Karnataka SDA Syllabus 2026: Paper 1 and Paper 2 Topic-Wise Guide

The Karnataka SDA syllabus covers two objective papers: Paper 1 on General Knowledge, and Paper 2 on General Kannada, General English and Computer Knowledge. The scheme comes from the Karnataka Civil Services (Direct Recruitment) (General) Rules, 2021, which the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) follows for Second Division Assistant recruitment in state government departments.

The rules name the subject areas but do not publish a detailed topic list. The checklists below are built from those official areas and from questions asked in earlier SDA and similar Group C exams. Use them as a working checklist, not as an official list. You will also find the weightage of each subject, where to start, and a phased plan to cover everything before the exam.

Table of Contents

• Karnataka SDA Syllabus at a Glance

• Key Changes to Know

• Paper 1 Syllabus: General Knowledge

• Paper 2 Syllabus: General Kannada

• Paper 2 Syllabus: General English

• Paper 2 Syllabus: Computer Knowledge

• Compulsory Kannada Language Test Syllabus

• How Paper 1 and Paper 2 Overlap

• Topic Priority List

• Types of Questions to Expect

• Sources to Study From

• Common Syllabus Mistakes

• How to Cover the Karnataka SDA Syllabus

Karnataka SDA Syllabus at a Glance

The marks split inside Paper 2 (35, 35 and 30) is set by the rules. Question counts per section are inferred from one mark per question and can vary slightly. For marking and negative marking, see the Karnataka SDA exam pattern.

Key Changes to Know

• Two papers, not three: Older KPSC-era pages show separate Kannada, English and GK papers worth 350 marks. The current scheme has two 100-mark papers.

• Computer Knowledge is in: Computer basics now carry 30 marks in Paper 2. Many older syllabus pages miss this.

• No arithmetic paper: There is no separate quantitative aptitude section for SDA. Basic reasoning can appear only as everyday observation questions in Paper 1.

• Karnataka focus: History, geography and economy are all asked "with reference to Karnataka", so state-level detail matters more than national trivia.

Paper 1 Syllabus: General Knowledge

Paper 1 follows the eight areas listed in the rules for Group C posts below degree level. The table turns each area into practical topics and tells you where to begin.

Karnataka history, geography and Panchayat Raj together tend to account for a large share of Paper 1, based on recent papers. Cover them first, then build current affairs alongside.

Karnataka History in Detail

History questions are usually factual: which dynasty built a monument, who founded a capital, or which reformer led a movement. Prepare a timeline from the Satavahanas and Kadambas to the unification of Karnataka in 1956 and the renaming of the state in 1973. Give extra time to Vijayanagara rulers, the Mysore kingdom, the Basava-led Vachana movement, and Karnataka's role in the freedom struggle, including events such as the Shivapura flag satyagraha.

Geography and Economy in Detail

Learn the state's physical divisions (coastal strip, Malnad and the plateau), the major rivers and the dams built on them, and the main crops of each region. Keep a district table with headquarters, famous places and key products. For the economy, focus on irrigation projects, industrial regions, rural development schemes and the role of co-operatives. Questions here often combine geography and economy, for example asking which district leads in a crop.

Constitution and Administration in Detail

The rules ask for an overview of the Constitution, not legal depth. Know the important articles, the schedules, the powers of the Governor and the Chief Minister, and how the state legislature works. For administration, understand the roles of the Deputy Commissioner, Chief Executive Officer of the Zilla Panchayat, Tahsildar and Panchayat Development Officer, and the three tiers of Panchayat Raj under the 73rd Amendment.

Paper 2 Syllabus: General Kannada

General Kannada carries 35 marks and tests standard written Kannada at roughly SSLC to PUC level.

• Grammar: Sandhi, samasa, vibhakti pratyaya, kriyapada, kaala, linga and vachana, alankara.

• Vocabulary: Synonyms, antonyms, tatsama and tadbhava words, nanartha (multiple meanings), one-word substitutes.

• Usage: Correct spelling, punctuation, sentence correction, idioms and proverbs (gaadegalu).

• Comprehension: Short passages with direct and inference questions.

• Literature basics: Major Kannada poets and writers, Jnanpith awardees and their works.

Paper 2 Syllabus: General English

General English also carries 35 marks and is pitched at a basic to moderate level.

Paper 2 Syllabus: Computer Knowledge

Computer Knowledge carries 30 marks. It checks whether you can handle routine office computer work, which is a daily part of the SDA job.

• Fundamentals: Hardware, software, input and output devices, CPU, memory units, storage devices.

• Operating systems: Windows basics, files and folders, common shortcuts.

• MS Office: Word (formatting, mail merge), Excel (cells, formulas, functions such as SUM and AVERAGE, charts), PowerPoint basics.

• Internet and email: Browsers, search, email features, attachments, cloud storage.

• Security and e-governance: Viruses, passwords, phishing, basic cyber safety, and common state e-governance services.

For Excel-style questions you may be asked what a simple formula such as =SUM(A1:A5) returns. Learn what each common function does rather than memorising long lists.

Compulsory Kannada Language Test Syllabus

This separate test applies only to candidates who did not study Kannada as a first or second language in SSLC and have not passed an earlier KPSC or KEA Kannada test. It is set at the standard of first-language Kannada at SSLC level, carries 150 marks, and needs 50 to pass. Marks are not added to merit. Prepare from SSLC first-language Kannada textbooks, focusing on grammar, comprehension and vocabulary.

How Paper 1 and Paper 2 Overlap

Topic Priority List

This priority list is based on how often topics have appeared in earlier SDA and similar Group C papers. It is guidance for planning, not an official weightage.

Types of Questions to Expect

All questions are multiple choice. Knowing the common formats helps you read faster on exam day.

• Direct fact: For example, a question asking on which river a named dam is built.

• Statement-based: Two or three statements about a scheme or an article, and you pick which are correct.

• Match the following: Dynasties with capitals, or districts with famous places.

• Grammar identification: Naming the type of sandhi or samasa in a Kannada word.

• Error spotting: Finding the part of an English sentence that contains a mistake.

• Applied computer questions: What a shortcut key does, or which Excel function gives a particular result.

Sources to Study From

• Karnataka state board textbooks: Social science textbooks from classes 6 to 10 cover most of the history, geography and civics asked in Paper 1.

• SSLC and PUC Kannada textbooks: The base for General Kannada and the Kannada language test.

• The Constitution of India: Read the Preamble, fundamental rights, directive principles and the Panchayat Raj part from the official text.

• State government websites: Department pages and the state budget speech for schemes and current data.

• Previous papers: Earlier SDA and similar Group C papers show the level and style of questions.

Common Syllabus Mistakes

• Studying an outdated pattern: Preparing for a separate arithmetic or long English paper wastes time.

• Treating Computer Knowledge lightly: Thirty marks is almost a third of Paper 2.

• Reading national GK only: The rules put Karnataka at the centre of history, geography and economy.

• Skipping Kannada grammar: Even candidates fluent in Kannada lose marks on technical grammar terms.

How to Cover the Karnataka SDA Syllabus

1. Weeks 1 to 4, foundations: Karnataka history, geography and the Constitution for Paper 1; Kannada grammar and English grammar basics for Paper 2. Start a daily 30-minute current affairs habit.

2. Weeks 5 to 8, complete the syllabus: Economy, Panchayat Raj, administration, environment and everyday science; computer fundamentals and MS Office. Begin topic-wise tests at the end of each week.

3. Weeks 9 to 10, sectional practice: Timed sectional tests for General Kannada, General English and Computer; previous year papers for Paper 1.

4. Final phase, full-length mocks: Two papers back to back in exam timing, same-day analysis, and revision from an error log.

Topic-wise tests on Testkart help you check each chapter as you finish it, and the section-wise analysis shows which areas still need work. Pair them with Karnataka SDA previous year papers to understand the real level of questions. When you move to revision, Karnataka SDA study notes and full-length Karnataka SDA mock tests on Testkart keep your preparation in the current pattern. For the full exam overview, go back to the Karnataka SDA exam guide.

Official website: https://cetonline.karnataka.gov.in/kea/