Judiciary Service Exam 2026-27: Eligibility, Syllabus & Pattern

States/UTs Conducting PCS-J Exams in India

Judicial service recruitment is conducted separately by states and union territories. The list below includes 28 states and 2 Union Territories:

List of States/UTs Conducting Judicial Service Exams

Judiciary Service Exam Eligibility Criteria 2026-27

Candidates must fulfil eligibility requirements such as educational, age, and nationality to appear for the civil judge examination. The common eligibility requirements are:

1. Educational qualification: Candidates must have a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree, either a 3-year or a 5-year LLB, from a university recognised by the Bar Council of India.

2. Age limit: The minimum age is 21 years. The upper age limit differs across states and is usually between 32 and 35 years. Reserved category candidates (SC/ST/OBC/PWD) are eligible for upper age relaxations based on state government rules.

3. Advocate enrolment: For most states, candidates must be eligible to be enrolled as an advocate under the Advocates Act, 1961. A few states explicitly require active enrollment with a State Bar Council before applying.

4. Nationality: Candidates must be a citizen of India to appear for this exam.

5. Language: Candidates must be proficient in English. On top of that, candidates must know the official regional language of the state they are applying to. For instance, they will need Hindi for states like Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, Marathi for Maharashtra, Punjabi for Punjab, and Assamese for Assam, etc.

Judiciary Service Exam Pattern 2026-27

The judicial service examination is conducted in three stages: prelims exam, main exam and personal interview/viva-voce. The number of papers, marks, and exam duration vary from state to state. The common judiciary exam pattern is given below:

Stage 1: Preliminary Examination (Screening Test)

The Prelims is an objective-type exam, conducted to shortlist candidates for the mains. The common exam pattern details are given below:

• Question paper format: Objective-type questions (Multiple Choice Questions - MCQs).
• Exam duration: Usually 2 to 3 hours per paper.
• Marking: Most state judiciary exams have negative marking (typically 0.25 marks deducted for every wrong answer).
• Number of papers: Judiciary prelims generally consist of a single combined paper, though a few states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh conduct two separate papers (one for General Studies and one for Law).
• Purpose: The exam is qualifying in nature and is used to shortlist candidates for the main examination. The marks obtained in the prelims are not added to the final merit list.

Stage 2: Main Examination (Written Test)

Candidates who qualify the prelims appear for this main exam. It is a descriptive exam and has separate papers for law, language, general knowledge and other subjects. It includes:

• Exam format: Descriptive written papers
• Duration: Usually 3 hours for each paper.
• Number of papers: It varies across states; typically 4 to 6 papers are conducted over 2 to 3 days.
• Purpose: Marks secured in mains form a major part of the final selection merit list.

Stage 3: Viva-Voce / Personal Interview

Candidates who meet the minimum cut-off marks in the main written exam are shortlisted and invited for the interview (personality test) round. The interview is the final stage of the selection process, and the pattern is given below:

• Format: Oral face-to-face interview before a panel consisting of High Court Judges and Commission members.
• Marks: Varies by state; typically ranges between 50 and 200 marks.
• Focus areas: Legal knowledge, general awareness, communication skills, alertness, character or personality, and overall suitability for judicial service.
• Purpose: Final ranking; interview marks are added to the mains exam scores to prepare the judiciary exam final merit list for candidate selection.

Judiciary Service Exam Syllabus 2026-27

There is no single syllabus applicable to all state judicial service examinations. The subjects vary depending on the state and its local laws. However, most exams cover three broad areas: general knowledge and current affairs, language, and core law subjects.

Part I: General Knowledge and Current Affairs

This section tests a candidate's awareness of local, national, and international events. It includes:

• National and international current affairs

• Indian history, geography and economy

• General science and technology

• Important legal and constitutional developments

• Recent Supreme Court and High Court judgments

• New laws, amendments and major legal developments

Part II: Language and Writing Skills

Language papers ensure that the candidate can effectively manage court proceedings and draft clear orders. The exact language and marking scheme differ from state to state. This section includes:

• English essay writing and précis writing

• Translation from English to the state's official regional language

• Translation from the regional language back into English

• Other language-related questions prescribed by the state

Part III: Core Law Subjects

The law syllabus generally includes substantive laws as well as laws dealing with civil and criminal procedure. The major subjects commonly seen in state judiciary exams are:

Substantive Law (Core Principles)

• Constitutional Law of India: Detailed focus on fundamental rights, directive principles, constitutional bodies, separation of powers and the judicial system.

• Indian Contract Act, 1872: General principles of contracts, indemnity, guarantee, agency and related provisions.

• Law of Torts and Consumer Protection: Civil wrongs, negligence, strict liability, damages, vicarious liability and other important principles.

• Transfer of Property Act, 1882: Sale, mortgage, lease, gift and other modes of transfer.

• Family Laws: Hindu Law and Muslim Law covering marriage, divorce, succession, and adoption.

• Indian Penal Code, 1860 / Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS): Substantive criminal offences and punishments.

Procedural and Adjective Law (Court Mechanics)

• Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (CPC): Rules regulating civil court trials, suits, executions, and pleadings.

• Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 / Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS): Criminal investigation, arrest procedures, framing of charges, and trial stages.

• Indian Evidence Act, 1872 / Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 (BSA): Relevancy of facts, burden of proof, examination of witnesses, and admissibility of electronic evidence.

Local and Customary State Laws

State judiciary exams also give importance to laws applicable in that particular state. Every state includes specific local rent control, land revenue, and municipal laws unique to its region. For example, Rent Control Acts, Land Reforms Acts, or specific police regulations of that particular state.

Candidates appearing for a particular state should give separate time to these laws instead of relying only on books covering the common judiciary subjects.