West Bengal · Civil Judge (Junior Division) / Judicial Magistrate, West Bengal Judicial Service

West Bengal Civil Judge 2026: Syllabus, Previous Year Papers & Bare Acts

West Bengal Judicial Service Examination (Civil Judge, Junior Division)

3
Stages
13
Past papers
24
Acts in syllabus
425
Mains questions
No
Negative marking
54
Posts (2024)

The Public Service Commission, West Bengal holds the West Bengal Judicial Service Examination in three successive stages: a preliminary MCQ examination, a conventional written final examination and a personality test. The preliminary examination is only a screening test. The final examination has eight compulsory papers and three optional law papers, at the standard of the LL.B. degree of the University of Calcutta.

Conducted by
Public Service Commission, West Bengal
Official website
wbpsc.gov.in
Language
Answers in all papers except the language paper may be written in English or Bengali (one language per paper); the standard of law papers is the LL.B. degree of the University of Calcutta.
Negative marking
There is negative marking for each wrong answer to multiple choice questions; the rate is not specified in the documents (it is to be printed on the question booklet).
Final selection
The preliminary examination is a screening test only. Final merit is based on total marks in the Final Examination and the Personality Test, with no separate qualifying marks for individual papers; category-wise aggregate qualifying marks were fixed (UR and EWS 40%, OBC A and B 38%, SC 35%, ST and PwBD 30%). Ties are broken by Personality Test marks, then compulsory-paper marks, then age.
Last advertisement
2024: 54 posts · Pay scale Rs. 27,700-770-33,090-920-40,450-1,080-44,770 (pre-revised). Fee Rs. 210 plus service charges; no fee for SC/ST of West Bengal and PwBD with 40% or more disability. Vacancies: Unreserved 22, EWS 6, SC 12, ST 3, OBC (A) 5, OBC (B) 4, PwBD 2. Criminal statutes in the syllabus were replaced by BNSS, BNS and BSA from this examination. (per ADVTT. 9-2024 (54 Posts).pdf (Advertisement No. 9/2024); the next cycle may differ)

Official website and notifications

Exam pattern and stages

  1. Preliminary examination: One objective paper of 200 multiple-choice questions, 200 marks, 2.5 hours, at the level of a law graduate; screening only and its marks do not count for the final merit list. Negative marking applies.
    PaperQuestionsMarksDuration
    Preliminary objective paper Subject-wise marks: English Composition 30; General Knowledge, Current Affairs and Test of Reasoning 40; Indian Constitution 20; Law of Contracts and Torts 20; Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 20; Civil Procedure Code 20; BNSS/BNS 20; Personal Law 20; Law of Limitation 102002002 hours 30 minutes
  2. Final examination (written): Eight compulsory papers and three optional papers chosen by the candidate, each of 100 marks and three hours (1,100 marks in total).
    PaperQuestionsMarksDuration
    Compulsory Paper 1: English composition, essay, precis writing1003 hours
    Compulsory Paper 2: Bengali/Hindi/Urdu/Nepali/Santali composition, essay and translation1003 hours
    Compulsory Paper 3: General Knowledge and Current Affairs1003 hours
    Compulsory Paper 4: Civil Procedure Code1003 hours
    Compulsory Paper 5: BNSS and BNS1003 hours
    Compulsory Paper 6: Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam1003 hours
    Compulsory Paper 7: Law of Contracts and Torts1003 hours
    Compulsory Paper 8: Transfer of Property Act1003 hours
    Optional papers (any three of eight)100 each3 hours
  3. Personality test: 100 marks; final merit is based on Final Examination marks plus Personality Test marks, with no separate qualifying marks for any paper or for the test.

Syllabus

Paper by paper, as the official syllabus lists it.

Preliminary examination (200 marks)

  • English Composition (30 marks): synonyms, antonyms, idioms and phrases, vocabulary, phrasal verbs, words with more than one meaning, appropriate and qualifying words
  • General Knowledge, Current Affairs and Test of Reasoning (40 marks)
  • Indian Constitution (20 marks)
  • Law of Contracts and Torts (20 marks)
  • Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (20 marks) · Read the act
  • Civil Procedure Code (20 marks)
  • Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita / Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (20 marks) · Read the act
  • Personal Law (20 marks)
  • Law of Limitation (10 marks)

Final examination: compulsory papers (8 papers, 100 marks each)

  • English Composition, essay, precis writing
  • Bengali/Hindi/Urdu/Nepali/Santali composition, essay and translation from English
  • General Knowledge and Current Affairs
  • Civil Procedure Code
  • Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) · Read the act
  • Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) · Read the act
  • Law of Contracts and Torts
  • Transfer of Property Act

Final examination: optional papers (choose any three, 100 marks each)

  • Hindu Law
  • Muhammadan Law
  • Jurisprudence and principles of legislation
  • Indian Law relating to Companies and Insurance
  • Principles of Equity including the Law of Trusts and Specific Relief
  • Partnership Act
  • Law of Limitation and Law of Prescription
  • The Indian Constitution and Constitutional Law

Bare Acts for this exam

24 acts tagged for West Bengal Civil Judge. Each opens section by section, free to read.

Old law → new law tables: IPC → BNS · CrPC → BNSS · Evidence Act → BSA

Previous year papers

5 prelims and 8 mains papers, 2016 to 2022. All West Bengal Civil Judge papers by year

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

Mains questions

425 mains questions with model answers for West Bengal and all-India judiciary mains. Open the mains question bank

Eligibility

Degree in Law from a university or an institution affiliated to a university recognised by the State or Central Government; enrolment as an advocate on the roll of a State Bar Council on the date of the advertisement (per the 2024 advertisement). 23 to 35 years on the date of the advertisement (7 December 2024 for the 2024 examination); upper limit relaxable by 5 years for SC/ST of West Bengal, 3 years for OBC (non-creamy layer) of West Bengal, up to 45 years for persons with disabilities of 40% and above, and 2 years for candidates with at least two years of Government service. Citizen of India or other national declared eligible by the Government of India Ability to read, write and speak Bengali (not required for candidates whose mother tongue is Nepali), tested at interview Good health and character Attempt limit: three attempts for candidates other than SC/ST/OBC (non-creamy layer) of West Bengal, five attempts for those categories Reservation benefits only for West Bengal candidates of the reserved categories

Relaxations, attempts and category rules are in each cycle's notification.

West Bengal Civil Judge: frequently asked questions

What is the pattern of the West Bengal Civil Judge exam?
West Bengal Judicial Service Examination (Civil Judge, Junior Division) has 3 stages. Preliminary examination: One objective paper of 200 multiple-choice questions, 200 marks, 2.5 hours, at the level of a law graduate; screening only and its marks do not count for the final merit list. Negative marking applies. Papers: Preliminary objective paper: 200 questions, 200 marks, 2 hours 30 minutes. Final examination (written): Eight compulsory papers and three optional papers chosen by the candidate, each of 100 marks and three hours (1,100 marks in total). Papers: Compulsory Paper 1: English composition, essay, precis writing: 100 marks, 3 hours; Compulsory Paper 2: Bengali/Hindi/Urdu/Nepali/Santali composition, essay and translation: 100 marks, 3 hours; Compulsory Paper 3: General Knowledge and Current Affairs: 100 marks, 3 hours; Compulsory Paper 4: Civil Procedure Code: 100 marks, 3 hours; Compulsory Paper 5: BNSS and BNS: 100 marks, 3 hours; Compulsory Paper 6: Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam: 100 marks, 3 hours; Compulsory Paper 7: Law of Contracts and Torts: 100 marks, 3 hours; Compulsory Paper 8: Transfer of Property Act: 100 marks, 3 hours; Optional papers (any three of eight): 100 each marks, 3 hours. Personality test: 100 marks; final merit is based on Final Examination marks plus Personality Test marks, with no separate qualifying marks for any paper or for the test.
Is there negative marking in West Bengal Civil Judge?
There is negative marking for each wrong answer to multiple choice questions; the rate is not specified in the documents (it is to be printed on the question booklet).
In which language is the West Bengal Civil Judge exam held?
Answers in all papers except the language paper may be written in English or Bengali (one language per paper); the standard of law papers is the LL.B. degree of the University of Calcutta.
Who is eligible for West Bengal Civil Judge?
Degree in Law from a university or an institution affiliated to a university recognised by the State or Central Government; enrolment as an advocate on the roll of a State Bar Council on the date of the advertisement (per the 2024 advertisement). 23 to 35 years on the date of the advertisement (7 December 2024 for the 2024 examination); upper limit relaxable by 5 years for SC/ST of West Bengal, 3 years for OBC (non-creamy layer) of West Bengal, up to 45 years for persons with disabilities of 40% and above, and 2 years for candidates with at least two years of Government service. Citizen of India or other national declared eligible by the Government of India Ability to read, write and speak Bengali (not required for candidates whose mother tongue is Nepali), tested at interview Good health and character Attempt limit: three attempts for candidates other than SC/ST/OBC (non-creamy layer) of West Bengal, five attempts for those categories Reservation benefits only for West Bengal candidates of the reserved categories The notification for each cycle has the full conditions and relaxations.
Where is the West Bengal Civil Judge notification published?
Public Service Commission, West Bengal publishes the notification, dates and results on its official website, wbpsc.gov.in. Check it for the current cycle.
Which bare acts are in the West Bengal Civil Judge syllabus?
24 acts are tagged for West Bengal Civil Judge here, including the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023, Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, Companies Act, 2013, Constitution of India, Dissolution of Muslim Marriages Act, 1939 and more. Each can be read section by section.

Facts on this page are read from WBJS(J) - Syllabus, ADVTT. 9-2024 (54 Posts) and may change with each notification. Dates, vacancies and cut-offs for the coming cycle are not stated here; the official website has them.