Karnataka SDA Cut Off: Qualifying Marks, Previous Trends and Target Score
The Karnataka SDA cut off is the lowest score at which candidates of a category were placed in the selection list for Second Division Assistant posts. It works at two levels: a fixed qualifying mark set by the recruitment rules, and the actual closing marks that come out with each selection list, by category, cadre and post.
Cut-offs change every year with difficulty, vacancies and the number of applicants. Treat past figures as a benchmark only, and aim for a clear margin above them rather than a bare pass. The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) has not released any SDA cut-off for the 2026 cycle yet, so this page explains how the cut-off works and how to set a safe target.
Qualifying Marks for Karnataka SDA
Requirement | Minimum mark | Source |
|---|---|---|
Written exam (Paper 1 plus Paper 2) | 35 percent of 200, that is 70 marks | Karnataka Civil Services (Direct Recruitment) (General) Rules, 2021 |
Compulsory Kannada Language Test (if required) | 50 out of 150 | Same rules |
The 35 percent mark only makes you eligible for the merit list. Selection depends on how many candidates in your category and cadre score above you.
Previous Cut-Off Status
Cycle | Conducting body | Cut-off status |
|---|---|---|
SDA 2018 | KPSC | Category-wise cut-off lists for residual parent cadre and Kalyana Karnataka published with the final selection lists in 2021 |
SDA 2019-20 (1,279 posts) | KPSC | Final selection list and cut-off marks published in January 2023 |
KEA SDA recruitment 2026 | KEA | Not yet released; cut-offs, where published, appear with the provisional and final selection lists |
Earlier KPSC SDA exams used a different, three-paper pattern with a different total, so their raw marks cannot be compared with today's 200-mark exam. Online tables that give expected SDA cut-offs in marks are estimates, not official figures. When KEA publishes the 2026 lists, compare cut-offs as a percentage of 200 within your own category and cadre.
What Affects the Cut-Off
Factor | How it affects the cut-off |
|---|---|
Paper difficulty | A tougher GK paper or a demanding English section pulls scores down for everyone. |
Vacancies by department | Large blocks of SDA posts in one department can lower the closing mark for that post. |
Applicants | A combined drive with PUC-level posts attracts very large numbers of candidates. |
Category and cadre | Separate lists for each reservation category and for the Kalyana Karnataka cadre mean separate cut-offs. |
Preferences | Popular departments fill first, so their closing marks run higher. |
Negative marking | Careless guessing lowers raw scores and changes the spread of marks. |
How to Set Your Target Score
Only the first row below is an official figure. The other targets are indicative guidance for a competitive state-wide clerical exam, not expected cut-offs.
Benchmark | Figure | Status | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
Minimum qualifying mark | 70 out of 200 (35 percent) | Official | Treat it as the absolute floor, not a goal |
Full-length mock score | About 60 percent or more (about 120 out of 200) | Indicative | Gives you a safer margin above the qualifying mark |
Score in each paper | 60 plus out of 100 in Paper 1 and in Paper 2 | Indicative | Balanced scores stop a single tough paper from sinking your total |
Wrong answers | Under about 10 percent of attempts | Indicative | Limits the damage from negative marking |
Official website for results: https://cetonline.karnataka.gov.in/kea/
Frequently Asked Questions
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