KEA VAO Recruitment 2026 for 572 Posts, Apply Online Last Day Today

Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) has invited applications from candidates who wish to apply for 572 Village Administrative Officer (VAO)/Village Accountant (Grama Aadalitha Adhikari) posts under the Karnataka Revenue Department. Those who are keen on applying for KEA Recruitment 2026 must apply on or before 30th July 2026. Candidates must hurry up, as this is their last chance to apply for the exam.

Karnataka VAO Notification 2026 Out

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

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.

VAO Recruitment 2026 Karnataka- Important Dates

Candidates should be aware of the important dates to avoid missing any deadlines. KEA Village Administrative Officer apply online last date is 30th July 2026, and the last date to pay the fee is 31st July 2026. 

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

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.

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.

KEA VAO Online Form 2026 Link

Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) is going to close the application window for KEA VAO Recruitment 2026 tomorrow, 30th July 2026. To avoid last-minute technical glitches, candidates are advised to complete the application form as soon as possible. The direct link to apply online is also shared here.

KEA VAO Apply Online 2026 Link (Active)- Click to Apply

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.