The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh is inviting online applications for 16 District Judge (Entry Level) posts through direct recruitment. The posts carry Pay Level J-5, ₹1,44,840–₹1,94,660. The application deadline has been extended to 15 November 2026.
About the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh
The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh is the common High Court for the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. It conducts recruitment for judicial service positions through its official recruitment portal.
About the Opportunity
Recruitment is being conducted under Advertisement Notification No. 2510 of 2026/RG, dated 3 October 2026, in accordance with the Jammu and Kashmir Higher Judicial Service Rules, 2009, as amended.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must satisfy the following conditions:
- Educational qualification: Hold a law degree from a university established by law in India and recognised by the Bar Council of India.
- Professional experience: Be a practising advocate in courts of civil and criminal jurisdiction with at least seven years of actual continuous practice, or an in-service judicial candidate with at least seven years of combined continuous experience as an advocate and judicial officer.
- Age: Be 35–45 years old, with a two-year relaxation for SC, ST, Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) and OBC candidates.
- Citizenship and residence: Be an Indian citizen and either a domicile of Jammu and Kashmir under the applicable domicile rules or a resident of the Union Territory of Ladakh under the applicable resident certificate order.
- Language proficiency: Be proficient in reading and writing Urdu.
The notification assesses age and qualifying experience as on the last date for receipt of applications. Its definition of advocate includes practising advocates, pleaders, government pleaders and public prosecutors.
Number of Positions
There are 16 vacancies, distributed as follows:
| Category | Vacancies |
|---|---|
| Open Merit (OM) | 4 |
| SC | 2 |
| ST-1 | 1 |
| ST-2 | 2 |
| ALC | 1 |
| OBC | 2 |
| RBA | 2 |
| EWS | 2 |
| Total | 16 |
Pay Scale
The posts carry Pay Level J-5: ₹1,44,840–₹1,94,660.
Selection Process
Selection consists of:
- Written examination: Two papers of 80 marks each, with two hours allotted to each paper.
- Viva voce: 40 marks.
The written examination qualifying threshold is 50%, reduced to 45% for SC, ST and PwBD candidates. Candidates are shortlisted for viva voce in order of merit at a ratio of three candidates per vacancy.
The viva voce qualifying threshold is also 50%, or 45% for SC, ST and PwBD candidates. Final selection is based on combined written examination and viva voce marks. The syllabus is provided in Annexure-C of the notification.
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Application Fee
The application fee is ₹1,200, payable online. The recruitment portal states that the fee is non-refundable.
How to Apply?
Applications must be submitted online through the High Court’s recruitment portal.
- Visit the official recruitment portal.
- Register using a valid email address and mobile number.
- Complete the application for Advertisement No. 2510 of 2026/RG.
- Upload the required documents and pay the application fee.
- Retain the application printout, payment receipt and supporting documents.
Advocate-category applicants: The portal specifically instructs candidates to complete Annexure-A and upload it in the Annexure-B upload field, wherever applicable or mandatory.
Documents Required
Applicants should prepare:
- Date-of-birth proof, such as the Secondary School or Matriculation Certificate.
- Domicile or resident certificate, as applicable.
- Law degree.
- Annexure-A experience certificate for practising advocates.
- Annexure-B experience/service certificate for in-service judicial officers.
- Reserved-category certificate, where claiming a benefit.
- Scanned photograph and signature.
In-service judicial officers must also follow the separate certificate instructions concerning enrolment, proof of practice, relevant employment records and supporting declarations.
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Candidates Who Applied Earlier
Candidates who applied under Notification No. 1841 of 2024 dated 8 August 2024 or Notification No. 03 of 2024 dated 5 June 2024 need not apply again if they were eligible under the rules applicable at that time and their candidature was not rejected.
Application Timeline
- Applications opened: 5 October 2026.
- Extended application deadline: 15 November 2026.
The extension notice, dated 31 October 2026, replaces the earlier deadline of 4 November 2026. All other advertisement terms remain unchanged. Examination dates will be notified separately.
Contact Details
For recruitment queries or technical assistance, use the official recruitment helpdesk.
Official Notification and Guidelines
- Recruitment notification and annexures.
- Deadline extension notice.
- Experience/service certificate instructions.
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