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KSET follows the UGC-NET pattern. Paper 1 is common to all candidates; Paper 2 is in the subject of your postgraduate degree. Below are the full Paper 1 syllabus, the official Paper 2 syllabus for each subject and the exam pattern from the KSET-2026 notification.
Exam pattern
| Paper | Questions | Marks each | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper I — General Paper (teaching, research and reasoning ability) | 50 | 2 | 100 |
| Paper II — Subject paper (the subject chosen by the candidate) | 100 | 2 | 200 |
- Duration: 3 hours (both papers together) (10.00 AM - 1.00 PM), Offline, OMR, both papers in one sitting
- Negative marking: No negative marking for wrong answers
- Qualifying marks: General (GM) — 40%; SC-A/SC-B/SC-C/ST/CAT-I/II-A/II-B/III-A/III-B/PwD/Transgender — 35% (of Paper I and II combined)
- Step 1: Total qualifying slots = 6% of candidates who appeared in both papers.
- Step 2: Merit list prepared subject-wise and category-wise on aggregate marks of candidates who appeared in both papers and cleared Step 1 minimums.
- Step 3: Per UGC SET guidelines only the top 6% of those appearing in both papers are declared eligible; category-wise lists follow the State reservation policy, allocated subject-wise by the printed pro-rata formula.
- KSET standard follows UGC-NET standards per UGC guidelines.
Paper 1 — General Paper (all candidates)
The main objective is to assess the teaching and research capabilities of the candidates. The test aims at assessing the teaching and research aptitude as well. Candidate are expected to possess and exhibit cognitive abilities, which include comprehension, analysis, evaluation, understanding the structure of arguments, deductive and inductive reasoning. The candidates are expected to have a general awareness about teaching and learning processes in higher education system. Further, they should be aware of interaction between people, environment, natural resources and their impact on the quality of life.
Unit 1: Teaching Aptitude
- Teaching: Concept, Objectives, Levels of teaching (Memory, Understanding and Reflective), Characteristics and basic requirements.
- Learner's characteristics: Characteristics of adolescent and adult learners (Academic, Social, Emotional and Cognitive), Individual differences.
- Factors affecting teaching related to: Teacher, Learner, Support material, Instructional facilities, Learning environment and Institution.
- Methods of teaching in Institutions of higher learning: Teacher centred vs. Learner centred methods; Off-line vs. On-line methods (Swayam, Swayamprabha, MOOCs etc.).
- Teaching Support System: Traditional, Modern and ICT based.
- Evaluation Systems: Elements and Types of evaluation, Evaluation in Choice Based Credit System in Higher education, Computer based testing, Innovations in evaluation systems.
Unit 2: Research Aptitude
- Research: Meaning, Types, and Characteristics, Positivism and Post-positivistic approach to research.
- Methods of Research: Experimental, Descriptive, Historical, Qualitative and Quantitative methods.
- Steps of Research.
- Thesis and Article writing: Format and Styles of referencing.
- Application of ICT in research.
- Research ethics.
Unit 3: Comprehension
- A passage of text be given. Questions be asked from the passage to be answered.
Unit 4: Communication
- Communication: Meaning, types and characteristics of communication.
- Effective communication: Verbal and Non-verbal, Inter-Cultural and group communications, Classroom communication.
- Barriers to effective communication.
- Mass-Media and Society.
Unit 5: Mathematical Reasoning and Aptitude
- Types of reasoning.
- Number series, Letter series, Codes and Relationships.
- Mathematical Aptitude (Fraction, Time & Distance, Ratio, Proportion and Percentage, Profit and Loss, Interest and Discounting, Averages etc.).
Unit 6: Logical Reasoning
- Understanding the structure of arguments: arguments forms, structure of categorical propositions, Mood and Figure, Formal and Informal fallacies, Uses of language, Connotations and denotations of terms, Classical square of opposition.
- Evaluating and distinguishing deductive and inductive reasoning.
- Analogies.
- Venn diagram: Simple and multiple use for establishing validity of arguments.
- Indian Logic: Means of knowledge.
- Pramanas: Pratyaksha (Perception), Anumana (Inference), Upamana (Comparison), Shabda (Verbal testimony), Arthapatti (Implication) and Anupalabddhi (Non-apprehension).
- Structure and kinds of Anumana (inference), Vyapti (invariable relation), Hetvabhasas (fallacies of inference).
Unit 7: Data Interpretation
- Sources, acquisition and classification of Data.
- Quantitative and Qualitative Data.
- Graphical representation (Bar-chart, Histograms, Pie-chart, Table-chart and Line-chart) and mapping of Data.
- Data Interpretation.
- Data and Governance.
Unit 8: Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
- ICT: General abbreviations and terminology.
- Basics of Internet, Intranet, E-mail, Audio and Video-conferencing.
- Digital initiatives in higher education.
- ICT and Governance.
Unit 9: People, Development and Environment
- Development and environment: Millennium development and Sustainable development goals.
- Human and environment interaction: Anthropogenic activities and their impacts on environment.
- Environmental Issues: Local, Regional and Global; Air pollution, Water pollution, Soil pollution, Noise pollution, Waste (solid, liquid, biomedical, hazardous, electronic), Climate change and its Socio-Economic and Political dimensions.
- Impacts of pollutants on human health.
- Natural and energy resources: Solar, Wind, Soil, Hydro, Geothermal, Biomass, Nuclear and Forests.
- Natural hazards and disasters: Mitigation strategies.
- Environmental Protection Act (1986), National Action Plan on Climate change, International agreements/efforts -Montreal Protocol, Rio Summit, Convention on Biodiversity, Kyoto Protocol, Paris Agreement, International Solar Alliance.
Unit 10: Higher Education System
- Institutions of higher learning and education in ancient India.
- Evolution of higher learning and research in Post Independence India.
- Oriental, Conventional and Non-conventional learning programmes in India.
- Professional, Technical and Skill Based education.
- Value education and environmental education.
- Policies, Governance, and Administration.
(i) Five questions each carrying 2 marks are to be set from each Module.
(ii) Whenever graphical/pictorial question(s) are set for sighted candidates, a passage followed by equal number of questions and weightage be set for visually impaired candidates.
Paper 2 — official syllabus for each subject
| Code | Subject | Official syllabus PDF |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Commerceವಾಣಿಜ್ಯ ಶಾಸ್ತ್ರ | Official syllabus PDF |
| 2 | Kannadaಕನ್ನಡ | Official syllabus PDF |
| 3 | Economicsಅರ್ಥಶಾಸ್ತ್ರ | Official syllabus PDF |
| 4 | Englishಇಂಗ್ಲೀಷ್ | Official syllabus PDF |
| 5 | Political Scienceರಾಜ್ಯ ಶಾಸ್ತ್ರ | Official syllabus PDF |
| 6 | Historyಇತಿಹಾಸ | Official syllabus PDF |
| 7 | Sociologyಸಮಾಜ ಶಾಸ್ತ್ರ | Official syllabus PDF |
| 8 | Geographyಭೂಗೋಳ ಶಾಸ್ತ್ರ | Official syllabus PDF |
| 9 | Hindiಹಿಂದಿ | Official syllabus PDF |
| 10 | Managementನಿರ್ವಹಣೆ (ಮ್ಯಾನೇಜ್ಮೆಂಟ್) | Official syllabus PDF |
| 11 | Tourism Administration and Managementಪ್ರವಾಸೋದ್ಯಮ ಆಡಳಿತ ಮತ್ತು ನಿರ್ವಹಣೆ | Official syllabus PDF |
| 12 | Educationಶಿಕ್ಷಣ | Official syllabus PDF |
| 13 | Library and Information Scienceಗ್ರಂಥಾಲಯ ಹಾಗೂ ಮಾಹಿತಿ ವಿಜ್ಞಾನ | Official syllabus PDF |
| 14 | Mass Communication and Journalismಸಮೂಹ ಸಂವಹನ ಮತ್ತು ಪತ್ರಿಕೋದ್ಯಮ | Official syllabus PDF |
| 15 | Psychologyಮನೋವಿಜ್ಞಾನ | Official syllabus PDF |
| 16 | Social Workಸಮಾಜ ಕಾರ್ಯ | Official syllabus PDF |
| 17 | Criminologyಅಪರಾಧ ಶಾಸ್ತ್ರ | Official syllabus PDF |
| 18 | Lawಕಾನೂನು | Official syllabus PDF |
| 19 | Sanskritಸಂಸ್ಕೃತ | Official syllabus PDF |
| 20 | Physical Educationದೈಹಿಕ ಶಿಕ್ಷಣ | Official syllabus PDF |
| 21 | Folk Literatureಜಾನಪದ ಸಾಹಿತ್ಯ | Official syllabus PDF |
| 22 | Urduಉರ್ದು | Official syllabus PDF |
| 23 | Public Administrationಸಾರ್ವಜನಿಕ ಆಡಳಿತ | Official syllabus PDF |
| 24 | Computer Science and Applicationsಗಣಕ ವಿಜ್ಞಾನ ಮತ್ತು ಅನ್ವಯ | Official syllabus PDF |
| 25 | Physical Sciencesಭೌತಿಕ ವಿಜ್ಞಾನಗಳು | Official syllabus PDF |
| 26 | Mathematical Sciencesಗಣಿತ ವಿಜ್ಞಾನಗಳು | Official syllabus PDF |
| 27 | Chemical Sciencesರಾಸಾಯನಿಕ ವಿಜ್ಞಾನಗಳು | Official syllabus PDF |
| 28 | Life Sciencesಜೀವ ವಿಜ್ಞಾನಗಳು | Official syllabus PDF |
| 29 | Environmental Sciencesಪರಿಸರ ವಿಜ್ಞಾನಗಳು | Official syllabus PDF |
| 30 | Home Scienceಗೃಹ ವಿಜ್ಞಾನ | Official syllabus PDF |
| 31 | Electronic Scienceವಿದ್ಯುನ್ಮಾನ ವಿಜ್ಞಾನ | Official syllabus PDF |
| 32 | Earth Sciencesಭೂ ವಿಜ್ಞಾನ | Official syllabus PDF |
| 36 | Philosophyತತ್ವಶಾಸ್ತ್ರ | Official syllabus PDF |
| 37 | Women Studiesಮಹಿಳಾ ಅಧ್ಯಯನ | Official syllabus PDF |
| 39 | Performing Artsಪ್ರದರ್ಶಕ ಕಲೆಗಳು | Official syllabus PDF |
| 40 | Musicಸಂಗೀತ | Official syllabus PDF |
| 41 | Visual Artsದೃಶ್ಯ ಕಲೆ | Official syllabus PDF |
Official documents
This page is transcribed from the official documents below. If anything differs, the official document is correct.
- KSET-2026 Notification (Kannada), No. ಇಡಿ/ಕೆಇಎ/01/ಕೆಸೆಟ್-26/2026-27, dated 10-08-2026, Karnataka Examinations Authority
- KEA KSET-2026 page, block 'KSET - 2026 ಪಠ್ಯಕ್ರಮ' (syllabus links)
- KEA K-SET Paper I syllabus: 'GENERAL PAPER ON TEACHING & RESEARCH APTITUDE', Subject Code 00
- UGC NET Bureau Paper-I syllabus (cross-check)
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