Delhi Judicial Service (DJS) Exam: Pattern, Syllabus, Eligibility and Age Limit (2026 Rules)

The Delhi High Court has not advertised the Delhi Judicial Service (DJS) exam since the 2023 cycle, whose final result came out on 4 March 2025, but it substantially revised the DJS rules in February 2026. The amended rules add the new criminal laws to the syllabus, add commercial and IP laws, introduce one year of compulsory training, and wrote in a 3-year practice requirement that must now be read with the Supreme Court’s August 2026 judgment. Here is the exam as it stands under the Delhi Judicial Service Rules, 1970, as on 9 February 2026.

Status

• Last cycle: DJS Examination 2023, advertised 6 November 2023 with 53 vacancies. Final result and select list: 4 March 2025.
• Next cycle: no DJS advertisement as of 24 October 2026. (The Delhi Higher Judicial Service exam held in 2026 is a separate exam for experienced advocates.)

Eligibility

• Citizenship: Indian citizen.
• Practice: the rules as amended on 6 February 2026 require at least 3 years of practice as an advocate on the last date of application, counted from provisional enrolment, with law-clerk experience counted. This must now be read with the Supreme Court’s August 2026 judgment in Bhumika Trust, under which advertisements issued by 31 March 2027 are open to all law graduates and later advertisements require one year of certified practice. See the practice rule after Bhumika Trust.
• Age: not more than 32 years on 1 January of the year in which applications are invited. The 2023 advertisement gave up to 5 years’ relaxation for SC, ST and ex-servicemen, and 10 years (15 for SC and ST) for persons with disabilities.

Exam pattern

Preliminary exam (screening)

• One objective paper of 200 marks. The 2023 exam was 2.5 hours.
• Negative marking of 25 percent for each wrong answer.
• Qualifying marks: 60 percent (General) and 55 percent (reserved). Up to 10 times the vacancies go to mains. Prelims marks do not count in the merit.

Mains: 850 marks

Viva-voce: 150 marks

Up to three times the vacancies are called. To be called you need 40 percent in each paper and 50 percent in aggregate (35 and 45 percent for reserved categories). In the viva you need 50 percent (45 percent for reserved categories). The final merit is mains plus viva. Selected candidates now complete one year of compulsory training before presiding over a court.

Syllabus (as substituted in February 2026)

Prelims

General legal knowledge and aptitude; English; the Constitution; CPC; CrPC and BNSS; IPC and BNS; Contract Act; LLP Act, 2008; Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996; Evidence Act and BSA; Specific Relief Act; Limitation Act; POCSO Act, 2012; Commercial Courts Act, 2015.

Civil Law I

Contract; Sale of Goods; Transfer of Property; Specific Relief; Hindu law; Muslim law; Delhi Rent Control Act, 1958; Torts; NDMC Act, 1994; DMC Act, 1957; Commercial Courts Act.

Civil Law II

CPC; Evidence Act and BSA; Limitation; Registration Act, 1908; Arbitration Act; Trade Marks Act, 1999; Copyright Act, 1957.

Criminal Law

CrPC and BNSS; IPC and BNS; Evidence Act and BSA; Domestic Violence Act, 2005; NI Act, 1881; POSH Act, 2013; Juvenile Justice Act, 2015.

Preparation priorities

• The prelims is tough: 25 percent negative marking with a 60 percent cut-off. Accuracy matters more than attempts.
• The new syllabus adds IP (trade marks and copyright), commercial courts and municipal laws. Few candidates have prepared these yet.
• The language paper carries 150 marks; practise précis and translation every week.

Prepare with Lexfolio

Every state paper now tests the new criminal laws alongside, or in place of, the old codes. Our New Criminal Laws Guide maps the IPC, CrPC and Evidence Act to the BNS, BNSS and BSA section by section, and the judiciary packs add model answers and judgment digests for mains. Read the practice rule after Bhumika Trust to check whether you can apply in the next cycle.

Sources

• Delhi Judicial Service Rules, 1970, as on 9 February 2026 (Delhi High Court)
• Delhi High Court, Advertisement for Delhi Judicial Service Examination 2023 (6 November 2023)
• Delhi High Court, final result of DJS Examination 2023 (4 March 2025)
• Supreme Court of India, Bhumika Trust v. Union of India, judgment of 21 August 2026

Last checked: 24 October 2026.