Rajasthan High Court News: Civil Judge Recruitment 2026 & Major Employee Ruling

Big news for law graduates and judiciary aspirants in Rajasthan. The Rajasthan High Court (HCRAJ) has officially released the notification for the Rajasthan Judicial Service (RJS) Competitive Examination 2026.

As per the latest notification released in mid-January 2026, the High Court has announced 44 vacancies for the post of Civil Judge. This recruitment drive is highly anticipated, offering a prestigious career in the state’s judicial system.

Along with the recruitment news, the High Court has also been in the headlines for a significant ruling regarding employee reinstatement and departmental enquiries. Here is a complete wrap-up of the latest Rajasthan High Court news, vacancy details, and legal updates for January 19, 2026.

RJS Civil Judge Recruitment 2026: Key Highlights

The Rajasthan High Court, Jodhpur, conducts this exam to fill vacancies in the Civil Judge Cadre. This year, the notification has been released on time, maintaining the regular recruitment cycle.

Event	Details
Recruitment Body	Rajasthan High Court (HCRAJ)
Exam Name	Civil Judge (Junior Division) / RJS 2026
Total Vacancies	44 Posts
Notification Date	January 12-14, 2026
Application Mode	Online (hcraj.nic.in)
Job Location	Rajasthan

Vacancy Breakdown and Eligibility

The 44 seats are distributed among various categories (General, SC, ST, OBC, EWS, and MBC).

• Educational Qualification: Candidates must hold a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree (Professional) from a recognized university in India.
• Age Limit: The candidate must be between 21 and 40 years of age as of January 1, 2027 (check official detailed notification for the exact cutoff date). Age relaxation applies to reserved categories.
• Language Requirement: Knowledge of Rajasthani dialects and social customs is mandatory.

Selection Process: How to Become a Civil Judge?

The selection for RJS 2026 involves three tough stages:

1. Preliminary Exam: An objective-type test (OMR based) comprising Law (70%) and Hindi/English proficiency (30%). There is usually no negative marking in RJS Prelims, which makes it unique.
2. Main Examination: Candidates who clear the Prelims will be called for the Mains, which consists of descriptive papers on Law and Languages.
3. Interview: The final personality test.

Important Ruling: Reinstatement vs. Enquiry

Apart from jobs, the Rajasthan High Court made a significant legal observation this week. In a ruling delivered by the Single Bench on January 18, 2026, the Court held that “Mere reinstatement of an employee does not stop the department from conducting an enquiry.”

• The Case: A petitioner challenged a penalty of withholding increments. She argued that since she was reinstated, her past misconduct should be forgiven.
• The Verdict: The High Court rejected this, stating that reinstatement does not mean the employee is absolved of charges. The department has the full right to continue disciplinary proceedings to maintain integrity.

How to Apply for RJS 2026

The online application link will be activated soon on the official portal. Follow these steps to stay updated:

1. Click on Recruitment: Navigate to the “Recruitment” tab on the homepage.
2. Select Civil Judge 2026: Look for the link “Civil Judge Cadre 2026”.
3. Register: Once the link is live, complete your One Time Registration (OTR) if not done earlier.
4. Fill Form: Enter your educational and personal details and pay the exam fee.

Tip for Aspirants: Start preparing for the Prelims immediately. The exam is expected to be held within 3-4 months of the notification.

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