KSET 2026 for Assistant Professor Eligibility (Apply Online)

Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) has released the notification for the Karnataka State Eligibility Test (KSET) – 2026. This eligibility test is conducted to determine whether candidates meet the required criteria for Assistant Professor posts in universities, first-grade colleges, and recognized higher education institutions (government, aided, and unaided) across Karnataka. Eligible candidates can apply online through the official KEA portal.

The KSET 2026 selection is based on performance in two objective-type papers held in a single session on the exam day: Paper I (General Paper) and Paper II (Subject Paper). There is no interview or document verification stage at the eligibility-test level. The online application window begins on 2026-08-10 and closes on 2026-09-05, with fee payment required by 2026-09-06. The KSET 2026 exam is scheduled for 2026-10-11 (Sunday).

Important Dates

Vacancy Details

KSET 2026 is an eligibility test for Assistant Professor posts and is conducted to determine eligibility rather than to fill a specific number of vacancies. The notification does not provide a category-wise or total vacancy count for recruitment.

Eligibility Criteria

Educational Qualification

Candidates must hold a Master’s degree (or an equivalent qualification) from a recognized university or institution with the minimum percentage specified below. For General, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B category candidates and other-state candidates, the required minimum is 55% marks. For candidates belonging to SC-A/SC-B/SC-C, ST, Category-1, PwD, and Transgender categories, the minimum required is 50% marks.

Candidates who are in the final year of their Master’s degree are also eligible to apply. However, they must submit proof of having passed with the required percentage within two years from the date of declaration of the KSET result. If the required proof is not provided within the stipulated time, the candidate’s result will be cancelled.

Candidates who have already qualified UGC-NET, UGC-CSIR-NET, or SLET in the same subject in the past are not eligible to reappear for KSET in that same subject.

Age Limit

There is no upper age limit for candidates applying for KSET 2026.

Application Fee

Fee payment is to be done online only. Offline payment modes such as Money Order, Demand Draft, or IPO Challan are not accepted. Once paid, the fee is non-refundable under any circumstances.

How to Apply

1. Visit the official KEA online application portal: cetonline.karnataka.gov.in/kea.
2. Open the KSET 2026 recruitment/application section and start the online registration process.
3. Complete the registration and fill in the application form with accurate personal details, educational qualification information, and the subject choice as required.
4. Upload/enter any required information as per the application instructions displayed on the portal.
5. Proceed to the fee payment section and pay the application fee online for your category.
6. Review the entire application carefully before final submission, as incorrect details or last-minute technical issues will not be the responsibility of KEA.
7. Submit the application online before the last date (2026-09-05) and ensure fee payment is completed by 2026-09-06.
8. After submission, download and keep a copy of the submitted application and any confirmation/acknowledgement available on the portal for future reference.

Salary & Pay Scale

KSET 2026 is an eligibility test for Assistant Professor posts. The notification does not specify any salary or pay scale for candidates applying to take the test.

Selection Process

Selection/eligibility determination is based on the candidate’s performance in two objective-type papers conducted on the exam day in a single session. Paper I (General Paper) is common to all candidates and tests teaching/research aptitude, reasoning ability, comprehension, and general awareness. Paper II is the subject paper chosen by the candidate during application and contains questions only from that subject. There is no interview or document verification stage at the eligibility-test level.

Candidates who appear in both papers will be considered for eligibility based on the combined performance (Paper I + Paper II). The notification states that only the top 6% of candidates appearing in both papers, subject-wise and category-wise, will be declared eligible, subject to meeting the minimum qualifying marks for their category.

Eligible candidates should complete their online application on or before 2026-09-05 and ensure that the fee is paid online by 2026-09-06 to avoid last-minute issues.