UP PCS‑J Syllabus 2025 | Prelims, Mains & Interview – Complete Guide

The UP PCS‑J (Uttar Pradesh Judicial Services) examination is a prestigious gateway for aspiring law graduates to join the judicial system as Civil Judges (Junior Division). Conducted by the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC), this highly competitive exam is designed to assess a candidate’s legal acumen, general awareness, and communication skills through a three-stage selection process — Preliminary Examination, Main Written Examination, and Interview (Viva-Voce).

Understanding the complete UP PCS‑J syllabus 2025 is essential for focused preparation and strategic study planning. This article provides a comprehensive, topic-wise breakdown of the entire syllabus, covering Prelims, Mains, and Interview sections. Whether you’re targeting law papers, language proficiency, or general studies, this detailed guide includes everything you need: subjects, marks distribution, topic descriptions, recommended books, downloadable syllabus PDF, and expert preparation tips.

UP PCS‑J Exam Pattern Overview

STAGE	PAPER	SUBJECT	MARKS	DURATION	TYPE
Prelims	I	General Knowledge	150	2 hours	Objective (MCQs)
Prelims	II	Law	300	2 hours	Objective (MCQs)
Main	I	General Knowledge	200	3 hours	Descriptive
Main	II	English Language	100	3 hours	Descriptive
Main	III	Hindi Language	100	3 hours	Descriptive
Main	IV	Law I – Substantive Law	200	3 hours	Descriptive
Main	V	Law II – Procedure & Evidence	200	3 hours	Descriptive
Main	VI	Law III – Penal, Revenue & Local Laws	200	3 hours	Descriptive
Interview	—	Personality Test	100	30–60 mins	Viva-voce

Judicial Services Exam Syllabus – Complete Breakdown (Prelims + Mains + Interview)

Preliminary Examination Syllabus

Paper I: General Knowledge (150 Marks)

TOPIC	TOPIC DETAILED
Indian History & Culture	Major ancient, medieval, and modern historical events; freedom struggle; Indian Renaissance; cultural heritage; classical music and dance; architecture; festivals.
Geography	Indian physical geography – mountains, rivers, plains, plateaus, climate; natural vegetation; soils; agriculture patterns; population distribution; urbanization.
Indian Polity	Constitution of India, preamble, parts and schedules; fundamental rights and duties; DPSPs; Parliament and State Legislatures; judiciary; constitutional bodies.
Economy	Micro and macroeconomic concepts; economic planning; budget structure; taxation; inflation and deflation; national income; poverty; economic reforms in India.
Science & Technology	Basics of physics, chemistry, biology; technological innovations; ISRO missions; digital India; biotechnology; environmental science; space and nuclear programs.
Current Affairs	Recent national/international events; summits and conferences; awards and honors; sports achievements; new laws; political changes; landmark judicial decisions.
Acts Related to Social Justice	Key social legislations like POCSO Act, Dowry Prohibition Act, Domestic Violence Act, SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, Child Marriage Restraint Act, etc.

Paper II: Law (300 Marks)

SUBJECT	TOPIC DETAILED
Jurisprudence	Nature and purpose of law; analytical, historical, sociological schools; legal concepts like rights, duties, liability; sources of law – customs, precedents.
Constitutional Law	Salient features; basic structure doctrine; amending procedures; center-state relations; fundamental rights; directive principles; writ jurisdiction.
International Law	Sources of international law; relationship with municipal law; UN structure and ICJ; treaties; diplomatic immunity; refugee law; humanitarian law.
Contracts & Partnership	Indian Contract Act essentials – offer, acceptance, consideration, void agreements; breach and remedies; Indian Partnership Act – registration, dissolution.
Torts & Easements	General principles; strict and absolute liability; negligence, defamation, nuisance; trespass; consumer protection; easement rights and their acquisition.
Transfer of Property Act	Property types; sale, lease, mortgage, exchange, gift; vested vs. contingent interest; doctrine of election and part performance; actionable claims.
Indian Evidence Act	Types of evidence; relevance; admissions, confessions; burden of proof; presumptions; dying declaration; oral and documentary evidence; expert evidence.
CPC & CrPC	Civil: jurisdiction, suit initiation, pleadings, interim orders, decree execution. Criminal: FIR, bail, charge framing, trial process, appeals, sentencing.

Main Written Examination Syllabus

Paper I: General Knowledge (200 Marks)

General Knowledge (Descriptive): Analytical and descriptive questions based on history, polity, economy, geography, current affairs, science & tech, and social legislation in legal context.

Paper II: English Language (100 Marks)

SECTION	TOPIC DETAILED
Essay (50 Marks)	One well-structured essay on a legal, political, or social topic. Tests clarity, structure, argument depth, and legal awareness.
Precis Writing (30 Marks)	Writing a concise précis of a given paragraph. Tests comprehension, coherence, and summarization skills.
Translation (20 Marks)	Translation from Hindi to English. Assesses grammar, accuracy, and contextual understanding.

Paper III: Hindi Language (100 Marks)

SECTION	TOPIC DETAILED
Essay (50 Marks)	Hindi essay writing on legal or contemporary themes. Evaluates linguistic ability and thematic clarity.
Precis Writing (30 Marks)	Hindi précis writing. Measures ability to extract core meaning and rewrite succinctly.
Translation (20 Marks)	Translation from English to Hindi. Focus on grammatical correctness and fidelity to original meaning.

Paper IV: Law I – Substantive Law (200 Marks)

SUBJECTS	TOPIC DETAILED
Law of Contracts & Partnerships	General principles, void agreements, performance, breach, remedies, types of partnerships, dissolution, liabilities.
Torts & Easements	Concepts of liability, torts like negligence and nuisance, defamation, consumer liability, and acquisition of easements.
Transfer of Property	Doctrine of transfer, sale, mortgage, lease, exchange, gift, actionable claims, election, and part performance.
Hindu & Muslim Law	Marriage, divorce, maintenance, guardianship, succession, inheritance under Hindu and Islamic personal laws.
Trusts and Equity	Creation of trusts, fiduciary relationships, maxims of equity, breach of trust, remedies in equity.
Specific Relief Act	Specific performance, injunctions, declaratory decrees, and rectification of instruments.
Constitutional Law	Deep understanding of fundamental rights, writs, constitutional remedies, emergency provisions, and case laws.

Paper V: Law II – Procedure & Evidence (200 Marks)

SUBJECT	TOPIC DETAILED
Civil Procedure Code	Suit initiation, pleadings, discovery, interim orders, res judicata, judgment, execution, appeals, and review.
Criminal Procedure Code	FIR, arrest, bail, charges, trial stages, appeals, revisions, compounding of offences, judgment writing skills.
Evidence Act	Admission/confession, relevancy, burden of proof, documentary and oral evidence, presumptions, dying declarations.
Judgment Writing	Drafting of civil/criminal judgments, formulation of charges and framing of legal issues with logical reasoning.

Paper VI: Law III – Penal, Revenue & Local Laws (200 Marks)

LAW	TOPIC DETAILED
Indian Penal Code, 1860	General exceptions, joint and vicarious liability, offences against body, property, state, women, and public tranquility.
U.P. Revenue Code, 2006	Land records, tenancy rights, mutation, rights of tenure holders, land disputes, and revenue administration.
U.P. Urban Building (Rent Control) Act, 1972	Regulation of rent, landlord-tenant relationship, grounds of eviction, maintenance, and appeals.
U.P. Municipalities Act, 1916	Structure, powers, and duties of municipalities; taxation and bye-laws; elections and meetings.
U.P. Panchayat Raj Act	Gram Panchayat structure, elections, powers and duties, Nyaya Panchayat functioning.
U.P. Consolidation of Holdings Act, 1953	Consolidation procedures, objections, settlement of disputes, and appeals.
U.P. Urban Planning and Development Act, 1973	Planning authorities, approval of building plans, enforcement of development regulations.

Interview / Viva-Voce (100 Marks)

ASSESSMENT AREA	TOPIC DETAILED
Legal Knowledge	Questions on current legal developments, landmark judgments, interpretation of legal provisions.
General Awareness	Awareness of current affairs, governance, and social-legal issues in India and abroad.
Ethical Judgment	Evaluation of decision-making ability in moral and ethical scenarios relevant to the judiciary.
Communication Skills	Assessment of articulation, confidence, clarity, and listening skills.
Overall Personality	Evaluation of leadership, patience, temperament, and suitability for judicial temperament and public service.

Download Syllabus PDF:
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Recommended Books for UP PCS-J 2025

• Lucent’s General Knowledge – GK
• Laxmikanth’s Indian Polity – Polity
• M.P. Jain / V.N. Shukla – Constitution
• R.K. Bangia / Avtar Singh – Contract, Torts, and Property
• Ratanlal & Dhirajlal – IPC, CrPC, Evidence
• C.K. Takwani – CPC and CrPC
• Wren & Martin – English grammar

Preparation Tips & Specialization Strategy

• Divide your timeline: Allocate 3–4 months for Prelims, 5–6 months for Mains, and 1 month for Interview prep.
• Use Bare Acts: Read all laws in bare act form with minimum commentary.
• Answer Writing Practice: Focus on mains-style answers daily, especially legal drafting and judgment writing.
• Stay Updated: Read editorials and monthly current legal affairs magazines.
• Mock Interviews: Practice with experts or seniors for personality test improvement.

Conclusion

The UP PCS‑J exam is rigorous, and preparation requires a deep understanding of both law and general subjects. This syllabus guide offers everything an aspirant needs—from subject breakdowns to preparation methods—making it a one-stop resource for cracking the 2025 exam.