As per the Himachal Pradesh Judiciary exam pattern, there are three stages of the exam: the Preliminary Examination (300 marks), Main Examination (850 marks), and Viva-Voce (150 marks).
The Preliminary Examination consists of three objective papers with 50 MCQs per paper, 2 marks for each correct answer, and no negative marking, while the Main Examination includes five descriptive papers followed by a personal interview.
The final merit list is prepared based on the Main Examination and Viva-Voce marks, as the Preliminary Examination is qualifying in nature. The article below explains the complete HP Judiciary exam pattern, including the stage-wise exam structure, paper-wise marks distribution, marking scheme, qualifying criteria, and interview pattern.
Himachal Pradesh Judiciary Exam Pattern: Overview
The table below provides a quick overview of the latest Himachal Pradesh Civil Judge exam pattern.
| Parameters of HP Judiciary Exam Pattern | Details |
| Recruiting Authority | Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (HPPSC) |
| Post Name | Civil Judge |
| Selection Stages | • Preliminary Examination • Main Examination • Viva-Voce / Interview |
| Examination Mode | • Preliminary: Offline, Objective-type (MCQ) • Main: Offline, Descriptive • Interview: Personal Viva-Voce |
| Total Marks | • Preliminary: 300 marks • Main: 850 marks • Viva-Voce: 150 marks |
| Negative Marking | • Preliminary Examination: No negative marking. • Main Examination: Not applicable (descriptive papers). • Viva-Voce/Interview: Not applicable. |
| Final Selection | Based on the marks obtained in the main examination and viva-voce |
Check out What is Himachal Pradesh Judiciary Exam?
Himachal Judiciary Prelims Exam Pattern
The HP Judiciary Prelims exam pattern consists of three objective-type papers, each carrying 100 marks with a duration of 1 hour. The Preliminary Examination is conducted as a qualifying screening test for the Main Examination, with a total of 300 marks.
| Examination Component | HP Judiciary Prelims Examination Details |
| Examination mode | • Offline (pen-and-paper based) • Objective-type (MCQ) examination |
| Paper-wise structure | • Civil Law-I – 100 marks – 1 hour – 50 MCQs • Civil Law-II – 100 marks – 1 hour- 50 MCQs • Criminal Law – 100 marks – 1 hour- 50 MCQs |
| Total marks | • 300 marks across three papers |
| Total exam duration | • 3 hours (1 hour per paper) |
| Negative marking | • No negative marking |
| Exam schedule | • All three papers are conducted on the same day |
| Qualifying nature | • Screening examination for the HPJS main examination |
| Qualification requirement | • Qualify all three papers to become eligible for the main examination |
Himachal Judiciary Mains Exam Pattern
The HP Judiciary Mains exam pattern consists of five descriptive papers carrying a total of 850 marks, with 3 hours allotted for each paper.
| HP Judiciary Mains Exam Pattern | HP Judiciary Prelims Exam Details |
| Examination mode | • Offline (pen-and-paper based) • Descriptive written examination |
| Paper-wise structure | • Paper I: Civil Law-I – 200 marks – 3 hours • Paper II: Civil Law-II – 200 marks – 3 hours • Paper III: Criminal Law – 200 marks – 3 hours • Paper IV: English Composition – 150 marks – 3 hours • Paper V: Hindi Language – 100 marks – 3 hours |
| Total marks | 850 marks across five papers |
| Total exam duration | 15 hours (3 hours per paper) |
Find more about Himachal Judiciary Vacancy Notification
Himachal Judiciary Interview Pattern
The Himachal Judiciary interview pattern is the final stage of the selection process and carries 150 marks.
| HP Judiciary Interview Pattern | HP Judiciary Interview Details |
| Stage of selection | Final stage after the main examination |
| Examination mode | Personal interview (Viva-Voce) |
| Maximum marks | 150 marks |
| Assessment areas | • Case analysis • Legal knowledge • Current legal issues • Communication skills • Constitutional fundamentals • Personality and analytical ability |
| Final selection | • Interview marks are added to the mains examination score to prepare the final merit list |
Himachal Pradesh Judiciary Exam Marking Scheme
The Himachal Pradesh Judiciary marking scheme states that the Preliminary Examination is qualifying in nature and its marks are not included in the final merit list. Your final selection is based on the marks obtained in the Main Examination and Viva-Voce, subject to the prescribed qualifying criteria.
| HP Judiciary Exam Stage | HP Judiciary Marking Scheme Details |
| Preliminary Examination | • Total: 300 marks (100 marks × 3 papers) • 50 MCQs per paper, 2 marks per question • No negative marking • Qualifying stage only • Marks not counted in the final merit list |
| Main Examination | • Total: 850 marks (5 descriptive papers) • No fixed marks per question (descriptive answer-based evaluation) |
| Viva-Voce / Interview | • Total: 150 marks • Interview-based assessment (no per-question marking) • Minimum 45% marks required to qualify • Interview marks added to the mains score |
Explore Our Other Himachal Judiciary Articles:
| Himachal Judiciary Eligibility Criteria | Himachal Pradesh Judiciary Application Form |
| Himachal Pradesh Judiciary Exam Pattern | Himachal Pradesh Judiciary Preparation |
Himachal Judicial Services Exam Paper-Wise Marks Distribution
The Himachal Pradesh Judiciary paper-wise marks distribution shows the marks allotted for each paper in the Preliminary and Main Examinations. You can refer to the table below to compare the paper-wise marks distribution across both examinations.
| HP Judicial Services Paper | Preliminary Examination | Main Examination |
| Civil Law-I | 100 | 200 |
| Civil Law-II | 100 | 200 |
| Criminal Law | 100 | 200 |
| English Language | — | 150 |
| Hindi Language | — | 100 |
| Total Marks | 300 | 850 |
Also explore: Himachal Pradesh Judiciary Syllabus
FAQs on Himachal Pradesh Judiciary Exam Pattern
The Himachal Pradesh Judiciary Exam consists of three stages: the preliminary examination, the main examination, and the viva-voce. You must qualify each stage to be considered for final selection.
The HP Judiciary Exam includes three objective-type papers in the preliminary examination and five descriptive papers in the main examination, followed by a viva-voce for final assessment.
No, there is no negative marking in the HP Judiciary Preliminary Examination. You receive marks only for correct answers, and incorrect responses do not attract any penalty.
The HP Judiciary Exam carries 300 marks for the preliminary examination, 850 marks for the mains, and 150 marks for the viva-voce. Final merit is based on mains and interview marks.
The HP Judiciary selection process consists of three stages: the preliminary examination, the main examination, and the viva-voce. You must qualify each stage to progress through the recruitment process.
The Himachal Pradesh Judiciary Exam has three stages: the preliminary examination, the main examination, and the viva-voce. Each stage evaluates your legal knowledge, judicial aptitude, and overall suitability for judicial service.
The HP Judiciary viva-voce carries 150 marks. You must secure at least 45% marks in the interview, and your viva-voce score is added to the mains examination marks to prepare the final merit list.
The HP Judiciary preliminary examination consists of three papers, each conducted for one hour. The total examination duration is three hours, with all papers held on the same day.
The HP Judiciary mains examination consists of five descriptive papers carrying a total of 850 marks. Each paper is conducted for 3 hours and assesses your knowledge of law, language, and analytical ability.
Yes, the HP Judiciary Preliminary Examination is qualifying in nature. Your preliminary examination marks are used only for shortlisting you for the mains examination and are not included in the final merit list.
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