Opening Overview
The High Court of Delhi has issued the notification for the Delhi Higher Judicial Service Examination 2026 for direct recruitment to the Delhi Higher Judicial Service. The examination will be conducted in three stages: Preliminary Examination, Mains Examination, and Viva-Voce. The notification provides details of 27 vacancies, eligibility, fees, examination schedule, and application conditions.
Post Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Organization | High Court of Delhi |
| Post Name | Delhi Higher Judicial Service |
| Total Vacancies | 27 |
| Qualification | Minimum 7 years of continuous legal practice or qualifying combined judicial and advocacy experience |
| Category | Admit Card / Examination Notification |
| Status | Examination notification issued |
| Preliminary Examination Date | 26/07/2026 |
| Pay Scale | J-5: ₹1,44,840–₹1,94,660 |
Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification Date | 01/07/2026 |
| Online Application Start Date | 01/07/2026 at 10:00 AM |
| Last Date to Apply and Pay Fee | 15/07/2026 at 05:30 PM |
| Preliminary Examination Date | 26/07/2026, 11:00 AM to 01:00 PM |
Application Fee
| Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| General Category | ₹2,000 |
| Scheduled Caste / Scheduled Tribe | ₹500 |
| Persons with Disabilities with identified disability of 40% or more | ₹500 |
The fee is non-refundable and can be paid through Debit Card, Credit Card, Internet Banking, or UPI.
Age Limit
Candidates must have attained the age of 35 years and must not have attained the age of 45 years as on 15/07/2026, the last date for receipt of applications.
Vacancy Details
| Category | Existing Vacancies | Anticipated Vacancies | Total Vacancies |
|---|---|---|---|
| General | 14 | 03 | 17 |
| Scheduled Caste | 05 | 00 | 05 |
| Scheduled Tribe | 05 | 00 | 05 |
| Total | 24 | 03 | 27 |
Out of the Scheduled Caste vacancies, 03 vacancies are backlog vacancies. Out of the Scheduled Tribe vacancies, 04 vacancies are backlog vacancies. The number of vacancies may change, including due to implementation of the judgment dated 11/03/2026 in Dheeraj Mor v. High Court of Delhi.
PwD Reservation
| PwD Category | Reserved Vacancies |
|---|---|
| Blindness and Low Vision | 01 |
| One Arm, One Leg, Both Legs, Leprosy Cured, Dwarfism and Acid Attack Victim | 01 |
| Specific Learning Disability and Multiple Disabilities involving the identified disabilities | 01 |
| Total | 03 |
Two out of the three PwD reserved vacancies are backlog reserved vacancies. The disabilities identified as suitable for the post include blindness and low vision; one arm, one leg, both legs, leprosy cured, dwarfism and acid attack victim; specific learning disability; and multiple disabilities involving these disabilities.
Eligibility / Qualification
Candidates must satisfy the following conditions:
- The candidate must be a citizen of India.
- An Advocate must have been continuously practising for at least seven years as on 15/07/2026.
- A Judicial Officer must either have completed seven years at the Bar before recruitment into the subordinate judicial service or must possess seven years of combined experience as a Judicial Officer and an Advocate as on 15/07/2026.
- A person who has been or is in judicial service must have combined experience of seven years or more as an Advocate or Judicial Officer as on 15/07/2026.
- The candidate must be between 35 and 45 years of age as on 15/07/2026.
Selection Process
The Delhi Higher Judicial Service Examination 2026 will be conducted in the following three successive stages:
- Delhi Higher Judicial Service Preliminary Examination, which is objective type and includes 25% negative marking.
- Delhi Higher Judicial Service Mains Examination, which is a written examination.
- Viva-Voce.
The Preliminary Examination is used for shortlisting candidates for the Mains Examination. Candidates qualifying in the Mains Examination may be called for the Viva-Voce stage.
Exam Pattern
Preliminary Examination
| Examination | Type | Date | Time | Negative Marking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delhi Higher Judicial Service Preliminary Examination | Objective Type | 26/07/2026 | 11:00 AM to 01:00 PM | 25% |
Details of the Mains Examination, Viva-Voce, relaxation in marks, and other examination conditions are provided in the instructions available through the online portal of the High Court of Delhi.
Admit Card Details
Candidates admitted to the Preliminary Examination, Mains Examination, and Viva-Voce will be admitted on a purely provisional basis, subject to verification of their eligibility conditions. The source notification does not provide a separate admit card release date. Candidates should check the official website of the High Court of Delhi for examination instructions, admit card updates, and stage-wise notices.
The Preliminary Examination is scheduled for Sunday, 26/07/2026, from 11:00 AM to 01:00 PM. Candidates should carefully read the examination instructions available on the official online portal and retain a printout of their submitted application form for future reference. The printout of the application form must not be sent to the High Court of Delhi.
If a candidate is found at any stage to be ineligible or not to fulfil the prescribed conditions, their candidature may be cancelled without further notice.
Salary / Pay Scale
Members of the Delhi Higher Judicial Service will receive pay in J-5 scale of ₹1,44,840–₹1,94,660, along with applicable allowances and benefits as per the rules of the High Court of Delhi and the Government.
Important Instructions
- Applications are accepted online only through the official website of the High Court of Delhi.
- Candidates must ensure that they fulfil all eligibility conditions before appearing in the examination.
- The Delhi Higher Judicial Service Rules, 1970, as amended up to date, and the online instructions should be read carefully before applying.
- Candidates should retain a printout of the completed online application for future reference.
- Vacancy numbers and reservation details are subject to change as per applicable court judgments, rules, and government instructions.