Orissa HC Civil Judge Senior Division Recruitment 2026 is open only to serving judicial officers. The High Court of Orissa has invited applications for 30 posts of Civil Judge (Senior Division), and the seats are open to officers who already work as Civil Judge (Junior Division). They will sit a Limited Departmental Competitive Examination (LDCE), an exam held only among the court’s own officers for promotion. The pay is Rs 1,11,000 to Rs 1,63,030 a month, and the online form is open from 09.11.2026 to 25.11.2026.
Not announced yet. The court will put them on its website.
Application Fee
The notification does not mention any application fee.
Vacancy Details
Post
Vacancies
Civil Judge (Senior Division)
30
The notification gives only the total of 30, with no category-wise breakup. The court can change the number of vacancies at its own discretion.
Eligibility Criteria
Criterion
Detail
Who Can Apply
Serving judicial officers in the cadre of Civil Judge (Junior Division)
Service Needed
3 years of qualifying service as Civil Judge (Junior Division) as on 01.04.2026
How Service Is Counted
From the date you joined judicial service as Civil Judge (Junior Division)
Age Limit
Not specified in notification
Rules
Recruitment follows the O.S.J.S. and O.J.S. Rules, 2007 (the service rules for Odisha judicial officers)
Application Restriction
Apply online only, and tell your Controlling Authority (the officer or office you report to)
In short, the exam is only for officers already working as Civil Judge (Junior Division). Candidates from outside the service, including practising lawyers, cannot apply.
Who Should Apply
This is a promotion exam inside the court, called an LDCE (Limited Departmental Competitive Examination). If you are not a serving Civil Judge (Junior Division), there is no way in.
The papers cover both civil and criminal law, plus several Odisha land and tenancy laws, so you need to prepare across the whole range.
Your past work counts. The court will mark your CCRs, PARs and ACRs (the yearly reports on an officer’s work) for the three years before the exam year, out of 15 marks.
Anyone promoted through this exam starts on probation (a trial period) under Rule 33 of the O.S.J.S. and O.J.S. Rules, 2007.
Selection Process
Stage
Details
Written Paper 1
100 marks, 2 hours. Civil Procedure Code (30), Personal Laws (30), property, contract and Odisha land laws (40).
Written Paper 2
100 marks, 2 hours. Criminal procedure, penal law and evidence laws (25 each), plus special laws (25).
Call for Viva-Voce
You need 50% in total across both papers and at least 45% in each paper.
Viva-Voce
30 marks. This is the interview. You need at least 40% in it to be selected.
Service Reports
15 marks for your CCRs, PARs and ACRs of the 3 years before the exam year.
Final Merit List
Made from the total of written, viva-voce and service report marks (245 in all).
In short, the written papers decide who is called for the viva-voce, and then all three parts add up to the final list. Even a high total will not get you selected if you score under 40% in the viva-voce.
Salary and Benefits
Component
Detail
Pay Scale
Rs 1,11,000 – 1,63,030
Allowances
Usual DA (dearness allowance, which is extra pay for rising prices) and other allowances as admissible from time to time
Probation
Promoted officers stay on probation under Rule 33
In plain terms, the scale starts at Rs 1,11,000 a month before DA and other allowances. The notification does not give an in-hand figure.
How to Apply
Read the advertisement and the “Instructions to Candidates and Process Flow for Filling up of Online Application Form” on the court website first.
Log in at the High Court of Orissa website and go to Recruitment Corner, then Examination Portal, then Limited Departmental Competitive Examination for Recruitment to the Posts in the Cadre of Civil Judge (Senior Division), 2026.
Fill in the form from 10:00 AM on 09.11.2026 and upload your recent passport-size colour photograph and full signature.
Submit the form before 11:59 PM on 25.11.2026, tell your Controlling Authority, and save your Acknowledgement Number.
Keep checking the website for exam dates and your e-Admit Card. The court will not post admit cards.
Note: Forms sent in any way other than the online form are rejected without any reason given.
For help with the form, call the court’s Recruitment Cell on 9437498780 or write to ohcrecruitment1948@gmail.com between 10:30 AM and 4:30 PM on working days.
Photograph or signature rejected by the upload form?
The court wants a recent passport-size colour photograph and a full signature on a white background. If the portal turns a file down for its size, resize it to the exact pixels and KB the form shows before you try again.
Sending the form any way other than the online form. The court rejects such forms without giving a reason.
Not telling your Controlling Authority. The notification says to apply “under intimation to” them.
Submitting more than once and expecting both to count. Only the latest form, the one with the higher Acknowledgement Number, is used.
Uploading a photo or signature that is unclear, turned the wrong way, or not on a white background.
Canvassing (asking people to put in a word for you) in any form. It leads to disqualification.
Assuming your admission is final. It is provisional at every stage, and the court can reject you if you are found not to meet the rules.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the last date to apply for Orissa HC Civil Judge Senior Division Recruitment 2026? The online form opens at 10:00 AM on 09.11.2026 and closes at 11:59 PM on 25.11.2026.
How many vacancies are there? There are 30 vacancies, and the court can change that number later.
Who can apply? Only serving Civil Judge (Junior Division) officers who have 3 years of qualifying service as on 01.04.2026.
Is there an age limit? The notification does not state any age limit.
Is there an application fee? The notification does not mention any fee.
How are candidates selected? You sit two written papers of 100 marks each, then a 30-mark viva-voce, and your service reports carry 15 marks, and the final list is made from the total.
What is the pay for Civil Judge (Senior Division) in Odisha? The scale is Rs 1,11,000 to Rs 1,63,030 a month, with the usual DA and other allowances.
How do I apply and who can I call for help? Apply only online on the court website, and call the Recruitment Cell on 9437498780 on working days from 10:30 AM to 4:30 PM if you get stuck.
Disclaimer: The information above has been compiled from the official notification for the convenience of job seekers. Candidates are advised to verify all details from the official website before applying.
