officer is scheduled for 4 and 25 October 2026 in two shifts each day. Check complete exam details in the article.

KEA VAO Recruitment 2026: Summary

The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) has initiated the KEA VAO Recruitment 2026 to recruit eligible candidates for 572 Village Administrative Officer vacancies in the Karnataka Revenue Department. The selection process is based on the Kannada Language Test and Competitive Written Examination.

What is KEA VAO Exam Date 2026?

Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) has announced the KEA VAO Exam Date 2026 along with its notification PDF. The written exam for General/RPC Cadre will be conducted on 4th October 2026, and the exam for Kalyana Karnataka (KK) Cadre is scheduled for 25th October 2026. The Kannada Language Test will be held on a separate date, which will be notified by KEA later.

KEA VAO Answer Key 2026- Click to Download

VAO Recruitment 2026 Karnataka- Important Dates

Check important dates from the table below.

Note: Candidates should note that the two cadres have separate exam dates

Karnataka VAO Notification 2026

The official notification PDFs for both the cadres are available on the KEA portal, and the same is shared below. Before applying for the post, candidates should go through the entire notification to check the eligibility, reservation rules, and district preference options.

KEA VAO (General / RPC Cadre) Notification PDF- Click to Download

KEA VAO (Kalyana-Karnataka Cadre) Notification PDF- Click to Download

VAO Vacancy 2026 Karnataka

Through the KEA VAO Recruitment 2026, the Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) aims to fill 572 vacancies for Village Administrative Officer (VAO) posts for RPC Cadre and Kalyana Cadre in different districts under the Karnataka Revenue Department. The district-wise vacancy details have been tabulated below in the table. 

• Residual Parent Cadre (RPC / Non-KK) – 505
• Kalyana Karnataka Cadre (Article 371-J) – 67

General / RPC Cadre – District-wise Vacancies

Kalyana-Karnataka Cadre – District-wise Vacancies

What is Karnataka VAO Eligibility Criteria?

Only those candidates who fulfill the eligibility criteria in terms of educational qualification and age limit are eligible to apply online for the Karnataka VAO Exam.

Educational Qualification

Candidates must have passed PUC (10+2) or a qualification recognised as equivalent by the Government of Karnataka

For General/RPC 

• CBSE/ICSE Class 12
• Other State Board Class 12
• NIOS Senior Secondary/HSC
• 2-year ITI + 1 language + 1 subject (NIOS or PUC Board)
• GOC courses (competitive exams only)
• 3-year Diploma (direct recruitment/compassionate appointment only)

For Kalyana Karnataka

• CBSE/ICSE, State Boards, NIOS, ITI + NIOS, GOC, 3-year Diploma

Age Limit (As on 30/7/2026)

To apply online for the KEA Village Administrative Officer Recruitment 2026, candidates’ minimum age should be 18 years as on 30th July 2026.

Note- Candidates can apply for only one district within their applicable cadre. Vacancy figures may be revised by district/revenue authorities before finalisation, so check for corrigenda before submitting.

Karnataka VAO Application Fee 2026

While submitting the application forms, candidates are required to pay the application fee as indicated in the notification PDF. The category-wise application fee is given in the table.

How to Apply for Karnataka Village Administrative Officer (VAO) Recruitment 2026?

Candidates can apply online for the KEA VAO Recruitment 2026 by following these simple steps:

1. Visit the official Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) website.
2. Click on the KEA VAO Recruitment 2026 Apply Online link.
3. Register using a valid email ID and mobile number.
4. Log in with the generated credentials.
5. Fill in the application form with the required personal and educational details.
6. Upload the necessary documents, passport-size photograph, and signature.
7. Pay the application fee through the available online payment modes.
8. Review the application form and submit it.
9. Download and print the submitted application form for future reference.

What is KEA VAO Selection Process 2026

To recruit eligible candidates for Village Administrative Officer (VAO) posts, a Compulsory Kannada Language Test will be conducted, and a Competitive Examination will be conducted through an offline OMR-based method. Candidates who clear the written examination will be called to appear for the certificate verification process.

• Stage 1: Written Competitive Examination (Offline, OMR-based) — two papers of 100 marks each, 100 objective-type questions per paper, 2 hours per paper, with 0.25 marks negative marking per incorrect answer.
• Stage 2: Kannada Language Test (compulsory, qualifying in nature; date to be notified)
• Stage 3: Certificate/Document Verification

Karnataka VAO Exam Pattern & Structure

Compulsory Kannada Language Test

The Compulsory Kannada Language Test will be conducted for a total of 150 marks. The test will be qualifying in the nature (not counted in merit) and the minimum Qualifying marks will be 50. (Marks obtained in the compulsory Kannada language test will not be considered for the selection of posts.)

OMR-Based Written Examination

The written examination consists of two papers, each carrying 100 marks, and the time duration for each paper is 2 hours. There will be a negative marking of 0.25 marks for every wrong answer.

Paper – 1

• Marks 100
• Duration 2 Hours
• Topics Asked in Exam
  (a) General knowledge topics related to current events.
  (b) Matters of day-to-day understanding
  (c) Matters of a broad view of the Constitution of India.
  (d) History of India with special reference to Karnataka.
  (e) Geography of India in relation to Karnataka.
  (f) Matters relating to State and Territorial Administration.
  (g) Matters relating to the development of the economy of Karnataka, including initiatives related to Rural Development, Panchayat Raj Institutions, and Rural Co-operative Societies.
  (h) Matters relating to environmental issues and the development of Karnataka.

Paper – 2

• Marks 100
• Duration 2 Hours
• Topics Asked in Exam
  (a) General Kannada
  (b) General English
  (c) Computer Knowledge

KEA VAO Syllabus and Exam Pattern 2026- Click to Check

KEA VAO Salary Structure

Selected candidates for Village Administrative Officer (VAO) posts will be provided a basic pay of Rs. Rs. 34,100 – Rs. 67,600 and other admissible allowances and perks as mentioned in the notification PDF.