JCJ Telangana Eligibility: Qualification, Practice and Age Limit

JCJ Telangana eligibility is set by the Telangana State Judicial (Service and Cadre) Rules, 2023, and applied in the High Court's Notification No. 45/2025-RC dated 1 December 2025 for 94 posts of Civil Judge (Junior Division). The rules differ for direct recruitment, which is open to advocates, and recruitment by transfer, which is open only to staff in listed court and government posts.

The most important rule for most readers is the practice requirement: direct recruitment candidates need three years of practice as an advocate. This page sets out the qualification, age limits, nationality and other conditions, and the disqualifiers, so you can check yourself before you spend months preparing.

Table of Contents

• Eligibility at a glance

• Educational qualification and practice

• Age limit

• Recruitment by transfer

• Language and other conditions

• Who is not eligible

• Fee and documents

Eligibility at a glance

Educational qualification and practice

For direct recruitment, a candidate must possess a Degree in Law of a university in India established or incorporated under a Central Act or a State Act, or of an institution recognised by the University Grants Commission. The candidate must also be enrolled in the Bar Council as an advocate.

Practice requirement

You must have practised as an advocate or pleader in the Telangana High Court or in courts working under its control for not less than three years as on 1 December 2025. Three points apply:

• Counting starts at enrolment: three years of actual practice means from the date of provisional enrolment or registration with the State Bar Council.

• Clerkship counts: experience as a Law Clerk or Research Assistant (Law) with any judge or judicial officer in the country is considered when counting your years of practice.

• Proof is a certificate: the practice certificate is certified either by the Principal Judicial Officer of that court, or by an advocate of that court with at least 10 years of standing, endorsed by the Principal Judicial Officer of the district or station.

Candidates practising before the High Court produce a certificate from an advocate with at least 10 years of standing, endorsed by the Registrar (Judicial - I) of the Telangana High Court. Under the 2023 Rules, direct recruitment means appointment of a person who is not already in the service of the Government of India or of the State.

Age limit

A candidate must have attained 23 years and must not have attained 35 years in the open category, or 40 years for persons belonging to EWS, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes, as on 1 December 2025.

Age is counted as on the notification date, 1 December 2025, and not on the date of the exam.

Recruitment by transfer

Recruitment by transfer is a separate route. A candidate must hold a Degree in Law that is valid for enrolment as an advocate under Bar Council of India rules, and must not have completed 48 years of age on 1 December 2025. Selection is by written examination and viva voce as prescribed by the High Court.

Only confirmed members of service or approved probationers in these categories of posts can apply:

• High Court staff: Section Officers, Court Officers, Scrutiny Officers, Accounts Officer, Court Masters, Personal Secretaries, Translators, Deputy Section Officers, Overseers, Assistant Section Officers, Computer Operators, Assistant Librarians, U.D. Stenos, Assistants, Examiners, Typists and Copyists working in the Telangana High Court.

• Judicial ministerial staff: Chief Administrative Officers, Senior Superintendents, Superintendents, Stenographers Grade I, II and III, Senior Assistants, Junior Assistants and Typists of the Telangana Judicial Ministerial and Subordinate Service.

• Prosecution and law department staff: Assistant Public Prosecutors, Senior Assistant Public Prosecutors, Additional Public Prosecutors Grade II, Section Officers in the Law Department and the Legislature Department, and Managers in the offices of the Advocate General, Government Pleader and Public Prosecutor.

A staff member facing disciplinary or criminal proceedings, or undergoing punishment for misconduct, is not eligible while the proceedings or the punishment continue.

Language and other conditions

• Telugu: all candidates, under both routes, must be able to read, speak and write Telugu fluently and must pass the test prescribed by the High Court. Paper III includes English to Telugu and Telugu to English translation.

• Character: a candidate must have good character and be free from any disability that makes them unfit for the appointment.

• Caste recognition: a reserved category candidate whose caste is not recognised in Telangana as a Socially and Educationally Backward Class, Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe is treated as an Open Competition candidate.

• Certificates: Backward Classes and Scheduled Castes certificates must mention the relevant group. No Other Backward Class certificates are entertained.

Who is not eligible

The notification states that no person is eligible for appointment if they:

• are not a citizen of India;

• have been dismissed from service by any High Court, Government, statutory or local authority;

• have been convicted of an offence involving moral turpitude as defined in the Conduct Rules;

• are or have been permanently debarred or disqualified by the High Court, UPSC, any State Public Service Commission or any other recruiting authority from appearing for its examinations or selections;

• directly or indirectly influence the recruiting authority for their candidature;

• have more than one living spouse, or marry knowingly a person who has a spouse.

In the same way, suppressing information or giving false information in the application can lead to action under law at any later stage, and mere selection does not confer a right. Appointment is subject to verification of antecedents.

Fee and documents

In the 2025 cycle the application processing and examination fee was Rs. 1,250 for OC and BC applicants and Rs. 600 for EWS, PWD, SC and ST applicants. Applications were online only. Always verify the rules for any new cycle in the notification on tshc.gov.in.