KEA Kannada Language Test 2026 Exam Date

The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) has released the exam date for the KEA Kannada Language Test 2026 through an official notification dated 11 August 2026. The Kannada Language Test will be held on 22 August 2026 (Saturday) from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Candidates who have been declared successful in the main recruitment examinations for specific posts, but who did not study Kannada up to SSLC or did not pass in Kannada medium (as applicable), should read the notification carefully and appear for the test.

This Kannada Language Test is a qualifying requirement for eligible candidates from the outside-Karnataka and Kalyana Karnataka recruitment quota. The test is scheduled for 22 August 2026, and it is conducted by KEA as per the Government Order dated 18.03.2025. The notification also clarifies that the Kannada Language Test is not a standalone selection; candidates must already have qualified in the main recruitment/written examination for the relevant posts, and the Kannada test marks are not added to the main merit list.

Important Dates

Vacancy Details

The notification does not provide a post-wise or category-wise vacancy count for this Kannada Language Test. Instead, it specifies that the Kannada Language Test is applicable to candidates (from the outside-Karnataka and Kalyana Karnataka quota) who have qualified in the main recruitment examinations for the following posts: Police Constable under CAR/DAR/KSRP/IRB/KSISF in the Police Department, Village Accountant (VAO) under the Revenue Department, Land Surveyor, Teacher posts in the Karnataka Residential Educational Institutions Society (KREIS), and Section Officer posts in the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority.

Eligibility Criteria

Educational Qualification

As per the Government Order No. Siasu 102 Sevana 2022 dated 18.03.2025, candidates must appear for this Kannada Language Test if they did not study Kannada as a subject up to SSLC (or an equivalent/higher examination). The notification also applies to candidates who did not pass SSLC (or a higher examination) in Kannada medium, or who have not previously cleared a Kannada Language Test. This requirement is applicable to candidates from the outside-Karnataka quota and the Kalyana Karnataka quota who have been declared successful in the main recruitment/written examination for the specified posts.

Age Limit

The provided notification text does not mention any age limit or age relaxation for the Kannada Language Test. Therefore, no age criteria can be confirmed from the information available here.

Application Fee

The notification text provided does not include any information about an application fee for the KEA Kannada Language Test 2026. Hence, the application fee details are not available in the supplied source.

How to Apply

1. Open the official notification PDF using the link provided in this article and read the complete instructions carefully.
2. Confirm that you belong to the outside-Karnataka quota or the Kalyana Karnataka quota and that you have already qualified in the main recruitment/written examination for one of the covered posts.
3. Check whether you meet the Kannada eligibility requirement described in the Government Order (for example, not studying Kannada up to SSLC, not passing in Kannada medium, or not having previously cleared the Kannada Language Test).
4. Note the test schedule: 22 August 2026 (Saturday), from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM.
5. Appear for the test as per the instructions in the official notification, ensuring you follow the rules related to the test pattern and qualification marks.

Salary & Pay Scale

This update is for a Kannada Language Test qualifying requirement and does not mention any salary or pay scale. No pay details are provided in the supplied notification text.

Selection Process

The Kannada Language Test is a qualifying test. The notification states that candidates must secure a minimum of 50 marks in the Kannada Language Test to be considered qualified. It also clarifies that the Kannada Language Test is not conducted more than once for a candidate, and that marks obtained in this Kannada test will not be added to the merit list of the main recruitment examination. Qualifying the Kannada Language Test alone does not guarantee selection; candidates must already have qualified in the main recruitment/written examination for the relevant posts.

Candidates who are eligible for the KEA Kannada Language Test 2026 should prepare according to the exam pattern and appear on or before the test date, which is 2026-08-22, as mentioned in the official notification.