KEA Kalyana Karnataka Group C Recruitment 2026 - Apply Online for 210 Electrician, Water Supply Operator and More Posts
The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) has released a notification, on behalf of the Directorate of Municipal Administration, to fill Group-C posts in the urban local bodies (Nagara Sthaniya Samsthegalu) of the Kalyana-Karnataka region. A total of 210 vacancies are open across four posts: Water Supply Operator, Electrician Grade-1, Assistant Water Supply Operator, and Electrician Grade-2. Candidates who hold SSLC (or an equivalent qualification) along with the relevant ITI trade certificate and apprenticeship training can apply online through the KEA CET portal from 16.09.2026 to 30.09.2026. Selection will be through a competitive written examination conducted by KEA.
KEA Kalyana Karnataka Recruitment 2026 Overview
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Recruiting Body | Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA), on behalf of the Directorate of Municipal Administration, Government of Karnataka |
| Notification No. | ED/KEA1/46/NEV/2026(KK) |
| Notification Date | 11.09.2026 |
| Posts | Water Supply Operator, Electrician Grade-1, Assistant Water Supply Operator, Electrician Grade-2 |
| Total Vacancies | 210 |
| Job Location | Urban local bodies under the Kalyana-Karnataka region |
| Application Mode | Online only |
| Application Start Date | 16.09.2026 |
| Application Last Date | 30.09.2026 |
| Fee Payment Last Date | 01.10.2026 |
| Selection Process | Competitive written examination (Paper-1 and Paper-2), with a qualifying Kannada language paper where applicable |
| Official Website | cetonline.karnataka.gov.in/kea |
KEA Kalyana Karnataka Recruitment 2026 Important Dates
Candidates should keep track of the following dates while applying for the KEA Kalyana Karnataka Recruitment 2026.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Online application start date | 16.09.2026 |
| Online application last date | 30.09.2026 |
| Last date for fee payment | 01.10.2026 |
| Competitive examination (Paper-1: Kannada Language, and Paper-2) | November 2026 (detailed schedule to be announced later) |
KEA Kalyana Karnataka Recruitment 2026 Vacancy Details
The recruitment covers four Group-C posts with a combined total of 210 vacancies, as shown below.
| S. No. | Post Name | Pay Scale (Rs.) | No. of Posts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Water Supply Operator (Neeru Sarabaraju Operator) | 37,500–76,100 | 80 |
| 2 | Electrician Grade-1 | 37,500–76,100 | 03 |
| 3 | Assistant Water Supply Operator (Sahayaka Neeru Sarabaraju Operator) | 34,100–67,600 | 122 |
| 4 | Electrician Grade-2 | 34,100–67,600 | 05 |
| Total | 210 | ||
The notification clarifies that the number of vacancies and their category-wise breakup are provisional and may be revised by the Directorate of Municipal Administration before the examination; any revision will be communicated separately.
KEA Kalyana Karnataka Recruitment 2026 Eligibility Criteria
- The candidate must be an Indian citizen.
- A candidate who has a living spouse and remarries without obtaining prior permission from the Government is not eligible; similarly, a woman who marries a man who already has a living wife is not eligible for appointment without such permission.
- Candidates must be physically and mentally fit to perform the duties of the post without any impediment. The decision of the medical board conducting the examination for the appointing authority is final in this regard.
- Candidates dismissed for cheating or impersonation in any examination conducted by the Union or Karnataka Public Service Commission, any other State Public Service Commission, KEA, or any university are not eligible.
- Candidates temporarily debarred from any recruitment examination conducted by the Union or Karnataka Public Service Commission, any other State Public Service Commission, KEA, any university, or any employer are considered ineligible for the entire debarment period.
KEA Kalyana Karnataka Recruitment 2026 Educational Qualification
| Post | Qualification Required |
|---|---|
| Water Supply Operator | Passed SSLC or an equivalent examination; AND holds an ITI two-year course certificate in Electrical or Fitter Trade from a Government-recognised Industrial Training Institute resulting in a National Trade Certificate (NTC); AND has completed one year of Apprenticeship Training in any industry resulting in a National Apprenticeship Certificate (NAC). |
| Electrician Grade-1 | Passed SSLC or an equivalent examination; AND has passed a two-year course in Electrical Trade from a Government-recognised Industrial Training Institute resulting in an NTC; AND has completed one year of Apprenticeship Training resulting in an NAC. |
| Assistant Water Supply Operator | Passed SSLC or an equivalent examination; AND has passed a two-year course in Electrical or Fitter Trade from a Government-recognised Industrial Training Institute resulting in an NTC. |
| Electrician Grade-2 | Passed SSLC or an equivalent examination; AND has passed a two-year course in Electrical Trade from a Government-recognised Industrial Training Institute resulting in an NTC. |
As per Government Order No. CI 81 SSNE 2017 dated 27.02.2018, the following are also treated as equivalent to SSLC: the Class 10 examinations conducted by CBSE and ICSE boards; the Class 10 examinations conducted by other State education boards; secondary-level courses of the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS); and secondary-level courses conducted by the Karnataka State Open School Education Board.
Candidates must possess the qualifications and certificates specified above as on the last date of application submission. Candidates awaiting their results, or who do not yet have the required marks card or certificate, must not apply. Original certificates must be produced at the time of document verification; failure to do so will lead to cancellation of candidature.
KEA Kalyana Karnataka Recruitment 2026 Age Limit
As per the Karnataka Civil Services (General Recruitment) Rules, 1977, candidates must be at least 18 years old as on the last date of application submission. As per Government Order No. CI 262 SENE 2026 dated 29.01.2026, a one-time relaxation of 5 years has been given to the maximum age limit for General Merit candidates.
| Category | Maximum Age for Direct Recruitment |
|---|---|
| General Merit | 40 years |
| Category 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B | 43 years |
| SC / ST / Category-1 | 45 years |
Additional age relaxation (over and above the above limits, up to the ceilings specified in the Karnataka Civil Services Rules, 1977) applies to certain categories, including: employees of Karnataka State Government/local authorities/State or Central Act-established institutions and Government undertakings (relaxation equal to years of service, capped at 10 years); ex-servicemen (relaxation equal to service period plus 3 years); full-time National Cadet Corps supervisors (relaxation equal to years served as cadet supervisor); persons working as Gram Samooha Inspectors under a rural employment guarantee scheme (relaxation equal to years of such service); special-incentive category candidates (10 years); employees of the Census organisation of the Government of India in Karnataka (relaxation equal to years of service, capped at 5 years); widows who have not remarried and have no plans to (10 years, subject to a certificate from the competent authority); and retrenched employees eligible for retrenchment compensation under the applicable rules (10 years, subject to verification of a District Magistrate certificate).
KEA Kalyana Karnataka Recruitment 2026 Salary
Selected candidates will be on probation for 2 years from the date of direct appointment. The applicable pay scales are as follows:
- Water Supply Operator and Electrician Grade-1: Rs. 37,500-900-39,300-1,000-43,300-1,125-47,800-1,250-52,800-1,375-58,300-1,500-64,300-1,650-74,200-1,900-76,100
- Assistant Water Supply Operator and Electrician Grade-2: Rs. 34,100-800-35,700-900-39,300-1,000-43,300-1,125-47,800-1,250-52,800-1,375-58,300-1,500-64,300-1,650-67,600
The National Pension Scheme (NPS) is applicable to all four posts.
KEA Kalyana Karnataka Recruitment 2026 Application Fee
The application fee must be paid online only and is non-refundable.
| Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| General Merit and other categories (Category-1 / 2A / 2B / 3A / 3B) | Rs. 750/- |
| SC / ST / Category-1 / Ex-servicemen / Third Gender | Rs. 500/- |
| Special-incentive category candidates | Rs. 250/- |
Candidates are advised to verify the applicable fee carefully based on their educational qualification, experience, age, and other eligibility criteria before making payment, as the fee once paid will not be refunded.
KEA Kalyana Karnataka Recruitment 2026 Selection Process
Selection will be made through a competitive written examination consisting of two papers.
| Paper | Subject | Total Questions | Maximum Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper-1 | General Knowledge (current affairs, everyday science, outline of the Indian Constitution, history of Karnataka with special reference to Indian history, geography of India with special reference to Karnataka, national and international current affairs, Panchayat Raj institutions and rural development, Karnataka's economic development, and Karnataka's environmental issues) | 100 | 100 | 2 hours |
| Paper-2 | Post-specific subject paper (subject-wise schedule to be published separately) | 100 | 100 | 2 hours |
The minimum qualifying marks in the competitive examination for General Merit candidates is 35%. Each wrong answer carries a negative mark of 0.25 (one-fourth of a mark); marking more than one answer for a question is treated as a wrong answer, while an unanswered question does not attract any deduction.
Candidates who have studied Kannada as a first or second language up to SSLC or a higher level, or through a degree/diploma course, or who have already passed a Kannada language test conducted by any competent authority, are exempt from a separate Kannada Language Test. Other candidates must additionally clear a compulsory, qualifying-only Kannada Language Paper of 150 marks, with a minimum qualifying score of 50 marks; this paper is not counted towards the merit ranking.
The examination will be conducted in Online (CBT) or Offline OMR mode; the mode and examination centres will be announced later on the KEA website.
KEA Kalyana Karnataka Recruitment 2026 Required Documents
Candidates should keep the following documents ready while filling the online application:
- Aadhaar Card
- SSLC or equivalent qualification marks card/certificate, and the marks cards/certificates for the required ITI/NTC/NAC qualification, valid as on the last date of application submission
- Document showing date of birth (SSLC marks card or school transfer certificate, or an extract of the birth register)
- Certificate of discharge from military service and pension/gratuity-related certificate, for ex-servicemen; or a permanent disability certificate for dependents of ex-servicemen, where such relaxation is claimed
- Caste certificate for Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, Category-1, 2A, 2B, 3A, or 3B candidates, in the prescribed format, where such reservation is claimed
- Rural candidature certificate, in the prescribed format, where such reservation is claimed
- Certificate of having studied through Kannada medium, where such reservation is claimed
- Third-gender certificate issued by the District Magistrate, where such reservation is claimed
- Recent passport-size photograph in JPEG format with a white background (file size 50KB–200KB) and scanned signature in JPEG format (file size 50KB–70KB)
How to Apply for KEA Kalyana Karnataka Recruitment 2026
- Visit the official KEA website: https://cetonline.karnataka.gov.in/kea/
- Locate the link for this recruitment and open the online application form.
- Read all the instructions in the notification carefully before filling the form.
- Fill in the application form correctly. Note that no changes or corrections to the submitted application details will be allowed at any stage.
- Choose only one post to apply for.
- Upload the required photograph and signature as per the specified format and file size.
- Pay the applicable application fee online before 01.10.2026.
- Download and take a printout of the submitted application and fee payment receipt for future reference.
KEA Kalyana Karnataka Recruitment 2026 Important Instructions
- Applications can be submitted online only; no other mode of application will be accepted.
- No corrections or modifications will be permitted in the application once submitted.
- Candidates should complete the application and fee payment well within the stipulated time; the authority is not responsible for any technical issues or delays at the last minute.
- Furnishing incorrect information at any stage can lead to cancellation of candidature and further departmental or legal action as applicable.
- The mobile number and email ID furnished in the application will be treated as final; all communication will be sent to these details, and no request for change will be entertained later.
- Candidates should regularly check the KEA website for updates, admission tickets, exam centre details, and any changes to the notification.
- For more information, candidates can call the helpline number 080-23460460 (10:00 AM to 6:00 PM).
- Candidates are cautioned against fake agents, middlemen, or anyone demanding money or documents in exchange for a promise of selection; the recruitment process is conducted purely on merit through the competitive examination.
KEA Kalyana Karnataka Recruitment 2026 Important Links
- Apply Online: Click here
- Official Notification PDF: Click here
- Official Website: Click here
Frequently Asked Questions
What is KEA Kalyana Karnataka Recruitment 2026?
It is a recruitment drive by the Karnataka Examinations Authority, on behalf of the Directorate of Municipal Administration, to fill 210 Group-C posts of Water Supply Operator, Electrician Grade-1, Assistant Water Supply Operator, and Electrician Grade-2 in the urban local bodies of the Kalyana-Karnataka region.
How many vacancies are available?
A total of 210 vacancies are available across the four posts, subject to any revision by the Directorate of Municipal Administration.
What is the last date to apply?
The online application can be submitted up to 30.09.2026, and the fee must be paid by 01.10.2026.
What is the educational qualification required?
Candidates need SSLC or an equivalent qualification along with an ITI certificate in the relevant trade (Electrical or Fitter), and for the Water Supply Operator and Electrician Grade-1 posts, an additional one year of Apprenticeship Training resulting in an NAC.
What is the age limit?
The minimum age is 18 years. The maximum age is 40 years for General Merit, 43 years for Category 2A/2B/3A/3B, and 45 years for SC/ST/Category-1 candidates, as on the last date of application, with additional relaxations available for specific categories as detailed in the notification.
What is the application fee?
The fee is Rs. 750/- for General Merit and other categories, Rs. 500/- for SC/ST/Category-1/Ex-servicemen/Third Gender candidates, and Rs. 250/- for special-incentive category candidates.
How can I apply online?
Candidates can apply through the official KEA website at cetonline.karnataka.gov.in/kea before the last date.
What is the selection process?
Selection is through a competitive written examination comprising a General Knowledge paper (Paper-1) and a post-specific subject paper (Paper-2), along with a qualifying Kannada Language Test for candidates who have not already met the Kannada-language exemption criteria.
What is the salary for these posts?
The pay scale is Rs. 37,500–76,100 for Water Supply Operator and Electrician Grade-1, and Rs. 34,100–67,600 for Assistant Water Supply Operator and Electrician Grade-2, with National Pension Scheme benefits applicable.