The Karnataka State Police Department has issued the recruitment notifications for Civil Police Constable posts in two separate categories. The notification covers 3,395 Civil Police Constable posts under RPC and 596 Civil Police Constable posts under KK cadre. Candidates preparing for the exam should now focus on the written test syllabus, negative marking rule, physical standard test and endurance test.
As per the notification, the written examination will be conducted in offline OMR mode. The question paper will carry 100 questions for 100 marks, and candidates will get 90 minutes to complete the exam. The selection will not depend only on the written exam, as shortlisted candidates will also have to clear the Physical Standard Test and Endurance Test.
Table of Contents
Karnataka Police Constable Exam Date 2026
The written examination date mentioned in the notifications is 02 August 2026. However, the exam timing is different for the two notifications.
| Cadre | Exam Date | Exam Time |
|---|---|---|
| RPC Civil Police Constable | 02 August 2026 | 10:30 AM to 12:00 Noon |
| KK Civil Police Constable | 02 August 2026 | 2:30 PM to 4:00 PM |
Candidates should check their admit card carefully after release because the exam centre, reporting time, roll number and other instructions will be mentioned separately.
Karnataka Police Constable Exam Pattern 2026
The written test will be objective-type and conducted through OMR sheets. The paper will include 100 questions for 100 marks. Each question will carry 1 mark.
| Paper | Subjects | Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written Exam | General Knowledge, Science, Geography, History, Indian Constitution, Indian Freedom Movement, General Mental Ability and related general awareness topics | 100 | 100 | 90 minutes |
The paper is not very long in terms of marks, but the 90-minute limit makes speed important. Candidates will have less than one minute per question, so revision, mock tests and accuracy practice will matter.
Negative Marking Rule
There will be negative marking in the Karnataka Police Constable written exam. For every wrong answer, 0.25 mark will be deducted.
Candidates should avoid blind guessing because four wrong answers can reduce 1 full mark. The safer strategy is to attempt questions where the candidate can eliminate at least two options confidently.
Karnataka Police Constable Syllabus 2026
General Knowledge
This section may include questions from current affairs, Karnataka-related facts, Indian polity, important public institutions, awards, sports, books, important days, national and international events, and basic civic awareness.
Candidates should especially prepare Karnataka state-level current affairs, government schemes, important personalities, geography of Karnataka, major rivers, districts, cultural facts and recent developments.
Science
The science portion is expected to test basic understanding from school-level science. Candidates should prepare Physics, Chemistry and Biology fundamentals.
Important areas include human body, diseases, nutrition, vitamins, blood, respiratory system, force, motion, light, sound, electricity, metals, non-metals, acids, bases, environment and everyday science applications.
Geography
The geography syllabus may include Indian geography, Karnataka geography and basic world geography. Candidates should focus on rivers, dams, forests, soils, minerals, climate, agriculture and transport.
For Karnataka-specific preparation, candidates should revise Western Ghats, major rivers, irrigation projects, national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, coastal Karnataka and major crops.
History
The history portion may include ancient, medieval and modern Indian history. However, for police constable-level preparation, modern Indian history and Karnataka history are more important.
Candidates should prepare major dynasties of Karnataka, freedom fighters, social reform movements, British rule in India, important Congress sessions, revolts and key events of the national movement.
Indian Constitution
This is an important section for police recruitment exams. Candidates should prepare the Preamble, Fundamental Rights, Fundamental Duties, Directive Principles, President, Governor, Parliament, State Legislature, Judiciary, Panchayati Raj and emergency provisions.
Basic questions may also come from constitutional bodies, schedules, amendments and citizenship.
Indian Freedom Movement
The notification specifically includes the Indian Freedom Movement in the syllabus area. Candidates should prepare the Revolt of 1857, Indian National Congress, Swadeshi Movement, Non-Cooperation Movement, Civil Disobedience Movement, Quit India Movement and important leaders.
Karnataka’s role in the freedom struggle should also be revised because state-specific questions can appear in the paper.
General Mental Ability
This section may test basic reasoning and aptitude. Candidates should prepare analogy, classification, series, coding-decoding, blood relation, direction sense, ranking, number series, alphabet series, simple arithmetic reasoning and basic data interpretation.
This section can improve the score quickly because it depends more on practice than memorisation.
Kannada Language Requirement
The notification also refers to Kannada language-related conditions. Candidates who have not studied Kannada as a language in the required educational qualification may have to satisfy the Kannada language requirement as per rules.
The notification mentions that candidates should refer to the official instructions carefully for Kannada language eligibility and related examination conditions. Candidates from border areas, outside Karnataka or those applying under special language-related provisions should not ignore this section.
Physical Standard Test
Candidates shortlisted after the written examination will be called for the Physical Standard Test and Endurance Test in the prescribed ratio. The notification indicates that candidates may be shortlisted in the ratio of 1:5 for the next stage.
| Category | Height | Chest / Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Male and Ex-servicemen | 168 cm | Chest 86 cm with minimum 5 cm expansion |
| Female and Third Gender candidates | 157 cm | Weight 45 kg |
| Tribal Male candidates | 155 cm | Chest 75 cm with minimum 5 cm expansion |
| Tribal Female candidates | 150 cm | As per notification |
Candidates should treat the physical test seriously. Many aspirants clear the written exam but lose selection due to poor running practice, insufficient jump preparation or document-related mistakes.
Endurance Test Details
| Candidate Category | Event | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Male and Ex-servicemen | 1600 metre run | 6 minutes 30 seconds |
| Male and Ex-servicemen | High Jump or Long Jump | 1.20 metre high jump or 3.80 metre long jump |
| Male and Ex-servicemen | Shot Put | 5.60 metre with 7.26 kg shot |
| Female, Third Gender and Female Ex-servicemen | 400 metre run | Within 2 minutes |
| Female, Third Gender and Female Ex-servicemen | High Jump or Long Jump | 0.90 metre high jump or 2.50 metre long jump |
| Female, Third Gender and Female Ex-servicemen | Shot Put | 3.75 metre with 4 kg shot |
Candidates usually get limited attempts for jump and shot put events. Running should be practised daily, but candidates must avoid overtraining in the final week before the physical test.
Selection Process
The Karnataka Police Constable selection process includes the following stages:
- Written Examination
- Physical Standard Test
- Endurance Test
- Document Verification
- Final Selection as per merit and rules
The written exam is the main scoring stage. The physical test is qualifying in nature, but failing in physical standards or endurance events can remove the candidate from the recruitment process.
Application Fee
| Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| General and other specified categories | ₹750 |
| SC, ST, Category-1 and other eligible reserved categories | ₹500 |
Candidates should pay the fee within the prescribed deadline. The last date to pay the challan is 04 July 2026.
Preparation Strategy for Karnataka Police Constable Exam
Candidates should divide preparation into three parts: static subjects, current affairs and physical preparation. For the written test, the highest priority should be given to Karnataka GK, Indian Constitution, freedom movement, basic science and reasoning.
A good daily plan should include 2 hours of syllabus study, 45 minutes of current affairs, 30 minutes of reasoning practice and at least 45 minutes of physical training. In the last 30 days, candidates should attempt OMR-based mock tests because the actual exam will be offline.
Accuracy is equally important because of negative marking. Candidates should not attempt questions randomly. A controlled attempt with high accuracy can perform better than an aggressive attempt with too many wrong answers.
What Candidates Should Do Now
Candidates who have applied for Karnataka Police Constable Recruitment 2026 should first download and preserve the official notification. They should then prepare according to the written exam pattern and start physical practice without waiting for the written result.
The exam has a compact paper of 100 marks, but the competition will be high because the recruitment includes thousands of posts. Candidates who combine written preparation with regular running, jump and strength practice will have a better chance in the final selection process.
