Karnataka Police Constable 2026 — 3,991 Civil Constable Online Form (KSP)

The Karnataka State Police (KSP) has opened recruitment for 3,991 Civil Police Constable posts in 2026, with online applications running from 8 June to 3 July 2026. The process is conducted by the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA), and the written examination is scheduled for 2 August 2026. If you are eligible and physically prepared, this is one of the larger constable openings Karnataka has announced this year.

One point trips up a lot of applicants, so it is worth getting straight at the start. The 3,991 figure is a single recruitment drive, not two separate notifications. It splits across two cadres: 3,395 vacancies in the General (old) cadre and 596 in the Kalyana-Karnataka (local) cadre. You apply once; the cadre you are eligible for depends on the rules described below.

Posts and the two cadres

The total breaks down like this:

The Kalyana-Karnataka cadre exists because of Article 371J of the Constitution, which grants special provisions for the Kalyana-Karnataka region (the districts formerly known as Hyderabad-Karnataka, including Kalaburagi, Bidar, Yadgir, Raichur, Koppal, Ballari, and Vijayanagara). Under this provision, a share of government jobs in the region is reserved for local candidates who hold the eligibility certificate for that area. If you belong to the region and have the certificate, you can be considered for those 596 local-cadre posts. The eligibility certificate requirement and the exact conditions are set out in the official notification.

Eligibility

Three things decide whether you can apply: your education, your age, and your Kannada-language eligibility.

The upper age limit of 33 applies to General-category candidates. Reserved categories in Karnataka (SC, ST, Category-1, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, and others) get age relaxation as per state rules, so the effective cut-off is higher for them. Check your exact birth-date eligibility against the dates in the notification rather than rounding the numbers in your head. Kannada-language eligibility is a real screen for police recruitment in Karnataka; the precise condition is laid out in the notification, so read that clause carefully before you assume you qualify.

Selection process in detail

Selection runs in a fixed order, and the first stage is purely a gate. You clear it or you are out; it does not add to your merit score.

Stage 1: Endurance Test (ET) and Physical Standards Test (PST) — qualifying

This stage checks whether you meet the physical demands of police work. The Endurance Test is the set of physical events, and the Physical Standards Test measures your body measurements against the required standards.

The ET typically includes events such as a timed run, long jump, and an event like shot put or high jump as applicable to your category. The exact events, the qualifying distances, the timings, and the marks for each are fixed by the recruitment rules and printed in the notification. Treat every number you see floating around on social media as unverified until you read it in the official document. The PST measures physical standards such as height and chest (and, where applicable, other measurements), again strictly as per the official notification. This page does not quote any figure, because the standards differ by gender and category and are only authoritative in the notification itself.

Both the ET and PST are qualifying. Clearing them gets you to the written stage; they do not contribute marks to your final rank.

Stage 2: Written Examination — decides merit

The written examination is where your rank is actually built. Candidates who clear the physical stage sit a single written paper, and the marks here determine the merit list.

The detailed pattern — number of questions, marks per question, total marks, duration, and whether there is negative marking — is set out in the notification and syllabus, so confirm those specifics there. Typically, per the syllabus for Karnataka constable recruitment, the paper covers areas like general knowledge, current affairs, mental ability and reasoning, arithmetic, and Kannada language. Prepare across all of these rather than betting on one section.

Stage 3: Document Verification

Candidates who make the merit cut are called for document verification. This is where your originals are checked: marks cards, age proof, caste or category certificate (if you claimed reservation), the Kalyana-Karnataka eligibility certificate (if you applied under the 371J local cadre), and the rest of the list in the notification. A mismatch or a missing document at this stage can cost you the post even after a good written score, so keep your papers ready and consistent from the day you apply.

Application fee

The fee is paid online during the application. The last date to submit the application is 3 July 2026, and the fee-payment window stays open one extra day, until 4 July 2026. Do not leave payment for the final hour; portal load near deadlines is a known headache.

How to apply on the KEA portal

Applications go through the Karnataka Examinations Authority portal. Here is the order of steps:

1. Go to the KEA online portal at cetonline.karnataka.gov.in.
2. Open the KSP Civil Police Constable 2026 recruitment link and read the full official notification first.
3. Register with a valid mobile number and email to create your login.
4. Fill the application form: personal details, education, category, and cadre details (including Kalyana-Karnataka if you are applying under that local cadre).
5. Upload your photograph and signature in the format and size the portal specifies.
6. Pay the fee online for your category.
7. Submit, then download and print the confirmation for your records.

For official updates and the notification PDF, the KSP department site is ksp.karnataka.gov.in. Bookmark both pages and rely only on them, not on third-party links.

Documents to keep ready

• PUC / Class 12 marks card and certificate
• Age proof (SSLC / birth certificate)
• Caste / category certificate, if claiming reservation
• Kalyana-Karnataka eligibility certificate, if applying under the 371J local cadre
• Scanned photograph and signature in the required format
• Valid ID proof and a working mobile number and email

Preparation tips

This recruitment rewards candidates who train on two fronts at once. The physical stage is qualifying, so it is a wall you have to clear before your written marks even count. With the written exam on 2 August, you have a tight window, so plan backwards from that date.

For the physical side: build running stamina with regular timed runs, work on your jumping and throwing technique for the field events, and practise on ground similar to what the test uses. Start now rather than a fortnight before. For the written side: read a daily newspaper for current affairs, revise Karnataka general knowledge, drill reasoning and arithmetic with timed practice sets, and keep your Kannada sharp since the paper includes it. Solving previous Karnataka constable papers will tell you faster than anything else where you stand.

हिंदी सारांश

कर्नाटक राज्य पुलिस (KSP) सिविल पुलिस कांस्टेबल 2026 भर्ती में कुल 3,991 पद हैं। आवेदन 8 जून से 3 जुलाई 2026 तक चलेंगे और लिखित परीक्षा 2 अगस्त 2026 को होगी।

• पद: 3,395 जनरल (पुराना) कैडर + 596 कल्याण-कर्नाटक (स्थानीय) कैडर — एक ही भर्ती, दो कैडर।
• योग्यता: PUC (12वीं); आयु 18–33 वर्ष (जनरल), श्रेणी छूट लागू; कन्नड़ भाषा योग्यता अधिसूचना अनुसार।
• चयन: एंड्योरेंस टेस्ट + शारीरिक मानक परीक्षा (क्वालिफाइंग) → लिखित परीक्षा (मेरिट) → दस्तावेज़ सत्यापन।
• शुल्क: ₹750 (जनरल/2A/2B/3A/3B), ₹500 (SC/ST/श्रेणी-1/भूतपूर्व सैनिक/ट्रांसजेंडर)।
• आवेदन: cetonline.karnataka.gov.in पर ऑनलाइन। सभी शारीरिक/परीक्षा संख्याएँ अधिकारिक अधिसूचना अनुसार।

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