AP High Court Civil Judge Recruitment 2026 – 119 Posts, Apply Online

AP High Court Civil Judge Recruitment 2026 is open for 119 Civil Judge (Junior Division) posts in the Andhra Pradesh State Judicial Service. The High Court of Andhra Pradesh at Amaravati issued Notification No. 118/2026-RC on 25 September 2026. Online applications run from 01 October 2026 to 26 October 2026 (11:59 PM) on aphc.gov.in.

This is a big opening. Of the 119 posts, 96 are for direct recruitment and 23 are for recruitment by transfer from court and legal staff. The pay scale is ₹77,840–1,36,520 per month.

Below you will find the vacancy split, eligibility, fee, exam pattern, the marks you actually need, and a simple preparation plan. We have also compared this year’s numbers with earlier APHC cycles, so you can judge your chances.

📌 Also Read:Latest Government Job Notifications 2026 – All Sarkari Naukri in one Place

AP High Court Civil Judge Recruitment 2026 – Quick Overview

Important Dates

⚠️ Don’t wait for the last day. Court recruitment portals get heavy traffic near the deadline, so aim to submit by 20 October 2026.

AP High Court Civil Judge Vacancy 2026 – Category-Wise Details

The High Court has split the 119 posts into two routes. Direct recruitment is for law graduates who are not in government service. Recruitment by transfer is for eligible staff already working in courts and legal departments.

Direct Recruitment (96 Posts)

Four of the 39 OC posts are set aside for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD). They cover blindness or low vision, deaf and hard of hearing, locomotor disability, and a combined group of autism, intellectual disability, mental illness and multiple disabilities.

Recruitment by Transfer (23 Posts)

⚠️ Selection against the BC-E vacancy depends on a Supreme Court appeal (Civil Appeal Nos. 2628-2637 of 2010). The High Court can also increase, reduce or cancel vacancies at any stage.

How Does This Year Compare With Earlier APHC Cycles?

Here is the context most candidates miss. The High Court’s own recruitment page shows how the numbers have moved:

The 2026 drive is more than double the 2025 batch. For direct recruits, that means a far better seat-to-candidate ratio than in recent years.

Still, remember the 2024 cycle. Only 12 of 39 posts were filled at the provisional selection stage, because the minimum qualifying marks are strict. Clearing the cut-offs matters as much as ranking high.

💡 Pro Tip: Vacancies are unlikely to be your biggest hurdle. Qualifying marks in each paper are. Plan your preparation around those floors.

AP High Court Civil Judge Eligibility and Age Limit 2026

A law degree is the base requirement for both routes. Only Indian citizens can apply.

Educational Qualification – Direct Recruitment

• You need a law degree from a recognised university in India.
• The notification links the degree timing to the Supreme Court’s Bhumika Trust vs Union of India judgment (21 August 2026). It refers to a law degree obtained in the year preceding the notification date.
• You must be of good character and free from any infirmity that makes you unfit for judicial service.
• Direct recruitment is for people who are not in Central or State Government service.

⚠️ The degree-timing condition is worded unusually and rules are still being amended. Read clause II(A)(a) of the official notification before you pay the fee.

Educational Qualification – Recruitment by Transfer

You need a law degree and must be a confirmed employee or approved probationer in one of these groups:

• High Court of Andhra Pradesh staff, such as Section Officers, Court Officers, Court Masters, Personal Secretaries, Assistants and Stenographers
• District Judiciary staff in Andhra Pradesh, such as Chief Administrative Officers, Superintendents, Stenographers and Assistants
• Andhra Pradesh Prosecution Service, including Assistant Public Prosecutors and Additional Public Prosecutors Grade-II
• Section Officers in the Law Department of the AP Secretariat or the AP Legislature Department
• Managers in the offices of the Advocate General, Government Pleaders and Public Prosecutors, and the Editor of the Indian Law Reports (AP)

Staff facing disciplinary charges or serving a punishment cannot apply through this route.

Who Cannot Apply

You will be disqualified if you were dismissed or compulsorily retired from government or judicial service. The same applies if you were convicted of an offence involving moral turpitude, debarred by the High Court, UPSC or a State PSC, or found to be of doubtful integrity. A person in a bigamous marriage is also ineligible.

Age Limit (as on 01 September 2026)

Ex-defence personnel applying for direct recruitment can deduct their defence service from their age.

AP High Court Civil Judge Application Fee 2026

Pay online. The fee is not refundable, even if your application is rejected or the notification is cancelled. The ₹750 concession applies to SC/ST candidates only if their community is recognised as SC/ST in Andhra Pradesh.

AP Civil Judge Salary 2026 – Pay Scale and Training Pay

The regular pay scale for Civil Judge (Junior Division) is ₹77,840–1,36,520 per month. Allowances are as admissible under Andhra Pradesh rules [Check official notification for the list].

Your first two years are a training period, and the pay is lower:

If you calculate on the starting scale, half of ₹77,840 comes to about ₹38,920 a month during training. This is our estimate. The High Court’s fixed emolument may be worked out differently, so confirm it in the notification.

Selection Process and Exam Pattern

Your final merit is decided out of 250 marks: Paper I (100) + Paper II (100) + Viva Voce (50). The Screening Test and Paper III only qualify you. They don’t add to your rank.

1. Screening Test (CBT): 100 objective questions in 2 hours. Candidates are shortlisted at a ratio of 1:10 to vacancies, and you need at least 40%.
2. Written Examination: Three descriptive papers, answered in English except the translation part.
3. Viva Voce: Candidates are called at a ratio of 1:3 per category. Missing the viva means disqualification.
4. Document and Antecedent Verification: Originals are checked before the final list.

Paper III has a Telugu element. Part I asks you to translate between English and Telugu in both directions. Part II is an essay on a legal subject.

If two candidates tie, the older one gets preference. After that, the higher qualification and then the higher marks in the law degree decide.

How Many Marks Do You Need? Qualifying Marks Explained

This is where most aspirants get caught. The notification sets a minimum for each paper, then for the written total, and then for the final total.

Here is what that means in actual marks, assuming the written total is counted on Papers I and II (200 marks) and the final total on 250 marks:

💡 Pro Tip: Don’t sacrifice one paper to score big in the other. A strong Paper I cannot rescue a Paper II below the minimum.

AP High Court Civil Judge Syllabus 2026

The Screening Test and the Written Exam share the same syllabus. The new criminal codes (BNS, BNSS and BSA) sit alongside the older statutes, so you must know both.

How to Prepare for the AP Civil Judge Exam

A plan built on the exam structure works better than reading every bare act equally. Here is a simple approach.

1. Treat the Screening Test as a gate. You need 40% on 100 MCQs, and the marks don’t count later. Revise bare acts and landmark sections rather than chasing a high score.
2. Spend most of your time on Papers I and II. They carry 200 of the 250 merit marks, and each has a minimum cut-off.
3. Master procedure first. The Code of Civil Procedure and the Code of Criminal Procedure appear in the heart of both papers.
4. Learn the new and old codes together. Make a comparison chart of IPC against BNS, CrPC against BNSS and the Evidence Act against BSA.
5. Don’t skip the state laws. The Excise, Gaming, Forest and Land Encroachment Acts are easy marks that many aspirants ignore.
6. Practise Telugu–English translation. Paper III is qualifying, but a 40% floor in each part can still end your attempt.
7. Write timed answers. Three-hour descriptive papers reward structure, correct section citations and neat handwriting.

Screening Test Exam Centres

You must pick three centres in order of preference. The options are Guntur, Kurnool, Rajahmundry (Rajamahendravaram), Tirupati, Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam. The High Court may allot a different centre, and change requests are not accepted. Written exam venues will be announced after the Screening Test result.

How to Apply for AP High Court Civil Judge Recruitment 2026

You can apply only online. No other mode is accepted.

1. Open the official website aphc.gov.in and go to the recruitment section.
2. Find Notification No. 118/2026-RC for Civil Judge (Junior Division) and read it fully.
3. Fill in the online application form and select three Screening Test centres.
4. Upload the required documents.
5. Pay the fee online: ₹1,500 for OC/EWS/BC or ₹750 for SC/ST/PwBD.
6. Submit the form and save a copy. Documents and centre choices cannot be changed after submission.

💡 Pro Tip: Keep scanned copies of every certificate ready before you start. The BC and EWS certificates are the ones people most often get wrong.

Documents You Need

Direct Recruitment:

• Date of birth proof, such as the SSC certificate
• Law degree certificate
• Community certificate for SC, ST or BC candidates, showing the BC group
• Latest Non-Creamy Layer certificate issued in 2025 or 2026 (BC candidates). Without it, you will be treated as OC.
• EWS certificate issued in 2025 or 2026 by the Tahsildar, showing family income below ₹8 lakh
• Medical Board certificate stating the nature and percentage of disability (PwBD candidates)
• Discharge certificate (ex-servicemen)

Recruitment by Transfer:

• Date of birth proof, law degree and community certificate (SC/ST)
• Proof of declaration of probation
• Employer’s permission to pursue the law degree while in service
• Latest service and conduct certificate
• No-Objection Certificate from your employer, produced at verification

⚠️ Bring original certificates on the date fixed by the High Court. If you can’t produce them, your candidature will be rejected.

📌 Also Read: BPSC Civil Judge Recruitment 2026 – Apply Online

📌 Also Read: BPSC APO Recruitment 2026 – Assistant Prosecution Officer

📌 Also Read: More State Govt Jobs

Important Links

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Word on AP High Court Civil Judge Recruitment 2026

With 119 posts, this is the largest Civil Judge drive in recent APHC cycles, and the last date is 26 October 2026. Check your degree timing and age first, keep your certificates ready, and then apply. After that, build your plan around the qualifying marks, not just the rank.

Stay ahead of application deadlines. Follow Govtserviceinfo.com for daily Sarkari Naukri alerts.

Disclaimer: All information in this article has been sourced from the official recruitment notification published by the High Court of Andhra Pradesh. GovtServiceInfo.com is not a recruiting authority and does not accept job applications. We strongly recommend reading the full official notification before applying and verifying all details, especially dates, eligibility and fees, directly from the official website. We are not responsible for any changes made by the recruiting authority after the date of publication.