KEAKarnatakaVAOKSETKREISExam Calendar
Karnataka Examinations Authority dates for 2026: Surveyor and VAO in October for the RPC and Kalyana-Karnataka cadres, KSET on 11 October, ESI Pharmacy and Nursing Officer on 21–22 November and KREIS teachers on 28–29 November.
The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) published its upcoming exam calendar on 15 August 2026. Several recruitments are split by cadre, and each cadre has a different date. Before anything else, make sure you know which one you applied under.
KK is the Kalyana-Karnataka cadre, for posts reserved for the Kalyana-Karnataka region.
RPC is the rest-of-Karnataka cadre.
Your cadre is on your application. If you applied under both, you have two exam dates.
Exam | RPC | KK |
|---|---|---|
Surveyor – Paper 2 / Paper 1 | 3 Oct / 4 Oct 2026 | 24 Oct / 25 Oct 2026 |
Village Administrative Officer (VAO) – Paper 1 and Paper 2 (same day) | 4 Oct 2026 | 25 Oct 2026 |
ESI Pharmacy Officer & Nursing Officer | 22 Nov 2026 | 21 Nov 2026 |
KREIS Staff Nurses | – | 21 Nov 2026 |
KREIS teachers – language, subject, computer, PE and drawing | 29 Nov 2026 | 28 Nov 2026 |
The Karnataka State Eligibility Test (KSET) is on 11 October 2026, from 10 AM to 1 PM.
Both exams have two papers. KEA's calendar gives these timings:
Exam | RPC | Kalyana-Karnataka | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
Surveyor Paper 2 | Sat 3 Oct | Sat 24 Oct | 3:00 – 5:00 PM |
Surveyor Paper 1 | Sun 4 Oct | Sun 25 Oct | 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM |
VAO Paper 1 | Sun 4 Oct | Sun 25 Oct | 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM |
VAO Paper 2 | Sun 4 Oct | Sun 25 Oct | 2:30 – 4:30 PM |
Surveyor Paper 1 and VAO Paper 1 are at the same time on the same day, so you cannot write both as the calendar stands. KEA's calendar does not say how it will handle candidates who applied for both posts. Watch KEA's website and your admit cards for any change in timings, and contact KEA before exam day if both admit cards show the same slot.
The same Sunday, 4 October, also has the IBPS PO Mains and several GPSC papers, so check for clashes if you applied outside Karnataka too.
KSET is Karnataka's State Eligibility Test, taken for eligibility as an Assistant Professor in the state. It falls on the Sunday after the RPC Surveyor and VAO weekend. If you are writing both, plan your revision so the Surveyor/VAO material does not eat into the last week before KSET.
The ESI Pharmacy Officer and Nursing Officer exam is on 21 November for Kalyana-Karnataka and 22 November for RPC. KREIS Staff Nurses (Kalyana-Karnataka only) is also on 21 November. KREIS teacher posts (language, subject, computer, physical education and drawing) follow on 28 November (KK) and 29 November (RPC). Each of these exams has Paper 1 from 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM and Paper 2 from 2:30 to 4:30 PM.
KEA's calendar gives exam dates only. It does not list the number of VAO posts or other vacancy figures, and we have not included any here. Check the individual recruitment notification on KEA's website for vacancies and admit-card release dates.
Last checked against these sources on 27 September 2026. Boards do change dates, so confirm on the official website before you travel or pay a fee.
