AP High Court Civil Judge Recruitment 2026: 119 Posts, Eligibility and Application Details
The High Court of Andhra Pradesh at Amaravati has notified 119 vacancies for Civil Judge (Junior Division) in the Andhra Pradesh State Judicial Service for 2026 through Notification No.118/2026-RC dated 25 September 2026.
The recruitment comprises 96 vacancies through Direct Recruitment and 23 vacancies through Recruitment by Transfer. The notified pay scale for Civil Judge (Junior Division) is ₹77,840–₹1,36,520.
As of 28 September 2026, the application window has not yet opened. The High Court has specified that online applications will be available from 1 October 2026 to 26 October 2026, with submission closing at 11:59 PM on 26 October 2026.
The screening-test date has not yet been announced and will be notified separately.
AP High Court Civil Judge Recruitment 2026 at a Glance
| Particular | Official information |
|---|---|
| Recruiting authority | High Court of Andhra Pradesh |
| Post | Civil Judge (Junior Division) |
| Judicial service | Andhra Pradesh State Judicial Service |
| Notification | No.118/2026-RC |
| Notification date | 25 September 2026 |
| Total vacancies | 119 |
| Direct Recruitment | 96 |
| Recruitment by Transfer | 23 |
| Pay scale | ₹77,840–₹1,36,520 |
| Application mode | Online |
| Application starts | 1 October 2026 |
| Last date | 26 October 2026, 11:59 PM |
| Screening-test date | To be notified |
The recruitment is governed by the Andhra Pradesh State Judicial (Service and Cadre) Rules, 2026.
What Does the 119-Post Recruitment Actually Cover?
The notification creates two separate routes into the Civil Judge (Junior Division) recruitment:
Direct Recruitment – 96 posts
Recruitment by Transfer – 23 posts
These routes should not be treated as interchangeable.
Direct recruitment is intended for eligible candidates who are not already in the government services covered by the transfer provisions. Recruitment by transfer is restricted to specified employees and officers who satisfy the prescribed service and law-degree conditions.
Therefore, a person should first establish which recruitment route applies to them before relying on the vacancy or eligibility details.
1. Direct Recruitment: Who Can Apply?
For direct recruitment, the notification states that law graduates who obtained their law degree within the one-year period preceding the date of notification are eligible to appear for the 2026 Civil Judge (Junior Division) recruitment.
This is important because the notification does not simply describe eligibility as "practicing advocates."
A direct-recruitment applicant must also satisfy the prescribed general conditions relating to citizenship, character and other disqualifications specified in the notification.
Among the conditions, the notification states that a person is not eligible if, among other circumstances, the person:
is not an Indian citizen;
has been dismissed, removed or compulsorily retired from specified government or statutory/local-authority service;
has been convicted of an offence involving moral turpitude;
has been permanently debarred or disqualified from examinations or selections by the relevant authorities;
has committed specified examination misconduct or falls within other disqualifying circumstances set out in the notification.
Applicants should therefore read the full qualification provisions rather than relying only on the basic LLB requirement.
2. Recruitment by Transfer: Who Is Eligible?
The transfer route is considerably narrower.
Applicants must possess a law degree awarded by a university established by law in India and must be a confirmed member or approved probationer in one of the categories specified by the notification.
The listed categories include specified employees such as:
officers and staff of the High Court of Andhra Pradesh;
specified personnel in the District Judiciary;
specified officers and prosecutors in the Andhra Pradesh Prosecution Service;
Section Officers in the Andhra Pradesh Law Department;
Section Officers in the Legislature Department;
specified managers and personnel connected with the Advocate General, Government Pleaders and Public Prosecutors.
The notification also requires service-related documentation, including proof relating to probation, permission to prosecute the law degree after entering service, service and conduct certification and, at verification, a current No-Objection Certificate from the employer.
A person should not assume that any government employee with an LLB can apply through transfer. The employee's category must fall within the categories specified by the notification.
3. Age Limit
The age calculation is based on 1 September 2026.
Direct Recruitment
A direct-recruitment applicant must not have completed 35 years of age as on 1 September 2026.
The notification provides an upper-age relaxation of:
5 years for SC;
5 years for ST;
5 years for BC;
5 years for EWS;
10 years for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities.
The notification also contains a provision concerning exclusion of qualifying Defence-service periods when calculating age for eligible applicants.
Recruitment by Transfer
An applicant under Recruitment by Transfer must not have completed 48 years of age as on 1 September 2026.
Candidates should calculate their age using the date prescribed in the notification rather than the date on which they submit the online form.
4. Reservation and Certificates
The 96 direct-recruitment vacancies are distributed across Open Competition, EWS, BC groups, SC groups and ST categories. The notification also specifies horizontal reservation provisions for women and Persons with Benchmark Disabilities.
The notified direct-recruitment distribution is:
Open Competition: 39
EWS: 9
BC Group-A: 7
BC Group-B: 10
BC Group-C: 1
BC Group-D: 6
BC Group-E: 4
SC Group-I: 1
SC Group-II: 7
SC Group-III: 6
ST: 6
This totals 96 direct-recruitment posts.
The transfer vacancies consist of:
Open Competition: 18
SC Group-I: 1
SC Group-III: 1
ST: 3
for a total of 23 posts.
Candidates claiming reservation must meet the relevant certificate requirements.
For example, the notification requires BC applicants claiming reservation to submit the latest community and Non-Creamy Layer documentation specified by the notification. EWS applicants must provide the prescribed latest EWS certificate, including the income condition stated in the notification.
Applicants should not assume that possession of a general community certificate alone is sufficient for every reservation claim.
5. Documents to Be Uploaded
For direct recruitment, the notification identifies documents including evidence of:
date of birth/SSC;
law degree;
community certificate where applicable;
Non-Creamy Layer certificate for applicable BC reservation claims;
EWS certificate where applicable;
PwBD certificate from the prescribed Medical Board where applicable;
Ex-Servicemen discharge certificate where applicable.
The High Court also requires original certificates to be produced for verification when called. Failure to produce required originals can result in rejection of candidature.
For recruitment by transfer, additional service-related documents are required, including proof of probation, employer permission concerning the law degree, service and conduct certificate and the required No-Objection Certificate.
Because the notification does not establish every detail of the future online form interface, applicants should follow the actual instructions displayed on the official application portal when it opens.
6. Screening Test
The first examination stage is a Computer Based Screening Test.
The notification specifies:
100 objective-type multiple-choice questions;
100 marks;
two hours;
minimum 40% marks for consideration for shortlisting;
shortlisting at a ratio of 1:10 of the available vacancies.
The screening-test marks are not added to the written-examination marks or final merit.
This means that scoring 40% should not be interpreted as an automatic entitlement to appear in the written examination. The notification expressly says that securing the minimum qualifying marks does not by itself confer a right to be considered for the written examination.
The High Court will also call candidates with identical marks where the tie affects the prescribed shortlisting point.
7. Written Examination
Candidates shortlisted from the screening test will face three written papers.
Paper I — Civil Laws
100 marks, three hours.
Paper II — Criminal Laws
100 marks, three hours.
Paper III — English
100 marks, three hours, divided into:
Part I: Translation — 40 marks
Part II: Legal Essay Writing — 60 marks
The translation component includes translation between English and Telugu. The essay component tests legal-subject essay writing. Candidates must obtain 40% in each part of Paper III.
Paper III is qualifying in nature. Its marks are not used for the final selection calculation.
The marks in Paper I and Paper II, together with the Viva Voce marks, are used for selection.
8. Minimum Written Marks for Reaching the Viva
The required written-examination threshold varies by recruitment category.
For direct recruitment:
Open Competition/EWS: at least 55% in Paper I and Paper II individually and at least 60% aggregate in the written examination.
BC: at least 50% in Paper I and Paper II individually and at least 55% aggregate.
SC/ST/PwBD: at least 45% in Paper I and Paper II individually and at least 50% aggregate.
For recruitment by transfer:
at least 55% in Paper I and Paper II individually; and
at least 60% aggregate in the written examination.
These are requirements for eligibility for the Viva Voce stage.
9. Viva Voce and Final Selection
The Viva Voce carries 50 marks.
Following the written-examination result, candidates will be called for the Viva Voce in a ratio of 1:3 of the available vacancies in the respective categories, subject to the tie provisions in the notification.
The final selection also has minimum aggregate requirements.
For direct recruitment:
Open Competition/EWS: at least 60% in written examination plus Viva;
BC: at least 55%;
SC/ST/PwBD: at least 50%.
For recruitment by transfer:
at least 60% in the written examination plus Viva.
The notification also specifies tie-breaking provisions involving age and, where necessary, educational qualification.
Therefore, there are several distinct thresholds in the recruitment process. Candidates should not confuse the 40% screening-test threshold with the final selection requirement.
10. Examination Fee
The notification specifies:
Open Category/EWS/BC: ₹1,500
SC/ST/PwBD: ₹750
The fee is payable online and is stated to be non-refundable even if an application is rejected or the notification is cancelled.
There is an additional qualification in the notification stating that only applicants belonging to a community recognized as SC/ST in Andhra Pradesh are entitled to the concessional ₹750 payment. Candidates whose eligibility falls into a special category should therefore read the fee provision carefully before payment rather than assuming that every category receives the concession.
11. Examination Centres
The Computer Based Screening Test is scheduled to be conducted at the following centres listed in the notification:
Guntur
Kurnool
Rajahmundry (Rajamahendravaram)
Tirupati
Vijayawada
Visakhapatnam
Applicants may choose three centres in order of preference.
However, the High Court reserves the right to allot a different centre or create/abolish a centre for administrative reasons. Requests for changing the allotted examination centre will not be entertained according to the notification.
The venue and time will be provided through the hall ticket.
12. Application Dates
The official schedule currently specifies:
Online application starts: 1 October 2026
Last date: 26 October 2026
Closing time: 11:59 PM on 26 October 2026
Hall-ticket availability: before the screening test
Screening-test date: to be notified
The notification states that the High Court may modify dates if necessary and that any revised dates will be published on its website.
As of 28 September 2026, candidates should therefore prepare their documents but should not treat the application window as already open.
13. How to Apply
The official notification states that applications will be accepted online through the High Court of Andhra Pradesh website and that no other mode of application will be entertained.
When the application window opens, applicants should:
Visit the official High Court of Andhra Pradesh website.
Open the Recruitment section.
Locate Notification No.118/2026-RC for Civil Judge (Junior Division).
Read the notification and application instructions before beginning the form.
Select the appropriate recruitment route.
Enter personal, educational and service information exactly as required.
Upload the certificates specified for the applicable category.
Pay the prescribed application/examination fee.
Carefully review the information before final submission.
Retain the submitted application and payment records for future reference.
The exact portal fields and technical upload instructions should be taken from the live application system when it opens rather than from unofficial recruitment websites.
14. Important Instructions Before Final Submission
The notification contains several provisions that are easy to overlook.
The particulars submitted in the application are treated as final. Once documents are uploaded and the application is submitted, the notification states that candidates will not be permitted to edit options or replace documents.
Incomplete or incorrect applications may be rejected.
The High Court also states that suppression of information or submission of false information can lead to rejection and may result in further action according to law.
Candidates should therefore check:
name and date of birth;
law-degree information;
category;
reservation certificate;
Non-Creamy Layer certificate where applicable;
EWS certificate where applicable;
PwBD documentation where applicable;
service details for transfer applicants;
examination-centre preferences;
payment details.
Do not upload documents merely because an unofficial website lists them. Follow the requirements displayed by the High Court.
15. What Happens After Selection?
Selection does not immediately mean that the candidate enters the regular Civil Judge pay scale.
The notification states that selected and appointed candidates will initially be designated as Trainee Judicial Officers and will undergo a compulsory one-year intensive training at the Judicial Academy.
During that period, the trainee is paid a fixed emolument equivalent to one-half of the remuneration payable to a Civil Judge (Junior Division), along with the facilities and benefits specified for trainees.
After successful completion of that training, the trainee undergoes a further one-year structured Law Clerkship.
The notification states that the Law Clerkship consists of:
six months under the supervision of the Principal District/District and Sessions Judges or members of the Higher Judicial Service; and
six months under the supervision of a Judge of the High Court of Andhra Pradesh.
After completion, an evaluation of performance and suitability is made. Satisfactory evaluation is followed by appointment to the regular post and entitlement to the regular pay scale and associated service benefits.
This post-selection process is therefore an important part of understanding the recruitment.
16. What Is Confirmed and What Is Still Pending?
Confirmed by the 25 September 2026 notification
119 vacancies
96 direct-recruitment posts
23 transfer posts
application dates
age limits
qualification requirements
reservation provisions
examination structure
written-examination thresholds
Viva Voce marks
application fee
screening-test centres
document requirements
training and Law Clerkship provisions.
Still to be notified or updated
The notification states that the date of the Screening Test will be notified in due course.
The hall-ticket details, including examination venue and time, will therefore need to be checked through subsequent High Court notifications.
Candidates should also monitor the official website for any subsequent amendments or revised instructions.
17. Check the Latest Official Notification Before Applying
Because recruitment information can be amended, applicants should verify the following immediately before submitting the form:
whether the 119 vacancies have changed;
application start and closing dates;
age eligibility;
category-wise reservation;
certificate validity;
fee;
application instructions;
screening-test date;
examination centre information;
hall-ticket instructions;
any corrigendum or subsequent notification.
The High Court specifically instructs applicants to keep themselves informed through its website until completion of the recruitment process.
Check the AP High Court Recruitment Section
Do not rely on a social-media post, forwarded message or unofficial recruitment website when a later official notification is available.
Key Takeaways
Notification No.118/2026-RC covers 119 Civil Judge (Junior Division) posts in the Andhra Pradesh State Judicial Service.
96 posts are through Direct Recruitment and 23 posts through Recruitment by Transfer.
Direct recruitment requires the law-degree qualification specified by the notification; practicing as an advocate should not be assumed to be a separate requirement unless a later official clarification says otherwise.
Direct-recruitment applicants must ordinarily be below 35 years as on 1 September 2026, subject to the specified relaxations. Transfer applicants must be below 48.
The application window is 1 October to 26 October 2026, 11:59 PM.
The screening test has 100 questions for 100 marks and is used for shortlisting; its marks do not form part of final merit.
Paper III is qualifying, while Papers I and II and the Viva are used for selection.
Category-specific minimum marks apply at both the written and final-selection stages.
Candidates claiming reservation need the prescribed current certificates and may have additional Non-Creamy Layer or EWS documentation requirements.
The screening-test date has not yet been announced.
Candidates should rely on the High Court's official recruitment notifications for subsequent changes.
Disclaimer
Direct Govt News is an independent information website and is not the High Court of Andhra Pradesh or a government recruitment authority. Government recruitment rules, dates, vacancies, eligibility conditions and application procedures may be amended through subsequent official notifications. Eligibility, shortlisting, verification and appointment are determined by the competent authority. Candidates should verify the latest official notification and application instructions on the High Court of Andhra Pradesh website before submitting an application, documents or fee.
Candidates exploring other Andhra Pradesh government recruitment opportunities can also see the APPSC Forest Beat Officer Recruitment 2026 for details about its notification, eligibility and selection process.
Readers also considering other public-sector recruitment opportunities can review the SBI Trade Finance Officer Recruitment 2026 and check its separate eligibility and application requirements.
