Introduction
A career as a judge can be attained through two levels. One is the lower Judiciary where fresh graduates get selected through entrance examinations conducted by the Public service Commission of each state or the Higher Judiciary which requires a minimum of seven years of practice in the Bar. To prepare for the Judicial Service Examination in a meticulous manner every aspirant must have clarity on what to learn and what not to focus upon. As already mentioned, each state has its own pattern of the syllabus and a particular format for the question paper. Nevertheless, most of the subjects prescribed by each state are the same and carry the same amount of weight as far as the marks allotted to them are concerned.
What is the pattern of Examination?
The Judicial Service Examination consists of two levels and a Viva Voce test. The first examination is the Judicial Service Preliminary Examination and the next one is the Judicial Service Mains Examination. The candidates shortlisted from the prelims will be eligible to appear for the Main exam. The final merit list is based on both these levels along with the marks obtained in the personality test. Certain states have a requirement of minimum marks in the viva-voce test, whereas other states aggregate it to the marks of the Mains and prelims.
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Syllabus for preliminary examination
The preliminary examination generally consists of questions from the following subjects:
- General Knowledge and Current Affairs
- Proficiency In English Language and Aptitude
- Constitutional law
- IPC, CPC, CrPC, and The Indian Evidence Act
- Contract Law and Tort Law
- Transfer of Property law
Apart from these, some states cover certain other topics in their syllabus as follows:
Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Jammu and Kashmir, Maharashtra, Manipur, and Nagaland: Proficiency in the official language of Assam
Bihar: Elementary general Science, Administrative law, Hindu and Muslim personal laws, Principles of Equity, Law of trusts, Specific Relief Act, Commercial law
Chhattisgarh: Accommodation Control Act, Court fees act, Registration Act and Chhattisgarh Land revenue code, Limitation, and Specific relief acts
Delhi: Principles Governing Arbitration Law, the Partnership Act
Goa: Sales of Goods Act, Land laws of Goa, The Scheduled Tribe and Scheduled Caste (Prevention of Atrocities Act, 1989)
Karnataka: Karnataka Rent Act
Kerala: Kerala Building (Lease and Rent Control) Act
Madhya Pradesh: Madhya Pradesh Accommodation Control Act, Madhya Pradesh Land Revenue Code
Syllabus for the Main examination
The syllabus for the Main examination of the Judiciary also varies according to each state. The patterns are as follows:
1. Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram, Maharashtra, and Jammu & Kashmir
Paper I (To test English; 100 marks, 2 hours): Essay, precise writing, Grammar
Paper II ( To test General Knowledge; 100 marks,2 hours): Objective test, Aptitude Test
Paper III (Law; 100marks, 2 hours): Transfer of Property, Civil procedure code, Indian Contract Act, Constitution of India
Paper IV (Law; 100 marks, 2 hours): Indian Penal Code, CrPC, Law of Torts, Indian Evidence Act
2. Bihar
Part I: Compulsory Paper- General knowledge including current affairs (150 marks), Elementary Science (100marks), General Hindi (100 marks ), General English(100 marks ), Law of evidence and procedure( 150 marks)
Hindi and English are compulsory papers but only qualifying in nature which requires only 30 marks out of 100
Part II: Optional paper(150 marks each)- Constitutional Law of India and England(, Hindu and Muslim Law, Transfer of property, Principles of Equity, Law of Trusts and Specific Relief Act, Law of Contract and Torts, Commercial law
3. Chhattisgarh
Framing of issues and writing of judgment in Civil Cases (40 marks)
Framing of charges and writing of judgment in Criminal Cases (40marks)
Translation: English to Hindi (10marks), Hindi to English(10marks)
4. Delhi
Paper I: General Knowledge and Language (250 marks) – Current affairs, Essay, Translation, and precise writing
Paper II: Civil Law I( 200 marks)- Indian Contract Act, Indian Sale of Goods Act, Indian Partnership Act, Specific Relief Act, Hindu Law, Muslim Law, Delhi Rent control Act and Law of Torts
Paper III: Civil law II (200 marks)- Civil Procedure Code, Law of Evidence, Law of Limitation, and Law of Registration
Paper III: Criminal Law (200 marks) -Criminal Procedure Code, Indian penal code, and Indian Evidence Act
5. Goa
Paper-I: The Indian Contract act, 1872, The Specific Relief Act, 1963, The Limitation Act, 1963, Sales of Goods Act, 1930, Indian Partnership Act, 1932, The Code of Civil Procedure Code, 1908, Transfer of Property Act, 1882, The Easement Act,1882, Family Laws in Goa , Land Laws in Goa
Paper-II: The code of Criminal procedure Code, 1973, The Indian Penal Code, 1860 The Evidence Act,1872, The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, The Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, Essay on Current Legal Topics
6. Haryana and Punjab
Paper I: Civil Law I( 200 marks)-Code of Civil procedure, Punjab Courts Act, Indian Contract Act, Indian Sale of Goods Act, Indian Partnership Act, Specific Relief Act
Paper-II: Civil Law II (200 marks)- Hindu Law, Muslim Law and Customary Law, Law of Registration and Limitation
Paper III: Criminal Law (200 marks)- Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal procedure, Indian Evidence Act
Paper IV: English- Essay (25 marks), Words and phrases (25 marks), Comprehension (25 marks), Corrections (25 marks)
Paper V: Language- Hindi in Devanagari Script (100/150 marks)
7. Himachal Pradesh
Paper I: Civil Law I( 200 marks)-Code of Civil procedure, Indian Stamp Act, Indian Evidence Act, Himachal Pradesh Courts Act, Specific Relief Act
Paper-II: Civil Law II (200 marks)- Indian Contract Act, Hindu Law, Transfer of Property Act, Himachal Pradesh Urban Rent Control Act, Indian Limitation Act
Paper III: Criminal Law (200 marks)- Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal procedure, Chapter XVII of Negotiable Instruments Act, HP Excise Act, Wildlife Protection Act, Indian Forest Act
Paper IV: English Composition (200 marks)
Paper V: Language (100 marks)
8. Jharkhand
Paper I: Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure Code, Indian Evidence Act, Limitation Act
Paper-II: Civil Procedure Code, Transfer of Property, Indian Contract Act, Sales of Goods Act, Arbitration and Conciliation Act
Paper III: Hindu Law, Muslim Law, Rent Control Law, Specific Relief Act, and Jurisprudence
Paper IV: Hindi and English
9. Karnataka
Paper I: Translation Paper (100 marks) – Depositions, Judgments, and Documents
Paper-II: Law paper I (100 marks) – Civil procedure Code, Criminal Procedure Code, Indian Evidence Act, Principles of Pleading and Indian Constitution
Paper III: Law paper II (100 marks) – Framing of issues and writing judgments in civil cases
Paper IV: Law paper III (100 marks)-Framing of charges and writing judgments in criminal cases
10. Kerala
Paper I: English Grammar, General Essays, Translation of Malayalam Documents and Depositions to English, Precise writing
Paper II: Indian Contract Act, Transfer of Property, Limitation Act, Specific Relief Act, Easements Act, Kerala Building Act, Hindu Succession Act, Indian Succession Act, Dissolution of Muslim Marriage Act, Kerala Court Fees and Suits Valuation Act, Kerala Stamp Act, Legal Services Authorities act, The Kerala Panchayatha Raj Act, Kerala Municipality Act, Negotiable Instruments Act and Registration Act
Paper III- Indian Penal Code, Indian Evidence Act, Abkari Act, Negotiable Instruments Act, the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, Juvenile Justice Act, Kerala Police Act, Probation of Offenders Act, Forest Act, NDPS Act
Paper IV: Code of Civil Procedure, Civil Rules of Practice, Kerala Civil Courts Act Code of criminal procedure, Criminal Rules of Practice, Framing of charges and issues, Judgment writing
11. Madhya Pradesh:
Paper I: Civil Law and procedure
Paper II: Criminal law and procedure
Paper III: Writing Skill, Court Practice, Translation, and Current Legal Knowledge
Paper V: Judgment writing
12. Odisha
Paper I: General English
Paper II: Procedural laws- Civil procedure code, Criminal procedure code, Indian Evidence Act
Paper III: Optional papers- Law of Crime and Law of torts, Hindu and Muslim Law, Law of Property, Law of Contract, Jurisprudence, and Constitution of India
13. Rajasthan
Paper I: Law paper I- Constitution of India, Civil procedure Code< Contact law, Tort laws, Motor vehicle law, Rent control law, Personal laws, Law of Transfer of Property
Paper II: Law paper II- Criminal law, Narcotic Law, Law relating to cybercrimes and electricity theft, Law of probation, Law on juvenile delinquency
Paper III: Language paper I- Hindi essay writing and grammar
Paper IV: Language paper II- English essay writing, translation, and grammar
14. Sikkim
Paper I: Procedural law, Local law, Indian evidence Act, Limitation Act
Paper II: Hindu Law, Contract law, Sales of goods act, Partnership Act, Specific Relief Act, General Clauses Act, transfer of property Act, Indian Penal Code, Constitutional law
15. Uttarakhand
Paper I: Substantive Law
Paper II: Evidence and procedure
Paper III: Revenue and criminal law
Paper IV: The present-day- Current affairs and general knowledge
Paper V: Language
16. Uttar Pradesh
Paper I: General knowledge- History of India and Indian Culture, Geography of India, Indian Polity, Indian economy, international affairs
Paper II: Law- Jurisprudence, International Organizations, Indian constitution, Transfer of property, Indian Evidence Act, Code of criminal procedure, Code of Civil procedure, Contract laws
17. West Bengal
Paper I: Compulsory papers- English composition, Bengali, general knowledge, Civil law, Criminal law, Contract law, Transfer of Property Act
Paper II: Optional papers- Hindu law, Muslim law, Jurisprudence and principles of legislation, Laws relating to companies and insurance, Law of Trusts and Specific Relief, Partnership Act, Law of limitation, Constitutional law
Conclusion
A general reading of all the subjects of law can prepare you for the preliminary examination, whereas for the Main examination one has to have conceptual clarity as well as critical thinking. Aptitude tests are to assess the candidate’s logic and reasoning ability, so solving more question papers from previous years can help to build the confidence to attempt such questions.
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