Detailed Advertisement Issued Following High Court Commitment
KOLKATA — The Public Service Commission West Bengal, has released a detailed advertisement (No. 9/2024) for the West Bengal Judicial Service Examination, 2024. This announcement comes in continuation of an earlier indicative advertisement and follows a commitment made before the Hon’ble High Court on August 8, 2025. The examination is for recruitment to posts in the West Bengal Judicial Service, specifically for Civil Judge (Jr. Divn.).
Examination and Selection Process
The selection process will be conducted in three stages:
- Preliminary Examination: This is a screening test with MCQ-type questions, tentatively scheduled for February 2026, in Kolkata and Darjeeling. The marks from this stage will not be counted toward the final merit list.
- Final Examination: A conventional, written examination will be held in Kolkata, tentatively in May 2026. A number of candidates will be selected from the Preliminary Examination results to appear for this stage.
- Personality Test: Candidates who clear the Final Examination will be called for a Personality Test at the Public Service Commission office in Kolkata.
The final merit list will be based on the combined scores from the Final Examination and the Personality Test.
Key Details and Eligibility
The total number of vacancies is 54, with reservations for various categories. The pay scale for the post is Rs. 27,700–770–33,090–920–40,450–1,080–44,770 (Pre-revised).
Qualifications
Candidates must meet the following criteria:
- Be a citizen of India or a person of another nationality declared eligible by the Government of India.
- Hold a degree in Law from a recognized university.
- Be enrolled as an advocate with the Bar Council of any State or Union Territory in India as of the advertisement date, December 7, 2024.
- Have the ability to read, write, and speak in Bengali, unless their mother tongue is Nepali. This ability will be assessed during the interview.
Age and Attempts
Applicants must be between 23 and 35 years old as of December 7, 2024. The upper age limit is relaxable for certain categories:
- 5 years: SC and ST candidates of West Bengal.
- 3 years: OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) candidates of West Bengal.
- Up to 45 years: Persons with Disabilities (PwBD) with a physical disability of 40% or more.
- 2 years: Candidates with at least two years of Government service.
The number of attempts is limited to three for General candidates. For SC/ST/OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) candidates of West Bengal, the limit is five attempts.
Important Notes on the Application Process
- Application Mode: Applications can only be submitted online. Submitting more than one application is strictly forbidden and will lead to cancellation.
- Application Dates: The online application window opens on October 10, 2025, and closes on November 9, 2025, at 3 p.m..
- Edit Window: An edit window will be available from November 12, 2025, to November 18, 2025, until 3 p.m., allowing a one-time correction of certain fields.
- Application Fee: The fee is Rs. 210/-, plus service charges. SC/ST candidates of West Bengal and PwBD candidates (40% and above disability) are exempt from the fee. OBC candidates must pay the full fee.
- Negative Marking: There will be a negative marking for each wrong answer in the Preliminary (MCQ Type) Examination.
Revised Syllabus and Legal Provisions
The syllabus for the examination has been updated to reflect recent legal changes. The Code of Criminal Procedure, The Indian Penal Code, and The Evidence Act have been replaced with the Bharatiya Nagarik Surukshya Sanhita (BNSS), the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA), which came into force on July 1, 2024. This change has been approved by the Judicial Department, Government of West Bengal.
Provisions for PwBD Candidates
Candidates with Benchmark Disabilities who have a limitation in writing may be allowed a scribe. They are requested to bring their own scribes, who must have an educational qualification one step below that of the candidate. A certificate from a Chief Medical Officer/Medical Superintendent is required to avail this facility and to be eligible for 20 minutes of compensatory time per hour of the examination. Persons suffering from Autism, Intellectual Disability, and Mental Illness are deemed unsuitable for the post of Civil Judge (Junior Division/Judicial Magistrate) and are exempted from the purview of reservation for this position. This exemption is based on a notification from the Judicial Department, Government of West Bengal.1
Reference and Notification Links
Disclaimer
The information provided here is based on official notifications and announcements and it is for general information purposes only. These information should not be construed as official notifications. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, human errors may occur. Readers / Candidates are strongly advised to verify details from the respective official sources. We strongly recommend that you check the full texts of the official notifications and announcements issued by the Government Organisations, Institutions, Companies etc. while applying for jobs and before taking decisions of not to apply for any job vacancy/ies. We cannot be held liable for any inaccuracies.
