Punjab District Courts Clerk Recruitment 2026: 1270 Posts, Apply Online at SSSC by 4 November

The Society for Centralized Recruitment of Staff in Subordinate Courts (SSSC), under the High Court of Punjab and Haryana, has issued Detailed Employment Notice No. 37C/SSSC/PB/2026 for 1270 posts of Clerk in the District Courts of Punjab. Pay is Rs 29,200 (Level 5). You need a BA or BSc, matriculation with Punjabi, and computer skills. Selection is by a computer based test and a qualifying computer proficiency test. Apply online at sssc.gov.in from 7 October to 4 November 2026, 4:00 PM.

Punjab District Courts Clerk 2026 at a glance

Important dates

Note the 4:00 PM cut-off on 4 November. The notice says the closing date is final and no late request will be accepted by post, fax, email or by hand.

Vacancies by category

The 1270 posts are made up of vacancies existing on 31.08.2026 and posts expected to fall vacant up to 28.02.2027. Each category has a separate share for women of Punjab.

The locomotor group covers One Arm, Both Arms, One Leg, Both Legs, One Arm and One Leg, Leprosy Cured, Dwarfism, Acid Attack Victims, and spinal deformity or spinal injury with or without associated limb dysfunction. Only the disability types listed in the table can apply under PwBD. The number of vacancies may go up or down by the time the merit list is drawn; the High Court decides how many candidates are recommended.

Reservation rules

• Reservation, fee concession and age relaxation are only for residents of Punjab. Reserved category candidates from other states must apply as UR/General. The one exception is the age relaxation for government employees, which follows the Rules.
• Reservation follows the Punjab Subordinate Courts Establishment (Recruitment and General Conditions of Service) Rules, 1997. Reserved seats left unfilled may be given to UR candidates under the Explanation to Rule 7.
• Category certificates must be issued by the competent authority of the Government of Punjab and be valid on the closing date. BC candidates may have to give an undertaking that they are not in the creamy layer.
• EWS candidates need an Income and Assets certificate valid for 2026-2027, based on family income for 2025-2026, issued on or before the closing date.
• Sportsman category candidates need a valid Gradation Certificate under the Punjab Recruitment of Sportsmen Rules, 1988.
• If suitable ex-servicemen are not available, the wife or dependent child of an ex-serviceman of Punjab is considered against those seats.
• Applicants choosing "Others" in the gender column need a certificate of identity from the District Magistrate under the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019.

Pay

A Clerk recruited on or after 17.07.2020 in the District Courts of Punjab gets Rs 29,200 (Level 5) for Graduates. This comes from the Punjab Government letter dated 12.09.2024 on new pay scales for fresh recruits, which the High Court has adopted for subordinate court staff in Punjab.

Eligibility

Educational qualification

• A Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree, or an equivalent, from a recognised university.
• Matriculation passed with Punjabi as one of the subjects.
• Proficiency in operating computers, tested later in the Computer Proficiency Test.

You must hold the qualification on the closing date, 4 November 2026. Nationality, domicile and character are governed by the 1997 Rules.

Disqualification

A person who has married someone with a living spouse, or who has a living spouse and married again, is not eligible. The High Court may exempt a person if the personal law of both parties allows the marriage.

Age limit and relaxation

Age is counted on 01.01.2026.

The 45-year limit covers people already working for the Punjab or Haryana Government, another State Government, the Government of India, the High Court, other subordinate courts or UT Chandigarh. They must also get a No Objection Certificate from their Head of Office and keep it ready; failing to show it when asked cancels the candidature.

Application fee

The fee is paid online and is not refunded. Applicants marking "Others" in gender pay the fee of their category.

Selection process and exam pattern

Stage 1: Computer based written test (2 hours)

• To qualify, you need 33% in each subject and 40% in aggregate.
• Each wrong objective answer costs 1/4 mark. Unattempted questions score nothing.
• The subjective part is typed on the computer and checked only for those who score 33% or more in General Knowledge.
• If the test runs in several shifts, objective marks are normalised by the standard deviation method, worked to 5 decimal places.

Stage 2: Computer Proficiency Test (qualifying)

• Part I: Spreadsheet test, 10 marks in 10 minutes. You need 4 marks (40%).
• Part II: English typing at 30 words per minute, checked only if you clear Part I. Speed is worked out as words typed minus mistakes, divided by 10.
• CPT marks do not count in the merit. Candidates with Both Arms affected, and other PwBD or PwD candidates with a medical certificate showing they cannot type at 30 WPM, can seek exemption within 15 days of the written result.

Stage 3: Documents and final merit

Those who clear both tests are called for checking of original testimonials and interaction. The select list is drawn only on CBT marks. On equal marks, the older candidate ranks higher, and with the same date of birth, names go alphabetically.

Answer key and re-checking

A provisional answer key is published after the CBT. Objections cost Rs 25 each, are non-refundable, and must give the correct answer with reasons and proof. Re-evaluation is not allowed; re-checking for unmarked parts or totalling errors costs Rs 500 per answer sheet by Indian Postal Order, within thirty days of the final result.

How to apply online

1. Read the notice and the 1997 Rules, plus the user manual on sssc.gov.in.
2. Open sssc.gov.in and pick "Clerk District Courts of Punjab". Fill the registration form, then the application form.
3. Use a device with a camera: a real-time photograph is captured while you fill the form.
4. Upload a passport size photograph not more than one month old on a white background, and your signature. Keep five copies of that photograph for later stages.
5. Fill the category and sub-category with care; they cannot be changed later.
6. Pay the fee by internet banking, debit card, credit card or UPI. The form counts as submitted only after payment.
7. Keep a printout of the form. Submit only one application; if you send more, only the latest is kept.

Technical helpline: +91 95948-04606 and 022-61087580, working days 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Questions on the terms of the notice: 0172-2722012 and +91 91158-98394, 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM.

Documents to keep ready

• BA or BSc degree and marks sheets, and the matriculation certificate showing Punjabi.
• Punjab category certificate (SC, BC/OBC, EWS income and assets, freedom fighter, sportsman gradation, ex-serviceman), valid on the closing date.
• Disability certificate under the Punjab Government instructions dated 03.10.2019 and 12.08.2026, for PwBD seats.
• No Objection Certificate, for in-service applicants.
• E-admit card with your photograph pasted and attested by a Gazetted Officer or self-attested.

Points to check before you apply

• Punjabi in matric is compulsory. A graduate who studied Punjabi only later does not meet the rule as written.
• The degree must be BA or BSc or equivalent.
• Women of Punjab have their own large share in almost every category, for example 71 UR and 85 ex-servicemen general seats.
• Posting: you give an undertaking to work anywhere in Punjab.
• Exam centre: the test can be held anywhere in Northern India, and no change of centre, date or shift is allowed.

Official links

• Detailed Employment Notice No. 37C/SSSC/PB/2026 (PDF)
• SSSC official website and online application

FAQs

Can a candidate from Haryana apply?

Yes, but only as UR/General. Reservation, fee concession and age relaxation are for residents of Punjab.

Is there an interview?

There is a checking of original testimonials and an interaction, but the select list is drawn on CBT marks alone.

Will admit cards be posted?

No. E-admit cards for provisionally eligible applicants are put on sssc.gov.in, with an email and SMS alert.

Is TA/DA paid for the exam?

No travel or daily allowance is paid for the exam or the document check.