KPSC Recruitments
KPSC KAS (Gazetted Probationers) Exam Syllabus
Comprehensive Syllabus for Prelims, Mains, and Interview Stages
1. KAS Exam Structure Overview
The KPSC KAS exam is conducted in three stages: Prelims (Objective), Mains (Descriptive), and Personality Test (Interview).
Stage 1: Prelims
2 papers, objective (MCQs), qualifying for Mains. Total 400 marks.
Stage 2: Mains
7 descriptive written papers, merit-counting. Total 1250 marks.
Stage 3: Interview
Personality test assessing suitability. Total 120 marks.
2. Prelims Exam Pattern & Syllabus
Prelims consists of two papers of 2 hours duration each. There is a negative marking of 0.25 for incorrect answers.
| Paper | Syllabus Focus | Max Marks | No. of Questions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | General Studies (National/International import, History of India, World Geography, Indian Polity, Economy). | 200 Marks | 100 MCQs |
| Paper 2 | General Studies (State importance, Karnataka History, Geography, Economy, Polity, General Science, Mental Ability). | 200 Marks | 100 MCQs |
3. Mains Written Exam Pattern (Descriptive)
Mains consists of 9 papers in total. Paper 1 & 2 are qualifying language papers (English and Kannada). The remaining 7 papers are descriptive and count for final merit.
| Paper No. | Mains Subject | Max Marks | Evaluation Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | Kannada Language | 150 | Qualifying (Min 35%) |
| Paper 2 | English Language | 150 | Qualifying (Min 35%) |
| Paper 3 | Essay (Descriptive - 2 essays) | 250 | Merit Counting |
| Paper 4 | General Studies I (History, Geography, Social Structure) | 250 | Merit Counting |
| Paper 5 | General Studies II (Polity, Constitution, Governance, Public Admin) | 250 | Merit Counting |
| Paper 6 | General Studies III (Science, Tech, Economy, Environment) | 250 | Merit Counting |
| Paper 7 | General Studies IV (Ethics, Integrity, Aptitude) | 250 | Merit Counting |
💡 Success Strategy for KAS
- ✔Master the State History and Geography: At least 40% of questions in Prelims Paper 2 and Mains GS-I relate directly to Karnataka.
- ✔Consistently Read Newspapers: Read Prajavani or The Hindu daily to cover state, national, and international current affairs.
- ✔Language Papers are Mandatory: Do not ignore Kannada and English language papers. If you fail to get 35% in them, your GS papers will not be evaluated.
- ✔Practice Essay Writing: Allocate time to write weekly essays on socio-economic issues of Karnataka, which carries 250 marks.