This article has been written by Stuti Agarwal. The article enumerates everything a Gujarat Judiciary aspirant wants to know. It is your one-stop solution to learn about the syllabus, vacancies, application process, and other intricacies involved during the preparation of this coveted exam. You can also find some words of motivation and strategy building for the journey you are embarking on!
Table of Contents
Introduction
Gujarat Judicial Services Examination is one of the popular state judicial services examinations in India, with a huge number of interested candidates who take this examination. The exam is conducted for recruiting civil judges. The Gujarat High Court releases a notification for the conduct of the exam and rolls out the number of vacancies to be filled after the process of the examination. The candidates selected under this exam undergo a training process before holding their positions as judicial officers.
The competition in the Gujarat Judicial Services Examination is immense due to the number of aspirants who look forward to applying for the exam. If you are an aspirant of taking the Gujarat Judicial Services Examination, then this will be a one-stop solution to all the information regarding the exam and would solve all those queries that pop up to your mind while taking a career-building decision like giving a state judicial services examination.
Gujarat Judicial Services exam : at a glance
This year, the Gujarat Judicial Services Examination was undertaken pursuant to a notification released by the Gujarat High Court on 15.03.2023. The exam is conducted in three stages, in which a candidate moves to the next stage only on clearing each stage. To appear in the exam, the aspirants need to undergo an online application process. This year, the last date to apply for the examination was 14.04.2023.
The three staged Gujarat Judicial Services Examination comprises the (i) Preliminary Stage; (ii) Mains Stage; and (iii) Interview Stage. The Preliminary (Prelims) stage exam is a multiple choice answer pattern type objective paper and was held on 07.05.2023. This is an elimination round where the cut-off marks are declared and the candidates who clear the cut-off move to the next stage, i.e., the Mains (Mains) stage. The Prelims result was announced on 30.06.2023 and then the Mains exam was conducted on 02.07.2023. After the Mains stage, the candidates have to sit for an interview, which is the last stage to clear and get their dreams realised. The interview dates for this year have been declared to be held on the 6th and 7th of October 2023.
The candidates appearing for Prelims also have to pass a proficiency test in the Gujarati language. However, some candidates are exempted from such a proficiency test, as will be discussed in the further course of this article. The language test is considered as a barrier to taking this examination by some candidates not belonging to the state or not knowing the language, however, this is just a myth. It is very easy to learn the basics of Gujarati language to pass the proficiency test. A guide to learning the Gujarati language is also provided in this article. There is nothing which can come in the way of the goal you have for yourself, so let’s begin knowing the essentials of the Gujarat Judicial Examination through this article.
As we further indulge in knowing more about the Gujarat Judicial Services Examination, the first and foremost aspect we should check is the eligibility criteria for the examination.
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Let’s Go……!
Vacancies announced for 2023 Gujarat Judiciary exam
Vacancies in Judicial Services examination are a volatile concept. The first and the foremost determinant to know the actual competition in the examination is something which an aspirant comes to know once the number of vacancies are announced in the notification. Therefore, as you all would like to know, the number of vacancies announced for the 2023 edition of the Gujarat Judicial Services Examination is a total of 193 posts scattered into different categories as:
| General | Scheduled Castes | Scheduled Tribes | Socially and Educationally Backward | Total Regular Vacancies | Differently Abled |
| 7% | 15% | 27% | 4% (Horizontal) | ||
| (i) | (ii) | (iii) | (iv) | (v) | (vi) |
| 98 | 14 | 29 | 52 | 193 | 8 |
The Notification issued by Gujarat High Court mentions the above stated existing as well as future vacancies for the Cadre of Civil Judges in the pay scale of Rs. 77,840/- to Rs. 1,36,520/- as per the Gujarat State Judicial Services Rules, 2005.
Vacancies released previously
In previous years, the trend of vacancies in Gujarat Judiciary has been as follows:
| S. No. | Year | Number of Vacancies |
| 1 | 2022 | 219 |
| 2 | 2019 | 124 |
| 3 | 2018 | 75 |
| 4 | 2017 | 129 |
| 5 | 2016 | 112 |
Eligibility criteria
As every competitive exam in India has a prerequisite eligibility criteria to fulfil, the Gujarat State Judicial Services Examination has it too. The aspirants need to qualify in age-wise as well as educational eligibility criteria. There are different criteria for candidates belonging to different categories. The categories recognized by the Gujarat Judicial Services Examination are General Category, Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (declared by Gujarat Government), Differently Abled Persons (with locomotor disability of not more than 40%), Ex-servicemen and employees working in the Courts or other allied departments.
Requisite educational qualification
The common educational qualification required across all categories is as follows:
- Law Degree: A bachelor’s degree in law is a prerequisite to appear in the Gujarat Judicial Services examination. It should be taken from a University recognized by law in India.
- Gujarati Language Proficiency: The candidates are required to pass a Gujarati language proficiency test. However, certain candidates who have cleared their secondary as well as higher secondary examinations with the subject of Gujarati (higher level at both stages), are not required to sit for this proficiency test. They are exempted from giving this proficiency test vide Gujarat State Judicial Service (Amendment) Rules, 2019. Rule 7(2)(aa) was inserted in the aforementioned amendment of the said Rules mandated passing of such proficiency test and thereafter exemption as mentioned above was formulated in the form of a proviso. The original Rule 7(2) provided for certain requirements for eligibility, under which sub-clause 2(aa) was inserted by the 2019 amendment.
- Advocate on Roll/ Working in Courts: The candidate is required to be a practising advocate in Courts of Civil or Criminal jurisdiction as of the last date fixed for submission of the Online Application. The implication of such a requirement is to possess Bar Association registration and procure the registration number. Furthermore, for the candidates who are law graduates of the 2009-2010 and onwards must have also passed the All India Bar Examination (AIBE) as an implication to be considered under the term “practising advocate”.
In the application process of this year, the High Court of Gujarat has allowed such candidates to fill their exam form for Gujarat Judicial Services 2023 if they have appeared for the AIBE and the result thereof is still not out. However, they need to provide a declaration to the effect that if in any case, such candidates do not pass their AIBE before the interview stage of the examination or the document verification stage, then the application of such candidates would stand rejected.
OR
The candidate must be working in the Courts or other Allied Departments as of the last date for submission of the application for the Gujarat Judicial Services Examination. Such candidates must also possess a degree in law i.e., an LL.B degree of 3 years law school program or 5 years law school program, from any recognized University in law.
- Computer Knowledge: The candidates are also required to possess a certificate that certifies them to possess ‘basic knowledge of computer application/operation’ which should be issued by the Government of Gujarat in General Administrative Department Resolution No. PRCH-102005-1532-K, dated 30th September 2006 and Resolution No. CRR-10-2007-120320-G.5 dated 13th August 2008.
Requisite age limit
The age limit eligibility is different on the basis of categories to which a particular candidate belongs. The following table enumerates the age limit criteria in an easy-to-understand format:
| Category | Age limit |
| General Category | Must not have crossed the age of 35 years (as of the last date fixed for the submission of online application form for appearing in this examination)Must not be born before 14th April 1988* |
| Scheduled Caste / Scheduled Tribe / Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (as recognized by Gujarat Government) | Must not have completed the age of 38 years (as of the last date fixed for the Submission of online application form for appearing in this examination)Must not be born before 14th April 1985* |
| Differently abled persons (with locomotor disability of not more than 40% | Must not have completed the age of 38 years (as of the last date fixed for the submission of online application form for appearing in this examination)Must not be born before 14th April 1985* |
| Ex-servicemen | Must not have completed the age of 38 years (as of the last date fixed for the submission of online application form for appearing in this examination)Must not be born before 14th April 1985* |
| Employees working in Courts or other Allied Departments** | Relaxation of 5 years (from standard 35 years of age) OR relaxation to the extent of equal number of years for which service has been put in by the candidate, whichever is LESS in the upper age limit. |
Relaxation in the age limit
Any candidate across any category shall not surpass the age of 40 years as of the last date of submission of the exam form for Gujarat Judicial Services, i.e., 14th April 2023 this year. *However, as per a Resolution passed on 29th September 2022, the High Court of Gujarat has decided to grant an age relaxation of 1 year in the upper age limit in the recruitment process of this year i.e., 2023. Therefore, the upper age limit across categories shall be 41 years rather than 40 years.
The benefit of categories for the candidates belonging to the Scheduled Castes / Scheduled Tribes / Socially and Educationally Backward classes is provided only after the production of the relevant certificates for proving the eligibility for the same. The candidates seeking benefits under the Socially and Educationally Backward classes need to submit a ‘Non-creamy layer’ certificate, which needs to be valid for the Current Financial Year in which the exam is to be held. This certificate needs to be issued by a Competent Authority of the state of Gujarat.
The benefit of an upper age limit and fee relaxation sought by the candidates belonging to the Differently Abled Category with Locomotor Disability of not less than 40% also required the production of the requisite certificate which certifies the disability of the candidate.
To avail the benefit with respect to the upper age limit relaxation, ex-servicemen should produce a certificate / their identity card which certifies their claim.
**Allied Departments mentioned in the table above include the employees of the following departments:
- High Court of Gujarat or any Court subordinate to it.
- Office of the Government Pleader, High Court of Gujarat.
- Office of the Government Pleader, City Civil Court, Ahmedabad.
- Office of Legal Section of the Legal Department, Sachivalaya, Government of Gujarat, Gandhinagar.
Disqualification for appointment to the Gujarat Judicial Services
The notification for the Gujarat Judicial Services Examination specifically mentions the criteria which will lead to the disqualification of a candidate, even if such a condition surfaces or comes to the knowledge of the authorities after the candidate qualifies all the three above-mentioned stages successfully. These conditions are:
Foreign citizenship
It is a prerequisite that every individual candidate sitting for the examination must be a citizen of India. Therefore, if at any later stage it came to the knowledge of the authorities that a candidate is not an Indian citizen, then the candidature of such an individual shall get disqualified outrightly.
Dismissal from the government service
If any prospective candidate gets dismissed from service by Central Government, any other State Government / Union Territories, High Court or any statutory or local authority, then such a candidate is not eligible to be in the Gujarat Judicial Services.
Criminal record
If the prospective candidate has a criminal track record i.e., has been convicted of an offence involving moral turpitude or has been permanently debarred/disqualified by any High Court, the Union / State Public Service Commission or by any Recruiting / Examination conducting authority from appearing in examinations or any selection procedures.
Bribing the authorities
If the candidate tries to influence the Recruiting Authority by any means. Many people tend to give out their influential references and tend to use their so-called contacts in the administrative leg of the system, which can be said to be an example of some sort of ‘influence’ which is strictly prohibited.
Polygamy or polyandry
If the candidate, being a male candidate, has more than one wife living and being a female, has married a man already having another wife.
Selection is not a right!
Mere selection in the examination/name in the Selection List or Merit List cannot be a matter of right to join the Gujarat Judicial Services post. It is subject to the government’s satisfaction of suitability and verification of the identity of all the qualified candidates. The government conducts its own inquiries to satisfy itself of the suitability of the candidate for the prestigious post that judicial service offers.
How to apply for Gujarat Judiciary exam
After checking the eligibility as mentioned in above section of this article, the candidate must get an idea of how and where to apply for the coveted Gujarat Judicial Services Examination. The process of application is ONLINE only. The physical application process is not available for this examination. The candidates who have constraints and do not have access to the internet can reach out to a nearby internet café where they can fill out their form for Gujarat Judicial Examination easily. They must possess an active mobile number for the entire process for OTP and other alerts related to the process.
The candidates can find the form on the following websites:
Points to remember while filling out the application form
There is a prescribed format in which the application format has to be submitted. The following are the few important pointers that are to be strictly adhered to while filling the said form for applying to the Gujarat Judicial Services Examination:
Read the instructions
The candidates must fill in the fields shown when the form opens. Appropriate instructions must be thoroughly taken care of while filling out each field of the application form.
Save the details filled
After filling in the given fields, the candidate has to save the form by clicking on the ‘Save’ button visible on the portal.
Note the application number for future references
In the next window which opens after clicking on the ‘Save’ button shows the Application Number of the candidate indicating that the application form has been saved on the portal. The candidates must necessarily note the said visible Application Number for future references if required.
Review of filled-details
The next step is to preview the fields filled in before submitting to ensure that none of the details provided by the candidate are incorrect. Click on the ‘Show Application Preview’ button to preview the application form.
Upload necessary documents
The next step is to upload the documents required for the application. Such documents must be in the form of a file of a prescribed size and format. The Application No. and the Date of Birth filled by the candidate is used to upload:
- Latest scanned photograph of the candidate
- Scanned signature
Particulars of the files to be uploaded with the form
Every candidate applying for the Gujarat State Judicial Services Examination has to upload their scanned photograph and signature with the application form online. There are certain prerequisites which the candidates need to particularly follow with respect to the form of file in which the scanned photograph and signature are to be validly uploaded so that no error is raised, and your form is submitted without any hassle.
Please ensure that the photograph adheres to the following dimensions:
| Serial No. | Particulars of Photograph | Required Dimensions |
| 1 | Length | 5 centimetres |
| 2 | Width | 3.6 centimetre |
| 3 | Size of file | 10 KB (maximum) |
| 4 | Format of file | JPG format |
Please ensure that the signature is of the following particulars:
| Serial No. | Particulars of Signature | Required Dimensions |
| 1 | Length | 2.5 centimetres |
| 2 | Width | 7.5 centimetre |
| 3 | Size of file | 10 KB (maximum) |
| 4 | Format of file | JPG format |
Edit or confirm application
Before submitting the application form by clicking ‘Confirm Application’, the candidate must check each and every detail and each and every document uploaded. The candidate can also use the ‘Edit Application’ button before confirming their application by clicking on ‘Confirm Application’. No editing is permissible after clicking on the button ‘Confirm Application’, therefore, the application fields must be carefully checked by the candidates before confirming their application.
Confirmation number
After confirming the application by clicking on ‘Confirm Application’, the candidate’s application form gets submitted and registered. The candidate will then receive an SMS on their registered mobile number containing a Confirmation Number of their application for the examination. This ‘Confirmation Number’ needs to be noted by the candidates positively, as it is further used to download other related documents in the process in future.
Payment of the fee
The next step requires the candidate to pay the requisite fee for the form. The candidates can either pay the requisite fee online or can pay offline through cash. However, if the candidate selects the option to pay through the offline cash option, the challan therefore will be generated online only which will contain a date before which such cash payment needs to be made at any SBI branch by the candidate.
The application of the candidate will be valid only after the requisite payment of the fee through either of the two modes stated above.
The fees for the Gujarat Judicial Services Examination application form also vary as per the categories mentioned and recognized for the process. The following table shows the requisite fees to be paid by candidates belonging to different categories:
| Categories | Fees |
| General Category | INR 1000/- (plus bank charges) |
| All other categories (as discussed above) | INR 500/- (plus bank charges) |
Fee receipts generated after payment of the requisite fee must be preserved by the candidates for future references, if any.
Hall ticket
The candidates get an ‘e-Call-Letter-cum-Admission Slip’ from the Recruiting Authority which is the medium for the candidates to enter the exam hall after having successfully submitted the application for the Gujarat Judicial Services Examination. The candidates can download their ‘e-Call-Letter-cum-Admission Slip’ from the Gujarat High Court website or HC-OJAS Portal by using their Application No., Confirmation No. and Date of Birth.
NOTE- It is advisable to preserve a printed physical copy of the form for any use in future.
The details which the admit card of the Gujarat Judicial Services essentially contains are:
- Name of the candidate
- Gender
- Category of the candidate
- Roll Number
- Photograph and signature as uploaded by the candidate in the application form
- Exam Date
- Centre of Examination
- Duration of examination
- Reporting time of the examination
- Other instructions to be followed on the examination day
Stages of Gujarat Judicial Services examination
As briefly mentioned earlier, the Gujarat State Judicial Services examination undergoes three stages.
Gujarat Judiciary Prelims
The Prelims stage of the Gujarat Judicial Services Examination is the elimination round for the recruitment process. This year, the Prelims was conducted on 7th May 2023. This stage consists of two papers i.e., Paper – I and Paper – II. Paper – II is the Gujarati language proficiency test to be taken by the non-exempted students. Non Exempted students are the candidates who have not cleared their secondary as well as higher secondary examinations with the subject of Gujarati (higher level at both stages) and are, therefore, required to sit for this proficiency test.
Syllabus for Prelims: Paper – I (Law Paper)
The Prelims Paper – I, consisting of 100 questions as per the last Gujarat Judiciary Paper conducted, and it is divided into three parts. This paper is divided into three Parts.
The syllabus for each part i.e., Part – A, Part – B and Part – C, has been elaborately mentioned (Part wise below) in the latest exam notification released, i.e., for the exam conducted for the year 2023. The basic purpose behind such a division is to segregate the syllabus of the Prelims in a streamlined manner and make it easier for the preparation. There is no other purpose of such a division.
Syllabus for Prelims Part – A of Paper – I
The syllabus for Part – A of Paper – I contain the laws, which form the basics of the examination and will help the candidate in other stages of the examination too. The laws contained under the syllabus of this Part are both central laws (13) and the local laws (2) of the state. These laws are mostly criminal in nature and are as follows:
Central Laws:
- The Indian Penal Code, 1860
- The Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973
- The Indian Evidence Act, 1872
- The Probation of Offenders Act, 1958
- The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015
- The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005
- The Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956
- Preconception and Prenatal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act, 1994
- The Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881
- The Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969
- The Protection of Children from Sexual Offence Act, 2012
- The Information Technology Act, 2000
- The Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986
State Laws
- The Gujarat Prohibition Act, 1949
- The Gujarat Prevention of Gambling Act, 1887
A few of these Central laws have already been a major part of your law school curriculum. There are 2 local state laws included in the syllabus of Part A of Paper – I and a total of 13 central laws. So, even though it looks voluminous, the future judicial officers are well capable of pulling this off. Do not panic by the long list of Part-A as the determination of being a judicial officer isn’t so weak, right?
Syllabus for Prelims Part – B of Paper – I
Part B mostly contains the Central laws (12) which have been a non-dispensable part of our law school curriculum already. It also contains one local law. These laws will seem familiar to you, as they are the building blocks of the law school journey. These laws are mostly civil in nature:
Central Laws:
- The Code of Civil Procedure, 1908
- The Limitation Act, 1963
- The Indian Contract Act, 1872
- The Constitution of India
- The Indian Partnership Act, 1932
- The Specific Relief Act, 1963
- The Sale of Goods Act, 1930
- The Transfer of Property Act, 1882
- The Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996
- The Commercial Courts Act, 2015
- Succession Laws, Personal Laws of Hindus, Muslims, and Christians
- Legal Maxims
Local Laws:
- The Gujarat Court Fees Act, 2004
Syllabus for Prelims Part – C of Paper – I
- General Knowledge
- English Language
- Reasoning
- Numerical and Mental Ability
- Basics of Computer Applications
Syllabus for Prelims: Paper – II (Language Paper)
The syllabus for Prelims Paper – II, consisting of 50 questions as per the last Gujarat Judiciary Paper conducted, is for testing the candidate’s proficiency in the Gujarati language. The syllabus for the same is given in the notification released for the exam in Gujarati language. It enumerates the syllabus as follows:
- Gujarati essay writing
- Gujarati comprehension, i.e., answering the questions as per the paragraph/comprehension given
- Synonyms (In Gujarati Language)
- Antonyms (In Gujarati Language)
- Letter writing (In Gujarati Language)
- Translation questions, i.e., translation from English to Gujarati and from Gujarati to English
- Writing skill testing, i.e., writing a short note on any subject in Gujarati Language
- Grammar (of Gujarati language)
The other important parameters for the Prelims stage are hereinafter mentioned in the tabular form for the ease of your reference:
| Prelims particulars | |
|---|---|
| Number of papers | Paper – I (based on an elaborative syllabus as discussed in the course of this article)Paper – II (Gujarati language proficiency test, ONLY for non exempted candidates) |
| PAPER – I | |
| Maximum Marks | 100 |
| Duration of exam | 2 Hours |
| Type of exam | Objective Type |
| Language of exam | English |
| Number of sections | 3 |
| Type of questions | Multiple Choice Questions |
| Marks per question | 1 mark awarded for each correct answer |
| Negative Marking | Yes, 0.33 marks deducted for each wrong answer marked |
| Mode of exam | OMR based |
| PAPER – II | |
| Maximum Marks | 50 |
| Duration of exam | 1.5 Hours |
| Type of exam | Objective Type |
| Language of exam | Gujarati |
| Type of questions | Multiple Choice Questions |
| Marks per question | 1 mark awarded for each correct answer |
| Negative Marking | Yes, 0.33 marks deducted for each wrong answer marked |
Gujarat Judiciary Mains
This year, the Mains exam of the Gujarat State Judicial Services Examination was held on 2nd July 2023. It is a descriptive type exam conducted by dividing it into two papers. But before moving to the syllabus of each paper conducted in Mains examination, it would be crucial to note the eligibility criteria to give the Mains examination.
Eligibility for moving to the Mains stage
A candidate sitting for the Prelims (Paper – I and Paper – II OR only Paper – I, as per the case of exemption) is eligible for the next stage of Gujarat Judicial Services Examination only if:
(i) the candidate scores minimum 50% marks in the Prelims Paper – I; and
(ii) the candidate scores minimum 40% marks in Paper – II (for the students who sit for this exam because of not being exempted).
Syllabus for Mains: Paper – I
The Mains Paper – I is one of the two papers conducted under the Mains stage. There are almost same set of criminal laws as was in Prelims Paper – I (Part – A) but only the types of questions change from multiple choice objective questionnaire to subjective long answer type questionnaire. The law subject for the Main Paper – I are mentioned below:
- The Indian Penal Code, 1860
- The Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973
- The Indian Evidence Act, 1872
- The Gujarat Prohibition Act, 1949
- The Probation of Offenders’ Act, 1958
- The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015
- The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005
- The Gujarat Prevention of Gambling Act, 1887
- The Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956
- Preconception and Prenatal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act, 1994
- The Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881
- The Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969
- The Protection of Children from Sexual Offence Act, 2012
- The Information Technology Act, 2000
- The Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986
Syllabus for Mains: Paper – II
The syllabus for Mains Paper – II is the same set of civil laws as was in Prelims Paper – I (Part – B). However, the type of questions change from multiple choice questions to subjective long answer type questions. The laws for Mains Paper – II are as follows:
- The Code of Civil Procedure, 1908
- The Limitation Act, 1963
- The Indian Contract Act, 1872
- The Constitution of India
- The Indian Partnership Act, 1932
- The Specific Relief Act, 1963
- The Gujarat Court Fees Act, 2004
- The Sale of Goods Act, 1930
- The Transfer of Property Act, 1882
- The Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996
- The Commercial Courts Act, 2015
- Succession Laws, Personal Laws of Hindus, Muslims, and Christians
- Legal Maxims
Other important parameters for the Mains stage are hereinafter stated in a tabular form for the ease of your reference:
| Mains particulars | |
| Number of papers | Paper – I (based on an elaborative syllabus of Criminal Law, most laws are same as that of Prelims Paper – I Part – A syllabus)Paper – II (based on an elaborative syllabus of Civil Law, most laws are same as that of Prelims Paper – I Part – B syllabus) |
| PAPER – I | |
| Maximum Marks | 100 |
| Duration of exam | 3 Hours |
| Type of exam | Subjective Type |
| Language of question paper | English |
| Language of answer | English / Gujarati (if not instructed otherwise) |
| Type of questions | Long Answer Type |
| PAPER – II | |
| Maximum Marks | 100 |
| Duration of exam | 3 Hours |
| Type of exam | Subjective Type |
| Language of question paper | English |
| Language of answer | English / Gujarati (if not instructed otherwise) |
| Type of questions | Long Answer Type |
Interview
The interview (Viva – Voce) stage of the Gujarat Judicial Services Examination is the last of the stages of the examination process. This year, the interview calls for the selected candidates has not yet been declared, but is expected to take place between the months of October and November. Following are the particulars for the Viva – Voce stage:
| Viva – Voce particulars | |
| Maximum Marks | 50 |
| Type | Oral |
Eligibility for moving to the Interview (Viva – Voce) stage
There is a minimum score prescribed in the notification for Gujarat Judicial Services Examination – 2023 which a candidate needs to score to be eligible for the Viva – Voce stage of the examination. The following table shows the minimum required marks in the Mains stage, across different categories, to advance to the Viva – Voce stage:
| Categories | Minimum Marks required in Mains |
|---|---|
| Scheduled Castes / Scheduled Tribes | 45% marks minimum |
| All other categories | 50% marks minimum |
| NOTE: All the candidates, irrespective of the categories, require minimum 40% marks in each paper. | |
Eligibility for moving into the interview: In the notification for the Gujarat Judicial Services Examination, it is quoted that:
“Sub-rule (1) (i) of Rule 11 of the Gujarat State Judicial Service (Amendment) Rules, 2014, since ‘character’ and ‘suitability’ of a candidate holds an important and paramount place for being considered for appointment to the State Judicial Service, therefore, kindly note that, these aspects can be inquired into, by the Competent Authority, prior to the Viva-Voce (Oral Interview) as per Annexure – ‘A’:”
Annexure – ‘A’
This is the kind of form which enumerates the fields upon which more detail regarding the ‘character’ and ‘suitability’ of a candidate can be inquired about, before the Interview stage. (as mentioned under the notification for Gujarat Judicial Services Examination 2023):
- Whether the Candidate lives beyond his known means of income? If yes, please mention specific details in support of your opinion. (Please attach the documents, if any).
- Whether he mixes with such persons as he should not? If yes, please mention specific details in support of your opinion. (Please annex the documents, if any).
- Whether any adverse report / complaint doubting integrity of the candidate in relation to the cases attended by him is received? If yes, please mention specific details and its outcome, in support of your opinion. (Please annex the documents, if any.)
- As a Competent Authority if you have learnt about doubtful integrity of the candidate from any other source, please mention the specific details in support of your opinion (Please annex the documents, if any.)
- If the Competent Authority has no knowledge of the above facts, it may inquire from the source like (i) Judicial Officer at Taluka level, (ii) Head of the Department in which the candidate is serving, (iii) concerned Bar Council giving details of complaint, if any, received against the candidate, and submit the specific details as indicated above.
- In addition to what is stated above, the Competent Authority must mention the specific details of adverse remarks, if any, departmental inquiry, if any, whether pending or concluded, in relation to the integrity of the candidate, supported by necessary material.
The above written details of the candidate are required by the authorities along with the following details:
- Name of the candidate
- Mentioning whether the candidate is an advocate / employee
- Place of employment (if any)
- Place of practice (if any)
Skill needed to pass the interview
The interview stage is conducted to judge the candidate for their knowledge of law, ability to answer the questions promptly, presence of mind, logical prompt responses, communication skills, characteristics of the personality, intellectual capacities, judgement skills in a prompt manner, clarity of speech and ethics.
- Knowledge of Law:
The knowledge of law is as per the syllabus specified for the written stages of the examination. Not only this, the latest legal affairs should also be known to the candidate, as this can also be a probable question in the Interview stage.
- Ability to answer the questions promptly:
The questions put up in the Interview stage must be answered by the candidate promptly without sounding hesitant or under-confident. It is understandable that a person can be nervous during such a big day in their lives, however, the art of presenting oneself confident despite it is what is required and what gains brownie points despite the correctness in ones’ answers.
- Presence of mind:
There are some questions which test the presence of mind of the candidate regardless of their knowledge on any subject. They are trick questions which are asked by the panel to check how a candidate handles pressure and how they handle stressful situations confidently without showing their discomfort or nervousness.
- Logical and prompt responses:
Interview stages are held to mark a candidate on their ability to answer questions promptly with logic. Sometimes, in order to be prompt in responses, the person loses the logic in the answer which should be taken care of by the candidates.
- Communication skills:
Judging the level of communication skills is the foremost objective of the Interview stage. Holding a communication is an art which is not a natural nature of every individual. However, this art needs to be learnt for the preparation of any interview stage. The interviewee should hold a skill to engage the panel in their conversation in such a manner so that they can lead the panel to the type of next question according to their own inclination. Inculcating such skills helps the candidate to ace the Interview stage.
- Characteristics of the personality:
The manner in which a person holds a conversation speaks volumes about his / her personality traits. Therefore, working on the skill of engaging in a conversation in such a manner which brings about a good personality in front of others is a major determinant in gaining good marks in this stage.
- Intellectual capacities:
There is a difference between a normal conversation and an intellectual conversation. A person can be an intellectual and know a lot about his / her subject, however, not everyone knows how to present that side in front of others. Bringing about your intellectual side in front of the target audience is a skill which needs to be developed and which helps in the Interview stage to gain good marks. This does not mean that a person needs to spill out academic terms or fancy words, but to hold a meaningful and tight conversation on the question asked without beating around the bush like someone who is under-confident or sounds like he / she has less knowledge about the question asked.
- Judgement skills:
The candidate who sits for the interview stage needs to possess a strong skill of judgement. The candidate should be able to judge the objective of the question put, and should accordingly answer. Interviews for the post of a Judge always require having a strong sense of judgement as to why a question is asked, which helps to present the answer in accordance with the same.
- Clarity of speech:
The way a candidate speaks is the first and the foremost impression which is formed in the minds of panellists. Therefore, the speech should be clear and confident, which breeds no grounds of confusion in communicating the intent of what the candidate is trying to communicate through his / her answers.
- Ethics:
Politeness, choice of words, salutation, tone etc. depict the ethics which a candidate possesses. The candidate should never interrupt in between a question put up. The candidates should patiently listen to the question without jumping to answer. Never look eager and excited to answer a question, even when you know the answer fully. This gives a very negative impression and loses the impression of one’s personality. The conduct of a candidate must be ethical and soft throughout the interview.
Questions that can be asked from the legal field are academically inclined and out of the syllabus specified for the written stages of the examination and also the current affairs in the legal field which the candidate needs to update himself / herself with during the preparation for this stage.
Documents in physical form
The Gujarat High Court calls for the additional document verification of the candidates selected for the Viva-Voce stage. The documents called for are as follows:
- Print out of the application form that was filled out online.
- Passport size coloured photograph of the candidate that should be freshly taken i.e., should not be old.
- Original along with one self-attested / true copy of the following:
- School Leaving Certificate / Birth Certificate issued under the Birth & Death Registration Act.
- Certificates of each stage of Educational Qualification, including Class 10th, Class 12th, Graduation (all years), Post Graduation (if any) etc.
- Sanad issued by the Bar Council of the State.
- Certificate issued by the Bar Council of India after passing of the AIBE. However, it is replaced by the undertaking (as already discussed above) for the candidates whose result of the AIBE is under process.
- Certificates indicating to possess ‘Basic Knowledge of Computer Application / Operation’ issued by the Government or other recognized Institute, as set out by the Government of Gujarat in General Administrative Department Resolution No. PRCH 1020051532K, dated 30/09/2006 and Resolution No. CRR102007120320G.5 dated 13/08/2008
- Certificates validating the categories under which candidates have applied i.e., certificates issued by competent authorities for certifying the candidates belonging to the Reserved Categories (Scheduled Castes / Scheduled Tribes / Socially and Educationally Backward).
- Candidates belonging to the Socially and Educationally Backward classes should also produce their ‘Non-creamy Layer Certificate’ of the Financial Year under which such an application for appearing in the judicial services is submitted.
- Candidates in the category of ‘Differently Abled’ need to submit a certificate issued by a competent authority certifying that the candidate is not less than 40% disabled. They are also required to submit a certificate issued by the Standing Medical Board at Ahmedabad certifying that the said candidate has an ability to perform the duties of the post in question.
- In case any candidate went through a name or surname change, which is different from the identity documents submitted then they also need to show the Government Gazette.
- Original certificates procured from two references of professional and dignified stature in the society, unrelated to the candidate i.e., such references should not be their relatives or belong to the candidate’s college or university, must be submitted. Such a certificate shall not be more than 6 months older than the date fixed for the interview stage.
- Original practice/experience certificate issued the following as per the relevant case applied to the respective candidates (in the format provided in the notification):
- The Secretary General of the Supreme Court of India or any other Officer authorised by him in case of Advocates practising in the Supreme Court of India.
- The Registrar General or equivalent authority of the respective High Court, in case of the Advocates practising in the Courts outside the state of Gujarat.
- The Registrar General, High Court of Gujarat, in case of Legal Assistants / Law Clerks working on the establishment of the High Court, on contractual basis.
- The concerned Principal District Judge of the District, in case of Advocates practising in District Court and/or Taluka Courts of the District concerned, in case of the Advocates practising in the Courts in the State of Gujarat.
- The concerned Principal Judicial Officers of the Courts in the city of Ahmedabad, in case of Advocates practising in the City Courts at Ahmedabad, as may be applicable.
- In case of Assistant Public Prosecutor or Public Prosecutor / Assistant Government Pleader, the Certificate shall be issued by the Authority being the Principal Judicial Officer heading the establishment/institution concerned, in consultation with the authority of the respective establishment as the case may be.
- The concerned Head of the Department, in case of ‘Employee of Allied Departments’.
In case of Advocates, the Certifying issuing Authority shall collect the information as to whether the candidate is practising independently or with any Senior Advocate. If Practising with any Senior Advocate, the name & contact number of such Senior Advocate along with the data related to the number of cases in which the candidate appeared as an Advocate etc. Whereas, in the case of staff members, the Certificate issuing Authority shall furnish information in detail about the period of service as a regular or ad-hoc employee.
Points to remember in the Interview Stage
The interview stage during any exam/job is always to judge the personality of the candidate along with their demeanour and presentation. Therefore, giving the best first impression should always be the focus in such oral rounds. Following are some important points to keep in one’s mind when going for the interview for the Gujarat Judicial Services Examination:
- The candidates should make sure that they dress well for the interview. A well-dressed candidate leaves a positive first impression on the interviewers, which gives a good start to the interview.
- The candidates should positively keep in mind that they should present themselves during the interview confidently. The candidates must answer the questions put up to them, making a confident eye contact with the panellists. However, there is a very thin line between confidence and arrogance, which can make or break the impression of a person to the interviewer.
- The candidates should never try to dodge a question asked by the interviewers because that gives a very bad impression and communicates that the candidate is trying to get away with a question slyly.
- The interview is not only about testing a candidate’s knowledge, but it is to judge a candidate’s presence of mind and the demeanour to take up a question to which the candidate doesn’t know the answer of. The way an interviewee handles a question of which he isn’t aware of the correct answer is a major point which is evaluated during this stage.
- The mannerisms and gestures of a candidate are also evaluated during the interview stage. Biting of nails, touching your face, looking up while answering, avoiding eye contact, and shaking legs are a few of the many small actions which communicate nervousness to the interviewers and must be AVOIDED.
- It is natural to get nervous or feel anxious before the last stage of such a big examination, knowing that the particular stage can make or break the hard work of so many months to achieve the goal. But the talent to avoid the communication of your nervousness and anxiety to the panellists before you is what is tested in the interview of such a prestigious exam and post you are about to hold.
Post-interview selection process
After giving the interview, the candidates await for the final list of selected candidates, which is rolled out on the HC-OJAS Portal by the Gujarat High Court. There is no standard time for releasing the final list after the interview. The eligibility of getting selected in the final list and the procedure to check the result are covered under this section as follows:
Eligibility to get listed in the final selection list
The candidates who reach the interview stage are required to score at least 40% marks out of the maximum marks prescribed i.e., 50 marks which is 20 marks.
How to check the results
The results of all the stages of the Gujarat Judicial Services Examination are made available on the Gujarat High Court website as well as on the HC-OJAS Portal via a link to the portal. If it is to be made available on any other website / portal, it will be duly informed by the Gujarat High Court as the case may be.
Individual One Time Passwords (OTPs) are given on the SMS of a particular candidate in order to open the result of the candidate.
Selections across categories
As this year there are 193 vacancies for the post of Civil Judge, the selections across categories will be distributed as follows:
| General | Scheduled Castes | Scheduled Tribes | Socially and Educationally Backward | Total Regular Vacancies | Differently Abled |
| 7% | 15% | 27% | 4% (Horizontal) | ||
| (i) | (ii) | (iii) | (iv) | (v) | (vi) |
| 98 | 14 | 29 | 52 | 193 | 8 |
Disputing the results
The notification for the Gujarat Judicial Services Examination enumerates a detailed procedure to know one’s marks after the declaration of the results. If a candidate undergoes a process of obtaining marks by filing an application under the Right to Information Act, 2005 (RTI Act), the following procedure must be followed:
The notification for the Gujarat Judicial Services Examination enumerates a detailed procedure to know one’s marks after the declaration of the results. If a candidate undergoes a process of obtaining marks by filing an application under the Right to Information Act, 2005 (RTI Act), the following procedure must be followed:
- The Candidate needs to apply to the Public Information Officer, High Court of Gujarat, Administrative Building, Sola, Ahmedabad – 380060, along with the requisite fees.
- No person can apply for the same on behalf of the candidate, i.e., the candidates need to file the application under their own names only. Section 8(j) of the RTI Act enumerates that marks of a particular candidate cannot be supplied to a third party/candidate or anyone for that matter.
- The marks shall be declared under this process only after the conduct of the whole procedure, i.e., after the declaration of the final results. For example, the marks sought for the Prelims stage will only be disclosed after the declaration of the final result.
- The process is helpful for candidates who wish to know the marks obtained by them as the marks of unsuccessful candidates are not published publicly, they are just not included in the merit list/selection list.
- In any case, marks sought under this procedure, irrespective of the stage of the exam of which the marks are sought, will only be communicated upon application under this process only after the final merit list is out and published on the internet.
Production of bond
The Gujarat state Judicial Services Examination requires the candidates on their Regular Appointment to execute a ‘Bond’ for a sum of INR 5,00,000/- (Indian Rupees Five Lakhs only) regarding their commitment to continue the service for a minimum period of 3 (three) years (excluding the training period) after the training is completed. However, in the event the candidate leaves or resigns from the service before this period, for whatsoever reason, such a bond executed will then be forfeited.
Remuneration
The pay scale of the Judge after qualifying for the Gujarat Judicial Services examination is of Rs. 77,840/- to 1,36,520/- as provided in the notification for the Gujarat Judicial Services Examination, 2023.
Promotions
Promotions in the Gujarat Judiciary are undertaken as per the Gujarat State Judicial Service Rules, 2005. Rule 5 of the said Rules enumerates the Promotion of Senior Civil Judges to the Cadre of District Judge. It mentions that 65% of the seats in the District Judge post be filled in from the Senior Civil Judge post on the basis of the principle of merit cum seniority basis and upon passing a suitability test for the same. There has been a recent dispute (in the case of Ravikumar Dhansukhlal Maheta case) with respect to the selection procedure for such promotions in the Gujarat Judicial Services, wherein the list of promoted candidates was stayed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court.
Dos and Don’ts in the exam centre
- The candidates should carry an identity proof document for verification at the examination centre for all the three stages. It is advisable to carry either the Aadhar Card / Election Card / Card issued by the Bar Council of State / PAN Card / Driving License in ORIGINAL along with ONE COPY of the document you choose to carry.
- The candidates should carry a physical copy of the ‘e-Call-Letter-cum-Admission Slip’ i.e., the admit card known in the common language.
- The candidates should strictly not carry any electronic gadget to the examination centre including Mobile / Cell phones, tablets, laptops, smartwatches or any other electronic gadget for that matter. Carrying these gadgets can lead to the candidate’s disqualification under ‘unfair practices’ / ‘copying’ / ‘misconduct’ / ‘tampering with question paper’ etc. this cannot only lead to prohibition of the candidate in that particular stage of examination in which such electronic gadget was sneaked in, but can be debarred from as far as stages or can even be debarred for some particular number of years (or even permanently) from giving Gujarat Judicial Services Examination. The decision of the Gujarat High Court will be final in this regard.
Starting Gujarat Judiciary preparation : thought and the determination
When a student decides to appear for a competitive exam, the thing they need the most is courage and belief. A strong mind is a sine-qua-non for the process of preparation for judiciary exams. You will be surrounded by a lot of people who will question your attempts, you will be tempted by your earning friends, some will make fun of you and some will advise you to move on and take up another career alternative. Amidst all this and to deal with all this, all you require is SELF-BELIEF. You can make others believe in you only after you start believing in your own self. Thus, before indulging into the tangible preparation for the Gujarat Judicial Services Examination, you need to prepare for the intangible mental strength and determination.
There is no standard timeline for all the aspirants to start the preparation for this examination. It varies from person to person, their calibre, their retention capacity, mental ability and time taken to grasp a concept. However, seeing the voluminous syllabus, it is advisable for the aspirants to start their preparation right from the law school.
Tips and tricks for preparation of the Prelims stage
The Prelims is the stepping stone to the prestigious judicial services. Though it is a multiple choice question type question paper, the candidates should never prepare for Prelims with a narrow mindset.
Focus on bare acts
The candidates must focus on the bare acts of the statutes mentioned in the syllabus. This is because there are various questions in the MCQ-type preliminary stage of the examination which are asked directly from the bare acts. The reading of a bare act helps candidates to learn about the provisions, section numbers and other minute details regarding a provision which is easy to ask in an MCQ-type question paper.
Attempt questions keeping in mind the negative marking
A candidate must try to answer more and more questions in the Prelims stage, keeping in mind the negative marking in this stage of Gujarat Judicial Services Examination. Smart choices need to be made by the candidates and the random guesses without any reasonable justification for the same need to be avoided.
Elimination method in answering questions
Candidates attempting the Prelims stage of the Gujarat Judicial Services Examination can make use of the elimination method to help them answer more questions in an intelligent manner by avoiding chances of getting their marks cut due to negative marking. The elimination method is one such technique which helps the candidates to eliminate the options in a MCQ question by reasoning and thereby arriving at a suitable correct answer in the event the correct answer is not known by the candidate.
Don’t panic
When a person starts preparation for a voluminous competitive exam which has an ocean of academic material as its syllabus, a person is bound to come under pressure and panic. However, make achievable targets, reward yourself on achieving those targets and gradually increase the intensity of those targets. Give yourself regulated time to relax and undertake any activity which brings happiness and calms the mind. This way, you will not feel the preparation to be hectic.
Don’t prepare with the mindset of a particular stage
Always keep in mind that you WILL get selected for the Prelims. By looking at the date sheet of the Gujarat Judicial Services Examination, one cannot be of a mindset which goes like a fragmented approach as the time gap between the Prelims and Mains is not much, meaning thereby, it should not be like one step at a time. You have to prepare for both the Prelims and the Mains together. Since the syllabus is the same, the only difference is the examination pattern. Therefore, candidates should always look for the bigger picture and conduct their preparation as they have to write a subjective long answer type question paper.
However, one should always keep in mind that sometimes while studying with the mindset of writing a long answer type question, aspirants happen to miss the minute details which are important with the perspective of multiple choice questions.
Common syllabus of Prelims and Mains stage
The candidates must know that the syllabus for Prelims and Mains stages is the same. The only difference lies in the pattern of the paper in each stage. The preparation for a particular legislation cannot be done in isolation for a particular stage, as the time gap between the two stages is not very large. Therefore, the candidates are advised to balance their preparation and study the legislation(s) with a broad mindset by broadening their horizons to read a law both in a minute manner (for Prelims stage) and at the same time an in depth study to be ready to write a long answer.
Do not neglect the language papers
It is often observed that the candidates seem to neglect the language papers in the light of preparing for the voluminous law subjects. However, the language papers provide an edge to candidates and give them a chance to increase their overall score. It is thus believed that language papers make or break the chances of selection of a candidate and therefore, should be given equal, if not more, importance than the legal syllabus.
Handling stress and peer pressure
Preparation for such a prestigious job judges an aspirant’s all-around skills which is not just academic retention but also how efficiently they handle stress, peer pressure and burden altogether, right from the preparation stage itself. There will be times when you can feel low or hopeless. Allow yourself to feel that too as this is a natural human reaction. However, the main and relevant part is how you come back filled with positivity, motivation and determination. Meditation, positive posters, positive music, or any other ting which works for you should be used by you to get rid of the pangs of negativity during the preparation journey.
Tips and tricks for preparation of the Mains stage
The Mains stage is an advanced stage and requires more focus while preparation.
Parallel preparation with Prelims
As mentioned above, the Mains cannot be the stage for which candidates happen to start preparing after their selection for the Prelims is done. This is because the date sheet for the Gujarat Judicial Examination does not allow that leeway.
Practice writing long answers
Even if that was not the case, the candidates should always understand a concept in depth because it helps in writing a long answer type question with ease. The candidates should learn to retain a concept and exaggerate it for the sake of writing a long answer. However, exaggeration does not mean that candidates can insert irrelevant information just for the sake of elongating the body of the answer. However, the candidates must learn how to interconnect concepts in the syllabus so that their answers can be innovative, and informative and stand out from others which gives them an edge over others.
See previous year question papers
The candidates must practise the previous year question papers and use it as a mock to prepare for the Mains stage. Previous year question papers help candidates gauge the question pattern of the examiners in the Gujarat Judicial Services Examination and which helps to be ready for the same on the day of exam.
Look for the answer sheets of selected candidates from the past
The candidates must look for the answer writing pattern which is considered and accepted by the examiners during the evaluation of the answer sheets of Mains stage. Interviews of selected candidates, their answer sheets if available online and patterns adopted by them need to be checked by the candidates before appearing for the Mains stage to help them gain an edge to pass the same with flying colours.
Cite relevant case laws in answers
The candidates must endeavour and channelize their preparation in a manner where they focus on learning case laws with the relevant topics of the syllabus. Citing case laws in the long answer type questions helps them gain an edge over other answers and leave an impact on the examiner. It helps in making an answer more convincing and complete. The candidates must prepare a list of case laws during preparation corresponding to the topics, mentioning key words of the same. This will help them in a quick revision of a particular topic during the last days of preparation.
Understanding versus Learning
The expectation from a judicial services aspirant is not just mugging up concepts, but the understanding out of it. When a concept is understood, it helps retention for a long time than a mere learning of it without taking its essence. An aspirant must always prepare for the judicial services examination with utmost broad mindset, which widens the horizons and also helps to draw a comparative analysis between the laws learnt and apply them practically in future as a Judge.
Tips and Tricks for preparation of the Interview stage
The Interview stage is the last leg of the judicial services examination journey of an aspirant. It is very important to hold one’s grit and determination to leave no stone unturned and clear the very last hurdle to reach the destination of dreams.
First Impression
The first and the foremost requirement of an interview stage, i.e., the Viva-voce stage, is always to look for a perfect first impression. The candidate should dress well and greet the panel graciously. This alone earns a lot of brownie points for the interviewees.
Confidence is the key
The candidates must learn how to confidently answer the questions put up to them, even when there arises a situation where a particular answer is not known by the candidate. In such a situation, the skill to own up to the situation is what the panellists judge about the candidate. You should never try to be over-smart in such a situation because that adds up negatively to the profile of the candidate. Detailed ‘Points to remember’ for the Viva-Voce (interview) stage are already included in this article.
Lead the conversation
The candidates in the interview stage should always answer any question put by the panellists in a very strategic manner, which leads the way for future questions. This is an art which can be built by practising for the interview stage by holding mock interviews with someone.
List of books to be referred for preparation
This is a non-exhaustive list for reference of the candidates interested to prepare for Gujarat Judicial Services Examination. The Bare Acts of the legislations mentioned in the syllabus of the Gujarat Judicial Services Examination helps largely during the preparation across the stages of the exam, specially the Prelims stage. Some questions are directly asked from the Bare Acts in the Prelims stage. Therefore, reading of the Bare Acts is very necessary during the preparation of Gujarat Judicial Services Examination.
Books for Gujarat Judiciary syllabus
| S. No. | Subject | Book Title | Author / Publisher / Link |
| 1 | Gujarat Judicial Services Examination (In Gujarati language) | Gujarat Judicial Examination Book | [https://www.amazon.in/Gujarat-Judicial-Examination-Book-Gujarati/dp/B07TSPKF1X] |
| 2 | Gujarat Judicial Service Examination (For Prelims) | Gujarat Judicial Service Examination | Sachdeva [https://www.amazon.in/Gujarat-Judicial-Service-Examination-Sachdeva/dp/B07NS8SBXC] |
| 3 | Gujarat Judicial Service Examination (For Prelims and Mains) | Gujarat Judicial Services Exam (Prelims and Mains) For Civil Judge (Junior Division) 2023 | Toppersnotes (Set of 8 books) [https://www.amazon.in/TOPPERSNOTES-Gujarat-Judicial-Services-Division/dp/B0B56BX9L4] |
| 4 | The Constitution of India | Introduction to the Constitution of India | Durgadas Basu |
| 5 | Indian Penal Code (IPC) | Textbook on Indian Penal Code | K.D. Gaur |
| 6 | Indian Evidence Act | The Law of Evidence | Batuklal |
| 7 | Hindu Law | Modern Hindu Law | Paras Diwan |
| 8 | Mohammedan Law | Mulla’s Principles of Mohammedan Law | Sir Dinshaw Fardunji Mulla |
| 9 | Civil Procedure Code and Limitation Act | Civil Procedure with Limitation Act | C.K. Takwani |
| 10 | Criminal Procedure Code | R.V. Keklkar’s Criminal Procedure | R.V. Kelkar |
| 11 | Property Law | Property Law | Poonam Pradhan Saxena |
| 12 | Contract Law and Special Relief | Law of Contract and Special Relief | Avtar Singh |
| 13 | All Law Subjects | Bare Acts | – |
Books for Gujarati language
| S. No. | Subject | Book Title | Author / Publisher |
| 1 | Gujarati Language | Learn Gujarati through English | Diamond Books [https://www.amazon.in/Learn-Gujarati-Days-Through-English/dp/B00K5IRZX2] |
| 2 | Gujarati Language for competitive exams | Singhal’s Learn Gujarati | Sangeeta Shukla |
There are various online courses available for learning Gujarati language which can be opted by the aspirants for Gujarat Judicial Services Examination. | |||
Books for Computer Knowledge
| S.No. | Subject | Book Title | Author / Publisher |
| 1 | Computers | Computer Knowledge | Shikha Agarwal |
| 2 | Computers | Computer Awareness for General Competitive Exams | Soumya Ranjan Behera |
Books for General Knowledge
| S.No. | Subject | Book Title | Author / Publisher |
| 1 | General Knowledge | Newspaper and their editorial section | – |
| 2 | General Knowledge | Manorama Year Book | Mammen Mathew |
Books for English
| S.No. | Subject | Book Title | Author / Publisher |
| 1 | English | Objective General English | SP Bakshi |
Books for Reasoning
| S.No. | Subject | Book Title | Author / Publisher |
| 1 | Logical Reasoning | A Modern Approach to Logical Reasoning | R.S. Aggrawal |
| 2 | Analytical Reasoning | Analytical Reasoning | M.K. Pandey |
Words of motivation
When to start preparation
Ideally, there is not a standard answer to this question, however, as per the stalwarts of the examination, an ideal time to start preparing for the Gujarat Judicial Services Examination is from your law school itself.
Starting the preparation from 3rd year or 4th year of the law school (in case the candidate is pursuing a five-year law school programme) OR from 2nd year of the law school (in case the candidate is pursuing a three-year law school programme) is considered favourable by the candidates who have taken this exam and have come out with flying colours.
It’s Never Too Late
The day you determine to appear in a judicial services examination should be the day you start your preparation from. Do not let the word ‘tomorrow’ come into the picture for starting off the preparations. A candidate, whether in a five-year law school course or a three-year law school course, can start their preparations right from their law school, depending upon their own self-assessment and calibre. There is not a thumb rule as to when to start preparing for any competitive exam, and there is no standard time which is taken for its preparation. Therefore, it is never too late once you have reached a determination to crack it down.
The post which is worth the hustle
The Gujarat Judicial Services Examination is conducted for filling the vacancies for the post of Cadre of Civil Judge in Gujarat Judiciary. This is the coveted post that you are signing up for the hard work and the hustle for.
Dealing with boredom and saturation
Breaking the monotony and boredom out of the targets, syllabus and mocks which the candidates go through during the process of preparation is a challenge which needs to be taken care of for better efficiency and results. The candidates should set their schedules in such a manner in which they provide commensurate amounts of breaks for breaking the boredom and monotony. In the breaks, they should do what makes them happy like pursuing a hobby, listening to music, meditation, or anything which refreshes their mind. Setting small, achievable targets motivates a candidate when they are fulfilled and encourages him / her to increase those targets. This should be the strategy of a candidate while preparing for heavy syllabus competitive exams.
Aspirants need to make their preparation stage interesting by using an approach that best suits them. It is very important for a candidate to figure out for himself/herself as to what makes him / her happy while studying. Some people like to have colourful and fancy stationery, which draws them towards the study table.
Some students cannot study for a very long time at a stretch. They are advised to follow the Pomodoro technique, which requires setting small intervals of targets for themselves and keeping an exciting activity to follow after completion of such targets. This way they get motivated to complete their targets, though small but effective.
Look for a hobby that refreshes you and makes you feel stress-free, as it is a safe idea to fall back to after a good amount of brainstorming. Hobbies help people rejuvenate for the monotonous jobs they need to perform.
Listen to motivational songs, decorate your room with motivational quotes, and surround yourself with motivating people. This seems futile, but it actually helps to be in the right mind set and to be driven towards the goal you have set yourself, DAILY.
Any game-changing tips
It has been a trend to make people believe that a person who studies for more number of hours steals the show on D-DAY. However, that statement holds no truth whatsoever. It is the value you get out of studying and not the time you put in. A particular candidate can be on the books for the whole day, but might get less output than a candidate who sits for a fewer number of hours with focus and concentration.
Therefore, do not fall for the trap of more hours of studying and rather go for a greater volume of output. The focus should be to gain maximum output out of the time you put in for studying in your daily schedule.
It may sound preachy, but taking the studies as a burden never helps to retain what is learnt for a longer period of time and also reduces the retention of the same. Therefore, the academic aspect of the preparation must become a passion for the candidate rather than a pressure. Try to make the preparation your passion, which will change the way you look at the forthcoming exam, and this will help you gain a different type of confidence during the preparation.
Frequently Asked Questions [For prelims]
Each part of Paper – I is a part and parcel of one paper or three papers?
No, the Part – A, Part – B and Part – C are the parts / sections of one single paper [Paper – I].
If I qualify for Prelims one time and fail the Mains in that year, will such qualification for Prelims continue for another year, or do I have to give Prelims again the next year?
The qualification of all the stages in the Gujarat Judicial Services Examination, including the Prelims, is only on a per-attempt basis, i.e., you have to sit again for the prelims stage in your next attempt if you fail to qualify for the subsequent stages.
Frequently Asked Questions [For Mains]
Are the minimum marks prescribed in the Mains stage required in each paper, or is it to be evaluated cumulatively?
The minimum marks prescribed category-wise are to be evaluated cumulatively; however, 40% marks are required in EACH paper as an additional eligibility criteria.
Is the selection list released based only on the marks of the Interview stage?
No, for the Selection List, marks of both the Mains (Subjective Papers) and the Viva – Voce (Interview) get evaluated.
Is any certificate or acknowledgement issued by the authorities after the Mains stage?
Yes, the candidates shall obtain a Practice / Experience Certificate from a competent Authority after publication of the result of Mains Written Examination.
Frequently Asked Questions [For Interview]
Is hard copy submission of any document required?
No, hard copy submission of any document is not required in the application process until specifically required to do so by the High Court. However, during the Viva-Voce (interview) stage, certain documents might be required by the High Court to be submitted in physical form (as already discussed above).
Is there a mandatory dress code prescribed in the notification?
No. There is no standard or particular dress code provided for the Viva-Voce stage of the Gujarat Judicial Services Examination. However, it is advisable to follow a formal dress code which involves a well groomed and presented individual which sets a good impression on the interviewers.
Frequently Asked Questions [Miscellaneous]
Is the result of Prelims carried forward for another attempt?
NO. The result of the Prelims stage of the Gujarat Judicial Services Examination is not carried forward to any attempt in the future. The candidate has to reappear and crack the Prelims stage if he fails to crack the Mains stage of the examination in any particular attempt.
Is the result for Mains carried forward for any future attempt?
NO. The result for any stage of the Gujarat Judicial Services Examination is not carried to any future attempt taken by the candidate. A candidate needs to start afresh after failing to advance in the examination procedure at any stage.
Is coaching important for successfully cracking the Gujarat Judicial Services Examination?
Yes. It is advisable to enrol in a course or coaching to prepare for the Gujarat Judicial Services Examination. It is because it helps in a systematic approach towards the syllabus and creates a regularity in preparation. Furthermore, it can be a tedious job for oneself to handle the pressure of a voluminous syllabus. However, this cannot be taken as universal advice, as people have different abilities and calibres. The advice given is only based on a popular opinion and after coming across the difficulties faced by the candidates actually pursuing or have pursued the preparation of the judicial services examination in the past.
Is there a mandatory internship requirement or criteria required for the enrolment in the Gujarat Judicial Services Examination?
No. There is no mandate as to a particular internship required for enrolling in the Gujarat Judicial Services Examination. However, internships are advisable for law students so that they learn on-ground practicalities of the profession, which helps them grow into an informed and better professional in the future.
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