Karnataka SWRT Teacher Recruitment 2026 Notification Out – Apply Online for 140 Social Welfare Residential School Teacher Posts

The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA), Government of Karnataka, has released two notifications (dated 20 August 2026) inviting online applications from eligible candidates for Residential School Teacher (Vasati Shala Shikshakaru) posts under the Department of Social Welfare – 40 posts under the Kalyana Karnataka cadre (Notification No. ED/KEA/39/RC/2026(KK)) and 100 posts under the Residual Post Cadre (Notification No. ED/KEA/38/RC/2026(RPC)) – through a competitive examination conducted by KEA.

• Karnataka Social Welfare Department Residential School Teacher Recruitment 2026 (KK Notification)
• Karnataka Social Welfare Department Residential School Teacher Recruitment 2026 (RPC Notification)

KEA Residential School Teacher Recruitment 2026 Overview

KEA Residential School Teacher Recruitment 2026 Important Dates

• Notification Date: 20 August 2026
• Online Application Start Date: 21 August 2026
• Online Application Last Date: 18 September 2026
• Fee Payment Last Date: 19 September 2026
• Exam Date: Not specified – to be announced later on the KEA website

KEA Residential School Teacher Vacancy 2026

A total of 140 posts of Residential School Teacher are to be filled, across two separate recruitment cadres:

Total: 140 posts. Note: the recruiting authority may revise the number of posts and category-wise distribution prospectively before the exam date; any such change will be communicated to candidates via a corrigendum at least one week before the exam.

KEA Residential School Teacher Eligibility Criteria

The same educational qualification applies to both the KK and RPC cadres:

• PUC with minimum 50% marks and a 2-year Diploma in Elementary Education; OR
• PUC with minimum 50% marks and a 4-year Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education; OR
• PUC with minimum 50% marks and a 2-year Diploma in Education (Special Education)
• For candidates belonging to SC/ST/Category-1 of OBC, or a candidate with disability, the minimum marks required in PUC is relaxed to 45%
• AND the candidate must have passed the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) conducted by the Government of Karnataka or the Government of India

Candidates must possess the required qualification and supporting certificates by the last date of application submission – provisional results pending a final mark sheet are not accepted, and a qualification obtained after the due date cannot be claimed. Original certificates must be produced at the time of document verification; failure to appear will disqualify the candidature.

KEA Residential School Teacher Salary

Selected candidates will be placed on the 2024 revised Karnataka state pay scale of ₹41,300–81,800 (₹41,300-1,000-43,300-1,125-47,800-1,250-52,800-1,375-58,300-1,500-64,300-1,650-74,200-1,900-81,800). Appointees will undergo a probation period of two years from the date of joining, and the National Pension Scheme (NPS) applies.

KEA Residential School Teacher Application Fee

Fee is payable only online, and is non-refundable once paid.

KEA Residential School Teacher Age Limit

Age is reckoned as on the last date of application submission:

• Minimum age: 18 years
• General Merit candidates: maximum 40 years
• Category 2A, 2B, 3A and 3B candidates: maximum 43 years
• SC / ST / Category-1 candidates: maximum 45 years

Further age relaxation is available (per the Karnataka Civil Services (General Recruitment) Rules, 1977, as amended) for specific categories, including:

• Employees of the Karnataka state government, local authorities, state/central statutory bodies, or Karnataka government-owned/controlled corporations: relaxation equal to years of service rendered, or 10 years, whichever is less
• Ex-servicemen: relaxation equal to length of military service plus 3 years
• Full-time NCC cadet instructors: relaxation equal to years of service rendered as instructor
• Village Extension Officers/Gram Sevaks working under a state rural employment guarantee scheme: relaxation equal to years of service rendered
• Special Chetana (PwD) candidates: 10 years
• Persons employed in the Census Department of the Government of India in Karnataka: relaxation equal to years of service, or 5 years, whichever is less
• Widows: 10 years
• Candidates released from employment under the (since-abolished) Karnataka Bonded Labour System after repaying their loan: 10 years

KEA Residential School Teacher Selection Process

• Selection is through a competitive written examination, conducted either as a Computer-Based Test (CBT) online, or an Offline OMR-based test, as decided for the post.
• The exam consists of two papers, each of 100 questions/100 marks, with a duration of 2 hours each:
  • Paper-1: General knowledge of current affairs; everyday-life topics; school-level Indian Constitution topics; Indian History (with special reference to Karnataka); Indian Geography (with special reference to Karnataka); state and regional economics; Panchayat Raj institutions and rural cooperative societies, and Karnataka’s economic development schemes; Karnataka’s environment-related issues and development topics
  • Paper-2: General Kannada, General English, and Computer Knowledge
• Candidates must score a minimum of 35% aggregate marks in the competitive exam to be considered eligible; those scoring below this are disqualified.
• Negative marking applies: each question has 4 options with one correct answer; 0.25 marks (1/4 mark) is deducted for each wrong answer. In the OMR-based format, overwritten or erased answers (beyond specified limits) also attract a 0.25-mark deduction per question.
• Kannada Language Test: Candidates who studied Kannada as a first or second language up to SSLC level in Karnataka (or an equivalent Kannada-medium exam), or who have separately passed a Kannada-language qualifying test conducted or recognized by the Karnataka government, are exempt. All other candidates must pass a qualifying Kannada Language Test (150 marks; minimum 50 marks required to qualify). Absentees, or those scoring below 50 marks, are disqualified regardless of their score in the main exam. Marks scored in this Kannada test are not counted toward merit or vacancy filling.

How to Apply for KEA Residential School Teacher Recruitment 2026

1. Visit the KEA website, https://cetonline.karnataka.gov.in/kea/, and click the relevant online application link.
2. Register using your own email ID and mobile number, as your Registration Number, Password, and all further communication will be sent there.
3. Log in and complete the application form with personal, educational, and other required details.
4. Upload a recent passport-size photograph (JPEG, white background, 50–200KB) and a scanned signature (JPEG, 50–70KB).
5. Review all entered details carefully – corrections or modifications are not permitted once the online application is submitted.
6. Pay the applicable application fee online before the fee payment deadline (19 September 2026).

Candidates are advised to read all instructions in the notification carefully before applying, and to fill in the application only with accurate information, as KEA and the department are not responsible for any wrong or incomplete information submitted.

KEA Residential School Teacher Documents Required

• Aadhaar Card
• Mark sheets/certificates for all subjects and years of the qualifying educational examination, and TET score card/certificate, valid as on the application deadline
• Date of birth proof (SSLC or equivalent certificate)
• Caste certificate (SC/ST/Category-1/2A/2B/3A/3B), in the prescribed format, for candidates seeking reservation benefit
• Income/non-creamy-layer certificate, where applicable
• Rural candidate certificate (for those seeking rural reservation)
• Kannada-medium study certificate (for those seeking Kannada-medium reservation)
• Ex-servicemen discharge/pension certificate, or dependent’s certificate, where applicable
• Disability certificate (UDID/medical board certificate), for Special Chetana (PwD) candidates
• Third Gender certificate issued by the District Magistrate, where applicable
• A valid original photo ID (PAN Card/Driving Licence/Aadhaar Card/Passport/Voter ID/Government Employee ID) – required at the exam center

KEA Residential School Teacher Important Instructions

• Candidates must be Indian citizens.
• A male candidate with more than one living spouse, or a female candidate marrying a man with a living spouse, is not eligible for government appointment without prior exemption from the government.
• Candidates must be mentally and physically fit to efficiently discharge the duties of the post without risk to health; disability determination by the government medical board is final.
• Persons appointed on a daily-wage or temporary basis (not through direct recruitment via a Public Service Commission, KEA, or university-conducted exam) are not eligible.
• Candidates previously found ineligible or disqualified by any Public Service Commission, KEA, or university for adopting unfair means in an examination are permanently ineligible, even if later found otherwise eligible.
• Original certificates of shortlisted candidates will be verified against the details submitted online; if any discrepancy is found, the candidature will be cancelled, and the candidate may be treated as ineligible even at a later stage.
• Candidates using impersonation, forged documents, false information, or any unfair means during the recruitment process will have their candidature cancelled, and criminal/legal action may be initiated.
• The online application, once submitted, cannot be withdrawn, and the fee paid is non-refundable.
• Admit cards will be issued online through the KEA website; candidates must download them themselves. Late arrival at the exam center will not be permitted, and a change of exam center is not allowed under any circumstances.

Karnataka SWRT Teacher Important Links

• Apply Online: Click here
• Official Notification PDF: Click here
• Official Website: Click here