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All about Odisha Judicial Service exam

December 5, 2023

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This article is written by Malika Jain and edited by Vanshika Kapoor (Senior Managing Editor, Blog iPleaders). This article seeks to provide a comprehensive account of all the relevant information about the Odisha Judicial Service Exam 2022-23. It covers every topic including the official Notification published by the Odisha Public Service Commission in 2023, the eligibility criteria, requisite qualification, important dates, the stages of the exam and their syllabus, and procedure of application. It guides the aspirants by providing a brief analysis of the past year question papers and shares useful tips and tricks to strategize the preparation of the exam. It also answers various FAQs which may arise in the mind of an aspirant while preparing for this exam.

It has been published by Rachit Garg.

Table of Contents

Odisha Judicial Service exam : a brief overview

The Odisha Judicial Service Exam is a great opportunity for the aspirants of judicial services to enter the State judiciary directly. It is conducted either by the High Court of Odisha or the Odisha Public Service Commission nearly every year in accordance with the provisions of the Odisha Superior Judicial Service and Odisha Judicial Service Rules, 2007. The exam filters out the candidates on the basis of three competitive exams, namely the Preliminary Exam, the Mains Exam and the interview.

The entire process of recruitment starts with an advertisement which is issued by the State usually on the official website of the Odisha Public Service Commission inviting applications from the aspirants to fill the vacant positions. After the duration for the submission of online applications ends, the State notifies the dates of these exams one by one. It declares the results of each phase through notifications issued on the above website. With the notification declaring the result of the interview and announcing the names of the selected candidates, the recruitment process comes to an end.

For the year 2022-23, the state of Odisha has already issued such an advertisement on 7th February 2023. According to the official notification, the duration to submit online applications for the exam was from 17th February 2023 to 17th March 2023. Subsequently, the State also issued a Notification on 18th April 2023 for declaring 21st May 2023 as the date of the Preliminary Written Exam. The results of the Preliminary Written Exam 2022-23 were announced on 27th June 2023. Post that, the State also announced that the Mains Exam 2022-23 shall be conducted from 3rd to 7th September 2023. The exam of the compulsory papers shall take place on 3rd September 2023 and the exam of the optional papers shall be held from 4th to 7th September 2023.

Job Profile on selection in Odisha Judicial Service Exam

Designation

The Odisha Judicial Service Exam is an exam for the recruitment of suitable candidates for the position of Civil Judges in Odisha Judicial Service under the State Law Department.

Pay scale

As per the recent notification/advertisement (No. 19 of 2022-23) by the Odisha Public Service Commission, the candidates selected for the above position, after passing through the aforementioned three-phased evaluation process, shall be entitled to the remuneration in the pay scale of Rs. 77,840-1,36,520/-. This is the revised pay scale. Earlier, the remuneration was in the pay scale of Rs. 27,700-770-33,090-920-40,450-1,080-44,770/-.

Along with this revised basic pay, the selected candidates shall also receive inflation and other allowances like house rent allowance, medical allowance, travel concessions, etc. as the Government may sanction from time to time.

Vacancies for the Odisha Judicial Service exam

As stated earlier, the Odisha Public Service Commission recruits candidates for the post of civil judges nearly every year which shows that vacancies occur frequently in the State’s judicial system.

The following table provides insights about the vacant posts of civil judge offered by the Odisha Public Service Commission in the last couple of years (excluding the COVID-19 period)-

Sr. No.	Years	Vacant Positions Offered
1	2022-23	57
2	2021-22	53
3	2020-21	COVID-19 period
4	2019-20	51
5	2018-19	43
6	2017-18	110

The above table clearly indicates that the state of Odisha conducts this judicial service exam and offers a decent number of posts for the position of Civil Judge every year. Thus, the Odisha Judicial Service presents great employment opportunities to the judiciary aspirants as there is little uncertainty regarding the conduct of the exam and aspirants get to take the exam and enter the system every year.

Category-wise description

In the year 2022-23, 57 vacant posts have been advertised by the Odisha Public Service Commission. Out of these 57 posts, 6 posts have been reserved for the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes, 9 posts have been kept aside for persons belonging to the Scheduled Caste (SC), 13 posts have been earmarked for persons belonging to the Scheduled Tribes (ST), 4 posts have been kept for persons with benchmark disabilities which also include the carried-forward two posts from the previous year vacancies, and lastly, the remaining 25 positions are open for the unreserved category.

The same is represented in the table below:

Sr. No.	Category	Total Vacancies	Vacancies reserved for women
1	Unreserved	25	08
2	Socially and Educationally Backward Classes	06	02
3	SC	09	03
4	ST	13	04
5	Persons with benchmark disabilities (i.e. Orthopedically Handicapped and Deaf and Hard of hearing candidates with suitable aid)	2+2 (two carried forward posts)	01
Total		57	18

Out of these 57 vacant posts, a total of 18 posts (2 posts for women from Socially and Educationally Backward Classes; 3 posts for women from Scheduled Caste (SC); 4 posts for women from Scheduled Tribes (ST); 1 post for women with benchmark disabilities, and; 8 posts for women from unreserved category) have been reserved for women.

Filling of unfulfilled vacancies

If any post reserved for women or Socially and Educationally Backward Classes or persons belonging to SC or ST groups remains unoccupied due to any reason, the same would be filled by the eligible male candidates of the same category.

Eligibility criteria for the Odisha Judicial Service exam

Educational qualifications and other experience of the applicant

Qualifications of general applicants

The applicants must simply have a graduate degree in law from a recognised University or any other institution recognised by the Government of India.

Qualifications of departmental applicants

A person who is:

a Superintendent or a Ministerial Officer in the High Court or any subordinate Civil or Criminal Court; or
an Assistant Law Officer; or
a Translator of the Law Department of the Government

is also eligible to take this exam and be recruited in Odisha Judicial Service as Civil judge, provided that he/she:

has done a graduation in law from a University recognised by the Sate Government of Odisha;
has at least 7 years of approved service, which shall be computed by the last date for the submission of the online application for this exam, in the High Court or any subordinate Civil or Criminal Court or in the Law Department of the Government;
has the recommendation by his or her respective appointing authority; and
is of 39 years or younger as on 1st August 2022.

Such a departmental applicant is also required to adduce appropriate evidence to show that he/she has, in fact, been recommended by the competent authority and that he/she meets all the above-mentioned criteria of eligibility.

Such evidence has to be attached with the hard copy of the online application form during the submission of certificates or other documents.

Qualifications of government servants

Government servants including permanent or temporary or those who are on probation against a vacancy in permanent/temporary positions in any government department are absolutely eligible to sit for this exam. However, to be so eligible, he/she must have the aforementioned requisite qualification and be within the valid age criteria.

Additionally, these candidates are also mandated to give a written information to the head of their respective offices regarding their application to appear in this exam and obtain a ‘No Objection Certificate’. This NOC has to be furnished during the verification of documents.

However, if the employer of such a Government servant communicates to the Odisha Public Service Commission his/her revocation of the permission to apply for this exam, the candidature of the applicant shall be cancelled.

Age limit criteria for the Odisha Judicial Service exam

According to the advertisement of 2022-23, the age of the applicant must neither be below 23 years nor be more than 35 years as on 1st August 2022. The applicant must also not have been born either before 2nd August 1987 or after 1st August 1999.

To verify the age of the applicants, the Commission will look into the date of birth mentioned in the High School or other equivalent certificate issued by the Board/Council concerned.

Thus, it is advisable that all the candidates fill in their age and date of birth correctly in the application form after duly confirming the same from the above mentioned documents.

Relaxation in the age limit

The cases in which the age limits imposed on the candidates can be relaxed are restricted to only those mentioned in the notification, and in no other case such relaxation will be provided to the candidates.

As per the advertisement of 2022-23, the limitation of maximum age has been extended by five years for women applicants and for candidates belonging to SC and ST groups or Socially and Educationally Backward Classes, ex-servicemen or Commissioned and SSC Officers of defence service. In other words, for these categories of candidates, the valid age bracket would be 23 years to 40 years.

Further, for persons with benchmark disabilities, the limitation of maximum age stands extended by ten years over and above the regular relaxation provided to the SC or ST candidates and candidates from Socially and Educationally Backward Classes.

Furthermore, with respect to the departmental candidates having an experience of 7 years in the service, the maximum age limit to sit for this exam is 39 years as on 1st August 2022.

General eligibility criteria for the Odisha Judicial Service exam

The general conditions of eligibility are applicable to all applicants. An applicant, in order to be eligible to take this exam must:

Be an Indian citizen (candidates from all over India can apply for this exam provided that they fulfil other eligibility criteria, especially the linguistic criterion as mentioned below);
Possess a good character;
Have good health without any organic defect or bodily infirmity; and
Have the ability to speak, read and write Odia language with full proficiency and must have cleared an exam of standard equivalent to Class VII in Odia.

Please note : Candidates who have changed their name are additionally required to submit a copy of a prominent local daily newspaper in which the name change must have been published, together with a copy of the official notification published in the Gazette backing such name change. Also, it is to be specially noted that the candidates, in order to be considered eligible to take this exam, must meet the above-mentioned qualification criteria, age-limit criteria and other general conditions of eligibility by the closing date of the deadline stipulated for the submission of the online application form.

Note- The concessions which have been provided to the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes or SCs or STs by birth are only meant for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes or SCs or STs of the State of Odisha. In other words, the affirmative action provided in this recruitment process is state-specific and applies only to the above backward classes of the State of Odisha.

Grounds of disqualification and rejection of the application for the post in Odisha Judicial Service Officer

It is imperative for the candidates to be aware of the grounds of disqualification and rejection of the application form to appear in this exam to avoid any unfortunate mistake or discrepancy in their candidature.

Grounds of disqualification

An applicant will be disqualified from appearing in the Odisha Judicial Service Exam in the following circumstances:

If he or she has more than one living spouse, i.e. if he/she is already married to more than one living persons or he/she marries another while already having a living spouse, he/she will be disqualified from appointment in the services.

However, this disqualification does not apply if such person has been exempted from this limitation by the State Government for sufficient reasons;

If he or she has been debarred either by the Odisha Public Service Commission or by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), at any time, for any period or chance, from appearing in any exam or interview/ viva-voce, he/she will be disqualified from recruitment to the posts of Civil Judge in Odisha Judicial Service for that particular time period or chance;
If he or she does not fulfil the requirements of the medical fitness as may be required by the Odisha Public Service Commission for this post and consequently fails in the compulsory medical examination conducted by Medical Board;
d.i) If he or she pressurises or illegally gratifies any person involved in the conduct of the recruitment process to gather support for his or her candidature and is found guilty of the same; or

d.ii) if he or she is found engaging in any malpractice in the course of selection or the recruitment process,

his or her candidature will be disqualified from the current application process and he or she may also be debarred from any recruitment process that may be conducted by the Odisha Public Service Commission either temporarily or permanently.

In addition to such disqualification, he/she shall also attract liability of criminal prosecution.

Grounds of rejection

An applicant’s candidature shall be rejected by the Odisha Public Service Commission and he/she will not be able to appear in the Odisha Judicial Service Exam in the following circumstances:

If the candidate fails to satisfy the eligibility criteria as mentioned above;
If the candidate does not fall within the valid age criteria;
If the candidate does not produce a hard copy of the online application form during the verification of original documents;
If the applicant does not sign the declaration (full signature) in the hard copy of the online application form;
If either the candidate has not been able to pass the Odia test as mentioned above in point (d) of the General Eligibility Criteria for the Odisha Judicial Service Exam 2023 or furnish the evidence of passing the Odia test, as mentioned in the section on Certificates to be deposited;
If the copies of requisite documents as mentioned in the section on Certificates to be deposited have not been submitted;
If wrong or false information about any qualification or age or Socially and Educationally Backward Classes status or SC status or ST status or status of being an ex-servicemen or a person with disabilities or a woman, etc. is furnished by the candidate;
If the online application of the applicant to appear in this exam is incomplete or defective in any manner, the Odisha Public Service Commission will reject the same without any correspondence with the candidate;
If at any stage of the recruitment process either before the exam or after it, the applicant is found to be ineligible by not meeting any of the eligibility criteria as mentioned above, his or her candidature shall be rejected by the Commission whose decision will be final.

Further, not only with respect to eligibility but also in any other case, the decision of the Odisha Public Service Commission shall be final.

If it is found that the applicant has misrepresented or suppressed any information in the online application form, either the candidature of the applicant will be cancelled or he or she will be imposed a penalty as may be decided by the Commission.
If the Government, upon making necessary enquiry, is not satisfied with the overall suitability of the candidate for recruitment to the post of Civil Judge in Odisha Judicial Service, then even if the candidate’s name appears in the select list, he or she will not be appointed and his or her candidature will stand rejected;
If the scanned image of the passport size photograph, signature of the candidate, and left-hand thumb impression, which are to be attached with the online application form, are not clearly visible or identifiable, the applicant’s candidature may be rejected without even entertaining any representation or correspondence by the candidate.
On the basis of any other ground as may be decided by the Commission.

Notably, the candidature of the applicant can be rejected at any stage of the recruitment process whenever any discrepancy or defect is noticed by the Commission. Admission to the exam is only provisional and the advertisement published by the Government to invite applications for this exam does not bind it to make recruitment or any appointment.

Stages of exam for the Odisha Judicial Service exam

Odisha Judicial Service Preliminary Exam

Overview of Odisha Judicial Service Preliminary Exam

The Preliminary Exam is an objective type exam with multiple choice questions (MCQs). This exam tests the abilities of the candidates to memorise the provisions, niceties involved in the provisions and other trivia about the law. It comprises a single Paper containing 100 MCQs of one mark each, i.e., the total weightage of the Preliminary Exam is 100 marks. The duration to complete these 100 questions is 90 minutes, i.e., one and half hours. This gives the candidates 54 seconds for each question. This exam also has a provision of negative marking of 0.25 marks for every wrong answer. In other words, on selecting wrong options for every 4 questions, the candidate will lose 1 mark. Thus, the candidates must attempt only those questions that they are absolutely sure about and refrain from attempting guesswork.

The answers to the multiple choice questions are to be given through OMR (Optical Mark Recognition) sheets by shading the circle of the right option. Generally, ballpoint pens in blue or black are instructed to be used for filling the OMR sheet. The OMR sheets will be evaluated through computers.

Since the Paper is in offline mode and answers have to be indicated in an OMR sheet, the candidates must remain very careful in shading the circles in the OMR as the same cannot be undone or revised later on. Only when the candidate is cent per cent sure of the correctness of an option that he/she should darken the respective circle in the OMR.

Syllabus for Odisha Judicial Service Preliminary Exam

The Odisha Public Service Commission prescribes that the candidates must study the following subjects comprehensively to prepare for the Preliminary Exam:

Constitution of India;
Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (CPC);
Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (CrPC);
Indian Evidence Act, 1872;
Indian Penal Code, 1860;
Limitation Act, 1963;
Transfer of Property Act, 1882;
Indian Contract Act, 1872;
Law of Succession (Both Indian Succession Act and Hindu Succession Act);
Specific Relief Act, 1963;
Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005;
Any other law as may be specified by the High Court from time to time.

Qualifying Criteria of Odisha Judicial Service Preliminary Exam

To qualify for the Mains Exam, the candidates should score at least 35%, i.e. 35 marks, in case of candidates belonging to SC and ST category, and 40%, i.e. 40 marks, in case of candidates belonging to other categories in the Preliminary Written Exam.

Odisha Judicial Service Mains exam

Overview of Odisha Judicial Service Mains Exam

The Mains Exam is a descriptive exam aimed at testing the applicants on the basis of their overall knowledge of the subjects. It asks essay type questions on different subjects. This exam consists of two papers: Paper 1, which is conducted in two separate papers for two compulsory subjects, and Paper 2 which is based upon three separate papers for three optional subjects as may be selected by the candidates. Paper 1 carries 300 marks (150 x 2 (Paper 1 and Paper 2) in total, and Paper 2 carries 450 marks (150 x 3 (separate Papers of optional subjects) in total.

Mains Exam	Paper 1	Paper 2
Description	2 Papers (General English and Procedural Laws)	3 Papers (3 Optional Subjects)
Marks of each exam	150	150
Total Marks	300	450

Syllabus of Odisha Judicial Service Mains Exam

The Odisha Public Service Commission prescribes the following subjects that must be studied comprehensively by the aspirants to prepare for the Mains Exam:

General English;
CrPC;
CPC;
The Indian Evidence Act, 1872;
Law of Crime (mainly the Indian Penal Code 1860);
Law of Torts;
Indian Contract Act, 1872;
Sales of Goods Act, 1930;
Partnership Act, 1930;
Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881;
Specific Relief Act, 1963;
Indian Limitations Act, 1963;
Transfer of Property Act, 1882;
Personal laws (Hindu law and Muslim law);
Constitution of India, 1950;
Jurisprudence.

Paper 1: Paper 1 (General English)

About

The first paper of Paper 1 tests the candidates’ knowledge of the compulsory subject of General English. This Paper comprises 5 questions for a total of 150 marks which have to be answered by the candidates in two and a half hours, i.e. 150 minutes. Thus, the candidates can devote 30 minutes to each question. To attempt this Paper, the applicants are required to possess good proficiency in both English and Odia. It is advised to the candidates that they pay special attention to the grammar and spelling of both languages to score good in this Paper.

Types of Questions

This Paper involves questions based on translation and retranslation. The candidates will be required to translate 10 Odia lines into English and retranslate 10 English lines into Odia. The questions are also based on precis writing of about 300 words; short essay writing of about 150 words, and; one passage consisting of 500 words along with five questions. As regards the questions of translation and retranslation are concerned, the question paper will contain two passages, out of which one English passage will have to be translated into Odia, and the other Odia passage will have to be retranslated into English.

Also, it is vital to keep in mind by the candidates that there is no choice in the exam as regards the questions to be attempted, i.e. the candidates have to attempt all the questions asked in the exam.

Division of Marks

Both the translation as well as the retranslation questions contain 25 marks each. The short essay of 150 words carries 50 marks. The precis writing exercise is of 25 marks. Lastly, the question containing a passage and five corollary questions carries 25 marks, that is five marks for each question.

Paper 1: Paper 2 (Procedural Laws)

About

The second paper of Paper 1 evaluates the knowledge of the procedural laws of the candidates. It covers all the major procedural laws of the country, viz. CPC, CrPC, and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872. The Paper is of total 150 marks. The Paper is generally divided into three sections: A, B and C, covering the above-stated three subjects and comprising a total of 12 questions out of which 6 questions have to be attempted. Every section has 4 questions and the candidates have to attempt any 2 questions out of the same. These 6 questions have to be completed in two and a half hours, i.e., 150 minutes. Thus, the candidates get 25 minutes for each question.

Types of Questions

Notably, every question in the Paper is itself divided into several sub-questions. Therefore, the candidates will be required to maintain decent handwriting speed to be able to attempt all the questions properly. The questions are concept based and not situation or fact based. The Paper does involve ‘what’ questions and are generally direct.

The Paper gives ample scope to the candidates to choose the question of their comfort as only 2 questions per section have to be answered.

Division of Marks

All the sections are of equal marks, i.e. of 100 marks. The questions in the section are of different marks ranging from 5 marks to 15 marks. Thus, no section/ subject can be placed over any other and every section has to be given equal significance and effort.

Paper 2: Optional subjects

About

Paper 2 is an exam on the subjects chosen by the candidates themselves. It offers 5 subjects from which the candidates have to select 3 optional subjects based on which they have to take respective exams. Thus, technically Paper 2 will consist of 3 Papers of 3 different optional subjects. The five options available to the applicants are:

Law of Crime and Law of Torts;
Personal law;
Law of Property;
Law of Contract;
Jurisprudence and Constitution of India.

These exams shall be for a total of 150 marks each. The exams of these optional subjects will be scheduled separately, so, every candidate’s schedule for Paper 2 may vary according to the optional subjects chosen by him/her. All the exams shall be for the duration of 3 hours.

We discuss hereinbelow the structure for all these five subjects:

Law of Crime and Law of Torts

Structure

The Paper of this exam is divided into 2 sections: A and B. Both the sections deal with a separate subject. For instance, Section A may be formed out of Law of Crime only and Section B may contain questions from Law of Torts only or vice-versa. Section A will contain 6 questions out of which the candidates will have to attempt any 3 questions. Same is the case with Section B.

In this Paper, the candidates are required to attempt 6 questions in the maximum duration of 3 hours, i.e., 180 minutes, which gives every candidate 30 minutes to attempt each question. Some questions may be further divided into various sub-questions. Hence, candidates must keep a good track of time and distribute it according to the marks allotted to the questions.

Division of marks

The pattern of division of marks in this Paper keeps changing. Sometimes, all the questions can be of the same marks and sometimes, every question may carry different marks. For example, in the Mains Exam of Odisha Judicial Service 2021-2022 and 2018-2019, this Paper contained all the questions of 25 marks each. But, in the Mains Exam of the year 2017-2018, all the questions in the Paper were of different marks ranging from 10 to 25.

Thus, it is advised that the candidates prepare answer writing for questions carrying marks of every scale: 10, 15 and 25, in order to be prepared for every case of marks distribution, either equal or differential.

Personal law

Structure

Like the previous Paper of Law of Crime and Law of Torts, this exam is also divided into 2 sections: sections A and B. Generally, the two sections deal with the personal laws of two different religions: Section A generally deals with the Hindu law, whereas, section B generally deals with the Muslim law.

Section A will contain 6 questions out of which the candidates will have to attempt any 3 questions. Same is the case with Section B. Thus, in this exam also, the candidates will have to answer 6 questions in 3 hours. In other words, the candidates will get 30 minutes to attempt each question. Some questions may be further divided into various sub-questions.

Division of marks

Same as in the exam of Law of Crime and Law of Torts.

Law of Property

Structure

In this Paper, the candidates will be required to answer 6 questions in total, chosen from the three sections of the Paper. The candidates will be able to choose two questions from each section with a time period of 30 minutes for each question.

Section A of the Paper evaluates the candidates’ knowledge and understanding of the Transfer of Property Act, 1882. Section B of the Paper is centred on the Specific Relief Act, 1963. Lastly, Section C of the Paper revolves around the Limitations Act, 1963. The questions are not only based on the legal concepts and doctrines but also on the statutory provisions.

Division of marks

Same as in the exam of Law of Crime and Law of Torts.

Law of Contract

Structure

The Paper of the law of Contract has four sections. Out of these 4 sections, a total of 6 questions have to be answered by the candidates. Two questions have to be selected out of sections A and B each while one question has to be attempted from sections C and D each. Earlier the pattern was different and certain questions were made compulsory for the candidates to answer. However, the recent pattern has changed the structure to leave it completely to the candidates to answer any 6 questions of their choice from the respective sections.

Section A contains questions from the Indian Contract Act, 1872. Further, Section B poses questions from the Sale of Goods Act, 1930; Section C tests candidates’ knowledge of the Indian Partnership Act, 1930; and lastly section D asks questions from the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881.

It has been seen from the past years’ papers that small situation-based or fact-based questions have also been asked in the exam together with conceptual and provision-based questions.

Division of marks

Apart from the scheme of division of marks followed in the exam of Law of Crime and Law of Torts, It may also be possible in this exam that a section may have all the questions of the same marks and other sections may have questions with different scale of marks. For instance, in the Main Written exam of 2018-2019, section A contained all the questions of 25 marks each, whereas, the rest of the sections contained questions in the scale of 10 and 15.

Jurisprudence and Constitution of India

Structure

The Paper of this exam is divided into 2 sections: sections A and B, each dealing with a separate subject. Questions of Section A are based on the Constitutional law from the Constitution of India, whereas Section B contains questions from Jurisprudence. Section A has 6 questions out of which the candidates have to attempt any 3 questions. The same pattern goes for Section B also. The questions demand that the candidates back up their answers with relevant case laws.

Division of marks

Same as in the exam of Law of Crime and Law of Torts.

General Guidelines for Odisha Judicial Service Mains Exam

It is required that the candidates answer the questions in the Mains Exam in English language unless it has been directed otherwise.
The candidates must be extremely careful about choosing or selecting the optional subjects in the online application form as the same will not be allowed to be changed or modified. The selection of the optional subjects by the candidates as indicated in their online application form will be final.
The standard of the exam of the subjects of law shall be the same as that of the LL.B. course.
As regards the compulsory Paper 1, the standard of the exam shall be of a degree course.

Qualifying criteria

It is imperative for the candidates to secure at least an aggregate of 45% marks and 33% marks in every exam of the Mains Exam to qualify for the interview stage and get a call for the same from the Commission.

Furthermore, the number of candidates which would be called for interview would not exceed thrice the number of vacant positions under every category in the order of merit as may be advertised by the Commission for the recruitment process.

Interview

Overview

The interview is the last stage of the recruitment process. The aim of this exam is to test the personality, interpersonal skills, and attitude of the candidate. Interview is conducted for a total of 100 marks.

Syllabus

Generally the syllabus for the Mains Examination is the syllabus for the stage of interview as well. However, since, in this stage, the recruiters get to personally interact with the selected candidates, the questions may not be strictly related to the syllabus. Although the questions in the interview will not be completely out of syllabus, they may be related to the current affairs testing the basic general knowledge and awareness of the candidates.

It may also involve questions from broad national and international issues and topics of common interest in the area of science and art.

Qualifying criteria

The criteria to qualify in the stage of interview and to be included in the merit list is that the candidates must at least score 40% marks, i.e. at least 40 marks, in the interview.

Marking scheme for the Odisha Judicial Service exam

The marking scheme and the qualifying criteria of all the stages have been described above in detail. The important thing to be noted, however, is that the Preliminary Exam has a negative marking of 0.25 marks for every wrong answer.

This section further deals with the marking scheme of the final merit list.

The Odisha Public Service Commission, in order to prepare the final merit list of selected candidates, on the basis of which the recruitment will be done, shall prepare a merit-wise list of the candidates qualifying in the written exams and the interview which shall be equal to the vacancies advertised. For example, if 57 vacancies have been advertised by the Commission, it will list the top 57 candidates to prepare the merit list. The merit list prepared by the Commission in this manner shall remain valid for a year from the date of its approval by the government.

Breaking the tie

If there is a tie between two or more candidates and they have secured equal marks in the total, the order of merit between them shall be determined according to the marks obtained by them in the written examination. If such candidates have secured equal marks in the written examination, then the total marks secured by them in their LL.B. examination shall be considered to decide the order of merit between them. If the marks of the LL.B. examination are also equal then the age of the candidates shall become the decisive factor and the older candidates shall be preferred over the younger candidates.

How to check results for the Odisha Judicial Service exam

The candidates can visit the official website of the Odisha Public Service Commission to check the results of the exam of any of the phases of the Odisha Judicial Service exam.

The disclosure of other details relating to the recruitment process like the cutoff marks, answer keys and the individual marks shall be made by the Commission on its website after the declaration of the final result of the recruitment process as well as the merit list.

When to start preparation

Starting the preparation of this exam on a right note is important. Thus, firstly, see the analysis of the past year question papers and understand the pattern and important areas for the preparation. Thereafter, one should start the preparation by studying the subject they find the most engaging. Take mocks and practice questions to build interest first and then engage in the rest of the preparation. Candidates should start the preparation as early as possible. Since all the subjects in the syllabus of this exam are taught in the law school, so if possible, the candidates must start their preparation from their time in law school only. However, the same is not a strait-jacket formula to clear the exam and its preparation can be started even after the completion of the law school period. The same varies from person to person.

How to prepare for Orissa Judicial Services exam

Preliminary Exam and Mains Exam

The candidates must prepare for Preliminary Exam and Mains Exam simultaneously as most of the subjects in the syllabus of these exams overlap. The candidates who are still in the law school can prepare for this exam by studying the subjects of the syllabus thoroughly while they are being taught in their law school. Apart from reading the concepts, the candidates must take special care to learn about the landmark and the recent case laws related to the concepts.

Candidates are not advised to prepare for two major subjects together. Instead, they may consider taking up one major subject with another minor subject related to the former. For instance, the Limitations Act, 1963, can be taken with CPC or Partnership Act can be taken up with the Indian Contract Act.

The preparation of all the subjects must be done from the standard books available for the subject which are generally recommended in the law school itself.

For preparing General Knowledge, both static and current, the candidates can rely on sources like Newspapers, weekly/monthly GK magazines, and reliable YouTube videos. For learning new vocabulary, the candidates must develop the habit of extensive reading and can resort to various social media pages that teach advanced vocabulary. The candidates may also refer to standard books for English vocabulary.

Besides studying the subjects, the candidates must also take mock tests regularly to evaluate one’s progress. Moreover, they must analyse the mock tests and identify their strengths and weaknesses and work on the same. While studying the subjects, the candidates must make notes, not only of the subjects but also of the mock tests’ analysis, as the same are very helpful for quick revision. The candidates are also advised to revise their subjects at regular intervals for better memory retention.

Interview

In order to prepare for an interview, candidates can start off by taking mock interviews either with the help of a friend or a family member. As an alternative, they may also consider giving interviews in front of a mirror to observe one’s body language and gestures while answering the questions.

The candidates can make notes of the questions that may be asked in the interview and the answers thereof to practice the same. They must also prepare and practice answers to certain personal questions like questions about the candidate’s hobbies or interests or favourite subjects, etc. The answers must be truthful and honest and must be conveyed in a polite yet confident manner.

It is also recommended that, while taking mock interviews, the candidates also keep a track of time, so that the answers can be made more crisp and relevant.

It is advisable that the candidates read about all the latest news and events before going for the interview.

A well-dressed, well-informed and well-mannered candidate would always have an edge over others. The candidates must dress formally with minimal accessories. They must prefer light solid colours over prints. For men hair must be short and nicely trimmed; for women, hair must be neatly tied.

Tips and tricks on how to study for the Odisha Judicial Services exam

Try to answer the multiple choice questions through the method of elimination, i.e., by eliminating the incorrect options, the correct option will automatically emerge.
Practice answer writing a million times.
Make timelines or short term objectives for the completion of each subject for a time-bound study.
Always make notes in the form of structured answers so that the same can be replicated even in the exam.
Dress comfortably during the Preliminary and Mains Exam. Dress formally and decently for the interview.
Avoid chunky and gaudy accessories in the interview.
Prepare for the subject during the weekdays and practice related questions during the weekends.
It is always better to practise mock tests during the same time period in which the actual exam is scheduled. For instance, if, say, the Preliminary Exam is scheduled from 10:00 A.M. to 11:30 A.M., practice the mock test of the Preliminary Exam at the same time during preparation to condition the mind to work in that particular duration.
Join mock series and practice questions on a regular basis.
Do not attach much importance to the marks scored in the mock tests, rather focus at detailed analysis and note making thereof.
The candidates may skip attempting the mocks when the exams approach near and must focus only at revising the mocks.
Stay calm and composed during the exams. Take proper nutrition and sleep during the period of preparation.

Application process of the Odisha Judicial Service exam

The application process is one of the most crucial steps for candidates to be able to appear for this examination, thus, the candidates are advised to be careful while submitting their application form. The candidates are also advised, before filling the application form, to visit the website of the Odisha Public Service Commission and go through the original advertisement calling applications for Odisha Judicial Service exam and the detailed instructions issued to the candidates by the Commission.

Application form

The application form to apply for this exam has to be submitted online only and any application submitted otherwise shall be rejected by the Commission summarily. The Application form has to be filled out through the official website of the Odisha Public Service Commission. After landing on the default page of the website, the candidates may click on ‘Apply Online’ to see the application forms for all the latest openings.

To apply, the candidates will have to register on the website of the Commission for which a candidate must necessarily have a valid mail ID. While having a working phone number is not mandatory, it is advisable that candidates must also provide the same to receive information about the various stages of the application.

The application form is automated and system-driven and will itself guide the candidates In filling out the same. Before filling the application form, the candidates may also be required to fill a declaration form.

It cannot be emphasised enough that the candidates must read and fill correct and valid information in the application form, since the option of the modification or alteration of the application form, once it has been submitted, is very limited. Even if a candidate has filled in the wrong information, there is no room for making any edits in the form.

The candidate must submit only a single application; however, due to unforeseen circumstances, if the candidate submits more than one application, then the application with the higher Registration ID would be considered by the Commission. Hence, the candidates must ensure that such application is valid and complete in all regards.

Also, the fee submitted by the candidate with respect to one application will not be adjusted towards any other application submitted by the candidate. The Commission follows the system of one payment for one application.

The candidates may visit this website for detailed guidelines as to how the candidates should apply for this exam.

Documents required to fill out the Odisha Judicial Service exam application form

The candidates have to upload certain documents with their online application form; thus, they must keep all these documents ready in the format required by the Commission. Following are the documents which are required to be attached with the online application form:

Scanned copy of the latest passport size photograph of the candidate (the size of the file should be between 25KB to 100 KB);
Scanned image of the candidate’s full signature in black ink on white paper (the size of the file should be between 10 KB to 50 KB), and;
Scanned image of the thumb impression of the left hand in black or blue ink on white paper (the size of the file should be between 10 KB to 50KB).

The images of the photograph of the candidate, his or her signature, and left thumb impression must be in the .gif or .jpg format.

Fees for the Odisha Judicial Service exam

Generally, the fee for the Odisha Judicial Service Exam is INR 500/- for all the candidates, except for SC and ST candidates and candidates with disabilities, who are exempted altogether from payment of any fees for this exam.

How to make payment for the Fees for the Odisha Judicial Service Exam?

After the successful submission of the application form, the candidate must print the Challan form which will contain details about the name, date of birth, registration number of the applicant and the amount to be paid thereby. Thereafter, the print of the Challan shall be taken to the nearest SBI branch where the candidate must make the payment of the fee at the bank counter. After the deposit of the said fee, the bank official will mention the voucher number, put the bank seal and his/her signature.

The bank will retain the “Bank copy” of the challan and return to the candidate the “Candidate copy” and “OPSC copy” of the challan.

Grievance regarding the conduct of the exam

If the candidate has any grievance or complaint regarding the conduct of the exam, he or she shall intimate the same to the Grievance Wing of the Commission via mail ID: [email protected] within a time period of 3 days from the completion of the exam.

General guidelines regarding application

Besides the above guidelines about the entire application process of this exam, the candidates must also adhere to the following general guidelines:

The candidates must keep at least 4 copies of his or her latest passport size photograph which he or she must have uploaded in the application form as well.
When a candidate submits his or her application form successfully, he or she is to receive a ‘Permanent Public Service Account Number (PPSAN)’.
The candidates have to take a print out of the successfully submitted Registration or Re-registration form as well as the online application form and sign the declaration mentioned therein for submitting the same to the Commission along with other requisite documents as and when asked thereby.
The Commission will upload the Certificate of Admission for the eligible candidates on its website before the date of the written exam. The candidates have to download it and produce the same at the exam centres during the written exam.
The candidates are advised to keep visiting and checking the website of the Odisha Public Service Commission for declaration of result or publication of a notice or any new update on this exam. The candidates must also refer to the leading Odia local newspapers for new updates.
The candidates may refer to these FAQs regarding the application procedure of this exam.
At the cost of repetition, it is reinstated that the candidates must read the original advertisement and all the guidelines and instructions issued by the Odisha Public Service Commission before starting off with the application procedure for this exam.

Certificates to be deposited

In order to check if the candidates, those who have qualified the written exam, actually fulfil the eligibility criteria as per the advertisement for the recruitment, the Commission requires them to bring the following documents for verification on a date which is notified later by it:

Hard copy of the online application form;
High school certificate or any other equivalent certificate as may be issued by the concerned Board or Council for the verification of age;
Certificate of the bachelor’s degree of law as may be issued by the concerned University;
Odia test pass certificate either from the concerned school showing that the candidate had Odia as one of the subjects in 7th or 8th standard and that he or she had passed that exam or from the Board of Secondary Education, Odisha or any other Government approved board or Council of Secondary Education backing that the candidate had passed the Odia test of Middle English School standard, If the candidate has not passed the former.
Certificate of experience by the competent authority clearly showing the joining date, if the candidate claims to be a departmental applicant;
Good character certificate either from the principal/ proctor/dean or from the professor who is incharge of the department of teaching in the institution in which the candidate last studied;
Two recent passport-size, unsigned and unattested photographs of the candidate which he or she would have also uploaded with the online application form;
Candidates claiming to be belonging to any Socially and educationally backward classes, SCs or STs, must submit a caste certificate by birth;
Candidates with disability need to submit a Medical certificate or a Disability certificate as may be issued by a competent Medical board or authority specifying the percentage of disability;
Candidates who claim to be ex-servicemen are required to submit a Discharge certificate from the Commanding Officer of the unit in which he or she last served;
Such candidates as mentioned in the last point are also required to deposit an affidavit undertaking that they have not been recruited or appointed for any civil post after retirement from military services;
Any other proof of Identity.

Important points regarding documents/certificates

The candidates must mention “Submitted by me”, their full signature and the date on all the documents as mentioned above.
The applicants belonging to socially and educationally backward classes must submit a caste certificate which should have been issued within the last 3 years from the last date prescribed for the submission of online application form. If the certificate is more than 3 years old by such date, it will be rejected by the Commission.
OBC certificate shall not be a substitute for certificate issued to people belonging to socially and educationally backward classes (SEBC certificate). The former, if deposited in the place of the latter, shall be rejected.
The candidates must state their true caste status, as the same cannot be changed at any point of time.
The caste certificate deposited by the women candidates who claim to belong to socially and educationally backward classes or SCs or STs must clearly identify them as “Daughter of …”. Caste certificates as a result of marriage identifying them to be the “wife of…” shall not be a valid caste certificate and be liable to rejection by the Commission.
All the certificates as mentioned above must have been issued to the candidate by the competent authorities within the time limit fixed for the submission of the online application form.
The candidates must not attach the original copies of their certificates with their application.

Exam centres for the Odisha Judicial Service exam

The Odisha Judicial Service exam is mainly conducted across 5 centres in Odisha. They are as follows:

Balasore
Berhampur
Bhubaneswar
Cuttack
Sambalpur

The Preliminary Exam is conducted across all these centres. However, if sufficient numbers of candidates are not available for the exam centres of Balasore, Berhampur and Sambalpur, the candidates who must have chosen these three exam centres would be accommodated at the exam centres in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar. Same is the case with the Mains Exam. The allocation of centres in both these exams depend upon the number of candidates available.

Details of the help desk

If the candidate requires any guidance regarding the application procedure of the exam or the recruitment process in general, they may not only resort to the FAQs mentioned but also contact the Facilitation Counter of the Odisha Public Service Commission over telephone no. 0671-2304141/ 2305611 on working days. The said facility of assistance is available between 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM and 2:00 PM to 5:30 PM.

Moreover, if the candidate faces any technical issues in the filling up of the registration or registration or the online application form the candidate can contact the technical support team of the Odisha Public Service Commission via telephone no. 0671-2304707 on Working days between 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM and 2:00 PM to 5:30 PM.

Analysis of past year question papers of Odisha Judicial Service exam

Before starting the preparation of the Odisha Judicial Services Exam, the candidates must study the past year question papers of the exam to understand its pattern and choice of questions in order to prepare for it accordingly. This analysis will also help the candidates in identifying important topics from the syllabus which are asked very frequently in this exam. Below is the phase-wise analysis of the past year question papers of the Odisha Judicial Service exam from 2012-13 to 2021-22:

Odisha Judicial Service Preliminary Exam

As stated earlier, the Preliminary Exam is an objective type exam with multiple choice questions, thus, this exam generally contains more memory-based questions in comparison to conceptual questions. However, the paper may also contain certain application based questions in which a brief situation will be provided to the candidates and they would have to answer it according to the options given.

Frequently asked topics in the Odisha Judicial Service Preliminary Exam

Although, it is advisable and safe to study all the subjects which have been prescribed in the syllabus, upon the analysis of the past year question papers, it becomes clear that certain topics assume relatively more importance as they have been asked very frequently in the exam.

Notably, the bare Acts of all the statutes covered in the syllabus have to be studied thoroughly by the candidates as several direct questions have been framed therefrom. The same is discussed later in detail.

Discussing every subject one by one, in Constitution of India, though it is entirely significant and none of its parts should be left unprepared by the candidates, certain parts thereof have been asked very often like the basic constitutional history covering the landmark colonial enactments leading to the framing of the present day constitution; Sources and the overall structure of the Constitution of India; Fundamental Rights (Part III), especially, Articles 14,19, 20, and 21; Directive Principles of State Policy; 9th Schedule, and; the important amendments made in the Constitution of India. The study of these topics should be accompanied by the study of all the landmark case laws and doctrines related thereto. For example, the significant case laws under Article 21 and the doctrine of pith and substance have been a constant source of questions in the exam. This paper also tests the knowledge of candidates in the field of jurisprudence by asking about different definitions and their authors.

As regards CPC, many questions have been asked so far from res judicata, decree, the different order numbers, etc. With respect to the personal laws, the Hindu Succession Act 1956 becomes extremely important as several questions have been asked from the definition clause, categories of heirs, amendment made in the statute, etc. Besides, the candidates must also study about the various kinds of will and their creators. Simply put, this entire topic cannot at all be skipped by the candidates.

Similarly, with respect to the Transfer of Property Act, 1882, the different doctrines related to the provisions of the Act, the concepts of lease and mortgage, foreclosure, etc. have inspired several questions. The Limitations Act is also another crucial subject for the exam as a large number of questions are framed from the different periods of limitation provided in the Act, the concept of adverse possession, acknowledgement, etc. It would be better to not miss any part of this statute.

From the criminal laws, several questions are raised from topics like general exceptions, theft, offences against body especially murder and culpable homicide, etc. under IPC; statutory and anticipatory bail, FIR, rights of the accused/prisoners, etc., under CrPC, and; relevance and admissibility of evidence, res gestae, presumptions, etc., under the Indian Evidence Act.

Further, the candidates must carefully study all the provisions till Section 75 of the Indian Contract Act, 1872, as these provisions contain the fundamentals of the subject from which not only the direct but also situation-based questions are asked in the exam. Apart from the same, the concepts of agency and bailment also are very important from the perspective of the exam. In the Specific Relief Act, 1963, topics like the different kinds of statutory remedies/reliefs, especially injunction, and conditions in which specific relief can or cannot be granted form a fertile area for the questions. It is advised that the aspirants must not only study these crucial topics but also have an understanding of the following:

General and broad understanding about the background of the prominent statutes, especially those of the colonial time;
Important judgements or events related to any particular law;
Prominent statutory amendments;
The date for the commencement and enforcement of the statutes;
Significant dates and time periods stipulated by or related to any law or statute, and;
Important legal terms, maxims, doctrines, and theories, as the same have been the subject of several questions in the exam.

Moreover, if any landmark judgement or news has been delivered on a particular law, which is a part of the syllabus, the candidates must also study about the same.

Types of questions in Odisha Judicial Service Preliminary Exam

The Paper contains a large number of questions directly from the bare acts of the laws enumerated in the syllabus. From the analysis of the past year’s question papers, it can be seen that several questions have been asked directly from the bare text of the Constitution of India, CPC, CrPC, Indian Evidence Act, Limitations Act, IPC, etc. For example, questions like which Article of the Constitution contains the right of minorities to establish and administrator educational institutions or which section of CrPC deals with the procedure for serving summons or which section of the Specific Relief Act provides for recovery of specific movable property, have been asked in the exam.

Moreover certain situation based questions have also been based on the revocation of offer or acceptance in the Indian Contract Act or on the provisions of IPC asking if the offence is made out in the situation given or not, etc. The paper may also follow the pattern of the questions testing logical reasoning, for instance, two or more statements would be provided to the candidates and they would be asked to identify the true statements on the basis of their legal knowledge.

Odisha Judicial Service Mains exam

Frequently asked topics

It is recommended that all the frequently asked topics mentioned in this article either for the Preliminary Exam or the Mains Exam must be prepared by the candidates from the perspective of the latter. Thus, in addition to the topics mentioned above, the following topics in their respective subjects have been asked quite often in the Mains Exam.

Procedural laws

From CrPC, several questions have been raised from topics like FIR, charges, arrest, rights of the accused, bail, jurisdiction and inherent powers of the court, powers of magistrate, etc.

From CPC, topics including res judicata, suits of civil nature, rejection of plaint, interpleader suit, jurisdiction and inherent powers of the court, essentials of plaint, etc. are frequently asked.

From the Indian Evidence Act, 1872, topics like admission and confession, estoppel, injunction, res gestae, dying declaration, hostile witness, etc. can be seen very often in the exam.

Law of Crime and Torts

From the law of crime, topics like mens rea, cruelty, dowry death, theft, capital punishment, general exceptions or defences, stages of crime, crimes against women, etc. have been asked very frequently.

From the law of torts, topics like defamation, negligence, liability of the state, exceptions or defences to tortious liability, vicarious liability, strict liability, famous doctrines, etc. have given rise to several questions.

Personal laws

From the Hindu laws, the paper is usually made out of topics like sources and schools under Hindu law, restitution of conjugal rights, adoption, judicial separation, essentials of valid marriage, divorce, rights of women in succession, minority and guardianship, etc.

From the Muslim laws, the paper usually asks questions from topics like marriage (especially nature and kinds), dower (mahr), hiba (gift), will, divorce, sources of Muslim law, maintenance, rights of women, waqf, etc.

Law of Property

From the Transfer of Property Act, 1882, Frequently Asked Questions arise from topics like mortgage and its redemption, subrogations, actionable claim, rule against perpetuity, vested and contingent interest, famous doctrine like doctrine of election, doctrine of part performance, and others, rights of buyer and seller, etc.

From the Specific Relief Act, 1963, topics like possession of immovable and movable property, enforcement of specific performance contracts, preventive reliefs, etc., source a number of questions.

From the Limitations Act, 1963, following topics are frequently asked: principles for extension of limitation period, legal disabilities, limitation period and its computation, etc.

Law of Contract

From the Indian Contract Act, 1872, topics like consent, conditions vitiating the contract, indemnity, privity of contract, consideration, etc. raise several questions.

From the Sale of Goods Act, 1930, questions are usually asked from the topics including difference between contract of sale and agreement to sell, conditions, guarantee and warranty, rights of the buyer and seller, sale and hire purchase agreement, caveat emptor, unpaid seller, surety, etc.

From the Indian Partnership Act, 1930, topics like partnership and its kinds, rights and duties of partners, dissolution of partnership firm, difference between partnership and other forms of business, etc., are frequently asked.

From the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, following topics are frequently asked: kinds of negotiable instruments, dishonour of cheques, endorsement, bills of exchange, etc.

Jurisprudence and Constitutional Law

From Jurisprudence, following topics are frequently asked: Austinian theory of law, different schools of jurisprudence, legal concepts like rights, possession and ownership, sources of law, precedents, HLA Hart, etc.

From constitutional law, questions mainly arise from topics like the President of India, Article 14: equality, constitutional remedies, amendments, State, part 3 of the Constitution, different organs of the government, federalism, etc.

Types of questions

As stated earlier, the Mains Examination is an essay type exam wherein detailed questions are asked. Various types of questions, right from the ‘what’ questions about concepts to direct questions asking about certain landmark case laws like Donoghue v. Stevenson (1932), Ryland v. Fletcher (1868), MC Mehta v UOI (1987), etc., are asked. The paper may also ask candidates to elaborate on a particular legal controversy involving a catena of judgements.

The paper also poses situation-based questions to the candidates and asks them to elucidate the law and solve the question accordingly. The candidates can also be asked to write short notes or essays on certain legal topics. Several questions asking the candidates to distinguish between two concepts may also be asked like in the case of partnership and company; partnership and Hindu Undivided Family (HUF); Mitakshara and Dayabhaga school of law, etc. Thus, the paper may ask a variety of questions from the candidates for which it is required that they study the syllabus and the aforementioned frequently asked topics comprehensively.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on the Odisha Judicial Service exam

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on the Odisha Judicial Service Preliminary Exam

Is the pattern for the judiciary preliminary exam the same for all the states in India?

No, the pattern for the judiciary preliminary exam is not the same for all the states in India. It varies from state to state. The candidates are thus advised to read the official notifications of the exam very carefully. For Odisha, keep visiting the official website here.

Is the Preliminary Exam compulsory for all the judiciary exams across India?

Yes, all the states across India conduct the Preliminary Exam compulsorily as one of the stages of the judiciary exams.

Is the syllabus for the Preliminary Exam of all the states the same?

No, the syllabus differs from state to state. This is why the candidates must check the official notification of the respective exams. For the syllabus of the Odisha Judicial Service Preliminary Exam, please refer to the above.

Can guesswork be done in the Preliminary Exam?

No. The paper has a negative marking of 0.25 marks for every wrong answer. Thus, the candidates must not at all resort to guesswork in answering the MCQs. Only when the candidate is cent per cent sure of an answer, only then he or she should answer the question.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on the Odisha Judicial Service Mains Exam

Is the Mains Exam compulsory for all the judiciary exams across India?

Yes, all the states in India compulsorily conduct the Mains exam.

Are there any tips for improving answer writing skills?

Yes, the candidates may do the following to improve the answer writing skills:

Practice is the key. Keep writing essay type answers on the type of questions indicated above.
Try to get the answers reviewed by a third person who can give constructive feedback.
Whenever one studies any topic, he or she must write an essay on that topic which will help in setting the structure for the answers.
Practise the habit of drawing an outline of the answers before starting writing.
The candidates may take up a test series for practising answer writing.
The candidates while studying any topic must make notes in the form of an essay type answer. This will help them to organise and structure their answers along with note making.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on the interview of the Odisha Judicial Service Exam

What important qualities one must develop to ace the interview?

The interview mainly tests the personality of the candidates. Thus, one must work on one’s personality, confidence level, body language and posture, and interpersonal skills. One must communicate clearly and effectively which includes active listening also. One must be able to come across as a confident yet polite and firm yet empathetic person.

How to prepare for the interview?

Apart from the above tips and tricks, the candidates must practise speaking

in front of the mirror. It helps immensely to improve one’s personality. It is also very important to remain calm and composed during the interview. Dress appropriately, conduct yourself confidently, and communicate effectively to convey a good impression during the interview.

What types of questions can be asked in the interview?

The candidates should expect questions of all sorts in the interview. The interviewer may ask questions like introduce yourself, why chose law, short and long-term goals, strengths and weaknesses, etc. in the beginning to know about the candidate. Further, it is crucial that candidates prepare for questions about themselves also. For example, if a candidate mentions Chess as his or her favourite game, he or she must at least know the basic technical information about the game like what is the most prestigious competition of the game and who has won it, etc.

Furthermore, the interviewers may also ask questions from the syllabus as well. Thus, the candidates must be prepared for everything in the interview.

How to answer effectively?

The questions must be answered in a polite and confident manner. The candidates must try to frame the answers in a positive style and phraseology. They must always start the answers on a positive note, even if the question is stirring or provocative. It is also vital that candidates maintain a certain level of candour in answering the questions since it will not cast a good impression if the answers of the candidate sound very mechanical and crammed up. The candidates must keep in mind that all the questions are to evaluate the personality of the candidate. Thus never be too emotional or passionate or aggressive about any topic.

What one must refrain from doing in the interview?

The candidates must refrain from behaving in an over-confident or arrogant manner. Equally, they must also not come across as a timid or diffident person. A balance of both confidence and modesty is necessary.
The candidates must never interrupt the interviewer while he or she is speaking. The candidates, instead, must listen to him or her while he or she is speaking and wait for their chance to speak.
Never dress in a gaudy manner. The attire of the candidate must neither be blingy or showy nor be bland. A decent attire with formal accessories should be carried.
The candidates must refrain from cursing or speaking negatively for anything. A positive attitude must be reflected in the answers of the candidates.
Never use cuss words or abusive words in the interview.
The candidates must not break eye contact with the interviewers. In fact, they must maintain a confident, but not glaring, eye contact with the interviewers.
Never sit without waiting for the interviewers to offer a seat.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on the Odisha Judicial Service Exam : General questions

Can the Odisha Judicial Services Exam be cleared by self preparation?

Yes, it is not necessary that the candidates take up any formal coaching to prepare for this exam. The Odisha Judicial Services Exam can be cleared by self preparation by following a study schedule prepared by following the above strategy.

How many hours a day must be dedicated for preparation?

The candidate must set day-wise goals for completing the syllabus and study till the goal of the day is achieved. Generally, 5-6 hours of study a day should be appropriate for preparing for this exam. This time period may vary according to the learning capacity of the candidate and time left for the exam.

How can social media be utilized for judicial services preparation?

As mentioned above, social media can prove to be useful in preparing for this exam. The candidates can rely on reliable educational and informative websites, social media pages, YouTube channels etc.

From which year of law school should one start preparing for this exam?

Ideally, the preparation must start subject-wise and not according to the years of law school. For example, if Constitutional Law is taught in the second year of the law school, it must be studied well by the aspirant considering that it is a part of the syllabus of Odisha Judicial Services Exam.

However, for commencing dedicated preparation of the exam, one can start from the fourth or fifth year of the law school depending on the learning capacity of the candidate, burden of work in the law school and other personal and professional factors.

How can one prepare for this exam during law school?

The aspirants can prepare for this exam during the law school by firstly studying the relevant subjects in a detailed manner while it is being taught in the law school. Secondly, keep revising the relevant subjects time and again. Thirdly, keep a tab on all the important legal developments and current affairs. Build the habit of reading newspapers and practice answer writing.

Can postgraduates in law prepare for Judiciary?

Yes. The eligibility only requires a degree in law which would be satisfied by the undergraduate degree of the postgraduates in law. Thus, there is no bar on postgraduate candidates to take this exam.

How frequently should one take mock tests?

Taking up of mock tests depends on the preparation level of every candidate. However, one week of preparation and then a mock test at the end of it on the same subject or topic can be adopted as an ideal combination of preparation and practice.

When should I stop taking mock tests?

The candidates can stop taking mock tests when the deadline for the exams approaches and must focus only on their analysis in the end time.

Final words

This article, thus, not only covers the general overview about the exam but also the tips and strategy to prepare for the exam, the procedure to apply for it, the analysis of the past year question papers, and the general FAQs that may crop up in the minds of the applicants. Therefore, it is designed to guide you in every step of your preparation of the Odisha Judicial Service exam. All the best!

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