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AP JCJ 2026 Notification Out: 119 Civil Judge (Junior Division) Posts — Apply from 1 October

Writer: Aravind rao
Aravind rao
Sep 25
7 min read

Aravind Rao’s Judicial Academy | Hyderabad

High Court of Andhra Pradesh at Amaravati — Notification No. 118/2026-RC, dated 25.09.2026.

The High Court of Andhra Pradesh has invited online applications for 119 posts of Civil Judge (Junior Division) in the A.P. State Judicial Service — 96 by Direct Recruitment and 23 by Recruitment by Transfer. The process is governed by the Andhra Pradesh State Judicial (Service & Cadre) Rules, 2026. Pay scale: Rs. 77,840 – 1,36,520.

Apply only online at https://aphc.gov.in from 01.10.2026 to 26.10.2026, 11:59 P.M. No other mode of application will be entertained. Official notification PDF: https://aphc.gov.in/docs/notification_1790338711_0.pdf

1. Vacancy position

Direct Recruitment — 96 posts

  • Open Competition — 39 (including 13 for women and 4 PwBD posts: blindness/low vision; deaf and hard of hearing; locomotor disability including cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid-attack victims and muscular dystrophy; autism, intellectual disability, mental illness and multiple disabilities)

  • EWS — 09 (3 for women)

  • BC-A — 07 (2 for women)

  • BC-B — 10 (3 for women)

  • BC-C — 01

  • BC-D — 06 (2 for women)

  • BC-E — 04 (1 for woman)

  • SC Group-I — 01

  • SC Group-II — 07 (2 for women)

  • SC Group-III — 06 (2 for women)

  • ST — 06 (2 for women)

Recruitment by Transfer — 23 posts

  • Open Competition — 18

  • SC Group-I — 01

  • SC Group-III — 01

  • ST — 03

Reservation (vertical and horizontal, including women and PwBD) follows the 2026 Rules read with amended Rules 22 and 22-A of the A.P. State and Subordinate Service Rules, 1996 (G.O.Ms.No.77, GAD, dated 02.08.2023). BC applicants who want reservation must upload a latest Non-Creamy Layer certificate issued in 2025 or 2026. Without it, the candidature is treated as Open Category. EWS requires a 2025 or 2026 Tahsildar certificate showing family income below Rs. 8,00,000.

2. Important dates

  • Online applications open: 01.10.2026

  • Last date to apply: 26.10.2026, 11:59 P.M.

  • Hall tickets for screening test: about one week before the test

  • Screening test (computer-based): date to be notified

  • Question paper and preliminary key: within one week of the screening test, for objections

  • Written examination venues: notified after the screening result

Venue and time will be on the hall ticket. Dates can be modified by the High Court in exigencies; check https://aphc.gov.in until the recruitment ends. No separate intimation will be sent.

3. Eligibility — Direct Recruitment

All law graduates who obtained the law degree preceding one year as on the date of the notification are eligible for the 2026 Civil Judge (Junior Division) notification. The High Court has applied the Supreme Court judgment in Bhumika Trust v. Union of India, W.P.(C) No. 1110/2025, dated 21.08.2026, pending amendments to the 2026 Rules.

The candidate must be of good character and free from any infirmity that makes the person unfit for appointment. Disqualifications include: not being a citizen of India; dismissal, removal or compulsory retirement from judicial or government / statutory / local-authority service; conviction for an offence involving moral turpitude; permanent debarment by the High Court, UPSC or any SPSC; influencing the recruiting authority; living with more than one wife (for a man) or knowingly marrying a person who has a wife living (for a woman); and arrest in connection with a crime involving moral turpitude. Copying or misconduct in the screening test, written examination or viva-voce also attracts disqualification.

4. Eligibility — Recruitment by Transfer

A transfer candidate must maintain good character and conduct and must not fall within the disqualifications listed for direct recruitment. A person facing disciplinary charges, or who has undergone or is undergoing punishment for irregularity in discharge of duties, is not eligible.

5. Age (as on 01.09.2026)

  • Direct Recruitment: must not have completed 35 years as on 01.09.2026.

  • Relaxation of 5 years for SC, ST, BC and EWS.

  • Relaxation of 10 years for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities.

  • Defence service of the Indian Union, if the candidate is otherwise qualified, is excluded while computing age for direct recruitment.

  • Recruitment by Transfer: must not have completed 48 years as on 01.09.2026.

6. Scheme of examination

The recruitment runs in three stages: a computer-based screening test, a written examination of three papers, and a viva-voce.

Written examination — three papers, 100 marks and three hours each. Answers must be in English except the translation test.

  • Paper-I — Civil Laws

  • Paper-II — Criminal Laws

  • Paper-III — English (Translation and Essay Writing)

Paper-III is split into Part-I Translation (40 marks) and Part-II Legal Essay (60 marks). Part-I requires translation from English to Telugu and Telugu to English. The essay is on legal subjects only. Candidates must secure 40% in each part of Paper-III. Marks in Paper-III are not counted for viva eligibility or for selection. Selection merit is drawn from Paper-I, Paper-II and the viva-voce.

Viva-voce carries 50 marks. Absence from the viva is treated as disqualification. After the written result, candidates are called for viva in the ratio of 1:3 of available vacancies in the respective categories. Candidates who share the identical cut-off are all called.

7. Qualifying marks

Written examination — eligibility for viva-voce

  • Direct — OC / EWS: not less than 55% in Paper-I and in Paper-II, and not less than 60% in aggregate of those two papers.

  • Direct — BC: not less than 50% in Paper-I and in Paper-II, and not less than 55% in aggregate.

  • Direct — SC, ST and PwBD: not less than 45% in Paper-I and in Paper-II, and not less than 50% in aggregate.

  • Recruitment by Transfer: not less than 55% in Paper-I and in Paper-II, and not less than 60% in aggregate.

Final selection — aggregate of written examination (Paper-I + Paper-II) and viva-voce

  • Direct — OC / EWS: at least 60% in aggregate of written + viva.

  • Direct — BC: at least 55% in aggregate of written + viva.

  • Direct — SC / ST / PwBD: at least 50% in aggregate of written + viva.

  • Recruitment by Transfer: at least 60% in aggregate of written + viva.

On a tie in written + viva marks, the older candidate is preferred; then higher educational qualification; then higher marks in the prescribed educational qualification.

8. Syllabus for screening test and written examination

Taken from the notification (Schedule aligned with the 2026 Rules).

Civil Laws

  1. Code of Civil Procedure, 1908

  2. Indian Contract Act, 1872

  3. Hindu Marriage Act, 1955

  4. Hindu Succession Act, 1956

  5. Indian Easements Act, 1882

  6. Specific Relief Act, 1963

  7. Limitation Act, 1963

  8. Transfer of Property Act, 1882

  9. Civil Rules of Practice

  10. Registration Act, 1908 and Indian Stamp Act, 1899

  11. A.P. Land Encroachment Act, 1905

  12. Indian Evidence Act, 1872

  13. Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 (BSA)

Criminal Laws

  1. Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973

  2. Indian Evidence Act, 1872

  3. Indian Penal Code, 1860

  4. Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS)

  5. Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 (BSA)

  6. Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS)

  7. Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881

  8. Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005

  9. Criminal Rules of Practice

  10. A.P. Excise Act, 1968

  11. A.P. Gaming Act, 1974

  12. Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015

  13. Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006

  14. Information Technology Act, 2000

  15. Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012

  16. A.P. Forest Act, 1967

Paper-III English remains qualifying only. If you also write Telangana JCJ, do not assume the two State lists are identical — Telangana still carries extra civil statutes and has not listed BNS / BNSS / BSA on its last written syllabus. See the comparison post on this site.

9. Application fee

  • OC / EWS / BC: Rs. 1,500 towards online application processing and examination fee.

  • SC / ST / Persons with Benchmark Disabilities: Rs. 750.

10. Training after selection

Selected candidates are designated Trainee Judicial Officers. They first undergo one year of intensive training at the Judicial Academy on a fixed emolument equal to one-half of the Civil Judge (Junior Division) remuneration, plus the facilities ordinarily given to Academy trainees.

After that year they undergo one further year of structured law clerkship: six months under the Principal District / District and Sessions Judge or a member of the Higher Judicial Service, and six months under a Judge of the High Court of Andhra Pradesh. Emoluments during clerkship remain the same as during Academy training, with no further allowance.

On completion, the High Court Judge places a reasoned evaluation report. If the evaluation is satisfactory, the trainee is appointed to the regular post and then draws the regular pay scale and service benefits.

11. What this means for aspirants

  • The window is short — 01.10.2026 to 26.10.2026. Keep scanned SSC / date of birth, law degree, community, Non-Creamy Layer or EWS, and PwBD certificates ready before you open the form. Once submitted, options and documents cannot be edited.

  • The one-year-degree rule from Bhumika Trust is what the High Court is applying for this notification. Read the exact wording in the PDF before you decide eligibility.

  • Paper-III is a filter, not a merit paper. 40% in translation and 40% in the legal essay are both compulsory.

  • BSA is on the civil list. BNSS, BSA and BNS sit on the criminal list together with CrPC, Evidence and IPC. FSSA 2006, IT Act 2000, POCSO 2012 and the A.P. Forest Act 1967 are also examinable.

  • Appointment is not immediate regular scale. Budget two years as a Trainee Judicial Officer before regular pay.

12. Sources

  • High Court of Andhra Pradesh, Notification No. 118/2026-RC dated 25.09.2026 — https://aphc.gov.in/docs/notification_1790338711_0.pdf

  • Apply at https://aphc.gov.in

  • Andhra Pradesh State Judicial (Service and Cadre) Rules, 2026 (G.O.Ms.No.57 dated 16.07.2026), Schedule-A

  • Bhumika Trust v. Union of India, W.P.(C) No. 1110/2025, Supreme Court, dated 21.08.2026

Related on this site: AP vs Telangana JCJ new syllabus comparison; AP JCJ Syllabus 2026; Telangana sanctions 200 new Additional JCJ courts.

Prepare with the Academy

Aravind Rao’s Judicial Academy runs a 12-month online JCJ course covering Prelims and Mains for both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana — Civil Laws, Criminal Laws, the new codes, mock tests and answer-writing. Batch: 7 December 2026 to 31 December 2027. Fee: Rs. 50,000 inclusive of GST.

Course page: https://www.aravindraosjudicialacademy.com/prelims-mains-crack-tg-ap-jcj

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