Record-Breaking Year for KEA: 17 Exams Conducted, 6,052 Recruited

Over 20 Lakh Applications Processed Successfully

BENGALURU: The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) has marked an exceptional year in 2024, conducting 17 competitive examinations, including the PSI recruitment exams and K-SET held twice, and successfully completing the recruitment process for 6,052 candidates. KEA Executive Director H Prasanna highlighted these achievements in a press release outlining the authority’s remarkable performance over the year.

Prasanna emphasised, “In addition to handling entrance exams, seat allotment, and admission processes for professional courses such as engineering, KEA has also conducted recruitment exams for various government departments. In 2024, we processed over 20 lakh applications, setting a record in KEA’s three-decade history.”

Conducting such a large number of exams and publishing their results within the same year is unprecedented. These exams were carried out transparently, without room for malpractice or irregularities, Prasanna added.

One of the year’s significant milestones was the recruitment of 947 Police Sub-Inspectors (PSIs), conducted in two phases—545 positions in the first phase and 402 in the second. The exams were held under strict surveillance to curb malpractices, including the use of Bluetooth devices and other electronic gadgets. Advanced measures like camera monitoring and real-time webcasting ensured transparency and integrity throughout the process.

Explaining the tech-enabled webcasting system, Prasanna stated that it facilitated real-time monitoring of each exam hall from KEA’s Bengaluru office. This centralised control system allowed immediate detection and response to irregularities, ensuring a malpractice-free environment.

Expressing satisfaction, Prasanna noted that KEA successfully conducted recruitment exams for notifications issued in 2022 and 2023 as well.

The major recruitments completed in 2024 included conducting exams for 300 Principal posts in degree colleges, 72 MSIL positions, 386 posts for the Food and Civil Supplies Corporation, 186 posts for the Karnataka Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board, and 26 posts for KEONICS, which were issued notifications in 2022. Further, exams for 545 PSI positions, 14 posts with the Sainik Welfare and Resettlement Board, 41 positions with the Karnataka State Financial Corporation, and 394 posts with the Karnataka Power Corporation were conducted. The merit lists of these exams were also sent to the respective institutions, he added.

Additionally, recruitments notified and completed in 2024 included 2,500 BMTC conductors, 402 PSI positions, and 1,000 Village Administrative Officer posts.

KEA also successfully conducted the K-SET exams for 2023 and 2024, covering 41 subjects.

Certificates have been issued to eligible candidates, with certificates for the current year pending issuance. Alongside such a large number of recruitment exams, KEA continued its core functions of conducting CET exams, seat allotments, and professional course admissions—a first in its history. KEA also held entrance exams for residential school admissions.

Selection for IAS/KAS Coaching

As part of its initiatives, KEA conducted exams to select eligible candidates from Scheduled Caste and Backward Classes categories for free IAS/KAS and other competitive exam coaching programmes offered by the Social Welfare and Backward Classes Departments.