Karnataka Prison Department Syllabus & Exam Pattern 2026
Jailor, Warder, Instructor Grade-II & Warder cum Nursing – Written Exam, Syllabus, Marks, PST & Endurance Test
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1. Quick Overview
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| Conducting Body |
Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA), Bengaluru |
| Recruiting Department |
Karnataka Prisons and Reforms Services Department |
| Posts Covered |
Jailor, Warder (Vikshakaru), Instructor Grade-II (2nd Grade Teacher), Warder cum Nursing |
| Total Vacancy |
869 Posts (576 RPC + 293 KK) |
| Exam Mode |
Offline (Pen & Paper, OMR based) |
| Question Type |
Objective / Multiple Choice (4 options each) |
| Total Questions |
100 |
| Total Marks |
100 |
| Exam Duration |
90 Minutes (1.5 Hours) |
| Negative Marking |
Yes, 0.25 marks deducted per wrong answer |
| Exam Date |
21 November 2026, 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM |
| Selection Stages |
Written Exam → PST → Endurance Test → Document Verification → Medical Exam |
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2. Important Dates
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| Notification Release Date |
19 September 2026 |
| Apply Online Start Date |
19 September 2026 |
| Apply Online Last Date |
15 October 2026 (11:59 PM) |
| Fee Payment Last Date |
16 October 2026 |
| Written Exam Date |
21 November 2026 (3:00 PM – 4:30 PM) |
| Admit Card |
To be released before exam date on KEA portal |
| PST & Endurance Test Dates |
To be announced separately by the department after written exam result |
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3. Post-Wise Vacancy at a Glance
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| Post |
Total Vacancy |
| Warder (Vikshakaru) |
835 |
| Jailor |
Notified separately (Degree-level paper) |
| Instructor Grade-II (2nd Grade Teacher) |
Included in 869 total |
| Warder cum Nursing |
Included in 869 total |
| Combined Grand Total |
869 (576 RPC + 293 KK) |
Warder (Vikshakaru) alone makes up nearly 96% of all posts, so most candidates preparing for this recruitment will be attempting the Warder-level exam.
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4. Written Exam Pattern – Post Wise Difficulty Level
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| Post |
Exam Standard / Level |
| Jailor |
Degree (Graduate) level question paper |
| Warder (Vikshakaru) |
SSLC (10th Standard) level question paper |
| Warder cum Nursing |
SSLC level, with nursing-related basic questions |
| Instructor Grade-II |
SSLC level plus trade/technical subject knowledge |
Key point: All posts have the same 100-question, 100-mark, 90-minute format, but the difficulty level of questions changes according to the post. Jailor aspirants must prepare at graduate level, while Warder aspirants should prepare at SSLC (10th) level.
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5. Marking Scheme – Read This Carefully
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- Each question carries 1 mark.
- Every question has 4 answer options.
- Negative marking applies: 0.25 marks (1/4th) deducted for every wrong answer.
- If a candidate shades 5 or more options for the same question in the OMR sheet, or leaves an option unshaded, 0.25 marks will be deducted per such question (after a grace period allowance).
- The exam is offline, OMR-based — carry only a black ball point pen as instructed in the admit card.
- There is no sectional cut-off mentioned; the final merit is based on total marks combined with educational qualification marks.
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6. Detailed Syllabus – Subject Wise
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| The written exam syllabus is common across topics but the depth of questions changes as per post level (SSLC for Warder, Degree for Jailor). Key subject areas are given below. |
| Subject Area |
Topics Covered |
| General Knowledge |
Current affairs (national & international), important places, sports, abbreviations, famous personalities, committees & commissions, books & authors, recent appointments, awards & honours |
| Karnataka-Specific GK |
Current events of Karnataka, famous personalities of the state, geography of Karnataka, Karnataka history, state economy, Karnataka government schemes |
| Indian History |
Ancient, medieval and modern India, National Freedom Movement, important events and leaders |
| Geography |
Physical geography of India and Karnataka, rivers, climate, natural resources |
| Indian Constitution & Polity |
Constitutional framework, fundamental rights and duties, structure of government, judiciary, important articles |
| General Science |
Basic physics, chemistry, biology concepts and everyday science applications |
| Mental Ability / Reasoning |
Logical reasoning, analogy, series, coding-decoding, puzzles, basic arithmetic reasoning |
| Additional for Jailor (Degree Level) |
Deeper analytical questions, prison administration and correctional-service-related general awareness, higher-level reasoning |
| Additional for Warder cum Nursing |
Basic nursing and healthcare-related general knowledge, alongside standard SSLC-level topics |
| Additional for Instructor Grade-II |
Trade/technical subject knowledge as per the specific instructor trade applied for |
Note: KEA has not published a separate, officially numbered syllabus PDF breaking down exact weightage per topic. The subject areas above are compiled from the official notification and standard exam pattern followed in earlier Karnataka Prison recruitments. Always cross-check with the syllabus annexure inside your specific post’s official notification on the KEA website.
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7. Kannada Language Requirement
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- Candidates who did not study Kannada as a first or second language in SSLC, or did not study in Kannada medium, may be required to pass a Kannada Language Test.
- Such candidates must secure at least 50 marks out of 150 in this qualifying test.
- This is a qualifying requirement, separate from the main 100-mark competitive written exam.
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8. Physical Standard Test (PST) – Height, Chest & Weight
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| Category |
Minimum Standard |
| Male Candidates |
Minimum Height: 168 cm + Chest measurement (with expansion) as per notification |
| Female Candidates |
Minimum Height: 157 cm, Minimum Weight: 46 kg |
| Transgender Candidates |
Same as female standard: Height 157 cm, Weight 46 kg |
PST is a qualifying stage — you either meet the standard or you don’t. Candidates are called for PST and Endurance Test in a 1:5 ratio to the notified vacancies, based on a combined percentage of written exam marks and educational qualification marks, category-wise.
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9. Endurance Test (ET) – Events & Qualifying Rule
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| Sr. No. |
Event |
| 1 |
100 Metres Race |
| 2 |
800 Metres / 200 Metres Race |
| 3 |
High Jump |
| 4 |
Long Jump |
| 5 |
Shot Put |
- Candidates must qualify in at least 3 out of the 5 events to clear the Endurance Test.
- No marks are awarded for the Endurance Test — it is purely qualifying (pass/fail).
- After each event, the candidate must verify their recorded details on the prescribed format and sign it. Failure to sign leads to disqualification.
- Candidates appear for PST and Endurance Test entirely at their own risk regarding health — the recruitment committee is not responsible for any mishap during these tests.
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10. Medical Examination Standards
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Only candidates who qualify the Written Exam and PST/Endurance Test proceed to the Medical Examination, conducted by a duly constituted Medical Board. Key standards:
- Distant Vision: 6/9 in the better eye and 6/9 or 6/12 in the weaker eye
- Near Vision: 0/6 in the better eye and 0/8 in the weaker eye (correctable with lenses where specified)
- Disqualifying conditions: Colour blindness, night blindness, squint, and certain other medical conditions such as varicose veins result in disqualification
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11. Complete Selection Process – Step by Step
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- Stage 1 — Competitive Written Examination: 100 questions, 100 marks, 90 minutes, offline OMR mode, with negative marking
- Stage 2 — Physical Standard Test (PST): Height, chest (male) / height, weight (female & transgender) measurement — qualifying only
- Stage 3 — Endurance Test (ET): 5 physical events, must clear at least 3 — qualifying only, no marks
- Stage 4 — Document Verification: Original certificates checked against uploaded documents
- Stage 5 — Medical Examination: Conducted by an official Medical Board to confirm fitness for duty
Final merit is prepared using the written exam score, and shortlisting to PST/ET stage is done in a 1:5 ratio to vacancies based on combined percentage of exam marks and educational qualification.
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12. Age Limit
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| Minimum Age |
20 Years |
| Maximum Age (General Merit) |
31 Years |
| Maximum Age (SC/ST/Category-1/2A/2B/3A/3B) |
33 Years |
| Ex-Servicemen Relaxation |
Additional 3 years over their period of military service |
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13. Salary / Pay Scale – Post Wise
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| Post |
Pay Scale |
| Warder (Vikshakaru) |
₹37,500 – ₹76,100 |
| Warder cum Nursing |
₹34,100 – ₹67,600 |
| Jailor |
Higher pay scale (as per official notification, degree-level post) |
| Instructor Grade-II |
As per official notification (2nd Grade Teacher scale) |
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14. Preparation Tips – Point Wise
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- Warder aspirants: Prepare strictly at SSLC (10th) level. Do not over-complicate topics — NCERT/State board 10th level GK and Science is enough.
- Jailor aspirants: Prepare at graduate level, with special focus on Indian Polity, Constitution and general awareness.
- Give equal time to Karnataka GK. A good number of questions come from state-specific geography, history and current events — this is a scoring section if prepared well.
- Practice negative marking strategy. Since 0.25 marks are cut for each wrong answer, avoid pure guesswork — attempt only when reasonably confident.
- Start physical fitness training early. The Endurance Test (running, jumps, shot put) needs regular practice — do not leave it for after the written exam result.
- Revise Mental Ability daily. Reasoning questions are scoring and time-efficient if practiced regularly.
- Kannada medium candidates should check if they are exempt from the Kannada Language Test; non-Kannada-medium candidates should start preparing for the 150-mark qualifying test early.
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15. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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Q1. How many questions are there in the Karnataka Prison Department written exam?
100 objective type questions carrying 100 marks, to be solved in 90 minutes.Q2. Is there negative marking?
Yes. 0.25 marks are deducted for every wrong answer.
Q3. Does the exam pattern differ for Jailor and Warder?
The number of questions, marks and duration are the same, but Jailor is a degree-level paper while Warder is an SSLC-level paper.
Q4. When is the written exam?
21 November 2026, from 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM.
Q5. What is the Endurance Test qualifying rule?
Candidates must clear at least 3 out of 5 events: 100m race, 800m/200m race, high jump, long jump and shot put.
Q6. Does the Endurance Test carry marks?
No, it is a qualifying stage only. No marks are given.
Q7. What is the minimum height required?
168 cm for male candidates; 157 cm (with 46 kg weight) for female and transgender candidates.
Q8. Is Kannada language compulsory?
Candidates who did not study Kannada in SSLC or Kannada medium may need to clear a separate Kannada Language Test with minimum 50 out of 150 marks.
Q9. How are candidates shortlisted for the Physical Test?
In a 1:5 ratio to vacancies, based on combined percentage of written exam marks and educational qualification, category-wise.
Q10. What is the age limit for this recruitment?
20 to 31 years for General Merit; up to 33 years for reserved categories, with extra relaxation for ex-servicemen. |
Important Links
Apply Online: cetonline.karnataka.gov.in
Official Website: cetonline.karnataka.gov.in
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