AP High Court Vacancy 2026 is out for 119 Civil Judge (Junior Division) posts, and online applications run from 01 October to 26 October 2026 (11:59 PM) at aphc.gov.in. The High Court of Andhra Pradesh at Amaravati released Notification No. 118/2026-RC on 25 September 2026.
Of the 119 posts in the Andhra Pradesh State Judicial Service, 96 are through Direct Recruitment and 23 through Recruitment by Transfer. The pay scale is Rs. 77,840 – 1,36,520, making this one of the most sought-after AP judiciary jobs 2026 for law graduates.
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This guide covers the complete AP High Court Civil Judge Recruitment 2026 notification: category-wise vacancies, eligibility, age limit, fee, exam pattern, syllabus, qualifying marks, salary and how to apply online.
AP High Court Civil Judge Notification 2026: Overview
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Organization | High Court of Andhra Pradesh at Amaravati |
| Notification No. | 118/2026-RC, dated 25.09.2026 |
| Post name | Civil Judge (Junior Division) |
| Total vacancies | 119 (96 Direct + 23 by Transfer) |
| Service | Andhra Pradesh State Judicial Service |
| Pay scale | Rs. 77,840 – 1,36,520 |
| Selection | Screening Test (CBT), Written Exam, Viva Voce |
| Application mode | Online only |
| Governing rules | AP State Judicial (Service & Cadre) Rules, 2026 |
| Official website | aphc.gov.in |
AP High Court Vacancy 2026: Important Dates
The last date to apply is 26 October 2026; the screening test date will be announced later.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification date | 25 September 2026 |
| Online application starts | 01 October 2026 |
| Last date to apply online | 26 October 2026 (up to 11:59 PM) |
| Hall ticket download | One week before the Screening Test |
| Screening Test (CBT) | To be notified |
| Question paper and preliminary key | Within one week of the Screening Test |
Exam venue and timing will be printed on the hall ticket. Any date changes will be posted only on the High Court website.
AP High Court Civil Judge Category-Wise Vacancy 2026
Open Competition has the largest share with 39 Direct and 18 Transfer posts. 30 Direct Recruitment posts are reserved for women.
Direct Recruitment (96 Posts)
| Category | Total Posts | Reserved for Women |
|---|---|---|
| Open Competition (OC) | 39 | 13 |
| EWS | 9 | 3 |
| BC-A | 7 | 2 |
| BC-B | 10 | 3 |
| BC-C | 1 | – |
| BC-D | 6 | 2 |
| BC-E | 4 | 1 |
| SC Group-I | 1 | – |
| SC Group-II | 7 | 2 |
| SC Group-III | 6 | 2 |
| ST | 6 | 2 |
| Total | 96 | 30 |
Within the 39 OC posts, 4 are for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities: one each for blindness/low vision; deaf and hard of hearing; locomotor disability (including cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack victims, muscular dystrophy); and autism, intellectual disability, mental illness and multiple disabilities.
Recruitment by Transfer (23 Posts)
| Category | Posts |
|---|---|
| Open Competition | 18 |
| SC Group-I | 1 |
| SC Group-III | 1 |
| ST | 3 |
| Total | 23 |
Selection against the BC-E vacancy depends on the outcome of Civil Appeal Nos. 2628-2637/2010 pending before the Supreme Court. The High Court may increase, reduce or cancel vacancies at any stage.
AP High Court Civil Judge Eligibility Criteria 2026
A law degree is the core requirement for both routes. Only Indian citizens can apply.
Direct Recruitment
- Law graduates who obtained their law degree preceding one year as on the notification date are eligible. This follows the Supreme Court judgment in Bhumika Trust vs Union of India (WP (Civil) No. 1110/2025, dated 21.08.2026) and pending amendments to the AP State Judicial Rules, 2026.
- The candidate must be of good character and free from any infirmity that makes them unfit for the post.
- Direct Recruitment is for persons not in the service of the Government of India or the State.
Recruitment by Transfer
Candidates need a law degree from a university established by law in India and must be a confirmed member or approved probationer in one of these categories:
- High Court of AP staff: Section Officers, Court Officers, Court Masters, Personal Secretaries, Assistant Section Officers, Computer Operators, U.D. Stenographers, Assistants, Typists, Copyists and similar posts.
- District Judiciary of AP: Chief Administrative Officers, Superintendents, Stenographers Grade I–III, Senior and Junior Assistants, Typists.
- AP Prosecution Services: Assistant Public Prosecutors, Senior APPs, Additional PPs Grade-II.
- Section Officers in the Law Department of the AP Secretariat.
- Section Officers in the AP Legislature Department.
- Managers in the offices of the Advocate General, Government Pleaders and Public Prosecutors, and the Editor, I.L.R. of AP.
Candidates facing disciplinary charges or undergoing punishment are not eligible under this route.
Check Official Notice PDF Here
Who Is Not Eligible
Candidates are disqualified if they were dismissed or compulsorily retired from government or judicial service, convicted of an offence involving moral turpitude, debarred by the High Court, UPSC or any State PSC, found of doubtful integrity, or in a bigamous marriage.
AP High Court Civil Judge Age Limit 2026
Direct recruits must not have completed 35 years, and transfer candidates 48 years, as on 01 September 2026.
| Category | Maximum Age (as on 01.09.2026) |
|---|---|
| Direct Recruitment – OC | Below 35 years |
| Direct Recruitment – SC / ST / BC / EWS | Below 40 years (5-year relaxation) |
| Direct Recruitment – PwBD | Below 45 years (10-year relaxation) |
| Recruitment by Transfer | Below 48 years |
For ex-defence personnel applying through Direct Recruitment, the period of defence service is excluded when calculating age.
AP High Court Civil Judge Application Fee 2026
The fee is Rs. 1,500 for OC, EWS and BC candidates and Rs. 750 for SC, ST and PwBD candidates.
| Category | Application + Exam Fee |
|---|---|
| Open Category / EWS / BC | Rs. 1,500 |
| SC / ST / Persons with Benchmark Disabilities | Rs. 750 |
The concessional Rs. 750 fee applies to SC/ST candidates only if their community is recognized as SC/ST in Andhra Pradesh. The fee is paid online and is not refunded, even if the application is rejected or the notification is cancelled.
AP High Court Civil Judge Selection Process and Exam Pattern 2026
The final merit list is based on 250 marks: Paper I (100) + Paper II (100) + Viva Voce (50). The screening test and Paper III are qualifying only.
- Screening Test (CBT) – shortlists candidates at a 1:10 ratio to vacancies; minimum 40% needed.
- Written Examination – three descriptive papers, answered in English (except the translation part).
- Viva Voce – candidates called at a 1:3 ratio per category; absence means disqualification.
- Document verification of originals, followed by verification of antecedents.
| Stage | Paper | Marks | Duration | Counted in Final Merit? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screening Test | 100 objective MCQs | 100 | 2 hours | No (qualifying) |
| Written Exam | Paper I – Civil Laws | 100 | 3 hours | Yes |
| Written Exam | Paper II – Criminal Laws | 100 | 3 hours | Yes |
| Written Exam | Paper III – English (Translation 40 + Essay 60) | 100 | 3 hours | No (40% in each part required) |
| Interview | Viva Voce | 50 | – | Yes |
In Paper III, Part I tests translation from English to Telugu and Telugu to English. Part II is an essay on a legal subject. If two candidates tie, the older candidate is preferred, then higher qualification, then higher marks in the qualifying degree.
AP High Court Civil Judge Minimum Qualifying Marks 2026
OC and EWS candidates need 60% overall to be selected; SC, ST and PwBD candidates need 50%.
| Category | Each of Paper I & II (for Viva) | Written Aggregate (for Viva) | Written + Viva Aggregate (for Selection) |
|---|---|---|---|
| OC / EWS | 55% | 60% | 60% |
| BC | 50% | 55% | 55% |
| SC / ST / PwBD | 45% | 50% | 50% |
| Recruitment by Transfer | 55% | 60% | 60% |
AP High Court Civil Judge Syllabus 2026
The same syllabus applies to the Screening Test and the Written Examination: 13 civil law subjects and 16 criminal law subjects, including the new BNS, BNSS and BSA.
| Civil Laws (Paper I) | Criminal Laws (Paper II) |
|---|---|
| Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 | Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 |
| Indian Contract Act, 1872 | Indian Evidence Act, 1872 |
| Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 | Indian Penal Code, 1860 |
| Hindu Succession Act, 1956 | Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS) |
| Indian Easements Act, 1882 | Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 (BSA) |
| Specific Relief Act, 1963 | Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS) |
| Limitation Act, 1963 | Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 |
| Transfer of Property Act, 1882 | Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 |
| Civil Rules of Practice | Criminal Rules of Practice |
| Registration Act, 1908 and Indian Stamp Act, 1899 | A.P. Excise Act, 1968 |
| A.P. Land Encroachment Act, 1905 | A.P. Gaming Act, 1974 |
| Indian Evidence Act, 1872 | Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 |
| Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 (BSA) | Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 |
| Information Technology Act, 2000 | |
| POCSO Act, 2012 | |
| A.P. Forest Act, 1967 |
AP Civil Judge Salary, Training and Exam Centres
The regular pay scale is Rs. 77,840 – 1,36,520, but selected candidates first complete two years of training and clerkship at half that remuneration.
Training and Probation
- Year 1 – Judicial Academy: Selected candidates join as Trainee Judicial Officers for one year of compulsory training, paid a fixed emolument equal to half a Civil Judge’s remuneration.
- Year 2 – Law Clerkship: Six months under a Principal District/District and Sessions Judge or Higher Judicial Service member, then six months under a High Court Judge, at the same emolument.
- Regular appointment: After a satisfactory evaluation report, the trainee is appointed to the regular post with full pay scale and benefits.
Screening Test Exam Centres
Candidates must choose three centres in order of preference: Guntur, Kurnool, Rajahmundry (Rajamahendravaram), Tirupati, Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam. The High Court may allot a different centre, and change requests will not be accepted. Written exam venues will be announced after the screening result.
How to Apply Online for AP High Court Civil Judge Recruitment 2026
Apply only online at aphc.gov.in by 11:59 PM on 26 October 2026; no other mode is accepted.
- Visit the official website aphc.gov.in and open the recruitment section.
- Find Notification No. 118/2026-RC for Civil Judge (Junior Division) and read it fully.
- Fill in the online application form and choose three screening test centres.
- Upload the required documents (listed below).
- Pay the fee online: Rs. 1,500 (OC/EWS/BC) or Rs. 750 (SC/ST/PwBD).
- Submit the form and save a copy. Documents and options cannot be changed after submission.
Documents to Upload
Direct Recruitment:
- Date of birth proof / SSC certificate
- Law degree certificate
- Community certificate (SC/ST/BC, showing BC group)
- BC: latest Non-Creamy Layer certificate issued in 2025 or 2026; without it, you are treated as OC
- EWS: certificate issued in 2025 or 2026 by the Tahsildar, showing family income below Rs. 8 lakh
- PwBD: Medical Board certificate stating nature and percentage of disability
- Ex-servicemen: discharge certificate
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 the employer (at verification)
Original certificates must be produced on the date fixed by the High Court, or the candidature will be rejected.
AP High Court Vacancy 2026: FAQs
Q1. How many vacancies are there in AP High Court Civil Judge Recruitment 2026? There are 119 Civil Judge (Junior Division) posts: 96 by Direct Recruitment and 23 by Recruitment by Transfer.
Q2. What is the last date to apply for the AP High Court Vacancy 2026? The last date is 26 October 2026, up to 11:59 PM.
Q3. What is the AP Civil Judge salary? The pay scale is Rs. 77,840 – 1,36,520. During two years of training and clerkship, trainees get half of the regular remuneration.
Q4. What is the age limit for AP Civil Judge 2026? Direct recruits must be under 35 as on 01.09.2026 (40 for SC/ST/BC/EWS, 45 for PwBD). Transfer candidates must be under 48.
Q5. Can fresh law graduates apply? The notification allows law graduates who obtained their degree preceding one year as on the notification date, in line with the Supreme Court’s Bhumika Trust judgment. Check the official notification for the exact condition.
Q6. What is the application fee? Rs. 1,500 for OC/EWS/BC and Rs. 750 for SC/ST/PwBD candidates.
Q7. Is there negative marking in the screening test? The notification does not mention negative marking. The test has 100 MCQs for 100 marks in 2 hours.
Q8. Where are the exam centres? Guntur, Kurnool, Rajahmundry, Tirupati, Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam.
