Karnataka HC Civil Judge Recruitment 2026 - 90 Vacancies

The High Court of Karnataka is recruiting 90 Civil Judges through direct recruitment under Notification No. HCRB/CJR-9/2026 dated 16 April 2026. If you hold a law degree and have at least 3 years of continuous practice as an advocate, or 3 years as a full-time Public Prosecutor, Assistant Public Prosecutor, or Government Counsel, you can apply. The pay scale is Rs. 77,840 to Rs. 1,36,520, and the last date to submit the online form is 15 May 2026.

Karnataka HC Civil Judge Recruitment 2026 - 90 Posts

This recruitment is for the Karnataka Judicial Service, and the notification clearly states that the court is filling 15 fresh vacancies and 75 backlog vacancies. The recruitment page and online application link went live on 16 April 2026. The High Court has also said that the notification remains subject to the outcome of Writ Petition Nos. 200448/2025, 17968/2025, and 3145/2023, so you should read the full official PDF before you complete the form.

Vacancy Breakdown

• Total Civil Judge posts: 90
• Fresh vacancies: 15
• Backlog vacancies: 75

The notification also shows reservation across General Merit, SC, ST, Category-I, Category-IIA, Category-IIB, Category-IIIA, and Category-IIIB, along with horizontal reservation for women, rural candidates, Kannada medium candidates, persons with benchmark disability, ex-servicemen, and transgender candidates.

Who Can Apply?

• Law degree: You must hold a degree in law granted by a university established by law in India.
• Advocate route: As on the last date for application, you must be practicing continuously as an advocate in the Supreme Court, High Court, District Court, or Trial Court for at least 3 years.
• Prosecutor route: You can also apply if you are working full time as a Public Prosecutor, Assistant Public Prosecutor, or Government Counsel and have done so for at least 3 years.
• Practice certificate: You must produce the required certificate of practice in the format described in the notification.
• Citizenship: You must be a citizen of India.

If you are applying through the advocate route, keep your practice certificate ready from the competent judicial or court authority. If you are applying through the prosecutor route, keep the proof of full-time service for 3 years ready for document verification.

Age Limit

• General category maximum age: 40 years.
• Category II(A) / II(B) / III(A) / III(B) maximum age: 43 years.
• SC / ST / Category-I maximum age: 45 years.
• Ex-servicemen relaxation: An extra 3 years over the normal upper age limit.
• Reference point: The notification applies these limits as on the 15 May 2026 closing date.

The notification also mentions that these relaxations follow the Government Order dated 29 January 2026. If you are claiming reservation, make sure the matching certificate is valid on or before 15 May 2026.

Salary

• Pay scale: Rs. 77,840 - 1,36,520.
• Service type: This is a regular judicial-service appointment under the Karnataka Judicial Service rules.
• Probation: Selected candidates will be on probation for 2 years or an extended period if required.
• Training: Direct recruits must undergo training for at least 1 year before presiding over a court.

If you are looking for a long-term state judicial career, this is one of the stronger law notifications in the current cycle because it offers a starting judicial pay scale of Rs. 77,840 and a structured service path inside the Karnataka judiciary.

Application Fee

• General Merit / Category II(A) / II(B) / III(A) / III(B) - Preliminary: Rs. 1,000.
• SC / ST / Category-I / Persons with Benchmark Disability - Preliminary: Rs. 500.
• General Merit / Category II(A) / II(B) / III(A) / III(B) - Main Written Examination: Rs. 1,500.
• SC / ST / Category-I / Persons with Benchmark Disability - Main Written Examination: Rs. 750.

You must pay the fee only through the SBI e-pay gateway using online banking, debit card, credit card, or UPI. The notification says the fee, once paid, will not be refunded.

Selection Process

1. Preliminary Examination: An objective test for 100 marks.
2. Main Written Examination: A written stage with 4 papers - Translation, Law Paper-I, Law Paper-II, and Law Paper-III - with 100 marks each.
3. Viva-voce: Oral test for 100 marks.
4. Computer Test: A separate computer test for 25 marks, used to assess computer knowledge and suitability.
5. Document verification: Original records are checked before final appointment.

The notification also sets stage-wise qualifying standards. Candidates from SC, ST, or PwBD categories need 50 marks in the preliminary test, while others need 60 marks. The court may call up to 10 times the vacancies for the written stage and up to 3 times the vacancies for viva-voce, subject to merit and reservation rules.

How to Apply

1. Visit the official Karnataka judiciary website at judiciary.karnataka.gov.in.
2. Open the Civil Judge recruitment page linked to Notification No. HCRB/CJR-9/2026.
3. Fill in the online application with your personal details, practice or service details, reservation details, and exam-centre choice.
4. Upload the required education, practice, reservation, identity, and character documents.
5. Pay the online fee through the SBI e-pay gateway before 15 May 2026.
6. Take a printout of the submitted application for future use.

While applying, you must choose the preliminary examination centre from Bengaluru, Dharwad, or Kalaburagi. The notification says the centre cannot be changed later, so fill the form carefully before final submission.

Important Dates

• Notification date: 16 April 2026
• Online application start date: 16 April 2026
• Last date to submit online application: 15 May 2026
• Last date to pay fee: 15 May 2026
• Preliminary examination date: To be announced
• Main written examination date: To be announced
• Viva-voce date: To be announced

• Hear civil and criminal matters and keep courtroom proceedings fair, orderly, and on record.
• Review pleadings, documents, and evidence before writing reasoned judicial orders and judgments.
• Apply the Code of Civil Procedure, criminal procedure law, evidence law, and constitutional principles in daily court work.
• Manage case flow, issue process, frame issues or charges, and monitor compliance with procedural timelines.
• Record evidence carefully and maintain judicial discipline while dealing with lawyers, litigants, and court staff.
• Use court systems, digital records, and basic computer workflows as required by the Karnataka judiciary.
• Follow service rules, confidentiality requirements, and training directions during probation and judicial posting.