Kerala HC Civil Judge Recruitment 2026 -- 27 Vacancies

The High Court of Kerala has released the official notification for the Kerala Judicial Service Examination 2026 (KJSE-2026) to fill 27 vacancies of Civil Judge (Junior Division). If you hold a law degree and have at least 3 years of practice as an Advocate, this is your chance to enter the Kerala Judiciary. The monthly salary ranges from Rs. 77,840 to Rs. 1,36,520. The last date to apply online is 4 May 2026.

Kerala HC Civil Judge Recruitment 2026 -- 27 Posts

The High Court of Kerala, headquartered in Kochi, is the principal court of the State of Kerala and the Union Territory of Lakshadweep. Through notification HCKL/115/2026-REC 4-HC KERALA dated 30 March 2026, the Court has invited online applications for 27 Civil Judge (Junior Division) posts under the Kerala Judicial Service. These vacancies include 9 regular posts, 15 special recruitment posts for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD backlog from 1996-2023), and 3 NCA (Non-Creamy Area) vacancies for SC/ST categories.

Vacancy Breakdown

Special Recruitment (PwBD Backlog) -- Recruitment No. 1/2026

• (A) Blindness and Low Vision: 5 posts
• (B) Deaf and Hard of Hearing: 6 posts
• (C) Locomotor Disability (including Cerebral Palsy, Leprosy Cured, Dwarfism, Acid Attack Victims): 3 posts
• (D) Autism, Specific Learning Disability and Mental Illness + (E) Multiple Disabilities: 1 post

NCA Vacancies

• Recruitment No. 2/2026: Scheduled Tribes -- 1 post
• Recruitment No. 3/2026: Scheduled Tribes -- 1 post
• Recruitment No. 4/2026: Scheduled Castes -- 1 post

Regular Vacancies -- Recruitment No. 5/2026

• 9 posts (Probable) -- filled through Direct Recruitment and Recruitment by Transfer

Note: Candidates applying for Special Recruitment or NCA vacancies can also apply for Regular vacancies. A common examination covers all recruitment numbers.

Who Can Apply?

Direct Recruitment

• You must be a citizen of India
• You need a Degree in Law recognized by the Bar Council of India for enrolment as an Advocate
• You must have practised as an Advocate for at least 3 years as on 1 January 2026
• You need to produce a certificate showing your years of practice issued by a Judicial Officer or endorsed by the Principal Judicial Officer of the district
• You must be of good character and sound health

Recruitment by Transfer

• You must hold a law degree recognized by the Bar Council of India
• You must have practised as an Advocate for at least 3 years before appointment to any feeder category post
• You must be an approved probationer in one of the feeder category posts (Assistant Public Prosecutor, Assistant Registrar, Section Officer, Sheristadars, etc.)
• You must not have completed 54 years of age as on the last date of application

Age Limit

• Maximum age: 35 years as on 1 January 2026 (for Direct Recruitment)
• SC/ST candidates: Upper age limit raised by 5 years (i.e., 40 years)
• OBC candidates: Upper age limit raised by 3 years (i.e., 38 years)
• Persons with Benchmark Disabilities: 10 years relaxation over the existing upper age limit (max 50 years)
• Ex-servicemen: Age relaxation as per Rule 10, Part-II, KS & SSR, 1958 (max 50 years)
• For Transfer candidates: Must not have completed 54 years as on the last date of application

Salary

• Pay Scale: Rs. 77,840 -- 1,36,520 per month (as per revised pay structure)
• In-hand salary: Approximately Rs. 85,000 to Rs. 1,30,000 per month (including DA, HRA, and other allowances)
• You will also get benefits like Dearness Allowance (DA), House Rent Allowance (HRA), medical facilities, pension, and other judicial officer perks

Application Fee

• General / OBC / All other categories: Rs. 1,250/-
• SC / ST / Unemployed Persons with Benchmark Disabilities: No fee (Nil)
• Fee can be paid through online mode (during application period: 1 April to 4 May 2026) or offline mode via SBI chalan (7 May to 15 May 2026)
• Fee once paid is non-refundable

Selection Process

The selection is through two competitive examinations followed by a viva voce:

1. Preliminary Examination (Screening Test): Objective type (MCQ) with 100 questions, each carrying 2 marks (total 200 marks). Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes. 1 mark is deducted for each wrong answer. Ratio of successful candidates to vacancies is 1:10. Prelim marks do NOT count in the final merit.
2. Main (Written) Examination: Consists of 4 papers, each carrying 100 marks and 3 hours duration. Covers Civil Law, Criminal Law, Local & Special Acts, and Procedural Law. Total: 400 marks.
3. Viva Voce (Interview): Maximum 50 marks. Only candidates shortlisted from Main Examination are called. Cut-off for viva voce: 40% for General/OBC, 35% for PwBD/SC/ST.

Final merit is based on Main Examination + Viva Voce marks (total 450 marks).

How to Apply

1. Visit the official recruitment portal at hckrecruitment.keralacourts.in
2. Complete One Time Registration if you are a new user (click "Register")
3. Log in to your profile and fill in all details in "My Profile" and related tabs
4. Upload your photograph (200-250 x 150-180 pixels) and signature (100-130 x 150-180 pixels)
5. Go to "Dashboard" and click "Apply Now" for the Civil Judge recruitment
6. Select the recruitment numbers you want to apply for (you can apply for multiple in a single application)
7. Review your application carefully and submit
8. Pay the application fee of Rs. 1,250/- (online or offline)
9. Keep a printout of your application for future reference

Important: Once submitted, no changes can be made to the application. Changes in "My Profile" after submission will NOT reflect in the submitted application.

Important Dates

• Notification Date: 30 March 2026
• Online Application Start: 1 April 2026
• Online Application & Fee Payment Close: 4 May 2026
• Offline Fee Payment (via SBI chalan) Start: 7 May 2026
• Offline Fee Payment Close: 15 May 2026
• Preliminary Examination (Tentative): 28 June 2026

• Handle civil and criminal cases at the district/subordinate court level as a Judicial Officer
• Conduct hearings, examine evidence, and deliver judgments in accordance with the law
• Manage court proceedings and maintain order during trials
• Prepare and deliver well-reasoned written orders and judgments
• Follow all judicial procedures, protocols, and timelines prescribed by the High Court
• Assist in disposal of pending cases and contribute to reducing case backlog
• Work with court staff to ensure smooth administration of justice
• Monitor compliance with court orders and directions