Judiciary

Judiciary Prelims 2026

Judicial Services Examination (Civil Judge / Munsif / Magistrate)

Judicial Services Examination is conducted by respective State Public Service Commissions or High Courts for recruitment of Civil Judges and Judicial Magistrates. Three-stage: Prelims (objective), Mains (descriptive), and Viva Voce (Interview).

Official Website

Age Limit

21-35 years (varies by state; relaxation: SC/ST +5, OBC +3)

Fee

₹1000

Salary Range

₹56,100 - ₹1,77,500

Pay Level

Pay Level 10-12 (varies by state)

Salary Range (Monthly)

₹56,100 - ₹1,77,500

Key Posts

Civil Judge (Junior Division), Judicial Magistrate First Class, Munsif-cum-Judicial Magistrate across various state judiciaries

State-level competitive examination for recruitment to the post of Civil Judge (Junior Division) / Judicial Magistrate First ClassCivil Judge (Junior Division) & Judicial Magistrate First Class & Munsif Magistrate (some states)State-level — posted within the respective state's judicial districts

Pay Levels & Salary

Pay Level	Monthly Range
Entry Level (Civil Judge JD)	₹₹56,100 - ₹₹1,77,500 + Judicial Allowance (₹3,000

Pay varies by state. In-hand salary typically ₹80,000-₹1,00,000 at entry.

Application Fee

₹

General/OBC

Free

SC/ST/Women

Free

PwBD/ESM

Tie-Breaking Rules

Higher marks in Main Examination
Higher marks in Interview
Older candidate placed higher

Start Free Mock Test

Eligibility

Educational Qualification

LLB (3-year or 5-year integrated) degree from a recognized university. Must be enrolled as an Advocate with a Bar Council.

Age Limit

21-35 years (varies by state; relaxation: SC/ST +5, OBC +3)

Age Relaxation by Category

Category	Relaxation
General	No relaxation
SC/ST	+5 years
OBC (NCL)	+3 years
PwD	+10 years
Ex-Servicemen	+5 years

Application Fee

Category	Fee
General / OBC / EWS (Male)	₹1000
SC / ST / PwD / Ex-Servicemen	₹500

Exam Pattern

Prelims (Objective)

150 Questions120 minsTotal Marks: 150-0.25 per wrong

Section	Questions	Max Marks	Duration
Civil Law	40	40	—
Criminal Law	40	40	—
Constitutional Law & General Knowledge	40	40	—
English Language	30	30	—

Syllabus

Code of Civil Procedure (CPC)
Indian Contract Act
Transfer of Property Act
Specific Relief Act
Limitation Act

Posts & Pay Levels

Vacancies

NaN

Tentative Total

Nationality & Citizenship

✓Citizen of India

Educational Qualification

All Posts (General)

Bachelor of Laws (LLB) — 3-year or 5-year integrated program from a recognized University approved by the Bar Council of India

Age Limits & Relaxation

Age Bands

Age Band	DOB Not Earlier Than	DOB Not Later Than
Typically 21-35 years

Age Relaxation by Category

Category	Relaxation
SC/ST	3-5 years (state-dependent)
OBC	3 years (state-dependent)
PwBD	5-10 years (state-dependent)
Women	3-5 years (in some states)
Advocates with practice experience	Additional relaxation in some states

Ex-Servicemen (ESM) Rules

Sons/Daughters/DependentsNot eligible

Non-Graduate ESM for Group BNot eligible

Category Certificate Rules

⚠ Candidature cancelled and debarment

How to Apply

Apply viaOnline at respective State High Court / State PSC website

Photo Rules

• Recent passport size photograph
• Signature scan
• Bar Council enrollment certificate (in some states)

Application Fee

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General

₹undefined

Women

Free

SC/ST

₹undefined

PwBD

₹undefined

ESM

Payment: Online — Net Banking, Debit Card, Credit Card

Non-refundable

Correction Window

Opens

Closes

₹

1st Correction

₹

2nd Correction

Max corrections allowed. Latest corrected application treated as valid.

Admission Certificate & Exam Day

Admit CardDownload As notified by the respective conducting authority before exam

PrintoutRequired

Accepted Photo IDs

Aadhaar CardVoter's ID CardDriving LicensePAN CardPassportBar Council ID

Preliminary Examination — Objective Law Paper

150 Questions150 Marks120 min

+1 per correct−0 per wrongNo sectional time limitObjective, Multiple ChoiceEnglish and Hindi/State language (varies by state)

Section	Questions	Marks	Per Q
Substantive Law & Procedural Law	150	150	1
Total	150	150	1

Main Examination — Descriptive Law Papers

Descriptive/Subjective — Problems, Analytical questions, Legal propositionsEnglish and Hindi/State language

Answer Key Policy

Tentative KeyReleased for candidate review

Fee RefundableNo

Final KeyUsed for result calculation

Normalization & Re-evaluation

Re-evaluationNot allowed

Minimum Qualifying Marks

Stage	UR	OBC/EWS	SC/ST/Others
mains
prelims
language Paper

Shortlisting & Merit Rules

Interview Panel

High Court judges typically conduct the viva voce

Prelims To Mains

Based on Prelims marks — category-wise shortlisting. Typically 5-10x vacancies.

Final Merit Basis

Mains + Interview combined marks (weightage varies by state — typically Mains 75-85% + Interview 15-25%)

Mains To Interview

Based on Mains aggregate marks

Scribe & Compensatory Time

Extra Time20 minutes per hour of examination for eligible candidates

Own ScribeAllowed

Opt-inMust opt during application form

Auto-eligible for Scribe

✓PwBD blindness
✓PwBD locomotor disability (both arms affected-BA)
✓PwBD cerebral palsy

Scribe Requirements

• Scribe must not be a candidate of the same examination
• Scribe qualification must be one step below the qualification prescribed for the post
• Scribe cannot assist more than one candidate in the same examination
• Candidate must opt for scribe in the application form
• Scribe arrangement at own expense if own scribe opted

Additional Rules

• Even eligible candidates not availing scribe still get compensatory time
• No attendant other than scribe allowed inside examination hall

Document Verification

Conducted ByRespective High Court / State PSC

Required Documents

LLB degree certificate and mark sheets
Bar Council enrollment certificate
Graduation (for 3-year LLB) / 12th (for 5-year integrated LLB) certificates
Matriculation certificate (DOB proof)
Caste/Category certificate if applicable
State domicile certificate if required
Practice certificate (if minimum practice required)
Character certificate
Valid photo ID

Tie-Breaking Rules

1Higher marks in Main Examination
2Higher marks in Interview
3Older candidate placed higher

Misconduct & Debarment

Post-exam Analysis Methods

Log analysisPhotograph verificationBiometric verificationCCTV review

Offense	Debarment
Using unfair means of any kind — copying, electronic devices, written material on body/paper	Permanent debarment / 3-7 years
Impersonation / procuring impersonation by any person	7 years / permanent
Possession of mobile phone, bluetooth devices, wireless devices, spy cameras, electronic gadgets inside exam hall	3-5 years
Taking away exam material (rough sheets, question paper) from exam hall	1-3 years
Leaving examination venue before completion of due exit procedure	1-2 years
Misbehaving, intimidating or threatening exam functionaries	2-3 years
Obstructing conduct of examination / instigating others not to take examination	3 years
False statements / fabricated documents / suppressing material information	1-5 years
Appearing in exam with forged admit card / identity proof	3-5 years
Possession of firearms/weapons or threatening exam functionaries with force	7 years
Taking snapshots, making videos of question papers or exam material	7 years
Sharing exam terminal through remote desktop / LAN / VAN	7 years
Attempt to hack or manipulate examination servers / data / systems	7-10 years
Candidate acting as scribe in same examination or providing false scribe declaration	3-5 years

⚠ Cases may be referred to police or investigating agencies.

Public Disclosure Policy

Disqualification Rule

Candidates with criminal record or adverse character report may be disqualified. Bar Council enrollment is mandatory in most states.

Important Warnings

⚠Judiciary Prelims pattern varies significantly by state — always check the specific state notification.

⚠Most states have no negative marking in Prelims — attempt all questions.

⚠Core subjects: IPC, CrPC, CPC, Evidence Act, Contract Act, TPA, Constitution are common across all states.

⚠Bare Act reading is essential — judiciary exams test precise knowledge of sections, provisos, and explanations.

⚠Mains is descriptive — practice writing legal answers with proper case citations.

⚠Interview is conducted by High Court judges — judicial temperament and legal reasoning are assessed.

⚠Some states require minimum advocacy practice (2-3 years) — check eligibility carefully.

⚠Judiciary exams of different states can be attempted simultaneously — there is no attempt limit.

⚠State-specific local laws may be included in the syllabus of respective states.

⚠Each state's judiciary exam is independent — qualifying in one state does not affect eligibility in another.

2025 Cycle — Complete Timeline

Year2025

⚠ All dates are tentative and subject to change.

Previous Year Cut-Offs

No cut-off data available yet.