If you're a law graduate in Madhya Pradesh and you want to see how judges actually think before you argue in front of one, this is the post to chase. Law Clerk-cum-Research Assistant at the High Court of Madhya Pradesh puts you inside a judge's chamber for a year, reading files and writing research notes a sitting judge will actually use.
Be clear on one thing up front. This is not a permanent government job. It's a contract engagement for one court year. But for a fresh LLB, the learning is worth more than the money. Here's the full picture, with notification status as of July 2026.
Latest notification and important dates
As of 30 July 2026, the High Court of Madhya Pradesh has not released a fresh Law Clerk-cum-Research Assistant advertisement. The last full cycle with a public advertisement and online exam was the Law Clerk-cum-Research Assistant Examination 2022, with 55 posts. Nothing new is live on mphc.gov.in.
The official scheme says applications are invited around January every year, but the High Court hasn't stuck to that. Watch the site, don't assume a month.
| Event | Last confirmed cycle (2022) | 2026 status |
|---|---|---|
| Advertisement released | September 2022 | Not released yet |
| Online application starts | 07 Sep 2022 | Awaited |
| Last date to apply | 23 Sep 2022 | Awaited |
| Screening test | As notified by HC | Awaited |
| Computer proficiency test | Day of interview | Awaited |
| Interview | Notified separately | Awaited |
| Posts | 55 | Awaited |
Anyone quoting a firm 2026 exam date for this post is guessing. Bookmark the official recruitment page and check our exam news feed weekly instead.
What the job actually is
You're attached to a judge of the High Court. Every morning the judge's board has anywhere from 40 to 80 matters. Your job is to be ready before the judge is.
Day to day, that means reading case files, digging out judgments on Manupatra and SCC Online, checking whether a cited precedent is still good law, and proofreading draft orders. Some judges hand you a legal question and expect a two-page note by evening. Others use clerks mostly for file management. It depends on who you're assigned to.
Postings are at the Principal Seat at Jabalpur and the benches at Indore and Gwalior. Office hours are roughly 10 AM to 6 PM, and yes, you stay late when the judge is writing a judgment. Leave is tight, around 8 days for the full assignment. The engagement runs for one court year, extendable on performance, and creates no right to regular appointment. The scheme says that in plain words.
Vacancy details
The 2022 cycle had 55 posts across Jabalpur, Indore and Gwalior. Earlier cycles moved between roughly 30 and 60, depending on how many judges asked for clerks that year. Expect a similar band next time. The seat-wise split appears inside the advertisement, not before.
Eligibility
Education. A Bachelor's degree in Law (three-year or five-year integrated) from a Bar Council of India recognised institution. Final-year students of the integrated course have been allowed in past cycles, subject to producing the degree at interview. You also need working knowledge of MS Office and familiarity with Manupatra and SCC Online.
Age. The scheme originally set 18 to 30 years. The 2022 advertisement went up to 35. Go by the advertisement, not the old scheme PDF.
| Category | Relaxation | Upper age (2022 ad basis) |
|---|---|---|
| Unreserved (male) | Nil | 35 years |
| MP domicile SC / ST / OBC | As per MP govt rules | Typically higher, see ad |
| Women (MP domicile) | As per MP govt rules | Typically higher, see ad |
| PwD | As per MP govt rules | See ad |
Domicile. Not compulsory for the post, but age and fee relaxations apply only to bona fide residents of MP. Others apply as unreserved.
Who cannot apply. Practising advocates with active enrolment, anyone drawing an honorarium or salary elsewhere, anyone with a pending criminal trial or a past conviction. No physical standards. It's a desk job.
Application process and fee
Applications are online only, through the recruitment portal linked from the High Court website. There is no offline form.
| Category | Fee (2022 cycle, indicative) |
|---|---|
| Unreserved / other state | Around Rs 922 including portal charges |
| MP domicile SC / ST / OBC / PwD | Reduced fee as per advertisement |
| Portal / MPOnline kiosk charge | Included in the above |
Steps to apply:
- Open the recruitment section on mphc.gov.in and click the Law Clerk advertisement.
- Read the full PDF. Note the age cut-off date and seat preference rules.
- Register with a working email and mobile number. Both stay in use till the interview.
- Fill personal, educational and category details exactly as on your marksheets.
- Upload photo, signature and documents in the given size and format.
- Pay online, then download the confirmation page.
One thing that trips people up: the seat preference you choose is often binding. Think about whether you can actually live in Jabalpur for a year before you tick it.
Exam pattern
Selection has three stages. Screening test, computer proficiency test, then interview.
Stage 1: Screening test (online, objective)
| Part | Subjects | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part 1 | General English, General Aptitude and Awareness, Computer Knowledge | 50 | 2 hours total |
| Part 2 | Law papers (Constitution, IPC, CrPC, Evidence, CPC, Contract, Torts, Central Acts) | 100 | (combined) |
| Total | 150 | 120 minutes |
Negative marking is 0.25 per wrong answer. You generally need around 55%, and only about three times the vacancies get an interview call.
Stage 2: Computer proficiency test. On interview day. Basic MS Word, typing, legal database searching. Qualifying, not scoring, but people fail it out of carelessness.
Stage 3: Interview. 30 marks before a committee of judges. Expect questions on your final-year project, recent Supreme Court judgments, and provisions you claimed to know.
Detailed syllabus
General English. Comprehension, synonyms and antonyms, idioms, voice, narration, sentence correction, spotting errors, fill in the blanks, legal vocabulary. Harder than a clerical exam, because they expect drafting-level clarity. The General Awareness complete guide helps with static GK, and the Reading Room covers grammar.
General Aptitude and Awareness. Percentage, ratio, average, interest, time and work, data interpretation, series, coding-decoding, blood relations, syllogism, direction sense. Plus Indian history, MP geography and polity, abbreviations, sports, awards, and current events of the last twelve months. Use the Quantitative Aptitude guide and the Reasoning complete guide, then run topic-wise practice sets.
Computer Knowledge. Windows basics, MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, file handling, shortcut keys, internet and email, basic hardware terms, legal research databases.
Constitution of India. Preamble, Fundamental Rights and Duties, Directive Principles, Union and State executive, legislature, Supreme Court and High Courts, writs, emergency provisions, amendment procedure, centre-state relations, landmark judgments.
Criminal law. IPC / BNS: general exceptions, offences against the human body, property offences, offences against women. CrPC / BNSS: FIR, arrest, bail, charge, trial procedure, appeal and revision. Learn both the old and new nomenclature, because papers in this transition period use a mix.
Evidence. Relevancy of facts, admissions and confessions, dying declaration, expert opinion, burden of proof, presumptions, examination of witnesses.
Civil law. CPC: jurisdiction, res judicata, pleadings, injunction, execution, appeals. Contract: offer, acceptance, consideration, void agreements, breach and remedies. Torts: negligence, vicarious liability, nuisance, defamation.
Central and special Acts. Human rights law, Child Labour Act, Dowry Prohibition Act, Domestic Violence Act, SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, Consumer Protection Act, Limitation Act, Specific Relief Act.
Stipend, allowances and career growth
The monthly consolidated stipend in the 2022 cycle was Rs 20,000. The original scheme figure was Rs 12,000, so the amount has been revised upward and may be revised again.
There is no HRA, no TA, no DA, no pension. It's a flat consolidated amount and TDS applies, so in-hand is close to gross. Posted away from home, Rs 20,000 will feel tight.
So why do it? Because of what comes after. A clerkship year gives you real exposure to how High Court judges reason, a reference letter that carries weight, and a head start for the MP Civil Judge exam. Others move into litigation with a network already built, or into LLM programmes where clerkship experience counts. There's no promotion ladder inside the job. The growth is what the year does to your career.
Previous year cut-off
The High Court does not publish a category-wise cut-off for this post. Only the shortlist and final merit list go up. From candidate reports of the 2022 cycle, the qualifying line sat near 55%, a little lower for reserved categories. Treat the table below as a rough guide, not a number to bank on.
| Category | Indicative screening score (out of 150) |
|---|---|
| Unreserved | 82 to 90 |
| OBC | 76 to 84 |
| SC / ST | 68 to 78 |
Books and preparation strategy
You don't need a mountain of books. You need bare acts you've actually read.
For law, use bare acts of the Constitution, BNS, BNSS, BSA, CPC and Contract Act, plus one commentary per subject and a Universal or EBC MCQ book. For English, Wren and Martin. For aptitude, RS Aggarwal is enough at this level.
Month 1. Constitution and Evidence, bare act plus notes. Daily 20 aptitude questions and one comprehension passage. Set a routine with the study plan builder.
Month 2. Criminal law. Learn section numbers for frequently tested provisions. Add 30 minutes of current affairs daily.
Month 3. CPC, Contract, Torts and special Acts. Start full-length mocks on the free online test series and review every wrong answer.
Last three weeks. Revision only. Two mocks a week, then bare act revision of what you got wrong. Practise MS Word tasks for the proficiency test.
If you're keeping a backup option open, the aptitude and English work transfers directly. See the exam guides hub and how SSC CGL overlaps.
Common mistakes and honest advice
The biggest mistake is treating Part 1 as free marks. Law graduates skip aptitude and computer prep, then lose the interview call by four marks. Fifty out of 150 is a third of the paper.
Second, negative marking. At 0.25 per wrong answer, blind guessing on 30 questions costs real ground. Attempt what you know.
Third, people ignore the new criminal law nomenclature. If you only know IPC section numbers and the paper asks in BNS terms, you'll stall.
Fourth, the computer proficiency test is basic, which is exactly why candidates walk in unprepared and fumble a simple formatting task.
Last, be realistic about money. If you have a family to support, Rs 20,000 with no allowances may not work, and that's a fair reason to skip it.
FAQ
Is it a permanent government job? No. Contractual, one court year, extendable on performance.
Has the 2026 notification come out? Not as of 30 July 2026. The last advertised cycle was 2022.
Can final-year LLB students apply? Fifth-year integrated students have been allowed in past cycles, subject to producing the degree at interview.
What is the stipend? Rs 20,000 a month consolidated in the 2022 cycle. No HRA, DA or TA.
Can practising advocates apply? No. Active Bar Council enrolment disqualifies you, as does an honorarium elsewhere.
Is there an interview? Yes, 30 marks, before a committee of judges, with a computer test the same day.
Do I need MP domicile? Not for the post. Only for age and fee relaxations.
How many marks do I need in the screening test? Around 55% has been the working benchmark, with three times the vacancies called for interview.
Is the syllabus same as MP Civil Judge? The law subjects overlap heavily, which is why many prepare for both together.
Where do I get free practice? Start with free mock tests on Pareeksha.
Related reads on Pareeksha
- MP Patwari exam guide
- MP Police Constable recruitment
- MPPSC State Service Exam
- MP Civil Judge exam guide
Official links
- High Court of Madhya Pradesh recruitment page: mphc.gov.in/recruitment
- Law Clerk scheme document (official PDF): mphc.gov.in scheme PDF
- Recruitment and results archive: mphc.gov.in/recruitment-result
Final word
Don't chase this post for the salary. There isn't one worth chasing. Chase it for the year you spend watching a High Court judge decide cases. If you're serious about the judiciary, that year is a shortcut nothing else gives you.
Since the notification isn't out, use the wait. Finish your bare acts, fix your aptitude, keep a tab open on the High Court site. The application window is usually two to three weeks, and people who start preparing after the ad rarely make the cut.
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