Karnataka KSLSA Section Officer Recruitment 2026

Age Limit & Eligibility

How to Apply

1. Visit the Karnataka Examinations Authority website: cetonline.karnataka.gov.in/kea/indexnew.
2. Read all instructions in the notification carefully before starting the online application.
3. Fill in the required details, including Aadhaar number, SSLC/10th registration number and LL.B marks card details.
4. Enter caste, income and applicable reservation details (rural, PwBD, or Kalyana Karnataka Region Article 371-J eligibility, as applicable).
5. Upload a recent passport-size photograph (white background, 5cm x 3.5cm, 50KB-200KB) and signature (black ball-point pen on white paper, 2.5cm x 7.5cm, 25KB-50KB) in JPG format.
6. Provide a valid postal address, mobile number and email ID for correspondence.
7. Pay the prescribed application fee online through UPI, Net Banking or Debit Card.
8. Preview the filled form for accuracy, then submit it - the application cannot be edited after final submission.
9. Take a printout of the submitted application and note the application number for future reference and admit card generation.
10. If multiple applications are submitted, only the last one filed will be treated as valid; earlier ones are automatically rejected.

Selection Process

• Stage 1: Competitive Examination - Paper-I (General Knowledge) and Paper-II (Law/Legal subjects), both offline, OMR-based, conducted only at the Bengaluru centre.
• Stage 2: Interview (Viva-Voce) for candidates shortlisted from the written exam, in a 1:5 ratio within each reserved category.
• Final selection is based on the combined merit of marks scored in the Competitive Examination and the Interview.

Recruitment Overview

Vacancy Distribution - Residual Parent Cadre (18 Posts)

Vacancy Distribution - Kalyana Karnataka Region (2 Posts)

Horizontal Reservation

Within the 18 Residual Parent Cadre posts, horizontal reservation applies to Women candidates (4 posts), Rural candidates (3 posts) and Persons with Benchmark Disability (1 post, for Blindness and Low Vision, under General Merit). There is no separate reservation for Kannada Medium, Ex-servicemen or Transgender candidates in this cadre as per this notification. The 2 Kalyana Karnataka Region posts are reserved for candidates eligible under Article 371-J of the Constitution, with no additional horizontal reservation notified for this cadre.

Age Limit by Category

Application Fee

Competitive Examination Pattern

Exam Pattern Notes

• The exam is offline, OMR (objective) based, conducted only at the Bengaluru centre.
• Each question has four options; 0.75 marks (1/4th) are deducted for every wrong answer.
• The OMR sheet carries a fifth option for unanswered questions - if not shaded, 0.75 marks are deducted for that question.
• An extra 5 minutes is given after the exam ends to shade the fifth option on unattempted questions.
• Candidates who have not studied Kannada up to SSLC (or an equivalent/higher level) must clear the Kannada Language Departmental Examination conducted by the Karnataka Public Service Commission before completing probation.

Interview Marks

Salary Structure

Selected candidates will be placed on the pay scale of ₹69,250 - 1650 - 74,200 - 1900 - 85,600 - 2300 - 99,400 - 2700 - 1,15,600 - 3100 - 1,34,200, applicable to the post of Section Officer under Karnataka Civil Services norms, with a probation period of 2 years (or such extended period as may apply).

Required Documents

• Aadhaar Card
• SSLC/10th Standard mark sheet and registration number
• LL.B degree/marks card from a recognized University
• Caste Certificate in the prescribed format, where applicable (Form-D for SC/ST, Form-E for Category-I, Form-F for Category-II(A)/II(B)/III(A)/III(B))
• Income and Non-Creamy Layer Certificate, where applicable
• Rural Reservation certificate: Form-2 (countersigned by the Block Education Officer) plus Form-1 (Non-Creamy Layer declaration by Tahsildar) for General Merit candidates claiming rural reservation
• Ex-Servicemen: Discharge/Release Certificate from Armed Forces
• Persons with Benchmark Disability: certificate as prescribed under Official Memorandum No. DPAR 115 SRR 2005 dated 19.11.2005
• Transgender candidates: certificate issued under Section 6 of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019
• Kalyana Karnataka Region (Article 371-J) claimants: eligibility certificate under the Karnataka Public Employment (Reservation in Appointment for Hyderabad Karnataka Region) (Issue of Eligibility Certificate) Rules, 2013, obtained on or before the last date of application
• Valid photo identity proof: Voter ID/Aadhaar Card/PAN Card/Ration Card/Passport/Driving Licence
• No Objection Certificate (NOC) for in-service candidates, submitted after the selection list is issued but before the appointment order
• Two Character Certificates - one from the Head of the Institution where LL.B was completed, and one from a respectable person in society (not a relative) acquainted with the candidate

Important Instructions

• Merely appearing for the Competitive Examination/Interview does not confer any right to appointment.
• Selected candidates will be posted in the office of KSLSA or any District Legal Services Authority in the state.
• Any attempt to influence the selection process will render a candidate ineligible.
• In case of any inconsistency between the Kannada and English versions of the notification, the English version will prevail.
• False information or suppression of material facts at any stage will lead to cancellation of candidature/selection/appointment and possible criminal prosecution.
• Candidates must download their admit card from the Karnataka Examinations Authority website and carry it along with an original photo ID (Driving Licence/Aadhaar Card/PAN Card/Passport/Voter ID) to the exam.
• For clarifications, contact the Karnataka Examinations Authority Helpline: 080-23460460 (9:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M. on working days).

Important Links

Important Questions