If you're a law graduate in Gujarat scrolling through job portals every night, you've probably seen this one already. The High Court of Gujarat is hiring 65 Legal Assistants on a contract basis, and the pay is genuinely good for a fresh graduate role — Rs 60,000 a month, no experience required. This post covers dates, eligibility, syllabus, salary, and how the older Class-4 posts (peon, watchman, bailiff) fit into the same recruiting body.
This isn't a "someday maybe" notification. The application window has already opened, and the written test date is fixed. If you're eligible, you have a real, near-term shot at this.
Quick Answer
Yes, the notification is live. The High Court of Gujarat released the Legal Assistant Recruitment 2026 notification on 29 June 2026 for 65 posts, applications open 1-20 July 2026. The written exam (100 MCQs, 2 hours) is on 9 August 2026, and selected candidates get Rs 60,000/month on an initial 11-month contract. Class-4 posts (peon, watchman, bailiff) have no fresh 2026 notification yet — the last one was in 2023 for 1,499+ posts, covered as reference below.
Latest Notification and Important Dates
The Legal Assistant recruitment is being run through the HC-OJAS portal, and here's the full timeline.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification released | 29 June 2026 |
| Online application starts | 1 July 2026, 12:00 noon |
| Online application closes | 20 July 2026, 11:59 pm |
| Written test | 9 August 2026 (Sunday) |
| Viva-voce (interview) | August/September 2026 (tentative) |
| Final result | To be announced (tentative) |
If you're reading this after 20 July 2026, the application link is closed, but don't worry — the exam and interview dates are still useful for understanding the process, and this same cycle repeats roughly every year or two. Keep an eye on our exam news section for the next round.
What the Job Actually Is
A Legal Assistant at the Gujarat High Court works under judges and court officers, helping with case research, drafting, and file management. You'll read case files, check citations, prepare case summaries, assist in legal research for judgments, and handle paperwork that keeps a courtroom running. It's not a courtroom advocacy job — you won't be arguing cases. Think of it as a research and support role that puts you inside the judicial system early, useful if you later want judicial services exams or a legal research profile. The post is purely contractual, so there's no pension or guaranteed permanency, but it's still one of the better-paying entry points for a law graduate in the state.
Vacancy Details
There are 65 Legal Assistant posts in this cycle. The notification carries no category-wise reservation breakdown because these are contractual appointments, not regular cadre posts. Every eligible candidate competes on the same merit list based on written test plus interview marks.
Eligibility
Age limit: You must not be more than 26 years old as of 20 July 2026. In plain terms, if you were born before 21 July 2008, you're eligible; anyone born after that date is not.
| Category | Relaxation |
|---|---|
| General/UR | No relaxation, upper age 26 |
| Note | The notification doesn't specify SC/ST/OBC/EWS relaxation for this contractual post — check the official PDF for any addendum before applying |
Educational qualification: You need an LL.B. degree (3-year or 5-year course) from a UGC-recognised Indian university, with a minimum of 55% marks or equivalent CGPA. Final-year students can still apply but must prove they've crossed 55% by appointment time. You also need basic computer knowledge and working familiarity with Gujarati, since a lot of court correspondence is in the local language.
Domicile: There's no strict Gujarat-domicile rule mentioned, but the Gujarati requirement is effectively a filter, so most successful candidates are from the state.
Application Process and Fee
You apply online through the HC-OJAS portal, not the general GSSSB or GPSC portals.
| Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| All candidates | Rs 500 + bank charges |
| Payment mode | Online via SBI e-Pay |
Steps to apply: Register on the HC-OJAS portal with a valid mobile number and email. Fill in personal, educational, and category details carefully. Upload your photograph, signature, and LL.B. marksheet or provisional certificate. Pay the Rs 500 fee online through SBI e-Pay. Submit and download the confirmation page for your records, then keep checking the portal for your admit card.
Don't leave this for the last day. Portals crash under load in the final 24 hours of every recruitment cycle, and you don't want your application rejected over a technical glitch.
Exam Pattern
Selection happens in two stages: a written test and a viva-voce.
| Stage | Format | Marks | Duration | Negative Marking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written Test | 100 MCQs | 100 | 2 hours | 0.25 per wrong answer |
| Viva-voce | Oral interview | 50 | — | No negative marking |
You need at least 50% in the written test to qualify for the interview, and at least 50% overall to make the final merit list. This is a stricter cutoff bar than most GSSSB exams, so don't take this paper lightly just because it "sounds like a formality."
Detailed Syllabus
The written paper draws heavily from law subjects plus general aptitude.
- Constitutional Law: Fundamental Rights, Directive Principles, judiciary structure, writs, amendments, landmark cases.
- CPC: Jurisdiction of courts, suits, pleadings, orders and decrees, appeals, execution, injunctions.
- IPC / Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita: Criminal liability, offences against body and property, general exceptions.
- CrPC / Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita: Arrest, bail, FIR procedure, cognizable/non-cognizable offences, trial and appeal procedure.
- Evidence Act / Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam: Relevancy of facts, admissions, confessions, witness examination, burden of proof.
- Contract Act: Essentials of a valid contract, breach, void/voidable agreements, indemnity and guarantee.
- Specific Relief Act, Transfer of Property Act, Limitation Act: Specific performance and injunctions; sale, mortgage, lease, gift; limitation periods and condonation of delay.
- General Knowledge: National and Gujarat current affairs, legal news, recent landmark judgments.
- English, Computer Skills, Reasoning: Comprehension and grammar, basic MS Office and internet, analytical reasoning.
This is a wide syllabus, so don't try to cover it all in the last two weeks. Start with CPC, CrPC, and the Constitution since they carry the most weight. Our Reasoning guide and General Awareness guide cover exactly this kind of exam-style prep.
Salary, Pay Scale, and Career Growth
This is where the post stands out. You get Rs 60,000 fixed monthly pay, plus 11 days casual leave per year and daily allowance for official travel outside your headquarters. There's no pay matrix or annual increment since it's a fixed contractual salary, not a regular pay-scale post. The appointment runs 11 months initially, extendable up to 22 months, and can be terminated earlier with one month's notice from either side.
Treat this role as a stepping stone. Many Legal Assistants use this experience to build a profile for judicial services exams, PCS(J), or to move into law firms and litigation practice with real court exposure on their resume.
Class-4 Posts at Gujarat High Court: Reference from the Last Cycle
The Gujarat High Court also recruits Class-4 staff — peon, watchman, bailiff, and similar support roles — under the subordinate courts. There's no fresh 2026 notification for these posts right now, so treat the numbers below as reference from the last completed cycle, not current openings.
In 2023, the High Court recruited 1,499 Class-4 posts in subordinate courts plus 11 in labour courts, taking the total past 1,500. Pay scale was Rs 14,800 to Rs 47,100. Eligibility required passing class 10 from a recognised board, plus working knowledge of Hindi and/or Gujarati. Age band was 18 to 33 years, with relaxations for SEBC/EWS (+5 years), women (+5 years), and differently-abled candidates (+10 years). The exam was a 100-mark, 90-minute objective paper with 0.33 negative marking per wrong answer.
Keep checking the exam guides page for when the next Class-4 cycle opens, since these vacancies tend to come in large batches every couple of years.
Previous Cut-off Trends
Official category-wise cut-off figures for the Legal Assistant exam aren't published in detail, but based on past cycles, expect written test cut-offs around 65-72 out of 100 for the general category, and around 55-65 in the 2023 Class-4 cycle depending on category. Take these as rough benchmarks, not guarantees — with 65 posts and a strict 50% qualifying mark in both stages, real competition will likely push actual selection scores higher than the bare minimum.
Best Books and Preparation Strategy
You don't need twenty books for this. Stick to a focused set: the bare acts of CPC, IPC, CrPC, Evidence Act, Contract Act, Specific Relief Act, Transfer of Property Act, and Limitation Act (read these directly, don't rely only on guidebooks), a good Constitutional Law textbook like M.P. Jain for quick revision, a standard General Knowledge compilation with a Gujarat-specific current affairs section, and a basic English grammar practice book.
5-week plan: Week 1 – CPC and CrPC (most procedural questions). Week 2 – IPC, Evidence Act, Contract Act. Week 3 – Constitution, Limitation Act, Transfer of Property Act, Specific Relief Act. Week 4 – general knowledge, English, computer basics, reasoning. Final week – full-length mocks daily, review mistakes, revise only weak acts.
Use free mock tests to simulate the actual 2-hour, 100-question format under negative marking, and go through topic-wise practice sets for each law subject separately before attempting full papers. If your reasoning or quant is weak, our Quantitative Aptitude guide is useful even though this paper leans more legal than numerical.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
A lot of aspirants read only guidebook summaries and skip the bare acts. That's a mistake, since MCQs here often test exact section numbers and wording. Another common error is ignoring the interview stage; it carries 50 marks, and a weak viva can pull down a strong written score. Don't underestimate the Gujarati requirement either, and don't apply at the last minute — portal load in the final two days regularly causes failed payments.
Related reads on Pareeksha
- Gujarat Police Constable Recruitment Guide
- GSSSB Talati-cum-Mantri Recruitment Guide
- SSC CGL preparation guide if you're also open to central government roles
- RRB Group D guide for railway Class-4 equivalent posts
FAQ
Is the Gujarat High Court Legal Assistant 2026 notification out? Yes, released on 29 June 2026 for 65 posts, applications open from 1 to 20 July 2026.
What is the last date to apply for Gujarat High Court Legal Assistant 2026? The online application window closed on 20 July 2026 at 11:59 pm.
When is the Gujarat High Court Legal Assistant written exam? 9 August 2026, a Sunday, running 2 hours with 100 MCQs.
What is the salary of a Gujarat High Court Legal Assistant? Fixed monthly remuneration of Rs 60,000, plus 11 days casual leave and travel allowance for official duty.
What is the age limit for this post? Not more than 26 years as of 20 July 2026, meaning candidates born after 20 July 2008 are not eligible.
Is this a permanent government job? No. It's contractual for 11 months, extendable up to 22 months, with no pension or permanent cadre status.
What qualification is required for Legal Assistant post? An LL.B. degree with minimum 55% marks from a UGC-recognised university. Final-year students can apply conditionally.
Is there negative marking in the written exam? Yes, 0.25 marks are deducted for every wrong answer.
What is the application fee for Gujarat High Court Legal Assistant? Rs 500 plus applicable bank charges, payable online through SBI e-Pay.
Are Class-4 posts like peon and watchman open right now at Gujarat High Court? No fresh 2026 notification exists yet. The last Class-4 recruitment was in 2023 for 1,499+ posts with a pay scale of Rs 14,800 to Rs 47,100.
Final word
This Legal Assistant recruitment is one of the more solid opportunities out there for fresh law graduates in Gujarat right now, mainly because of the pay and the direct court exposure. Competition will be real with only 65 posts up for grabs, but the syllabus is manageable if you focus on bare acts instead of jumping between guidebooks. If you missed the application window this time, use the coming months to get your bare-act reading solid and your mock scores up, because this cycle tends to repeat. Check current affairs regularly and build a study plan using our study plan tool so you're ready when the next notification drops.
For official updates, cross-check with gujarathighcourt.nic.in and the HC-OJAS application portal directly, since third-party sites sometimes carry outdated information.
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