Kerala High Court Civil Judge Recruitment 2026 — Apply Online for 28 Posts

The High Court of Kerala has officially released the Kerala Judicial Service Examination 2026 notification, inviting online applications from eligible law graduates and practicing advocates across India. This recruitment drive is for the post of Civil Judge (Junior Division) under the Kerala Judicial Service, covering a total of 28 vacancies spread across Special Recruitment, NCA (Non-Creamy/Backlog) Vacancies, and Regular Vacancies. This is one of the most sought-after government law jobs in Kerala, offering candidates the opportunity to serve as a judicial officer in the state's subordinate civil courts. The pay scale of ₹77,840 to ₹1,36,520 places this role among the well-compensated positions in state government service. The recruitment is structured under four notification numbers — Recruitment No. 1/2026 covers 16 posts reserved for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) as a special drive to fill backlog vacancies from 1996 to 2023. Recruitment Nos. 2/2026, 3/2026, and 4/2026 cover three NCA vacancies for Scheduled Tribe and Scheduled Caste communities in Kerala. Recruitment No. 5/2026 covers 9 probable regular vacancies through both direct recruitment and recruitment by transfer. The selection process is rigorous and competitive, consisting of two stages. The first stage is the Preliminary Examination, a screening test of 100 objective-type questions worth 200 marks, to be held tentatively on 28 June 2026. Candidates who clear the preliminary exam then appear for the Main Examination, which consists of four written papers of 100 marks each, covering subjects like civil and criminal law, evidence, procedure, and English language skills. The final stage is a viva voce carrying 50 marks, where candidates are assessed on their legal knowledge and judicial aptitude. Candidates applying under direct recruitment must hold a law degree recognised by the Bar Council of India and must have completed at least 3 years of practice as an advocate as on 1 January 2026. The practice period is counted from the date of enrolment with the Bar Council, and time spent as a Law Clerk or Research Assistant with any judge or judicial officer in India is also counted. Age must not exceed 35 years as on 1 January 2026, with applicable relaxations for reserved categories. For recruitment by transfer, serving government officers in designated feeder categories — such as Assistant Public Prosecutors, Sheristadars, Assistant Professors in Government Law Colleges, and officers of the High Court — are eligible, provided they hold a law degree, have 3 years of advocacy practice prior to their service appointment, are approved probationers, and are below 54 years of age. All applications must be submitted online through the High Court's official recruitment portal at hckrecruitment.keralacourts.in. Candidates must first complete the One Time Registration before applying. The application fee is ₹1,250 for general and OBC candidates, while SC, ST, and unemployed PwBD candidates are exempt from the fee. This Kerala Civil Judge Recruitment 2026 is a golden opportunity for practicing advocates and eligible government officers to join the state judiciary. Candidates are advised to read the full notification carefully and keep all required documents — including the practice certificate in Form A and service certificate in Form B (for transfer candidates) — ready before the application deadline.