AP Civil Judge (Junior Division) Notification 2026: Direct Recruitment & Recruitment by Transfer Vacancies, Eligibility and Exam Pattern
The High Court of Andhra Pradesh has released Notification No.118/2026-RC for 119 Civil Judge (Junior Division) posts in the Andhra Pradesh State Judicial Service. Of these, 96 are under Direct Recruitment and 23 under Recruitment by Transfer of serving staff. The pay scale is ₹77,840 – ₹1,36,520. If you are a law graduate dreaming of becoming a judge, this is one of the government jobs in Andhra Pradesh to watch.
The online application window runs from 1 October 2026 to 26 October 2026 (up to 11:59 PM). Law graduates can apply under Direct Recruitment, while eligible High Court, district court and prosecution staff can apply under Recruitment by Transfer. This article covers both routes: vacancies, eligibility, age, salary, the three-stage exam, fees and the rules that can cancel your candidature. Read it fully, and keep following GovtJobsAlert.in for every update on this recruitment.
Key Highlights of AP High Court Civil Judge (Junior Division) Recruitment 2026
The recruitment is governed by the Andhra Pradesh State Judicial (Service & Cadre) Rules, 2026. Selected candidates first train as Trainee Judicial Officers and then join as regular Civil Judges.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Organisation | High Court of Andhra Pradesh at Amaravati |
| Notification | No.118/2026-RC, dated 25.09.2026 |
| Post | Civil Judge (Junior Division) |
| Total Vacancies | 119 (96 Direct Recruitment + 23 Recruitment by Transfer) |
| Pay Scale | ₹77,840 – ₹1,36,520 |
| Job Location | Andhra Pradesh |
| Application Mode | Online only |
| Last Date | 26 October 2026 (up to 11:59 PM) |
How Many AP Civil Judge Vacancies Are There in 2026 by Direct Recruitment and Transfer?
The category split is different for the two routes, so check the table for your own route.
Direct Recruitment (96)
| Category | Posts | Of Which for Women |
|---|---|---|
| Open Competition | 39 | 13 |
| EWS | 9 | 3 |
| BC-A | 7 | 2 |
| BC-B | 10 | 3 |
| BC-C | 1 | – |
| BC-D | 6 | 2 |
| BC-E | 4 | 1 |
| SC Group-I | 1 | – |
| SC Group-II | 7 | 2 |
| SC Group-III | 6 | 2 |
| ST | 6 | 2 |
| All Categories | 96 | – |
Within the Open Competition posts, 4 posts are for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities:
| PwBD Category | Posts |
|---|---|
| Blindness or Low Vision | 1 |
| Deaf and Hard of Hearing | 1 |
| Locomotor disability (incl. cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack victims, muscular dystrophy) | 1 |
| Autism, Intellectual disability, Mental illness and multiple disabilities | 1 |
Recruitment by Transfer (23)
| Category | Posts |
|---|---|
| Open Competition | 18 |
| SC Group-I | 1 |
| SC Group-III | 1 |
| ST | 3 |
| All Categories | 23 |
Recruitment by Transfer has no BC or EWS seat at all. Also note that selection against the BC-E vacancy is subject to the outcome of Civil Appeal Nos.2628-2637/2010 pending before the Supreme Court. The High Court reserves the right to increase or decrease the vacancies or cancel the Notification at any stage, and no right accrues to anyone just because the notification was issued.
What Is the Eligibility for AP High Court Civil Judge Recruitment 2026?
Educational Qualification
| Route | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Direct Recruitment | All law graduates who obtained the Law Degree preceding one year as on the date of Notification are eligible. Must be of good character and free from any infirmity that makes one unfit for the post |
| Recruitment by Transfer | Degree in Law from any University established by Law in India, AND a confirmed member or approved probationer in one of the feeder categories below |
The Direct Recruitment rule follows the Supreme Court judgment in Bhumika Trust Vs. Union of India (W.P.(Civil) No.1110/2025, dated 21.08.2026) and pending amendments to the 2026 Rules. “Direct Recruitment” means a person who is not in the service of the Government of India or the State. If you are a law graduate looking for a judicial job, read this line twice before you choose your route.
| Feeder Group | Eligible Posts |
|---|---|
| High Court of AP staff | 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 |
| District Judiciary in AP | Chief Administrative Officers, Senior Superintendents, Superintendents, Stenographers Grade-I, II and III, Senior Assistants, Junior Assistants and Typists |
| Prosecution Services of AP | Assistant Public Prosecutors, Senior Assistant Public Prosecutors, Additional Public Prosecutors Grade-II |
| AP Secretariat and Legislature | Section Officers in the Law Department of the Secretariat; Section Officers in the Legislature Department |
| Law offices of AP | Managers of the Offices of the Advocate General, Government Pleaders and Public Prosecutors; Editor, I.L.R. |
Age Limit (as on 01.09.2026)
| Category | Maximum Age |
|---|---|
| Direct Recruitment | Must not complete 35 years |
| Direct Recruitment – SC, ST, BC and EWS | 35 + 5 years |
| Direct Recruitment – PwBD | 35 + 10 years |
| Direct Recruitment – Defence service | Period served in Defence is excluded while computing age |
| Recruitment by Transfer | Must not complete forty-eight (48) years |
🎂 Not sure if you meet the age criteria? Use our free Age Calculator for Government Exams to find your exact age on the cut-off date and instantly check your eligibility — including any age relaxation you qualify for. →
The relaxations above are written for Direct Recruitment. For Recruitment by Transfer the notification gives only the 48-year limit, so do not assume any extra relaxation there.
Who Is Not Eligible for AP Civil Judge Recruitment 2026?
These lines are easy to skip, but each one can end your candidature.
| Condition | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Citizenship | A person who is not a citizen of India is not eligible |
| Past service record | Anyone dismissed, removed or compulsorily retired from Judicial Service or any Government, Statutory or Local Authority service is not eligible |
| Criminal record | Anyone convicted of an offence involving moral turpitude, convicted in a criminal case, or arrested in connection with a crime involving moral turpitude is not eligible |
| Debarment | Anyone permanently debarred or disqualified by the High Court, UPSC or any State PSC is not eligible |
| Influence | Influencing the recruitment authority directly or indirectly makes you ineligible; bringing influence of any kind leads to summary disqualification and possible prosecution |
| Marriage | A man with more than one wife living, a woman who knowingly marries a person having a wife, or anyone in a bigamous marriage is not eligible |
| Exam misconduct | A candidate who committed copying or misconduct in the Screening Test or Written Examination shall not be eligible to appear |
| Probation | A candidate who could not complete probation in Judicial or any other service shall not be eligible |
| Integrity | An officer found to be of doubtful integrity in any year shall not be eligible |
| Transfer route | A person facing disciplinary charges, or undergoing or having undergone punishment for irregularity in duties, is not eligible for Recruitment by Transfer |
| Transfer route – conduct | You must be maintaining good character and conduct and must not fall under any Direct Recruitment bar in clauses II(A)(b), (c) and (d), which cover citizenship, service record, conviction, debarment, influence, marriage, arrest, misconduct, probation and integrity |
| BC certificate | Without the latest Non-Creamy Layer certificate (issued in 2025 or 2026), a BC candidate is considered under Open Competition only |
| Original documents | If you fail to produce any required original certificate at verification, your candidature will be rejected |
| False information | Suppression or false information at any stage leads to summary rejection and possible prosecution |
| Viva Voce | A candidate absent from the Viva Voce is deemed disqualified |
| Final selection | Candidates below the minimum aggregate for their category are ineligible; provisional selection is subject to verification of antecedents, and mere selection or applying gives no right to appointment |
| Correspondence | No correspondence will be entertained, and no information is sent to unsuccessful candidates |
What Is the Salary of an AP Civil Judge (Junior Division) in 2026?
The pay scale for Civil Judge (Junior Division) is ₹77,840 – ₹1,36,520. But the full scale does not start on day one, so understand the training period clearly.
| Stage | Pay |
|---|---|
| 1 year intensive training at the Judicial Academy | Fixed emolument equal to one-half of a Civil Judge (Junior Division)’s remuneration, plus academy facilities |
| 1 year structured Law Clerkship (6 months under Principal District / District and Sessions Judges or Higher Judicial Service members, 6 months under a High Court Judge) | Same emoluments as during training, with no further allowance |
| After a satisfactory reasoned evaluation report by the Judge | Regular pay scale of ₹77,840 – ₹1,36,520 and other service benefits |
Think of these two years as paid preparation for the bench. Only a satisfactory evaluation report at the end leads to the regular post.
What Is the Selection Process for AP Civil Judge Recruitment 2026?
| Stage | Detail |
|---|---|
| Screening Test (CBT) | 100 objective questions, 100 marks, 2 hours. Those with 40% and above are shortlisted in a 1:10 ratio for the written exam. These marks are not counted in the final merit |
| Written Examination | Three papers of 100 marks and 3 hours each, answered only in English (except translation) |
| Viva Voce | 50 marks. Candidates called in a 1:3 ratio of vacancies in each category |
| Verification | Original certificates and antecedents |
Securing 40% in the Screening Test does not give you a right to be called for the written exam. Candidates with identical marks at the cut-off are all called, both for the written exam and for the Viva Voce.
| Paper | Subject | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Paper-I | Civil Laws | 100 |
| Paper-II | Criminal Laws | 100 |
| Paper-III | English (Translation 40 + Essay on legal subjects 60) | 100 (qualifying) |
In Paper-III you must score 40% in each part, but its marks are not used for Viva Voce eligibility or final selection. Only Paper-I, Paper-II and Viva Voce marks count.
| Category | Minimum for Viva Voce (Paper-I and II each / aggregate) | Minimum Final Aggregate (Written + Viva) |
|---|---|---|
| DR – OC / EWS | 55% / 60% | 60% |
| DR – BC | 50% / 55% | 55% |
| DR – SC / ST / PwBD | 45% / 50% | 50% |
| Recruitment by Transfer | 55% / 60% | 60% |
On a tie, the elder candidate is preferred, then higher educational qualification, then higher marks in the prescribed qualification. The syllabus covers major civil and criminal statutes, including the BNS, BNSS and BSA. You can plan your study with our syllabus and exam pattern guides.
How to Apply Online for AP High Court Civil Judge Recruitment 2026?
- Visit the High Court’s official online application portal (link in Essential Links below).
- Register with a valid mobile number and email, or sign in if already registered.
- Fill the application form carefully and choose three Screening Test centres in order of preference.
- Upload the documents your route asks for, such as date of birth / SSC certificate, Law Degree and community certificate.
- Pay the application fee online.
- Submit, then download and keep the confirmation page.
Once documents are uploaded and the application is submitted, you cannot edit options or replace documents, and incomplete or incorrect applications will be summarily rejected. BC candidates must upload the latest Non-Creamy Layer certificate, EWS candidates a 2025 or 2026 Tahsildar certificate, and transfer-route candidates their probation proof, employer permission to study law, and latest Service and Conduct Certificate; the employer’s No-objection Certificate is needed at verification.
The Screening Test centres are Guntur, Kurnool, Rajahmundry (Rajamahendravaram), Tirupati, Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam. The High Court may allot a different centre, and requests to change the centre will not be entertained.
What Are the Important Dates for AP High Court Civil Judge Recruitment 2026?
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification Date | 25 September 2026 |
| Online Application Starts | 1 October 2026 |
| Last Date to Apply | 26 October 2026 (up to 11:59 PM) |
| Age Cut-off Date | 1 September 2026 |
| Screening Test (CBT) | Will be notified in due course |
| Hall Ticket Download | One week before the Screening Test |
| Question Paper and Key / Response Sheet (objections invited) | Within one week of the Screening Test |
Hall tickets will show the venue and time, so watch the admit card updates closely once the test date is announced.
What Is the Application Fee for AP High Court Civil Judge Recruitment 2026?
| Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| Open Category / EWS / BC | ₹1,500 |
| SC / ST / PwBD | ₹750 |
The fee covers application processing and the examination, and must be paid online. Only candidates from a community recognised as SC/ST in Andhra Pradesh get the concessional ₹750 fee. The fee is not refunded even if your application is rejected or the Notification is cancelled. No TA or DA is paid for any stage.
Essential Links for AP High Court Civil Judge Recruitment 2026
- Download Official Notification PDF
- Apply Online for AP High Court Civil Judge Recruitment 2026 – 119 Civil Judge (Junior Division) Posts
- Visit AP High Court Civil Judge Official Website
- Join WhatsApp Channel for Government Jobs
- Join Telegram Channel for Government Jobs
- Join Andhra Pradesh Govt Jobs Telegram Channel
A seat on the bench is one of the most respected careers a law graduate can choose, and 119 posts is a strong intake. Check your route, age and category first, then start your preparation for the Screening Test right away. Apply by 26 October 2026 and do not wait for the last evening. For more Andhra Pradesh government job notifications, keep visiting GovtJobsAlert.in.