Maharashtra Judiciary Syllabus 2026 [JMFC Syllabus Download Pdf Here]

The Maharashtra Judiciary syllabus 2026 covers civil law, criminal law and specified special Acts for the Civil Judge (Junior Division) and Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) selection process. 

The Maharashtra Judiciary exam consist of 3 stages - Prelims, Mains and an Interview. The Prelims is only a screening test, so its marks do not count in the final merit list. 

• The Prelims is a single objective paper of 100 marks, set in English, with 0.25 negative marking.
• The Mains has two descriptive papers of 100 marks each, and candidates can write them in Marathi or English.
• The Interview carries 50 marks.
• The Maharashtra Rent Control Act is the one state-specific Act in the Prelims syllabus.

Maharashtra Judiciary Syllabus 2026 Highlights

The Maharashtra Judiciary syllabus now includes the BNS, BNSS and BSA along with the IPC, CrPC and Evidence Act. The Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) conducts recruitment for Civil Judge (Junior Division) and JMFC.The Prelims originally scheduled for 2 August 2026 was postponed, no fresh date has been announced yet. Check for more information on Maharashtra Judiciary recruitment and vacancy details.

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Particulars	Details
Exam name	Civil Judge (Junior Division) and JMFC Examination
Conducting body	Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC)
Advertisement	No. 013/2026
Vacancies	286
Stages	Prelims (objective), Mains (descriptive), Interview
Prelims syllabus	Civil and criminal procedure, evidence, constitutional law, property law, contracts, sale of goods, partnership, specific relief, limitation, Maharashtra rent control, IPC, BNS, BNSS and BSA
Mains Paper I syllabus	Civil Procedure Code, Transfer of Property Act, Specific Relief Act, Contract Law, Sale of Goods Act and Partnership Act
Mains Paper II syllabus	IPC, Criminal Procedure Code, Evidence Act, BNS, BNSS, BSA, SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, Protection of Civil Rights Act and an essay on a current legal topic
Prelims status	Originally scheduled for 2 August 2026; New date awaited.
Official website	mpsc.gov.in

Maharashtra Judiciary Syllabus 2026 PDF Download Link

The Maharashtra Judiciary syllabus covers civil procedure, property, contracts and remedies on one side, and offences, criminal procedure and evidence on the other, along with the Constitution, the Limitation Act and the Maharashtra Rent Control Act. 

Candidates can download the Maharashtra Judiciary syllabus from the link below.

Download Maharashtra Judiciary Syllabus 2026 PDF

Maharashtra Judiciary Syllabus 2026 for Prelims

The Prelims is a single paper of 100 multiple-choice questions, set in English. There is no general studies section, no aptitude and no language paper. The subject list below follows the syllabus notified in MPSC Advertisement No. 013/2026. 

• Civil laws: Cover civil procedure, property transfers, contracts, sale of goods, partnership, specific relief and limitation.
• Criminal laws: Cover the IPC and BNS, along with criminal procedure under the CrPC and BNSS.
• Evidence laws: Prepare relevancy, burden of proof, confessions, witnesses and electronic records under the Evidence Act and BSA.
• Constitutional law: Prepare fundamental rights, Directive Principles, government institutions, the judiciary and amendments.
• State-specific law: Include the Maharashtra Rent Control Act in your preparation.

No.	Subject	Topics
1	Code of Criminal Procedure	Arrest, bail, cognizance, trial procedure, limitation for taking cognizance
2	Civil Procedure Code	Jurisdiction, pleadings, Orders and Rules, res judicata, execution
3	Evidence Act	Relevancy, burden of proof, confessions, presumptions, witnesses
4	Transfer of Property Act	Sale, mortgage, lease, gift, exchange, doctrines like lis pendens and part performance
5	Specific Relief Act	Specific performance, injunctions, rectification, cancellation
6	Maharashtra Rent Control Act	State-specific, so out-of-state candidates must read it separately
7	Limitation Act	Periods, computation, disability, acknowledgment, condonation of delay
8	Constitution of India	Preamble, fundamental rights, DPSPs, Union and State, judiciary, amendment
9	Indian Penal Code	General exceptions, offences against body and property, abetment, conspiracy
10	Law of Contracts, Sale of Goods Act, Partnership Act	Formation, performance, breach, conditions and warranties, partner liability
11	Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023	New numbering, new offences, community service as a punishment
12	Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023	Electronic records and the changes from the old Evidence Act
13	Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023	Timelines, e-processes, zero FIR, revised procedures

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Maharashtra Judiciary Syllabus 2026 for Mains

The Mains has two descriptive papers of 100 marks each, so 200 marks in total. Each paper is three hours long. Candidates can write in Marathi or English.

Mains Paper I: Civil Law

• Civil Procedure Code
• Transfer of Property Act
• Specific Relief Act
• Law of Contracts, Sale of Goods Act and Partnership Act

Mains Paper II: Criminal Law and Essay

• Indian Penal Code
• Evidence Act
• Code of Criminal Procedure
• Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989
• Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955
• Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023
• Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023
• Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023
• Essay on a current legal topic 

Maharashtra Judiciary Syllabus 2026 for Interview

The interview carries 50 marks. The following are suggested preparation areas, rather than an official interview subject list:

Topics	Details
Core legal knowledge	Understanding of core laws, especially procedure and evidence
Recent judgments	Important Supreme Court and Bombay High Court judgments
Maharashtra awareness	State administration and relevant social issues
Judicial temperament	Impartiality, ethical reasoning and balanced decision-making
Communication and motivation	Clear expression and reasons for choosing the judiciary

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Maharashtra Judiciary 2026 Exam Pattern

The Maharashtra Judiciary examination has three stages: Prelims, Mains and Interview. Prelims is a screening examination, while Mains and Interview marks determine the final merit. Candidates should also know the Maharashtra Civil Judge Eligibility Criteria 2026 while preparing for the Maharashtra Judiciary.

Particulars	Prelims	Mains	Interview
Examination type	Objective questions (MCQs)	Descriptive written examination	Viva voce
Number of papers	One	Two	Not applicable
Maximum marks	100	200 — 100 marks per paper	50
Duration	2 hours	3 hours per paper	As decided by the interview panel
Medium	English	Marathi or English	Refer to the applicable interview instructions
Assessment areas	Prescribed law subjects	Paper I: Civil Law; Paper II: Criminal Law, specified special Acts and legal essay	Legal understanding, suitability and judicial temperament
Negative marking	0.25 mark per incorrect answer*	Not applicable	Not applicable
Role in selection	Screening for Mains	Counts towards final merit	Counts towards final meri

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Maharashtra Judiciary Marks Distribution

The Maharashtra Judiciary marks distribution includes 100 marks for Prelims, 200 marks for Mains and 50 marks for the Interview. Prelims serves as a screening test, so its marks are excluded from the final merit list. Final selection is based on the combined 250 marks from Mains and the Interview. 

Stage	Particulars	Marks	Counts in final merit?
Preliminary Examination	One objective paper	100	No (screening only)
Main Examination	Two descriptive papers	200	Yes
Interview	Viva voce	50	Yes
Final merit	Mains plus Interview	250	Not applicable

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How to Prepare for Maharashtra Judiciary Exams 2026

Candidates can start their preparation by bare-Act reading, MCQ practice and written application for subjects shared by both stages. Also refer the Maharashtra Judiciary Preparation Tips for effective preparation of exams.

1. Read the bare Act first, always. Focus on the wording, conditions and exceptions in each provision.
2. Make answer-ready notes. For each section, write what it says, an illustration and a leading case. These notes serve MCQs and Mains alike.
3. Set priorities from your diagnostic test. Allocate more time to weak subjects and Acts shared by Prelims and Mains. Do not assign official weightage where none is stated.
4. Solve MCQs right after finishing an Act. It shows you what you really retained.
5. Write, don't just read. Take one problem question a week and finish it in a timed sitting, in the language you plan to use on exam day.
6. Take Marathi seriously. If you plan to write the Mains in Marathi, build legal vocabulary from the start. It is a skill that takes months, not weeks.
7. Revise on a calendar. A short weekly revision of older Acts keeps them alive while you move to new ones.

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Best Books for the Maharashtra Judiciary Exam 2026

Here are some of the best books candidates can use for the Maharashtra Judiciary Exam 2026. Most of candidates prefer standard Bare Acts and well-known commentaries for subjects like CPC, Contract, Property Law, and the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. These books help build strong concepts and are useful for both prelims and mains preparation.

Bare Act / Book Name	Author or Publisher
Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 — Bare Act	Eastern Book Company (EBC)
Civil Procedure	C. K. Takwani — Eastern Book Company
Law of Contract & Specific Relief	Avtar Singh; revised by Rajesh Kapoor — Eastern Book Company
Transfer of Property Act	Mulla — LexisNexis
The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023	Ratanlal & Dhirajlal — LexisNexis
Maharashtra Rent Control Act, 1999 — Official Act Text	Government of Maharashtra

Must Know: Everything you need for Judiciary

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The Maharashtra Judiciary syllabus 2026 requires preparation in subjects like civil law, criminal law, and specified special Acts. Check the official syllabus before starting preparations and study both sets of criminal laws where prescribed. Start with objective practice and Mains answer writing. Confirm examination dates and any revised rules directly with MPSC before making your final study schedule.

If you want a structured guidance, take a free demo online class or talk to a Judiciary Gold counsellor about the course.