KEA Karnataka Horticulture Recruitment 2026

The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA), Bengaluru, has released recruitment notifications for the Horticulture Department, Government of Karnataka, for the posts of Assistant Horticulture Officer and Assistant Horticulture Director. Eligible candidates can apply online through the KEA portal. This recruitment is open to candidates from Karnataka, including the Kalyana Karnataka region under Article 371(J).

In total, 85 vacancies have been announced across two separate notifications—80 vacancies under the general notification and 5 vacancies under the Kalyana Karnataka (Article 371(J)) notification. The online application window runs from 2026-08-05 to 2026-08-30, and the last date to pay the application fee is 2026-08-31. Selection will be based on a competitive written examination (Paper 1 and Paper 2) using CBT/OMR, followed by a Kannada language qualifying test and document verification.

Important Dates

Vacancy Details

Eligibility Criteria

Educational Qualification

Assistant Horticulture Officer: Candidates must be a graduate in Horticulture from a university established by law in India and accredited by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).

Assistant Horticulture Director: Candidates must hold a post graduate degree in Horticulture along with a B.Sc. in Horticulture from a university established by law in India and accredited by ICAR.

Age Limit

The recruitment specifies maximum age limits for direct recruitment as follows: General Merit candidates can apply up to 40 years. Candidates belonging to Category 2A, 2B, 3A, and 3B can apply up to 43 years. SC/ST/Category-1 candidates can apply up to 45 years. The notification also indicates that further relaxations may apply for special categories, as per the applicable rules.

Application Fee

How to Apply

1. Visit the official KEA website: cetonline.karnataka.gov.in/kea.
2. On the homepage, locate the link for the Horticulture Department recruitment online application.
3. Register using a valid mobile number and email ID.
4. Log in and complete the application form with personal and educational details.
5. Upload the scanned photograph and signature in the prescribed format: photograph in JPEG with a white background (50KB–200KB) and signature in JPEG (50KB–70KB).
6. Pay the applicable fee online using the payment mode/gateway prescribed in the application portal.
7. Review all entered details carefully before submission, as corrections are not allowed after the form is submitted.
8. After successful submission, download and print the application form and the fee receipt for future reference.

Direct Apply online link

Salary & Pay Scale

Selected candidates will be appointed initially on probation for 2 years and will be placed under the National Pension Scheme (NPS).

Selection Process

The selection process is multi-stage. Candidates will first appear for a competitive written examination comprising Paper 1 and Paper 2 conducted as an online CBT or offline OMR-based test. After that, candidates will have to take a Kannada language test, which is qualifying in nature, and eligible candidates may be exempted as per the notification rules. The final stage is document verification.

If you meet the eligibility requirements, complete your online application on or before 2026-08-30 and ensure the fee is paid by 2026-08-31.