Rojgar Studies

The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA), Bengaluru, has released two recruitment notifications dated 03.09.2026 on behalf of the Department of School Education (Pre-University Education), Government of Karnataka, to fill 247 posts of Principal in Government Pre-University Colleges. Of these, 31 posts fall under the Kalyana-Karnataka (KK) Local Cadre (Notification No. ED/KEA/29/Recruitment/2026-KK), and 216 posts fall under the Residual Parent Cadre, or RPC (Notification No. ED/KEA/28/Recruitment/2026-RPC). Both notifications share the same pay scale, application window, fee structure, and exam pattern, and are covered together in this article as a single KEA Principal Recruitment 2026 drive.

Quick facts: KEA is recruiting for the post of Principal, Government Pre-University Colleges, across 247 vacancies (31 KK + 216 RPC). Only serving Lecturers in the Department of School Education (Pre-University) with a minimum of 10 years of service and satisfactory completion of probation are eligible to apply – this is not an open recruitment for the general public. Online applications open on 7 September 2026 and close on 4 October 2026 (fee payment permitted till 5 October 2026), through the KEA website. Postings are to Government Pre-University Colleges located across Karnataka, with KK-cadre posts restricted to colleges in the Kalyana-Karnataka region.

• KEA Principal Recruitment 2026 Official Notification (RPC)
• KEA Principal Recruitment 2026 Official Notification (KK)

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KEA Principal Recruitment 2026 Overview

KEA Principal Important Dates

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KEA Principal Vacancy 2026 – Post Details

A total of 247 Principal posts are being filled through this recruitment, split across two cadres. Category-wise vacancy breakups are given below.

Within each vertical category above, horizontal reservations also apply for women, rural candidates, ex-servicemen, Kannada-medium candidates, persons with disabilities, and transgender candidates, as detailed in the official notification’s roster tables.

KEA Principal Eligibility Criteria

KEA Principal Recruitment 2026 is not open to the general public or fresh candidates. Only Lecturers currently working in Government Pre-University Colleges under the School Education Department are eligible, subject to the qualification and service conditions below.

KEA Principal Qualification

• The applicant must be a serving Lecturer in the Lecturer cadre of Government Pre-University Colleges under the School Education Department.
• The applicant must have completed a minimum of 10 years of service in the Lecturer cadre.
• The applicant must have satisfactorily completed the probation period in the Lecturer post.
• The notification specifies that if an applicant participates in the recruitment process without holding the required educational/service qualification, their candidature may be rejected at any stage by the Government, the Department, or the Authority.
• The prescribed qualification must be held as on the last date fixed for submission of applications.

KEA Principal Age Limit

No age limit is prescribed for KEA Principal Recruitment 2026. The notification states that since this recruitment fills vacancies in the Principal post from among serving Lecturers in Government Pre-University Colleges who have completed 10 years of service under the School Education Department, no upper age limit applies.

KEA Principal Salary

Selected candidates will be placed in the revised 2024 Karnataka state pay scale of Rs. 90,200 – Rs. 1,59,200 (90200-2300-99400-2700-115600-3100-134200-3500-155200-4000-159200). Pension benefits for officers appointed as Principal will continue to be governed by the pension rules applicable to their original appointment as Lecturer.

Also Read: Karnataka Teacher Recruitment 2026 – 15,000 Vacancies, Apply Online

KEA Principal Application Fee

The fee must be paid online only, and once paid, it will not be refunded under any circumstances.

KEA Principal Selection Process

Selection is through a competitive examination conducted by KEA, either in Online (CBT) mode or Offline (OMR) mode. The exam consists of three papers.

• A minimum of 50 marks in Paper 1 (Kannada) is required to qualify, but Paper 1 marks are not counted while preparing the merit list – qualifying nature only.
• Only marks scored in Papers 2 and 3 are used to prepare the final merit list.
• Negative marking of 0.25 marks applies for each wrong answer in Papers 2 and 3 (bilingual Kannada/English question papers).
• Shortlisting for document verification is done at 1:2 ratio against vacancies, category-wise, based on Paper 2 & 3 scores.

KEA Principal Reservation Policy

Reservation is provided as per Karnataka Civil Services (General Recruitment) Rules, 1977 and related government orders. Category codes used in the notification are listed below.

Documents Required

• Aadhaar Card
• SSLC certificate or equivalent proof of date of birth
• Service certificate confirming Lecturer appointment, probation completion, and years of service
• Caste certificate (SC/ST/Cat-1/2A/2B/3A/3B) bearing an RD number, where applicable
• Income and caste (creamy-layer) certificate for Category 2A/2B/3A/3B candidates, where applicable
• Rural candidate certificate (Form-2), where applicable
• Kannada-medium study certificate, where applicable
• Ex-servicemen or dependent certificate, where applicable
• Disability certificate (UDID), where applicable
• Third-gender certificate from the District Magistrate, where applicable
• Kalyana-Karnataka local candidate certificate under Article 371(J) (Annexure-A), applicable only for KK-cadre posts
• Recent passport-size photograph (JPEG, 50KB–200KB) and signature (JPEG, 50KB–70KB)

How to Apply for KEA Principal Recruitment 2026

1. Visit the official KEA website: https://cetonline.karnataka.gov.in/kea/
2. Click on the online application link for the relevant Principal Recruitment notification (KK or RPC, as applicable).
3. Register and fill in personal, educational, and service details carefully.
4. Upload the photograph and signature as per the specified format and size.
5. Upload the required certificates and supporting documents.
6. Pay the prescribed application fee online.
7. Verify all entered details before final submission – no correction or modification is allowed after submission.
8. Download and retain a copy of the submitted application and the fee payment receipt.

Also Read: Karnataka SWRT Teacher Recruitment 2026 Notification Out – Apply Online for 140 Social Welfare Residential School Teacher Posts

KEA Principal Important Instructions

• Applications will be accepted only through the online mode; no other method of submission is allowed.
• No changes or corrections are permitted in the application once submitted.
• Candidates must carry a valid original photo ID (PAN card, driving licence, Aadhaar, passport, voter ID, or government employee ID) along with the exam admission ticket to the exam centre.
• Exam centre changes will not be entertained under any circumstances.
• Applications found to have incorrect, insufficient, or false information will be rejected at any stage.
• Providing false information or engaging in fraudulent practices may lead to disqualification and legal/disciplinary action.
• For queries, candidates can call the KEA helpline: 080-23460460 (10:00 AM to 6:00 PM).

KEA Principal Important Links

• Apply Online: Click here
• Official Notification PDF: Click Here (RPC)
• Official Notification PDF: Click Here (KK)
• Official Website: Click here 
• Join Arattai Channel: Click Here
•  Click Here
• : 
• Sarkari Result: Click Here
• : Click Here

Serving Lecturers preparing for this exam can also look at other Karnataka Government Jobs and Bengaluru Government Jobs for related opportunities. Those tracking departmental promotions and service-related notifications may find more School Education Department Jobs and Lecturer Recruitment Jobs useful. Candidates interested in similar leadership-level academic posts can also check other Principal Recruitment Jobs and Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) Recruitment updates.