Karnataka Administrative Service (KAS) – Eligibility Criteria
The Karnataka Administrative Service (KAS) recruitment is conducted by the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) to select candidates for prestigious Group-A and Group-B Gazetted posts in the Government of Karnataka.
1. Nationality & Language Requirements
Nationality: The candidate must be a citizen of India.
Kannada Language Proficiency:
Candidates must be able to read, write, and speak Kannada fluently.
A compulsory Kannada qualifying paper is part of the Mains examination.
Domicile:
Candidates from any state may apply. However, reservation benefits are applicable only to candidates possessing a valid Karnataka domicile certificate.
2. Educational Qualification
Bachelor’s Degree:
Must possess a Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in any discipline from a university:
Recognized by the UGC, or
Established by law in India.
Final Year Students:
Candidates in the final year of graduation may apply for the Preliminary Examination, but must produce proof of passing the degree before appearing for the Mains Examination.
Medical Graduates:
Candidates who have passed the final medical examination but are yet to complete their internship may apply provisionally for Mains, provided they submit proof of completion of the degree before the Interview/Personality Test.
3. Age Limit
(As per notification date; subject to official notification changes)
Minimum Age: 21 years
Maximum Age Limits (Category-wise)
Category Maximum Age
General Merit (GM) 35 years (often extended up to 38 in recent notifications)
OBC (2A, 2B, 3A, 3B) 38–41 years
SC / ST / Category-1 40–43 years
Physically Disabled / Widows Up to 45–48 years
Note: Exact upper age limits and relaxations are notified in each recruitment cycle.
4. Number of Attempts
Attempts are counted only when a candidate actually appears for the Preliminary Examination.
Category Number of Attempts
General Merit 5 Attempts
OBC 7 Attempts
SC / ST / Category-1 Unlimited (subject to maximum age limit)
5. Experience Requirements (Stream-Based Recruitment)
KAS recruitment may be conducted under different streams:
Stream-1 (Direct Recruitment):
No prior government service experience required.
Stream-2:
Candidates must be active probationers in a government department.
Stream-3:
Candidates must have successfully completed probation in any cadre.
Important Note
Eligibility conditions, age relaxations, and attempt limits are subject to change based on the official notification issued by the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) for the respective recruitment year.
