Karnataka HC Civil Judge Recruitment 2026 — 90 Vacancies

About This Job

The High Court of Karnataka is hiring 90 Civil Judges through direct recruitment for 2026. If you are a law graduate with at least 3 years of practice as an advocate or public prosecutor, this is your chance to join the Karnataka Judicial Service. The starting salary scale is Rs. 77,840 to Rs. 1,36,520 per month. The last date to apply online is 15 May 2026.

Karnataka High Court Civil Judge Recruitment 2026 — 90 Posts

The High Court of Karnataka has issued Notification No. HCRB/CJR-9/2026 dated 16 April 2026 for direct recruitment to 90 Civil Judge posts. The breakdown is 15 fresh vacancies and 75 backlog posts. Selection follows the Karnataka Judicial Service (Recruitment) Rules, 2004 and amendments up to 2025. The whole process is three-stage: Preliminary Exam, Main Written Exam, and Viva-voce.

Vacancy Breakdown

Total of 90 posts (15 fresh + 75 backlog) across reserved and unreserved categories:

• General Merit: 7 fresh + 11 backlog = 18 posts
• Scheduled Caste: 2 fresh + 1 backlog = 3 posts
• Scheduled Tribe: 1 fresh + 1 backlog = 2 posts
• Category-I: 18 backlog posts
• Category-II(A): 2 fresh + 22 backlog = 24 posts
• Category-II(B): 1 fresh + 10 backlog = 11 posts
• Category-III(A): 1 fresh + 8 backlog = 9 posts
• Category-III(B): 1 fresh + 4 backlog = 5 posts

Horizontal reservations apply for women, rural candidates, Kannada medium students, persons with benchmark disabilities, ex-servicemen, and transgenders.

Who Can Apply?

• Citizenship: You must be a citizen of India.
• Education: You must hold a law degree from a university established by law in India.
• Practice requirement: As on the last date for applications, you must be practicing as an advocate in the Supreme Court, High Courts, or District/Trial Courts and must have practiced continuously for at least 3 years.
• Alternative: You can also be working as a Public Prosecutor, Assistant Public Prosecutor, or Government Counsel in full-time central or state government employment for at least 3 years.
• Kannada: After selection, you must pass the Kannada Language Examination conducted by KPSC under the 1974 rules.

Age Limit

• SC/ST/Category-I: Must not have completed 45 years of age.
• Category II(A)/II(B)/III(A)/III(B): Must not have completed 43 years of age.
• Other candidates (General): Must not have completed 40 years of age.
• Ex-servicemen: Get an extra 3 years relaxation on the maximum age.
• Age relaxation is per Government Order DPAR 262 SeNeNi 2025 dated 29 January 2026.

Salary

• Pay Scale: Rs. 77,840 — Rs. 1,36,520 per month.
• Plus all admissible allowances as per Karnataka Government norms.
• Probation period: 2 years (extendable if necessary).
• Mandatory training of at least 1 year before presiding over court.

Application Fee

You will need to pay fees for both stages separately:

• Preliminary Exam Fee — General/Cat II(A)/II(B)/III(A)/III(B): Rs. 1,000
• Preliminary Exam Fee — SC/ST/Cat-I/PwBD: Rs. 500
• Main Written Exam Fee — General/Cat II(A)/II(B)/III(A)/III(B): Rs. 1,500 (paid only after qualifying Prelims)
• Main Written Exam Fee — SC/ST/Cat-I/PwBD: Rs. 750
• Pay through SBI e-pay gateway using Net Banking, Debit Card, Credit Card, or UPI. Fee is non-refundable.

Selection Process

1. Preliminary Examination: Objective type, 100 marks. Part-A covers Civil Procedure Code, Negotiable Instruments Act, Transfer of Property Act, Indian Contract Act, Specific Relief Act, Indian Constitution, Karnataka Rent Act. Part-B covers CrPC/BNSS 2023, IPC/BNS 2023, Indian Evidence Act/Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023. Part-C covers general knowledge and reasoning. Minimum 50 marks for SC/ST/PwBD, 60 marks for others.
2. Main Written Examination: Four papers — Translation Paper (English-Kannada), Law Paper-I (CPC, CrPC/BNSS, Evidence Act, Constitution), Law Paper-II (Civil Cases — Issues & Judgments), Law Paper-III (Criminal Cases — Charges & Judgments). Each 100 marks. You can write in English or Kannada. Minimum 40 marks for SC/ST/PwBD, 50 marks for others in each paper.
3. Viva-voce: 100 marks testing general knowledge, principles of law, and suitability. Minimum 20 percent for SC/ST/PwBD, 25 percent for others.
4. Computer Test: 25 marks, separate qualifying — not added to total.

About 10 times the vacancies will be called for Main Exam. About 3 times the vacancies for Viva-voce.

How to Apply

1. Visit the official website https://judiciary.karnataka.gov.in.
2. Click on the Civil Judge Recruitment 2026 link to start your online application.
3. Fill in your personal details, educational qualifications, and reservation claims carefully.
4. Upload required documents — degree certificate, practicing certificate, caste/disability certificates as applicable.
5. Pay the prescribed fee online through SBI e-pay (Net Banking, Debit Card, Credit Card, or UPI).
6. Submit the application before the deadline and download a printout for your records.
7. Applications submitted by any mode other than online will not be considered. The last date is 15 May 2026.

Important Dates

• Notification Date: 16 April 2026
• Last Date for Online Application: 15 May 2026
• Last Date for Fee Payment: 15 May 2026
• Preliminary Exam Date: To be announced
• Admit Card Date: To be announced

• Preside over civil and criminal cases at the Civil Judge level in Karnataka District and Trial Courts.
• Hear evidence, examine witnesses, and frame issues in civil suits and charges in criminal cases.
• Write judgments and orders following Indian Penal Code, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023, CPC, CrPC, and Evidence Act provisions.
• Ensure fair and timely disposal of cases assigned to your court within prescribed timelines.
• Maintain court decorum, supervise court staff, and manage daily case lists.
• Pass interim orders, grant bail in eligible cases, and decide on injunctions and applications.
• Follow administrative directions from the High Court and complete the mandatory 1-year training before presiding over court.
• Pass the Kannada Language Examination conducted by KPSC during your probation period of 2 years.