High Court of Karnataka District Judge Recruitment 2026: 79 Posts, Apply by 15 Sep

Vacancy Details

A total of 79 posts are to be filled for the cadre of District Judge under the 25% category (Limited Departmental Competitive Examination - LDCE). These posts are to be filled by promotion from the cadre of Senior Civil Judges.

Eligibility Criteria

Educational Qualification

The notification states that the recruitment is for filling up posts under the 25% category (LDCE) of the District Judge cadre. This implies that the candidates must already be serving as Senior Civil Judges and meet specific service criteria.

Age Limit

• Candidates must have attained the age of 35 years as on the date of the notification (28.08.2026).

Experience

• Candidates must have put in not less than 3 years of service as Senior Civil Judges.
• Candidates must have completed a minimum of 7 years of total service in the cadre of Civil Judge & Senior Civil Judge.

Application Fee

The source text does not mention any application fee for this recruitment drive. Therefore, it is presumed that no application fee is required for eligible Senior Civil Judges applying for this Limited Departmental Competitive Examination.

Selection Process

The selection for the District Judge posts under the 25% category will be strictly on the basis of merit through the Limited Departmental Competitive Examination (LDCE). The procedure laid down under Rule 4-B of the Karnataka Judicial Service (Recruitment) (Amendment) Rules, 2025, will be followed.

1. Limited Departmental Competitive Examination (LDCE): Eligible Senior Civil Judges will appear for a competitive examination. The examination aims to assess the merit of the candidates for promotion to the District Judge cadre.

The number of attempts to appear in the LDCE is limited to 3 (Three).

Salary / Pay Scale

The notification does not explicitly mention the salary or pay scale for the District Judge posts. However, it is a promotion to the cadre of District Judges, which is a higher judicial service. The salary and allowances will be as per the rules and regulations applicable to District Judges in the High Court of Karnataka.

How to Apply for High Court of Karnataka District Judge Recruitment 2026

1. Eligible Senior Civil Judges are required to submit their applications through the online mode.
2. Visit the official website of the High Court of Karnataka: https://judiciary.karnataka.gov.in .
3. Navigate to the recruitment section and find the link for the District Judge (LDCE Category) application.
4. Fill in the online application form with all the required details accurately.
5. Upload any necessary documents as specified in the application portal.
6. Submit the application before the deadline.
7. It is advisable to take a printout of the submitted application form for future reference.

Important Note: The number of posts may be subject to alteration based on the outcome of the decision of the Hon’ble Apex Court in Writ Petition (Civil) No.1022/1989.