KEA Principal Recruitment 2026 Announced: Apply Online to 247 Vacancies for Government PU College Lecturers by October 4

• KEA has announced 247 Principal vacancies across Karnataka.
• Applicants must be serving Government PU College Lecturers with at least 10 years of service.
• Online applications are open from September 7 to October 4, 2026.

The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) has announced recruitment for 247 Principal posts in Government Pre-University Colleges under the School Education Department, Karnataka. The vacancies comprise 216 positions under the Residual Parent Cadre (RPC) and 31 under the Kalyana-Karnataka (KK) Local Cadre.

Online applications for KEA Principal Recruitment 2026 will open on September 7 and close on October 4, 2026. Candidates can pay the prescribed application fee until October 5. The recruitment is not open to general candidates and is specifically intended for serving Lecturers in Government Pre-University Colleges who meet the prescribed service requirements.

Selected candidates will be appointed as Principals in the 2024 Revised Karnataka State Pay Scale of ₹90,200–₹1,59,200. Selection will be through a competitive examination comprising Kannada Language, General Studies and a paper covering Karnataka Civil Service Rules, education laws and related subjects.

KEA Principal Recruitment 2026 Notification

The KEA Principal recruitment process covers 247 vacancies across the Residual Parent Cadre and Kalyana-Karnataka Local Cadre. The recruitment notification was released on September 3, 2026, with the online application process scheduled to begin four days later.

KEA Principal Vacancy Details 2026

Of the 247 Principal vacancies, 216 fall under the Residual Parent Cadre and 31 under the Kalyana-Karnataka Local Cadre.

Horizontal reservation provisions also apply for categories including Women, Rural candidates, Ex-Servicemen, Kannada Medium candidates, Persons with Disabilities and Transgender candidates according to the applicable roster.

Kalyana-Karnataka Cadre Vacancies

Residual Parent Cadre Vacancies

Who Can Apply for KEA Principal Posts?

This recruitment is limited to serving Lecturers in Government Pre-University Colleges under the School Education Department of Karnataka.

Candidates must have completed at least 10 years of service in the Lecturer cadre. They must also have satisfactorily completed the prescribed probation period.

The required educational and service qualifications must be held as on October 4, 2026. Candidates outside the specified Government PU College Lecturer cadre are not eligible merely on the basis of possessing academic qualifications.

Age Limit

No separate upper age limit is specified because the recruitment is being conducted from among serving Government Pre-University College Lecturers.

Candidates must, however, satisfy all service eligibility conditions prescribed for appointment as Principal.

KEA Principal Salary

Candidates selected as Principal will receive pay under the 2024 Revised Karnataka State Pay Scale.

Other service and pension conditions will be governed by the applicable Karnataka Government rules and the conditions attached to the candidate’s service.

KEA Principal Selection Process

Selection will be based on a competitive examination consisting of three papers. Paper 1 is a qualifying Kannada Language examination, while Papers 2 and 3 are used for determining merit.

Candidates must obtain at least 50 marks in Paper 1 to qualify.

Marks obtained in Papers 2 and 3 will be considered for preparation of merit. A negative marking provision of 0.25 marks for each incorrect answer applies to Papers 2 and 3.

The examination may be conducted through CBT or OMR mode as prescribed by KEA. The examination date will be announced separately.

Application Fee

The application fee varies according to category.

Candidates must complete the prescribed fee payment by October 5, 2026.

Important Dates

Documents Required

Candidates should keep the documents applicable to their candidature ready during the online application and subsequent recruitment process. These include Aadhaar or another prescribed identification document, SSLC certificate for date-of-birth verification and service records establishing Lecturer appointment, completion of probation and qualifying service.

Applicants claiming reservation may also require the appropriate caste, income and creamy-layer, Rural, Kannada Medium, Ex-Servicemen, disability or Third Gender certificates. Candidates applying under the Kalyana-Karnataka Local Cadre should possess the prescribed local candidate certificate, including Annexure-A where applicable.

A recent photograph and signature will also be required in the format specified by KEA.

How to Apply for KEA Principal Recruitment 2026

Applications for the 247 Principal vacancies are to be submitted online through the Karnataka Examinations Authority.

1. Visit the official KEA website at cetonline.karnataka.gov.in/kea/.
2. Open the Principal Recruitment 2026 section.
3. Select the appropriate application for the Residual Parent Cadre or Kalyana-Karnataka Local Cadre, as applicable.
4. Complete the online registration and enter the required personal and service information.
5. Provide details of Lecturer appointment, qualifying service, probation and reservation status where applicable.
6. Upload the photograph, signature and other documents in the prescribed format.
7. Pay the applicable category-wise application fee through the available payment facility.
8. Review the information carefully before final submission, as corrections after submission are stated to be unavailable.
9. Submit the application by October 4, 2026.
10. Complete fee payment by October 5 and retain the application confirmation for future reference.

Candidates should ensure that all service and reservation information entered in the application can be supported by valid records and certificates.

Application form, details & registration

Serving Lecturers planning to apply should review the relevant KK or RPC recruitment notification before submitting the form, particularly for service eligibility, reservation certificates, examination rules and application instructions.