The High Court of Kerala is accepting applications until 4 May 2026 for 27 Civil Judge (Junior Division) posts — a rare recruitment window given Kerala's irregular judicial service cycle of every 2-3 years. The notification opened on 1 April 2026 with eligibility limited to advocates aged up to 35 with three years of practice, applied at hckrecruitment.keralacourts.in.
Key details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Exam | Kerala Judicial Service (Civil Judge Junior Division) Examination 2026 |
| Conducting body | High Court of Kerala |
| Total vacancies | 27 (across Special, NCA, and regular categories) |
| Post | Civil Judge (Junior Division) |
| Application starts | 1 April 2026 |
| Application deadline | 4 May 2026 |
| Exam date | To be announced |
| Eligibility | LL.B. + 3 years of advocacy practice; maximum age 35 years as on 01-01-2026 |
| Salary | 7th CPC pay scale for Civil Judge (Junior Division) |
| Official portal | hckrecruitment.keralacourts.in |
Eligibility criteria
- Must hold a Degree in Law recognised by the Bar Council of India (3-year LL.B. or 5-year integrated)
- Must have a minimum of 3 years of practice as an Advocate at the Bar on the date of notification
- Maximum age: 35 years as on 1 January 2026; age relaxations apply for SC/ST, OBC, and other reserved categories as per Kerala government rules
- Knowledge of Malayalam is essential for Kerala judicial service — this will be tested at the viva-voce stage
- Candidates must be Indian citizens of sound character; enrolment as an advocate with any State Bar Council is mandatory
How to apply
- Visit the Kerala High Court recruitment portal at hckrecruitment.keralacourts.in/hckrecruitment/
- Download and read the full notification and prospectus carefully
- Register on the portal with a valid email ID and mobile number to receive login credentials
- Complete the online application with personal, educational, and professional practice details
- Upload scanned photograph, signature, LL.B. degree certificate, Bar Council enrolment certificate, and practice certificate
- Pay the prescribed application fee online through the integrated payment gateway
- Submit before the 4 May 2026 deadline and download the final confirmation
Important notes
- Kerala judiciary notifications are rare — the last significant cycle before this was several years ago, making this an important opportunity for Kerala-based advocates
- The 27 posts are distributed across Special (reserved for specific categories), NCA (No Candidate Available — carried forward), and regular vacancies; candidates should examine the break-up before selecting category
- Selection will follow the standard three-stage pattern: Preliminary Exam → Mains → Viva-voce
- Malayalam proficiency is a practical filter — candidates from outside Kerala should be fluent in reading, writing, and understanding legal Malayalam
- The practice certificate must be issued by a competent authority (Bar Council, District Court) certifying three full years of practice as on the relevant date