Assistant District Attorney Punjab 2026: Exam Date, Vacancy, Eligibility, Syllabus, Pattern & Salary

Overview: The notification for Punjab ADA 2026 is out! If you were awaiting these vacancies, there are some important details you must know.  

• The Assistant District Attorney (ADA) Punjab recruitment will be conducted by the PSSSB to appoint Group-B prosecution officers in the Department of Home Affairs and Justice, Government of Punjab.  
• For the 2026 cycle (Advertisement No. 09 of 2026), Punjab Subordinate Services Selection Board (PSSSB) has announced 170 vacancies.  
• Applicants must hold an LLB, be eligible for enrolment as an advocate under the Advocates Act, 1961, have completed at least two years of practice at the Bar, and have passed Matriculation with Punjabi.  

Here, we give all necessary information for aspirants who are appearing for the exam.  

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Punjab ADA Recruitment 2026: Notification Overview  

Here's a quick overview of the Punjab ADA 2026 recruitment notification before we get into the details.  

Particulars	Details
Recruitment Body	Punjab Subordinate Services Selection Board (PSSSB)
Advertisement Number	09 of 2026
Notification Date	24th April 2026
Post Name	Assistant District Attorney
Department	Home Affairs and Justice, Government of Punjab
Total Vacancies	170
Post Group	Group-B
Selection Process	Written examination + document verification
Exam Date	2nd August 2026
Application Mode	Online only
Official Website	sssb.punjab.gov.in

Download Official Punjab ADA 2026 Notification

Who Conducts the Assistant District Attorney Punjab Exam? 

The Assistant District Attorney Punjab recruitment is conducted by the Punjab Subordinate Services Selection Board (PSSSB); not by the Punjab Public Service Commission.  

The 2026 cycle runs under Advertisement No. 09 of 2026, and every official communication, from the notification to the admit card, answer key and result, is published only at sssb.punjab.gov.in.  

Selected candidates are appointed as Group-B legal officers in the Department of Home Affairs and Justice, Government of Punjab, and work within the state's prosecution wing.  

When is the Punjab ADA Exam 2026?   

The PSSSB Assistant District Attorney written examination is scheduled for 2 August 2026. PSSSB confirmed the date through an official exam-schedule notice dated 16 June 2026, which covered Advertisement No. 09 of 2026 along with several other Group-B and Group-C recruitments.  

The paper will be held at designated centres across Punjab.  

Assistant District Attorney Punjab 2026 Important Dates 

Here is the confirmed timeline for Punjab ADA recruitment cycle 2026:  

Event	Date
Notification Release Date	24th April 2026
Online Application Start Date	30th April 2026
Last Date to Apply Online	20th May 2026
Exam Schedule Notice Released	16th June 2026
Admit Card Release	Expected last week of July 2026
Written Exam Date	2nd August 2026
Answer Key	To be announced
Result	To be announced

Assistant District Attorney Punjab 2026: Category-wise Vacancy Details   

PSSSB has announced a total of 170 vacancies for the post of Assistant District Attorney. Of these, 56 are reserved for women candidates across categories. Here are the details:   

Category	Total Vacancies	Reserved for Women
General	76	26
SC (Mazhabi & Balmiki)	16	6
SC (Ramdasia & Others)	13	5
BC	20	7
Ex-Servicemen General	6	2
Ex-Servicemen SC (Mazhabi & Balmiki)	2	–
Ex-Servicemen SC (Ramdasia & Others)	3	–
Ex-Servicemen BC	2	–
Sports General	2	1
Sports SC (Mazhabi & Balmiki)	2	–
Sports SC (Ramdasia & Others)	2	–
Physically Handicapped (Ortho)	2	1
Physically Handicapped (Visually Impaired)	1	–
Physically Handicapped (Hearing Impaired)	2	1
Physically Handicapped (ID/MD)	2	1
Freedom Fighter	2	1
Economically Weaker Section (EWS)	17	5
Total	170	56

Note: PSSSB may increase, decrease or modify the number of vacancies and their category-wise distribution at any stage of the recruitment process.  

Who Is Eligible for the Punjab ADA Exam 2026?   

Here are the eligibility conditions you need to meet to be able to apply for Punjab ADA 2026:  

• To apply for Assistant District Attorney in Punjab, you must hold a Bachelor of Law degree from a recognised university.  
• Additionally, you must be eligible for enrolment as an advocate under the Advocates Act, 1961, and have at least two years of practice at the Bar.  
• You must also have passed Matriculation with Punjabi as a compulsory or elective subject or hold an equivalent Punjabi language qualification.  
• The age limit is 18 to 37 years for General category candidates as on 1 January 2026, with relaxations for reserved categories.   

Eligibility Parameter	Requirement
Educational Qualification	Bachelor of Law (professional degree) from a recognised university or institution
Alternative Qualification	Barrister of England or Ireland, or member of the Faculty of Advocates of Scotland
Professional Experience	Minimum two years of practice at the Bar
Advocate Eligibility	Must be eligible for enrolment as an advocate under the Advocates Act, 1961
Punjabi Language Requirement	Matriculation with Punjabi as a compulsory or elective subject, or an equivalent Punjabi language qualification
Qualification Cut-off Date	All qualifications must be complete on or before the last date for submitting the application

Note: Fresh law graduates are not eligible. The two-year practice requirement is a hard condition, and it is verified at document verification rather than at the application stage. This means an ineligible application costs you the fee and the preparation time both.  

The minimum age for Punjab ADA recruitment 2026 is calculated as on 1st January 2026.  

Some categories are eligible for age relaxation according to the table below:  

Category	Age Limit
Minimum Age	18 years
General Category	Up to 37 years
SC / BC of Punjab	Up to 42 years
State / Central Government Employees	Up to 45 years
Persons with Disabilities (Punjab)	Up to 47 years
Widows / Divorcees / certain married women categories	Up to 40 years
Ex-Servicemen	As per Punjab Government rules

Is Punjabi Compulsory for the Punjab ADA Exam?  

Yes. Every candidate must have passed Matriculation with Punjabi as a compulsory or elective subject or hold an equivalent qualification in the Punjabi language. This is an eligibility condition, not an exam paper. The written examination itself is conducted in English.  

Candidates who completed their schooling outside Punjab therefore need to obtain a recognised equivalent Punjabi qualification before the last date of application. It is checked at document verification and cannot be regularised afterwards.  

If you studied outside Punjab and are planning for a future cycle, treat this as the first item on your list rather than the last. It takes longer to arrange than most candidates expect, and it is the single most common reason otherwise-eligible applicants are rejected at the verification stage.  

Assistant District Attorney Punjab 2026 Selection Process   

The Punjab ADA selection process is short compared with state judiciary exams. There are no separate Prelims and Mains stages and, importantly, no interview or viva-voce. Your written paper decides your rank.   

Stage	What happens	Nature
Written Examination	Objective OMR paper |120 questions, 480 marks, 120 minutes	Merit-deciding
Merit List	Prepared from written-exam marks, category-wise	–
Document Verification / Counselling	Verification of LLB, Bar enrolment, two years' practice, Punjabi qualification, category and age certificates	Qualifying
Appointment	Posting as Assistant District Attorney, Group-B, Department of Home Affairs and Justice	–

What this means for your preparation?  

Because there is no interview to recover in and no second written stage to average out a bad day, the entire outcome rests on a single two-hour paper. That argues for two things:  

• The first is heavy full-length mock practice under exact timing. The constraint here is pace, not knowledge.  
• The second is meticulous document readiness. Candidates are rejected at verification every cycle for a missing Punjabi qualification certificate or an incomplete record of Bar practice, not for their marks. Assemble that file now rather than after the result.  

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Assistant District Attorney Punjab Exam Pattern 2026 

Here's a quick overview of the Punjab ADA exam pattern 2026:  

Particulars	Details
Mode	Offline, OMR-based
Question Type	Multiple choice
Medium	English
Duration	120 minutes
Marks per correct answer	+4
Negative marking	−1 per wrong answer

The Punjab ADA 2026 exam is a pen-and-paper objective test answered on an OMR sheet. You get 120 minutes to attempt 120 questions carrying 480 marks.  

Here's how the sections, question numbers, and marks are distributed:   

Part	Subject	Questions	Marks
Part A	Law Subjects	100	400
Part B	Logical Reasoning, Mental Ability and General Knowledge	20	80

How Negative Marking Works in the Punjab ADA Exam 2026?  

Each correct answer earns +4 marks. Each wrong answer costs −1 mark. Unattempted questions carry no penalty.  

What this means for your attempt strategy. Because a wrong answer costs a quarter of what a right answer earns, the break-even point sits at roughly one correct guess in five. In practice:  

Situation	Recommended action
You know the answer	Attempt
You have eliminated two of the four options	Attempt — you are at a 50% hit rate, comfortably positive
You have eliminated one option	Marginal. Attempt only if the topic is one of your stronger areas
A pure guess with no elimination	Skip. A blind one-in-four guess is barely above break-even and adds variance you do not need

With 120 questions in 120 minutes, you have one minute per question and no time to deliberate. Most candidates who clear this paper make a first pass attempting only what they know cleanly, then return to the eliminable questions with whatever time is left.  

For a fuller treatment of guessing strategy across judiciary and prosecutor papers, read our guide on how to deal with negative marking in judiciary exams.  

Assistant District Attorney Punjab Syllabus 2026  

The Punjab ADA paper tests legal knowledge, general awareness and reasoning. Here's the Punjab ADA syllabus 2026:  

Part A carries 400 of the 480 marks, so the five law units deserve the bulk of your preparation time.

Subject	Key Topics
Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 / Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS)	Powers of courts and police; the Public Prosecutor; arrest and the rights of arrested persons; FIR and commencement of investigation; recording of confessions and remand; bail, anticipatory bail and cancellation of bail; bail bonds; warrant, summons, summary and Sessions trials; inherent powers of the High Court
Indian Penal Code, 1860 / Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS)	Definitions and general explanations; punishments; group liability and criminal conspiracy; offences against the State; offences by and relating to public servants; culpable homicide and murder; dowry death; hurt, grievous hurt and acid attack; sexual offences and their aggravated forms; cheating and theft
Indian Evidence Act, 1872 / Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 (BSA)	"May presume", "shall presume" and conclusive proof; relevancy of facts; admissions and confessions; dying declarations; expert testimony; oral and documentary evidence; burden of proof; competency and examination of witnesses
Code of Civil Procedure, 1908	Decree, order and judgment; jurisdiction; res sub judice and res judicata; joinder and misjoinder of parties; pleadings — plaint, written statement and amendment; summons and appearance; hearing and trial; temporary injunctions; first, second and Supreme Court appeals; execution of decrees; inherent powers of civil courts
Constitutional Law	The Preamble and the nature of the Constitution; federal features; Fundamental Rights and Fundamental Duties; Directive Principles of State Policy; Union and State legislature and executive; Money Bills and other Bills; the Supreme Court and High Courts; pardoning power and the ordinance-making power; amendment of the Constitution

 Part B carries 20 questions of 80 marks and covers subjects like Logical Reasoning, Mental Ability and General Knowledge.    

Section	Key Topics
General Knowledge and Current Affairs	Current affairs of national and international importance; economy, polity, environment, and science and technology; history of India with emphasis on the freedom struggle; history of Punjab from the fourteenth century onwards
Logical Reasoning and Mental Ability	Logical reasoning and analytical ability; basic numerical skills including percentages; data interpretation from charts, tables and spreadsheets

You can build your foundation by reading the bare acts for each subject before moving to commentary.  

What is the Punjab ADA 2026 Application Fee?  

Here are the category-wise fee details for Punjab ADA 2026:  

Category	Application Fee
All other categories (including General)	₹1,500
SC and BC of Punjab	₹750
Ex-Servicemen, EWS, PwD and LDESM of Punjab	₹500

Note: LDESM stands for Lineal Descendant of an Ex-Serviceman. It's a Punjab-specific category that candidates from other states frequently overlook when checking which fee slab applies to them.  

Remember, the fee is payable online only and is non-refundable.  

Punjab ADA Admit Card 2026: How to Download  

PSSSB publishes the Assistant District Attorney admit card at sssb.punjab.gov.in approximately one week before the exam.  

Admit cards are not posted or emailed. You must download and print your own copy. Follow the given steps:  

Step 1: Visit the official PSSSB portal at sssb.punjab.gov.in. 

Step 2: Open the Admit Card or Latest Announcements section on the homepage. 

Step 3: Select the link for Assistant District Attorney (Advt. No. 09/2026). 

Step 4: Log in using your Application Number and Date of Birth. 

Step 5: Download the PDF and check your name, photograph, roll number, exam centre and reporting time. 

Step 6: Print at least two clear copies. Carry one to the centre along with a valid original photo ID.  

If any detail on the admit card is wrong, contact PSSSB through the helpline given in the notification straight away. Do not attempt to correct anything on the printed copy yourself, and do not leave it until exam morning.  

Assistant District Attorney Punjab Salary 2026   

An Assistant District Attorney in Punjab is appointed as a Group-B officer in the Department of Home Affairs and Justice. Pay is fixed under the applicable pay-matrix rules, with an entry-level basic pay of ₹35,400, plus allowances admissible under Punjab Government rules.  

Refer the table below for more details:    

Component	Details
Post	Assistant District Attorney
Group	Group-B
Department	Home Affairs and Justice, Government of Punjab
Entry-level basic pay	₹35,400
Allowances	Dearness Allowance, House Rent Allowance, Travel Allowance and other admissible allowances as per Punjab Government rules
Probation	As per the Punjab Civil Services rules applicable at appointment
Gross / in-hand	Varies with posting location and applicable deductions

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Preparation Tips for Assistant District Attorney Punjab 2026 

Clearing the Punjab ADA exam is less about total study hours than about allocating them correctly. The approach below reflects what has worked for candidates who cleared it alongside an active practice.  

• Start from the syllabus, not from a book. Map every unit against the marks it carries before you decide where your time goes. Part A is 400 of 480 marks. The math makes the priority obvious. 
• Weight criminal law heavily. Units I, II and III are the core of a prosecution paper and the areas an examiner can test in most depth. Give them the largest share. 
• Study the old and new codes as pairs. Do not learn the IPC and then start the BNS from scratch. Work provision by provision, in parallel. 
• Read for retention, not coverage. Fifteen to twenty focused minutes of current affairs daily beats two hours on a Sunday.  
• Practise under exact timing. One minute per question with negative marking is a distinct skill. It is learned by rehearsal, not by reading about it. 
• Review your errors, not just your scores. After each mock, separate the questions you got wrong through not knowing from those you got wrong through misreading. The second category is usually larger, and it is the faster one to fix. 
• Do not neglect Punjab GK. Twenty questions are 80 marks. Candidates who leave it entirely tend to regret it.   

Prepare with the best Punjab ADA books for 2026 >> 

Here are the key takeaways:  

• The PSSSB Assistant District Attorney Punjab written exam is on 2 August 2026, under Advertisement No. 09 of 2026, for 170 Group-B posts. 
• Admit cards are published at sssb.punjab.gov.in about a week before the exam. Download and print your own. They are not sent by post. 
• Eligibility requires an LLB, eligibility for enrolment under the Advocates Act, 1961, two years of practice at the Bar, and a Punjabi language qualification. 
• The paper is 120 questions, 480 marks, 120 minutes, with +4 for a correct answer and −1 for a wrong one. Selection rests on the written exam alone. There is no interview. 
• Prepare the old codes and the new Sanhitas together. Punjab's prosecutors work with both, and so will the paper. 
• Punjab GK carries 80 marks. It is a scoring section, not a formality.