Turn Your Dream of Becoming a Gujarat Civil Judge into Reality

The Gujarat Judicial Services (Civil Judge) Examination is a highly competitive state-level selection process conducted by the High Court of Gujarat to recruit skilled judicial officers for the cadres of Civil Judge and Judicial Magistrate First Class. Unlike executive or administrative law roles, this recruitment specifically evaluates candidates for judicial responsibilities on the bench, testing them thoroughly on procedural codes, substantive laws, state-specific statutes, and mandatory Gujarati language proficiency.

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Crucial Syllabus Focus: New Criminal Laws & Gujarat Local Acts

The High Court of Gujarat testing window demands absolute clarity across core codes, including transitions between traditional frameworks (IPC, CrPC, Evidence Act) and the newly implemented criminal laws (BNS, BNSS, BSA), as well as key state-specific statutes like the Gujarat Prohibition Act, 1949, Gujarat Prevention of Gambling Act, 1887, and Gujarat Court Fees Act, 2004. Lawpatra features targeted, comparative test series and practice sets covering both civil and criminal branches to ensure you navigate local acts seamlessly and avoid losing marks on state-specific provisions.

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Gujarat Judiciary 2026 - Upcoming Dates

Detailed Notification	August 2026
Online Application Begins	August/September 2026
Last Date to Apply	September 2026
Prelims Admit Card	To Be Announced
Gujarat Judiciary Prelims Exam Date 2026	October/November 2026
Prelims Result	To Be Announced
Mains Admit Card	To Be Announced
Gujarat Judiciary Mains Exam Date 2026	To Be Announced
Mains Result	To Be Announced
Interview Schedule	To Be Announced
Final Result	To Be Announced

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More information:

The official notification has notified of approx 237 Regular Vacancies (existing & future), for the Cadre of Civil Judges.

Detailed Breakdown: Pending the release of the comprehensive notification on the official recruitment portal, official caste-wise and category-wise allocations remain unconfirmed by the High Court

Core Pay Details

The Civil Judge cadre in Gujarat is paid under the Second National Judicial Pay Commission (SNJPC) master pay matrix, not under the state pay matrix or grade-pay system.

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Pay scale (Civil Judge / JMFC): ₹77,840 – ₹1,36,520

• Entry basic pay: ₹77,840 per month
• Recruiting authority: High Court of Gujarat (Rule 7, Gujarat State Judicial Service Rules, 2005)
• Additional Benefits: DA, HRA, TA, medical facilities, and other admissible allowances

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Career Pay Progression

Cadre	Pay Scale
Civil Judge (Junior Division) / JMFC	₹77,840 – ₹1,36,520
Senior Civil Judge	₹1,11,000 – ₹1,94,660
District Judge	₹1,44,840 – ₹2,24,100

Progression runs through Assured Career Progression (ACP) stages within a cadre plus promotion. Under Rule 6, GSJSR 2005, promotion to Senior Civil Judge requires not less than five years' service as Civil Judge, on merit-cum-seniority.

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Probation & Training

Under Rule 14, GSJSR 2005: probation is two years, extendable by the appointing authority for reasons recorded in writing, by a further period not exceeding two years. Rule 15 permits discharge during probation for unsuitability without a disciplinary enquiry, and Rule 14(5) makes clear that satisfactory completion requires a specific order — it is never deemed.

On probationary pay: the officer draws the regular scale. Rule 19(1) allows a probationer to draw increments falling due during probation; increments stop after the probation period expires until the completion order is passed, and Rule 19(2) then restores them retrospectively. There is no fixed stipend phase.

Separately, Rule 22 requires every direct recruit to undergo prescribed training before being given a posting. Newly appointed candidates are also required to execute a service bond of ₹5,00,000 (Rupees Five Lakhs) to serve for a minimum period of 3 years post-training.

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Estimated Monthly Income

Component	Detail
Entry basic pay	₹77,840
Gross (approx.)	~₹1.13 lakh
In-hand (approx.)	~₹90,000 – ₹95,000, depending on current DA and posting

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Allowances and Perks

The Supreme Court's January 2024 judgment in the All India Judges Association matter approved the SNJPC allowance framework. The Court held these to be basic allowances, most ranking on the same scale as those available to officers discharging executive functions in the All-India Services, and directed each High Court to constitute a Committee for Service Conditions of the District Judiciary to oversee implementation.

Admissible allowances include: Dearness Allowance; House Rent Allowance or residential quarters (with furniture, air-conditioner and maintenance allowance); Home Orderly / Domestic Help Allowance; Sumptuary Allowance; Robe Allowance; Conveyance/Transport Allowance; Medical Allowance; Children Education Allowance; Higher Qualification Allowance; Hill Area / Tough Location Allowance; Newspaper and Magazine Allowance; Risk Allowance; Special Pay for Administrative Work; Transfer Grant; LTC/HTC; telephone facility; electricity and water charges.

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According to the Gujarat High Court Civil Judge Exam Pattern, the preliminary exam is objective-based while the Main examination will be descriptive in nature. The Selection Process for the Gujarat High Court Civil Judge job profile comprises a Preliminary exam followed by mains examination and viva-voce test.

Stage 1: Preliminary Exam (Objective Type)

1. The Prelims exam will be OMR Based and will consist of multiple-choice questions.
2. 1 mark will be awarded for every correct answer and a negative marking of 0.33 marks for each wrong/multiple answers.
3. The language of the question paper of the Prelims Exam will be in English only.
4. The candidates securing 50% or more marks in the preliminary exam and 40% or more marks in the Test of Gujarati Language (in case they have not passed their Secondary and Higher Secondary Exams with Gujarati subject) shall be declared eligible for the main examination.

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Paper	Part	Subjects Covered	Maximum Possible Marks	Allotted Time
Paper 1	Part A	Criminal Law	100	2 hours
	Part B	Civil Law
	Part C	General Knowledge, English Language, Test of Reasoning, Numerical & Mental Ability and Basics of Computer Applications.
Paper 2		Gujarati Language	50	30 mins

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Stage 2: Main Examination

​Candidates shortlisted from the Prelims advance to the Main Examination. Performance in this written phase serves as the fundamental criteria for preparing the final selection merit list.

• Exam Format: Descriptive written papers.
• Qualifying Benchmarks: Candidates must hit a minimum threshold of 50% marks in each individual paper to stay in the running.
• Category Relaxations: In accordance with state guidelines, candidates belonging to Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) categories receive a 5% relaxation (requiring a minimum of 45% per paper).
• Language: Candidates can choose to write answers in English or Gujarati

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Exam Paper	Subject Focus	Maximum Possible Marks	Allotted Time
Paper I	Criminal	100 Marks	3 Hours
Paper II	Civil	100 Marks	3 Hours

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Stage 3: Viva-Voce (Personal Interview)

• Marks: 50 marks.
• Qualifying Marks: Minimum 40% marks required.
• Focus: Tests legal knowledge, communication skills, clear thinking, and general personality.

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Preliminary Examination Syllabus

​The Preliminary Examination serves as an objective-type screening test consisting of two papers: Law & General Aptitude (100 Marks) and the Gujarati Language Test (50 Marks).

The Prelims syllabus is divided into three parts:

Paper 1 - Law

Part A - Criminal Law

1. The Indian Penal Code, 1860 and The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023
2. The Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 and The Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023
3. The Indian Evidence Act, 1872 and The Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023
4. The Gujarat Prohibition Act, 1949
5. The Probation of Offenders Act, 1958
6. The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015
7. The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005
8. The Gujarat Prevention of Gambling Act, 1887
9. The Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956
10. The Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act, 1994
11. The Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881
12. The Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969
13. The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012
14. The Information Technology Act, 2000
15. The Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986

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Part B - Civil Law

1. The Code of Civil Procedure, 1908
2. The Limitation Act, 1963
3. The Indian Contract Act, 1872
4. The Constitution of India
5. The Indian Partnership Act, 1932
6. The Specific Relief Act, 1963
7. The Gujarat Court Fees Act, 2004
8. The Sale of Goods Act, 1930
9. The Transfer of Property Act, 1882
10. The Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996
11. The Commercial Courts Act, 2015
12. Succession Laws, Personal Laws (Hindu, Muslim & Christian)
13. Legal Maxims

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Part C - General Knowledge & Aptitude​

1. General Knowledge
2. English Language
3. Test of Reasoning
4. Numerical & Mental Ability
5. Basics of Computer Applications

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Note: Candidates who have not studied Gujarati in their Secondary (SSC) or Higher Secondary (HSC) must take a Test of Gujarati Language (50 Marks, 1.5 Hours).

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Paper 2 - Gujarati Language

(૧) ગુજરાતી નિબંધ લેખન

(૨) ફકરા ઉપરથી પ્રશ્નોના જવાબ

(૩) સમાનાર્થી શબ્દો (૪) વિરૂદ્ધાર્થી શબ્દો

(૫) પત્રલેખન

(૬) ભાષાંતર - અનુવાદ (ગુજરાતી - અંગ્રેજી અને અંગ્રેજી - ગુજરાતી)

(૭) ટંૂકનોંધ (કોઈપણ વિષય પર)

(૮) ગુજરાતી વ્યાકરણ

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Main Examination Syllabus

The Main Examination consists of descriptive, subjective papers distributed into legal theories. It consists of two descriptive papers , each carrying 100 marks with a duration of 3 hours .

Language of Question Paper-I & Question Paper-II of Main Written Examination shall be English. Answers to Questions of Papers I & II of Main Written Examination may be given either in English or in Gujarati, if not instructed otherwise.

Paper-I: Criminal Law (100 Marks)

1. The Indian Penal Code, 1860 and The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023
2. The Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 and The Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023
3. The Indian Evidence Act, 1872 and The Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023
4. The Gujarat Prohibition Act, 1949
5. The Probation of Offenders Act, 1958
6. The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015
7. The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005
8. The Gujarat Prevention of Gambling Act, 1887
9. The Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956
10. The Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act, 1994
11. The Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881
12. The Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969
13. The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012
14. The Information Technology Act, 2000
15. The Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986

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Paper-II: Civil Law (100 Marks)

1. The Code of Civil Procedure, 1908
2. The Limitation Act, 1963
3. The Indian Contract Act, 1872
4. The Constitution of India
5. The Indian Partnership Act, 1932
6. The Specific Relief Act, 1963
7. The Gujarat Court Fees Act, 2004
8. The Sale of Goods Act, 1930
9. The Transfer of Property Act, 1882
10. The Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996
11. The Commercial Courts Act, 2015
12. Succession Laws, Personal Laws (Hindu, Muslim & Christian)
13. Legal Maxims

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Educational Qualifications

Applicants targeting the Gujarat civil judge position need to satisfy the following academic and cultural requirements:

• LL.B. Degree: Must hold a recognized Law Degree (3-year or 5-year LL.B.) from a university/institution established by law in India.
• AIBE Clearance: Candidates who graduated in or after the academic year 2009–2010 must have cleared the All India Bar Examination (AIBE) to be considered eligible as a practicing advocate.​
• Computer Knowledge: Must possess a valid certificate in basic computer applications or operations from a recognized or government institute.

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Nationality

Must be an Indian Citizen

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Language Proficiency

Since the Gujarat Judicial Services require day-to-day communication, case handling, and documentation in Gujarati, candidates must demonstrate adequate knowledge of the Gujarati language.

The requirement is fulfilled if:

• The candidate has studied Gujarati as a subject at the Secondary or Higher Secondary School level (Class 10 or 12).
• If not, the candidate must pass a language proficiency test in Gujarati, conducted by the Gujarat High Court or as specified in the official notification.

Failure to satisfy the language criteria can result in disqualification even after passing written stages.

Note: 3 Year Legal Practice as an advocate- Not applicable to this year notification

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Age Limit Requirements

Candidates looking to apply must fall within the official age range specified below:

• Minimum Age: 21 Years
• Maximum Age: 35 Years (With some age relaxation as per below table)

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Permissible Age Relaxations

Upper age limit relaxations apply to various reserved categories:

Category	Upper Age Limit
General	35 years
Scheduled Castes	38 years
Scheduled Tribes	38 years
Socially & Educationally Backward Classes	38 years
Persons with Benchmark Disability (PwBD)	38 years
Economically Weaker Sections	38 years
Employees working in the Courts or other Allied Departments	40 years

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NOTE: The selection committee will check the age, school degrees, and other personal conditions of every single applicant. If a candidate does not meet the necessary terms, the commission will reject the online application form immediately. 

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Category	Application Fee (via OTR)
General / Unreserved Category / BC (Creamy Layer)	₹2000/-
SC/ST/SEBC/PwBD	₹1000/-

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Form Correction

You can make corrections or modifications to the GJS application form 2026 before the final submission. Once the application is confirmed, no further changes will be accepted.

• You can edit the application by logging in with your application number and date of birth.
• The 'Edit Application' option is available only until the online application is finally confirmed.
• Click the 'Confirm Application' button only after verifying all the provided information.
• Once the application is confirmed, no further editing will be allowed under any circumstances.

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Preparing for the Gujarat Judicial Services Examination demands a strategic balance between mastering core legal codes and conquering state-specific requirements. The High Court of Gujarat runs a three-stage process — Preliminary (Elimination Test), Main Written Examination, and Viva-Voce — with a separate Gujarati Language Test for eligible candidates. Because prelims marks carry zero weight in the final merit list, your entire rank is decided by 250 marks: two Mains papers and the interview. Your plan must reflect that arithmetic.

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Step 1: Master Core Bare Acts & the Dual Criminal Code Regime

The High Court of Gujarat puts heavy emphasis on direct statutory interpretation and section-level command.

• Focus on index reading, key definitions, exceptions, and provisos across the fundamental procedural codes — CPC, CrPC/BNSS, and the Evidence Act/BSA.
• The current syllabus lists both regimes in parallel: IPC 1860 alongside BNS 2023, CrPC 1973 alongside BNSS 2023, and the Evidence Act 1872 alongside BSA 2023. Build section-pair fluency rather than treating the new codes as a separate syllabus.
• Expect comparative and provision-mapping questions during this transition window; knowing one regime in isolation will cost you marks.

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Step 2: Dominate Gujarat Local Laws & Special Acts

Local statutes are frequently the deciding factor in clearing the High Court of Gujarat cutoff.

• Dedicate targeted study hours to state-specific legislation: the Gujarat Prohibition Act, 1949, the Gujarat Prevention of Gambling Act, 1887, and the court-fees legislation applicable in Gujarat.
• Do not ignore the special penal and civil-adjacent acts named in the syllabus — POCSO Act, PC-PNDT Act, Negotiable Instruments Act (particularly Section 138), Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, and the Information Technology Act.
• Gujarat's Prohibition Act carries disproportionate weight relative to its length; it is one of the highest-return items in the entire syllabus.

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Step 3: Clear the Gujarati Language Test — If It Applies to You

This test is not required of every candidate, and misreading the rule costs aspirants unnecessary preparation time.

• It applies only to candidates who did not study Gujarati as a subject in their Secondary (SSC) or Higher Secondary (HSC) examination. Candidates who did are exempt.
• Where applicable, the test is a separate paper of 50 marks with a duration of 1 hour 30 minutes, requiring a minimum of 40% to qualify. It covers essay writing, grammar, translation, and letter writing at SSC/HSC level.
• Like the prelims, its marks are excluded from the final merit list — it is purely a gate.
• If you are required to appear, integrate daily 20-minute reading drills using Gujarati news or legal passages to build translation speed and legal vocabulary.

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Step 4: Prelims MCQ Speed & Negative Marking Strategy

The Preliminary Examination (Elimination Test) is 100 MCQs for 100 marks in 2 hours, conducted offline on OMR, with the question paper in English only.

• Each correct answer earns 1 mark; each wrong or multiple-marked answer costs 0.33. You need 50% to qualify (45% for reserved categories), and these marks do not count toward your final rank.
• Practise high-volume MCQs across all three parts: Part A (criminal law), Part B (civil law), and Part C (General Knowledge, English, Reasoning, Numerical & Mental Ability, and Basics of Computer Applications).
• Part C is where most law-focused aspirants lose the qualifying margin — it is tested at prelims in Gujarat unlike in several other states, so do not deprioritise it.
• Use Lawpatra's section-wise mock series to identify weak areas and eliminate penalising wrong attempts.

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Step 5: Master Civil & Criminal Mains Answer Writing — Where Your Rank Is Actually Decided

The Main Written Examination consists of two descriptive papers of 100 marks each, 3 hours per paper.

• Paper I (Criminal Law, 100 marks): IPC/BNS, CrPC/BNSS, Evidence Act/BSA, plus the special criminal statutes including the Domestic Violence Act and the Information Technology Act.
• Paper II (Civil Law, 100 marks): CPC, Indian Contract Act, Transfer of Property Act, Specific Relief Act, Constitution of India, and allied laws.
• You must secure a minimum of 40% in each paper and 50% in aggregate (45% for SC/ST) to be called for the Viva-Voce — one weak paper ends the attempt regardless of your total.
• Question papers are set in English, but answers may be written in either English or Gujarati unless instructed otherwise. Choose your answering language early and practise exclusively in it.
• Practise structuring analytical answers using the IRAC method (Issue, Rule, Application, Conclusion), supported by recent Supreme Court and Gujarat High Court rulings, and practise framing charges and issues within strict time limits.
• The Viva-Voce carries 50 marks with a 40% minimum. Against Mains' 200, the interview controls one-fifth of your final score — prepare structured oral reasoning, not just recall.

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Q: What is the overall selection process for the Gujarat Civil Judge recruitment?
A: The selection process consists of three sequential stages:

1. Preliminary Examination (Elimination Test): An objective-type test consisting of 100 Multiple Choice Questions (100 marks).
2. Main Written Examination: A descriptive written test evaluating Law Paper-I, Law Paper-II, and Gujarat Language Proficiency.
3. Viva-Voce (Interview): A personal interview carrying 50 marks to assess suitability, personality, and legal aptitude.

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Q: What is the minimum age and qualification required to apply for Gujarat Judicial Services?
A:

• Educational Qualification: Must hold a Degree in Law (LL.B.) from a recognized university and be enrolled/eligible to practice as an Advocate.
• Age Limit (Unreserved Category): Must not have completed 35 years of age as of the last date of application submission.
• Age Relaxation: Upper age limit is relaxed up to 38 years for candidates belonging to SC, ST, Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC), EWS, and Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD).

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Q: Is knowledge of the Gujarati language mandatory for the exam?
A: Yes. Proficiency in the Gujarati language is essential. Candidates must clear the Gujarati Language Test (conducted during or alongside the Mains phase) scoring a minimum of 50% marks (or as prescribed in the notification) to be eligible for final selection.

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Q: What are the negative marking rules in the Preliminary Test?
A: Yes, negative marking applies to the Preliminary Examination. 0.33 marks (1/3rd mark) will be deducted for every incorrect answer or for selecting multiple options for a single question.

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Q: Does the syllabus include the new Criminal Laws (BNS, BNSS, BSA)?
A: Yes. The exam assesses both classic legal principles and the updated criminal legislations:

• Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS)* (replacing IPC)*
• Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS)* (replacing CrPC)*
• Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 (BSA)* (replacing Indian Evidence Act)*

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Q: What is the pay scale for a newly appointed Civil Judge in Gujarat?
A: Newly appointed Civil Judges are paid under the Second National Judicial Pay Commission (SNJPC) framework:

• Pay Scale: ₹77,840 – ₹1,36,520
• Starting Basic Pay: ₹77,840 per month
• Estimated In-Hand Salary: ~₹90,000 – ₹95,000 per month (including DA, HRA, and admissible allowances).

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Q: Is there a probation period and service bond after selection?
A: Yes:

• Probation Period: 2 years under Rule 14 of the Gujarat State Judicial Service Rules, 2005 (extendable up to a total of 4 years).
• Service Bond: Appointed candidates are required to execute a service bond of ₹5,00,000 (Rupees Five Lakhs) committing to serve for a minimum period of 3 years post-training.

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