The High Court of Delhi has released the Delhi Higher Judicial Service Admit Card 2026 for candidates appearing in the preliminary examination. The admit-card download notice was published on the official Delhi High Court recruitment portal on 21 July 2026.
The Delhi Higher Judicial Service Preliminary Examination will be held on 26 July 2026 from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM. The recruitment is being conducted to fill 27 vacancies, comprising 24 existing and three anticipated vacancies, through direct recruitment.
Candidates should download their admission certificate before the examination, verify the reporting time and examination centre, and carry an original valid photo identity document. Mobile-phone images or digital copies of identity documents will not be accepted at the examination centre.
Delhi High Court HJS Admit Card 2026 overview
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Recruiting authority | High Court of Delhi |
| Examination | Delhi Higher Judicial Service Examination 2026 |
| Service | Delhi Higher Judicial Service |
| Recruitment method | Direct recruitment |
| Total vacancies | 27 |
| Existing vacancies | 24 |
| Anticipated vacancies | 3 |
| Application status | Closed |
| Admit-card release | 21 July 2026 |
| Preliminary examination | 26 July 2026 |
| Examination time | 11:00 AM–1:00 PM |
| Preliminary exam mode | Objective-type OMR examination |
| Selection process | Preliminary exam, Mains written exam and viva-voce |
| Pay scale | ₹1,44,840–₹1,94,660, J-5 |
The official advertisement confirms that the recruitment will be conducted through three successive stages: the qualifying preliminary examination, the written Mains examination and viva-voce.
Latest update
The Delhi High Court recruitment page currently displays the official admit-card download entry for the Delhi Higher Judicial Service Preliminary Examination 2026.
The recruitment cycle has reached the following stage:
Application Closed → Admit Card Released → Preliminary Examination on 26 July 2026
The preliminary examination is only a screening stage. Marks obtained in the preliminary examination will not be added to the final merit calculation.
Important dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Official advertisement issued | 1 July 2026 |
| Online application started | 1 July 2026 at 10:00 AM |
| Last date to apply | 15 July 2026 at 5:30 PM |
| Last date for fee payment | 15 July 2026 at 5:30 PM |
| Admit card released | 21 July 2026 |
| Preliminary examination | 26 July 2026 |
| Model answer key | To be announced |
| Preliminary result | To be announced |
| Mains examination | To be announced |
| Viva-voce | To be announced |
| Final result | To be announced |
The online application window remained open from 1 July to 15 July 2026. The Court subsequently released the admit-card notice on 21 July.
Delhi Higher Judicial Service vacancy details
| Category | Existing | Anticipated | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| General | 14 | 3 | 17 |
| Scheduled Caste | 5 | — | 5 |
| Scheduled Tribe | 5 | — | 5 |
| Total | 24 | 3 | 27 |
Three of the five SC vacancies and four of the five ST vacancies are backlog vacancies. The total number of vacancies may change according to applicable judicial decisions and administrative requirements.
PwD reservation
Out of the advertised vacancies, three are identified for eligible candidates with benchmark disabilities:
| Identified disability category | Reserved vacancies |
|---|---|
| Blindness and low vision | 1 |
| Specified locomotor disabilities | 1 |
| Specific learning or eligible multiple disabilities | 1 |
| Total | 3 |
Eligible candidates must ordinarily possess a benchmark disability of at least 40% to receive reservation, marks relaxation or fee concession under the identified categories.
Eligibility criteria
Applicants must be citizens of India and satisfy the legal-practice or judicial-service experience requirement as on 15 July 2026.
Advocates
An advocate must have been in continuous legal practice for at least seven years as on the closing date.
Judicial officers
A judicial officer must satisfy one of the prescribed conditions, including:
- Seven years of Bar practice before entering subordinate judicial service; or
- Seven years of combined experience as a judicial officer and advocate.
A person who is or has been in judicial service may also qualify with combined experience of at least seven years as an advocate or judicial officer, subject to the official rules and documentary verification.
Age limit
Candidates must have attained the age of 35 years but must not have attained the age of 45 years on the last date for submitting the application.
| Requirement | Age |
|---|---|
| Minimum age | 35 years |
| Maximum age | Below 45 years |
| Age calculation date | 15 July 2026 |
Candidates should refer to the detailed instructions and Delhi Higher Judicial Service Rules for any applicable category-specific provisions.
Application fee
| Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| General category | ₹2,000 |
| SC, ST and eligible PwD categories | ₹500 |
The fee was non-refundable and payable through debit card, credit card, internet banking or UPI during the online application period.
Delhi High Court HJS salary
Members appointed to the Delhi Higher Judicial Service receive the J-5 pay scale of ₹1,44,840 to ₹1,94,660.
Other admissible benefits and allowances will be governed by the applicable service rules and conditions of appointment.
Selection process
The recruitment consists of three successive stages:
- Delhi Higher Judicial Service Preliminary Examination
- Delhi Higher Judicial Service Mains Written Examination
- Viva-voce
The preliminary examination is qualifying and screening in nature. Final merit will be determined using marks obtained in the Mains written examination and viva-voce.
Preliminary examination pattern
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Examination type | Objective multiple-choice questions |
| Total questions | 150 |
| Maximum marks | 150 |
| Duration | 2 hours |
| Marks per question | 1 |
| Negative marking | 0.25 mark for each wrong answer |
| Answer method | OMR sheet |
| Status | Screening and qualifying |
Candidates must use a blue or black ballpoint pen for the OMR sheet. Multiple answers, altered responses or improperly marked ovals may be treated as incorrect and attract negative marking.
Minimum qualifying marks in prelims
| Category | Minimum qualifying marks |
|---|---|
| General | 50% |
| SC and ST | 45% |
| Eligible PwD candidates | 45% |
The number of candidates admitted to the Mains examination will ordinarily not exceed 20 times the number of advertised vacancies in each category, subject to tie-handling provisions at the cut-off.
Preliminary examination syllabus
The preliminary examination may include questions from:
- General knowledge
- Current affairs
- English language
- Constitution of India
- Civil Procedure Code
- Criminal Procedure Code and Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita
- Indian Penal Code and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita
- Indian Evidence Act and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam
- Limitation Act
- Contract Act
- Partnership Act
- Arbitration and Conciliation Act
- Specific Relief Act
- Transfer of Property Act
- Sale of Goods Act
- Negotiable Instruments Act
- Succession and personal laws
- Prevention of Corruption Act
- POCSO Act
- Commercial Courts Act
- Information Technology Act
- Intellectual-property laws
- Labour and industrial laws
- Motor Vehicles Act
- SARFAESI and debt-recovery laws
Candidates should study the complete official syllabus because the examination covers a broad range of civil, criminal, commercial, labour and intellectual-property legislation.
Mains examination pattern
The Mains written examination comprises four papers:
| Paper | Subject | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper I | General Knowledge and Language | 150 | 2 hours |
| Paper II | Law I | 200 | 3 hours |
| Paper III | Law II | 200 | 3 hours |
| Paper IV | Law III | 200 | 3 hours |
| Total | 750 |
The viva-voce carries an additional 250 marks. Final merit will be prepared from Mains and viva-voce marks.
How to download Delhi High Court HJS Admit Card 2026
- Visit the official Delhi High Court website.
- Open Public Notices and select Job Openings.
- Find the Delhi Higher Judicial Service Preliminary Examination 2026 admit-card notice.
- Open the official admission-certificate link.
- Enter the required application or login details.
- Submit the information.
- Download the admit card.
- Check the examination centre, reporting time and personal details.
- Print a clear copy for the examination.
The official admit-card notice directs candidates to the designated Delhi High Court candidate portal.
Details to verify on the admit card
Candidates should check:
- Candidate’s name
- Application number
- Roll number
- Photograph and signature
- Examination date
- Reporting time
- Examination-centre address
- Candidate category
- Instructions regarding identification
- Items permitted inside the examination centre
Any material discrepancy should be reported through the official recruitment channel before the examination.
Documents required at the examination centre
Candidates must carry:
- Printed Delhi HJS admit card
- Original and valid photo identity document
Accepted identity documents may include:
- Aadhaar card
- Voter identity card
- Passport
- PAN card
- Identity card issued by a Bar Association
- Identity card issued by a government authority
An identity image stored on a mobile phone will not be accepted.
Important examination instructions
- Reach the examination centre before the reporting deadline.
- Carry an original identity document.
- Use only a blue or black ballpoint pen on the OMR sheet.
- Mark only one answer for each question.
- Do not use erasers, correction fluid or other methods to change an answer.
- Do not carry notes, loose sheets or prohibited electronic devices.
- Follow the centre-specific instructions printed on the admit card.
- Preserve the admit card after the examination.
Answer key and objections
Before declaring the preliminary result, the Delhi High Court will upload model answer keys and invite objections from candidates.
The objection procedure, applicable fee—if any—and submission deadline will be provided through a separate official notice.
Documents required after the Mains result
Candidates who qualify in the Mains examination may be required to submit documents such as:
- Date-of-birth proof
- Class 10 and 12 certificates
- Law degree and marksheets
- Bar Council enrolment certificate
- All India Bar Examination certificate, where applicable
- Certificates establishing the required period of legal practice
- Relevant order sheets or judgments showing court appearances
- Employer or judicial-service certificates
- No Objection Certificate, where applicable
- Category or disability certificates
- Income-tax and professional-income documents prescribed in the instructions
Eligibility will be examined in detail during the later recruitment stages.
Use Regal Career Tools Before Applying Online
Before starting the online application, candidates should keep their photograph, signature, identity details, educational certificates and other required documents ready in the prescribed format. Regal Career provides free online application tools that can help candidates prepare these files quickly and reduce the risk of upload errors while completing the recruitment form.
Candidates can use the Photo and Signature Resizer to adjust their photograph and signature according to the required dimensions and file size. The Image Compressor can reduce oversized JPG, PNG or WebP files without making them difficult to read, while the Signature Cropper helps remove unnecessary blank space around a scanned signature. Applicants who need a formal application photograph can also use the Passport Photo Maker to prepare a clean passport-size image.
Some recruitment forms also require a handwritten declaration in a specific size. The Declaration Resizer can help candidates resize and optimise the declaration before uploading it. Applicants may visit the Regal Career Application Tools section to access these utilities before submitting the form. Candidates should still compare the final image dimensions, file format and file size with the exact instructions given in the official recruitment notification.
Suggested Tools To Apply Online
- Online application tools → All Application Tools page
- Photo and Signature Resizer → Photo and Signature Resizer tool
- Image Compressor → Image Compressor tool
- Signature Cropper → Signature Cropper tool
- Passport Photo Maker → Passport Photo Maker tool
- Declaration Resizer → Declaration Resizer tool
- Regal Career Application Tools → Main tools hub
Important links
| Activity | Status |
|---|---|
| Download Delhi HJS admit card | Available |
| Read official advertisement | Available |
| Model answer key | Awaited |
| Preliminary result | Awaited |
| Mains schedule | Awaited |
| Official Delhi High Court website | Available |
The Delhi High Court Job Openings page should be treated as the primary source for admit cards, answer keys, results and future examination notices.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Delhi High Court HJS Admit Card 2026 released?
Yes. The High Court of Delhi published the admit-card download notice on 21 July 2026.
When will the Delhi HJS preliminary examination be held?
The preliminary examination is scheduled for 26 July 2026 from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
How many vacancies are available?
The recruitment covers 27 vacancies, consisting of 24 existing and three anticipated positions.
What is the age limit?
Candidates must be at least 35 years old and below 45 years of age as on 15 July 2026.
What experience is required?
Candidates generally need at least seven years of qualifying experience as an advocate, judicial officer or through an eligible combination of legal practice and judicial service.
Is there negative marking?
Yes. The preliminary examination carries a penalty of 0.25 mark for each incorrect answer.
Will prelims marks count toward final merit?
No. Preliminary marks are used only for screening candidates for the Mains examination.
What is the salary?
The advertised pay scale is ₹1,44,840–₹1,94,660 under J-5.
Conclusion
Candidates registered for the Delhi Higher Judicial Service Examination 2026 should download their admit cards immediately and prepare for the preliminary examination scheduled for 26 July 2026.
The examination will contain 150 objective questions with 25% negative marking. Candidates must carry a printed admit card and an original valid photo identity document to the examination centre.
Future updates regarding the model answer key, preliminary result, Mains examination and viva-voce should be checked through the official Delhi High Court recruitment portal.