The Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) conducts recruitment exams for Groups A, B, C and D posts in the Karnataka state bureaucracy. The Gazetted Probationers Exam is one such exam through which Group A and Group B officers are recruited in the Karnataka Administrative Service (KAS). This article lists down the complete eligibility criteria for the KPSC KAS Exam 2022.

Update on KPSC KAS Exams 2022:

The dates of the KPSC exams from 2022 are yet not released. We will be updating as soon as the fresh KPSC KAS notifications are out. The notification and exam dates for KPSC Exams will be notified on the official website by the commission.

Update on KPSC KAS 2017-18:

• KPSC has released the dates for KAS Gazetted Probationers (Mains) Examination 2017-18. The KAS Mains examination to take place from 13th February 2021 onward.
• The KPSC Exam (Prelims) took place on 24th August 2020. KPSC KAS Results for Prelims have been announced.
• The KAS Admit Card for Gazetted Probationers (Prelims) Exam 2017-18 was released on 17th August 2020. Candidates can fetch important details regarding the KPSC Admit Card in the linked article.

Aspirants should know that KPSC KAS also stands for Kerala Public Service Commission – Kerala Administrative Service. Aspirants looking for information on Kerala Administrative Service may check the links given below:

The KPSC KAS Exam eligibility criteria are:

1. Academic Qualification
2. Age Limit
3. Number of Attempts

Check out the eligibility criteria for the UPSC Civil Services Exam.

For KPSC Gazetted Probationers Exam, the KAS eligibility criteria are relaxed for people belonging to SC/ST/OBC categories. For detailed eligibility, read on.

KPSC KAS Eligibility

While applying online for the KPSC KAS exam 2019-21, candidates have to fill the details carefully and submit the relevant documents for verification. Also, candidates should go through the complete KPSC KAS syllabus.

The different category options in the KAS exam form are:

Academic Qualification Criteria for KPSC KAS Exam

The rules governing the academic eligibility for the Gazetted Probationers exam are:

• Rule 7 – Karnataka Recruitment of Gazetted Probationers (Appointment by Competitive Examination) Rules, 1997
• 8th Amendment, Rules, 2010

According to the rules, candidates can only be eligible for the Gazetted Probationers Exam (KPSC KAS) if:

1. They have a Bachelor’s degree awarded by a University established by law in India
2. Or a Master’s degree from a recognised University
3. Or possess an equivalent qualification

Aspirants currently pursuing their last year of Graduation are also eligible for the KPSC KAS Prelims exam but they will have to submit proof of passing/completion before they are allowed to take the Main exam.

For medical background aspirants:

• If at the time of submission of the KAS Main exam application, they have passed the final year exam but not completed their internship, then they can be provisionally admitted to the exam.
• However, in such cases, they have to submit along with their online application for the Gazetted Probationers (Main) exam, a certificate copy from the concerned University/Institution stating that they have passed the final professional medical exam.
• Also, the candidates will have to submit the original degree at the time of Interview or a certificate from the concerned competent authority stating that they have completed all the requirements (including the internship) for the degree to be awarded.

KPSC does not consider the marks/GPA/percentage or the graduation stream.

Prepare for the Gazetted Probationers Examination with KPSC KAS Exam Previous Years’ Question Papers.

KPSC KAS Exam Age Limit

Candidates should be at least 21 years old as on the last date for the submission of the application or any such date specifically notified by KPSC.

The maximum age of candidates cannot exceed 35 years for General Merit candidates. However, the relaxation in age limit for KPSC Gazetted Probationers exam is as follows:

Number of Attempts in KPSC KAS Exam

• For General Merit candidates in the Gazetted Probationers exam, a maximum of 5 attempts is allowed.
• For OBC candidates, they are eligible for two additional attempts, thus making their total allowed attempts 7.
• For SC/ST/Cat-1 candidates, an unlimited number of attempts are allowed in the KPSC KAS exam provided they meet the age limit criteria.

The official KPSC recruitment notification states that if particular posts are notified with physical fitness criteria then no candidate shall be eligible for the posts even after clearing all the stages of the Gazetted Probationers Exam unless he/she meets the prescribed physical standards.

Important Information regarding KAS eligibility:

The recruitment rules clearly define and prohibit misconduct in the KPSC Gazetted Probationers exam process.

The commission has the power and authority to:

• Disqualify the candidate for the particular exam
• Debar the candidate for a specified period from admission or selection
• Debar permanently from employment in the state Civil Services

The candidates will be liable for criminal prosecution and/or disciplinary action if they are found guilty of:

1. Impersonation
2. Submitting fake/tampered documents
3. Making incorrect/false statements
4. Suppressing material information
5. Using or attempting to use unfair means in the recruitment exam process
6. Misbehaving in the exam hall

Once you have understood the KAS eligibility criteria, learn about the exam pattern of the examination, how to prepare for the Gazetted Probationers Exam from the linked articles below: