The Rajasthan High Court released the Rajasthan Judicial Services (RJS) 2026 notification on 27 February 2026, announcing 44 Civil Judge vacancies. For aspirants aiming at the Rajasthan bench, this is the cycle to commit to — small vacancy count means high competition, but also high payoff. This guide unpacks the eligibility, exam pattern, syllabus shifts, and a focused preparation strategy through to the Prelims.
RJS 2026 — Quick Snapshot
- Conducting body: Rajasthan High Court (per Rajasthan Judicial Service Rules, 2010)
- Notification date: 27 February 2026
- Total vacancies: 44 Civil Judge posts
- Selection stages: Prelims (objective, 100 marks) → Mains (descriptive, 300 marks) → Interview (35 marks)
- Application portal: hcraj.nic.in
Vacancy Breakdown — Category-Wise
| Category | Total | Women |
|---|---|---|
| General (Unreserved) | 17 | 5 |
| Scheduled Caste (SC) | 7 | 2 |
| Scheduled Tribe (ST) | 4 | 1 |
| Other Backward Classes (OBC) | 9 | 2 |
| Economically Weaker Section (EWS) | 4 | 1 |
| Most Backward Classes (MBC) | 2 | — |
| Total | 44 | 11 |
Women’s horizontal reservation runs to roughly 25% across categories. Verify the exact category split against the original PDF on the High Court site.
Eligibility — Read This Before You Apply
- Qualification: Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from a BCI-recognised university — three-year or five-year integrated.
- Age (general category): 21 to 35 years as on 1 January 2027 (verify cut-off date in notification — RJS uses a January reference annually). Standard reservation-category relaxations apply.
- Language: Knowledge of Hindi written in Devanagari script AND knowledge of Rajasthani culture/customs. This is screened in both Mains and Interview.
- Domicile: No domicile requirement for general category, but reserved-category benefits apply only to Rajasthan-recognised category certificates.
Exam Pattern — What Makes RJS Different
Preliminary Examination
One objective paper, 100 marks, two-hour duration. Crucially, RJS Prelims has NO negative marking — a structural difference from most other state judiciaries and an exam-strategy lever you must exploit. Attempt all 100 questions.
Syllabus splits across Law (about 70%) and Hindi + General Knowledge (about 30%). Within Law: Civil Procedure Code, Criminal Procedure Code / BNSS, Indian Penal Code / BNS, Indian Evidence Act / BSA, Contract Act, Specific Relief Act, Limitation Act, Constitution, Hindu and Muslim personal laws, Rajasthan Rent Control Act, Rajasthan Tenancy Act, Transfer of Property Act, Easements Act.
Main Examination (300 marks, descriptive)
Four papers of 75 marks each:
- Paper I — Law I (Civil): CPC, Contract, Specific Relief, Limitation, Transfer of Property, NI Act
- Paper II — Law II (Criminal & Constitution): IPC/BNS, CrPC/BNSS, Evidence Act/BSA, Constitution
- Paper III — Hindi essay: Translation, comprehension, essay writing
- Paper IV — English essay: Translation, comprehension, essay writing
Interview (35 marks)
Personality, general awareness, legal reasoning, viva on candidate’s optional area.
Six-Month Preparation Roadmap
Months 1–2: Foundational law (March–April equivalent)
Build the bare-Act muscle. Read each major statute once cover-to-cover before opening any commentary: Constitution, CPC, IPC/BNS, CrPC/BNSS, Evidence/BSA, Contract Act. Make a personal “Section-Concept” notebook — one section per page, with two case illustrations.
Months 3–4: Rajasthan-specific layer
This is where RJS aspirants from outside the state get caught. Master:
- Rajasthan Tenancy Act, 1955 — Khatedar, Ghair-Khatedar, sub-tenant classification; Section 42 prohibitions on transfer.
- Rajasthan Rent Control Act — eviction grounds, standard rent.
- Rajasthan Land Revenue Act — revenue courts hierarchy.
- Hindi language: legal Hindi vocabulary, translation from English judgments.
Months 5: Mains writing practice
Write at least one full 75-mark paper per week under timed conditions. The single biggest Mains failure mode is writing-speed collapse, not substantive ignorance. Get your handwriting evaluated by a serving judicial officer or senior advocate if possible.
Month 6: Mock tests + Prelims sprint
Twelve full-length Prelims mocks in this month. After each, classify errors as silly / conceptual / unknown and triage revision accordingly. Reach the exam having attempted at least 5,000 MCQs across mocks and topic tests.
Updated Codes Warning
The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023 (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023 (BNSS), and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023 (BSA) have replaced IPC, CrPC, and Indian Evidence Act since 1 July 2024. RJS 2026 examiners are expected to test:
- Renumbering — e.g., murder is now Section 103 BNS (was 302 IPC).
- New offences — community service as punishment, organised crime (Section 111 BNS), terrorism (Section 113 BNS), mob lynching (Section 103(2) BNS).
- Procedural shifts — Zero FIR codified (Section 173 BNSS), electronic mode of trials (Section 530 BNSS).
- Evidence shifts — admissibility of electronic records (Section 63 BSA, formerly 65B IEA).
Do not study the new codes in isolation — always cross-walk to the old section numbers, because question banks and past papers still use the IPC/CrPC/IEA numbering.
Application Process
Applications are submitted online through the Rajasthan High Court recruitment portal. Fee payment is via SSO Rajasthan or direct payment gateway. Upload a recent passport-size photograph, signature, LLB certificate, category certificate (if applicable), and Aadhaar. Keep three printouts of the final submitted application.
Test Your RJS Readiness — 10 MCQs
The quiz below tests structural facts and core RJS-pattern law. Aim for 8/10 if you are six months out, 9/10 if you are inside three months.
Practice Quiz — 10 Judiciary Exam-Style Questions
Click an option to reveal the answer and explanation.
Why RJS Still Matters in 2026
Forty-four vacancies is not small in the Rajasthan context — the state generally runs lean recruitment cycles, and combined with Bihar (173) and UP (218 expected), the 2026 season is the most concentrated judicial recruitment window in five years. A Civil Judge in Rajasthan starts in pay matrix Level 11 (entry pay around INR 77,840), with rapid progression through the All-India Judges Association revised pay scales. The job is service-oriented, posting-flexible, and pensionable.
Useful Links for RJS Aspirants
- Rajasthan High Court — official notifications
- Judiciary Gurukul Course Library
- Judiciary Gurukul Blog — state-by-state preparation guides
- RJS-pattern Mock Test Series
- LiveLaw and Bar and Bench for current case-law tracking
Sources: Rajasthan High Court notification dated 27 February 2026; Rajasthan Judicial Service Rules, 2010; hcraj.nic.in; LiveLaw; Bar and Bench.
