MP Civil Judge Syllabus 2026: Prelims and Mains Topic-Wise Guide

The MP Civil Judge syllabus covers the law a trial judge uses every day: civil procedure, property and contract law, criminal law and procedure, evidence, and two Madhya Pradesh local laws. The High Court of Madhya Pradesh sets it for the Civil Judge, Junior Division (Entry Level) Examination, and it is tested across an objective prelims, four descriptive mains papers and an interview.

This guide sets out the syllabus as it stood in the last completed cycle (Exam-2022), the act-wise question split used in prelims, what each mains paper expects, and how to plan your study. One change matters more than any other: India's new criminal laws came into force on 1 July 2024, after the last syllabus was issued, so the next notification is likely to revise the criminal law portion. Check the official syllabus as soon as it is released.

Table of Contents

MP Civil Judge Syllabus at a Glance

For qualifying marks, final merit and timing strategy, see the MP Civil Judge exam pattern guide.

Key Changes to Know

• New criminal laws: The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS) and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 (BSA) replaced the IPC, CrPC and Indian Evidence Act from 1 July 2024. The Exam-2022 syllabus listed the old codes because it was issued in November 2023.

• Special laws in prelims: Recent syllabi added the Information Technology Act, the Juvenile Justice Act and the POCSO Act. Older preparation material may not cover them.

• Computer and English: Prelims includes general knowledge, computer knowledge and English, worth 30 marks together in the last cycle. These are easy marks that many law-focused candidates skip.

• Older pages: Some sites still show syllabi from before these additions, so follow the official notification over any summary.

Prelims Syllabus and Question Split

The table below shows the act-wise split reported for the Exam-2022 prelims syllabus. We could not open the official PDF directly, so treat the numbers as indicative and check them against the next notification.

Civil procedure and the three criminal codes together accounted for 65 of the 150 questions. Get these four right first, then move to the property and contract statutes. The two MP local laws carry 10 questions combined and are short enough to finish in a few days, which makes them one of the best returns on time in the whole syllabus.

Mains Syllabus Paper-Wise

Mains has four descriptive papers of 100 marks each. Two are law papers and two test writing skill. Candidates choose to write in Hindi or English, and Paper II also tests translation both ways.

Paper I: Constitution, Civil Law and Procedure

• Constitution of India: Fundamental rights, writ jurisdiction, directive principles, the High Court and subordinate courts.

• Code of Civil Procedure, 1908: Suits, jurisdiction, pleadings, summons, judgment and decree, execution, appeals, reference, review and revision.

• Transfer of Property Act, 1882: General principles, sale, mortgage, lease, exchange and gift.

• Indian Contract Act, 1872: Formation, capacity, free consent, void and voidable agreements, quasi-contracts, breach and damages.

• Specific Relief Act, 1963: Recovery of possession, specific performance, rectification, cancellation, declarations and injunctions.

• Limitation Act, 1963: Bar of limitation, extension, exclusion of time, acknowledgement and the important articles.

Paper II: Writing Skills

Paper II has no act list, but it is not a free paper. Build a bilingual glossary of common legal terms (plaint, written statement, decree, cognizance, acquittal and so on) as you read the bare acts, and translate one short passage from a judgment every day. For precis, practise reducing a passage to about a third of its length while keeping the legal holding intact.

Paper III: Criminal Law, Procedure and MP Local Laws

• Substantive criminal law: General exceptions, offences against the human body, property, women and public tranquillity.

• Criminal procedure: Arrest, bail, investigation, charge, trials before Magistrates and Sessions Courts, judgment and appeals.

• Evidence: Relevancy, admissions and confessions, dying declarations, expert opinion, burden of proof, examination of witnesses.

• Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881: Selected chapters, including dishonour of cheques under Chapter XVII.

• MP Land Revenue Code, 1959: Revenue courts and officers, land records, rights of Bhumiswamis and Government lessees, appeals and revision.

• MP Accommodation Control Act, 1961: Eviction of tenants, fixation of rent, and the special procedure for specified landlords.

Paper IV: Framing of Issues, Charges and Judgment Writing

Paper IV has no separate act list, but it draws on everything in Papers I and III. Every judgment you write should apply the correct burden of proof and the right sections.

Old and New Criminal Laws

Cases registered before 1 July 2024 continue under the old codes, so judges still apply both. Until the next notification says otherwise, study the new laws as your main text and keep the old section numbers as a cross-reference.

Overlap Between Prelims and Mains

How to Read Bare Acts for This Exam

Most of this syllabus is tested from the text of the acts, so how you read matters as much as what you read.

• Read the section, then the proviso and explanation: Prelims options often differ only in a proviso, an exception or a time limit.

• Mark numbers and periods: Limitation periods, notice periods, punishment terms and appeal timelines are frequent question material.

• Read the illustrations: In the criminal and evidence codes, illustrations show how a section is applied and often reappear as problem questions in mains.

• Use CPC orders actively: Learn the purpose of each major order and rule, not just its number, so you can use them while writing a civil judgment.

• Revise in short cycles: Return to each act within a week of first reading it, then again after a month. Bare-act recall fades quickly without repetition.

Is There a Syllabus for the Interview?

No. The 50-mark interview has no published syllabus. Boards usually test your grasp of core procedural law, your awareness of the local laws, current legal developments, and your suitability for judicial work. Revise your mains subjects and be ready to discuss anything in your application.

How to Cover the MP Civil Judge Syllabus

1. Weeks 1 to 8, foundations: CPC, the criminal codes (new and old) and evidence from the bare acts. Read 20 to 30 minutes of legal news a day.

2. Weeks 5 to 10, civil statutes and local laws: Contract, property, specific relief, limitation, then the MP Land Revenue Code and Accommodation Control Act. Start one translation exercise a day.

3. Weeks 8 to 14, special laws and general subjects: IT, JJ and POCSO Acts, plus GK, computer and English. Begin topic-wise objective tests.

4. Weeks 10 onwards, writing: One essay or precis and one framing exercise a week, rising to a full civil or criminal judgment every week.

5. Final phase: Full-length prelims mocks, same-day analysis, and revision from your error log and short notes.

The High Court does not host an official mock test, but it lists previous Civil Judge mains question papers on its Recruitment / Result page. Use them to see how questions are framed.

Official Recruitment / Result page: https://mphc.gov.in/recruitment-results

Once you have covered a few acts, you can take MP Civil Judge online tests on Testkart topic by topic and use the analysis to find weak acts. Keep your own revision material tight with MP Civil Judge study notes, and go back to the MP Civil Judge exam overview for dates and eligibility.