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 notification relates to 27 vacancies, including 24 existing and 3 anticipated vacancies. The examination will be conducted through Preliminary Examination, Mains Examination and Viva-Voce stages.
Post Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Organization | High Court of Delhi |
| Post Name | Delhi Higher Judicial Service / Judicial Officer |
| Total Vacancies | 27 |
| Qualification | Advocate or Judicial Officer with the prescribed seven years of experience |
| Category | Result |
| Status | Examination Notification Released |
| Official Website | delhihighcourt.nic.in |
Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Online Application Start Date | 01/07/2026 at 10:00 AM |
| Last Date to Apply and Pay Fee | 15/07/2026 up to 05:30 PM |
| Preliminary Examination Date | 26/07/2026, from 11:00 AM to 01:00 PM |
| Notification Date | 01/07/2026 |
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 the last date of receipt of applications, i.e. 15/07/2026.
Vacancy Details
| Category | Existing Vacancies | Anticipated Vacancies up to 30/06/2027 | Total Vacancies |
|---|---|---|---|
| General | 14 | 03 | 17 |
| Scheduled Caste | 05 | 00 | 05 |
| Scheduled Tribe | 05 | 00 | 05 |
| Total | 24 | 03 | 27 |
Out of the SC vacancies, 3 are backlog vacancies. Out of the ST vacancies, 4 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 | 01 |
| Total | 03 |
Reservation for 2 out of the 3 PwD vacancies will be carried forward as backlog reserved vacancies.
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 in the Bar before recruitment to the subordinate judicial service or must have a combined experience of seven years as a Judicial Officer and Advocate as on 15/07/2026.
- A person who has been or is in judicial service must have a combined experience of at least seven years as an Advocate or Judicial Officer as on 15/07/2026.
Selection Process
The selection process will be conducted in three successive stages:
- Delhi Higher Judicial Service Preliminary Examination — Objective type.
- Delhi Higher Judicial Service Mains Examination — Written examination.
- Viva-Voce.
The Preliminary Examination will be used to shortlist candidates for the Mains Examination. Candidates qualifying in the Mains Examination will be called for the Viva-Voce.
Exam Pattern
The Preliminary Examination will be objective type and will carry 25% negative marking for incorrect answers. It is scheduled for 26/07/2026 from 11:00 AM to 01:00 PM. Details of the Mains Examination, Viva-Voce, relaxation in marks and other conditions are provided in the instructions available on the online application portal.
Salary / Pay Scale
Selected members of the Delhi Higher Judicial Service will receive pay in J-5 scale: ₹1,44,840–₹1,94,660.
Examination and Result Information
Candidates admitted to the Preliminary Examination, Mains Examination and Viva-Voce will be admitted provisionally, subject to verification of their eligibility. If a candidate is found ineligible at any stage before or after the examination, their candidature may be cancelled without further notice.
Candidates should refer to the official website of the High Court of Delhi for examination updates, result notices, merit lists and further instructions. They should also read the Delhi Higher Judicial Service Rules, 1970, as amended up to date, before participating in the examination process.