JCJ Telangana Exam Pattern: Screening Test, Written Papers and Viva Voce

The JCJ Telangana exam pattern has three stages: a computer based screening test, a written examination of three papers, and a viva voce. It comes from Notification No. 45/2025-RC, dated 1 December 2025, issued by the Telangana High Court for 94 posts of Civil Judge (Junior Division). The pattern has one feature that surprises many candidates: the first stage only shortlists, and the last scored marks come from just two papers and the interview.

This page explains each stage, the qualifying marks by category, and how final merit is worked out. It also turns the numbers into a practical plan for using your time.

Table of Contents

• Exam pattern at a glance

• Screening test

• Written examination

• Viva voce

• Marking scheme and negative marking

• What the pattern means for you

• Final merit calculation

• Time management

Exam pattern at a glance

Screening test

The High Court conducts the screening test only to shortlist eligible candidates. It is a computer based test of 100 multiple choice objective questions for 100 marks, and the time allowed is 2 hours. The venue and time appear on the hall ticket. In the 2025 cycle the test was held on 8 March 2026, and applicants chose three centres from Hyderabad, Warangal, Karimnagar and Khammam in order of preference.

Scoring 40% therefore gets you eligible, but you are shortlisted by rank in the 1:10 ratio. The High Court also made a computer based mock screening test available on its website for practice.

Written examination

The written examination has three papers of 100 marks each, and each paper is 3 hours long. In the 2025 cycle it was held at Hyderabad on 20 June 2026 and 21 June 2026.

Paper III: English

Paper III is split into two parts. Part I carries 30 marks and tests Telugu proficiency through translation from English to Telugu and Telugu to English. Part II carries 70 marks and covers an essay on legal subjects, grammar and vocabulary. You must secure 50% in each part to qualify, which is 15 marks in Part I and 35 marks in Part II. Its marks are not included in the aggregate used to shortlist candidates for the viva voce.

Answers must be written in English, except the English to Telugu translation in Paper III.

Minimum marks to reach the viva voce

Candidates who qualify are called for the viva voce in the ratio of 1:3 of the available vacancies, and all candidates with identical cut-off marks are called.

Viva voce

The viva voce carries 30 marks. A candidate who stays absent is treated as disqualified. The notification says its object is to judge suitability for the cadre, including mental alertness, knowledge of law, clear and logical exposition, balance of judgment, skills, attitude, ethics, power of communication, character and intellectual depth.

In the 2025 cycle, the viva voce for direct recruitment ran from 5 October 2026 to 8 October 2026 at the High Court in Hyderabad. Candidates reported at 2.00 p.m. with original certificates and one set of attested photocopies.

Marking scheme and negative marking

The screening test has 100 questions for 100 marks, which works out to one mark per question. The notification does not mention negative marking for the screening test or any deduction for wrong answers. Check the instructions on your hall ticket and the mock screening test on the High Court website before you decide how freely to guess. The written papers are descriptive and are marked by examiners, so there is no negative marking concept for them in the notification.

What the pattern means for you

• Treat the screening test as a rank game: the 40% bar is only the floor. The 1:10 ratio means your score must stand among the top shortlisted, so aim well above 40.

• Spend writing time on Papers I and II: they are the only written papers that count, and each has a 50% to 60% bar to reach the viva voce.

• Do not ignore Paper III: it carries no merit marks, but missing 50% in either part ends your attempt. Telugu translation needs regular practice.

• Prepare for the viva voce early: its 30 marks sit on top of a 200-mark written aggregate, and a 50% minimum applies to most candidates.

Final merit calculation

The final selection is based on the aggregate marks obtained in the written examination (only Papers I and II) and the viva voce. The total is therefore 230 marks, made up of 100 for Paper I, 100 for Paper II and 30 for the viva voce.

This worked example is only an illustration, not an official or expected score. Category and women reservation rules are applied to the merit list as set out in the notification.

Time management

• Screening test: 100 questions in 120 minutes gives about 72 seconds per question. Answer sure questions first and mark doubtful ones for review.

• Written papers: split three hours across the questions by marks. Leave 10 minutes at the end to check numbering and section references.

• Paper III: keep roughly one third of the time for the 30-mark translation part and the rest for the essay, grammar and vocabulary.

Older pages may still show a different scheme, so follow the official notification on tshc.gov.in.