- Recruitment for 79 District Judge posts under the 25% Limited Departmental Competitive Examination (LDCE) quota for serving Senior Civil Judges.
- Selection strictly on merit through a Written Examination followed by Viva-voce.
- Applications accepted online only via judiciary.karnataka.gov.in until 15 September 2026, 11:59 PM.
- Notification issued under Rule 4-B of the Karnataka Judicial Service (Recruitment) (Amendment) Rules, 2025.
- Number of posts subject to change based on the outcome of Writ Petition (Civil) No. 1022/1989 pending before the Supreme Court.
KHC
Active Listing
🎓 LLB
🎓 Integrated LLB
District Judge (Limited Departmental Competitive Examination - LDCE) Recruitment 2026
High Court of Karnataka, Bengaluru
Total Vacancies
79
Job Location
Karnataka (posting locations not specified in the notification)
Apply Deadline
15 Sep 2026
📋 Recruitment Overview
| Organization | High Court of Karnataka, Bengaluru (KHC) |
| Job Category | Legal |
| Eligibility Qualification | LLB (llb), Integrated LLB (integrated-llb) |
| Number of Vacancies | 79 Posts |
| Salary / Pay Scale | Not specified in the notification — refer to Karnataka Judicial Service pay rules for District Judge cadre. |
| Age Limits | Minimum 35 Years |
| Gender Eligibility | both |
| Experience Required | - Minimum 3 years as a Senior Civil Judge. - Minimum 7 years of combined service as Civil Judge and Senior Civil Judge. |
| Application Fee | - No application fee mentioned for this recruitment. |
📄 Details & Description
🎓 Eligibility Criteria
- Only serving Senior Civil Judges of the Karnataka Judicial Service are eligible.
- Minimum 3 years of service as a Senior Civil Judge.
- Minimum 7 years of combined service as Civil Judge and Senior Civil Judge.
- Must have attained the age of 35 years as on 28 August 2026 (notification date).
- Maximum of 3 attempts allowed for the LDCE.
- Minimum 3 years of service as a Senior Civil Judge.
- Minimum 7 years of combined service as Civil Judge and Senior Civil Judge.
- Must have attained the age of 35 years as on 28 August 2026 (notification date).
- Maximum of 3 attempts allowed for the LDCE.
⚙️ Selection Process
- Selection through a Limited Departmental Competitive Examination (LDCE) consisting of a Written Examination followed by Viva-voce.
- Merit-based selection as per Rule 4-B of the Karnataka Judicial Service (Recruitment) (Amendment) Rules, 2025.
- Eligible applicants will be intimated via SMS and email for the Written Examination and Viva-voce.
- Admission cards/call letters must be downloaded from the High Court of Karnataka's official website.
- Merit-based selection as per Rule 4-B of the Karnataka Judicial Service (Recruitment) (Amendment) Rules, 2025.
- Eligible applicants will be intimated via SMS and email for the Written Examination and Viva-voce.
- Admission cards/call letters must be downloaded from the High Court of Karnataka's official website.
🏷️ Category Eligibility & Reservations
All
📂 Required Documents
- Recent passport-size photograph (5cm x 3.6cm, white background, max 50KB, JPG format).
- Signature on white paper in black ballpoint pen (2.5cm x 7.5cm, max 25KB, JPG format).
- Valid personal mobile number and email ID for official communication.
- Signature on white paper in black ballpoint pen (2.5cm x 7.5cm, max 25KB, JPG format).
- Valid personal mobile number and email ID for official communication.
💳 Application Fee Details
- No application fee mentioned for this recruitment.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Q.
Who is eligible to apply for the Karnataka High Court LDCE 2026 District Judge recruitment?
Only serving Senior Civil Judges of the Karnataka Judicial Service who have completed at least 3 years as Senior Civil Judge, 7 years of combined service as Civil Judge and Senior Civil Judge, and attained 35 years of age as on 28 August 2026 are eligible.
Q.
How many District Judge posts are available under the Karnataka High Court LDCE 2026?
There are 79 District Judge posts available under the 25% Limited Departmental Competitive Examination (LDCE) quota, subject to change based on the outcome of a pending Supreme Court writ petition.
Q.
What is the last date to apply for the Karnataka High Court LDCE 2026 District Judge recruitment?
The last date to apply online is 15 September 2026, 11:59 PM, through the official website judiciary.karnataka.gov.in.
Q.
What is the selection process for the Karnataka High Court LDCE 2026 District Judge recruitment?
The selection process consists of a Limited Departmental Competitive Examination (LDCE) with a Written Examination followed by a Viva-voce, strictly on the basis of merit as per Rule 4-B of the Karnataka Judicial Service (Recruitment) (Amendment) Rules, 2025.
Q.
How many attempts are allowed for the Karnataka High Court LDCE 2026 District Judge recruitment?
A maximum of 3 (three) attempts are allowed for eligible Senior Civil Judges to appear in the LDCE.