Last Updated: May 2026
The Delhi Judicial Service Examination 2026 (DJSE) is conducted by the High Court of Delhi for recruitment to the post of Civil Judge / Judicial Magistrate First Class in Delhi’s subordinate judiciary. It is widely considered one of India’s most competitive judiciary exams — typical selection ratio is 1:1,500. This 1,800-word Delhi Judicial Service 2026 guide covers exam structure, syllabus, eligibility, books, prelims-mains-interview strategy and 90-day revision plan.
1. DJSE 2026 — At a Glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Conducting body | High Court of Delhi |
| Post | Civil Judge (Junior Division) / Judicial Magistrate First Class |
| Total vacancies (2025 cycle) | 53 |
| Stages | Prelims → Mains → Viva Voce |
| Total marks | Mains 850 + Viva 150 = 1,000 |
| Pay scale (Pay Matrix) | Level-10 (₹77,840 – ₹2,03,810) + DA + HRA |
| Probation | 2 years |
2. Eligibility
- Indian citizen
- Bachelor’s degree in Law (LL.B.) — 3-year or 5-year integrated
- Enrolled or eligible for enrolment as Advocate (Bar Council)
- Age: 21–32 years (relaxation for SC/ST/OBC/PwD per rules)
- Languages: Knowledge of English required; Hindi preferred
3. Stage 1 — Preliminary Examination (Objective)
| Component | Details |
|---|---|
| Total questions | 200 |
| Total marks | 200 |
| Duration | 2 hours |
| Negative marking | 0.25 per wrong (-0.25 of 1) |
| Type | OMR-based MCQ |
| Cutoff | ~60% (varies — General; lower for reserved) |
Prelims Syllabus
- General Knowledge + Current Affairs
- English Language (vocab, grammar, comprehension)
- Indian Polity / Constitutional Law
- Indian Penal Code 1860 → Now Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023
- Code of Criminal Procedure 1973 → Now Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023
- Indian Evidence Act 1872 → Now Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023
- Code of Civil Procedure 1908
- Indian Contract Act 1872
- Specific Relief Act 1963
- Limitation Act 1963
- Hindu and Mohammedan Law (personal laws)
- Transfer of Property Act 1882
4. Stage 2 — Mains Examination (Descriptive, 850 marks)
| Paper | Subject | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper I | General Legal Knowledge & Language | 250 | 3 hrs |
| Paper II | Civil Law I (CPC, Contract, ToP, Specific Relief, Limitation, Hindu/Mohammedan Law) | 200 | 3 hrs |
| Paper III | Civil Law II (Indian Evidence Act, Civil Procedure) | 200 | 3 hrs |
| Paper IV | Criminal Law (BNS, BNSS, BSA) | 200 | 3 hrs |
Note: Mains Paper IV has been substantially rewritten since 2024 reflecting the new criminal laws.
5. Stage 3 — Viva Voce (150 marks)
Personality test focusing on (a) general awareness, (b) law subjects from the candidate’s specialisation, (c) personality traits relevant to judicial functioning. Approximately 30 minutes per candidate.
6. Recommended Books
| Subject | Book |
|---|---|
| BNS 2023 | K.D. Gaur — Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita commentary; Bare Act |
| BNSS 2023 | R.V. Kelkar’s Criminal Procedure (revised); Bare Act |
| BSA 2023 | Batuk Lal — Law of Evidence (revised); Bare Act |
| CPC | Mulla / C.K. Takwani / Bare Act |
| Contract Act | Avtar Singh / Pollock & Mulla |
| ToP | Mulla / V.P. Sarathi |
| Constitutional Law | M.P. Jain / D.D. Basu |
| Hindu Law | Mayne / Paras Diwan |
| Mohammedan Law | Mulla / Aqil Ahmad |
| Specific Relief | Mulla / Avtar Singh |
| Limitation | B.B. Mitra |
7. 90-Day Strategy
Days 1–30: Foundation
- 1 hr — Bare Act reading (rotate BNS, BNSS, BSA, CPC)
- 2 hrs — Detailed commentary (current focus area)
- 1 hr — Constitution + general legal knowledge
- 30 min — newspaper
- 30 min — answer writing practice (1 question/day)
Days 31–60: Mains-style Practice
- 2 hrs — answer writing on 2-3 questions/day
- 2 hrs — case law revision
- 2 hrs — second reading of all bare acts
- 1 hr — Hindi translation practice (for Paper I component)
Days 61–90: Endgame
- 3 hrs — Mock tests (1 mains paper/day)
- 2 hrs — revision of judgments + Constitution
- 1 hr — current affairs of past 6 months
- Light evening: light reading of recent SC/HC judgments from LiveLaw
8. Cutoff Trend (Indicative — Past Cycles)
| Stage / Category | 2023 Cutoff | 2024 Cutoff | 2025 (Tentative) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prelims — General | 129/200 | 132/200 | ~130 |
| Prelims — OBC | 122 | 124 | ~122 |
| Prelims — SC/ST | 110 | 112 | ~110 |
| Mains — General | 485/850 | 492 | ~485 |
9. Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Studying outdated IPC/CrPC commentaries — must use BNS/BNSS commentary post-July 2024.
- Skipping Hindu / Mohammedan Law — they yield 30+ marks in Mains.
- Weak case law citation in answers — examiners reward judgement names + dates.
- Neglecting answer-writing practice — even strong-content candidates fail to score without practice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Is DJSE harder than UPSC Civils?
Different. UPSC tests broader content; DJSE tests legal depth. Selection rate for DJSE Mains is ~10%; UPSC Mains ~12%.
Q2. Coaching needed for DJSE?
Recommended for first-time aspirants. Self-study with 80% bare acts + standard books and a paid mock series can also work.
Q3. Are Hindi translations compulsory?
One section of Paper I includes English-Hindi / Hindi-English translation (~30-40 marks).
Q4. What if I’m not from Delhi?
No domicile requirement. Open to all eligible candidates from across India.
Q5. What’s the application fee?
~₹2,000 for General; ₹500–800 for SC/ST/PwD (approximate; check official notice).
Internal Resources
Quiz data missing.
