Final Special Recruitment rules of HIOs and PHCOs.

(cid:315)(cid:175)ೇಷ (cid:170)ಾಜ(cid:205) ಪ(cid:294)(cid:206)(cid:144)ೆ ¨sÁUÀ – 4J ಮಂಗಳ(cid:174)ಾರ, 15, , 2026 (¨sÁzÀæ¥ÀzÀ 24, , 1948) . 921 Part – IVA BENGALURU, TUESDAY, 15 SEPTEMBER, 2026 ( BHADRAPADA 24, SHAKAVARSHA, 1948) No. 921 GOVERNMENT OF KARNATAKA No: HFW/31/HSM/2025 Karnataka Government Secretariat, #101, 1st Floor, Dr. Ambedkar Veedhi, Vikasa Soudha, Bengaluru, Dated:15-09-2026

NOTIFICATION

Whereas the draft of the Karnataka Directorate of Health and Family Welfare Services Department (Recruitment of Primary Health Care Officers and Health Inspecting Officers) (Special) Rules, 2026 was published as required by clause (a) of sub-section (2) of section (3) of the Karnataka State Civil Services Act, 1978 (Karnataka Act 14 of 1990), in Notification No: HFW 31 HSM 2025, dated:

20/08/2026 inviting objections and suggestions from all the persons likely to be affected thereby within fifteen days from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.

And Whereas, the said Gazette No: 748 of Part-IV A was made available to the public on 20/08/2026.

And whereas objections and suggestions received on this behalf have been considered by the State Government.

Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of

section 3 read with section 8 of the Karnataka State Civil Services Act, 1978

(1)2 (Karnataka Act 14 of 1990), the Government of Karnataka hereby makes the following rules, namely: - RULES

1. Title, commencement and applications.- (1) These rules may be called the Karnataka Directorate of Health and Family Welfare Services (Recruitment of Primary Health Care Officers and Health Inspecting Officers) (Special) Rules, 2026.

(2) They shall come into force on the date of the publication in the Official Gazette.

(3) Notwithstanding anything contrary contained in the Karnataka Civil Services (General Recruitment) Rules, 1977 or in the Karnataka Directorate of Health and Family Welfare Services (Recruitment)Rules, 1965 or any other rules of recruitment relating to the category of posts specified in the Schedule made or deemed to have been made under the Karnataka State Civil Services Act, 1978 (Karnataka Act 14 of 1990), the provisions of these rules, shall apply to direct recruitment of vacancies in respect of the categories of posts as specified in the

schedule:

Provided that, nothing in these rules shall apply to more than one recruitment.

2. Definitions.- (1) In these rules, unless the context otherwise requires,-

(a) “Appointing Authority” means the Director, Directorate of Health and Family Welfare Services Department;

(b) “Qualifying examination” means the minimum qualification as specified in column (4) of the schedule;

(c) “Schedule” means the Schedule appended to these rules;

(d) “Selection Committee” means the Selection Committee constituted under rule 3; and

(e) “Vacancies” means the number of vacant posts to be filled up under these rules as specified in column (3) of the schedule.

(2) Words and expressions used, but not defined in these rules shall have the same meaning as assigned to them in the Karnataka Civil Services (General Recruitment) Rules, 1977.

3. Constitution of Selection Committee.- There shall be constituted a Selection Committee at the State level, for direct recruitment, to fill up the vacancies specified in the Schedule consisting of the following members,

namely:-3

1. The Commissioner, Health and Family Welfare Chairman Services

2. The Director, Health and Family Welfare Services Member

3. Special Secretary /Additional Secretary / Joint Member Secretary / Deputy Secretary (Service Rules), Department of Personnel & Administrative Reforms

4. The Chief Administrative Officer-2, Directorate of Member Health and Family Welfare Services Secretary

4. Age and qualification.- (1) The maximum age limit shall be relaxed by 5 years in all categories (as per Government Order No. DPAR 262 SCR 2025

Dated:29.01.2026) over and above the age limit prescribed in Karnataka Civil Services (General Recruitment) Rules, 1977 and the minimum qualification required shall be as specified in column (4) of the schedule:

Provided that, relaxation of age limit as specified in sub-rule (2) and (3) of rule 6 of the Karnataka Civil Services (General Recruitment) Rules, 1977 shall apply for recruitment under these rules.

Provided further that, age relaxation of one year, for each year of service, subject to maximum of ten years shall be given to a candidate who has been appointed on contract basis under different schemes of the Government of Karnataka, coming under the purview of the Directorate of Health and Family Welfare Services or Medical Education Department or schemes of National Rural Health Mission or National Health Mission, in Karnataka. However, the maximum age of the candidate (including the age relaxation) shall not exceed fifty years on the last date specified for receipt of applications.

5. Applications for Recruitment.- (1)The Selection Committee shall publish the categories of posts and the number of vacancies specified in the schedule to be filled in the Official Gazette, specifying the conditions of eligibility, the nature of selection, the classification of posts in accordance with the reservations provided by or under any law or order for the time being in force and invite applications from the eligible candidates. Abstract of such advertisement shall also be published in at least two leading newspapers having State wide circulation in Karnataka, of which one shall be in Kannada.

(2) Only female candidates can apply for the posts of Primary Health Care Officer. No male candidates or any other candidates can apply for the posts of Primary Health Care Officer.

6. Eligibility.- Candidates who have secured more than 50% in the qualifying examination are eligible to appear for the competitive exam.4

7. Mode of Recruitment.- The Selection of candidates under these rules shall be made by the Selection Committee. The Selection Committee shall conduct a competitive examination through Karnataka Examination Authority in the following manner, namely:- I. Primary Health Care Officer:- The competitive examination shall be in the form of an objective multiple choice question paper consisting of two written papers each paper carrying 80 marks. Thereby a total of 160 marks. Each question carries one mark. The competitive examination shall further include a practical exam for 40 marks and said exams are compulsory.

The syllabus for paper 1 & 2 shall be as specified below.

Paper-1: General/Subject knowledge (Maximum marks 80)

(1) Maternal and Child Health. (Marks 10)

(2) National and State Health Programmes. (Marks 20)

(3) General Knowledge. (Marks 20)

(4) General English. (Marks 20)

(5) Basic Health and Nursing Concepts. (Marks 10) Paper-2: Subject knowledge (Maximum marks 80)

(1) Community Health Nursing and Health Promotion. (Marks 20)

(2) Primary Health Care Nursing. (Marks 10)

(3) Psychology. (Marks 10)

(4) Nutrition and Biochemistry. (Marks 10)

(5) Anatomy and Physiology. (Marks 10)

(6) Health Centre Management. (Marks 20) II. Health Inspecting Officer The competitive examination shall be in the form of an objective multiple choice question paper consisting of two written papers each paper carrying 80 marks. Thereby a total of 160 marks. Each question carries one mark. The competitive examination shall further include a practical exam for 40 marks and said exams are compulsory.

The syllabus for paper 1 & 2 shall be as specified below.5 Paper-I: General / Subject knowledge (Maximum marks 80)

(1) Anatomy and Physiology. (Marks 10)

(2) Nutrition, Hygiene, Basic Pharmacology and Basic Microbiology. (Marks 10)

(3) First aid and Basic Medicine. (Marks 10)

(4) Disaster Management and Rehabilitation. (Marks 10)

(5) Communicable Diseases, Non-communicable diseases. (Marks 10)

(6) Environmental Sanitation and Public Health Problems. (Marks 05)

(7) Communication and Health Education. (Marks 05)

(8) General Kannada and General English. (Marks 20) Paper-II Subject knowledge (Maximum marks 80)

(1) Fundamentals of Management, Public Health Act, Local Self- government and Project preparation. (Marks 20)

(2) Behavioural Sciences –Sociology, Psychology and Mental] Health. (Marks 20)

(3) Biomedical Waste Management, Palliative care and Geriatric care. (Marks 20)

(4) National and State Health Programmes. (Marks 20) Practical exam for Primary Health Care Officer, and Health Inspecting Officer (Maximum marks 40)

(1) (a) The candidates shall be eligible to appear before the Directorate of Health and Family Welfare Services Department for the practical examination in the ratio of 1:3 in the order of merit secured in the written examination; and

(b) An Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) to assess clinical competency shall be conducted by the Directorate of Health and Family Welfare Services Department.

(2) There shall be no interview.

(3) A weightage of one mark for each completed year of service, subject to a maximum of five marks shall be given to a candidate, who has served on contract basis in Government hospital or health care centers coming under the purview of the Directorate of Health and Family welfare services or Medical Education Department or schemes coming under the purview of National Rural Health Mission or National Health Mission in Karnataka, for the post of Primary Health Care Officer and Health Inspecting Officer, as the case may be. The marks thus secured shall be added to the marks secured in the competitive exam and the total marks shall be considered for preparing the merit list.6

(4) The Selection Committee shall prepare a final list of candidates in the

order of merit determined on the basis of the percentage of total marks secured in the competitive examination and weightage awarded, subject

to reservation policy of the state Government :

(5) If two or more candidates have secured equal percentage of total marks in the competitive examination, the order of merit in respect of such candidates shall be fixed on the basis of their age, the candidate who is older in age being placed higher in the order of merit. The number of candidates to be included in such list of eligible candidates shall be equal to the total number of vacancies specified in the schedule.

8. Scrutiny of Applications.- The selection authority shall scrutinize the applications along with the enclosures received. Scrutiny of applications shall be done only on the basis of application and enclosures received.

9. Knowledge of Kannada language.- No candidate shall qualify for selection to the posts specified in the schedule, unless he is qualifies in Kannada Language test by securing minimum 50 marks in the test, comprising of one paper carrying total of 150 marks. The standard of the Kannada language test paper shall be that of First language Kannada in Secondary School Leaving

Certificate examinations:

Provided that, the Special recruitment authority may exempt a candidate from passing the test in the Kannada Language (Compulsory Kannada Examination), if the candidate has passed the Secondary School Leaving Certificate Examination conducted by the Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board or any Examination declared as equivalent there to by the State Government or any Examination higher than the Secondary School Leaving Certificate Examination, in which Kannada is the main language or the Second Language, or if he has studied and passed these examinations in Kannada Medium, or he has passed the Kannada Language Test conducted by the Karnataka Public Service Commission or Karnataka Examinations Authority earlier.

10. List of selected candidates.- (1) The Selection Committee shall, from among the candidates qualified under rule 6 and the merit list prepared under rule 7 prepare a list of selected candidates equal to the number of vacancies notified for each category of posts, in the order of merit and as per any relevant order, rules or any law for time being in force, relating to reservation policy of the State Government.7

(2) The Selection Committee shall also prepare an additional list within three months from the date of publication of main list, not exceeding Seventy five percent of vacancies notified, not included in the main list prepared under sub-rule (1), in the same manner. There shall be at least one candidate in the additional list belonging to each of the category of reservation (Horizontal and Vertical) represented in the list under sub-rule (1).

(3) If the candidate, whose name is included in the main list prepared under sub-rule (1), fails to report for duty for any reasons within the specified or extended period of joining time, as the case may be, to that extent, a candidate belonging to same category of Vertical and Horizontal reservation in the additional list shall be selected. If the candidates selected from the additional list also fails to report for duty, then such vacancy shall be treated as fresh vacancy.

(4) The list prepared under sub-rule (1) shall be published in the Official Gazette and in the Official website of the Department.

(5) The list prepared under sub-rule (1) and (2) shall be valid till all vacancies notified are filled or one year from the date of publication of main list, whichever is earlier.

11. Appointment of Candidates.- (a) Candidates whose names are included in the list prepared under Rule 10, may be appointed by the appointing authority in the vacancies in the order in which their names are found in the selection list, after verifying the relevant certificates and satisfying itself and after such enquiry as it may consider necessary, that each of the candidates are suitable in all respects for appointment, taking into consideration the orders, rules or any law in force relating to initial appointment.

(b) The inclusion of the name of any candidate in the list published under

Rule 10 shall not confer any right of appointment to the candidate.

12. Application of Other rules.- All other rules for the time being in force regulating the conditions of services of Government Servants made or deemed to have been made under the Karnataka State Civil Services Act, 1978 (Karnataka Act 14 of 1990), in so far as they are not inconsistent with the provisions of these rules shall be applicable to the persons appointed under these rules.

13. General.- The cost of application fee shall be as fixed by the Selection Committee. The amount so collected shall be deposited in any of the Nationalized banks by opening an account in the name of Member Secretary, Selection Committee. The Member Secretary shall be authorized to operate such account on behalf of the Committee to meet the expenses incurred in connection8 with the process of recruitment of the posts in developing software, inviting applications, advertisement fee paid for publication in Newspapers, verification of documents, computerization, consultation with experts and 8counseling procedure, court matters, etc, with the prior approval of the Chairman of the Selection Committee. The remaining balance, if any, shall be remitted to the Consolidated Fund of the State.

SCHEDULE (see rule 2(b)) 1 2 3 4 Category of Number of SI. post and vacancies Minimum qualification No scale of pay to be filled

(1) Primary Health 1205 (1) Must only be a female candidate.

Care Officer

(Female) (2) Must have passed SSLC or equivalent (Rs.37500- examination as per DPAR circular

76100) No:(cid:3693)ಆ(cid:3695)ಇ/81/(cid:3699)ವ(cid:3488)/2017, Dated:

27/02/2018 ;

And

(3) Must possess a valid Junior Health Assistant (Female) [formerly called Auxilliary Nurse/ Midwives/ Health worker (Female)] training certificate awarded by the Directorate of Health and Family Welfare Services.

OR

(4) Must possess a valid certificate of Diploma in Nursing/Midwifery/ Psychiatric Nursing course awarded by the Karnataka Nursing and Para-medical Sciences Education (Regulation) Authority, Medical Education (Previously called as the Karnataka State Diploma In Nursing Examination Board).

OR

(5) Must be a holder of valid certificate of Bachelor degree in Nursing (B.Sc) awarded by an University established by law in India.

Note: All the above candidates must be registered in the Karnataka Nursing Council.9

(2) Health 300 (1) Must have Passed in SSLC or Equivalent Inspecting examination as per DPAR circular

Officer No:(cid:3693)ಆ(cid:3695)ಇ/81/(cid:3699)ವ(cid:3488)/2017, Dated (Rs.37500- 27/02/2018;

76100) And

(2)(a) Must possess a valid completion Job Oriented Pre- University Diploma Certificate for having successfully cleared Two years Vocational Course in Multipurpose Basic Health Worker Training Conducted by the State Council of Vocational Education.

OR

(b) Must possess a valid completion certificate for having successfully cleared the Three years Diploma in Health Inspector Course awarded by the Karnataka Nursing and Para- medical Sciences Education

(Regulation) Authority, Medical Education (Previously called as Para- medical Board) OR

(c) Pass in PUC with Science (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology) subjects, And

(3)(a) Must possess a valid completion certificate for having successfully cleared the two years Diploma in Health Inspector Course awarded by the Karnataka Nursing and Para-medical Sciences Education

(Regulation) Authority, Medical Education (Previously called as Para- medical Board) ORR.N.I. No. KARBIL/2001/47147 POSTAL REGN. No. RNP/KA/BGS/2202/2017-19 Licensed to post without prepayment WPP No. 297 10

(b) Must possess a valid completion certificate for having successfully cleared the Diploma in General Nursing / Midwifery/ Psychiatric Nursing course awarded by the Karnataka State Diploma in Nursing Examination Board.

OR

(c) Must be a holder of valid Bachelor degree in Nursing (B.Sc) awarded by any University established by law in India.

By Order and in the name of Governor of Karnataka, (PRADEEP KUMAR B.S.) Under Secretary to Government, Department of Health and Family Welfare

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