Karnataka · Government Exams

Karnataka FDA and SDA

First division assistants and second division assistants are the ministerial staff of every Karnataka department — the degree-level and PUC-level clerical cadres under the Karnataka Civil Services ministerial staff rules of 1978 — and their recruitment is the largest the state runs for graduates and school-leavers. It has changed hands. The Public Service Commission notified 2,400 posts in 2020 and finished those lists in 2025; since 2024 the Karnataka Examinations Authority has recruited the cadres for departments, boards and corporations under the 2021 direct recruitment rules.

The next round is announced but not open. KEA’s note of 31 August 2026 lists 2,421 degree-level and 2,062 PUC-level non-technical posts across the departments — 590 second division assistants for commercial taxes alone, 309 for rural development, 148 first division assistants for rural development, 66 for commercial taxes — for notification in September and examination in November and December 2026. The scheme is settled: a Kannada test of 150 marks that does not count, then two objective papers of 100 marks with a quarter mark off per wrong answer and 35 per cent to qualify.

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Karnataka FDA and SDA · checked 19 September 2026

The dates, vacancies and rules below are read on the conducting body’s own site and rewritten as each notice appears. The guide beneath carries the full pattern, syllabus, cut-offs and free mock tests.

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19September 2026

Checked 19 September 2026

Karnataka FDA and SDA: the facts that matter now

01
Announced 31 August 2026 — 2,421 degree-level and 2,062 PUC-level posts, September notification, November to December examinations; not yet published
Next round
02
FDA ₹44,425 to ₹83,700; SDA ₹34,100 to ₹67,600
Pay, 2024 scale
03
₹750; ₹500 for SC, ST, Category I, ex-servicemen and third-gender candidates; ₹250 for PwD. 18 to 40, 43 or 45 with the 2026 relaxation
Fee and age, KEA 2026
04
KEA for departments, boards and corporations since 2024; KPSC last notified the cadres in 2020
Recruiting bodies

Notification

Karnataka FDA and SDA notification and key dates

Checked 11 September 2026. No first or second division assistant application is open. KEA’s own office round of 19 May 2026 closed on 3 June. KEA’s note of 31 August 2026 announces the multi-department round — 2,421 degree-level posts, of which the first division assistant lines include rural development 148, commercial taxes 66, forest 62 and agriculture 61, and 2,062 PUC-level posts including second division assistants for commercial taxes 590, rural development 309 and forest 70 — with notification in September and examinations in November and December 2026, and Paper 1 and Paper 2 under the 2021 rules. The figures are marked subject to change, and the notifications had not appeared on KEA’s residual or Kalyana Karnataka pages at the date checked. The commission’s notifications page carries nothing for either cadre after 2020.

Recent and pending rounds.
Round	Posts	Applications	Position at 11 September 2026
KEA — departments, boards and corporations	2,421 degree-level and 2,062 PUC-level non-technical, residual and Kalyana Karnataka together	To be notified in September 2026	Announced 31 August; examinations November to December
KEA — its own office	2 FDA, 4 SDA	20 May to 3 June 2026	Closed; under process
KPSC — SDA 2019-20	1,122 residual, 201 Kalyana Karnataka after addendum	3 March to 2 April 2020	Final list January 2023; second additional list of 134 posts, 25 March 2025
KPSC — FDA 2019-20	1,008 residual, 153 Kalyana Karnataka after two addenda	6 February to 6 March 2020	Competitive paper 28 February 2021; additional select list 5 December 2023

Check the recruiting bodies directly

KEA — note of 31 August 2026 on the coming round KEA — various departments 2026, residual cadre KEA — various departments 2026, Kalyana Karnataka KEA — office FDA and SDA notification, 19 May 2026 KPSC notifications

Overview

What Karnataka FDA and SDA is, and who it suits

The 2019-20 cycle was the commission’s last and shows the scale. The first division assistant notifications of 31 January 2020 offered 975 residual-cadre and 137 Kalyana Karnataka posts, raised by two addenda to 1,008 and 153; the second division assistant notifications of 29 February 2020 offered 1,080 and 199, raised to 1,122 and 201. Both were examined in 2021 — the first division assistant Kannada test of January 2021 was cancelled for OMR barcode defects and re-held while the competitive paper of 28 February stood — and both ran through final and additional select lists to December 2023 for FDA and March 2025 for SDA. The commission has notified neither cadre since.

KEA’s scheme, in its own office notification of 19 May 2026 for two first division and four second division assistants, is the one the September round will follow. Paper 1 is general knowledge, 100 questions and 100 marks in two hours; Paper 2 is general Kannada, general English and computer knowledge, 100 questions and 100 marks in two hours; both offline on OMR sheets, both bilingual, with 0.25 deducted per wrong answer and 35 per cent of the total required. Before them, a Kannada language test of 150 marks with 50 to pass, qualifying only, exempt for candidates who studied Kannada as a first or second language at SSLC or in Kannada medium or have passed such a test before.

The same two papers — the commission’s 2021 syllabus documents set the degree-level and below-degree Group C papers at the same shape — general knowledge, then Kannada, English and computer — at degree and PUC standard respectively.
A degree for FDA, PUC for SDA — with the listed equivalents for PUC — CBSE and ICSE class 12, NIOS, a two-year ITI or JOC, or a three-year diploma under the government orders of 2021.
One notification per cadre and department — KEA’s announcement lists posts department by department in the residual and Kalyana Karnataka cadres; the September notifications will carry them separately.
No typing test and no interview — neither the 2019-20 commission scheme nor KEA’s 2026 scheme has either; selection is the percentage of marks in reservation order.

On “KPSC FDA SDA 2025” and similar claims

The commission has not notified first or second division assistants since February 2020. Notifications described as KPSC FDA or SDA rounds of 2025 or 2026 are KEA drives for boards and corporations — and one such claim, of 101 FDA and 77 SDA posts in October 2025, has no official document that could be found. The commission’s Group C page on this site covers its other Group C posts; this page covers the cadres wherever they are notified.

Eligibility

Who can apply for Karnataka FDA and SDA

From KEA’s notification of 19 May 2026, which the September round is expected to follow. Age on the closing date.
Requirement	FDA	SDA
Qualification	A degree from a university established by law	Two-year PUC or an equivalent — CBSE or ICSE class 12, NIOS, a two-year ITI or JOC, or a three-year diploma under the 2021 orders
Age	18 to 40 for the general category, 43 for 2A, 2B, 3A and 3B, 45 for SC, ST and Category I, including the one-time five-year relaxation of 29 January 2026	As FDA
Further relaxation	In-service state employees up to ten years; ex-servicemen service plus three; widows ten; and the other heads the 2020 notifications list	As FDA
Pay	₹44,425 to ₹83,700	₹34,100 to ₹67,600

Fees.
Round	General, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B	SC, ST, Category I and others	PwD
KEA, 2026	₹750 — ₹500 fee and ₹250 processing	₹500 — also ex-servicemen and third-gender candidates	₹250
KPSC, 2020	₹600; ₹300 for the OBC categories; ₹50 ex-servicemen	Exempt	Exempt — plus a ₹35 processing charge for all

The Kannada test and its exemptions

Exempt — Kannada as a first or second language at SSLC or a higher examination; schooling in Kannada medium; a previous pass in the commission’s or KEA’s test. The 2020 notifications added that third-language Kannada at SSLC does not exempt.
Not exempt — 150 marks at SSLC first-language standard with 50 to pass; the papers of a candidate below 50 are not evaluated.
Not counted — the test is a gate, not a score.

Selection process

How Karnataka FDA and SDA selection works

Each stage in order, and what it actually tests.

Stages change between cycles. Confirm the structure in the notification for the cycle you are sitting.
Stage	Format	What it involves
Notification and application	KEA, department by department	Each department’s posts are notified in the residual and Kalyana Karnataka cadres with their own roster. Application and fee through KEA’s recruitment portal, ₹750 or ₹500 or ₹250 by category, within a window of about a fortnight that has been extended in recent rounds.
Kannada language test	150 marks, 50 to pass, not counted	For candidates not exempt — SSLC Kannada as a first or second language, Kannada medium, or a previous pass exempts. KEA holds a common test for several recruitments at once; the August 2026 one was 100 questions at 1.5 marks with no negative marking.
Paper 1 and Paper 2	100 and 100, two hours each, OMR	General knowledge, then general Kannada, general English and computer knowledge. A quarter mark off per wrong answer and for a question with more than one option shaded; 35 per cent of the total to qualify.
Score list and select list	Percentage of marks; no interview	KEA publishes the key, the objections window, and a final score list; the department or board prepares the select list by reservation from it.

Exam pattern

Karnataka FDA and SDA exam pattern and marking

KEA’s scheme under the 2021 rules, from the notification of 19 May 2026.
Paper	Content	Questions and marks	Time	Rule
Kannada language test	SSLC first-language standard	150	—	50 to pass; not counted; exempt as above
Paper 1	General knowledge	100 for 100	2 hours	Objective, OMR, bilingual
Paper 2	General Kannada, general English, computer knowledge	100 for 100	2 hours	Objective, OMR, bilingual
Negative marking	—	—	—	0.25 per wrong answer; more than one option shaded is wrong
Qualifying	—	—	—	35 per cent of the total

The commission’s 2019-20 scheme, for the papers that exist.
Paper	Content	Marks	Time
Paper 1 — compulsory Kannada	Descriptive, SSLC first-language standard; 50 to pass; not counted	150	1½ hours
Paper 2 — general Kannada or general English	Objective; the candidate chose one at application and could not change	100	1½ hours
Paper 3 — general knowledge	Objective	100	1½ hours

What changed between the schemes

The commission’s 2019-20 scheme let a candidate choose Kannada or English for the language paper; KEA’s scheme under the 2021 rules puts both languages and computer knowledge into one paper. No negative-marking clause was found in the 2020 notification pages read; the 2021 scheme deducts a quarter mark. Neither scheme has a typing test or an interview.

Sources

Official notifications and sources

Checked 11 September 2026 against KEA’s office notification of 19 May 2026, its note of 31 August 2026 in English, and its 2026 recruitment pages; the commission’s four 2019-20 notifications, their addenda, the July 2021 corrigendum on the cancelled Kannada test, and the press notes on the 2023 and 2025 additional lists; and the commission’s Group C syllabus documents under the 2021 rules. The 2020 notifications are in non-Unicode Kannada fonts and their figures were read from rendered pages; the SDA residual total is corroborated by the 2025 press note, the Kalyana Karnataka totals rest on single readings.

Official notifications and notes

KEA — office FDA and SDA notification, 19 May 2026 KEA — note of 31 August 2026 KPSC — FDA 2019-20, residual cadre KPSC — FDA 2019-20, Kalyana Karnataka KPSC — FDA second addendum, 15 January 2021 KPSC — FDA corrigendum on the cancelled Kannada test, 24 July 2021 KPSC — FDA additional select list press note, 5 December 2023 KPSC — SDA 2019-20, residual cadre KPSC — SDA 2019-20, Kalyana Karnataka KPSC — SDA addendum, 14 May 2020 KPSC — SDA second additional list press note, 25 March 2025 KPSC — Group C degree-level syllabus, 2021 rules KPSC — Group C below-degree syllabus, 2021 rules

Exam resources

Everything for Karnataka FDA and SDA

Six resource pages, each kept in step with the latest official notification.

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All Karnataka examsEvery exam in this category Previous-year papersPast papers with solutions Current affairsDaily, weekly and monthly Exam updatesNotifications and results

Questions

Karnataka FDA and SDA — FAQs

When is the next Karnataka FDA and SDA recruitment?

KEA announced on 31 August 2026 that notifications for 2,421 degree-level and 2,062 PUC-level non-technical posts across the departments — including hundreds of first and second division assistants — will be issued in September 2026, with examinations in November and December. The notifications had not appeared on KEA’s pages at 11 September, and the figures are marked subject to change.

Does KPSC still recruit FDA and SDA?

Not since 2020. The commission’s last first division assistant notifications were dated 31 January 2020 and its last second division assistant notifications 29 February 2020; their select lists ran to December 2023 and March 2025. Since 2024 KEA has recruited the cadres for departments, boards and corporations, and claims of a KPSC FDA or SDA round in 2025 or 2026 refer to KEA drives.

What is the Karnataka FDA and SDA exam pattern?

Under KEA’s scheme of the 2021 rules: a Kannada language test of 150 marks with 50 to pass, not counted, for candidates not exempt; then Paper 1, general knowledge, and Paper 2, general Kannada, general English and computer knowledge — 100 questions and 100 marks each in two hours, offline on OMR sheets, bilingual — with 0.25 deducted per wrong answer and 35 per cent of the total to qualify. No typing test and no interview.

What is the qualification for FDA and SDA in Karnataka?

A degree from a university established by law for first division assistant; two-year PUC or an equivalent — CBSE or ICSE class 12, NIOS, a two-year ITI or JOC, or a three-year diploma — for second division assistant. Age 18 to 40 for the general category, 43 for 2A, 2B, 3A and 3B and 45 for SC, ST and Category I with the 2026 relaxation, on the closing date.

Is the Kannada test compulsory for FDA and SDA?

Yes, unless exempt — and exemption is broad: Kannada as a first or second language at SSLC or a higher examination, schooling in Kannada medium, or a previous pass in the commission’s or KEA’s test. Third-language Kannada at SSLC does not exempt. For those who sit it, 150 marks at SSLC first-language standard with 50 to pass; the marks are not counted.

What is the fee for Karnataka FDA and SDA?

In KEA’s 2026 notification, ₹750 for the general category and the 2A, 2B, 3A and 3B categories — ₹500 fee and ₹250 processing — ₹500 for SC, ST, Category I, ex-servicemen and third-gender candidates, and ₹250 for PwD. The commission’s 2020 rounds charged ₹600 and ₹300 with a ₹35 processing charge for all.

What is the pay for FDA and SDA in Karnataka?

On the 2024 revised scale, ₹44,425 to ₹83,700 for first division assistant and ₹34,100 to ₹67,600 for second division assistant, as KEA’s 2026 notification states. The 2020 commission notifications carried ₹27,650 to ₹52,650 and ₹21,400 to ₹42,000 on the earlier scale.

Is there negative marking in Karnataka FDA and SDA?

In KEA’s scheme, 0.25 per wrong answer, and a question with more than one option shaded is treated as wrong. No negative-marking clause was found in the commission’s 2020 notification pages read.

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