Overview
Karnataka is a state in south-western India, on the Deccan Plateau and the Arabian Sea coast. Its capital and largest city is Bengaluru. It has an area of 191,791 sq km, about 5.8 per cent of India, which makes it the sixth-largest state by area. The 2011 Census counted 61,095,297 people, the eighth-largest state population. As on October 2026, the state has 31 districts grouped into 4 revenue divisions. The state was formed on 1 November 1956 as Mysore State by joining Kannada-speaking regions that had been split across several rulers, and it was renamed Karnataka on 1 November 1973. The state celebrates 1 November as Kannada Rajyotsava.
Karnataka shares borders with Maharashtra and Goa to the north-west, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to the north-east and east, Tamil Nadu to the south-east and Kerala to the south-west. The Arabian Sea lies to the west. See the guides for Maharashtra, Goa, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Three features define the state. The land rises in steps: a narrow coastal strip (Karavali), the forested Western Ghats (Malenadu) and a broad dry plateau to the east (Bayaluseeme). The Krishna and Kaveri systems drain most of it, and their waters are the subject of long inter-state disputes. And its history is deep: Ashoka's edicts, the Kadamba, Chalukya, Rashtrakuta and Hoysala dynasties, Vijayanagara at Hampi, the Bahmani sultanate, and the Wodeyars of Mysore, who ruled from 1399 to 1947.
Kannada is the official language and the mother tongue of about two-thirds of the population (Census 2011). Urdu, Telugu, Tamil, Marathi, Hindi, Tulu and Konkani are also widely spoken. The legislature is bicameral, with a Vidhan Sabha of 224 members and a Vidhan Parishad of 75 members.
The Kalyana Karnataka region in the north-east has special constitutional provisions under Article 371J. This part covers history, geography, administration and demography. This guide does not name sitting office-holders; for the current Governor, Chief Minister and others, see Current Affairs.
For exam preparation
- Karnataka was formed on 1 November 1956 as Mysore State and renamed Karnataka on 1 November 1973.
- Area is 191,791 sq km; Census 2011 population is 61,095,297.
- As on October 2026, Karnataka has 31 districts and 4 revenue divisions (Bengaluru, Mysuru, Belagavi, Kalaburagi).
- The state has three natural regions: Karavali (coast), Malenadu (Western Ghats) and Bayaluseeme (plateau).
- Vijayanagara, notified in 2021, is the 31st and newest district.
- Kannada is the official language; the legislature has 224 Assembly seats and 75 Council seats.
History
Karnataka's history runs from Stone Age and Iron Age sites through the Mauryan empire, a series of Kannada-speaking dynasties between the 4th and 14th centuries, the Vijayanagara Empire and the Deccan sultanates, the Mysore kingdom, British control, and finally the unification movement that produced the present state in 1956.
Ashoka and early dynasties
The region was part of the Mauryan empire. Karnataka holds a cluster of Ashoka's rock edicts, which mark the southern limit of his empire. Minor Rock Edicts are found at Brahmagiri, Siddapura and Jatinga-Rameshwara (Chitradurga district), at Maski (Raichur district), at Gavimath and Palkigundu near Koppal (Koppal district), and at Nittur and Udegolam (Ballari district). Sannati in Kalaburagi district has Major Rock Edicts. These are in Prakrit and Brahmi script. The Maski edict is one of the very few that names the king as Ashoka rather than only "Devanampiya" (beloved of the gods). The Kanaganahalli stupa site near Sannati has a sculpture inscribed "Ranyo Asoka" (King Ashoka). Tradition holds that Chandragupta Maurya died as a Jain ascetic at Shravanabelagola (Hassan) around 298 BCE.
After the Mauryas, the Satavahanas controlled much of the Deccan from about the 3rd century BCE. Local Kannada-speaking powers then emerged. The Kadambas of Banavasi (Uttara Kannada) were founded by Mayurasharma around 345 CE. The Talagunda inscription links him to a conflict with the Pallavas. Kadamba rule is regarded as the first by a local dynasty that used Kannada, "the language of the soil", in administration. The Halmidi inscription (c. 450 CE) is the earliest known Kannada inscription. Kakusthavarma is remembered as their greatest king. The Kadambas ended around 540 CE when the Chalukyas, formerly their feudatories, took over; branches of the family continued in Goa and Hangal. The Western Gangas ruled the south of the plateau from Talakad.
Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas and the Kalyani Chalukyas
The Badami (Early) Chalukyas ruled from Vatapi (Badami, Bagalkote district) from 543 CE until 753 CE. Pulakeshin II, the greatest ruler, held the Deccan and is said in the Aihole inscription to have stopped Harsha on the Narmada. The temple clusters at Badami, Aihole and Pattadakal, the last a UNESCO World Heritage Site, show the experiments of this period in what is called the Karnata Dravida style. Dantidurga of the Rashtrakutas overthrew the last Chalukya ruler in 753 CE.
The Rashtrakutas (753 to about 973 CE) became one of the great empires of early medieval India. Krishna I built the Kailasa temple at Ellora. Amoghavarsha I (r. 814 to 878) shifted the capital to Manyakheta (Malkhed, Kalaburagi district) and wrote the Kavirajamarga, the earliest surviving work on Kannada poetics. The poets Pampa and Ponna belong to this age of Kannada literature. Some sources give 982 CE for the end.
The Western Chalukyas (Kalyani Chalukyas) revived Chalukya power from 973 CE, when Tailapa II overthrew the Rashtrakutas, until about 1189 CE. Their capital was Kalyani (now Basavakalyan, Bidar district). Vikramaditya VI was the best known; the jurist Vijnaneshwara wrote the Mitakshara in his court, and it became a core text of Hindu law. The 12th century also saw the Lingayat movement of Basavanna, with Akka Mahadevi and Allama Prabhu, and the Anubhava Mantapa as a forum for religious and social debate.
Hoysalas
The Hoysalas were first feudatories of the Western Chalukyas. Legend ties the name to Sala, who is said to have struck a tiger to save his teacher, but historians treat this as folklore. Vishnuvardhana (r. about 1108 to 1152) made them a power; his victory over the Cholas at Talakad in 1116 is the best-known event. The capital moved between Belur and Dwarasamudra (Halebidu). The three major temples, the Chennakeshava temple at Belur, the Hoysaleswara temple at Halebidu and the Chennakesava temple at Somanathapura, were inscribed by UNESCO in 2023 as the Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas. The poet Janna wrote Yashodhara Charite. Delhi's armies under Alauddin Khalji sacked Halebidu in 1311 and again in 1327. The kingdom ended in 1346 when Veera Ballala III was killed at Madurai.
Bahmani, Vijayanagara and the Deccan sultanates
The Vijayanagara Empire was founded in 1336 by the brothers Harihara I and Bukka I of the Sangama dynasty, after the Delhi Sultanate's raids on the south. Its capital, Vijayanagara, is today the ruined city of Hampi in Vijayanagara district. Four dynasties ruled: Sangama, Saluva, Tuluva and Aravidu. The empire peaked under the Tuluva king Krishnadevaraya (1509 to 1529), who defeated several Deccan sultans. Several languages, including Kannada and Telugu, flourished at his court. After the defeat of Rama Raya at the Battle of Talikota in 1565 by a confederation of the Deccan sultans, the capital was sacked, moved to Penukonda and later Chandragiri, and the empire formally ended around 1646.
North of the Tungabhadra, the Bahmani Sultanate was founded by Ala-ud-Din Bahman Shah on 3 August 1347 at Gulbarga (Kalaburagi). The capital moved to Bidar around 1425. The vizier Mahmud Gawan (served 1466 to 1481, executed 1481) took the sultanate to its widest extent and founded the Mahmud Gawan Madrasa at Bidar. From about 1490, governors declared independence and the sultanate dissolved in 1527 into five Deccan sultanates: Bidar, Ahmednagar, Bijapur, Golconda and Berar. The Adil Shahis of Bijapur (Vijayapura) were the most important of these in Karnataka; their dates were not verified here.
Mysore, Haider Ali and Tipu Sultan
The kingdom of Mysore was founded in 1399 by the brothers Yaduraya and Krishnaraya, the first Wodeyars. They began to act independently after Vijayanagara declined after 1565. The kingdom grew in the 17th century, notably under Chikka Devaraja (r. 1672 to 1704). In the 18th century, the military commander Haider Ali took effective control; he won a victory at Bangalore in 1758 and conquered Keladi and Calicut in the 1760s. His son Tipu Sultan continued the rule. Mysore fought four Anglo-Mysore Wars: 1767 to 1769 (Mysore advantage), 1780 to 1784 (ended by the Treaty of Mangalore in 1784), 1790 to 1792 (Tipu was defeated and the Treaty of Seringapatam, or Srirangapatna, followed in 1792) and 1799. Tipu died defending Srirangapatna in 1799. The British restored the Wodeyar family, and Krishnaraja Wodeyar III was installed as a boy ruler under the Dewan Purnaiah.
In 1831 the British took over administration, citing misrule, and a commissioner system lasted until 1881. In 1881 Chamaraja Wodeyar X was restored (the Rendition). The same year the Mysore Representative Assembly was set up, said to be the first representative assembly in any princely state. Sir M. Visvesvaraya, Dewan from 1909 to 1918 (some sources say 1912), oversaw works such as the Kannambadi (Krishnaraja Sagara) dam and the University of Mysore in 1916. The ruler signed the Instrument of Accession on 9 August 1947, and in 1950 Mysore became a state under a Rajpramukh.
Colonial Karnataka and the freedom movement
Under British rule the Kannada-speaking people were split among roughly 20 units: princely Mysore, Coorg, the Bombay and Madras Presidencies and the Nizam's Hyderabad. Nearly two-thirds of present Karnataka lay outside Wodeyar rule.
Resistance began early. Rani Chennamma of Kittur (Belagavi district) led a revolt against the East India Company in October 1824 after it refused to accept her adopted heir; the political agent St John Thackeray was killed in the first clash. She was taken prisoner in the second war and died at Bailhongal Fort on 21 February 1829. Her commander Sangolli Rayanna kept up the resistance until he was captured and executed in 1831. Later episodes of the freedom movement were not verified for this pass and are left out.
Unification and statehood
The movement for Karnataka Ekikarana, the unification of Kannada-speaking areas, grew from cultural bodies. The Karnataka Vidyavardhaka Sangha (Dharwad, 1890) and the Kannada Sahitya Parishat (Bengaluru, 1915) led it. Aluru Venkata Rao argued for a single Karnataka from 1903 and wrote Karnataka Gatha Vaibhava. A state political conference at Dharwad in 1920 passed resolutions in favour of unification. The 1924 Belgaum session of the Indian National Congress, presided over by Mahatma Gandhi, gave it momentum. In 1928 the Nehru Committee report found a strong case for unification.
Hyderabad State was integrated with India after Operation Polo on 17 September 1948, which brought the Kannada-speaking districts of the Nizam's domain into the Indian Union. The States Reorganisation Commission recommended linguistic states, and under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, the new Mysore State came into being on 1 November 1956. It combined the old Mysore State with the Kannada-speaking districts of Bombay and Hyderabad, together with Coorg and part of the Madras Presidency. Kasaragod, which is mostly Kannada-speaking in parts, went to Kerala, and the border dispute with Maharashtra over Belagavi continues (see the Maharashtra guide).
On 1 November 1973 the state was renamed Karnataka, under Chief Minister Devaraj Urs. The Hyderabad-Karnataka region was renamed Kalyana Karnataka in 2019. The Mumbai-Karnataka region is now called Kittur Karnataka (reported; date not confirmed).
For exam preparation
- Ashoka's Minor Rock Edicts in Karnataka are at Brahmagiri, Siddapura, Jatinga-Rameshwara, Maski, Gavimath, Palkigundu, Nittur and Udegolam; Sannati has Major Rock Edicts.
- The Maski edict names the king as Ashoka; the Kanaganahalli stupa sculpture is inscribed "Ranyo Asoka".
- Mayurasharma founded the Kadambas (c. 345 CE) at Banavasi; the Halmidi inscription (c. 450 CE) is the earliest Kannada inscription.
- The Badami Chalukyas ruled 543 to 753 CE; the Rashtrakutas (753 to about 973 CE) capitalised at Manyakheta; Amoghavarsha I wrote the Kavirajamarga.
- Vijayanagara was founded in 1336 by Harihara I and Bukka I; Talikota was fought in 1565; the Bahmani Sultanate was founded on 3 August 1347 at Gulbarga.
- Tipu Sultan died in 1799 in the fourth Anglo-Mysore War; Mysore's Rendition was in 1881.
- Mysore State was formed on 1 November 1956 and renamed Karnataka on 1 November 1973.
- The Belgaum Congress session was held in 1924 under Gandhi's presidency.
Geography
Karnataka lies in the south-western part of the Deccan Plateau between roughly 11 degrees 30 minutes and 18 degrees 30 minutes north. It is a land of three steps: a narrow coast, a mountain wall, and an upland plateau that slopes eastwards. Its rivers rise in the Western Ghats and flow east; only a few small ones drain west to the Arabian Sea. Rainfall falls steeply from west to east, and that single fact explains most of the state's land use, forests, soils and farming patterns.
Location and size
The state covers 191,791 sq km, about 5.83 per cent of India. North-south and east-west spans differ between sources (for example 850 and 450 km, or 767 and 489 km) and are not confirmed here. The Arabian Sea coast is about 320 km long (commonly quoted). Neighbours are Maharashtra and Goa to the north and north-west, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to the east, Tamil Nadu and Kerala to the south. The Karnataka coast belongs to the districts of Uttara Kannada, Udupi and Dakshina Kannada.
Physiography and regions
Three natural regions are used in geography books and in everyday speech.
| Region | Local name | Setting | Typical features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coastal plains | Karavali (also Tulu Nadu in the south) | A strip about 320 km long and 48 to 64 km wide (reported) | Heavy rain, lagoons, beaches, rivers that drain west, rice, coconut, fish |
| Western Ghats | Malenadu ("hill country") | Hills averaging about 900 m, many peaks above 1,000 m | Evergreen and moist forests, coffee, tea, spice, waterfalls, hydro-power |
| Plateau | Bayaluseeme ("open plain") | Average about 650 m, sloping east | Dry or semi-arid, black and red soils, millets, cotton, pulses |
The northern plateau (Belagavi, Vijayapura, Kalaburagi) is drier and lies largely on black cotton soil. The state's highest point is Mullayyanagiri in Chikkamagaluru district, given as about 1,930 m (1,925 m in some official lists). It is part of the Baba Budan Giri range. The Kudremukh range, Brahmagiri and Pushpagiri in Kodagu, and Agumbe are other hill areas.
The Western Ghats are a mountain system about 1,600 km long running through six states, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2012 (39 sites in seven clusters across the chain). Several of the Karnataka clusters lie in Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru, Hassan and Uttara Kannada.
Regions of political relevance:
- Kalyana Karnataka (formerly Hyderabad-Karnataka) covers seven districts: Bidar, Kalaburagi, Yadgir, Raichur, Koppal, Ballari and Vijayanagara. The first five were part of the Nizam's state, while Ballari and the new Vijayanagara district came from the Madras Presidency. The region has special provisions under Article 371J, inserted by the Constitution (98th Amendment) Act, 2012, which received the President's assent on 1 January 2013. It provides for a development board for the region and for reservation in education and in state posts for people of the region.
- Kittur Karnataka (formerly Mumbai-Karnataka) is the north-west, with its headquarters at Belagavi.
- Old Mysore covers the south and centre, including Mysuru, Mandya, Hassan, Tumakuru and Bengaluru.
- Coastal Karnataka is the Karavali region, where Tulu, Kannada and Konkani are all spoken.
Rivers and lakes
All major rivers of the state belong either to the east-flowing Krishna and Kaveri systems or to the smaller west-flowing coastal group. A small part of the north (Bidar, around Manjra) falls in the Godavari basin. Karnataka has seven river basins and holds the largest single share of the Krishna basin, about 113,271 of its 258,948 sq km.
| River | Origin or key fact | Course in Karnataka and key features |
|---|---|---|
| Krishna | Rises near Mahabaleshwar, Maharashtra (about 914 m); 1,400 km long, about 483 km in Karnataka | Enters near Belagavi, flows through Bagalkote, Vijayapura, Raichur; Almatti and Narayanpur dams |
| Tungabhadra | Formed by the Tunga and Bhadra at Koodli near Shivamogga; 531 km | Flows through Davanagere, Haveri, Vijayanagara, Ballari, Raichur; Tungabhadra Dam near Hosapete; Hampi is on its banks; joins the Krishna in Andhra Pradesh |
| Bhima | Tributary of the Krishna | Flows through Kalaburagi and Yadgir, then joins the Krishna in Raichur area |
| Ghataprabha, Malaprabha | Krishna tributaries, rise in the Ghats | Irrigate Belagavi, Bagalkote and Dharwad regions |
| Kaveri (Cauvery) | Rises at Talakaveri in Kodagu (Brahmagiri hills, 1,341 m); about 800 km | Flows through Kodagu, Hassan (via tributaries), Mysuru, Mandya, Chamarajanagara; Krishnaraja Sagara dam; Shivanasamudra falls (about 91 m); leaves for Tamil Nadu near Hogenakkal |
| Hemavati, Lakshmanatirtha, Kabini | Kaveri tributaries | Hemavati from the Ghats of Chikkamagaluru; Kabini drains Wayanad (Kerala) into Karnataka |
| Sharavathi, Kali, Netravati, Gangavali and other west-flowing rivers | Drain to the Arabian Sea | Jog Falls on the Sharavathi; Linganamakki and Supa reservoirs; Kali is used for hydropower |
The Karnataka share of the Kaveri water is governed by the 2007 Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal award (basin yield 740 tmcft), modified by the Supreme Court in 2018, which gave Tamil Nadu 404.25 tmcft and Karnataka 284.75 tmcft. The Krishna waters are governed by a separate tribunal; its detailed allocations are not reproduced here as they were not checked.
Lakes are mostly man-made tanks. Important reservoirs include Krishnaraja Sagara (Mandya), Tungabhadra Dam (Hosapete), Almatti (Vijayapura and Bagalkote), Narayanpur, Linganamakki and Supa.
Climate
Karnataka has a tropical climate with a hot summer (March to May), a south-west monsoon (June to September), a retreating or north-east monsoon (October to November) and a mild winter (December to February). The south-west monsoon brings about 80 per cent of annual rainfall. The state is divided into three meteorological subdivisions:
| Subdivision | Area | Average annual rainfall (reported) |
|---|---|---|
| Coastal Karnataka | The coast and the west slope of the Ghats | About 3,638 mm |
| South Interior Karnataka | Mysuru, Hassan, Tumakuru, Bengaluru, Kodagu leeward | About 1,065 mm |
| North Interior Karnataka | Belagavi, Vijayapura, Kalaburagi, Raichur | About 712 mm |
Rainfall across the state ranges from about 500 mm in the dry north-east to 3,500 mm or more in the coastal and Ghat belt. The north interior sits in the rain shadow of the Ghats and has repeated droughts. The highest temperature recorded is 45.6 degrees Celsius at Raichur on 23 May 1928, and the lowest is 2.8 degrees Celsius at Bidar in December 1918 (reported).
Soils
The main soil groups, using the standard classification, are red soils (the most widespread, in the south and centre), black cotton soils (the north, especially around Vijayapura, Kalaburagi, Raichur and Dharwad), laterite soils (on the Ghats and the coast, good for cashew, coffee and plantation crops) and coastal alluvial soils. Black soil holds moisture and suits cotton, jowar and pulses; red soil suits ragi and groundnut. Exact area shares by soil type were not verified for this guide.
Forests, minerals and wildlife
Forest types range from evergreen and semi-evergreen on the Ghats, through moist and dry deciduous, to thorn scrub on the plateau. Karnataka's forest cover is reported at about one-fifth of its area in recent India State of Forest Reports; one summary of the 2023 report also says the state recorded one of the largest declines in forest and tree cover compared with 2021, but the exact figures were not confirmed. Coffee is grown under shade trees in Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru and Hassan.
Minerals are concentrated in the Dharwar craton. The main ones are gold (Kolar Gold Fields, now closed, and Hutti in Raichur), iron ore (Ballari-Hosapete-Sandur belt), manganese, chromite, bauxite, limestone and granite. Quantities and national rankings are not given here because they were not confirmed.
Protected areas: the state has five national parks, 30 wildlife sanctuaries, 13 conservation reserves and one community reserve (as reported by a Comptroller and Auditor General audit; counts change over time). The five tiger reserves are Bandipur, Bhadra, Biligiri Ranganathaswamy Temple (BRT), Dandeli-Anshi (Kali) and Rajiv Gandhi (Nagarhole).
| Protected area | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bandipur | National park, tiger reserve | Chamarajanagara; declared a tiger reserve under Project Tiger in 1973; over 860 sq km |
| Rajiv Gandhi (Nagarahole) | National park, tiger reserve | Kodagu and Mysuru; moist deciduous forest |
| Anshi | National park | Uttara Kannada; with Dandeli sanctuary forms Dandeli-Anshi (Kali) Tiger Reserve, declared in 2007 |
| Kudremukh | National park | Chikkamagaluru; Western Ghats shola and grassland |
| Bannerghatta | National park | Near Bengaluru |
| Bhadra | Wildlife sanctuary, tiger reserve | Chikkamagaluru; lion-tailed macaque among fauna |
| BRT (Biligiri Ranganathaswamy Temple) | Wildlife sanctuary, tiger reserve | Chamarajanagara; meeting of Eastern and Western Ghats (reported) |
| Dandeli | Wildlife sanctuary | Uttara Kannada |
For exam preparation
- Karnataka's area is 191,791 sq km (about 5.83 per cent of India); the coastline is about 320 km (commonly quoted).
- The three physical regions are Karavali, Malenadu and Bayaluseeme.
- Mullayyanagiri (Chikkamagaluru) is the highest point, about 1,930 m.
- The Kaveri rises at Talakaveri (Kodagu); the Tungabhadra is formed at Koodli by the Tunga and Bhadra; the Krishna runs about 483 km inside the state.
- Climate subdivisions: Coastal, South Interior, North Interior; the south-west monsoon gives about 80 per cent of rainfall.
- Karnataka has five national parks and five tiger reserves: Bandipur, Bhadra, BRT, Dandeli-Anshi (Kali) and Nagarhole.
- Kalyana Karnataka covers seven districts and has Article 371J provisions (98th Amendment, assent on 1 January 2013).
Administration and districts
Karnataka is administered through 4 revenue divisions, each led by a Regional Commissioner, 31 districts, each led by a Deputy Commissioner who is also the District Magistrate, and several sub-divisions and taluks below them. As on October 2026, the number of districts is 31. The divisions are Bengaluru, Mysuru, Belagavi and Kalaburagi. The state capital, Bengaluru, is in Bengaluru Urban district, and the Assembly also holds sessions at the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi.
Divisions
| Division | Headquarters | Districts |
|---|---|---|
| Bengaluru | Bengaluru | Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru North, Bengaluru South, Chikkaballapura, Chitradurga, Davanagere, Kolar, Shivamogga, Tumakuru (9) |
| Mysuru | Mysuru | Chamarajanagara, Chikkamagaluru, Dakshina Kannada, Hassan, Kodagu, Mandya, Mysuru, Udupi (8) |
| Belagavi | Belagavi | Bagalkote, Belagavi, Dharwad, Gadag, Haveri, Uttara Kannada, Vijayapura (7) |
| Kalaburagi | Kalaburagi | Ballari, Bidar, Kalaburagi, Koppal, Raichur, Vijayanagara, Yadgir (7) |
Assignment of a few districts (for example Chitradurga, Davanagere and Shivamogga) varies between sources; the table follows the common listing. The Belagavi and Kalaburagi divisions are also called the Kittur Karnataka and Kalyana Karnataka regions in popular use.
District table
| District | Headquarters | Division | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bagalkote | Bagalkote | Belagavi | Formed 1997 from Vijayapura (Bijapur) |
| Ballari | Ballari | Kalaburagi | Formerly Bellary; iron ore; Vijayanagara carved out in 2021 |
| Belagavi | Belagavi | Belagavi | Formerly Belgaum; largest district by area (13,415 sq km, 2011 Census listing) |
| Bengaluru Urban | Bengaluru | Bengaluru | Capital; split from Bangalore district on 15 August 1986 |
| Bengaluru North | Devanahalli (some listings: Doddaballapura) | Bengaluru | Formerly Bengaluru Rural; renamed in July 2025 |
| Bengaluru South | Ramanagara | Bengaluru | Formerly Ramanagara; renamed 23 May 2025; formed in 2007 |
| Bidar | Bidar | Kalaburagi | Bahmani capital, northernmost district |
| Chamarajanagara | Chamarajanagara | Mysuru | Formed 1997; Bandipur, BRT |
| Chikkaballapura | Chikkaballapura | Bengaluru | Formed 10 September 2007 from Kolar |
| Chikkamagaluru | Chikkamagaluru | Mysuru | Coffee; Mullayyanagiri |
| Chitradurga | Chitradurga | Bengaluru | Stone fort; Ashokan edict sites |
| Dakshina Kannada | Mangaluru | Mysuru | Coastal; port; Tulu Nadu |
| Davanagere | Davanagere | Bengaluru | Formed 1997 |
| Dharwad | Dharwad | Belagavi | Twin city with Hubballi |
| Gadag | Gadag | Belagavi | Formed 1997 |
| Hassan | Hassan | Mysuru | Belur, Halebidu, Shravanabelagola |
| Haveri | Haveri | Belagavi | Formed 1997 |
| Kalaburagi | Kalaburagi | Kalaburagi | Formerly Gulbarga; Bahmani first capital |
| Kodagu | Madikeri | Mysuru | Formerly Coorg; smallest by population (554,519 in 2011) |
| Kolar | Kolar | Bengaluru | Kolar Gold Fields |
| Koppal | Koppal | Kalaburagi | Formed 1997; Ashokan edicts |
| Mandya | Mandya | Mysuru | Krishnaraja Sagara; sugarcane |
| Mysuru | Mysuru | Mysuru | Wodeyar capital; Dasara |
| Raichur | Raichur | Kalaburagi | Maski edict; Hutti |
| Shivamogga | Shivamogga | Bengaluru | Formerly Shimoga; Jog Falls area |
| Tumakuru | Tumakuru | Bengaluru | Formerly Tumkur |
| Udupi | Udupi | Mysuru | Formed 1997 from Dakshina Kannada |
| Uttara Kannada | Karwar | Belagavi | Coastal; Kali tiger reserve |
| Vijayapura | Vijayapura | Belagavi | Formerly Bijapur; Gol Gumbaz |
| Vijayanagara | Hosapete | Kalaburagi | Notified 2021; Hampi; carved from Ballari |
| Yadgir | Yadgir | Kalaburagi | Notified 30 December 2009 from Kalaburagi |
In the 2011 census listing, Bengaluru Urban was the most populous district (9,621,551) and Kodagu the least populous (554,519).
Formation of new districts
The district map has changed in steps. Bengaluru Urban and Bengaluru Rural were separated on 15 August 1986. On 15 and 24 August 1997 seven new districts were created: Bagalkote, Chamarajanagara, Davanagere, Gadag, Haveri, Koppal and Udupi. On 10 September 2007, Chikkaballapura (from Kolar) and Ramanagara (from Bengaluru Rural) were created. Yadgir was created from Kalaburagi at the end of 2009. Vijayanagara was carved out of Ballari: the state approved it in November 2020 and the final notification came on 8 February 2021, which made it the 31st district. (One source gives November 2021 as the start-up date; this conflict is not resolved here.)
Renamings are also exam material. Ramanagara became Bengaluru South by a notification dated 23 May 2025, and Bengaluru Rural was renamed Bengaluru North in July 2025, when the state cabinet also decided to rename the Bagepalli town as "Bhagyanagara". These were renamings, not new districts, so the count remains 31. Many district and city names were also changed to local spellings in 2014 (for example Bijapur to Vijayapura, Gulbarga to Kalaburagi, Mysore to Mysuru; the 2014 date is reported, not checked against an official notice). One source says about 20 more districts have been discussed, but none is confirmed.
Local government
Rural local government rests on the Karnataka Panchayat Raj Act, 1993, which created a three-tier system of Gram Panchayats, Taluk Panchayats and Zilla Panchayats, in line with the 73rd Constitutional Amendment. There are 31 Zilla Panchayats. One reported count is 6,021 Gram Panchayats; the number of Taluk Panchayats is given as 176 in one source and 232 in another, which shows that counts are not stable, so this guide gives no single figure. Elections are held every five years under the Karnataka State Election Commission.
Urban local government follows the 74th Amendment. One reported listing counts 10 City Corporations, 59 City Municipal Councils, 116 Town Municipal Councils and 97 Town Panchayats. For Bengaluru, the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) was established on 15 May 2025 and replaced the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), which had governed since 2007. The GBA oversees five city corporations (Central, North, South, East and West) with 368 wards in all, and began functioning with full capacity on 2 September 2025. Because the GBA replaced the BBMP, the 10-corporation figure above may be dated.
Scheduled and special areas
Karnataka has no Fifth Schedule or Sixth Schedule area; the Scheduled Tribe population is about 7 per cent and scattered (reported; this is consistent with the absence of notified Scheduled Areas, but it was not confirmed against the Constitution's Schedule list in this pass). The Kalyana Karnataka region has the special status of Article 371J, described above.
For exam preparation
- As on October 2026, Karnataka has 31 districts and 4 divisions: Bengaluru, Mysuru, Belagavi and Kalaburagi.
- Vijayanagara (HQ Hosapete) was carved from Ballari in 2021 and is the 31st district.
- Ramanagara was renamed Bengaluru South (23 May 2025); Bengaluru Rural was renamed Bengaluru North (July 2025).
- Seven districts were created in August 1997, two on 10 September 2007, and Yadgir in 2009.
- The Karnataka Panchayat Raj Act, 1993 created a three-tier rural system.
- The Greater Bengaluru Authority was established on 15 May 2025 and replaced the BBMP; it has five corporations and 368 wards.
Demography
Karnataka is the eighth most populous state, with 61,095,297 people at Census 2011, of whom 30,966,657 were males and 30,128,640 females. Census 2011 remains the latest published census, so every figure below is dated 2011 unless stated. About 38.7 per cent of people live in towns, which is above the national average, and Bengaluru alone accounts for a large share of that urban population.
Census 2011 at a glance
| Indicator | Census 2011 value |
|---|---|
| Population | 61,095,297 |
| Males / females | 30,966,657 / 30,128,640 |
| Decadal growth (2001 to 2011) | 15.60 per cent |
| Density | About 319 per sq km (Wikipedia gives 320) |
| Sex ratio | 973 females per 1,000 males (India: 940) |
| Literacy | 75.36 per cent (male 82.47, female 68.08) |
| Urban population | 38.67 per cent |
| Rural population | 61.33 per cent |
| Urban literacy / rural literacy | 85.78 / 68.73 per cent |
| Scheduled Castes | 10,474,992 (17.15 per cent) |
| Scheduled Tribes | 4,248,987 (6.95 per cent) |
Figures for density and decadal growth are taken from a census-based mirror; check against the official Census tables before quoting for competitive exams. Another summary gave the total as 61,130,704, which differs from the official count of 61,095,297; this guide uses the latter.
Languages
Kannada is the official language and the mother tongue of about 66.5 per cent of the population. The next language groups in Census 2011, rounded, were Urdu (10.8 per cent), Telugu (5.8), Tamil (3.5), Marathi (about 3.4), Hindi (3.2), Tulu (2.6), Konkani (1.3) and Malayalam (1.3). Sources differ slightly on Marathi (between 3.3 and 3.8 per cent). The 2011 Census returned 113,857 people for Kodava or Coorgi combined (96,918 plus 16,939). Tulu is the main language of the coast; Konkani is spoken on the coast and in Uttara Kannada; Kodava is the language of Kodagu.
Religion
In Census 2011 Hindus were 84.0 per cent, Muslims 12.9 per cent, Christians 1.87 per cent, Jains 0.72 per cent, Buddhists 0.16 per cent and Sikhs 0.05 per cent. The Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities are the two largest in numbers, though caste is not a Census 2011 category outside the SC and ST counts.
Tribes and scheduled communities
Scheduled Tribes make up 6.95 per cent of the state, about 4.25 million people, and the Scheduled Castes 17.15 per cent, about 10.5 million. The ST population is spread across the Ghats and the plains, with larger concentrations in parts of Ballari, Raichur, Mysuru, Chamarajanagara, Kodagu and Chikkamagaluru.
Urbanisation and cities
38.67 per cent of Karnataka's people were urban in 2011. Bengaluru is the largest city, with about 8.5 million people in 2011 (census mirror figure); Hubballi-Dharwad and Mysuru follow in most listings.
Sex ratio, literacy and human development
The sex ratio of 973 is well above the national figure of 940. Literacy of 75.36 per cent is also above the national 2011 figure. The gap between male and female literacy is about 14 points. Recent indicators such as NFHS-5 fertility and the Human Development Index were not verified in this pass and are left out so as not to give wrong numbers.
For exam preparation
- Census 2011 population is 61,095,297; the decadal growth is 15.60 per cent.
- Sex ratio is 973 females per 1,000 males; literacy is 75.36 per cent.
- Urban share is 38.67 per cent; Scheduled Castes 17.15 per cent; Scheduled Tribes 6.95 per cent.
- Kannada is spoken by about 66.5 per cent; Urdu is second at about 10.8 per cent, then Telugu, Tamil and Marathi.
- Religions: Hindus 84.0, Muslims 12.9, Christians 1.87 per cent.
- Census 2011 is still the latest published census.
How the state is governed
Karnataka has a parliamentary system under the Constitution of India: a Governor as constitutional head, a Chief Minister who leads an elected government, and a two-chamber (bicameral) legislature, with a 224-member Vidhan Sabha and a 75-member Vidhan Parishad. This section describes structure, which stays the same from one government to the next. Names of sitting office-holders change, so this guide does not list them; for the current Governor, Chief Minister, ministers, Chief Secretary, DGP and Chief Justice, use the official state portal and our current affairs pages. Past office-holders with completed tenures are listed later in this part. The capital is Bengaluru. The Budget and Monsoon sessions of the legislature are held at the Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru, and the Winter Session at the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi (Wikipedia).
The executive
| Office | Role | How filled |
|---|---|---|
| Governor | Constitutional head; summons, prorogues and dissolves the Assembly, gives assent to bills, appoints the Chief Minister; Chancellor of state universities; chairs the Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board under Article 371J | Appointed by the President for five years, serving at the President's pleasure |
| Chief Minister | Head of the government; leads the council of ministers | Leader of the party or alliance that commands a majority in the Assembly, appointed by the Governor |
| Council of ministers | Runs the departments; collectively responsible to the Assembly | Ceiling of 15 per cent of the House under Article 164(1A), which works out at 33 for 224 seats (our calculation: 33.6, rounded down) |
| Chief Secretary | Head of the civil service and the secretariat | Senior IAS officer chosen by the government |
| Director General and Inspector General of Police | Head of the state police | IPS officer, selected under the Supreme Court's Prakash Singh guidelines |
| Advocate General | Chief legal adviser to the government | Appointed by the Governor under Article 165 |
The state was called Mysore from 1 November 1956 and was renamed Karnataka on 1 November 1973. The head of government carried the title Chief Minister throughout this period in the lists we opened; the earlier Dewan-led princely administration is covered in Part A.
Departments and bodies
The government works through departments run by secretaries under ministers, with the secretariat at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru. Constitutional and statutory bodies include:
- the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC, Articles 315 to 323), which recruits for state civil services (see our exam guides);
- the Karnataka State Election Commission (Article 243K), which conducts panchayat and urban local body elections; it is reported to have come into existence on 26 May 1993 after the 73rd and 74th Amendments, and its head, the State Election Commissioner, is appointed by the Governor;
- the State Finance Commission, the State Information Commission and the State Human Rights Commission; and
- the Karnataka Lokayukta, described in the next section.
The Chief Electoral Officer, a senior officer working with the Election Commission of India, runs elections to the Assembly, Council and Parliament. Local government rests on the Karnataka Panchayat Raj Act, 1993 (a three-tier system of village, taluk and district panchayats, as reported by a legal commentary) and the municipal laws. Since 2025, Bengaluru is governed under a separate Act, the Greater Bengaluru Governance Act, 2024 (see Elections below).
For exam preparation
- The Governor is appointed by the President; the Chief Minister is appointed by the Governor.
- Karnataka has a bicameral legislature: 224 Assembly seats and 75 Council seats.
- The council of ministers is capped at 15 per cent of the House under Article 164(1A), inserted by the 91st Amendment (2003).
- The State Election Commission derives from Article 243K; the Public Service Commission from Articles 315 to 323.
- The Mysore State of 1 November 1956 was renamed Karnataka on 1 November 1973.
- The Winter Session of the legislature is held at the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi; the other sessions are held at Vidhana Soudha, Bengaluru.
Legislature, Parliament and judiciary
Karnataka has a two-chamber legislature: the Vidhan Sabha (Legislative Assembly) of 224 members and the Vidhan Parishad (Legislative Council) of 75 members. The state sends 12 members to the Rajya Sabha and 28 to the Lok Sabha. The 16th Assembly was elected in May 2023; polling was on 10 May and counting on 13 May 2023.
Vidhan Sabha
Members are directly elected from single-seat constituencies for a term of five years. The first session of the Assembly of Mysore State after the Constitution was held on 18 June 1952 at a conference hall in the old Public Offices building, Bengaluru (Wikipedia). Strength was 99 in 1952, 208 in 1957, 216 in 1967 and 224 from the 1978 election (Wikipedia's Elections in Karnataka table). The majority mark is 113. Under the 2008 delimitation, 173 seats are General, 36 are reserved for Scheduled Castes and 15 for Scheduled Tribes (Wikipedia's constituency list).
The 2023 result, the latest general election, is below. Strength changes through by-elections, resignations and defections, so we give the election result and not the live position. For the live position see the Assembly website.
| Party | Seats, 2023 election |
|---|---|
| Indian National Congress (INC) | 135 |
| Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) | 66 |
| Janata Dal (Secular), JD(S) | 19 |
| Others (including independents) | 4 |
| Total | 224 |
Wikipedia's Assembly page lists INC 136 in the House after the 2023 result, which is higher than the 135 won on counting day; the difference is a later change, and we treat the party tallies after counting day as not confirmed.
Vidhan Parishad
The Council is a permanent House. Of its 75 members, 64 are elected and 11 are nominated by the Governor. The elected members come from local authorities (25), the Legislative Assembly (25), graduates' constituencies (7) and teachers' constituencies (7) (Wikipedia). Members serve six years, and about one-third of the elected members retire every two years. The Council began in 1907 as the Mysore Legislative Council of the princely state, had 63 members after the 1956 reorganisation, was renamed in 1973 and reached 75 members in 1987 (Wikipedia). The Chairman is elected by the Council from among its members; the incumbent is not named here.
Speakers and officers
The Speaker presides over the Assembly and is elected by members at the first sitting of a new House. Past Speakers are listed later in this part. The incumbent Speaker and Deputy Speaker are not named.
Rajya Sabha
Karnataka elects 12 members to the Rajya Sabha. They serve six-year terms and are chosen by MLAs through the single transferable vote; terms are staggered, so seats fall due in batches. We have not listed members.
Lok Sabha
The state has 28 constituencies: 5 reserved for Scheduled Castes (Bijapur, Gulbarga, Chitradurga, Chamarajanagar, Kolar), 2 reserved for Scheduled Tribes (Raichur, Bellary) and 21 General (Wikipedia). The count of 28 has applied since 1977; earlier counts were 11 (1952), 26 (1957) and 27 (1967 and 1971).
High Court
The High Court of Karnataka has its principal seat at Bengaluru, in the Attara Kacheri building in Cubbon Park, built between 1864 and 1868. Per Wikipedia, the court was established in 1884 as the High Court of Mysore, with Charles George Plumer as first Chief Justice, and it was renamed in 1956. It has two permanent benches away from the capital: Hubballi-Dharwad, which became permanent on 25 August 2013 after sitting from 7 July 2008 as a circuit bench, and Kalaburagi, made permanent on 31 August 2013. The sanctioned strength is 62 judges, against 45 serving in February 2022 (Wikipedia; strength is revised by the Centre and changes often). Below the High Court are district and sessions courts in each district, family courts and special courts. Chief Justices with completed tenures are listed later in this part.
Lokayukta, Election Commission and other bodies
The Karnataka Lokayukta was set up in 1984 under the Karnataka Lokayukta Act (Wikipedia). It can look into complaints against ministers, legislators and officials, and the Lokayukta must be someone who served at least ten years as a High Court judge. The Governor appoints the Lokayukta after consultation. In 2016 investigation powers were moved to the Anti-Corruption Bureau, which worked under the government; Wikipedia says that in 2022 the High Court dissolved the ACB and restored the cases to the Lokayukta (reported; we did not open the judgment). Wikipedia also states that a 2011 Lokayukta report on illegal mining led to the resignation of a Chief Minister, a matter for the political history section. The State Election Commission is covered above.
For exam preparation
- The Assembly has 224 seats: 173 General, 36 SC and 15 ST; the majority mark is 113.
- The Council has 75 seats: 25 by MLAs, 25 by local authorities, 7 graduates, 7 teachers and 11 nominated.
- Karnataka has 28 Lok Sabha seats (5 SC, 2 ST) and 12 Rajya Sabha seats.
- The Council reached 75 members in 1987; it began as the Mysore Legislative Council in 1907.
- The High Court was established in 1884 as the High Court of Mysore; its principal seat is Bengaluru, with benches at Hubballi-Dharwad and Kalaburagi.
- The Lokayukta was created in 1984; the Assembly's Winter Session is held at Belagavi.
Elections
Karnataka has held 16 Assembly elections since 1952. The Congress won the first six, 1952 to 1978. The Janata Party formed the state's first non-Congress government after the early-1983 poll, and returned with a majority in 1985. The Congress returned with 178 seats in 1989, the Janata Dal won 115 in 1994 and the Congress won 132 in 1999. Three elections produced hung Assemblies: 1983 (a minority-plus-support arrangement), 2004 and 2018. The BJP won 110 seats in 2008 and formed its first government in a south Indian state. The Congress won 122 in 2013 and 135 in 2023, the latter with the highest turnout recorded in a Karnataka Assembly election.
Vidhan Sabha elections, 1952 to 2023
Party names are those used at the time. Seat counts for the first columns are from Wikipedia's Elections in Karnataka table and the individual election pages.
| Year | Seats | Largest parties (seats) | Chief Minister after election |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | 99 | INC 74, KMPP 8, Independents 11 | Kengal Hanumanthaiah |
| 1957 | 208 | INC 150, PSP 18, Independents 35 | S. Nijalingappa |
| 1962 | 208 | INC 138, PSP 20, Swatantra 9 | S. R. Kanthi, then S. Nijalingappa |
| 1967 | 216 | INC 126, PSP 20, Swatantra 16 | S. Nijalingappa; later Veerendra Patil |
| 1972 | 216 | INC 165, NCO 24, Independents 20 | D. Devaraj Urs |
| 1978 | 224 | Congress (I) 149, Janata 59, Independents 10 | D. Devaraj Urs, later R. Gundu Rao |
| 1983 | 224 | Janata 95, Congress (I) 82, BJP 18 | Ramakrishna Hegde |
| 1985 | 224 | Janata 139, Congress 65, BJP 2 | Ramakrishna Hegde, later S. R. Bommai |
| 1989 | 224 | Congress 178, Janata Dal 24, BJP 4 | Veerendra Patil, then S. Bangarappa, M. Veerappa Moily |
| 1994 | 224 | Janata Dal 115, BJP 40, Congress 34 | H. D. Deve Gowda, then J. H. Patel |
| 1999 | 224 | Congress 132, BJP 44, JD(U) 18, JD(S) 10 | S. M. Krishna |
| 2004 | 224 | BJP 79, Congress 65, JD(S) 58 | Dharam Singh (Congress-JD(S)) |
| 2008 | 224 | BJP 110, Congress 80, JD(S) 28, Independents 6 | B. S. Yediyurappa |
| 2013 | 224 | Congress 122, BJP 40, JD(S) 40 | Siddaramaiah |
| 2018 | 224 | BJP 104, Congress 80, JD(S) 37, BSP 1, KPJP 1, Independent 1 | H. D. Kumaraswamy (Congress-JD(S)) |
| 2023 | 224 | Congress 135, BJP 66, JD(S) 19, Others 4 | Siddaramaiah |
The last column gives the person sworn in after the poll, with successors in the same Assembly where the Chief Minister changed. The 1972 poll followed a year of President's rule. The 1985 date is given as March 1985 by inference from the swearing-in of 8 March 1985; one page we opened gave a May date, which does not fit the swearing-in, so the polling day is not stated. For 1983, the Chief Minister's swearing-in was on 10 January 1983 (Wikipedia's list), and the page we opened gave a different polling month, so we give the year only. The 2018 row uses the 37 JD(S) seats reported on the 2018 election page; Wikipedia's Elections in Karnataka table lists 38, perhaps counting an ally.
| Year | Turnout | Vote share of the leading parties |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | n/c | Congress (I) 40.42%, Janata 33.07%, BJP 7.93% |
| 1985 | n/c | Janata 43.60%, Congress 40.82% |
| 1989 | 67.57% | Congress 43.76%, Janata Dal 27.08%, Janata Party 11.34%, BJP 4.14% |
| 1994 | 68.59% | Janata Dal 33.54%, Congress 26.95% (the 1994 page gives Congress 43.50% in 1989) |
| 1999 | 67.65% | Congress 40.84%, BJP 20.69%, JD(U) 13.53%, JD(S) 10.42% |
| 2004 | 65.17% | Congress 35.27%, BJP 28.33%, JD(S) 20.77% |
| 2008 | n/c | Congress 34.76%, BJP 33.86%, JD(S) 18.96% |
| 2013 | 71.83% | Congress 36.59%, JD(S) 20.19%, BJP 19.89% |
| 2018 | 72.50% | Congress 38.14%, BJP 36.35%, JD(S) 18.3% |
| 2023 | 73.84% | Congress 42.88%, BJP 36.00%, JD(S) 13.29% |
Vote shares are from Wikipedia's election pages, which cite the Election Commission; use them for comparison, not exact answers. Where two pages differ (the 1989 Congress figure is 43.76 on the 1989 page and 43.50 on the 1994 page), we use the page of the election itself. Three results show seats and votes pulling apart. In 1983 the Congress had the larger vote share but 13 seats fewer than the Janata Party. In 2008 the Congress had a slightly higher vote share, 34.76 against 33.86 per cent, but won 30 fewer seats than the BJP. In 2018 the Congress had the larger share, 38.14 against 36.35 per cent, but the BJP won 24 more seats.
Earlier elections in brief
The Congress won 74 of 99 seats in 1952 and 150 of 208 in 1957, the first election after the unification of Kannada-speaking regions in November 1956 (Wikipedia). In 1972 it won 165 of 216, its largest seat tally in the pre-1978 period. The Janata Party's 139 seats in 1985 are the highest total for a non-Congress party in our table; the Congress's 178 seats in 1989 are the highest of all. The Congress fell from 178 seats in 1989 to 34 in 1994, a drop of 144 seats, the biggest swing in our table.
The hung Assemblies
1983. The Janata Party won 95 seats, well short of 113. Wikipedia says its leader formed the state's first non-Congress government with the support of the BJP and smaller parties, and the Congress under the then Chief Minister lost power despite getting the most votes.
2004. No party reached 113. The BJP was the largest with 79, the Congress had 65 and the JD(S) 58. The Congress and JD(S) formed a coalition, described by Wikipedia as the state's first coalition government, with a Congress Chief Minister. Per the Chief Minister list, the arrangement ended on 3 February 2006 when the JD(S) leader took over, supported by the BJP. The BJP-JD(S) arrangement had agreed to alternate Chief Ministers; Wikipedia says the JD(S) leader refused to step aside in October 2007, which led to President's rule on 8 October 2007. A seven-day BJP government under B. S. Yediyurappa (12 to 19 November 2007) was followed by President's rule until 29 May 2008.
2018. Polling was on 12 May 2018 (222 constituencies; two were postponed to 28 May) and counting on 15 May. The BJP won 104 seats, the Congress 80 and the JD(S) 37, with a majority mark of 113. The Congress extended support to the JD(S), whose leader was elected Chief Minister; Wikipedia's Chief Minister list shows a six-day BJP government from 17 to 23 May 2018 before this. Turnout was 72.50 per cent from 5.07 crore electors.
The 2019 coalition collapse
Seventeen legislators of the Congress-JD(S) coalition submitted resignations, beginning on 1 July 2019. On 8 July all 21 Congress ministers resigned to make room for a cabinet reshuffle. The Supreme Court ordered status quo on 12 July. On 23 July the coalition lost the trust vote, 99 votes for and 105 against, and the Chief Minister resigned (Wikipedia). B. S. Yediyurappa was sworn in on 26 July 2019. Wikipedia reports that the BJP won 12 of 15 seats in the by-elections that followed (December 2019; we did not open the full table, so treat the count as reported). The issues of the Speaker's handling of the resignations and of disqualification for defection were before the courts; we have not described the rulings.
The 2023 election
Polling was on 10 May 2023 and counting on 13 May. The Congress won 135 seats with 42.88 per cent of the vote, the BJP 66 with 36.00 per cent and the JD(S) 19 with 13.29 per cent. Turnout was 73.84 per cent, the highest ever recorded in a Karnataka Assembly election, from 5,31,31,579 electors (Wikipedia, citing the Election Commission). The BJP fielded 224 candidates, the Congress 223 and the JD(S) 209. Wikipedia describes it as the Congress's biggest win by seats and vote share since 1989. The Chief Minister was sworn in on 20 May 2023.
Lok Sabha elections
Karnataka has had 28 Lok Sabha seats since 1977. Seats are shown by party, with vote shares where our sources gave them.
| Year | BJP | INC | JD(S)/JD/JD(U) | Others | Turnout | BJP vote | INC vote |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 7 | 18 | 3 (JD(U)) | 0 | n/c | n/c | n/c |
| 2004 | 18 | 8 | 2 | 0 | n/c | n/c | n/c |
| 2009 | 19 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 58.82% | 41.63% | 37.65% |
| 2014 | 17 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 67.20% | 43.01% | 40.81% |
| 2019 | 25 | 1 | 1 | 1 (Independent) | 68.81% | 51.38% | n/c |
| 2024 | 17 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 70.90% | n/c | n/c |
In 2009, JD(S) took 13.57 per cent and in 2014 10.97 per cent. In 2019 the 25 BJP seats were its highest in the state; the Congress and JD(S) fought together and kept two seats between them, while the Mandya seat was won by an Independent supported by the BJP, who defeated the JD(S) candidate by 1,25,876 votes. In 2024 polling was in two phases, on 26 April and 7 May, with turnout of 70.90 per cent, up 2.09 points. The BJP won 17 seats (down 8), the Congress 9 (up 8) and the JD(S) 2, in alliance with the BJP. Alliance vote shares were 51.66 per cent for the NDA and 45.43 per cent for the INDIA bloc (Wikipedia). Earlier results: the Janata Dal won 16 of 28 seats in 1996, the BJP 13 in 1998, and the Congress 18 in 1999 (Wikipedia).
Simultaneous elections
Karnataka's Assembly and Lok Sabha polls fell in the same schedule in 2004 (Assembly on 20 and 26 April, matching the state's Lok Sabha phases of that month; our inference from the 2004 page) and were separate in 2009, 2014, 2018, 2019, 2023 and 2024. The 1999 Assembly poll (5 and 11 September) was held a few weeks before the Lok Sabha result of that year was formed in October (our inference; not confirmed).
By-elections
The 2019 by-elections after the coalition collapse produced a reported 12 BJP wins out of 15. On 13 November 2024, by-elections were held in Sandur, Shiggaon and Channapatna, and the Congress won all three (counting on 23 November 2024). It retained Sandur, took Shiggaon from the BJP and took Channapatna from the JD(S), with margins of 9,649, 13,446 and 25,413 votes respectively (news reports, reported). Other by-elections in the 2013 to 2018 and 2018 to 2023 Assemblies are not tabulated here, because we could not open a full list.
Local body elections
Gram panchayats, 2020. Polling was in two phases on 22 and 27 December 2020. Reports say elections covered 5,728 village panchayats in 226 taluks for 72,616 seats, and that polling in the second phase saw a turnout of 80.71 per cent. Panchayat polls are not fought on party symbols, so party counts are claims; early reports credited the BJP with leads in 3,437 gram panchayats, the Congress with 1,590 and the JD(S) with 601 (an organiser article; treat as reported and contested).
Urban local bodies. A round of urban local body polls was held in 2018 and another in 2021. We found a reported 2021 result of the Congress winning 509 of 1,221 wards and the BJP 366 (a news report; we did not confirm the date). A report of a 2018 round gave the Congress 501 wards, the BJP 433 and the JD(S) 45 across 58 bodies. Wikipedia lists the 2018 poll as 2018 to 2021 municipal elections.
Zilla and taluk panchayats. Elections to the zilla and taluk panchayats are overdue; reports say they have not been held since 2021 and have been overdue since May 2022. A 2026 report says the Panchayat Raj Minister announced that all pending panchayat polls would be held by the end of 2026, after delimitation and reservation. The State Election Commission was also reported to be considering ballot papers in place of EVMs (2025 report, not confirmed).
Bengaluru: BBMP and the Greater Bengaluru Authority. The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) governed the city from 2007; its last election was in 2015, and the Congress won the largest number of wards (Wikipedia says it won a majority; we did not confirm the seat tally). The council's term lapsed in September 2020 and no election has been held since. The Greater Bengaluru Governance Act, 2024 created the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), established on 15 May 2025 and fully operational from 2 September 2025, replacing the BBMP. The area of 712 sq km is split into five city corporations: Central, North, South, East and West, with 369 wards in total (63, 72, 72, 50 and 112; a second page gives 368). The Supreme Court has extended the deadline for the polls twice; the latest deadline reported is 31 December 2026, after a Special Intensive Revision of the electoral rolls. As on October 2026, no GBA election has been held.
Reservation, delimitation and voters
Karnataka reserves 36 Assembly seats for Scheduled Castes and 15 for Scheduled Tribes; the Lok Sabha has 5 SC and 2 ST seats. The present boundaries date from the 2008 delimitation, and Karnataka was the first state to vote on redrawn constituencies in the 2008 election (Wikipedia). Under the 84th Amendment, seat numbers are frozen until the first census after 2026 (our understanding of the constitutional position; not re-verified here), so 224 and 28 are unlikely to change soon. Karnataka reserves 50 per cent of panchayat seats for women, up from one-third (a 2010 change, reported), and a cabinet announcement extended the 50 per cent to urban local bodies (the year is not confirmed). The Election Commission published final rolls on 22 January 2024 with 5,37,85,815 electors: 2,69,33,750 men, 2,68,47,145 women and 4,920 others, which is a roughly equal count of men and women, with about 997 women per 1,000 men (our calculation). The 2023 Assembly roll was 5,31,31,579. The 2018 roll was 5,07,18,198. The number of EPICs was not confirmed.
Article 371J and Kalyana Karnataka
Article 371J was added by the 98th Amendment Act, 2012, passed by Parliament in December 2012 and assented to on 1 January 2013 (Wikipedia). It gives special status to the Hyderabad-Karnataka region, now called Kalyana Karnataka, covering the districts of Kalaburagi, Bidar, Yadgir, Raichur, Koppal and Ballari. The Article lets the President direct a separate development board, reservation in education and employment for local residents and opportunities in vocational training and public posts. The Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board was constituted in September 2013 and is headed by the Governor. The measure followed the Justice Raghavendra Rao Committee. The Vijayanagara district was later carved out of Ballari; we did not confirm how it is treated under the Article, nor the date of the change of the regional name, so both are left out. The Kalaburagi bench of the High Court serves this region.
Firsts and records
- The BJP's 110 seats in 2008 gave it its first government in a south Indian state on its own strength, with the help of six independents (Wikipedia).
- The Congress's 178 seats in 1989 are the largest Assembly tally in the table; the Janata Party's 139 in 1985 are the largest for a non-Congress party.
- The 2023 turnout, 73.84 per cent, is the highest recorded for an Assembly election; our table's lowest confirmed figure is 65.17 per cent in 2004.
- The Congress lost 144 seats between 1989 and 1994; the BJP rose from 4 to 40 over the same elections and from 40 to 79 between 1994 and 2004 (with 44 in 1999).
- The 2004 Congress-JD(S) government was the state's first coalition.
- The Assembly has had six periods of President's rule (see next section).
For exam preparation
- The first election after the Constitution was in 1952 for 99 seats; the Congress won 74.
- The Assembly has had 224 seats since 1978; 208 in 1957 and 216 in 1967.
- Congress won 178 seats in 1989, the Janata Dal 115 in 1994, and the Congress 132 in 1999.
- The 2004 election produced a hung Assembly; Congress-JD(S) formed the first coalition.
- The 2008 election, held in three phases (10, 16 and 22 May), was the first after delimitation; the BJP won 110 seats.
- In 2013 the Congress won 122 seats; in 2018 the BJP won 104 but the JD(S)-Congress combine formed the government.
- The 2019 trust vote was lost 99 to 105 on 23 July 2019.
- In 2023 the Congress won 135 seats with 42.88 per cent; turnout was 73.84 per cent.
- In 2019 the BJP won 25 of 28 Lok Sabha seats; in 2024 it won 17, the Congress 9 and the JD(S) 2.
- Article 371J was added by the 98th Amendment (2012); it covers Kalyana Karnataka.
- The BBMP was replaced by the Greater Bengaluru Authority on 15 May 2025; its five corporations are yet to face election as on October 2026.
Past Chief Ministers, Governors and office-holders
This section lists only completed tenures, which do not change. The Chief Minister list in Wikipedia starts from the Mysore State of 1947 (before unification, the state was a smaller unit), and the count restarted when the state was renamed Karnataka in 1973. Dates for short or acting appointments can differ by a few days between sources.
Chief Ministers
| Name (party) | Tenure |
|---|---|
| K. Chengalaraya Reddy (INC) | 25 Oct 1947 to 26 Jan 1950 (Mysore State, pre-unification) |
| Kengal Hanumanthaiah (INC) | 30 Mar 1952 to 19 Aug 1956 |
| Kadidal Manjappa (INC) | 19 Aug to 31 Oct 1956 |
| S. Nijalingappa (INC) | 31 Oct 1956 to 16 May 1958; 21 Jun 1962 to 29 May 1968 |
| B. D. Jatti (INC) | 16 May 1958 to 14 Mar 1962 |
| S. R. Kanthi (INC) | 14 Mar to 21 Jun 1962 |
| Veerendra Patil (INC(O), later INC(I)) | 29 May 1968 to 18 Mar 1971; 30 Nov 1989 to 10 Oct 1990 |
| D. Devaraj Urs (INC(R), INC(I)) | 20 Mar 1972 to 31 Dec 1977; 28 Feb 1978 to 12 Jan 1980 (3 terms, listed as one chain) |
| R. Gundu Rao (INC) | 12 Jan 1980 to 10 Jan 1983 |
| Ramakrishna Hegde (JP) | 10 Jan 1983 to 13 Aug 1988 (two terms) |
| S. R. Bommai (JP) | 13 Aug 1988 to 21 Apr 1989 |
| S. Bangarappa (INC(I)) | 17 Oct 1990 to 19 Nov 1992 |
| M. Veerappa Moily (INC) | 19 Nov 1992 to 11 Dec 1994 |
| H. D. Deve Gowda (JD) | 11 Dec 1994 to 31 May 1996 |
| J. H. Patel (JD) | 31 May 1996 to 11 Oct 1999 |
| S. M. Krishna (INC) | 11 Oct 1999 to 28 May 2004 |
| Dharam Singh (INC) | 28 May 2004 to 3 Feb 2006 |
| H. D. Kumaraswamy (JD(S)) | 3 Feb 2006 to 8 Oct 2007; 23 May 2018 to 26 Jul 2019 |
| B. S. Yediyurappa (BJP) | 12 to 19 Nov 2007; 30 May 2008 to 5 Aug 2011; 17 to 23 May 2018; 26 Jul 2019 to 28 Jul 2021 |
| D. V. Sadananda Gowda (BJP) | 5 Aug 2011 to 12 Jul 2012 |
| Jagadish Shettar (BJP) | 12 Jul 2012 to 13 May 2013 |
| Siddaramaiah (INC) | 13 May 2013 to 17 May 2018; 20 May 2023 to 3 Jun 2026 |
| Basavaraj Bommai (BJP) | 28 Jul 2021 to 20 May 2023 |
| Incumbent | From 3 Jun 2026 |
The Hegde row is shown in Wikipedia as two stints, 10 January 1983 to 7 March 1985 and 8 March 1985 to 13 August 1988. The Devaraj Urs row spans the Mysore and Karnataka periods; he held office on 20 March 1972 and continued after the renaming on 1 November 1973. Wikipedia counts a sitting Chief Minister's cumulative tenure at about 8 years and 18 days for Siddaramaiah (two terms), 7 years and 239 days for D. Devaraj Urs and 7 years and 175 days for S. Nijalingappa. The Congress family of parties held the post for about 64 per cent of the period.
President's rule
Wikipedia's list shows six periods: 18 March 1971 to 20 March 1972; 31 December 1977 to 28 February 1978; 21 April to 30 November 1989; 10 to 17 October 1990; 8 October to 12 November 2007; and 19 November 2007 to 29 May 2008. The 1989 imposition followed the dismissal of the Bommai ministry; the Supreme Court's later judgment in S. R. Bommai v. Union of India (1994) on Article 356 arose from it (widely reported; we did not open the judgment). The reasons for the other episodes are not confirmed in our sources.
Governors
The post began with the Mysore State of 1 November 1956, whose first Governor was Maharaja Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar (1 November 1956 to 4 May 1964). The full list from 1956 is on Wikipedia; the table below starts with tenures after 1988. The longest-serving Governor was Govind Narain, from 2 August 1977 to 15 April 1983 (5 years and 256 days). V. S. Ramadevi (1999 to 2002) is the first and only woman Governor of Karnataka.
| Governor | Tenure |
|---|---|
| Pendekanti Venkatasubbaiah | 26 Feb 1988 to 5 Feb 1990 |
| Shanmughasundaram Mohan (acting) | 5 Feb to 8 May 1990 |
| Bhanu Pratap Singh | 8 May 1990 to 6 Jan 1991 |
| Khurshed Alam Khan | 17 Jan 1991 to 2 Dec 1999 |
| V. S. Ramadevi | 2 Dec 1999 to 20 Feb 2002 |
| T. N. Chaturvedi | 21 Aug 2002 to 20 Aug 2007 |
| Rameshwar Thakur | 21 Aug 2007 to 29 Jun 2009 |
| H. R. Bhardwaj | 30 Jun 2009 to 28 Jun 2014 |
| Konijeti Rosaiah (additional charge) | 29 Jun to 31 Aug 2014 |
| Vajubhai Vala | 1 Sep 2014 to 10 Jul 2021 |
| Incumbent | From 11 Jul 2021 |
Earlier Governors from 1956 to 1990 include S. M. Shrinagesh, V. V. Giri, Gopal Swarup Pathak, Dharma Vira, Mohan Lal Sukhadia, Uma Shankar Dikshit, Govind Narain and Ashoknath Banerji. The gap between February and August 2002 is not explained in our source.
Speakers of the Vidhan Sabha
From Wikipedia's list; the table starts from 1980, and earlier Speakers began with V. Venkatappa in 1952. We could not confirm some entries (see the note below).
| Speaker | Spell |
|---|---|
| K. H. Ranganath | 30 Jan 1981 to 24 Jan 1983 |
| D. B. Chandre Gowda | 24 Jan 1983 to 17 Mar 1985 |
| B. G. Banakar | 18 Mar 1985 to 17 Dec 1989 |
| S. M. Krishna | 18 Dec 1989 to 20 Jan 1993 |
| V. S. Koujalagi | 15 Feb 1993 to 26 Dec 1994 |
| K. R. Ramesh Kumar | 27 Dec 1994 to 24 Oct 1999 |
| M. V. Venkatappa | 26 Oct 1999 to 7 Jun 2004 |
| Jagadish Shettar | 5 Jun 2008 to 16 Nov 2009 |
| K. G. Bopaiah | 30 Nov 2009 to 31 May 2013 |
| Kagodu Thimmappa | 31 May 2013 to 5 Jul 2016 |
| K. B. Koliwad | 5 Jul 2016 to 15 May 2018 |
| Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri | 31 Jul 2019 to 20 May 2023 |
| U. T. Khader | 24 May 2023 to 3 Jun 2026 |
| Incumbent | From 14 Aug 2026 |
Note: the page we opened lists the 2004 to 2008 Speaker only as "Krishna" and has no entry for the period between May 2018 and July 2019, so we have left both out. A one-day tenure in December 1980 is also listed and is not reproduced.
Chief Justices of the High Court
Substantive Chief Justices from Wikipedia's list, from 1989; the first Chief Justice of the High Court of Karnataka era from 1956 was Rudrapatna Venkataramaiah (1 November 1956 to 16 July 1957), and Charles George Plumer was the first of the court in 1884. Acting spells are not listed, and the incumbent is not named. Two tenures in the source overlap by months (the 1989 to 1991 entries), so we give them as listed.
| Chief Justice | Tenure |
|---|---|
| Shanmughasundaram Mohan | 26 Oct 1989 to 7 Oct 1991 |
| Sam Piroj Bharucha | 1 Jan 1991 to 30 Jun 1992 |
| Shailesh Bhadrayulal Majumdar | 2 Jul 1993 to 13 Sep 1994 |
| G. T. Nanavati | 28 Sep 1994 to 4 Mar 1995 |
| Madhav Laxman Pendse | 28 Jul 1995 to 25 Mar 1996 |
| Ram Prakash Sethi | 29 Jun 1996 to 6 Jan 1999 |
| Yarabati Bhaskar Rao | 9 Mar 1999 to 26 Jun 2000 |
| Ponaka Venkatarama Reddi | 21 Oct 2000 to 16 Aug 2001 |
| Nagendra Kumar Jain | 31 Aug 2001 to 20 Oct 2004 |
| Nauvdip Kumar Sodhi | 19 Nov 2004 to 29 Nov 2005 |
| Cyriac Joseph | 7 Jan 2006 to 6 Jul 2008 |
| Paul Daniel Dinakaran Premkumar | 8 Aug 2008 to 7 Aug 2010 |
| Jagdish Singh Khehar | 8 Aug 2010 to 12 Sep 2011 |
| Vikramajit Sen | 24 Dec 2011 to 24 Dec 2012 |
| Dhirendra Hiralal Waghela | 7 Mar 2013 to 1 Jun 2015 |
| Subhro Kamal Mukherjee | 23 Feb 2016 to 9 Oct 2017 |
| Dinesh Maheshwari | 12 Feb 2018 to 17 Jan 2019 |
| Abhay Shreeniwas Oka | 10 May 2019 to 30 Aug 2021 |
| Ritu Raj Awasthi | 11 Oct 2021 to 2 Jul 2022 |
| Prasanna Bhalachandra Varale | 15 Oct 2022 to 24 Jan 2024 |
| P. S. Dinesh Kumar | 3 to 24 Feb 2024 |
| Nilay Vipinchandra Anjaria | 25 Feb 2024 to 29 May 2025 |
| Incumbent | From 19 Jul 2025 (the 35th, per Wikipedia) |
Gaps between tenures were covered by acting Chief Justices, which we have not listed.
For exam preparation
- The Chief Minister roll starts with K. Chengalaraya Reddy in 1947; Kengal Hanumanthaiah held office from 1952 to 1956.
- The first Chief Minister of the unified Mysore State from 1 November 1956 was Kadidal Manjappa for 73 days, followed by S. Nijalingappa.
- D. Devaraj Urs was Chief Minister when the state was renamed Karnataka on 1 November 1973.
- B. S. Yediyurappa held the post four times; Siddaramaiah served two terms, a total of about 8 years.
- President's rule has been imposed six times in the period listed.
- The first Governor was Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar (1956 to 1964); Govind Narain served longest; V. S. Ramadevi was the only woman Governor.
- The first Chief Justice of the High Court of Mysore (1884) was Charles George Plumer.
Political history and movements
Karnataka's politics were shaped by the movement to bring Kannada-speaking regions together, a long period of Congress rule after 1956, the rise of the Janata family of parties in the 1980s and 1990s, coalitions from 2004, and a three-way contest among the Congress, BJP and JD(S) in more recent elections. This section tells what happened without judging parties.
Unification of Karnataka
Before 1956 the Kannada-speaking areas were divided among about 20 administrative units, including the princely state of Mysore, Hyderabad State, the Bombay and Madras Presidencies and Kodagu (Wikipedia). In these units Kannada speakers were minorities. The Karnataka Vidyavardhaka Sangha was founded at Dharwad in 1890 and the Kannada Sahitya Parishat in Bengaluru in 1915. Aluru Venkata Rao, author of Karnataka Gatha Vaibhava, is named as a leading voice. The 1924 Belgaum session of the Indian National Congress, presided over by Mahatma Gandhi, supported the demand, the 1928 Nehru Committee backed a single province for Kannada-speaking areas, and a 1946 conference inaugurated by Sardar Patel raised its standing. The States Reorganisation Commission (the Fazl Ali commission) recommended linguistic reorganisation and the enlarged Mysore State came into being on 1 November 1956. It was renamed Karnataka on 1 November 1973; the date is celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava (Kannada Rajyotsava) every year (our understanding; the date of the renaming and its Chief Minister are on the Chief Minister list above). The Belagavi boundary question with Maharashtra is a continuing matter, and we have not summarised its legal position.
Hyderabad-Karnataka and Article 371J
The districts now called Kalyana Karnataka were part of the former Hyderabad State until they were merged in 1956. Concerns about backwardness led to a demand for special status and to Article 371J in 2013 (see Elections above). The Hyderabad accession date and the annual commemoration are not confirmed in our sources.
Language politics: the Gokak agitation
Karnataka has used a three-language formula in schools since 1956. In high schools, Sanskrit had first-language status, which put Kannada third. In 1980 the government under R. Gundu Rao decided to restore Sanskrit as a first language, which led to protests (Wikipedia). A committee led by the scholar Vinayaka Krishna Gokak recommended that Kannada be the only first language, with mandatory teaching after Class 3. The agitation grew, with the actor Dr. Rajkumar emerging as a prominent leader, and seven people died in police action (reported). The government accepted the committee's recommendations in 1982, giving Kannada first-language status. Wikipedia says the mandate was struck down in 1989 after challenges by linguistic minorities; it names the High Court, and we did not confirm the court or the later position, which is a matter for Part C's education coverage.
The Cauvery dispute
The Kaveri (Cauvery) flows for about 802 km and is shared by Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry. The dispute concerns how its water is shared between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu in particular; Tamil Nadu depends on it for roughly 3 million acres (Wikipedia). It began with the 1892 and 1924 agreements between the princely State of Mysore and the Madras Presidency. A tribunal was set up in 1990 following a Supreme Court direction (Wikipedia). Its final award of 2007 allotted 419 tmcft (thousand million cubic feet) to Tamil Nadu and 270 to Karnataka, and the government notified it in 2013. In 2018 the Supreme Court raised Karnataka's share to 284.75 tmcft and set Tamil Nadu's at 404.25 tmcft. The Cauvery Water Management Authority and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee were created in 2018 to oversee implementation. The dispute has seen demonstrations and violence in both states in water-short years (Wikipedia). Both states' arguments are matters of record; this guide takes no side.
Mining, the Lokayukta and political change
Wikipedia reports that the Lokayukta's 2011 report on illegal mining estimated losses of Rs 16,085 crore (the page says Rs 160.85 billion) and was followed by the resignation of the then Chief Minister, B. S. Yediyurappa, in 2011. The Chief Minister list shows him leaving on 5 August 2011. We did not verify other details of the report.
Coalition and defection politics
The state saw a coalition in 2004 to 2007, a BJP-JD(S) arrangement that broke in October 2007, President's rule twice in 2007 to 2008, a single-party BJP government in 2008, a Congress government in 2013, a coalition in 2018 to 2019 and a BJP government again after the 2019 collapse. The 2008 to 2013 BJP term had three Chief Ministers.
For exam preparation
- The Karnataka Vidyavardhaka Sangha was founded at Dharwad in 1890; the Kannada Sahitya Parishat in 1915.
- The Belgaum Congress session of 1924 was presided over by Gandhi and supported unification.
- The unified Mysore State came into being on 1 November 1956 and was renamed Karnataka on 1 November 1973.
- The Gokak committee recommended Kannada as the only first language; the government accepted it in 1982.
- The Cauvery tribunal's 2007 award gave 270 tmcft to Karnataka; the 2018 Supreme Court verdict gave 284.75 tmcft.
- The Cauvery Water Management Authority was created in 2018.
- The 2019 coalition fell on a trust vote lost 99 to 105.
Budget and governance
The latest budget is for 2026-27, presented on 6 March 2026 according to PRS Legislative Research, which we opened. The figures below are as on October 2026 and are budget estimates; check the state's finance department for revisions.
| Item | 2026-27 (Budget Estimate) |
|---|---|
| GSDP (projected) | Rs 33,05,500 crore, growth of 7 per cent at current prices |
| Per capita GSDP | Rs 4,77,003 in 2025-26, up 12 per cent (India's average: Rs 2,51,393) |
| Total expenditure (excluding debt repayment) | Rs 4,12,688 crore, up 12 per cent over the 2025-26 revised estimate |
| Total receipts (excluding borrowings) | Rs 3,15,240 crore, up 14 per cent |
| Net borrowings | Rs 96,684 crore |
| Revenue deficit | Rs 22,957 crore, 0.7 per cent of GSDP |
| Fiscal deficit | Rs 97,448 crore, 2.9 per cent of GSDP |
Headline allocations are social welfare Rs 47,948 crore, education Rs 44,054 crore and energy Rs 29,902 crore. The estimated spending on five guarantee schemes is Rs 51,286 crore, about 12 per cent of total expenditure. Other announcements noted by PRS include a rise in the devolution to local bodies from 48 to 50 per cent, a lower sales tax on LNG and a law against caste-based discrimination in educational institutions. The minister who presented the budget is not named here, in line with our policy on office-holders. The fiscal deficit of 2.9 per cent sits below the 3 per cent ceiling of the central framework; the ceiling in the state's own fiscal responsibility law is not confirmed here. The outstanding liabilities figure was not in the summary we opened.
For governance, we verified the Greater Bengaluru Governance Act, 2024, which replaced the BBMP with a five-corporation authority in 2025; the State Election Commission and the Lokayukta, which are described above; and the guarantee schemes' budget share. We could not verify launch dates, coverage or beneficiary numbers for the individual schemes or for e-governance portals, so they are not described here. Check the state portal.
For exam preparation
- The 2026-27 budget was presented on 6 March 2026 (PRS); GSDP is projected at Rs 33,05,500 crore.
- The fiscal deficit is 2.9 per cent of GSDP and the revenue deficit is 0.7 per cent (budget estimates).
- Total expenditure excluding debt repayment is Rs 4,12,688 crore.
- Social welfare has the largest sector allocation at Rs 47,948 crore, then education at Rs 44,054 crore.
- Five guarantee schemes are estimated at Rs 51,286 crore, about 12 per cent of expenditure.
- Per capita GSDP is Rs 4,77,003 for 2025-26 against an all-India Rs 2,51,393.
Economy
Karnataka is one of India's three largest state economies and the country's centre for software, space and biotechnology. Its income comes from a very unusual mix: a single metropolis, Bengaluru, produces roughly two-fifths of the state's output and a large share of India's software exports, while the rest of the state still depends on rain-fed farming, plantation crops, mining and textiles. As on October 2026, the budget analysis by PRS Legislative Research puts gross state domestic product (GSDP, the value of all goods and services produced in the state in a year) for 2026-27 at ₹33,05,500 crore at current prices, 7% above 2025-26. "Current prices" means the value in that year's rupees, so part of any rise is inflation.
Size, growth and income
| Indicator | Value | Source / note |
|---|---|---|
| GSDP, 2025-26 (budget estimate) | ₹30,70,103 crore, growth 7% over 2024-25 | PRS analysis of the 2025-26 budget |
| GSDP, 2026-27 (budget projection) | ₹33,05,500 crore, growth 7% | PRS analysis of the 2026-27 budget |
| Per capita GSDP, 2025-26 | ₹4,77,003, up 12% on the previous year | PRS analysis; a reference page calls the same number per capita income |
| Share of Bengaluru Urban in state GSDP | 39.1% in 2023-24 (37.8% in 2022-23) | Reported by a newspaper summary of the Economic Survey |
| Sector shares of output, 2021-22 | Services 66%, industry 19%, agriculture 15% | Reference page; an older year, treat as indicative |
Per capita figures divide the whole state's output by its population. They say nothing about how evenly money is spread, and Bengaluru pulls the average up well above what most districts earn. A reference page also lists a higher 2025-26 GSDP (about ₹32.8 lakh crore); it conflicts with the budget documents above, which we prefer, so it is not used. Karnataka is described by the same page as the third-largest state economy and fourth by per capita GDP; these ranks come from a reference page and have not been checked against the Economic Survey of Karnataka.
Bengaluru, software and start-ups
Bengaluru is the base of India's information technology and business-process industry. Reports summarising the 2024-25 Economic Survey of Karnataka put the state's services exports at about US$159 billion in 2024-25, up 13.7% on the year before and nearly double the US$77.8 billion of 2018-19. The same reports credit Karnataka with about 42% of India's software exports and Bengaluru alone with close to 40% of national IT and IT-enabled services exports. These are reported figures; the underlying survey tables were not opened. The same sources say Karnataka's goods and services exports together were worth ₹13.78 lakh crore in 2023-24, about 20.5% of India's total, with services providing about 41% of the state's exports and goods (merchandise) only about 6%.
The start-up record is equally strong. As of the end of 2025, a news report on the government's recognition scheme counted 21,163 recognised start-ups in Karnataka, second in the country behind Maharashtra's 35,992. Bengaluru rose seven places to 14th in Startup Genome's 2025 global ecosystem ranking. Reports on the number of Bengaluru-born unicorns (start-ups valued above one billion US dollars) range from 43 to nearly 50, so no single count is given here. The city is also the base for many global capability centres, large research laboratories and the headquarters of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), discussed under education below.
Public finances
The 2026-27 budget was presented on 6 March 2026. The figures are from PRS Legislative Research's analysis.
| Item | 2025-26 budget | 2026-27 budget |
|---|---|---|
| Total expenditure (excluding debt repayment) | ₹3,83,075 crore | ₹4,12,688 crore (up 12% on 2025-26 revised) |
| Fiscal deficit | 2.9% of GSDP (₹90,428 crore) | 2.9% of GSDP (₹97,448 crore) |
| Revenue deficit | 0.6% of GSDP (₹19,262 crore) | 0.7% of GSDP (₹22,957 crore) |
| Outstanding liabilities | not checked | 25% of GSDP |
| Guarantee schemes allocation | not checked | ₹51,286 crore, about 12% of expenditure |
The fiscal deficit is the gap between total spending and total receipts excluding borrowing; the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) law caps it, and the usual benchmark for states is 3% of GSDP. The revenue deficit is the shortfall of day-to-day revenue against day-to-day spending. The large guarantee allocation reflects the five welfare promises described in the schemes section.
Poverty and employment
A reference page reports a multidimensional poverty rate of 5.67% for 2024-25 and an unemployment rate of 10.65% in March 2024. We could not confirm either against the NITI Aayog index or the Periodic Labour Force Survey, so neither is used as a firm figure. Check the latest NITI Aayog multidimensional poverty report before quoting any state number.
For exam preparation
- Karnataka is one of the top three state economies by GSDP; its capital Bengaluru is India's leading IT hub.
- GSDP for 2026-27 is projected at ₹33,05,500 crore (PRS, budget presented 6 March 2026).
- Fiscal deficit target for 2026-27 is 2.9% of GSDP; outstanding liabilities about 25%.
- Services exports crossed US$150 billion in 2024-25 (reported); Karnataka accounts for about 42% of India's software exports (reported).
- Bengaluru Urban contributes about 39% of state GSDP (2023-24, reported).
- Karnataka ranks second to Maharashtra in the number of recognised start-ups (end of 2025, reported).
Agriculture, forests, minerals, industry and energy
Karnataka's farms, forests and mines are as important to its identity as its software. The Western Ghats supply rain, rivers and plantation crops on the coast and the hills; the Deccan plateau interior grows millets, pulses, oilseeds and sugarcane under uncertain rainfall; and ancient rocks in the north and east hold gold and iron. The state is also now a national leader in solar and wind power.
Agriculture
A reference page gives the cultivated area as about 12.31 million hectares, 64.6% of the state's geographical area, and says only about 26.5% of the cropped land is irrigated, which is why the monsoon decides the farm year. We did not open the state agriculture department's own tables, so treat both as indicative.
- Coffee. Karnataka grows the bulk of India's coffee. The Coffee Board's final estimate for 2024-25, as reported, gave Karnataka 2,56,000 tonnes, about 70% of national output, out of an all-India crop of 3.63 lakh tonnes. By district: Kodagu 1,21,600 tonnes (19,000 Arabica and 1,02,600 Robusta), Chikkamagaluru 91,400 tonnes (36,700 Arabica and 54,700 Robusta) and Hassan 43,000 tonnes. The Board's post-blossom estimate for 2025-26 was 2,80,000 tonnes for Karnataka, about 9.5% higher. Arabica is a mild bean grown on higher slopes under shade; Robusta is hardier and grows lower.
- Sugarcane. A reference page reports Karnataka as the third-largest producer, with 59.35 million tonnes and 12.10% of national output; the year of the data was not stated, so the figures are indicative.
- Millets and cereals. Ragi (finger millet) and jowar (sorghum) are the characteristic dryland grains. Karnataka is widely cited as the largest ragi producer in India and ragi mudde (a steamed ball) is a staple of the south; we did not verify the exact share. Jowar is a main crop of the northern districts, where rotis made of it are everyday food. Rice, maize, cotton, pulses (especially tur and chickpea) and oilseeds complete the cropping pattern.
- Spices, areca and horticulture. Pepper and cardamom come from the Ghats; the geographical-indication list (see culture) includes Coorg Green Cardamom and Malabar Pepper. Mysuru betel leaf and Nanjanagud banana are tagged products too.
- Sericulture. Karnataka is the leading silk producer. A news summary credits it with about 40% of India's raw silk, and other accounts say over 43%. Ramanagara is described as Asia's largest silk cocoon market, and Ramanagara and Chikkaballapur together are reported to produce about 130 tonnes of cocoons per day. The Central Silk Board projected national raw silk production at 30,614 tonnes for the 2024-25 marketing year (April to December), sharply down from 38,913 tonnes the year before, with pests pushing farmers to switch crops. The state's silk heritage is also tied to the royal patronage of Mysuru; the geographical-indication tag for Mysore Silk is covered in the culture section.
Forests and wildlife
Karnataka has five national parks (Anshi, Bandipur, Bannerghatta, Kudremukh and Nagarhole) and five tiger reserves: Bandipur, Bhadra, Nagarhole, Dandeli-Anshi (also called Kali) and Biligiri Ranga Swamy Temple (BRT). In the 2022 tiger estimate, reported by the National Tiger Conservation Authority, Karnataka was second to Madhya Pradesh, with 563 tigers against Madhya Pradesh's 785. Camera-trap counts in individual reserves, as reported, were Nagarhole 149, Bandipur 140, BRT 39, Bhadra 26 and Kali 19, and a separate report mentions 435 unique tigers captured in the state. Different totals reflect different methods, so quote the 563 figure as the estimate. Bandipur and Nagarhole sit inside the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, which was set up in 1986.
We could not confirm the state's current forest-cover figure from the India State of Forest Report 2023; a search result gave a number that did not match earlier editions, so no forest percentage is stated here. The same report is said to show Karnataka with the largest fall in forest and tree cover among states since 2021, by about 459 square kilometres; this is a reported figure.
Minerals
- Gold. Modern gold mining at Kolar Gold Fields (KGF) in Kolar district began in 1880, when John Taylor III acquired mines in the area; his firm John Taylor and Sons ran them until 1956, after which the government took over. Operations ended on 28 February 2001, when the government cited environmental and economic reasons and said production did not justify the investment. Over its history the field yielded more than 900 tonnes of gold. Hutti in Raichur district is the state's other main gold centre and is generally described as India's main working primary gold mine; an older reference gave the state about 84% of national gold output, a figure that is dated and not used as current.
- Iron ore and manganese. The Ballari-Hosapete region (Bellary-Hospet; Sandur is part of the same belt) holds very high-grade iron ore and manganese; a reference page gives the reserves as about 1,000 million tonnes. In July 2011 the Supreme Court suspended iron-ore mining on about 11,000 hectares in Bellary district to stop over-exploitation and forest damage. It then let the state-owned NMDC mine up to one million tonnes a month from 6 August 2011, with exports prohibited. The Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee estimated that ₹15,245 crore worth of ore was illegally exported from Bellary between 2003 and 2010, as reported. Later orders reopened mining under caps and e-auction; the details were not verified here.
- Other minerals. The state also has bauxite, chromite, dolomite, kaolin, limestone, magnesite, quartz and silica sand, and over 4,200 square kilometres of ornamental granite, according to a reference page. The Geological Survey department in Karnataka dates to 1880, as reported there.
Industry
Bengaluru and its ring of towns (Peenya, Whitefield, Electronic City, Hosur Road) host aerospace, defence and electronics; Hubballi-Dharwad, Belagavi and Mysuru have engineering and machine-tool clusters. The textile and garment sector is centred on Bengaluru and Mysuru, and the coast has fertiliser, refinery and port industries around Mangaluru. We did not verify specific investment, employment or cluster counts and give none.
Energy
As on February 2026, a trade report on Karnataka's power sector listed total installed capacity of 37,876.82 MW: thermal 10,814.95 MW, nuclear 698 MW and renewables 26,421.47 MW, which is about 70% of the total. Within renewables: solar 11,029.95 MW, wind 8,500.54 MW, large hydro 3,689.20 MW, bio-power 1,917.05 MW and small hydro 1,284.73 MW.
| Source | Facts |
|---|---|
| Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL) | Main state generator: 8,817 MW installed, of which hydro 3,797 MW and thermal 5,020 MW; record hydro generation of 15,509 million units in 2025-26 (reported) |
| Sharavathy Generating Station | 10 units of 103.5 MW each, 1,035 MW, on the Sharavathi river below Linganamakki reservoir; a 2,000 MW Sharavathy pumped-storage project has been planned |
| Pavagada Solar Park (Shakti Sthala) | 2,050 MW on about 13,000 acres in Pavagada taluk, Tumakuru district; completed 2019; developed by the Karnataka Solar Power Development Corporation; ranked third-largest photovoltaic park in the world in April 2021 per a reference page; cost about ₹14,800 crore; farmers lease land for ₹21,000 per acre per year under 25-35 year leases |
| Nuclear | Kaiga in Uttara Kannada; the 698 MW figure above is the state's share as reported |
Raichur's thermal station and the Kudgi plant are the best-known coal-based plants, but their capacities were not checked for this page.
For exam preparation
- Kolar Gold Fields mining ran from 1880 to 28 February 2001; the field gave over 900 tonnes of gold.
- Karnataka produces about 70% of India's coffee; Kodagu and Chikkamagaluru are the leading districts.
- Ramanagara has Asia's largest silk cocoon market; Karnataka is the top silk state.
- Pavagada Solar Park, Shakti Sthala, is 2,050 MW in Tumakuru district.
- Karnataka has five national parks and five tiger reserves; the 2022 tiger estimate put it second to Madhya Pradesh.
- In 2011 the Supreme Court suspended iron-ore mining in Bellary district.
Transport and infrastructure
Karnataka's transport story is the Bengaluru problem: a city that grew faster than its roads, and a state now building metro, suburban rail and a second airport corridor to catch up. Beyond the capital, the network connects the Ghats to the coast through rail and one major port, and the north to the south through highways and the South Western Railway.
Roads and rail
A reference page gives 3,973 km of national highways and 9,829 km of state highways; these figures are older and should be checked against current Ministry of Road Transport tables. The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation runs about 5,400 vehicles and an average of 2.2 million passengers daily, as reported there. Hubballi-Dharwad has a bus rapid transit system. The state has 3,089 km of railway track as reported, and most of it falls under the South Western Railway, which has its headquarters at Hubballi since 2003. The Konkan Railway runs along the coast.
Airports and ports
Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru, opened in May 2008 (first commercial flight on 23 May, official inauguration on 24 May) at Devanahalli, about 35 km north of the city. It handled over 44.47 million passengers in 2024-25, up 6.2%, and is reported as the third busiest in India after Delhi and Mumbai. It has two terminals: Terminal 1 for domestic flights and Terminal 2 for international flights and some domestic carriers (as of September 2023). It is run by Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL), a public-private company in which, per a reference page, Fairfax holds 54%, Siemens Project Ventures 20% and government entities 26%; shareholding can change, so check before quoting. Mangaluru, Hubballi, Mysuru, Belagavi and Kalaburagi also have airports.
New Mangalore Port, a major port under the Centre, handled a record 46.01 million tonnes in 2024-25 against 45.7 million tonnes in 2023-24. Karnataka also has 10 minor ports, including Karwar and Honnavara, according to a reference page. Inland water transport is little developed.
Metro and suburban rail
Namma Metro in Bengaluru had 96.10 km and 83 stations operating, as reported for 2026, on the Purple, Green and Yellow lines. The 19-km, 16-station Yellow Line from RV Road to Bommasandra was inaugurated on 10 August 2025. The Pink Line is 21.25 km with 18 stations (12 underground and 6 elevated) and was reported as opening in phases from late 2026; since opening dates slip often, check the latest news. The Bengaluru suburban rail project, run by the Karnataka Rail Infrastructure Development Company (K-RIDE), covers about 148 km across four corridors. K-RIDE's reported timelines are Corridor 2 (Baiyappanahalli to Chikkabanavara, 25.01 km) by December 2028, Corridor 4 (Heelalige to Rajanukunte, 46.88 km) by March or June 2029, and Corridors 1 and 3 by March 2030.
Water and big dams
Karnataka's irrigation and power depend on dams on the Kaveri, Krishna and Sharavathi systems. Data are from a reference page listing dams and reservoirs.
| Dam | River | Completed | Height | Gross storage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Krishna Raja Sagara (KRS) | Kaveri | 1931 | 42.62 m | 45.05 tmcft |
| Tungabhadra | Tungabhadra | 1953 | 49.39 m | 132.47 tmcft |
| Linganamakki | Sharavathi | 1964 | 61.26 m | 156.62 tmcft |
| Kabini | Kabini | 1974 | 59.44 m | 19.52 tmcft |
| Hemavathi | Hemavathi | 1979 | 58.50 m | 35.76 tmcft |
| Basava Sagara (Narayanpur) | Krishna | 1982 | 29.72 m | 37.965 tmcft |
| Supa | Kali | 1987 | 101 m | 147.54 tmcft |
| Almatti (Lal Bahadur Shastri Sagar) | Krishna | 1999 | 49.29 m | 123.25 tmcft |
A tmcft is a thousand million cubic feet. KRS, on the Kaveri near Mysuru, was completed in 1931 in the Mysore kingdom's time. The engineer M. Visvesvaraya is widely linked with it; that link is general knowledge and was not separately verified.
For exam preparation
- Kempegowda International Airport opened in May 2008 at Devanahalli; it is run by BIAL.
- New Mangalore Port is Karnataka's only major port; Karwar and Honnavara are among its minor ports.
- South Western Railway's headquarters is Hubballi (since 2003).
- Namma Metro's Yellow Line (RV Road to Bommasandra) opened on 10 August 2025.
- KRS dam (Kaveri, 1931), Almatti (Krishna, 1999) and Linganamakki (Sharavathi, 1964) are the dams most often asked about.
Culture, tribes and heritage
Karnataka's culture reflects a long line of dynasties: Kadamba, Ganga, Chalukya, Rashtrakuta, Hoysala, Vijayanagara, the Bahmani and Adil Shahi sultanates and the Wodeyars of Mysuru. Each left language, architecture and music. Kannada is the state language and, as of Census 2011, the mother tongue of 66.46% of the population. This section covers literature, tribes, performing arts, festivals, food, crafts and architecture.
Languages and literature
Kannada has one of the oldest literary traditions among India's languages. The Halmidi inscription, usually dated to about the fifth century, is the earliest known written Kannada. The oldest surviving literary work is the Kavirajamarga (about 850), written in the reign of the Rashtrakuta king Amoghavarsha as a treatise on poetry and on the Kannada language and its people. The "three gems" of classical Kannada are Adikavi Pampa (Adipurana, 941), Ponna and Ranna (Sahasa Bhima Vijaya, 982). Kannada was granted classical-language status by the Government of India in 2008 (not separately verified on this page).
| Period | Features |
|---|---|
| Old Kannada (about 450-1200) | Halmidi inscription; Kavirajamarga; Pampa, Ponna, Ranna; Jain court poetry |
| Vachana movement (12th century) | Free-verse poetry of the Veerashaiva movement; Basavanna (1134-1196) and Akka Mahadevi |
| Haridasa movement | Devotional songs of Purandara Dasa and Kanaka Dasa (the latter from general knowledge) |
| Navodaya (early 20th century) | Led by B. M. Srikantaiah, called the father of modern Kannada literature |
| Navya and later | Modernist, Bandaya and Dalit writing |
Jnanpith awards. Kannada has eight Jnanpith laureates, second only to Hindi. They are Kuvempu (1967), D. R. Bendre (1973), K. Shivaram Karanth (1977), Masti Venkatesha Iyengar (1983), V. K. Gokak (1990), U. R. Ananthamurthy (1994), Girish Karnad (1998) and Chandrashekhara Kambara (2010). A reference page's list contained an error (it also showed a writer of another language), so the count of eight is taken from its stated total and the names are those that agree with it.
Tribes and social groups
Scheduled Tribes make up 6.95% of Karnataka's population (Census 2011), with more than 42 notified tribes. Their homes are mostly in the Ghats, the forest districts of the south and the Deccan.
| Tribe | Where found (reported) |
|---|---|
| Soliga | Chamarajanagar and Mysuru, around the Biligiri hills |
| Jenu Kuruba | Kodagu, Mysuru and Hassan |
| Koraga | Dakshina Kannada and Udupi |
| Hakki Pikki | Mysuru, Bengaluru and Shivamogga |
| Siddi | Uttara Kannada and Belagavi |
The Siddis are people of African descent whose ancestors arrived in coastal India centuries ago (general knowledge, not separately verified). Several of these groups are listed in national lists of particularly vulnerable tribal groups; the exact list was not checked.
Performing arts
- Yakshagana is the major coastal theatre art, found in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Uttara Kannada and the Kasaragod district of Kerala. A performance runs from dusk to dawn with a singing ensemble (himmela) led by a lead singer called the Bhagavata, and a group of dancers and speakers (mummela). The instruments are the maddale and chande drums, cymbals and a harmonium or pipe. The stories come from the Ramayana, Mahabharata and Bhagavata Purana. The two styles are Tenkutittu (south, towards Kasaragod) and Badagutittu (north, from Udupi to Uttara Kannada). The earliest documented reference is an inscription of 1556 CE at the Lakshminarayana temple at Kurugodu, Ballari district.
- Dollu Kunita is a drum dance of the Halu Kuruba community, especially in Shivamogga district. Performers stand in a semi-circle with large drums, and a leader with cymbals sets the rhythm. A legend in the Halumatha Purana says that the drum was made from the skin of a demon, Dolla-asura, after Shiva defeated him. It is a standard part of village festivals in north Karnataka.
- Other forms. Hulivesha (tiger-dance with painted bodies), Veeragase and Kamsale are widely performed.
Music and painting
The south of the state follows Carnatic music and the north follows Hindustani music. Purandara Dasa, a Haridasa saint-composer, is called the "Father of Carnatic Music" for codifying its teaching and composing devotional songs in Kannada. Gangubai Hangal, Bhimsen Joshi and Kumar Gandharva are three Hindustani singers of Karnataka, honoured nationally. The Mysore school of painting grew under royal patronage, especially that of Krishnaraja Wadiyar III, and the Chamarajendra Academy of Visual Arts in Mysuru preserves the tradition.
Festivals
| Festival | Notes |
|---|---|
| Mysuru Dasara (Nada Habba) | State festival; 10 days (nine nights of Navaratri plus Vijayadashami); modern form began under Raja Wodeyar I in 1610 at Srirangapatna, from the Vijayanagara Mahanavami; Jamboo Savari procession on the last day carries the idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari on a golden mantapa of about 750 kg (reported); Mysuru Palace is lit with nearly 100,000 bulbs (reported) |
| Ugadi | New year for Kannadigas (general knowledge) |
| Makara Sankranti, Ganesh Chaturthi, Deepavali | Common across the state |
| Kambala | Traditional buffalo race of coastal districts (general knowledge) |
| Hampi Utsav, Karaga | Cultural and temple festivals (general knowledge; check dates each year) |
Cuisine
Staple dishes include bisi bele bath, ragi mudde with a spicy sauce, jowar rotti in the north, neer dosa and fish curries on the coast, Udupi vegetarian cooking, and sweets such as Mysore pak and Dharwad pedha. These are general knowledge, not individually sourced.
Crafts and geographical indications
Karnataka has among the largest numbers of products with a geographical-indication (GI) tag, which is legal recognition of a product with a link to a place. A news report quoting a state minister put the count at 42, the highest in the country at that time; the number rises as new tags are granted, so check current figures. Items listed include Mysore Silk, Mysore Sandalwood Oil, Channapatna toys and dolls, Bidriware, Ilkal sarees, Mysore Rosewood Inlay, Kasuti embroidery, Mysore Traditional Paintings, Ganjifa cards of Mysore, Navalgund durries, Karnataka Bronzeware, Molakalmuru sarees, Sandur Lambani embroidery, Kinhal toys, Guledgudd Khana and Udupi sarees. Farm and food products include Coorg Orange, Mysore betel leaf, Nanjanagud banana, Mysore, Udupi and Hadagali jasmine (malligae), Malabar Pepper, Monsooned Malabar Arabica Coffee and Coorg Green Cardamom; manufactured goods include Mysore Agarbathi and Mysore Sandal Soap.
Architecture
- Chalukya temples at Badami, Aihole and Pattadakal in Bagalkot district; Pattadakal was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.
- Hoysala temples of the 12th and 13th centuries at Belur, Halebidu and Somanathapura, notable for intricate stone carving; they were inscribed by UNESCO as Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas in 2023.
- Vijayanagara monuments at Hampi (UNESCO, 1986).
- Indo-Islamic buildings of the Adil Shahi dynasty at Vijayapura (Bijapur), above all Gol Gumbaz, the tomb of Sultan Mohammed Adil Shah, completed in 1656 with a dome about 44 m across.
For exam preparation
- Kannada is the mother tongue of 66.46% of the population (Census 2011); Scheduled Tribes are 6.95%.
- The Kavirajamarga (about 850) is the oldest extant Kannada literary work; Halmidi inscription is the earliest written Kannada.
- Kannada has eight Jnanpith winners; the first was Kuvempu in 1967 and the latest Chandrashekhara Kambara in 2010.
- Yakshagana has the Tenkutittu and Badagutittu styles; Dollu Kunita belongs to the Halu Kuruba community.
- Dasara is the state festival (Nada Habba); Raja Wodeyar I started the modern festival in 1610.
- Mysore Silk, Mysore Sandalwood Oil, Channapatna toys and Bidriware are GI-tagged.
Tourism and places of interest
Karnataka packs forts, temples, beaches, waterfalls, wildlife parks and hill stations into one state, and three UNESCO sites plus one inscribed in 2023 make it a leading heritage destination. The Ghats and the coast draw monsoon and beach visitors; the north draws architecture and history seekers.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
| Site | Year inscribed | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group of Monuments at Hampi | 1986 | Cultural | Capital of the Vijayanagara empire on the Tungabhadra, Ballari/Vijayanagara district |
| Group of Monuments at Pattadakal | 1987 | Cultural | Chalukya royal temple complex, Bagalkot district |
| Western Ghats | 2012 | Natural | Serial site across several states, including Karnataka's Ghats |
| Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas | 2023 | Cultural | Channakeshava temple at Belur, Hoysaleswara temple at Halebidu and Keshava temple at Somanathapura; built in the 12th-13th centuries |
The Hoysala inscription was decided at the 45th World Heritage Committee session in Riyadh, taking India's count to 42 at that time. A reference list that showed 45 sites total was out of step with this and the figure should be checked before use.
Major sites
| Place | What to know |
|---|---|
| Mysuru Palace and Dasara | Seat of the Wodeyars; Dasara is the state festival |
| Gol Gumbaz, Vijayapura | Tomb of Mohammed Adil Shah of the Adil Shahi dynasty; completed 1656; dome about 44 m across, floor-to-top height 60.5 m (reported); whispering gallery |
| Jog Falls | On the Sharavati river, Shivamogga district; 253 m drop; four cascades named Raja, Rani, Roarer and Rocket; best in the monsoon; ranked 36th among free-falling waterfalls worldwide (reported) |
| Bandipur, Nagarhole, Bhadra | Tiger reserves; Bandipur and Nagarhole are in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve |
| Kodagu, Chikmagalur | Coffee-growing hill districts |
| Badami, Aihole | Early Chalukya cave and structural temples (general knowledge) |
| Shravanabelagola | Jain pilgrimage site with the Gommateshwara statue (general knowledge) |
| Udupi, Murudeshwar, Gokarna | Temple and beach destinations of the coast (general knowledge) |
Heritage sites in more detail
Hampi was the capital of the Vijayanagara empire, which is described in the culture section as the dynasty behind the Mahanavami festival that later became Mysuru Dasara. The UNESCO listing of 1986 covers a field of temples, markets, water works and royal enclosures along the Tungabhadra river. Plan on at least two days; the main groups are spread over several kilometres.
Pattadakal in Bagalkot district was inscribed in 1987. It is a group of royal temples of the Chalukya dynasty and, with nearby Badami and Aihole, shows how early temple architecture developed in the Deccan. The Chalukya sites are some of the earliest structural temples in the south, which is why they feature often in art and architecture questions.
The Hoysala ensembles are the newest inscription. The Channakeshava temple at Belur, the Hoysaleswara temple at Halebidu and the Keshava temple at Somanathapura were built in the 12th and 13th centuries. UNESCO's advisers described them as a distinct sacred architecture that drew on the Dravidian, Bhumija, Nagara and Kalyani Chalukya traditions. The listing was decided at the 45th World Heritage Committee session at Riyadh in September 2023.
Gol Gumbaz in Vijayapura is the mausoleum of Mohammed Adil Shah, the seventh ruler of the Bijapur sultanate. The building was left unfinished at his death and is dated 1656. Its dome is about 44 m across on the outside and about 38 m inside, and the circular gallery at the base is known for acoustics: a whisper can be heard at points all around the wall. The tomb holds Adil Shah, two wives, a mistress, a daughter and a grandson, as reported.
Jog Falls is formed by the Sharavati in the Western Ghats. It looks different with the seasons: in the monsoon the four streams merge into one thick sheet, and in the dry months only the thin cascades remain, so most visitors go between June and October.
Wildlife and nature
Karnataka has five national parks and five tiger reserves (see the forests section). The Western Ghats listing of 2012 is natural, which sets it apart from the three cultural sites. Bandipur, Nagarhole and Bhadra are the three parks most often named in questions; Nagarhole and Bandipur are in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (1986) and share a landscape with Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Check the forest department before planning a visit since safari seasons and closures change.
Travel notes for aspirants
Most sites are reached through Bengaluru, Mysuru, Hubballi or Mangaluru. The coastal districts, the Ghats and the north each have very different seasons, so questions on tourism often mix geography with culture. Entry fees and timings change; none are given here.
For exam preparation
- Karnataka has four UNESCO sites: Hampi (1986), Pattadakal (1987), Western Ghats (2012) and Hoysala ensembles (2023).
- The three Hoysala components are Belur, Halebidu and Somanathapura.
- Jog Falls is on the Sharavati river and is 253 m high.
- Gol Gumbaz, Vijayapura, was built for Mohammed Adil Shah of the Adil Shahi dynasty.
- Nagarhole has the highest camera-trap tiger count in the state in the 2022 report cited above.
Education, health, sports and personalities
Karnataka's education system is strongest at the top: it is home to IISc, one of India's best-known research institutions, and several other national institutes. Literacy was 75.36% in Census 2011 (males 82.47%, females 68.08%), slightly above the national average of the time. Bengaluru is the base of ISRO and of a large research and health-care sector.
Institutions
| Institution | Facts |
|---|---|
| Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru | Founded 1909 through the efforts of Jamsetji Tata, the Government of India and the Maharaja of Mysore, Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV, who gave 372 acres; first students began in 1911 |
| Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB) | Established 1973; third IIM; inaugurated on 28 October 1973 by the Prime Minister of that time; Institute of National Importance under the IIM Act 2017 |
| NIMHANS, Bengaluru | Formed on 27 December 1974 by merging the Lunatic Asylum and the All India Institute of Mental Health (1954) |
| IIT Dharwad | Started July 2016, inaugurated 28 August 2016 |
| National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal | Leading engineering institute on the coast |
| University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering (UVCE), Bengaluru | Established 1917; the fifth engineering college in India (reported) |
| ISRO headquarters, Bengaluru | ISRO formed on 15 August 1969 with headquarters in Bengaluru |
Karnataka also has Bangalore University, the University of Mysore (established 1916, general knowledge), Mangalore University, specialist agriculture, veterinary and health universities and a state open university. We did not verify the present number of universities, colleges or medical seats, nor whether the state has an AIIMS, so none is stated here.
Notes on the main institutions
The IISc story is a favourite exam item because it ties a private donor, the Mysore royal house and the central government together. Jamsetji Tata proposed a research university in the late nineteenth century; the Maharaja of Mysore, Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV, gave 372 acres in Bengaluru; the Government of India joined the effort; and the Institute was formally vested in 1909, with the foundation stone laid in 1911 and the first batch of students that year. IIM Bangalore became the third of the IIMs when it was inaugurated on 28 October 1973, and was declared an Institute of National Importance by the IIM Act of 2017. NIMHANS, formed on 27 December 1974, combines the old Lunatic Asylum, which dates back much earlier, with the All India Institute of Mental Health of 1954.
IIT Dharwad began in a temporary campus in July 2016 and was inaugurated on 28 August 2016. ISRO was formed on 15 August 1969 and has its headquarters in Bengaluru, which is why the city is called India's space capital in popular writing. UVCE, Bengaluru, started in 1917 as the fifth engineering college in the country, as reported on a reference page.
School and college education
A reference page described school numbers as of March 2006 (about 54,529 primary schools with roughly 8.5 million pupils, and 9,499 secondary schools), which is too old to use as present data. Use the state's Department of School Education statistics or the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE+) for current figures. The same page lists specialist state universities in agriculture, veterinary science and open and distance education. Literacy has risen steadily; the Census 2011 gap of about 14 percentage points between male (82.47%) and female (68.08%) literacy is the number to remember, as 2027 census data are not yet out.
Health
We did not verify the latest NFHS-5 indicators (infant mortality, institutional births, vaccination) for Karnataka and give none; use the NFHS-5 state fact sheet. NIMHANS is the national centre for mental health and neuroscience.
Sports
Bengaluru's M. Chinnaswamy Stadium is a famous cricket venue and Sree Kanteerava Stadium hosts athletics and football (both general knowledge, not separately verified). Prakash Padukone (badminton), Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble and Gundappa Viswanath (cricket) and Pankaj Advani (billiards and snooker) are among the state's best-known sportspeople; these are well known but were not separately verified for this page.
Notable people
| Person | Field |
|---|---|
| M. Visvesvaraya | Engineer, Dewan of Mysore, Bharat Ratna 1955 (general knowledge) |
| Kuvempu | Poet, first Kannada Jnanpith (1967) |
| D. R. Bendre, K. Shivaram Karanth, Masti Venkatesha Iyengar, V. K. Gokak, U. R. Ananthamurthy, Girish Karnad, Chandrashekhara Kambara | Other Jnanpith laureates |
| Purandara Dasa | Haridasa composer, "Father of Carnatic Music" |
| Basavanna | 12th-century reformer-poet (1134-1196) |
| Gangubai Hangal, Bhimsen Joshi, Kumar Gandharva | Hindustani vocalists |
Awards
The Jnanpith Award is India's highest literary honour; Kannada's eight laureates are listed above. The state's own honours include the Karnataka Ratna and the Pampa Award for literature (general knowledge; the details were not checked).
For exam preparation
- IISc was founded in 1909; IIMB in 1973; NIMHANS in 1974; IIT Dharwad in 2016; ISRO in 1969.
- Literacy in Karnataka was 75.36% in Census 2011 (male 82.47%, female 68.08%).
- UVCE, Bengaluru (1917) was India's fifth engineering college.
- IISc land was donated by the Maharaja of Mysore, Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV.
Government schemes
Karnataka's welfare policy now centres on five "guarantees" announced before the 2023 Assembly election and approved by the cabinet in June 2023. Allocation for them in the 2026-27 budget is ₹51,286 crore, about 12% of total spending (PRS). Descriptions below follow the announcement-time terms as reported; check the official portals for the current rules.
| Scheme | What it gives | Who is eligible (reported) |
|---|---|---|
| Gruha Jyothi | Free electricity up to 200 units a month | Household electricity consumers |
| Gruha Lakshmi | ₹2,000 a month in cash | Woman head of a family |
| Anna Bhagya | 10 kg of free rice per person | Members of below-poverty-line households |
| Shakti | Free bus travel in state-run buses | Women who are residents of Karnataka |
| Yuva Nidhi | ₹3,000 a month for graduates and ₹1,500 for diploma-holders | Unemployed youth aged 18-25; first cohort were those who finished in 2022-23; must be Karnataka domicile and not in other self-employment schemes |
Rules, rates and the form of the rice benefit have been revised since launch; the table is the announced version.
Other schemes. Central schemes such as PM-KISAN (income support to farmers) and Ayushman Bharat operate in Karnataka alongside state programmes, but we did not verify state-level details. The state's milk-for-children scheme Ksheera Bhagya is general knowledge.
How the guarantees came about
The five promises were made by the Indian National Congress in its manifesto for the 2023 Assembly election. The state cabinet decided to implement all five at its first meeting after the new government took office, in June 2023, and the Chief Minister of that time gave a rollout window of about three months. The schemes started in stages. Shakti (free bus travel for women), Gruha Jyothi and Gruha Lakshmi started first, with Anna Bhagya and Yuva Nidhi following, and Yuva Nidhi was reported as starting on 1 January 2024 (exact dates were not verified individually). Reports also say that transgender women are eligible for Gruha Lakshmi and Shakti.
Reading the schemes for exams
Questions usually ask for the scheme name, the benefit and the target group. Learn each as a pair: electricity (Gruha Jyothi), money to the woman head of family (Gruha Lakshmi), rice (Anna Bhagya), bus travel (Shakti) and unemployment allowance (Yuva Nidhi). Because rates and rules have been revised, always quote the figure as "announced" and give a year.
Fiscal weight
At ₹51,286 crore, the guarantees take about one rupee in eight of the 2026-27 budget's expenditure (excluding debt repayment) of ₹4,12,688 crore. The state still keeps the fiscal deficit target at 2.9% of GSDP, below the usual 3% benchmark. Whether the schemes are sustainable is a matter of public debate, and this guide takes no position on it.
For exam preparation
- The five guarantees are Gruha Jyothi, Gruha Lakshmi, Anna Bhagya, Shakti and Yuva Nidhi.
- Gruha Jyothi gives 200 units of free electricity; Gruha Lakshmi gives ₹2,000 a month to the woman head of the family.
- Yuva Nidhi pays ₹3,000 (graduates) and ₹1,500 (diploma) to unemployed youth aged 18-25.
- The 2026-27 budget set aside ₹51,286 crore for guarantees.
Government exams in Karnataka
Government recruitment in Karnataka is split between a few bodies. The Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) selects the Karnataka Administrative Service and other gazetted officers. The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) runs the written tests for police constables, Sub-Inspectors and many Group C posts, and also runs the state eligibility test for lecturers. The School Education Department conducts the teacher eligibility test (KARTET), and the Karnataka High Court recruits judges and court staff. Notification dates, vacancy counts, fees and age limits change with every advertisement, so treat every figure below as a pointer and read the latest notification before you apply. Where a figure comes from an exam-prep or news site rather than an official document, we write "reported". Almost every Karnataka recruitment also asks for Kannada, and the Kalyana-Karnataka region has its own cadre; both are explained in the next section.
For live openings see Karnataka government jobs. For practice papers use our online test series. Neighbouring states follow similar patterns: compare Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC)
The KPSC is a constitutional body under Article 315 of the Constitution, and Wikipedia gives its founding as 18 May 1951. It sits at Udyog Soudha, Ambedkar Veedhi, Bengaluru. It conducts examinations for state appointments, advises the government on recruitment methods and promotions, and consults on disciplinary matters under Article 320. The chairman and members are appointed under the Constitution; the chair's name changes, so we do not give it. See current affairs for who holds the post today. The commission's homepage did not open for us on 4 October 2026 (a server error), so what follows rests on secondary sources and is marked accordingly.
Karnataka Administrative Service (KAS) and Gazetted Probationers
This is the flagship exam, often called the Gazetted Probationers (GP) examination. The 2023-24 notification, reported by IASbaba as the official announcement, offered 384 posts (Group A 159, Group B 225), with applications from 4 March to 3 April 2024 and a prelims on 5 May 2024. We do not state later cycle dates or vacancies because we could not confirm them; check the latest notification.
The selection has three stages: Preliminary, Main and Personality Test (interview).
| Stage | Pattern (reported; confirm in the current notification) |
|---|---|
| Prelims | Two objective papers. Drishti IAS reports 100 questions and 200 marks per paper (400 in all), two hours each, with one-fourth negative marking. Paper I is general studies; Paper II is an aptitude test (comprehension, reasoning, decision-making and problem-solving) per IASbaba. |
| Mains | Seven papers, reported as 1,250 marks for merit: Essay and four General Studies papers of 250 marks each (the fourth is ethics, integrity and aptitude), plus two qualifying language papers, Kannada and English, of 150 marks each. |
| Qualifying papers | Candidates need at least 35% in each of Kannada and English, and those marks do not count in merit. The Kannada paper is set at the standard of First Language Kannada at SSLC level (reported). |
| Personality Test | Drishti reports 25 marks, for a grand total of 1,275. Some sites quote a different figure; check the notification. |
The scheme has changed in the past, so older books may show an optional-subject Mains. Age limits in the 2023-24 notification, per IASbaba, were 35 for General Merit, 38 for Categories 2A, 2B, 3A and 3B, and 40 for Category 1, SC and ST, with 5, 7 and unlimited attempts respectively. Drishti lists 38, 41 and 43, which matches the temporary relaxation described in the rules section. Education is a bachelor's degree from a recognised university. The Commission also recruits for other Group A and B posts such as Assistant Director, Assistant Engineer, Drug Inspector and Grade 1 Physician (Careers360, reported).
FDA and SDA, and who recruits Group C
First Division Assistants (FDA) and Second Division Assistants (SDA) were once KPSC posts and are now advertised by KEA. Careers360-type sites still file them under KPSC, so check which body is named in the notification. KEA's homepage in October 2026 listed 2026 recruitments for FDA and SDA, Village Administrative Officer and Land Surveyor, KSRP police, nursing and pharmacy, horticulture, social welfare residential schools and pre-university education, with separate notifications for the Residual Parent Cadre (RPC) and the Kalyana-Karnataka (KK) cadre. The pattern reported by prep sites for FDA and SDA is three papers: Compulsory Kannada (descriptive, 150 marks, 90 minutes), General English or General Kannada (100 marks) and General Knowledge (100 marks). One aggregator reported 705 vacancies across FDA, SDA and Junior Assistant posts and a separate notice for 6 posts; we could not match either to an official document.
Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA)
KEA runs the state's Common Entrance Test for professional courses and is the main recruitment test agency for police and Group C posts. It is reachable through cetonline.karnataka.gov.in/kea (helpdesk 080-23460460 on its page). For FDA/SDA, VAO and police, KEA publishes separate notifications for the RPC and KK cadres. The VAO selection is reported as a Kannada language test of 150 marks (qualifying at 50, not counted in merit), then a two-paper written exam of 100 marks each (General Knowledge; General Kannada, English and Computer Knowledge), with a quarter mark off per wrong answer and then document verification (open-exam-prep, reported). Candidates who studied Kannada as first or second language at SSLC, or who already passed the KEA or KPSC Kannada test, are reported to be exempt.
Karnataka State Police recruitment
Police recruitment is advertised by the Karnataka State Police recruitment cell, while KEA conducts the written test. We name the structure, not the officers.
- Civil Police Constable (CPC) and KSRP/IRB/KSISF constables. Careers360 reports a 2026 notification for 2,314 constables in KSRP, KSISF and IRB, with applications from 13 July to 10 August 2026, a Class 12 qualification, an age of 18 to 38 years (with relaxations), and a written test on 20 September 2026. A separate report says a written test for 3,991 Civil Police Constable posts was held on 2 August 2026. The written test is reported as 100 objective questions, 100 marks, 90 minutes, a quarter mark off per wrong answer and 30 marks to qualify, with weights of 30 for General Knowledge and current affairs, 20 each for Kannada and English, 15 for numerical ability and 15 for reasoning. Selection continues with a Physical Standard Test, a Physical Endurance Test and a medical examination (reported). We did not open an official police notice, so we give no height or chest standard.
- Police Sub-Inspector (PSI). Reported in prep sources: Paper I descriptive (50 marks: 600-word essay 20, precis 10, translation Kannada-English 20, 90 minutes) and Paper II objective (150 marks, mental ability and current affairs, 90 minutes, quarter-mark negative marking), then PST/PET. A 2022 recruitment scandal led to a re-examination for 545 posts (reported), and a KEA PSI test for 402 posts was reported for 3 October 2024. Age and fees vary by cycle; read the latest notification.
For internal SC reservation in police posts, the state said it would continue the standing roster until further orders (see the rules section).
Teacher eligibility: KARTET
KARTET is conducted by the School Education Department, and results are published at sts.karnataka.gov.in (Careers360). Reported structure: Paper 1 (classes 1 to 5) and Paper 2 (classes 6 to 8), each 150 questions for 150 marks in 2 hours 30 minutes, with no negative marking. Paper 1 has 30 questions each on child development and pedagogy, Language I, Language II, mathematics and environmental studies; Paper 2 has 30 each on pedagogy and the two languages, plus 60 on mathematics and science or social studies. The qualifying mark is 60% (90 of 150) for general and 55% (82.5) for reserved categories. The 2025 test was reported on 7 December 2025 with results on 23 December 2025. The validity is reported as seven years by Careers360; other sources describe the central rule differently, so check the current notification. Teacher recruitment itself is a separate exercise by the department.
Karnataka State Eligibility Test (KSET)
KSET is the state-level eligibility test for assistant professors. The University of Mysore long conducted it; KEA conducted the 2025 edition on 2 November 2025 for 33 subjects (Careers360, reported). Paper I (teaching and research aptitude) has 50 questions for 100 marks in one hour; Paper II (subject) has 100 questions for 200 marks in two hours. The reported minimum is 40% aggregate (120 of 300) for general and 35% (105) for reserved candidates. Careers360 reported 8,383 qualifiers for 2025.
Karnataka High Court
The Karnataka High Court was established in 1884 as the Mysore High Court, with its principal seat in Bengaluru and permanent benches at Dharwad (25 August 2013) and Kalaburagi (31 August 2013), according to Wikipedia. It recruits Civil Judges (Junior Division) and District Judges, and court staff such as typists and stenographers, and publishes notices at karnatakajudiciary.kar.nic.in. Past notices we saw in search results include 150 typist posts (2021) and 54 stenographer posts (2022), but we did not open an official notice, so do not use these as current figures. Of the sanctioned posts in several judicial cadres, 8% are reserved for local persons of the Kalyana-Karnataka region (reported).
Domicile, reservation and recruitment rules
Karnataka uses a layered system: vertical reservation for SC, ST and backward-class categories, horizontal reservation for groups such as women, disabled persons and transgender candidates, a Kannada language requirement, and a special regional cadre for Kalyana-Karnataka under Article 371(J). The vertical rules were in legal flux in 2025-26, so this section carries dates. Always check the roster in the advertisement.
Reservation in state jobs
- OBC categories (32% in all). Karnataka groups backward classes into Category 1 (4%), 2A (15%), 2B (4%), 3A (4%) and 3B (5%), as listed on a reservation Q&A page (reported). Roughly, 3A and 3B cover large agrarian communities, and 2B covered backward-class Muslims.
- 2B and the 2022-23 changes. In December 2022 the state created new 2C and 2D categories, and in 2023 it scrapped the 4% for Muslims and divided it between two groups. The Supreme Court called the decision "highly shaky" on 13 April 2023 and on 25 April 2023 recorded that the earlier regime would continue until the next hearing. A 2025 summary says the case was still pending, which we could not confirm from a court record. Check the notification for the category structure it uses.
- SC and ST. The Karnataka SC and ST Act, 2022 raised SC from 15% to 17% and ST from 3% to 7%, making the total 56% with OBC at 32% and general merit 44% (The Week, 3 September 2025). On 27 November 2025 the Karnataka High Court restricted fresh recruitment under the enhanced quotas, allowing processes notified before 19 November 2025 to continue, and ordered that appointments be marked as temporary (Careers360). On 26 February 2026 the cabinet decided to fill 56,432 vacant posts using the earlier matrix (SC 15%, ST 3%, OBC 32%, in force before 28 December 2022), with a clause to move to 56% if the courts uphold the 2022 increase (The News Minute).
- Internal SC reservation. The Justice Nagamohan Das commission report led to a cabinet decision on 20 August 2025, and a government order on 26 August 2025 split the 17% as 6% SC-Left, 6% SC-Right and 5% for "touchable" castes such as Lambani, Korama, Koracha and Bhovi. After the court stay, the cabinet on 24 April 2026 fixed a split within 15%: 5.25% for the Left group, 5.25% for the Right group and 4.5% for touchable and nomadic communities (ETV Bharat). Departments were to issue fresh notifications. We could not confirm the final court position; check the advertisement.
- EWS. Wikipedia lists a 10% EWS quota for Karnataka. We did not verify the state's income and asset rules.
- Horizontal groups. For direct recruitment, 25% of vacancies in each category are reserved for rural candidates (reported). A 2021 amendment of the civil services rules gives transgender persons 1% in each category (Wikipedia and LiveLaw, reported). We did not verify the percentages for women, disabled persons, ex-servicemen or Kannada-medium candidates in state services, so read the advertisement.
Kalyana-Karnataka (Hyderabad-Karnataka) and Article 371(J)
Article 371(J) was inserted by the Constitution (Ninety-eighth Amendment) Act, 2012, which came into force on 1 January 2013. It gives special provisions for the Hyderabad-Karnataka region, now called Kalyana-Karnataka: a development board, equitable funds and reservation in education and public employment for persons of the region by birth or domicile. The seven districts reported are Bidar, Kalaburagi, Yadgir, Raichur, Koppal, Ballari and Vijayanagara; the constitutional text names six, before Vijayanagara was carved out of Ballari. The presidential order was published on 6 November 2013, and the rules fix a local quota of 70% up to 100% depending on the cadre for posts in the region (reported). In practice, KEA and KPSC advertise a "KK" cadre list separately from the "RPC" (Residual Parent Cadre) list. In February 2026 the Finance Department reportedly cleared 32,132 posts reserved for the region alongside 24,300 others. A circular of 1 February 2023, upheld by the High Court, says local candidates must first be considered against non-local (open) cadre posts and then, if unsuccessful, against local posts.
Kannada requirement
Kannada is tested for state service. For the KAS, Kannada and English are qualifying Mains papers (150 marks each, 35% to pass, SSLC first-language standard). For Group C, a compulsory Kannada test is reported at 150 marks, with 50 to qualify and no merit weight; candidates who studied Kannada in SSLC or hold a KEA/KPSC Kannada certificate may be exempt. KPSC has reportedly issued certificates for those who passed the compulsory Kannada exam before 2024. We could not find an official source for any "2 per cent" or "100 marks" rule, so we do not state one.
Age limits and relaxations
Typical limits in the 2023-24 KAS notification were 35 (General Merit), 38 (2A, 2B, 3A, 3B) and 40 (Category 1, SC, ST). Reported relaxations include 10 years for persons with disabilities and age concessions for ex-servicemen based on service. The government approved a one-time relaxation for direct recruitment till 31 December 2027: three years announced in September 2025, then extended to five years on 22 January 2026 (The Print), because recruitment was frozen from October 2024. If a post's limit is 35, candidates up to 40 qualify. Check whether the specific advertisement applies this relaxation.
Selection stages and vacancy cycles
KAS: Prelims, Mains, interview. Police: written, PST, PET, medical. VAO and FDA/SDA: Kannada test, written test, document verification. Recruitment was stalled for over two years by internal-reservation litigation; the cabinet decision of 26 February 2026 targeted 56,432 posts, and notifications followed department by department. We do not predict dates.
How to use this guide for exam preparation
Karnataka papers mix general knowledge with a compulsory Kannada element, so work on the language from day one. This guide supports the Karnataka section of the KAS prelims (Paper II covers state-level studies), the Group C general knowledge tests and the police general knowledge sections. Reasoning, mathematics and English need separate practice in our online test series.
High-yield sections
- History and geography: rulers, formation of the state, districts, rivers, soils, forests.
- Economy, government and politics: budget, schemes, Vidhan Sabha, the Legislative Council and the High Court.
- Culture: languages, folk art, festivals, tribes.
- Exam rules: reservation categories, Kalyana-Karnataka cadre, Kannada test pattern.
Four-week revision plan
| Week | Focus |
|---|---|
| 1 | Read Overview, History and Geography once. Make one-page notes on districts, rivers and dynasties. |
| 2 | Read Administration, Demography, Legislature and Elections. Learn the seat counts and census figures. Take a timed mock. |
| 3 | Read Economy, Agriculture, Culture, Tourism and Schemes. Prepare one table of festivals, art forms and crops. Redo week 2 mistakes. |
| 4 | Revise only the Rapid-fire table and your own notes. Take two full mocks and practise Kannada translation or comprehension. |
Common traps
- Reservation figures. Old books show 15/3/32 or 17/7/32. Read the roster in your notification.
- KPSC versus KEA. FDA, SDA, VAO and police are run by KEA now; do not look for them on the KPSC site.
- Kalyana-Karnataka cadre. There are two lists, RPC and KK; apply to the one your eligibility allows.
- Kannada marks. In the KAS, Kannada marks do not count in merit, but failing disqualifies.
- KARTET validity. Sources differ; read the certificate.
Rapid-fire facts
Facts are as on 4 October 2026. Items marked "reported" come from exam-prep or news sites.
| Fact | Answer |
|---|---|
| KPSC founded (Wikipedia) | 18 May 1951 |
| KPSC headquarters | Udyog Soudha, Bengaluru |
| Constitutional article for State PSCs | Article 315 |
| Article for PSC functions | Article 320 |
| Who appoints KPSC members | The Governor (under Article 316) |
| Flagship KPSC exam | KAS / Gazetted Probationers |
| 2023-24 GP posts | 384 (Group A 159, Group B 225) |
| 2023-24 GP prelims date | 5 May 2024 |
| KAS stages | Prelims, Mains, Personality Test |
| KAS Prelims papers (reported) | 2, objective |
| KAS Prelims negative marking (reported) | One-fourth |
| KAS Mains merit marks (reported) | 1,250 |
| KAS Mains qualifying papers | Kannada and English |
| Marks of each qualifying paper (reported) | 150 |
| Qualifying percentage in them (reported) | 35% |
| Kannada paper standard (reported) | SSLC first language |
| KAS interview marks (reported) | 25 |
| Max age, General Merit (2023-24) | 35 |
| Max age, 2A/2B/3A/3B (2023-24) | 38 |
| Max age, Cat 1/SC/ST (2023-24) | 40 |
| Attempts, General Merit | 5 |
| Attempts, 2A/2B/3A/3B | 7 |
| Attempts, Cat 1/SC/ST | Unlimited until age limit |
| One-time age relaxation (Jan 2026) | 5 years, till 31 Dec 2027 |
| Earlier relaxation (Sep 2025) | 3 years |
| Disability age relaxation (reported) | 10 years |
| Body that tests FDA/SDA now | KEA |
| KEA full form | Karnataka Examinations Authority |
| KEA portal | cetonline.karnataka.gov.in/kea |
| FDA full form | First Division Assistant |
| SDA full form | Second Division Assistant |
| FDA/SDA Paper 1 (reported) | Compulsory Kannada, 150 marks |
| FDA/SDA Paper 2 (reported) | General English/Kannada, 100 marks |
| FDA/SDA Paper 3 (reported) | General Knowledge, 100 marks |
| VAO Kannada test (reported) | 150 marks, 50 to qualify |
| VAO written exam (reported) | Two papers of 100 marks |
| Cadre lists in KEA notices | RPC and KK |
| RPC full form | Residual Parent Cadre |
| KK short for | Kalyana-Karnataka |
| Old name of Kalyana-Karnataka | Hyderabad-Karnataka |
| Article for the region | 371(J) |
| Amendment inserting 371(J) | 98th, 2012 |
| 371(J) in force from | 1 January 2013 |
| Presidential order published (reported) | 6 November 2013 |
| Local quota in region cadres (reported) | 70% to 100%, by cadre |
| State-level posts for local persons, judiciary (reported) | 8% |
| Local-candidate circular | 1 February 2023 |
| Districts of Kalyana-Karnataka (reported) | Bidar, Kalaburagi, Yadgir, Raichur, Koppal, Ballari, Vijayanagara |
| Districts named in Article 371(J) text | Six (before Vijayanagara) |
| Development board for the region | Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board |
| Head of that board (by office) | The Governor |
| OBC share in Karnataka | 32% |
| Category 1 (reported) | 4% |
| Category 2A (reported) | 15% |
| Category 2B (reported) | 4% |
| Category 3A (reported) | 4% |
| Category 3B (reported) | 5% |
| 2C and 2D created | December 2022 |
| SC/ST Act raising quotas | Karnataka SC and ST Act, 2022 |
| SC rise under 2022 Act | 15% to 17% |
| ST rise under 2022 Act | 3% to 7% |
| Total with OBC under 2022 Act | 56% |
| General merit at 56% | 44% |
| Supreme Court ceiling | 50% (Indra Sawhney) |
| High Court order on fresh recruitment | 27 November 2025 |
| Cabinet vacancy decision | 26 February 2026 |
| Vacant posts targeted | 56,432 |
| Matrix used in Feb 2026 | SC 15, ST 3, OBC 32 |
| Internal SC cabinet decision | 20 August 2025 |
| Internal SC order, split of 17% | 6/6/5, 26 August 2025 |
| Internal SC split in Apr 2026 | 5.25/5.25/4.5 within 15% |
| Commission on internal SC quota | Justice Nagamohan Das |
| Touchable castes named | Lambani, Korama, Koracha, Bhovi |
| Transgender reservation (reported) | 1% in each category |
| Rural candidate share (reported) | 25% |
| Police written test | Run by KEA |
| Civil Police Constable test (reported) | 100 marks, 90 minutes |
| Qualifying mark for CPC (reported) | 30 of 100 |
| Negative marking in CPC (reported) | 0.25 |
| 2026 KSRP/KSISF/IRB posts (reported) | 2,314 |
| PSI Paper I (reported) | 50 marks, descriptive |
| PSI Paper II (reported) | 150 marks, objective |
| PSI re-exam posts after scam (reported) | 545 |
| KARTET papers | Paper 1 (1-5), Paper 2 (6-8) |
| KARTET marks per paper | 150 |
| KARTET duration | 2 hours 30 minutes |
| KARTET pass, general (reported) | 60% |
| KARTET pass, reserved (reported) | 55% |
| KARTET negative marking | None |
| KSET 2025 date (reported) | 2 November 2025 |
| KSET aggregate pass, general (reported) | 40% |
| Karnataka High Court founded | 1884 as Mysore High Court |
| High Court benches | Dharwad and Kalaburagi |
| Both benches permanent from | August 2013 |
Frequently asked questions
Which body conducts the Karnataka civil services exam? The Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC), through the Gazetted Probationers examination for the KAS.
What are the stages of the KAS exam? Preliminary, Main and Personality Test.
Is Kannada compulsory for the KAS? Yes, in the sense that Kannada is a qualifying Mains paper of 150 marks (35% to pass, reported). Marks are not added to merit.
What is the age limit for KAS? In the 2023-24 notification it was 35 for General Merit, 38 for 2A, 2B, 3A and 3B, and 40 for Category 1, SC and ST. A temporary relaxation of five years applies to direct recruitment until 31 December 2027, so read the latest notification.
Who recruits police constables in Karnataka? The police recruitment cell advertises; KEA conducts the written test (reported).
What is the Civil Police Constable exam pattern? Reported: 100 questions, 100 marks, 90 minutes, a quarter mark off for a wrong answer, 30 to qualify.
What is the PSI exam pattern? Reported: a 50-mark descriptive Paper I and a 150-mark objective Paper II.
Is KARTET conducted by KEA? No; the School Education Department conducts KARTET (Careers360). KEA conducted KSET 2025.
What is the KARTET qualifying mark? 60% for general, 55% for reserved categories (reported).
How long is a KARTET certificate valid? Careers360 says seven years; check the current notification.
What is Article 371(J)? A special provision for the Hyderabad-Karnataka (Kalyana-Karnataka) region, in force from 1 January 2013, giving reservation in education and jobs plus a development board.
What is the KK cadre? The local cadre of Kalyana-Karnataka posts, advertised separately from the Residual Parent Cadre.
Which districts are in Kalyana-Karnataka? Bidar, Kalaburagi, Yadgir, Raichur, Koppal, Ballari and Vijayanagara.
What is the SC reservation in Karnataka? It depends on court status: 15% before 28 December 2022, 17% under the 2022 Act, and 15% used for the 2026 recruitment drive. Check the advertisement.
How is the SC quota split internally? Two orders: 6/6/5 within 17% (August 2025) and 5.25/5.25/4.5 within 15% (April 2026).
What are Categories 2A, 2B, 3A and 3B? Backward-class groups within the 32% OBC quota; see the table above.
Does the 4% Muslim quota (2B) still exist? The Supreme Court recorded in April 2023 that the earlier regime would continue pending hearing; we could not confirm the final outcome.
How many vacancies is the government filling? The cabinet decided on 26 February 2026 to fill 56,432 posts; read each department's notification.
Do I need a Kannada certificate for Group C? A compulsory Kannada test is reported, with exemption for those who studied Kannada at SSLC; follow the notification.
Where do I find live openings? See Karnataka government jobs.
Sources and verification
Time-sensitive facts (budget, exam rules, reservation changes, local-body polls) were checked on 4 October 2026. Where sources disagreed or a figure came from a single secondary source, the text says so. Election figures are Wikipedia reproductions of Election Commission data, with the 2026-27 budget from PRS Legislative Research; cross-check Election Commission results before quoting a number in an answer. Census 2011 is the latest published census.
Facts verified on 4 October 2026. The official KPSC homepage returned an error and the High Court's circular site was unreachable, so the KPSC and High Court details rest on Wikipedia, news and exam-prep pages and are marked "reported". The KEA homepage was read directly. Reservation facts are from news reports of court and cabinet decisions; check the current notification for the roster in force.
- Karnataka Examinations Authority site (cetonline.karnataka.gov.in/kea), homepage.
- Wikipedia, as a cross-check only: Karnataka Public Service Commission, Reservation in India, Article 371J, Karnataka High Court.
- IASbaba, KPSC Gazetted Probationers 2023-24 announcement.
- Drishti IAS, KAS (KPSC) exam pattern page.
- Careers360 pages on KPSC recruitment, Karnataka TET, KEA KSRP police constable 2026, and the High Court order of 27 November 2025.
- The Week, 3 September 2025 reservation roster report; The News Minute, 26 February 2026 vacancies report; ETV Bharat, 24 April 2026 cabinet report; The Print, 22 January 2026 age-relaxation report.
- The South First, Karnataka internal SC quota order.
- Open-exam-prep VAO selection guide; Oliveboard Karnataka PSI exam pattern; Amar Ujala KEA PSI answer-key page.
- SCC Online and LiveLaw reports on the 1 February 2023 circular under Article 371(J).
- Search-result summaries only (not opened): KSET pattern, KARTET pattern, KEA FDA/SDA pattern, Muslim 2B quota status, High Court recruitment notices, Hyderabad-Karnataka local-cadre rules, PWD and rural reservation.