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Prepare for the Uttar Pradesh Judicial Service Civil Judge (Junior Division) Exam (UP PCS-J) exam with instant access — no signup required.

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2026 Statistics

Key Facts: UP PCS-J Exam

2 papers

Objective MCQ papers in the UP PCS-J Preliminary exam (GK and Law)

UPPSC Civil Judge scheme of examination

150 + 300 marks

Prelims marks - Paper 1 General Knowledge and Paper 2 Law

UPPSC notification

-1/3

Negative marking deducted for each wrong answer in the prelims

UPPSC Civil Judge exam pattern

1 July 2024

Date the BNS, BNSS and BSA replaced the IPC, CrPC and Evidence Act

Government of India Gazette notification

3 years

Minimum Bar practice reinstated as eligibility by the Supreme Court on 20 May 2025

All India Judges Association v. Union of India, 2025 INSC 735

Rs. 125

Application fee for General/OBC/EWS candidates (SC/ST Rs. 65, PwD Rs. 25)

UPPSC Civil Judge notification

The UP PCS-J prelims comprises two objective MCQ papers - General Knowledge (150 marks, 2 hours) and Law (300 marks, 2 hours) - with -1/3 negative marking, and is purely a qualifying screen for the Mains. Criminal-law questions now follow the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023 and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023, which replaced the IPC, CrPC and Evidence Act on 1 July 2024. Following the Supreme Court's 20 May 2025 ruling in All India Judges Association v. Union of India, candidates again need a minimum of three years' practice at the Bar to be eligible. The application fee is Rs. 125 for General/OBC/EWS, with the age range typically 22-35 years.

Sample UP PCS-J Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your UP PCS-J exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Under the Constitution of India, the power of the High Court to issue writs is conferred by which Article?
A.Article 226
B.Article 32
C.Article 136
D.Article 131
Explanation: Article 226 empowers every High Court to issue writs (habeas corpus, mandamus, prohibition, quo warranto, certiorari) for enforcement of fundamental rights AND for 'any other purpose', giving it a wider scope than the Supreme Court's writ power.
2The 'Basic Structure' doctrine, limiting Parliament's power to amend the Constitution, was propounded by the Supreme Court in which landmark case?
A.Golak Nath v. State of Punjab
B.Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala
C.Minerva Mills v. Union of India
D.Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India
Explanation: In Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala (1973), a 13-judge bench held that Parliament can amend the Constitution under Article 368 but cannot alter or destroy its 'basic structure'. This remains the cornerstone of Indian constitutional law.
3Which Article of the Constitution provides that 'no person shall be deprived of his life or personal liberty except according to procedure established by law'?
A.Article 19
B.Article 20
C.Article 21
D.Article 22
Explanation: Article 21 guarantees protection of life and personal liberty. After Maneka Gandhi (1978), the 'procedure established by law' must be fair, just and reasonable, importing substantive due process into Indian constitutional law.
4Under the Constitution, the Directive Principles of State Policy are contained in which Part?
A.Part V
B.Part III
C.Part IVA
D.Part IV
Explanation: Part IV (Articles 36 to 51) contains the Directive Principles of State Policy. Under Article 37 they are fundamental in the governance of the country but are not enforceable by any court.
5A law made by the State that takes away or abridges a fundamental right is, to the extent of the contravention, void. This rule, and the doctrines of eclipse and severability, flow from which Article?
A.Article 13
B.Article 12
C.Article 14
D.Article 15
Explanation: Article 13 declares that laws inconsistent with or in derogation of fundamental rights are void to the extent of the inconsistency. It is the source of judicial review and underpins the doctrines of eclipse and severability.
6Under Article 124 of the Constitution, what is the retirement age of a Judge of the Supreme Court of India?
A.62 years
B.65 years
C.68 years
D.70 years
Explanation: A Judge of the Supreme Court holds office until the age of 65 years under Article 124(2). By contrast, a High Court Judge retires at 62 years under Article 217.
7Which of the following is NOT a fundamental right under the Constitution of India as it presently stands?
A.Right to constitutional remedies
B.Right against exploitation
C.Right to property
D.Right to freedom of religion
Explanation: The Right to Property was removed as a fundamental right by the 44th Amendment Act, 1978, and is now merely a constitutional/legal right under Article 300A. The other three remain fundamental rights in Part III.
8The concept of 'equality before the law' in Article 14 of the Indian Constitution is borrowed from which country's legal system?
A.United States
B.United Kingdom
C.Ireland
D.Canada
Explanation: 'Equality before the law' (a negative concept implying absence of special privilege) is derived from the British 'rule of law' as expounded by Dicey. 'Equal protection of the laws' (a positive concept) is borrowed from the American Constitution.
9Under the Constitution, who has the power to grant pardons, reprieves, respites or remissions of punishment for offences against laws relating to matters to which the executive power of the Union extends?
A.The Prime Minister
B.The Governor under Article 161
C.The President under Article 72
D.The Chief Justice of India
Explanation: Article 72 vests the pardoning power in the President for offences under Union law, court-martial sentences, and all death sentences. The Governor has a similar but narrower power under Article 161.
10The 'Doctrine of Pith and Substance' is applied by courts in India to resolve:
A.Conflicts between fundamental rights and directive principles
B.Questions of legislative competence where an enactment overlaps two Lists
C.Disputes regarding the proclamation of emergency
D.Conflicts between two High Courts
Explanation: The Doctrine of Pith and Substance is used to determine the true nature of legislation when it appears to encroach upon a field assigned to another legislature. If the law in 'pith and substance' falls within the enacting legislature's competence, an incidental encroachment does not invalidate it.

About the UP PCS-J Exam

The UP PCS-J is the recruitment examination for Civil Judge (Junior Division) in the Uttar Pradesh subordinate judiciary, conducted by UPPSC. Selection is three-staged: an objective MCQ Preliminary exam, a descriptive Mains exam, and an Interview. The Preliminary stage tests General Knowledge (150 marks) and Law (300 marks) as multiple-choice papers.

Assessment

Question count not published by the exam provider

Time Limit

Prelims: 2 hours per paper (two papers); Mains: 3 hours per descriptive paper

Passing Score

Prelims is a qualifying/screening stage; category-wise cutoffs are set each cycle by UPPSC

Exam Fee

Rs. 125 (Unreserved/OBC/EWS), Rs. 65 (SC/ST/Ex-Servicemen), Rs. 25 (PwD), inclusive of online processing fee (Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC))

UP PCS-J Exam Content Outline

30%

Constitutional Law and Polity

Fundamental rights, directive principles, writs (Articles 32 and 226), basic structure doctrine, federalism and legislative competence, emergency provisions, and the structure of the judiciary.

22%

Criminal Law, Procedure and Evidence (BNS / BNSS / BSA)

Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023 and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023, with the IPC/CrPC/Evidence Act-to-new-code mapping and key offences, defences, bail and evidence rules.

18%

Civil Substantive Law

Indian Contract Act 1872, Transfer of Property Act 1882, Specific Relief Act 1963, Sale of Goods Act, Partnership Act, Negotiable Instruments Act and the law of torts.

12%

Civil Procedure and Limitation

Code of Civil Procedure 1908 (res judicata, injunctions, pleadings, appeals, execution) and the Limitation Act 1963 (periods, condonation of delay and acknowledgment).

8%

Personal Laws and Jurisprudence

Hindu law (marriage, succession, coparcenary) and Muslim personal law (Hiba, Mahr), plus core jurisprudence schools, precedent and legal maxims.

10%

General Knowledge and Current Affairs

Indian history and culture, geography, economy, science and technology, reasoning, and national and international current affairs including recent legal developments.

How to Pass the UP PCS-J Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: Prelims is a qualifying/screening stage; category-wise cutoffs are set each cycle by UPPSC
  • Assessment: Question count not published by the exam provider
  • Time limit: Prelims: 2 hours per paper (two papers); Mains: 3 hours per descriptive paper
  • Exam fee: Rs. 125 (Unreserved/OBC/EWS), Rs. 65 (SC/ST/Ex-Servicemen), Rs. 25 (PwD), inclusive of online processing fee

Keys to Passing

  • Work through all 100 available questions
  • Review every answer and explanation
  • Track weak areas and revisit them
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

UP PCS-J Study Tips from Top Performers

1Prepare criminal law primarily under the BNS, BNSS and BSA, but memorise the key IPC/CrPC/Evidence Act section mappings, since older study material still uses the old numbering.
2Because the prelims carries -1/3 negative marking, practise disciplined elimination and avoid blind guessing on questions you cannot narrow to two options.
3Give the heaviest preparation weight to the Law paper (300 marks) - master the Constitution, Contract Act, Transfer of Property Act, CPC and the new criminal codes first.
4Solve UPPSC previous-year prelims papers (2018 and 2022 onwards) and full-length mock tests to build speed and accuracy across both papers within the 2-hour limits.
5Layer in UP local and revenue laws (UP Revenue Code 2006 and UP Urban Buildings Rent/Eviction Act 1972) once the central laws are solid, as they distinguish strong candidates.
6Maintain a daily current-affairs and recent-judgments log, focusing on landmark Supreme Court rulings and new legislation that often appear in both the GK and Law papers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the UP PCS-J Preliminary exam objective or descriptive?

The Preliminary exam is purely objective (multiple-choice). It has two papers - Paper 1 General Knowledge (150 marks) and Paper 2 Law (300 marks), each lasting 2 hours, with a -1/3 (0.33) negative marking for every wrong answer. The Mains exam that follows is descriptive.

Which criminal laws are tested - the IPC or the new codes?

Since 1 July 2024, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023 and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023 have replaced the IPC, CrPC and Indian Evidence Act respectively. Candidates should prepare primarily under the new codes while knowing the section-to-section mapping with the old laws.

Who conducts the UP PCS-J exam?

The exam is conducted by the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC), headquartered in Prayagraj, to recruit Civil Judges (Junior Division) for the Uttar Pradesh subordinate judiciary.

What eligibility change did the Supreme Court make in 2025?

In All India Judges Association v. Union of India (20 May 2025), the Supreme Court reinstated a minimum of three years of practice as an advocate as a condition for appearing in Civil Judge (Junior Division) examinations, counted from the date of provisional enrolment.

How many stages does the selection process have?

Three stages: the objective Preliminary exam (a qualifying screen), the descriptive Mains exam (six papers totalling 1000 marks), and a 100-mark Interview/Personality Test. Final merit is based on the Mains plus Interview.

Are UP-specific local laws tested?

Yes. The UP Revenue Code 2006 (which consolidated the UP Zamindari Abolition and Land Reforms Act 1950) and the UP Urban Buildings (Regulation of Letting, Rent and Eviction) Act 1972 feature prominently in the Mains penal, revenue and local-laws paper and can appear in prelims.