AP High Court Civil Judge Recruitment 2026 – 119 Posts, Notification 118/2026

Eligibility, application steps and essential conditions

1. Notification 118/2026-RC dated 25 September is a new 119-post campaign: 96 direct and 23 transfer vacancies. Apply by 11:59 PM on 26 October. This is separate from the older 16-post notice already on the portal.
2. Direct-route law graduates must satisfy the qualification-date wording in the notice, including the law-degree condition preceding one year at notification. Transfer applicants must be confirmed members/approved probationers in an eligible listed AP feeder service.
3. Screening CBT has 100 questions/marks in two hours; 40% threshold and 1:10 shortlisting, with screening marks excluded from final merit. Written papers cover Civil Laws, Criminal Laws and qualifying English; viva is 50 marks. Category-wise minima and verification govern final selection.
4. Selected entrants undertake one year at the Judicial Academy and one year structured law clerkship on the specified half-remuneration basis before evaluation and regular scale. Register through the linked High Court application, choose route/category, upload proof, pay and retain confirmation. Screening date is to be announced.

Direct Recruitment (96)

• Open Competition
  Posts: 39
  Of Which for Women: 13
• EWS
  Posts: 9
  Of Which for Women: 3
• BC-A
  Posts: 7
  Of Which for Women: 2
• BC-B
  Posts: 10
  Of Which for Women: 3
• BC-C
  Posts: 1
  Of Which for Women: –
• BC-D
  Posts: 6
  Of Which for Women: 2
• BC-E
  Posts: 4
  Of Which for Women: 1
• SC Group-I
  Posts: 1
  Of Which for Women: –
• SC Group-II
  Posts: 7
  Of Which for Women: 2
• SC Group-III
  Posts: 6
  Of Which for Women: 2
• ST
  Posts: 6
  Of Which for Women: 2
• All Categories
  Posts: 96
  Of Which for Women: –

Direct Recruitment (96)

• Blindness or Low Vision
  Posts: 1
• Deaf and Hard of Hearing
  Posts: 1
• Locomotor disability (incl. cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack victims, muscular dystrophy)
  Posts: 1
• Autism, Intellectual disability, Mental illness and multiple disabilities
  Posts: 1

Recruitment by Transfer (23)

• Open Competition
  Posts: 18
• SC Group-I
  Posts: 1
• SC Group-III
  Posts: 1
• ST
  Posts: 3
• All Categories
  Posts: 23

Qualifications and experience

• Direct Recruitment
  Requirement: 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
  Requirement: 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

Qualifications and experience

• High Court of AP staff
  Eligible Posts: 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
  Eligible Posts: Chief Administrative Officers, Senior Superintendents, Superintendents, Stenographers Grade-I, II and III, Senior Assistants, Junior Assistants and Typists
• Prosecution Services of AP
  Eligible Posts: Assistant Public Prosecutors, Senior Assistant Public Prosecutors, Additional Public Prosecutors Grade-II
• AP Secretariat and Legislature
  Eligible Posts: Section Officers in the Law Department of the Secretariat; Section Officers in the Legislature Department
• Law offices of AP
  Eligible Posts: Managers of the Offices of the Advocate General, Government Pleaders and Public Prosecutors; Editor, I.L.R.

Age and relaxation

• Direct Recruitment
  Maximum Age: Must not complete 35 years
• Direct Recruitment – SC, ST, BC and EWS
  Maximum Age: 35 + 5 years
• Direct Recruitment – PwBD
  Maximum Age: 35 + 10 years
• Direct Recruitment – Defence service
  Maximum Age: Period served in Defence is excluded while computing age
• Recruitment by Transfer
  Maximum Age: Must not complete forty-eight (48) years

Pay and employment benefits

• 1 year intensive training at the Judicial Academy
  Pay: 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)
  Pay: Same emoluments as during training, with no further allowance
• After a satisfactory reasoned evaluation report by the Judge
  Pay: Regular pay scale of ₹77,840 – ₹1,36,520 and other service benefits

Selection stages and assessment

• Screening Test (CBT)
  Detail: 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
  Detail: Three papers of 100 marks and 3 hours each, answered only in English (except translation)
• Viva Voce
  Detail: 50 marks. Candidates called in a 1:3 ratio of vacancies in each category
• Verification
  Detail: Original certificates and antecedents

Selection stages and assessment

• Paper-I
  Subject: Civil Laws
  Marks: 100
• Paper-II
  Subject: Criminal Laws
  Marks: 100
• Paper-III
  Subject: English (Translation 40 + Essay on legal subjects 60)
  Marks: 100 (qualifying)

Selection stages and assessment

• DR – OC / EWS
  Minimum for Viva Voce (Paper-I and II each / aggregate): 55% / 60%
  Minimum Final Aggregate (Written + Viva): 60%
• DR – BC
  Minimum for Viva Voce (Paper-I and II each / aggregate): 50% / 55%
  Minimum Final Aggregate (Written + Viva): 55%
• DR – SC / ST / PwBD
  Minimum for Viva Voce (Paper-I and II each / aggregate): 45% / 50%
  Minimum Final Aggregate (Written + Viva): 50%
• Recruitment by Transfer
  Minimum for Viva Voce (Paper-I and II each / aggregate): 55% / 60%
  Minimum Final Aggregate (Written + Viva): 60%

Recruitment calendar

• Notification Date
  Date: 25 September 2026
• Online Application Starts
  Date: 1 October 2026
• Last Date to Apply
  Date: 26 October 2026 (up to 11:59 PM)
• Age Cut-off Date
  Date: 1 September 2026
• Screening Test (CBT)
  Date: Will be notified in due course
• Hall Ticket Download
  Date: One week before the Screening Test
• Question Paper and Key / Response Sheet (objections invited)
  Date: Within one week of the Screening Test

Application fees

• Open Category / EWS / BC
  Fee: ₹1,500
• SC / ST / PwBD
  Fee: ₹750

Official notification and application links

• Download recruitment notification
• Official organisation website
• Application form or official recruitment page