Assam Judicial Service Syllabus, Exam Pattern, Eligibility

Papers I to IV are three hours each and Paper V is two hours. The main exam is held in Guwahati.

Preliminary: 90 marks on general knowledge, aptitude, English, the Constitution, CPC, CrPC and BNSS, Transfer of Property Act, Contract Act, IPC and BNS, Evidence Act and BSA, and torts. The other 10 marks test Assamese.

Main: the five papers in the table above. Both the old codes (IPC, CrPC, Evidence Act) and the new ones (BNS, BNSS, BSA) are listed, so prepare both.

• A law degree from a recognised university. No practice requirement for Grade-III.
• Upper age: under 38 on the last date of application, or under 43 for SC and ST. Locomotor-disabled candidates get 10 more years (15 for SC/ST); other disabilities were not eligible in 2025.
• Indian citizen. A person with a living spouse who marries again is barred.

Grade-I (2025): 7 years' continuous practice as an advocate in civil and criminal courts, age 35 to 45 (48 for SC/ST), and still practising at appointment.

• Prelims: 60% to qualify, and only ten candidates per post go through.
• Mains: 60% aggregate with at least 45% in each of Papers I to IV and 35% in Assamese. SC/ST: 50% aggregate and 40% per paper.
• Interview: three per post, and you need 60% of the 50 marks.

The Assamese paper only has to be passed; it is not added to your total. Documents are checked only after the mains result.

Grade-III: ₹77,840–1,36,520 a month plus allowances. Grade-I (2025 advertisement): ₹1,44,840–1,94,660.

Apply online through the link on ghconline.gov.in while the advertisement is open. Fee: ₹1,000, or ₹500 for SC/ST, nil for locomotor-disabled candidates, paid in cash at an SBI branch with the generated challan. Photo and signature must be 5 to 30 KB.

The process was put on hold on 24 March 2025 after a Supreme Court order in the All India Judges Association case, and resumed in May 2025. From advertisement to final result took about 19 months.

Every stage is published as a notification on the recruitment page, with roll numbers and a marks sheet. In 2025, 168 cleared the prelims, 46 cleared the mains and 22 were recommended. Six ST(H) seats went unfilled and were filled from other categories, with an equal number carried forward to the next cycle.

• The 45% floor in each law paper means one weak paper sinks a good aggregate. Cover all four evenly.
• Assamese counts in prelims (10 marks) and must be passed in mains. Candidates from outside the state should start on it early.
• Write essays and precis to time; Paper I is as heavy as each law paper.

• Gauhati High Court recruitment notices (judicial officers)
• Grade-III advertisement with syllabus, 7 February 2025 (PDF)
• Grade-III final result, 23 September 2026 (PDF)
• Grade-I advertisement, 20 August 2025 (PDF)

Who conducts the Assam Judicial Service exam?

The Gauhati High Court, through its Recruitment Cell.

Can a fresh law graduate apply?

Yes, for Grade-III. Grade-I needs seven years at the bar.

Is Assamese compulsory?

Yes. It carries 10 marks in prelims and is a qualifying 50-mark paper in mains.

How many posts were filled in 2025?

22 Grade-III posts.

When is the next Grade-III exam?

Not announced. Watch the High Court's recruitment page.