UP PCS (J) 2026: Civil Judge Exam Pattern, Syllabus, Eligibility, Age Limit and Latest Status

UPPSC conducts the Uttar Pradesh Civil Judge (Junior Division) exam, known as UP PCS (J), and no new advertisement has been issued since the 2022 cycle. That cycle had 303 posts, with mains in March 2023 and the final result in August 2023. When the next advertisement comes, eligibility will be shaped by the Supreme Court’s August 2026 judgment in Bhumika Trust: if it is issued by 31 March 2027, law graduates without practice can apply. Here are the rules, pattern and syllabus from the U.P. Judicial Service Rules, 2001, as amended up to 30 January 2026.

Latest status

• Last cycle: Civil Judge (Junior Division) Exam 2022, Advertisement A-5/E-1/2022, 303 posts. Prelims was held on 12 February 2023 and the final result came on 30 August 2023.
• Next cycle: no advertisement on UPPSC as of 24 October 2026. No official date or vacancy figure has been announced.

Eligibility

Practice

UP amended its rules on 30 January 2026 to require at least 3 years of practice on the date of the advertisement, counted from provisional enrolment, in line with the Supreme Court’s May 2025 ruling. On 21 August 2026 the Supreme Court modified that ruling in Bhumika Trust: for advertisements issued up to 31 March 2027, all law graduates can apply and are deemed to have one year of practice, and from 1 April 2027 one year of certified practice will be required. UP’s rules will need to be amended again to reflect this. See the practice rule after Bhumika Trust.

Other conditions under the rules

• Degree: LL.B. from a university established by law in Uttar Pradesh, or another university recognised by the Governor (Rule 11).
• Age: 22 to 35 years on 1 July of the year following the year in which the notification is published. The upper limit is 5 years higher for SC, ST and other notified categories (Rule 10).
• Attempts: a maximum of 4.
• Language: a thorough knowledge of Hindi in Devanagari script.
• Disability reservation: 4 percent.

Exam pattern

Preliminary exam

UPPSC holds an objective preliminary exam as a screening test, as it did in February 2023. Its marks do not count in the final merit. Check the paper structure and negative marking in the advertisement when it is issued.

Mains (Appendix II of the rules): 1,000 marks

Interview

100 marks, added to the written total, so the final merit is out of 1,100. The Commission fixes the minimum marks for an interview call and may refuse an interview to candidates with inadequate marks in the law papers.

Syllabus highlights

• Paper 1 (General Knowledge) includes social legislation: the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, the Senior Citizens Act, the Dowry Prohibition Act, the Domestic Violence Act, the POSH Act, the PC-PNDT Act, the MTP Act, the Indecent Representation of Women Act and the POCSO Act.
• Paper 4 (Substantive Law): Contract, Partnership, Easements and Torts, Transfer of Property, Equity, Trusts and Specific Relief, Hindu and Muslim law, and Constitutional Law (50 marks).
• Paper 5 (Procedure and Evidence): Evidence, Criminal Procedure and Civil Procedure.
• Paper 6: criminal law (50 marks) and UP revenue and local laws (150 marks): the U.P. Revenue Code, 2006; the U.P. Urban Buildings (Regulation of Letting, Rent and Eviction) Act, 1972; the U.P. Regulation of Urban Premises Tenancy Act, 2021; the Municipalities Act; the Panchayat Raj Act; the Consolidation of Holdings Act; and the Urban Planning and Development Act, 1973.

New criminal laws

Appendix II still names the IPC, CrPC and Evidence Act. A notification of 25 July 2025 added a clause that any enactment in the syllabus includes the enactment that replaces it. So the BNS, BNSS and BSA are part of the syllabus. Prepare them as the main texts, with the old section numbers for reference.

Preparation priorities

• Local laws are 150 marks. The Revenue Code and the rent laws decide ranks; most candidates under-prepare them.
• Write in both languages. The English and Hindi papers are 100 marks each and count in the merit.
• Track the advertisement date. An advertisement before 31 March 2027 opens the exam to fresh graduates.

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

• U.P. Judicial Service Rules, 2001, consolidated up to 30 January 2026 (Allahabad High Court)
• Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission, notifications and advertisements page (checked 24 October 2026)
• Supreme Court of India, Bhumika Trust v. Union of India, judgment of 21 August 2026

Last checked: 24 October 2026.