TG
TUSHAR GARGAdvocate-on-Record, Supreme Court of India
Home/Judiciary/Prelims Syllabus
STAGE I SCREENING • OBJECTIVE BLUEPRINT

Preliminary Syllabus & Exam Pattern

Comprehensive Objective Screening Exam Blueprints, Subject-Wise Weightage & Strategy

Exhaustive subject-wise breakdown of the Judicial Services Preliminary Screening Examination, covering Core Bare Acts, New Criminal Laws, Local Statutes, General Knowledge weightage, and negative marking patterns across all High Courts.

KEY EXAMINATION METRICS
Question FormatObjective MCQsSingle choice best answer
Negative Marking0.20 to 0.33Varies by state High Court
Screening CutoffTop 10x - 15xVacancies to Mains ratio
Time Per Question45 – 60 SecsHigh-speed precision

Executive Overview & Institutional Role

Statutory Framework & Judicial Mandate

The Preliminary Examination serves as the critical first-stage elimination filter in judicial service recruitment. Conducted in an objective Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) format, it tests the candidate's speed, photographic Bare Act memory, and ability to identify statutory nuances under timed conditions.

While marks scored in the Prelims do not contribute to the final merit ranking, clearing the competitive cut-off is mandatory to gain entry into the decisive Mains written examination.

With the implementation of the New Criminal Laws (BNS, BNSS, BSA) alongside traditional civil procedural codes, modern Prelims papers increasingly blend direct section-based queries with short fact-based analytical application questions.

Constitutional Standing

Subordinate judicial officers operate under the direct superintendence of the High Court pursuant to Articles 233, 234 & 235 of the Constitution.

Substantive Adjudication

Adjudicating criminal offenses under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and civil disputes under Code of Civil Procedure (CPC) with statutory independence.

Elevation Trajectory

Meritorious service in the subordinate magistracy serves as the foundational pipeline for promotion to Higher Judicial Services and High Court Judge benches.

Three-Stage Examination Roadmap

How candidates are filtered and evaluated across consecutive rounds

Core Pillar 1

Major Substantive Codes

Direct section numbers, statutory definitions, exceptions, illustrations, and punishment quantum.

Duration: Comprehensive40% - 45% Weightage
Core Pillar 2

Procedural & Evidence Law

In-depth procedural steps, jurisdictional thresholds, statutory limitation periods, and evidentiary admissibility rules.

Duration: High Precision35% - 40% Weightage
Core Pillar 3

Constitutional, Local & Special Statutes

State-specific rent control acts, land revenue codes, Specific Relief Act, Limitation Act, and General Knowledge.

Duration: Variable20% - 25% Weightage
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