Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], November 12 (ANI): With the Karnataka Public Service Commission set to hold a preliminary examination for 319 Gazetted Probationer posts on Sunday, November 15, Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Thursday directed Deputy Commissioners to conduct the exams with election-level protocols.
The Karnataka Chief Minister reviewed preparations via video conference with Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police from his Home Office 'Krishna' and ordered training for all exam staff on the lines of election duty and submission of compliance reports.
The CM said the exam must be conducted with utmost transparency with zero room for malpractice. He instructed DCs to strictly enforce KPSC guidelines and maintain continuous surveillance through CCTV at all centres.
DK Shivakumar directed police to put in place robust security arrangements similar to those for police recruitment exams, emphasising that no unauthorised person will be allowed inside exam centre premises, and even authorised personnel must undergo security checks. Candidates can carry only items permitted under guidelines.
Meanwhile, officials were asked to assess the sensitivity of each centre and deploy staff accordingly. Additional security equipment can be hired on a rental basis, and extra police personnel mobilised if needed.
The CM warned that candidates must not enter centres with mobile phones under any circumstances and senior officials will be held accountable for any lapse.
However, for the first time, two invigilators will be deployed in every examination hall and at least one must be from a government college. The dual-invigilator system will conduct secondary checks after candidates enter and maintain strict vigil throughout.
Shivakumar also directed firm measures to prevent impersonation, warning that if exam centres housed in private aided colleges are found to have facilitated malpractice, their recognition will be cancelled and stringent legal action will be initiated against those indulging in malpractice.
Stressing zero tolerance for fake news, the CM directed police to actively monitor social media, noting that if any rumour surfaces, it must be immediately flagged so that official clarification can be issued.
He urged candidates to verify information only through official sources and appear for the exam with confidence without paying heed to rumours, and directed the Department of e-Governance to implement Aadhaar-based identity verification at centres for future exams to weed out impersonators.
Meanwhile, the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) has introduced sweeping transparency reforms for its upcoming recruitment exams scheduled for November 15, 2026, covering 319 Group 'A' and 'B' posts across 345 sub-centres in 15 districts.
Briefing on these first-of-its-kind measures, Controller of Examinations H Prasanna announced a mandatory 5-option OMR system where candidates must darken a fifth bubble for unknown answers, leaving no blanks, alongside a triple-copy OMR sheet mechanism to secure copies for the candidate, evaluation, and district strong rooms. Security has been heightened with CCTV monitoring, active signal jammers certified by SPs, and two invigilators per hall for rigorous ID checks and frisking.
Additionally, scanned copies of all 2,94,134 OMR sheets will be uploaded to the KPSC website for public viewing on exam day itself across 12 designated district scanning centres. The CM has also instructed to establish OMR scanning centres at all district headquarters in collaboration with the Department of Technical Education for faster declaration of results.
He directed Deputy Commissioners to issue Caste Validity Certificates on priority, noting that the appointment process for several recruitments has stalled due to delays.
The examinations will feature 319 posts comprising 202 Group 'B' and 117 Group 'A' positions, drawing a total of 1,47,067 candidates including 91,238 men, 53,074 women, and 2,755 others who will appear across 345 sub-centres located in 15 districts: Kalaburagi, Raichur, Ballari, Bagalkot, Vijayapura, Dharwad, Belagavi, Uttara Kannada, Shivamogga, Dakshina Kannada, Hassan, Davanagere, Tumakuru, Mysuru, and Bengaluru Urban.
Scheduled for Nov 15, 2026 (Sunday), the exam format consists of Paper-1 covering General Studies and Humanities from 10 AM to 12 PM, and Paper-2 covering State-related General Studies, Science & Tech, and Mental Ability from 2 PM to 4 PM, with each paper following a pattern of 100 questions and 200 marks, resulting in a total of 2,94,134 OMR sheets to be scanned. (ANI)
Karnataka CM orders election-style security for KPSC prelims on Nov 15; 1.47 lakh candidates to appear for 319 posts
