Delhi Higher Judicial Service Examination 2026 — Instructions, Exam Pattern & Syllabus
High Court of Delhi · Delhi · Updated 17 Aug 2026
The High Court of Delhi has issued detailed instructions, the scheme of examination and the syllabus for the Delhi Higher Judicial Service Examination-2026. The exam is held in three successive stages — Preliminary Examination (objective, 150 marks, with 25% negative marking), Mains Examination (Written, four papers) and Viva-Voce (250 marks).
Important Dates
| Exam date | Examination conducted in three successive stages — Preliminary Examination (2 hours), Mains Examination (Written) — Paper I of 2 hours and Papers II, III & IV of 3 hours each, and Viva-Voce. Exact dates not stated in this document. |
Key Details
| Qualification | LL.B. or equivalent law degree with enrolment as an advocate; documents required include Advocate's licence, Bar Council enrolment certificate, All India Bar Examination pass certificate (where applicable) and a Bar Council certificate showing seven (07) years of practice (or combined experience as advocate and Government employee/judicial officer) immediately preceding the last date of filling the application form |
Selection Process
- DHJS Preliminary Examination (objective type, 150 questions / 150 marks, 2 hours, 25% negative marking — screening test of qualifying nature)
- DHJS Mains Examination (Written) — Paper I General Knowledge & Language (150 marks), Paper II Law-I (200 marks), Paper III Law-II (200 marks), Paper IV Law-III (200 marks)
- Viva-Voce (250 marks)
How to Apply
- Fill up the online application form in English language only
- Candidates already in Government/Judicial Service, PSU or a Bank must inform their parent office about applying (do not send a copy of the application form to the High Court)
- Download the Admit Card from www.delhihighcourt.nic.in and appear at the allotted centre with an original valid photo identity document
- If declared successful in the Mains Examination (Written), send one set of self-attested copies of all prescribed documents to the Joint Registrar [Examination (Judicial)], High Court of Delhi within five (05) days of declaration of result
- PwD candidates seeking scribe/compensatory time must submit the original Certificate of Limitation in Writing and notarised affidavit to the Joint Registrar [Examination (Judicial)] at least three days before each examination
Important Links
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the stages of the DHJS Examination 2026?
Three successive stages — the Preliminary Examination (objective, screening test of qualifying nature), the Mains Examination (Written) and the Viva-Voce.
What is the pattern of the Preliminary Examination?
One paper of multiple-choice objective questions with 150 questions of one mark each (150 marks total), duration 2 hours, and 25% negative marking (0.25 marks) for every wrong answer.
What are the minimum qualifying marks for the Preliminary Examination?
50% for General category candidates and 45% for SC, ST and eligible Persons with Disabilities candidates.
What are the qualifying marks for the Mains Examination (Written)?
General category: 45% in each paper and 50% in the aggregate. SC, ST and eligible PwD candidates: 40% in each paper and 45% in the aggregate.
How many candidates are called for the Mains and Viva-Voce?
Not more than twenty times the advertised vacancies in each category are admitted to the Mains Examination (Written), and candidates shortlisted for Viva-Voce shall not exceed three times the number of vacancies advertised in each category (subject to tie provisions).
Will an answer key be released for the Preliminary Examination?
Yes. Before declaring the Preliminary Examination result, Model Answer Keys will be uploaded and objections invited from candidates.
What compensatory time is given to eligible PwD candidates?
Eligible PwD candidates who avail the scribe and/or compensatory time facility are granted 20 minutes per hour of examination duration in addition to the prescribed time for the Preliminary and Mains (Written) examinations.
Data extracted from the official notification and verified before publishing. Always confirm on the official website before applying. ↗