The Kerala High Court has notified the Kerala Judicial Service Examination 2025 on Friday. Online applications can be submitted from 03.02.2025 onwards. No other means or modes of application will be accepted.

Mode of Selection

The selection shall be made through competitive examinations at two successive stages. The first stage is the Kerala Judicial Service (Preliminary) Examination. The second stage is the Kerala Judicial Service (Main) Examination, which consists of a written examination and a viva-voce.

Qualifications for Direct Recruitment

A candidate for appointment as Civil Judge (Junior Division) by direct recruitment shall satisfy the following general conditions:

a) Shall be a citizen of India.

b) Shall be a holder of a degree in Law recognized by the Bar Council of India for the purpose of enrolment as an Advocate.

c) Shall not have completed 35 years of age on the first day of January 2025. The upper age limit shall be raised by five years for candidates belonging to any of the Scheduled Castes, adult members of such castes and their children when such adult members are converted to other religions, or Scheduled Tribes. Candidates belonging to Other Backward Classes are eligible for a relaxation of three years as per Rule 10(c) of Part II of Kerala State and Subordinate Services Rules, 1958. Persons with Benchmark Disabilities, as defined under Section 2(r) of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 (Central Act 49 of 2016), are eligible for an additional age relaxation of ten years over and above the existing upper age limit. The provision in sub-rule (e) of Rule 10 of Part-II, KS & SSR, 1958, for raising the upper age limit for Ex-servicemen shall be applicable, subject to the condition that the maximum age limit shall not exceed 50 years.

d) Shall be of good character.

e) Shall be of sound health, having no bodily infirmities that render them unfit for appointment.

Candidates must ensure they fulfil all eligibility conditions and other norms mentioned in the notification while applying for the post. Unless otherwise specified, the prescribed qualification must be acquired on or before the last date for submitting applications.

Syllabus for the Preliminary Examination

Part-A

Code of Civil Procedure

Indian Contract Act

Negotiable Instruments Act

Transfer of Property Act

Specific Relief Act

Kerala Building (Lease and Rent Control) Act

Code of Criminal Procedure & Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita

Part-B

Indian Penal Code & Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita

Indian Evidence Act & Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam

Part-C

Constitution of India

Legal General Knowledge

Reasoning & Mental Ability

Scheme of the Main Examination

a) Written Examination: The Kerala Judicial Service Main (Written) Examination consists of four papers based on the syllabus below. Each paper carries 100 marks, and the duration of each paper is three hours. The number of candidates shortlisted for viva-voce shall not ordinarily exceed three times the number of notified vacancies.

b) Viva-Voce: Maximum marks for viva-voce shall be 50. Only candidates shortlisted as per the selection scheme shall be called for viva-voce. The minimum cut-off marks for viva-voce are 40% for General and OBC candidates and 35% for candidates belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Persons with Benchmark Disabilities. Fractions of half or more shall be rounded up to the next whole number, while those less than half shall be ignored. The marks obtained in viva-voce shall be added to the total marks secured in the Main (Written) Examination.

Syllabus for the Main (Written) Examination

Paper-I

English Grammar

General Essays (two)

Translation of Malayalam Depositions/Documents to English and vice-versa

Precis writing

Paper-II

Part-A:

Indian Contract Act

Transfer of Property Act

Limitation Act

Specific Relief Act

Easements Act

Kerala Building (Lease and Rent Control) Act

Hindu Succession Act

Indian Succession Act (Parts V, VI & X)

Dissolution of Muslim Marriage Act

Part-B:

Kerala Court Fees and Suits Valuation Act

Kerala Stamp Act

Kerala State Legal Services Authorities Act

The Kerala Panchayath Raj Act (Chapters X, XI, XXIA & XXIII)

Kerala Municipality Act (Chapters IX, X, XXIV & XXV)

Negotiable Instruments Act (except Chapter XVII)

Registration Act

Paper-III

Part-A:

Indian Penal Code & Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita

Indian Evidence Act & Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam

Abkari Act

Negotiable Instruments Act (Chapter XVII)

The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act

Part-B:

Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act

Kerala Police Act

Probation of Offenders Act

Forest Act

Paper-IV

Part-A:

N.D.P.S. Act (provisions relating to bail and trial by Magistrates)

Code of Civil Procedure

Civil Rules of Practice

Kerala Civil Courts Act

Order in Interlocutory Applications/Framing of Issues/Judgment Writing (Civil)

Part-B:

Code of Criminal Procedure & Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita

Criminal Rules of Practice

Framing of Charges/Order in Criminal Miscellaneous Petitions/Judgment Writing (Criminal)

Important Dates for Submission of Application

Commencement of online application filing and fee payment: 03.02.2025

Closure of online application filing and fee payment: 25.02.2025

Commencement of remittance of application fee through offline mode: 03.03.2025

Last date for remittance of application fee through offline mode: 10.03.2025

For any queries, candidates may call 0484-2562235 on all working days between 10:00 AM to 04:30 PM.

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