KEA KSET for Assistant Professor 2026 — Apply by 05 Sep (Karnataka)

KEA KSET for Assistant Professor 2026 is officially out — the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) has released the notification for the Karnataka State Eligibility Test (KSET) 2026 under Notification No. ED/KEA/01/KSET-26/2026-27, opening the qualifying window for postgraduate candidates seeking eligibility to become Assistant Professors at universities, first-grade colleges, and recognised higher education institutions (government, aided, and private) across Karnataka. This is India's state-level equivalent of the national UGC-NET exam, conducted as per Karnataka Government Order No. ED 57 TSS 2025 and UGC-NET Bureau guidelines, and covers 37 distinct subjects spanning Commerce, Kannada, Economics, English, Political Science, History, Sociology, Computer Science, Physical Sciences, Life Sciences, and many other disciplines. Clearing KSET 2026 does not itself confer a teaching appointment — like other State/National Eligibility Tests, it certifies candidates as eligible to subsequently apply when Karnataka universities or colleges advertise actual Assistant Professor vacancies. The examination for KSET 2026 consists of two papers — Paper I testing general teaching and research aptitude along with reasoning and general knowledge, and Paper II testing subject-specific knowledge — both held in a single offline, OMR-based session on exam day, at 11 centres across Karnataka (18 subjects can be attempted at any of the 11 centres, while 19 specialised subjects are held only in Bengaluru). Selection follows a category-wise and subject-wise formula: the number of qualifying slots in each subject is calculated from the proportion of candidates in that category who cleared the minimum qualifying percentage (40% combined for General, 35% for reserved categories) relative to the total available slots for that category. The KEA KSET 2026 online application is available at cetonline.karnataka.gov.in/kea. The last date to apply for KEA KSET Assistant Professor 2026 is 05 September 2026, with fee payment accepted until 06 September 2026. Application fee is ₹750 for General/2A/2B/3A/3B/other-state candidates and ₹500 for SC/ST/PwD candidates, payable strictly online. The KSET 2026 exam is scheduled for 11 October 2026 (10 AM to 1 PM), with hall tickets releasing from 01 October 2026. Candidates must read the complete official notification carefully before applying, since subject selection, once submitted, cannot be changed.

This is a state-level eligibility test, not a direct recruitment — it certifies candidates as eligible for appointment as Assistant Professor in Government, Aided, or Private Universities, First Grade Colleges, and other recognised Higher Education Institutions across Karnataka; it does not fill a fixed number of posts. Candidates must hold a Master's degree or equivalent qualification from a UGC-recognised university/institution, with a minimum of 55% marks for General/2A/2B/3A/3B category and other-state candidates, or 50% marks for SC-A/SC-B/SC-C, ST, Category-I, PwD, and Transgender candidates. Candidates in their final year/semester of a Master's degree may also apply provisionally, but must submit proof of passing with the required percentage within two years of the KSET result declaration, failing which their result stands cancelled. Ph.D. holders who completed their Master's before 19 September 1991 are eligible for a 5% relaxation in the minimum marks requirement. Candidates must appear for KSET in the same subject in which they completed their postgraduate studies, subject to published interdisciplinary-subject equivalence notes, and may appear in only one subject even if they hold more than one PG degree.

No upper age limit is specified for KSET 2026 — candidates of any age who meet the educational qualification requirements are eligible to apply.

• Master's degree or equivalent qualification from a UGC-recognised university/institution, in the same subject the candidate wishes to appear for in KSET
• Minimum 55% marks (General/2A/2B/3A/3B/other-state) or 50% marks (SC-A/SC-B/SC-C/ST/Category-I/PwD/Transgender), without rounding off
• Final-year/final-semester Master's students may apply provisionally, but must submit proof of passing with the required percentage within 2 years of the KSET result declaration
• Ph.D. holders who completed their Master's degree before 19 September 1991 receive a 5% relaxation in the minimum marks requirement
• No upper age limit — candidates of any age meeting the academic criteria may apply
• Candidates domiciled outside Karnataka may apply only under the General category — no reservation benefit applies to out-of-state candidates, even if they belong to a reserved category in their home state
• Candidates holding a postgraduate qualification from a foreign university must obtain an equivalence certificate from the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) before applying
• A candidate may appear for KSET in only one subject per attempt, and the subject choice cannot be changed after submission
• The Karnataka Examinations Authority does NOT verify eligibility at the time of application — verification happens later, at the appointment stage, by the concerned appointing authority

• General / 2A / 2B / 3A / 3B / Other-State candidates: ₹750/-
• SC-A / SC-B / SC-C / ST / PwD candidates: ₹500/-
• Fee is payable online only — no offline mode (Demand Draft, money order, etc.) is accepted. Fee once paid is non-refundable.

Not applicable — KSET is an eligibility test, not a direct appointment. Salary for Assistant Professor posts will be as per the pay scale of the specific university, first-grade college, or higher education institution making the appointment, once a KSET-qualified candidate is selected through a separate recruitment process.

1. Visit the official KEA website at cetonline.karnataka.gov.in/kea
2. Locate and click on the KSET 2026 application link on the homepage
3. Register with your basic personal details to generate your login credentials (application number, email/mobile, and password)
4. Log in and read the complete official notification PDF carefully to confirm your subject eligibility and category before proceeding
5. Fill the online application form with accurate personal, educational, and postgraduate qualification details
6. Upload scanned copies of your photograph and signature as per the specifications published by KEA
7. Upload a valid category certificate if applying under a reserved category (SC/ST/2A/2B/3A/3B/PwD) — applications without this may default to General category consideration
8. Carefully select your KSET subject — this choice is final and cannot be changed after submission
9. Pay the applicable examination fee online (₹750 or ₹500 depending on category) — no offline payment mode is accepted
10. Submit the completed application before 05 September 2026 (fee payable till 06 September 2026) and retain the confirmation for your records