KPSC Audit Officer Recruitment 2026 — 15 Posts (Hyderabad-Karnataka Cadre), Apply Online by 26 Sep (Karnataka)

Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC), "Udyoga Soudha", Bengaluru, has released a Recruitment 2026 notification vide Notification No. KPSCKA/EXA2/PRSL/11/2026-EXAM2/252 dated 27 August 2026, for 15 Group 'B' Audit Officer posts under the Hyderabad-Karnataka (Kalyana Karnataka) cadre, with online applications open from 28 August 2026 to 26 September 2026. This KPSC Karnataka government job 2026 is restricted exclusively to candidates who qualify as local candidates of the Hyderabad-Karnataka region under Article 371(J) of the Constitution, holding a Master's degree with Finance as a subject, or membership of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India or Cost Accountants of India. Selected Audit Officers will join the Karnataka State Accounts Inspection and Accounts Department. Candidates need a Master's degree in Commerce, MBA (Finance), or any UGC-notified Master's degree with Finance as a subject, or membership of ICAI or Associate membership of the Institute of Cost Accountants of India, along with the mandatory Hyderabad-Karnataka local-candidate eligibility certificate. The selection process for KPSC Audit Officer Recruitment 2026 is a two-stage competitive examination: a Preliminary Examination (450 marks, objective type, covering General Studies and Commerce & Management) used purely for shortlisting in a 1:20 ratio against notified vacancies, followed by a Main Examination (2,100 marks, descriptive, across 8 papers covering Kannada, English, General Studies, Financial Accounting, Corporate Finance, and Auditing) that determines the final merit. The pay scale is ₹69,250 to ₹1,34,200 per month. The KPSC Audit Officer 2026 online application closes on 26 September 2026, with the Preliminary Examination tentatively scheduled for 29 November 2026. Application fee is ₹600 for General category, ₹300 for Category 2A/2B/3A/3B, and ₹50 for Ex-Servicemen; SC/ST/Category-1/Physically Handicapped candidates are exempted. Age limit is 21 to 40/43/43 years depending on category, reflecting a one-time 5-year relaxation applied to this notification. Candidates must complete One-Time Registration (OTR) on kpsconline.karnataka.gov.in before applying, and must read the complete official KPSC notification before applying to confirm the Hyderabad-Karnataka local-candidate eligibility requirement.

Master's degree in Commerce (M.Com), OR MBA (Finance), OR MBA/M.Com (Financial Management/Financial Analysis), OR any other UGC-notified Master's degree with Finance as one subject, from a University established by law in India; OR a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, OR an Associate member of the Institute of Cost Accountants of India. Must qualify as a local candidate of the Hyderabad-Karnataka region under Article 371(J).

• Minimum 21 years
• Maximum 40 years (General), 43 years (Category 2A/2B/3A/3B), 43 years (SC/ST/Category-1) — includes one-time 5-year relaxation

• Master's degree in Commerce (M.Com), OR MBA (Finance), OR MBA/M.Com (Financial Management/Financial Analysis), OR any other UGC-notified Master's degree with Finance as one subject, from a University established by law in India
• OR a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, OR an Associate member of the Institute of Cost Accountants of India
• Must qualify as a local candidate of the Hyderabad-Karnataka (Kalyana Karnataka) region under Article 371(J) of the Constitution, supported by the prescribed eligibility certificate
• Must be an Indian citizen
• Age Limit: Minimum 21 years; Maximum 40 years (General), 43 years (Category 2A/2B/3A/3B), 43 years (SC/ST/Category-1) — figures already include a one-time 5-year relaxation applied to this notification
• Additional relaxation: Ex-servicemen (service years + up to 3 years), Physically Handicapped (10 years), Widows (10 years, with certificate)
• Selection: Preliminary Examination (450 marks, objective) for shortlisting only, followed by Main Examination (2,100 marks, descriptive) which determines final merit
• 15 posts total: 13 regular + 2 backlog, across General Merit, SC, ST, Category-1/2A/2B/3B, Women, Rural, and PH sub-categories

• General: ₹600
• Category 2A/2B/3A/3B: ₹300
• Ex-Servicemen: ₹50
• SC/ST/Category-1/PH: Nil

• ₹69,250 to ₹1,34,200 per month

1. Visit kpsconline.karnataka.gov.in and click "New Registration" to complete One-Time Registration (OTR), if not already registered
2. Ensure you have a valid, active personal e-mail ID and mobile number for registration and login
3. After registration, complete your candidate profile under "Applicant Details Registration"
4. Log in and go to the "Apply to Post" tab, then click "Apply Post" against the KPSC Audit Officer notification
5. Confirm your eligibility per the criteria in the notification — the system will alert ineligible candidates
6. Upload a recent passport-size photograph (under 200 KB) and signature (under 70 KB), both in JPEG/JPG format
7. Pay the applicable fee via net banking, debit card, credit card, or UPI
8. Confirm the payment and download the application from the "Applied Post" section once the QR code confirms Application Submitted, Payment Done, and Application Accepted
9. Ensure the application is submitted before the last date, 26 September 2026
10. Watch for the Preliminary Examination schedule (tentatively 29 November 2026) via the KPSC website