Upcoming Judiciary Exams 2026
For thousands of law graduates across India, 2026 is shaping up to be a significant year for judiciary recruitment. State High Courts and Public Service Commissions are expected to roll out a wave of recruitment notifications for Civil Judge (Junior Division) posts. However, as of March 2026, only one state — Bihar — has officially released its notification. All other state vacancies remain yet to be announced.
One crucial requirement common across all upcoming state judiciary examinations is a minimum of three years of practice experience as an enrolled Advocate. This is a mandatory condition for eligibility, not merely a preference — applicants without the requisite experience will not be considered regardless of their academic qualifications.
Bihar Judiciary 2026: The Only Notified Vacancy
The Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) officially released the 33rd Bihar Judicial Service Examination (BJSE) notification on 23 February 2026 (Advertisement No. 12/2026). This is the only state judiciary exam with an active, official notification as of March 2026.
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33rd Bihar Judicial Service Examination (BJSE) 2026 — Official Details |
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Conducting Body |
Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) |
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Advertisement No. |
12/2026 |
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Notification Date |
23 February 2026 |
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Post |
Civil Judge / Munsiff (Lower Court) |
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Total Vacancies |
173 |
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Unreserved (UR) |
69 (Women: 25) |
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EWS |
17 (Women: 5) |
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Scheduled Caste (SC) |
28 (Women: 11) |
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Scheduled Tribe (ST) |
02 (Women: 1) |
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Extremely Backward Class (EBC) |
36 (Women: 12) |
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Backward Class (BC) |
21 (Women: 7) |
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PwBD (OH) Reserved |
02 |
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Age Limit |
Min 22 years (as of 01.08.2025) | Max 35 years (as of 01.08.2022) |
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Age (Reserved Categories) |
Max 40 years for reserved category women & PwBD candidates |
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Superannuation Age |
60 years for judicial officers |
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Educational Qualification |
LLB from Bar Council of India recognised university/institution |
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Minimum Experience Required |
3 years of Bar practice as an Advocate (mandatory) |
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Experience Count Start |
From date of enrolment/registration with the State Bar Council |
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Application Start Date |
25 February 2026 |
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Application End Date |
18 March 2026 |
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Exam Fee |
₹100/- for all candidates (+ ₹200 Biometric fee if Aadhaar not linked) |
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Mode of Application |
Online via https://bpsconline.bihar.gov.in |
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Official Website |
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Selection Process |
Preliminary Exam → Mains (Written) → Viva-Voce / Interview |
Bihar BJSE 2026: Exam Pattern
Preliminary Examination
The Preliminary Exam is MCQ-based (OMR answer sheets) and qualifying in nature. Scores are not counted in the final merit list. It consists of two papers:
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# |
Subject |
Topics |
Duration |
Marks |
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1 |
General Studies (Paper I) |
Current Affairs, General Science, GK |
1.5 Hours |
100 |
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2 |
Law (Paper II) |
Civil, Criminal, Constitutional, Hindu, Transfer of Property, Contract, Commercial Law |
2 Hours |
150 |
Mains (Written) Examination
The Mains exam is descriptive/subjective. It includes 2 compulsory papers and 3 optional papers (chosen from 5). Marks from the Mains count towards the final merit list:
Compulsory Papers:
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# |
Subject |
Code |
Marks |
Duration |
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1 |
General Hindi |
01 |
100 |
3 hrs |
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2 |
General English |
02 |
100 |
3 hrs |
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3 |
General Knowledge (incl. current affairs) |
03 |
150 |
3 hrs |
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4 |
Elementary General Science |
04 |
100 |
3 hrs |
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5 |
Law of Evidence & Procedure |
05 |
150 |
3 hrs |
Optional Papers (choose any 3 from 5):
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# |
Subject |
Code |
Marks |
Dur. |
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6 |
Constitutional & Administrative Law of India |
06 |
150 |
3 hrs |
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7 |
Hindu Law & Muhammadan Law |
07 |
150 |
3 hrs |
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8 |
Transfer of Property, Equity, Trusts & Specific Relief |
08 |
150 |
3 hrs |
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9 |
Law of Contracts & Torts |
09 |
150 |
3 hrs |
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10 |
Commercial Law |
10 |
150 |
3 hrs |
Viva-Voce / Interview
Candidates who qualify the Mains are called for a 100-mark interview (Viva-Voce). The qualifying threshold is 35%. Final merit is based on the combined Mains + Interview scores. The ratio for shortlisting is 1:3 (vacancies to candidates called for interview).
Critical Eligibility: Minimum 3-Year Experience
Unlike many other competitive exams, judiciary recruitment carries a mandatory advocacy experience requirement. As per the Bihar notification and broadly applicable across all upcoming state judiciary exams, candidates must have a minimum of three years of continuous Bar practice as an enrolled Advocate.
• Experience is counted from the date of enrolment/registration with the relevant State Bar Council.
• A practice certificate must be issued by the Principal District Judge of the court where the candidate practises, OR by an Advocate with at least 10 years of experience authorised by the Principal District Judge.
• Candidates practising in High Courts or the Supreme Court must obtain a certificate from an Advocate of at least 10 years’ standing authorised by the relevant court.
Common Eligibility Criteria Across States
While exact requirements vary by state, the following norms are broadly applicable across all upcoming judiciary recruitments:
• Nationality: Indian citizen
• Education: LLB from a Bar Council of India recognised university
• Enrolment: Registered Advocate under the Advocates Act, 1961
• Experience: Minimum 3 years of Bar practice (mandatory, not waivable)
• Age: Generally 22–35 years (state-specific relaxations for SC/ST/OBC/PwBD)
Conclusion
The 2026 judiciary recruitment cycle has begun with Bihar leading the way, officially notifying 173 vacancies for the 33rd Bihar Judicial Service Examination. With an application window from 25 February to 18 March 2026, aspirants with at least three years of Bar practice must act swiftly.
For all other states — Gujarat, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Delhi, and more — notifications are anticipated throughout 2026. The common thread across every upcoming vacancy is the mandatory three-year advocacy experience requirement. Candidates who are currently at or approaching that threshold should use this period for targeted exam preparation.
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