KPSC Group B Exam – Complete Guide

 1. What is KPSC Group B Exam?

• Conducted by Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC).
• Recruits candidates for mid-level Gazetted & Non-Gazetted posts in Karnataka State Government.
• Less senior than Group A but still prestigious, with strong administrative authority.
• Popular because eligibility is simpler and competition is slightly less intense than Group A/KAS.

2. Posts under KPSC Group B (Job List & Salary)

Common Group B Posts:

• Assistant Director (various departments)
• Assistant Engineer (Civil, Mechanical, Electrical)
• Assistant Commissioner (Commercial Taxes – Group B category)
• Commercial Tax Officer (CTO)
• Food & Civil Supplies Officer
• Cooperative Society Registrar (Deputy)
• Employment Officer (Group B)
• Assistant Treasury Officer
• Probationary Officer in State Departments
• Sub-Registrar (Revenue Department)

Salary Range (Approx.)

💰 In-hand Salary (Approx.): ₹45,000 – ₹75,000 + allowances (DA, HRA, TA, etc.)

📈 Promotions:

• Assistant Director → Deputy Director → Joint Director → Additional Director.
• Commercial Tax Officer → Assistant Commissioner → Deputy Commissioner.

3. Eligibility Criteria

(a) Nationality

• Must be an Indian citizen.

(b) Age Limit (as per KPSC rules)

• General: 21 – 35 years
• OBC (2A, 2B, 3A, 3B): Up to 38 years
• SC/ST/Cat-I: Up to 40 years
• PWD: Up to 45 years

(c) Educational Qualification

• Bachelor’s degree in relevant field (Engineering for AE/technical posts, Any degree for Administrative/Revenue posts).

(d) Attempts

• General: 5
• OBC: 7
• SC/ST: Unlimited (till max. age).

4. Selection Process

The KPSC Group B recruitment has 2 main methods depending on the post:

1. Direct Competitive Exam (Prelims + Mains + Interview) → for Gazetted posts.
2. Written Test + Interview → for Technical/Non-Gazetted posts.

(A) For Administrative/Revenue Group B Gazetted Posts

1. Prelims (Objective):
   • GS Paper I (200 Marks)
   • GS Paper II + Aptitude (200 Marks)
2. Mains (Descriptive):
   • Kannada (Qualifying – 150)
   • English (Qualifying – 150)
   • Essay (250)
   • 3 GS Papers (250 each)
   • Optional Subject (2 papers, 250 each)
   • Total Mains = 1250
3. Interview: 200 Marks

👉 Final Merit = 1450 Marks

(B) For Technical/Departmental Group B Posts

• Written Test (Objective/Descriptive depending on post).
• Interview/Document Verification.

5. Exam Pattern (Administrative Type)

6. Syllabus Highlights

(a) Prelims

• History of Karnataka & India
• Geography of Karnataka & India
• Indian Constitution & Polity
• Economy & Development (India + Karnataka)
• General Science & Tech
• Current Affairs (National, International, Karnataka-focused)
• Aptitude & Mental Ability

(b) Mains

• Essay: Social, political, administrative issues.
• GS I: Indian & Karnataka History, Geography, Society.
• GS II: Constitution, Polity, Governance, IR.
• GS III: Economy, Agriculture, Science & Tech, Environment.
• Optional Subject: Candidate’s chosen stream.

7. Application Process

1. Visit kpsc.kar.nic.in.
2. Register under One-Time Registration (OTR).
3. Apply for Group B Notification.
4. Pay application fee online.

Application Fees

• General: ₹600
• OBC (2A, 2B, 3A, 3B): ₹300
• SC/ST/Cat-I: ₹50

8. Books & Study Resources

• NCERTs (6–12th) for Polity, History, Geography, Science.
• Karnataka State Board Textbooks → Compulsory for Karnataka History, Economy, Polity.
• Polity – M. Laxmikanth & Magme’s Book.
• History – Bipin Chandra + Karnataka GK books (Spectrum’s) & Magme’s Book.
• Economy – Ramesh Singh + Karnataka Budget & Magme’s Book.
• Ethics – Subba Rao / Lexicon & Magme’s Book.
• Current Affairs – The Hindu + Kannada daily (Prajavani/Vijaya Karnataka) & Magme’s 360.
• KPSC/KAS Guides – Spardha Spoorthi, Pratiyogita Karnataka & Magme’s 360.

9. Quick Facts Table

10. Preparation Strategy

Step 1 – Foundation

• Read NCERTs & Karnataka Board books thoroughly.

Step 2 – Subject Mastery

• For Admin → focus on GS + Current Affairs.
• For Technical → focus on engineering/subject-specific syllabus.

Step 3 – Practice

• Solve previous 10 years KPSC/KAS PYQs.
• Join mock test series for Prelims & Mains.

Step 4 – Mains Writing

• Daily answer writing practice.
• Work on essay structuring (intro–body–conclusion).

Step 5 – Interview Prep

• Keep up with Karnataka state issues.
• Mock interviews for personality development.

11. Why Choose KPSC Group B?

• Prestigious mid-level government service.
• Decent Salary & Perks (₹45k–₹75k).
• Steady career growth with promotions to Group A levels.
• Direct impact on administration, welfare schemes, and state development.
• Strong job security + pension benefits.

✅ In short:

• Posts → Assistant Director, AE, CTO, Sub-Registrar, etc.
• Salary → ₹45,000 – ₹75,000 (in-hand).
• Stages → Prelims (400) + Mains (1250) + Interview (200).
• Best Prep → NCERTs + Karnataka Board + Current Affairs + Mock Tests.