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PCS (J)-Provincial Civil Service-Judicial Examination: Career in Judicial Services

Judiciary exam, also called the PCS (J)-Provincial Civil Service-Judicial Examination, is the first step for law school graduates who want to become judges in lower courts. The members are chosen by the state government with the help of the high court in each state. Members are chosen based on how they scored in the Judiciary exam.

The judiciary can be a good choice for people who like supporting people and/or like the authority that is associated when one is in charge. Not only is it a way to stay close to the law for the rest of your career, but it also gives you the satisfaction of accomplishing something good for society. It's a job that will challenge your mind and earn you the respect of the average person.

Every High Court is in charge of the lower courts of the state(s) it has authority over. People who work in the subordinate judiciary (also called the judicial service or the PCS (J)-Provincial Civil Service-Judicial) are the presiding officers of different courts up to and including the District Judge position.

Advantages of a job in the judicial services field.
There are a lot of good things about these judicial services. For example, they come with a lot of perks and benefits, such as free housing, fuel allowances, subsidized electricity and water, phone allowances, and scholarships for children's education. These are a lot better than those of people who work for the government. When you add the higher pay structures of the 6th Pay Commission to this, you have a very rewarding job, and the best is yet to come. Unlike administrators or police officers, judicial officers almost always work at district headquarters, so they never have to work in remote areas. This also lets them live a life that is pretty enjoyable.

How to take the Judiciary Exam and Who Can Take It

There are two ways to get into the judicial services.

  1. Lower Judiciary Services                
  2. Higher Judiciary Services

Lower Judiciary Services-

The first is for recent college graduates, who have to take an entrance exam given by the state public service commission (in UP, MP, Rajasthan, etc.) or the High Court (Delhi). The tests cover law, English, general knowledge, and the local language of the state. The tests' schedules can be found on the websites of the commissions. If you get in this way, you're sure to get promotions on time and a job early on in your career.

Qualification:  The applicant must have an LL.B degree.
No experience is needed, and people in their last year of school can also apply.
Under the Advocates' Act of 1961, the candidate should have signed up as an advocate or met the requirements to do so.

Age Limit: Each state has a different age limit. Most of the time, it's between 21 and 35 years.

Higher Judiciary Services:

The Higher Judicial Service is the second way to get into the judicial service (HJS). This service is available to lawyers who have been practicing law for at least a certain number of years, usually seven. To get into the HJS, applicants have to take a competitive exam with a similar curriculum to the one described above. The benefit of this choice is that if the applicant is chosen, he or she will be posted as an extra district judge, which will greatly speed up their chances of being promoted.

How the Judicial Services Examination structured ?

There are three parts to the Judicial Services Exam.

  1. Preliminary Examination
  2. Main Exam
  3. Viva-Voce or Interview

Preliminary Examination:
The exam comprises objective type questions. Its only purpose is to find out who is qualified to go on to the mains. The marks a candidate gets in this section are not used to decide who gets the job.

Minimum Qualifying Percentage for Each Category:

Category.         Percentage required to qualify

General.             60%

Others                55%

Mains Examination:-

This part of the test is not objective. It is mostly made up of 3–4 papers. The final choice is made based on how well you did in this section.

Viva-Voce/Personal Interview:-

This is the last step in the process of choosing. At this stage, candidates are judged on their general interests, intelligence, personality, etc.

Syllabus for the Judicial Services Exam

The course of study for the judiciary exam is different in each state. It can be broken down into

  1. Civil law
  2. Criminal Law
  3. Language paper

The language paper is worth between 20% and 35% of the total grade. Six to seven papers make up the main test, and almost 70% of the questions are about law. Judiciary service is a good choice for people who want to help the public and be held in high esteem. It offers a safe and secure job with a good pay package. Before you join the judicial service, you should think about how unlikely it is that a member of the lower judiciary will make it all the way to the top. So, if you want to be a Supreme Court judge one day, this may not be the best choice for you. On the other hand, if you want a safe and secure job and want to work for the public good, but you don't want to deal with the uncertainty of litigation, then the judicial services may be a good choice for you.

List of States Conducting PCS J (s)

Jurisdiction Service examination is held individually by 24 states of India. The name of the examination along with its  official website for reference is provided below ;

Frequently Asked Questions(FAQ)


How many attempts for State PCS J?

For General category applicant, There is Maximum four attempts are allowed upto 30 years of age. For OBC category applicant, there is Maximum of seven attempts allowed upto 33 years of age. For SC/ST category applicants , no maximum number of allowed attempts for appearing in PCSJ upto 35 years of age.

How many Papers are conducted in PCS J Prelims Exam?

There are two papers for GK and Law in PCS J Preliminary Test.

What is the success rate of PCS J?

Every Year around 60,000 to 70,000 candidates enroll for the prelims of PCS J while only 10% of them, i.e. 6,000 to 7,000 qualify it to the Mains.

Apart from this specific career here we will discuss two most SEARCHED query :-

  1. Career in judicial system in India.
  2. Perks of serving as judges in Indian court.

Career in judicial system in India.

There are a number of options available to you if you want to work in the Indian judicial system. You may want to ponder about the following important positions and career paths:

Judge: In order to become a judge in India, you must first pass the judicial services exam administered by the public service commission of the relevant state or union territory. You will be appointed as a judge in a lower court after passing the exam, and you can advance to higher courts.

Lawyer: In order to practice law in India, one must first earn a law degree from an accredited institution and pass the All India Bar Examination (AIBE), which is administered by the Bar Council of India. After that, you can either work alone or with a law firm to practice law in India.

Public Prosecutor: Your role as a public prosecutor would be to represent the state in criminal proceedings. You must pass the judicial services exam and be appointed by the government in order to work as a public prosecutor.

Legal Advisor: To assist them in navigating legal issues, many businesses and organisations need legal advisors. You need a law degree and relevant experience in the area in which you want to specialise in order to work as a legal advisor.

Law clerk: Law clerks assist judges by conducting legal research, drafting judgments, and performing other duties. They work closely with judges. You must possess a law degree and pass the recruitment test held by the relevant court in order to work as a law clerk.

In addition to these positions, the Indian judicial system offers a number of other career options, including court reporters, court officers, and court administrators. It's critical to have a solid grasp of the Indian legal system, as well as superior communication and analytical skills, regardless of the career path you choose.

Perks of serving as judges in Indian court.

Numerous advantages and perks may be associated with being a judge in the Indian legal system. Here are some of the main benefits that Indian judges may take advantage of:

Job security: Judges in India enjoy job security because their terms of appointment are fixed, and the only ways to remove them from office are through impeachment or a judge's own decision to resign.

Judges in India are well-compensated with an alluring salary package that includes a variety of benefits like house rent, travel, medical, and pension.

Prestige and social standing: In India, being a judge is regarded as a very prestigious and highly respected profession. In the society, judges are highly regarded and have a certain social standing.

Respect and acclaim: Judges are respected and acclaimed for their legal expertise, discernment, and objectivity. They are regarded as defenders of the law and justice.

Judges in India have the chance to advance their careers and further their professional development. They may advance to higher courts and take on cases with greater difficulty.

Work-life balance: Since judges in India work set hours and get weekends and holidays off, they have a good work-life balance. Additionally, they are eligible for leave benefits.

Access to legal resources: Judges can use a variety of legal resources, such as databases, legal journals, and precedents, to aid in their work.

Overall, becoming a judge in India can be a fulfilling and rewarding career path with a number of perks and advantages. A high level of knowledge, expertise, and objectivity are necessary for this profession, which is also extremely demanding and challenging.