RJS Eligibility Criteria 2026-2027: Age Limit, Practice Rule and Qualification for Rajasthan Civil Judge Exam
By Advocate Jyoti Saxena | LLB, LLM, CS | Bar Council of Rajasthan | Last Updated: August 2026
| URGENT UPDATE — August 21, 2026 (SC Order 2026 INSC 904): RJS 2026 notification was issued on February 27, 2026. This is BEFORE March 31, 2027 — so FRESH GRADUATES ARE ELIGIBLE for RJS 2026. PRACTICE RULE — TWO SCENARIOS: SCENARIO A — Notifications issued before March 31, 2027 (includes RJS 2026): No practice required. Fresh law graduates can apply. Selected candidates: appointed as Trainee Judicial Officer. Must complete 1 year Judicial Academy training + 1 year clerkship. SCENARIO B — Notifications issued from April 1, 2027 onwards: 1 year actual Bar practice mandatory. Practice certificate required. Selected candidates: same training and clerkship after appointment. RJS 2026 falls under Scenario A — no practice certificate needed. |
The Rajasthan Judicial Services (RJS) exam is conducted by the Rajasthan High Court to recruit Civil Judges for the Rajasthan Subordinate Judiciary. The exam has three stages: Prelims (100 marks, objective), Mains (300 marks, descriptive), and Interview (35 marks). Eligibility for RJS 2026-2027 covers age limit, LLB qualification, practice requirement, nationality, and language. The August 21, 2026 Supreme Court order changed the practice rule — this page reflects the current correct position.
Practice Rule for RJS 2026 — Fresh Graduates Eligible
The RJS 2026 notification was issued on February 27, 2026 — well before the March 31, 2027 cutoff. This means fresh law graduates are eligible to apply for RJS 2026 without any practice certificate. The Supreme Court in its August 21, 2026 order (2026 INSC 904) directed that candidates applying under notifications issued between May 20, 2025 and March 31, 2027 are deemed to have completed one year of practice — no certificate is needed.
| What “Trainee Judicial Officer” Means for RJS 2026 Fresh Graduates: If you are a fresh law graduate selected in RJS 2026: → You will be designated Trainee Judicial Officer on appointment → You will NOT be posted to a court independently on Day 1 → You must complete 1 year of training at Rajasthan State Judicial Academy → Then 6 months clerkship under a District Judge or HJS Judge → Then 6 months clerkship under a Rajasthan High Court Judge → Only after completing all this will you be posted as regular Civil Judge This is NOT a disadvantage — it is structured training before independent posting. Salary and service conditions during training period are per HC notification. |
RJS Age Limit 2026-2027 — Category-Wise
| Category | Minimum Age | Maximum Age | Relaxation |
| General | 21 years | 40 years | No relaxation |
| SC of Rajasthan | 21 years | 45 years | 5 years relaxation |
| ST of Rajasthan | 21 years | 45 years | 5 years relaxation |
| OBC of Rajasthan | 21 years | 45 years | 5 years relaxation |
| MBC of Rajasthan | 21 years | 45 years | 5 years relaxation |
| EWS of Rajasthan | 21 years | 45 years | 5 years relaxation |
| Women (all categories) | 21 years | 45 years | 5 years relaxation |
| Ex-Servicemen | 21 years | 50 years | 10 years relaxation — maximum 50 |
| PwD (Persons with Disability) | 21 years | 45 years | 5 additional years on category limit |
| Age Relaxation — Critical Points: 1. SC/ST/OBC/EWS/Women relaxation applies ONLY to Rajasthan domicile holders. A candidate from UP with SC certificate gets no relaxation in RJS. They will be treated as General category — maximum age 40 years. 2. Age is calculated as per the cut-off date mentioned in the notification. RJS 2026 notification specifies the exact date — verify from hcraj.nic.in. 3. Women relaxation is in addition to category relaxation — a Rajasthan SC woman gets 5 years only — upper limit is 45, not 50. Relaxations are not cumulative unless the notification specifically says so. |
Educational Qualification — RJS 2026-2027
| Requirement | Details |
| LLB degree | Bachelor of Laws (LLB Professional) from a university recognized under the Advocates Act 1961. Both 3-year LLB after graduation and 5-year integrated LLB are accepted. |
| BCI recognition | The institution must have valid Bar Council of India recognition covering your academic year. Get a BCI recognition certificate from your institution. |
| Final-year candidates | Can apply if the notification permits. Must produce the degree certificate before the Mains exam and submit proof to the Registrar (Examination), Rajasthan High Court, Jodhpur within 7 days of the Mains exam. Failure = disqualification even after clearing Mains. |
| Bar Council enrolment | Required if practice rule applies. For RJS 2026 (fresh graduates eligible) — enrolment is still advisable to start the practice clock for future exams. |
| Minimum marks in LLB | No minimum percentage prescribed in the RJS notification for general eligibility. However, a 70% aggregate in first attempt (50% for SC/ST) is an alternative route for MP judiciary — not for RJS. |
Nationality — RJS Eligibility
The candidate must be an Indian citizen. No domicile requirement for appearing in RJS — any Indian citizen from any state can apply. However, reserved category benefits — age relaxation, seat reservation, fee waiver — apply only to candidates with valid caste or EWS certificates issued by the Rajasthan government. A candidate from another state with an OBC certificate from their home state cannot claim OBC relaxation in RJS.
Language Requirement — Hindi Mandatory for RJS
Proficiency in Hindi written in Devanagari script is mandatory for RJS. The Mains exam includes a Hindi and English essay/language paper which has a separate minimum qualifying mark. A candidate who scores very high in law papers but fails to meet the minimum in the Hindi essay paper is eliminated from Mains regardless of their overall score. The minimum qualifying marks are: General category — 35% in each paper, 40% in aggregate in Mains. SC/ST — 30% in each paper, 35% in aggregate.
RJS Exam Pattern 2026 — Three Stages
| Stage | Marks | Type | Key Details |
| Prelims (Preliminary Exam) | 100 marks | Objective MCQ — OMR based | No negative marking. Minimum qualifying: 45% General, 40% SC/ST. This is an elimination test — only Prelims qualifiers appear in Mains. |
| Mains (Main Exam) | 300 marks | Descriptive — written papers | 3 law papers + Hindi essay + English essay. Each paper has separate minimum qualifying marks. Missing minimum in any single paper = elimination. |
| Interview (Viva Voce) | 35 marks | Oral interview before HC board | Mandatory. Absence from interview = not recommended for appointment even if Mains cleared. Personality, judgment writing, and legal reasoning assessed. |
Disqualification Conditions — RJS
A candidate is disqualified if: (1) dismissed from any government service; (2) convicted of any offence involving moral turpitude; (3) submits false information in the application or at any verification stage; (4) fails to meet the LLB qualification condition before Mains; (5) does not appear in any one paper of the written test or before the interview board — absence from any stage = not recommended for appointment.
FAQs — RJS Eligibility Criteria 2026-2027
What is the age limit for RJS 2026?
The age limit for RJS 2026 is 21 to 40 years for General category candidates. SC, ST, OBC, MBC, EWS, and Women candidates from Rajasthan get 5 years relaxation — maximum age 45 years. Ex-Servicemen get 10 years relaxation — maximum age 50 years. Age relaxation applies only to candidates with valid Rajasthan state category certificates. Out-of-state candidates are treated as General category.
Is practice required for RJS 2026?
No. The RJS 2026 notification was issued on February 27, 2026 — before the March 31, 2027 cutoff fixed by the Supreme Court in its August 21, 2026 order (2026 INSC 904). Fresh law graduates are eligible to apply for RJS 2026 without any practice certificate. If selected, they will be designated as Trainee Judicial Officers and must complete 1 year of Judicial Academy training and 1 year of supervised clerkship before being posted as regular Civil Judges.
Can a candidate from another state apply for RJS?
Yes. There is no domicile bar for appearing in RJS. A candidate from UP, Gujarat, Bihar, or any other state can apply. However, reserved category benefits — age relaxation, seat reservation, fee concession — apply only to candidates with valid Rajasthan SC/ST/OBC/EWS certificates. A candidate with an OBC certificate from another state is treated as General category for RJS and must meet the General category age limit of 40 years.
Can final-year LLB students apply for RJS 2026?
Yes, if the current RJS notification specifically permits it. Final-year students who apply must produce their LLB degree certificate before the Mains exam and submit proof to the Registrar (Examination), Rajasthan High Court, Jodhpur within 7 days of the Mains exam. Failure to do this results in disqualification even after clearing the preliminary exam and performing well in Mains.
What is the minimum qualification for RJS?
The minimum educational qualification for RJS is a Bachelor of Laws (LLB Professional) degree from a university established by law in India and recognized under the Advocates Act 1961. The institution must have valid BCI recognition for your academic year. Both 3-year LLB after graduation and 5-year integrated LLB are accepted. There is no minimum percentage requirement in LLB for RJS eligibility — unlike MP judiciary which has a 70% first-attempt route.
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All the best — from Jyoti Judiciary Coaching
Written by Advocate Jyoti Saxena — LLB, LLM, CS, Bar Council of Rajasthan, practising at Jaipur Family Court, Jaipur District Court, and the Rajasthan High Court. RJS eligibility information reflects the August 21, 2026 SC order (2026 INSC 904) and the RJS 2026 official notification issued February 27, 2026. Always verify from the official Rajasthan High Court notification at hcraj.nic.in before applying. Contact: +91 99290 96546 | jyotijudiciary.com
