KSHD Assistant Horticulture Officer & Director Recruitment 2026 — 85 Posts, Apply by 30 Aug (Karnataka)

Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA), on behalf of the Karnataka State Horticulture Department (KSHD), has released Assistant Horticulture Officer & Assistant Horticulture Director Recruitment 2026 for 85 posts — 80 under the general Regular/State cadre notification and 5 reserved for the Kalyana-Karnataka region under Article 371(J). This is a Karnataka Sarkari Naukri 2026 opportunity for horticulture graduates and postgraduates. Candidates aged 18 to 40 years (General Merit, with relaxation for reserved categories) holding a Horticulture degree from an ICAR-accredited university are eligible to apply. Selected Assistant Horticulture Officers and Directors will work under the Karnataka State Horticulture Department, supporting horticultural development, farmer outreach and departmental administration across the state. The selection process for KSHD Recruitment 2026 consists of a competitive written exam (Paper-I General Knowledge and Paper-II Horticulture subject paper), followed by a qualifying Kannada language test for candidates who have not studied Kannada up to SSLC level. The salary ranges from ₹65,950 to ₹1,34,200 per month under the Karnataka state pay scale, depending on post, plus DA, HRA and other allowances. The KSHD Recruitment 2026 online application is available at cetonline.karnataka.gov.in/kea. The application window is open from 05 August to 30 August 2026, with fee payment accepted until 31 August 2026. Application fee is ₹750 for General Merit/2A/2B/3A/3B, ₹500 for SC/ST/Category-1/Ex-Servicemen/Third Gender, and ₹250 for PWD candidates. Candidates must read the complete official KSHD notification PDF before applying, as no correction is allowed after final submission.

• Assistant Horticulture Officer: Graduate degree in Horticulture from a University established by law in India and accredited by ICAR
• Assistant Horticulture Director: Post Graduate degree in Horticulture along with a B.Sc. in Horticulture from a University established by law in India and accredited by ICAR

• Minimum 18 years as on last date of application
• General Merit: Maximum 40 years
• Category 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B: Maximum 43 years
• SC/ST/Category-1: Maximum 45 years
• Additional relaxation up to 10 years for widows, ex-servicemen, government employees and specified categories

• Assistant Horticulture Officer: Graduate in Horticulture from an ICAR-accredited university
• Assistant Horticulture Director: Post Graduate in Horticulture plus B.Sc. in Horticulture from an ICAR-accredited university
• Age 18 to 40 years (General Merit), up to 45 years for SC/ST/Category-1, with further relaxation for specified categories
• Kalyana-Karnataka local candidates must submit eligibility certificate under Article 371(J) for the 5 reserved posts

• General Merit/2A/2B/3A/3B: ₹750 (₹500 application fee + ₹250 processing fee)
• SC/ST/Category-1/Ex-Servicemen/Third Gender: ₹500 (₹250 application fee + ₹250 processing fee)
• Persons with Disabilities: ₹250 (processing fee only)

• Assistant Horticulture Officer: ₹65,950 – ₹1,24,900 (state pay scale)
• Assistant Horticulture Director: ₹69,250 – ₹1,34,200 (state pay scale)
• Plus DA, HRA and other Karnataka Government allowances

1. Visit cetonline.karnataka.gov.in/kea — official website of the Karnataka Examination Authority
2. Locate the link for KSHD Assistant Horticulture Officer/Director Recruitment 2026
3. Register and fill in the online application form carefully, as no correction is allowed after submission
4. Upload a recent passport-size photograph (JPEG, white background, 50KB-200KB) and scanned signature (JPEG, 50KB-70KB)
5. Pay the applicable application fee through the online payment gateway
6. Download the fee payment challan/receipt and keep a printout
7. Submit the application before 30 August 2026 (fee payment by 31 August 2026)
8. Review all category and reservation details carefully before submission
9. Prepare for the Paper-I and Paper-II competitive examination
10. Retain original certificates for verification when called upon