What is the timing structure of the KPSC KAS exam?

One 2 hr overall timer for the whole paper. No sectional locks — the section split is indicative only. You can move freely between sections and questions at any time. The timer cannot be paused once started. One 2 hr overall timer for the whole paper. No sectional locks — the section split is indicative only. You can move freely between sections and questions at any time. The timer cannot be paused once started.

Is there negative marking in KPSC KAS?

Yes — General Studies: −0.25 per wrong answer; General Studies: −0.25 per wrong answer.

KPSC KAS

Cycle 2025

OFFICIAL PARTIAL

DRAFT — unverified

Unverified — pending official notification check.

Pattern from commission website and official notifications.

Exam pattern

1.Preliminary Examination

OFFICIAL PARTIAL

Paper I — General Studies

Main Session

Sections & timing

Section	Timing	Questions	Marks / Q	Negative	Nature
General Studies	Not timed separately	100	2	−0.25	Scored

Start mock test

Timing & navigation rules

One 2 hr overall timer for the whole paper. No sectional locks — the section split is indicative only.
You can move freely between sections and questions at any time.
The timer cannot be paused once started.

Paper II — General Studies

Main Session

Sections & timing

Section	Timing	Questions	Marks / Q	Negative	Nature
General Studies	Not timed separately	100	2	−0.25	Scored

Start mock test

Timing & navigation rules

One 2 hr overall timer for the whole paper. No sectional locks — the section split is indicative only.
You can move freely between sections and questions at any time.
The timer cannot be paused once started.

2.Main Examination

OFFICIAL PARTIAL

Descriptive papers as per KPSC pattern.

3.Interview

OFFICIAL PARTIAL

Personality test.

Notes from the official source

Preliminary Examination · Paper I — General Studies · Main Session — qualifying criteria

Merit paper for Mains shortlisting.

Preliminary Examination · Paper II — General Studies · Main Session — qualifying criteria

Merit paper for Mains shortlisting.

Main Examination — note

Descriptive papers as per KPSC pattern.

Interview — note

Personality test.

Official syllabus

Source: KPSC official Gazetted Probationers notification (kpsc.kar.nic.in), Notification No. KPSCKA/EXA1/EXMF/9/2026-EXAM-1/I/251710/2026 · official document

Prelims

Paper I: General Studies — National and International Importance (100 questions, 200 marks, 2 hours)

Current events of national and international importance
Humanities — history of India: social, economic, cultural and political aspects, with emphasis on the Indian national movement with special emphasis on Karnataka
World geography and geography of India with focus on Karnataka
Indian polity and economy — political system, rural development, planning and economic reforms, sustainable development, poverty alleviation, demographics, social sector initiatives

Paper II: General Studies — State Importance, Science & Mental Ability (100 questions, 200 marks, 2 hours)

Current events of state importance and important state government programmes
General science & technology — contemporary developments and their implications
Environment & ecology — health, environmental ecology, biodiversity and climate change (no subject specialisation required)
General mental ability — comprehension, logical reasoning and analytical ability, decision-making, problem-solving, basic numeracy and data interpretation (Class X / SSLC level)

Mains

Kannada (150 marks, qualifying, descriptive)

Comprehension
Precis writing
Usage and vocabulary
Short essay
Communication

English (150 marks, qualifying, descriptive)

Comprehension
Precis writing
Usage and vocabulary
Short essay
Communication

Essay (250 marks, descriptive)

Two essays — one on a national/international issue and one on a state/local issue, in Kannada or English

General Studies I (250 marks, descriptive)

History and cultural heritage of India and Karnataka
Cultural heritage of India
Modern history of India from the beginning of the 19th century
Kadambas to Hoysalas; the Vijayanagara Empire
Modern Mysore
Karnataka freedom movement and unification
Post-independence Karnataka — social change and modernisation

General Studies II (250 marks, descriptive)

Political system and government
Decentralisation of power
Socio-economic system
Rural social system and development

General Studies III (250 marks, descriptive)

Indian economy — planning, planning goals and development patterns
India and international economic relations
Rural development initiatives
Data collection, analysis and interpretation

General Studies IV (250 marks, descriptive)

Science and technology in development
Environment, ecology and disaster management
General issues of governance and public administration (topic headings to be verified against the official notification)

Interview (Personality Test, 25 marks; merit = Essay + GS I–IV (1250) + interview (25) = 1275)

Pattern per the KPSC Gazetted Probationers (Appointment by Competitive Examinations) Rules, 1997 and the 2026 notification (319 posts; prelims 15 Nov 2026): 7 descriptive mains papers — 2 qualifying language papers (150 each) + Essay + GS I–IV (250 each); merit = 1250 + interview 25. GS paper II–IV topic headings are per the long-standing KPSC scheme — verify against the official 2026 notification PDF.

Previous cutoffs

Source: KPSC official Gazetted Probationers 2015 prelims result — category-wise cut-off marks of the last candidate (as published on kpsc.kar.nic.in)

KPSC Gazetted Probationers (Group A & B) Preliminary Examination 2015 — Residual Parent Cadre (last-candidate cutoffs at 1:20 ratio)· Prelims

2A: 149
2B: 137.5
3A: 173
3B: 170.5
Cat-1: 166.5
GM: 183
SC: 153
ST: 161

Prelims is out of 400 marks (2 papers x 200). This is the most recent completed Gazetted Probationers cycle with officially published category-wise prelims cutoffs; the 2017 and 2020 cycles were stalled and the 2026 cycle prelims is scheduled for 15 Nov 2026 (no cutoffs yet). KPSC publishes separate cutoffs for the Hyderabad-Karnataka cadre and for women/rural/Kannada-medium/PH sub-categories — only the main Residual Parent Cadre categories are listed here.

Sources

Untitled document

Exam pattern

1.Preliminary Examination

OFFICIAL PARTIAL

Paper I — General Studies

Main Session

Sections & timing

Section	Timing	Questions	Marks / Q	Negative	Nature
General Studies	Not timed separately	100	2	−0.25	Scored

Start mock test

Timing & navigation rules

One 2 hr overall timer for the whole paper. No sectional locks — the section split is indicative only.
You can move freely between sections and questions at any time.
The timer cannot be paused once started.

Paper II — General Studies

Main Session

Sections & timing

Section	Timing	Questions	Marks / Q	Negative	Nature
General Studies	Not timed separately	100	2	−0.25	Scored

Start mock test

Timing & navigation rules

One 2 hr overall timer for the whole paper. No sectional locks — the section split is indicative only.
You can move freely between sections and questions at any time.
The timer cannot be paused once started.

2.Main Examination

OFFICIAL PARTIAL

Descriptive papers as per KPSC pattern.

3.Interview

OFFICIAL PARTIAL

Personality test.

Notes from the official source

Preliminary Examination · Paper I — General Studies · Main Session — qualifying criteria

Merit paper for Mains shortlisting.

Preliminary Examination · Paper II — General Studies · Main Session — qualifying criteria

Merit paper for Mains shortlisting.

Main Examination — note

Descriptive papers as per KPSC pattern.

Interview — note

Personality test.

Official syllabus

Source: KPSC official Gazetted Probationers notification (kpsc.kar.nic.in), Notification No. KPSCKA/EXA1/EXMF/9/2026-EXAM-1/I/251710/2026 · official document

Prelims

Paper I: General Studies — National and International Importance (100 questions, 200 marks, 2 hours)

Current events of national and international importance
Humanities — history of India: social, economic, cultural and political aspects, with emphasis on the Indian national movement with special emphasis on Karnataka
World geography and geography of India with focus on Karnataka
Indian polity and economy — political system, rural development, planning and economic reforms, sustainable development, poverty alleviation, demographics, social sector initiatives

Paper II: General Studies — State Importance, Science & Mental Ability (100 questions, 200 marks, 2 hours)

Current events of state importance and important state government programmes
General science & technology — contemporary developments and their implications
Environment & ecology — health, environmental ecology, biodiversity and climate change (no subject specialisation required)
General mental ability — comprehension, logical reasoning and analytical ability, decision-making, problem-solving, basic numeracy and data interpretation (Class X / SSLC level)

Mains

Kannada (150 marks, qualifying, descriptive)

Comprehension
Precis writing
Usage and vocabulary
Short essay
Communication

English (150 marks, qualifying, descriptive)

Comprehension
Precis writing
Usage and vocabulary
Short essay
Communication

Essay (250 marks, descriptive)

Two essays — one on a national/international issue and one on a state/local issue, in Kannada or English

General Studies I (250 marks, descriptive)

History and cultural heritage of India and Karnataka
Cultural heritage of India
Modern history of India from the beginning of the 19th century
Kadambas to Hoysalas; the Vijayanagara Empire
Modern Mysore
Karnataka freedom movement and unification
Post-independence Karnataka — social change and modernisation

General Studies II (250 marks, descriptive)

Political system and government
Decentralisation of power
Socio-economic system
Rural social system and development

General Studies III (250 marks, descriptive)

Indian economy — planning, planning goals and development patterns
India and international economic relations
Rural development initiatives
Data collection, analysis and interpretation

General Studies IV (250 marks, descriptive)

Science and technology in development
Environment, ecology and disaster management
General issues of governance and public administration (topic headings to be verified against the official notification)

Interview (Personality Test, 25 marks; merit = Essay + GS I–IV (1250) + interview (25) = 1275)

Previous cutoffs

Source: KPSC official Gazetted Probationers 2015 prelims result — category-wise cut-off marks of the last candidate (as published on kpsc.kar.nic.in)

KPSC Gazetted Probationers (Group A & B) Preliminary Examination 2015 — Residual Parent Cadre (last-candidate cutoffs at 1:20 ratio)· Prelims

2A: 149
2B: 137.5
3A: 173
3B: 170.5
Cat-1: 166.5
GM: 183
SC: 153
ST: 161