Odisha Judicial Service Syllabus & Exam Pattern 2025: Download PDF Now

Subject

Syllabus

Constitution of India

• Constitution’ meaning of the term, Indian Constitution: Sources and constitutional history, Features: Citizenship, Preamble, Fundamental Rights and Duties, Directive Principles of State Policy

• Union Government and its Administration: Structure of the Indian Union: Federalism, Centre- State relationship, President: Role, power and position, PM and Council of ministers, Cabinet and Central Secretariat, Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha

• State Government and its Administration: Governor: Role and Position, CM and Council of ministers, State Secretariat: Organisation, Structure and Functions

• Local Administration: District’s Administration head: Role and Importance, Municipalities: Introduction, Mayor and role of Elected Representative, CEO of Municipal Corporation, Pachayati raj: Introduction, PRI: Zila Panchayat, Elected officials and their roles, CEO Zila Pachayat: Position and role, Block level: Organizational Hierarchy (Different departments), Village level: Role of Elected and Appointed officials, Importance of grass root democracy.

• Election Commission: Election Commission: Role and Functioning, Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners, State Election Commission: Role and Functioning, Institute and Bodies for the welfare of SC/ST/OBC and women

Code of Civil Procedure

Suits in General:

• Definition – Decree, decree holder, judgment, judgment debtor, legal representative, mesne profit, order and pleader, Cause of action.
• Jurisdiction of the Courts (Subject matter, territorial and pecuniary)
• Res subjudice
• Res judicata
• Foreign Judgment

Suits:

• Parties to Suits.
• Framing of Suits.
• Pleadings generally (Order VI).
• Plaint – Order VII.
• Written Statement- Order VIII (Set-off & Counter-claim).
• Appearances – Ex parte Decree, dismiss for default.
• Costs and Interest
• Filing a Caveat

Trial of suits and Execution of Decrees:

• Summons-Issue and Service of Summons.
• Summoning and Attendance of witnesses.
• Withdrawal and adjustment of Suits.
• Examination of parties by the court.
• Temporary & permanent injunction and Interlocutory Orders.
• Arrest and Attachment before Judgment.
• Execution of Decrees – Executing Court, Modes of Execution etc.

Appeals, Reference, Review and Revision:

• General provisions relating to appeals
• First Appeal
• Second Appeal
• Appeals to the Supreme Court
• Appealable Orders
• Reference
• Review
• Revision
• Inherent Powers of Court

Special suits:

• Suits by/against minors and persons of unsound mind.
• Suits by/ and against indigent people.
• Suit by/and against the Government.

The Limitation Act, 1963:

• General Provisions as to the Bar of Limitation and Extension of the prescribed time (Sections 1-5)
• Legal Disability, exclusion of time etc. (Sections 6-24)
• Acquisition and Extinguishment of Proprietary rights by the virtue of limitation (Sections 25-27)

Code of Criminal Procedure

Arrest:

• Meaning and purpose of arrest
• Arrest with a warrant
• Arrest without a warrant
• Arrest by a private Person
• Arrest of a woman
• Arrest how made

Search and Seizure:

• Search with a warrant
• Search without warrant
• General provisions relating to searches
• Illegalities in a search and its consequences

Investigation:

• Meaning and purpose of Investigation
• Who can investigate?
• When police can investigate?
• Information to the police
• F.I.R. and procedure after the recording of the F.I.R
• Evidentiary value of statements made to the police
• Investigation in the case of unnatural deaths and suicides, in police custody

Bail:

• Bail: concept, purpose: constitutional overtones
• When release on bail is mandatory?
• When release on bail is Discretion?
• Anticipatory bail

Charge:

• Framing of charge
• Form and content of charge
• Separate charges for distinct offence
• Discharge – pre-charge evidence

Trials:

• Trial before a court of session
• Trial of warrant cases
• Procedure for trial in a summons case
• Summary trials

Appeal, Reference, Revision and Transfer:

• Appeal
• Reference to High Court
• Revision
• Transfer of cases

Maintenance of wives, children and Parents:

• Essential conditions for granting maintenance
• Jurisdiction of Magistrates
• Alteration of allowance
• Cancellation of the order of the maintenance

Evidence Act

• Doctrine of res gestae
• Conspiracy
• Plea of alibi
• Other relevant fact (Section 7, 8,9,12, 13, 14, 15, 16,34, 42,43 and 44)
• Admission
• Confessions 28-31
• Dying Declaration
• Relevancy of certain evidence for proving the truth of facts in subsequent proceeding (section 33)
• Expert Testimony
• Opinion of third person
• Character when relevant
• Oral, documentary, primary and secondary evidence (Section 59- 65)
• Public and private documents
• Presumption (Section 79, 80, 85, 85A, 85B, 85C, 88A, 90 And 90A)
• Exclusion of oral by documentary evidence
• Ambiguous documents
• Burden of Proof
• Estoppel
• Witnesses
• Privileged Communications
• Accomplice
• Examination of witnesses (section 136-140, 143-153 and 155)
• Leading questions (Section 141,142)
• Hostile witness (Section 155)
• Refreshing Memory (Section 159)

Indian Penal Code

• Essential Elements of Crime – Actus Reus & Mens Rea and Stages of Crime
• General Explanations
• Punishments
• General Exceptions
• Abetment
• Hurt & Grievous Hurt
• Wrongful Restraint & Confinement
• Theft, Extortion, Robbery, Dacoity
• Criminal Misappropriation of Property & Criminal Breach of Trust
• Receiving Stolen Property & Cheating
• Mischief & Criminal Trespass
• Offences relating to Documents
• Offences relating to Marriage – Bigamy, Adultery Cruelty
• Crime against Women
• Criminal Intimidation
• Insulting Modesty of Woman
• Defamation
• Attempt to Commit Offences

Limitation Act

• Definition – Decree, decree holder, judgment, judgment debtor, legal representative, mesne profit, order and pleader, Cause of action.
• Jurisdiction of the Courts (Subject matter, territorial and pecuniary)
• Res subjudice
• Res judicata
• Foreign Judgment
• Parties to Suits.
• Framing of Suits.
• Pleadings generally (Order VI).
• Plaint – Order VII.
• Written Statement- Order VIII (Set-off & Counter-claim).
• Appearances – Exparte Decree, dismiss for default.
• Costs and Interest
• Filing a Caveat
• Summons-Issue and Service of Summons.
• Summoning and Attendance of witnesses.
• Withdrawal and adjustment of Suits.
• Examination of parties by the court.
• Temporary & permanent injunction and Interlocutory Orders.
• Arrest and Attachment before Judgment.
• Execution of Decrees – Executing Court, Modes of Execution etc.
• General provisions relating to appeals
• First Appeal
• Second Appeal
• Appeals to the Supreme Court
• Appealable Orders
• Reference
• Review
• Revision
• Inherent Powers of Court
• Suits by/against minors and persons of unsound mind.
• Suits by/ and against indigent people.
• Suit by/and against the Government.
• General Provisions as to the Bar of Limitation and Extension of the prescribed time (Sections 1-5)
• Legal Disability, exclusion of time etc. (Sections 6-24)
• Acquisition and Extinguishment of Proprietary rights by the virtue of limitation (Sections 25-27)

Transfer of Property Act

• Movable & Immovable Property
• Instrument
• Attestation
• Registration
• Attached to earth
• Actionable claim
• Notice
• Movable and Immovable property
• Transfer of property- meaning and elements
• What kinds of property can be transferred
• Restrictions on alienation of property
• Restrictions on enjoyment of property
• Transfer to unborn person
• Rule against perpetuity
• Vested and contingent interests
• Conditional transfers
• Ulterior transfer
• Doctrine of election
• Rule relating to apportionment
• Doctrine of holding out
• Feeding the grant by estoppel
• Doctrine of priority
• Transfer lis pendens
• Doctrine of part performance
• Meaning, essentials and kinds of mortgage
• Right to redeem
• Right to foreclosure or sale
• doctrine of priority
• Doctrine of marshalling and contribution
• Doctrine of subrogation
• Charges

Contract Act

• Contract: Meaning, Nature and Types
• Historical Background of Indian Contract Laws
• Indian Contract Act, 1872
• Major Definitions under Indian Contract Act, 1872
• Formation of an Agreement
• Intention to Create Legal Relationship
• Proposal and Acceptance- Their various forms, Essential Elements
• Communication
• Revocation- Mode of Revocation of Offer
• What agreements are Contracts
• Legal Disability to Enter into Contract
• Minors, Persons of Unsound Mind
• Effects of Minors Agreement
• Persons disqualified by Law
• Liability for Necessaries Supplied to the Minor
• Indian Contract Act, 1872, (Ss. 10 – 12, 64, 65, 68); Specific Relief Act, 1963, (S.33); Indian Majority Act, 1875.
• Consent – Definition
• Free Consent and Vitiating Elements
• Coercion
• Undue Influence
• Misrepresentation
• Mistake
• Effect on Contracts influenced by any factor Vitiating Free Consent
• Meaning and Nature of Consideration – NudumPactum
• Doctrine of Privity of Contract and of Consideration- Its Exceptions
• Exceptions of consideration
• Adequacy of Consideration: Present, Past and Adequate Consideration
• Unlawful Consideration and its Effect.
• Indian Contract Act, 1872: Sections 2(d), 2(f), 23 and 25
• Legality of Object
• Void and Voidable Agreements
• Agreements against Public Policy
• Agreements with Unlawful Consideration
• Agreements without Consideration
• Agreements in Restraint of Marriage
• Agreements in Restraint of Trade
• Agreements in Restraint of Legal Proceedings
• Ambiguous and Uncertain Agreements
• Wagering Agreements – Its exceptions
• Contingent Contracts
• By Performance
• Performance by Joint Promisors
• Discharge by Novation – Remission
• Accord and Satisfaction
• Appropriation of Payments
• Discharge by Impossibility of Performance – Doctrine of Frustration
• Discharge by Breach – Anticipatory Breach – Actual breach
• Recovering possession of property (Sec.- 5 to 8)
• Specific Performance: Ss. 9 – 24 of Specific Relief Act, 1965
• Injunctions: Ss. 36 – 41 of Specific Relief Act, 1965
• Declaratory Decrees (Sec.- 34 to 35)
• Preventive Relief (Sec.- 36 to 43)

Law of Succession (Indian Succession Act and Hindu Succession Act)

Specific Relief Act

Paper

Syllabus

Paper-1 General English

• Translation and Retranslation of ten lines each
• A short essay of about 150 words
• Precis Writing consisting of 300 words
• One passage of about 500 words with 5 questions

Paper-2 Procedural Laws

• The Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973
• The Code of Civil Procedure, 1908
• The Indian Evidence Act, 1872

Name of the Paper

Syllabus

Paper-1 (Law of Crime and Law of Torts)

Law of Crime and Law of Torts

Paper-2 (Personal Law)

• Hindu Law
• Mohammedan Law

Paper-3 (Law of Property)

• Transfer of Property Act, 1882
• Specific Relief Act, 1963
• Indian Limitation Act, 1963

Paper-4 (Law of Contract)

• Indian Contract Act, 1972
• Sales of Goods Act, 1930
• Partnership Act, 1932
• Negotiable Instrument Act, 1881

Paper-5 (Jurisprudence and Constitution of India)

Jurisprudence and Constitution of India

Subject

No. of Questions

Total Marks

Duration

Constitution of India

100 questions

100 marks

1 hour 30 minutes

Code of Civil Procedure

Code of Criminal Procedure

Evidence Act

Indian Penal Code

Limitation Act

Transfer of Property Act

Contract Act

Law of Succession (Indian Succession Act and Hindu Succession Act)

Specific Relief Act

Paper

Subject

Marks

Duration

Paper -1

General English 

• Translation and retranslation of ten lines
• A short essay
• Precis writing with 300 words
• Passage with questions

150 marks

2 hours 30 minutes

Paper-2

Procedural Laws

• The code of Criminal Procedure, 1973
• The code of Civil Procedure, 1908
• The Indian Evidence Act

150 marks

2 hours 30 minutes

Total

300 

-

S. No

Subject

Total Marks

Duration

1

Law of criminal & Law of torts

150 marks

3 hours

2

Persona Law

• Hindu Law
• Mohammedan Law

150 marks

3 hours

3

Law of Property

• Transfer of Property, 1982
• Specific Relief Act, 1963
• Indian Limitation Act. 1963

150 marks

3 hours

4

Law of Contract

• Indian Contract Act, 1872
• Sales of goods Act, 1930
• Partnership Act, 1932
• Negotiable Instrument Act, 1881

150 marks

3 hours

5

Jurisprudence and Constitution of India

150 marks

3 hours