VAO Recruitment 2026 Karnataka Last Date Extended: KEA Notification for 572 Village Accountant Posts

KEA VAO Recruitment 2026: The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) has released the official KEA VAO Recruitment 2026 Notification to fill 572 Village Accountant (VAO) posts under the Revenue Department, Government of Karnataka. The recruitment is officially referred to as Village Accountant Recruitment 2026, Grama Aadalitha Adhikari Recruitment 2026, and Village Administrative Officer (VAO) Recruitment 2026.

According to the official notification, a total of 572 vacancies have been announced, including 505 posts under the General/RPC Cadre across 21 districts and 67 posts reserved for the Kalyana-Karnataka Region under Article 371(J). Candidates who have passed PUC (10+2) or an equivalent qualification from a recognized board are eligible to apply for these prestigious Karnataka Government jobs.

The KEA VAO online application process will be conducted from 11 July 2026 to 07 August 2026. Interested and eligible candidates must submit their applications online through the official KEA portal before the closing date. No offline applications will be accepted.

The Karnataka Examinations Authority has issued two separate notifications, both dated 10 July 2026, for this recruitment drive:

• Notification No. ED/KEA/26/NEV/2026(RPC) – General/RPC Cadre
• Notification No. ED/KEA/27/NEV/2026(KK) – Kalyana-Karnataka Cadre (Article 371(J))

Candidates are strongly advised to read the official KEA VAO Recruitment 2026 Notification carefully before applying. The notification contains complete information regarding eligibility criteria, age limit, educational qualification, category-wise reservation, district-wise vacancies, examination pattern, selection process, application fee, important dates, and online application procedure.

KEA VAO Vacancy Details 2026

The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) has released the KEA VAO Recruitment 2026 Notification for 572 Village Accountant (VAO) posts in the Karnataka Revenue Department. The vacancies are distributed across various districts under the General/RPC Cadre and Kalyana Karnataka Cadre (Article 371J). Candidates should carefully check the district-wise vacancy details before submitting the online application, as they are allowed to apply for only one district.

KEA VAO Eligibility Criteria 2026

Candidates applying for the KEA VAO Recruitment 2026 must fulfil all the eligibility conditions prescribed by the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA). Before submitting the online application form, applicants should carefully check the nationality, educational qualification, age limit, and other eligibility requirements. Failure to meet any of the prescribed conditions may result in rejection of the application at any stage of the recruitment process.

KEA VAO Nationality Criteria 2026

To apply for the Karnataka Village Administrative Officer (VAO) Recruitment 2026, candidates must satisfy the following nationality and general eligibility conditions:

• The applicant must be an Indian citizen.
• A man having more than one living wife, or a woman who has married a man having another living wife, is not eligible for appointment unless prior permission has been granted by the Government.
• Candidates must be mentally and physically fit to perform the duties of the Village Administrative Officer post.

KEA VAO Educational Qualification 2026

Candidates applying for the Village Administrative Officer (VAO) / Village Accountant post must have passed Pre-University Course (PUC/Class 12) or possess an equivalent qualification recognised by the Government of Karnataka.

The following qualifications are accepted as equivalent to PUC:

• Class 12 (Higher Secondary) examination conducted by CBSE.
• Class 12 examination conducted by ICSE.
• Class 12 examination conducted by any recognised State Pre-University Education Board.
• Advanced Vocational Courses or NSDC-affiliated courses completed through the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS).
• Candidates who have completed a two-year ITI (Industrial Training Institute) course are also eligible, provided they have passed one language subject and one general subject at the pre-degree level examination.
• Candidates who completed a three-year Diploma from a Technical Education Department institution before 2015 must have passed the Kannada language subject in an SSLC-level examination.
• Candidates possessing qualifications higher than PUC, such as Graduation, Post Graduation, Engineering, or equivalent degrees, are also eligible, provided they fulfil all other eligibility conditions mentioned in the notification.

Note: Candidates should possess the required educational qualification on or before the last date of submission of the online application.

KEA VAO Age Limit 2026

The minimum age required for KEA VAO Recruitment 2026 is 18 years as on the closing date of the online application. The maximum age limit varies according to the candidate’s category and includes the 5-year age relaxation granted by the Karnataka Government through the Government Order dated 29 January 2026.

Physical Fitness

Applicants must be medically fit and capable of performing the duties assigned to a Village Accountant. Candidates may be required to produce a medical fitness certificate at the time of appointment.

KEA VAO Selection Process 2026

The KEA Village Accountant (VAO) Selection Process 2026 is designed to recruit eligible candidates through a transparent and merit-based procedure. Candidates must qualify each stage of the recruitment process to secure appointment as a Village Accountant (Grama Aadalitha Adhikari) in Karnataka.

The selection process consists of the following stages:

1. Written Examination

All eligible applicants will be required to appear for a competitive written examination conducted by the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA). The examination will assess candidates on subjects such as:

• General Knowledge
• General Kannada
• General English
• Computer Knowledge
• Mental Ability & Reasoning
• Current Affairs
• Rural Development and Karnataka State-related topics

Candidates who obtain the required qualifying marks will be shortlisted for the next stage.

2. Document Verification

Candidates shortlisted based on their written examination performance will be called for Document Verification (DV). During this stage, candidates must produce original documents, including:

• SSLC/10th Certificate (Age Proof)
• PUC/12th or Equivalent Qualification Certificate
• Caste Certificate (if applicable)
• Income Certificate (where applicable)
• PwBD Certificate (if applicable)
• Ex-Serviceman Certificate (if applicable)
• Identity Proof
• Recent Passport-size Photographs
• Any other documents specified in the official notification

Failure to produce valid documents may lead to cancellation of candidature.

3. Final Merit List

The KEA VAO Final Merit List 2026 will be prepared based on candidates’ performance in the written examination and successful verification of documents. Appointment will be offered according to:

• Written Examination Marks
• Reservation Rules
• Category-wise Merit
• Availability of Vacancies
• Successful Document Verification

Candidates whose names appear in the final merit list will receive appointment orders for the post of Village Accountant (VAO).

KEA VAO Marking Scheme 2026

Candidates should be aware of the marking scheme before appearing for the examination.

• Correct Answer : +1 Mark
• Incorrect Answer : -0.25 Mark
• Unanswered Question : No Negative Marking
• Total Marks : 200
• Question Type : Objective Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

Since there is negative marking, candidates should avoid random guessing and answer only those questions they are reasonably confident about.

KEA VAO Syllabus Overview 2026

Paper 1 – General Knowledge

Questions will be asked from the following topics:

• Current Affairs (National & International)
• General Science
• Indian Constitution
• Indian History
• Karnataka History
• Indian Geography
• Karnataka Geography
• Panchayat Raj System
• Rural Cooperative Institutions
• Karnataka Regional Issues
• Economic & Social Development of Karnataka

Paper 2 – Language & Computer Knowledge

This paper evaluates candidates’ language proficiency and basic computer awareness through topics such as:

• General Kannada
• General English
• Grammar
• Vocabulary
• Reading Comprehension
• Basic Computer Fundamentals
• MS Office
• Internet & Digital Literacy
• Computer Applications

KEA VAO Exam Preparation Tips

To score well in the KEA VAO Recruitment 2026 Exam, candidates should:

• Study the latest KEA VAO Syllabus 2026 thoroughly.
• Focus on Karnataka GK, Current Affairs, and Panchayat Raj topics.
• Strengthen General Kannada and English grammar.
• Revise basic Computer Knowledge regularly.
• Solve previous year question papers and mock tests.
• Practice time management to complete both papers within the allotted time.
• Avoid unnecessary guesses due to the 0.25 negative marking.

How to Apply for KEA VAO Recruitment 2026?

Candidates who meet the prescribed eligibility criteria can apply online for the KEA VAO Recruitment 2026 through the official Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) website. Applications are accepted only in online mode, and candidates should complete the registration process before the last date to avoid technical issues.

Follow the step-by-step guide below to successfully submit the KEA Village Accountant (VAO) Online Application Form 2026.

• Steps to Apply Online for KEA VAO Recruitment 2026
• Visit the official Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) recruitment portal.
• Click on the “KEA VAO Recruitment 2026 – Apply Online” link available on the homepage.
• Complete the new candidate registration by entering your basic details such as name, mobile number, email ID, Aadhaar/identification details, and date of birth.
• Log in using the registration credentials generated during the registration process.
• Fill out the KEA VAO Online Application Form 2026 with your personal, educational, communication, and category details carefully.
• Upload the required documents, including :
• Recent passport-size photograph
• Signature
• Educational qualification certificates
• Caste/Category certificate (if applicable)
• PwBD/Ex-Serviceman certificate (if applicable)
• Any other documents specified in the official notification
• Verify all the information entered in the application form before proceeding to payment.
• Pay the prescribed application fee through the online payment gateway using Debit Card, Credit Card, Net Banking, or UPI.
• Submit the application form after successful fee payment.
• Download and print the submitted application form and fee payment receipt for future reference.

Documents Required for KEA VAO Online Application 2026

Before starting the application process, candidates should keep the following documents ready:

• SSLC/10th Certificate (Age Proof)
• PUC/12th or Equivalent Qualification Certificate
• Recent Passport-size Photograph
• Scanned Signature
• Aadhaar Card or Valid Photo ID
• Caste Certificate (if applicable)
• Income Certificate (if applicable)
• PwBD Certificate (if applicable)
• Ex-Serviceman Certificate (if applicable)
• Valid Mobile Number and Email ID