The High Court of Andhra Pradesh at Amaravati has invited applications for 119 posts of Civil Judge (Junior Division) in the Andhra Pradesh State Judicial Service, with openings under both Direct Recruitment and Recruitment by Transfer. This is an entry-level judicial officer role in the state judiciary, and selected candidates begin as Trainee Judicial Officers with training at the Judicial Academy followed by a Law Clerkship before regular appointment.
AP High Court Recruitment 2026 - Civil Judge (Junior Division) Posts
Posted 03 Oct 2026Updated 03 Oct 2026118/2026-RC
Total Vacancies
119
Last Date
26 Oct
8 days left
Apply Mode
Online
Permanent
Status
Apply Now
Recruitment status
Applications open
Last date 26 Oct 2026 · 8 days left
- Notification25 Sept
- Applications Open01 Oct
About AP High Court Civil Judge (Junior Division) Recruitment 2026
Job Overview
- Organization
- High Court of Andhra Pradesh
- Advertisement No.
- 118/2026-RC
- Post Name
- Civil Judge (Junior Division) (Direct Recruitment) and Civil Judge (Junior Division) (Recruitment by Transfer)
- Job Location
- Andhra Pradesh
- Job Type
- Permanent
- Age Limit
- Up to 35 years
- Gender
- All
- Nationality
- Indian
Vacancy Breakdown
Civil Judge (Junior Division) (Direct Recruitment)
96
UR 39OBC 28SC 14ST 6EWS 9
Civil Judge (Junior Division) (Recruitment by Transfer)
23
UR 18SC 2ST 3
Total119
| Post Name | UR | OBC | SC | ST | EWS | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Civil Judge (Junior Division) (Direct Recruitment) | 39 | 28 | 14 | 6 | 9 | 96 |
| Civil Judge (Junior Division) (Recruitment by Transfer) | 18 | — | 2 | 3 | — | 23 |
| Grand Total | 57 | 28 | 16 | 9 | 9 | 119 |
Eligibility Details
Requirements differ by post — open a post to see its own.
Civil Judge (Junior Division) (Direct Recruitment)96 posts
- Qualification
- All Law graduates who have obtained Law Degree preceding one year as on the date of Notification are eligible to appear for Civil Judge (Junior Division) Notification issued for the year 2026. One who has good character, and is free from any infirmity, which renders him/her unfit for such appointment.
- Age Limit
- Maximum 35 years as on 01-09-2026
- Note
- Direct Recruitment means appointment of a person who is not in the service of the Government of India/State.
- Age Relaxation
- 5 years for SC/ST, Backward Classes and EWS; 10 years for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities; Defence service period excluded for ex-servicemen
- Disqualifications
- Non-citizens of India, persons dismissed, removed or compulsorily retired from service, persons convicted of an offence involving moral turpitude, persons permanently debarred by the High Court, UPSC or any State PSC, persons influencing the recruitment authority, persons with more than one wife living, and officers found of doubtful integrity are not eligible
Civil Judge (Junior Division) (Recruitment by Transfer)23 posts
- Qualification
- Must possess a Degree in Law awarded by any University established by Law in India and must be a confirmed member or approved probationer in an eligible category of the High Court of Andhra Pradesh, District Judiciary in Andhra Pradesh, Prosecution Services of Andhra Pradesh, Law Department of the Secretariat, Legislature Department, or the offices of the Advocate General, Government Pleaders and Public Prosecutors and the Editor, I.L.R.
- Age Limit
- Maximum 48 years as on 01-09-2026
- Note
- No person who is facing disciplinary charges or has undergone any punishment or is in subsisting punishment for any irregularity in discharge of his/her duties shall be eligible.
- Eligible Categories
- Section Officers, Court Officers, Scrutiny Officers, Accounts Officers, Court Masters, Personal Secretaries to Hon'ble Judges, Personal Secretaries to Registrars, Deputy Section Officers and Translators, Senior System Officers, Overseer, Assistant Section Officers, Computer Operators, Assistant Librarians, U.D. Stenographers, System Officers, Assistants, Examiners, Assistant Overseer, Typists and Copyists of the High Court; Chief Administrative Officers, Senior Superintendents, Superintendents, Stenographers Grade-I, II and III, Senior Assistants, Junior Assistants and Typists of the District
Age Limit
Maximum 35 years for Direct Recruitment and 48 years for Recruitment by Transfer, as on 01-09-2026
Age Relaxation
Direct Recruitment: upper age limit of 35 years relaxable by 5 years for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Backward Classes and Economically Weaker Sections; relaxable by 10 years for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities; the period of service rendered in the Defence services of the Indian Union is excluded in computing the age.
Application Fee
Open Category / EWS / BC
Rs. 1,500
SC / ST / Persons with Benchmark Disabilities
Rs. 750
Fee by Post
Civil Judge (Junior Division) (Direct Recruitment)
Civil Judge (Junior Division) (Recruitment by Transfer)
| Post |
|---|
| Civil Judge (Junior Division) (Direct Recruitment) |
| Civil Judge (Junior Division) (Recruitment by Transfer) |
Application Fee: Rs. 1,500 for Open Category/EWS/BC; Rs. 750 for SC/ST/Persons with Benchmark Disabilities
Selection Process
- 1Screening Test (Computer Based Test)
100 multiple choice objective type questions for 100 marks in 2 hours; applicants securing 40% and above are short-listed at 1:10 of the available vacancies for the Written Examination, and these marks are not counted for the final order of merit.
- 2Written Examination
Three papers of 100 marks each and 3 hours each: Paper-I Civil Laws, Paper-II Criminal Laws and Paper-III English (Translation and Essay Writing); Paper-III marks are not taken into account for eligibility for Viva Voce or for selection.
- 3Viva Voce
Carries 50 marks; qualified candidates are called at 1:3 of the available vacancies in the respective categories, and a candidate who remains absent is deemed disqualified.
Shortlisting ratio: 1:10 of the available vacancies for the Written Examination and 1:3 of the available vacancies in each category for the Viva Voce
Exam Pattern
2 hoursComputer Based Test (Screening Test)
Objective Multiple Choice Questions
100 questions · 100 marks
| Subject | Questions | Max Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Objective Multiple Choice Questions | 100 | 100 | — |
Salary Structure
Law Clerkship (1 year): same emoluments as during training, with no further allowance. Regular appointment: regular pay scale and other service benefits attached to the post after a satisfactory evaluation report.
Civil Judge (Junior Division) (Direct Recruitment)
Civil Judge (Junior Division) (Recruitment by Transfer)
| Post |
|---|
| Civil Judge (Junior Division) (Direct Recruitment) |
| Civil Judge (Junior Division) (Recruitment by Transfer) |
Pay: Rs. 77,840 - 1,36,520
How to Apply
- 1Visit the official High Court of Andhra Pradesh website and open the online application portal, available from 01-10-2026 to 26-10-2026.
- 2Select the category, Direct Recruitment or Recruitment by Transfer, and the applicable reservation category.
- 3Fill in the application with correct details and opt for three Screening Test centres in the order of preference.
- 4Upload the required documents, including date of birth/SSC certificate, Law Degree certificate and community certificate; BC applicants must upload the latest Non-Creamy Layer certificate issued in 2025 or 2026, EWS applicants the latest EWS certificate issued by the Tahsildar showing gross annual family income below Rs. 8,00,000, Persons with Benchmark Disabilities the Medical Board certificate and ex-servicemen the Discharge Certificate.
- 5For Recruitment by Transfer, also upload proof of declaration of probation, the employer's proceedings permitting the Law Degree course after entering service and the latest Service and Conduct Certificate; the latest No-objection Certificate from the employer must be submitted at the time of verification of original certificates.
- 6Pay the application and examination fee online, Rs. 1,500 or Rs. 750 as applicable, and submit the application on or before 26-10-2026 up to 11:59 PM.
- 7Download the Hall Ticket from the High Court website one week before the Screening Test.
Documents to Carry / Upload
•Date of birth/SSC certificate
•Law Degree certificate
•Community certificate (SC/ST/BC/Persons with Benchmark Disabilities/EWS as applicable)
•Latest Non-Creamy Layer certificate for BC applicants
•Latest EWS certificate issued by the Tahsildar showing gross annual family income below Rs. 8
•00
•000
•Medical Board certificate for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities
•Discharge Certificate for ex-servicemen
•Proof of declaration of probation
•Employer's proceedings permitting the Law Degree course after entering service
•Latest Service and Conduct Certificate
•Latest No-objection Certificate from the employer (Recruitment by Transfer)
Important Details
- Selection against the BC-E vacancies will be subject to the outcome of Civil Appeal Nos. 2628-2637/2010 pending before the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India.
- Selected candidates are designated as Trainee Judicial Officers and undergo one year of intensive training at the Judicial Academy followed by one year of structured Law Clerkship, the first six months under the Principal District/District and Sessions Judges or Members of the Higher Judicial Services and the remaining six months under an Hon'ble Judge of the High Court of Andhra Pradesh.
- Once documents are uploaded and the application is submitted, candidates cannot edit options or replace documents.
- Original certificates must be produced on the day mentioned by the High Court for verification, failing which the candidature will be rejected.
- No TA/DA will be paid for the Screening Test, Written Examination or Viva Voce, and no information will be sent to unsuccessful candidates.
- The High Court reserves the right to increase or decrease the number of vacancies or cancel the notification at any stage without assigning any reason.
Direct Recruitment Category-wise Vacancies
Open Competition
Posts: 39 (13 for women; 1 for Blindness or Low Vision; 1 for Deaf and Hard Hearing; 1 for Locomotor Disability including cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack victims and muscular dystrophy; 1 for Autism, Intellectual Disability, Mental Illness and Multiple Disabilities)
Economically Weaker Section (EWS)
Posts: 9 (3 for women)
Backward Class (Group-A)
Posts: 7 (2 for women)
Backward Class (Group-B)
Posts: 10 (3 for women)
Backward Class (Group-C)
Posts: 1
Backward Class (Group-D)
Posts: 6 (2 for women)
Backward Class (Group-E)
Posts: 4 (1 for woman)
SC Group-I
Posts: 1
SC Group-II
Posts: 7 (2 for women)
SC Group-III
Posts: 6 (2 for women)
ST
Posts: 6 (2 for women)
Total
Posts: 96
| Category | Posts |
|---|---|
| Open Competition | 39 (13 for women; 1 for Blindness or Low Vision; 1 for Deaf and Hard Hearing; 1 for Locomotor Disability including cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack victims and muscular dystrophy; 1 for Autism, Intellectual Disability, Mental Illness and Multiple Disabilities) |
| Economically Weaker Section (EWS) | 9 (3 for women) |
| Backward Class (Group-A) | 7 (2 for women) |
| Backward Class (Group-B) | 10 (3 for women) |
| Backward Class (Group-C) | 1 |
| Backward Class (Group-D) | 6 (2 for women) |
| Backward Class (Group-E) | 4 (1 for woman) |
| SC Group-I | 1 |
| SC Group-II | 7 (2 for women) |
| SC Group-III | 6 (2 for women) |
| ST | 6 (2 for women) |
| Total | 96 |
Recruitment by Transfer Category-wise Vacancies
Open Competition
Posts: 18
SC Group-I
Posts: 1
SC Group-III
Posts: 1
ST
Posts: 3
Total
Posts: 23
| Class/Category | Posts |
|---|---|
| Open Competition | 18 |
| SC Group-I | 1 |
| SC Group-III | 1 |
| ST | 3 |
| Total | 23 |
Written Examination Papers
Paper-I
Subject: Civil Laws
Paper-II
Subject: Criminal Laws
Paper-III
Subject: English (Translation and Essay Writing)
| Paper | Subject |
|---|---|
| Paper-I | Civil Laws |
| Paper-II | Criminal Laws |
| Paper-III | English (Translation and Essay Writing) |
Marks: 100Duration: 3 hours
Minimum Marks for Viva Voce and Final Selection
Direct Recruitment - Open Competition/EWS
Paper-I and Paper-II: 55%
Aggregate in Written Examination: 60%
Aggregate in Written Examination and Viva Voce: 60%
Direct Recruitment - Backward Class
Paper-I and Paper-II: 50%
Aggregate in Written Examination: 55%
Aggregate in Written Examination and Viva Voce: 55%
Direct Recruitment - SC, ST and Persons with Benchmark Disabilities
Paper-I and Paper-II: 45%
Aggregate in Written Examination: 50%
Aggregate in Written Examination and Viva Voce: 50%
Recruitment by Transfer
Paper-I and Paper-II: 55%
Aggregate in Written Examination: 60%
Aggregate in Written Examination and Viva Voce: 60%
| Category | Paper-I and Paper-II | Aggregate in Written Examination | Aggregate in Written Examination and Viva Voce |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct Recruitment - Open Competition/EWS | 55% | 60% | 60% |
| Direct Recruitment - Backward Class | 50% | 55% | 55% |
| Direct Recruitment - SC, ST and Persons with Benchmark Disabilities | 45% | 50% | 50% |
| Recruitment by Transfer | 55% | 60% | 60% |
Examination Centres for Screening Test
- Guntur
- Kurnool
- Rajahmundry (Rajamahendravaram)
- Tirupati
- Vijayawada
- Visakhapatnam
- Applicants must opt for any three centres in the order of preference; the High Court may allot a different centre or abolish or create centres, and requests for change of centre will not be entertained
Syllabus for Screening Test and Written Examination
- Civil Laws: Code of Civil Procedure, 1908; Indian Contract Act, 1872; Hindu Marriage Act, 1955; Hindu Succession Act, 1956; Indian Easements Act, 1882; Specific Relief Act, 1963; Limitation Act, 1963; Transfer of Property Act, 1882; Civil Rules of Practice; Registration Act, 1908 and Indian Stamp Act, 1899; A.P. Land Encroachment Act, 1905; Indian Evidence Act, 1872; Bharatiya Sakshya Abhiniyam, 2023 (BSA)
- Criminal Laws: Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973; Indian Evidence Act, 1872; Indian Penal Code, 1860; Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS); Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 (BSA); Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS); Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881; Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005; Criminal Rules of Practice; A.P. Excise Act, 1968; A.P. Gaming Act, 1974; Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015; Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006; Information Technology Act, 2000; POCSO Act, 2012; A.P. Forest Act, 1967
Frequently Asked Questions
Can candidates who passed Law more than one year ago apply under Direct Recruitment?
No. Under Direct Recruitment only Law graduates who obtained their Law Degree within the preceding one year as on the date of notification are eligible, as per the Supreme Court judgment in Bhumika Trust Vs. Union of India.
Are the Screening Test marks counted for the final merit list?
No. The Screening Test is held only to short-list candidates at 1:10 of the vacancies, and its marks are neither added to the Written Examination marks nor counted for the final order of merit.
Can I change my Screening Test centre after submitting the application?
No. Applicants opt for three centres in order of preference and requests for change of examination centre will not be entertained, though the High Court may allot a different centre for administrative reasons.
Can I edit my application or replace documents after submission?
No. Once documents are uploaded and the application is submitted, candidates are not permitted under any circumstances to edit options or replace the documents.
What happens if a BC applicant does not upload the latest Non-Creamy Layer certificate?
The candidature will be considered against Open Competition only. The certificate must be the latest one issued in 2025 or 2026.
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