J&K District Judge LDCE 2026 — 11 Posts, Apply by 15 Oct (J&K)

J&K High Court District Judge LDCE 2026 is out: the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has issued Notification No. 2279 of 2026/RG dated 01 October 2026 for 11 District Judge posts to be filled through a Limited Departmental Competitive Examination (LDCE). This is an accelerated promotion route open only to serving Civil Judges (Senior Division) with at least 3 years in that cadre and 7 years of combined Civil Judge service. It is separate from the 16-post District Judge (Entry Level) direct recruitment for advocates. The LDCE quota exists so that meritorious Civil Judges can reach the Higher Judicial Service faster than through seniority-based promotion. Selected officers will be appointed as District Judges in the Higher Judicial Service, presiding over district and sessions courts across the UTs of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. Selection is out of 280 marks: Paper I on Laws and Procedure (100 marks, 3 hours), Paper II on civil and criminal judgment writing (80 marks, 90 minutes), a Performance Assessment of 80 marks based on the last five years' ACRs, judgments and case disposal, and a 20-mark viva voce. Candidates need 50% in each paper and in the Performance Assessment, and 55% in aggregate. District Judges are paid at Pay Level J-5, ₹1,44,840 to ₹1,94,660 per month. The J&K District Judge LDCE 2026 online application is available at exams.jklhc.in from 03 October 2026. The last date to apply for the J&K High Court District Judge LDCE 2026 is 15 October 2026. No fee is mentioned in the notification. Eligible officers should read the official Notification No. 2279 of 2026/RG PDF before applying.

• Open only to serving Civil Judges (Senior Division) of the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh judicial service.
• Minimum 3 years of service as Civil Judge (Senior Division).
• Minimum 7 years of combined service as Civil Judge (Junior Division) and Civil Judge (Senior Division).
• Eligibility is governed by Rule 5(1)(b) read with Rule 7 of the J&K Higher Judicial Service Rules, 2009.
• Basic qualification: LLB, as held by all serving judicial officers; no separate practice requirement applies to this departmental exam.
• Advocates and outside candidates are not eligible; they should apply under the separate District Judge (Entry Level) direct recruitment notification.
• Minimum percentage of marks: not applicable; selection depends on exam and performance assessment cut-offs.

• No separate age limit is prescribed in the notification, as the exam is open only to serving judicial officers

• Serving Civil Judge (Senior Division) in the J&K and Ladakh judicial service
• At least 3 years of service as Civil Judge (Senior Division)
• At least 7 years of combined service as Civil Judge (Junior and Senior Division)
• Eligibility under Rule 5(1)(b) read with Rule 7 of the J&K Higher Judicial Service Rules, 2009
• Minimum 50% in Paper I, Paper II and Performance Assessment, and 55% aggregate, to qualify
• Viva voce only for candidates meeting all the written and assessment cut-offs
• Performance Assessment based on ACRs (35), judgments (25) and disposal of contested cases (20) over the last five years
• Advocates must apply under the separate District Judge (Entry Level) notification, not this one
• Post nature: regular post in the Higher Judicial Service, filled by departmental competitive examination

• No application fee is mentioned in the notification

• Pay Level J-5 (Judicial Pay Matrix): ₹1,44,840 – ₹1,94,660 per month
• Plus allowances admissible to District Judges under the Judicial Pay Commission recommendations

1. Visit https://www.jkhighcourt.nic.in — the official website of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh
2. Download Notification No. 2279 of 2026/RG for District Judge (LDCE)
3. Confirm your service as Civil Judge (Senior Division) meets the 3-year and 7-year conditions
4. Open the recruitment portal at exams.jklhc.in
5. Register with your official email ID and mobile number
6. Fill in personal details, service history and current posting
7. Upload service certificates and other documents required by the notification
8. Review the application carefully before final submission
9. Submit the application before 15 October 2026
10. Watch the High Court website for the examination date and venue