KPSC KAS Syllabus 2026 - Prelims, Mains & Interview

• Current events of state, national and international importance
• History of India and the Indian National Movement - with emphasis on Karnataka's contribution
• History of Karnataka - ancient, medieval and modern, including dynasties like the Kadambas, Gangas, Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas, Hoysalas and Vijayanagara empire
• Indian and World Geography - physical, social and economic
• Geography of Karnataka - physiography, drainage, climate, soils, agriculture, industries and resources
• Indian Polity and Governance - Constitution, political system, panchayati raj, public policy, rights issues
• Economic and Social Development - sustainable development, poverty, inclusion, demographics, social sector initiatives
• General issues on environmental ecology, biodiversity, climate change (no specialisation required)
• General Science - everyday science, applications of science and technology

• General mental ability - logical reasoning, analytical ability, decision making and problem solving
• Basic numeracy (numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude) - Class X level
• Data interpretation - charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency - Class X level
• Comprehension - English and Kannada passages
• General Knowledge of Karnataka - art, culture, language, literature, social structure, festivals, sports and prominent personalities
• Karnataka administration - taluk, district, divisional structure; bodies, commissions and missions specific to Karnataka
• Science and technology in everyday life with Karnataka examples (ISRO, BEL, HAL, IISc, etc.)
• Current affairs of Karnataka - state schemes, budget highlights, recent legislation

These two papers are qualifying in nature — marks aren't added to the merit list, but you must clear the minimum cut-off (typically 35-50%) for your other papers to be evaluated.

• Kannada Paper: Essay, précis writing, comprehension, translation (English to Kannada), grammar and Karnataka literary heritage
• English Paper: Essay, précis writing, comprehension, translation (Kannada to English) and grammar
• Style and clarity of expression matter as much as accuracy

Candidates typically write two essays of 125 marks each, chosen from a wide range of topics. Topics often include Karnataka-specific themes alongside national and global issues.

• Section A - one essay (125 marks)
• Section B - one essay (125 marks)
• Topics span current affairs, Karnataka society and economy, philosophy, ethics, science & technology, environment, and abstract themes

• Indian Heritage and Culture - art forms, literature, architecture from ancient to modern times, with emphasis on Karnataka (Hoysala, Chalukyan, Vijayanagara architecture)
• Modern Indian History (mid-18th century onward), the freedom struggle and Karnataka's role in it
• Post-independence consolidation, reorganisation of states and the formation of Karnataka (1956 / 1973 renaming)
• World history - industrial revolution, world wars, colonisation and decolonisation
• Indian society - diversity, role of women, urbanisation, communalism, regionalism, secularism
• Geography of India and the world - physical, human, economic
• Geography of Karnataka - physiography (Western Ghats, Deccan plateau, coastal belt), drainage (Cauvery, Krishna, Tungabhadra), climate, soils, minerals, agriculture and industries
• Geophysical phenomena - earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic activity, cyclones

• Indian Constitution - historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments and basic structure
• Federalism and Centre-State relations, with Karnataka case studies (Cauvery dispute, Krishna basin allocation)
• Parliament, State Legislatures (Vidhana Sabha and Vidhana Parishad) - structure, functioning, powers
• Executive and Judiciary - structure, organisation and functioning
• Panchayati Raj and urban local bodies - 73rd, 74th amendments and Karnataka's implementation
• Constitutional and statutory bodies - Election Commission, UPSC, KPSC, CAG, Karnataka Lokayukta
• Government schemes for vulnerable sections - performance, mechanisms, laws (Karnataka-specific schemes included)
• Governance - transparency, accountability, RTI, citizen charters, Sakala scheme
• India and its neighbourhood, bilateral relations, regional and global groupings
• Effect of policies and politics of developed/developing countries on India's interests

• Indian Economy - planning, mobilisation of resources, growth, development and employment
• Karnataka Economy - state income, agriculture, industries, IT-BT sector (Bengaluru cluster), tourism
• Inclusive growth, government budgeting and fiscal federalism
• Agriculture - cropping patterns, MSP, irrigation systems, food processing; Karnataka-specific schemes like Yashasvini, Anna Bhagya
• Land reforms in India and Karnataka, effects of liberalisation
• Infrastructure - energy, ports, roads, airports, railways
• Science & Technology - developments, applications, indigenisation; major Karnataka-based institutions (ISRO, IISc, BEL, HAL, NAL)
• IT, space, computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology
• Environment - conservation, pollution, environmental impact assessment, Western Ghats ecology and Madhav Gadgil report
• Disaster management - cyclones, floods, droughts, with Karnataka case studies
• Internal security - extremism, communication networks, cyber security, money laundering

• Ethics and human interface - essence, determinants and consequences of ethics in human actions
• Dimensions of ethics, ethics in private and public relationships, human values
• Lessons from the lives of great leaders, reformers and administrators - including Karnataka figures (Sir M. Visvesvaraya, Kuvempu, Basavanna)
• Role of family, society and educational institutions in inculcating values
• Attitude - content, structure, function; its influence and relation with thought and behaviour
• Aptitude and foundational values for civil service - integrity, impartiality, objectivity, dedication to public service, empathy
• Emotional intelligence - concepts, utilities and application in administration and governance
• Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from India (including Karnataka philosophers) and the world
• Public/Civil service values and ethics in public administration - status, problems, ethical concerns and dilemmas
• Probity in governance - accountability, ethical governance, RTI, codes of ethics and conduct
• Case studies on the above issues