The High Court of Delhi has released the official recruitment notification for Senior Personal Assistant (SPA) and Personal Assistant (PA) positions under the Delhi High Court SPA & PA Examination 2026. A total of 150 vacancies (117 for SPA and 33 for PA) are open for eligible law and stenography aspirants seeking a prestigious judicial career in New Delhi.

The online application portal opens on September 15, 2026, and candidates can complete their registration through the official portal (delhihighcourt.nic.in) until October 5, 2026.

This comprehensive guide breaks down the category-wise vacancies, salary structures, post-wise shorthand and typing requirements, multi-stage selection scheme, descriptive exam syllabus, and step-by-step application instructions.

Delhi High Court SPA & PA Notification 2026: Summary Overview

Complete Exam Timeline & Important Dates

Missing a deadline can invalidate your application. Keep track of all essential milestones below:

[15 Sept 2026] ──────> [05 Oct 2026] ──────> [12–14 Oct 2026] ──────> [To Be Announced]
Registration Starts Fee & Form Deadline Correction Window Exam Dates & Admit Cards

Post-Wise & Category-Wise Vacancy Distribution

The 150 vacancies are allocated across administrative categories under Delhi High Court service guidelines:

*Note: For the post of Personal Assistant (PA), no vacancies are earmarked for the Unreserved (UR) category in this recruitment cycle.

Pay Scale & Monthly Salary Structure

Selected candidates receive central court pay scale benefits as per the 7th Central Pay Commission (CPC) recommendations:

Admissible Allowances & Perks

• Dearness Allowance (DA): Revised periodically as per Central Government rates.
• House Rent Allowance (HRA): $30\%$ of Basic Pay applicable for Class-X cities (Delhi NCR).
• Transport Allowance (TA): Paid to cover daily commuting expenses.
• Judicial Allowances & Pension: Medical reimbursement, NPS coverage, leaves encashment, and official judicial library/stationery support.

Eligibility Criteria & Age Limits

Candidates must satisfy all educational, speed, and age requirements calculated as on January 1, 2026.

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│ CRITICAL REQUISITE: Graduation Degree + Shorthand Speed + Computer Typing │
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1. Educational & Skill Qualifications

Senior Personal Assistant (SPA)

• Education: Bachelor's Degree in any discipline from a recognized University.
• English Shorthand Speed: Minimum 110 words per minute (w.p.m.).
• English Typing Speed: Minimum 40 words per minute (w.p.m.) on a computer.
• Computer Knowledge: Good working knowledge of computer operational tools.

Personal Assistant (PA)

• Education: Bachelor's Degree in any discipline from a recognized University.
• English Shorthand Speed: Minimum 100 words per minute (w.p.m.).
• English Typing Speed: Minimum 40 words per minute (w.p.m.) on a computer.
• Computer Knowledge: Good working knowledge of computer operational tools.

2. Age Limits (As on 01.01.2026)

• Minimum Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Age: 32 Years
• Eligible Birth Dates: Candidates must be born between January 2, 1994, and January 1, 2008.

Relaxations in Upper Age Limit

• SC / ST Candidates: Relaxation up to 5 Years.
• OBC-NCL Candidates: Relaxation up to 3 Years.
• Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD): Relaxation up to 10 Years (13 years for OBC, 15 years for SC/ST).
• Ex-Servicemen (ESM): 3 years after deducting military service rendered.
• Delhi High Court Regular Staff: No upper age limit, provided essential qualifications are fulfilled.

Application Fee & Payment Details

Application fees must be paid strictly online through the integrated payment portal before the deadline.

Supported Payment Gateways: Debit Cards (RuPay/Visa/MasterCard), Credit Cards, Net Banking, UPI, and Mobile Wallets. Fees once remitted are non-refundable.

Delhi High Court SPA & PA Selection Process 2026

The recruitment process involves four distinct stages to evaluate typing proficiency, shorthand accuracy, written English expressional skills, and suitability during an interview.

Stage I: English Typing Test (Qualifying, 40 WPM)
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Stage II: English Shorthand Dictation & Transcription Test
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Stage III: Main (Descriptive) Written Examination (100 Marks)
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Stage IV: Personal Interview (15 Marks)

Stage I: English Typing Test (Qualifying Stage)

• Nature: Strictly Qualifying (Marks are not added to final merit).
• Duration: 10 Minutes on computer.
• Speed Requisite: Minimum 40 words per minute in English.
• Speed Calculation Criteria: Based on "Characters with space".
• Permissible Mistakes: Maximum 3% errors allowed on total words typed.

Stage II: English Shorthand Test (Dictation & Transcription)

Only candidates who pass the Stage-I Typing Test are admitted to Stage II. Candidates get two attempts, and the better performance of the two is evaluated.

Post-Wise Shorthand Test Breakdown

Mistakes Deduction Rules

• Full Mistake: 4 Marks deducted per full mistake.
• Half Mistake: 2 Marks deducted per half mistake.
• Disqualification: Committing more than the maximum permissible mistakes (27.5 for SPA / 25 for PA) leads to immediate disqualification.

Stage III: Main (Descriptive) Examination

Candidates who qualify the Shorthand Test are called for the pen-and-paper descriptive English paper.

• Total Marks: 100 Marks
• Time Duration: 120 Minutes (2 Hours)

Qualifying Cut-off Marks in Main Exam

• General (UR) Category (SPA only): Minimum 50% Marks ($50 / 100$).
• Reserved Categories (SC/ST/OBC/EWS/PwBD): Minimum 45% Marks ($45 / 100$).

Stage IV: Personal Interview

• Total Weightage: 15 Marks.
• Qualifying Marks: No minimum qualifying cutoff in interview.
• Evaluation Focus: Communication ability, personality traits, court administrative awareness, and background suitability.

How Final Merit List is Calculated

The final ranking of candidates is prepared by adding marks obtained across three evaluative stages:

$\text{Final Merit Score} = \text{Stage-II Marks (Shorthand)} + \text{Stage-III Marks (Descriptive)} + \text{Stage-IV Marks (Interview)}$

(Stage-I Typing Test is purely qualifying and does not contribute to the final merit total).

Tie-Breaking Rules

If two or more candidates score equal aggregate marks, ties are resolved in the following sequential order:

1. Higher marks obtained in Stage-II (Shorthand Test).
2. Higher marks obtained in Stage-III (Main Descriptive Exam).
3. Higher marks obtained in Stage-IV (Interview).
4. Candidate older in age gets preference.

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Fill Delhi High Court SPA & PA Online Form 2026

Follow these steps to submit your application without errors:

1. Visit the Portal: Go to the official website of the High Court of Delhi at delhihighcourt.nic.in.
2. Navigate to Job Openings: Click on the "Public Notices" or "Job Openings" section on the homepage.
3. Select Recruitment Notice: Click on "Apply Online - Senior Personal Assistant & Personal Assistant Examination 2026".
4. New Registration: Click on "New Candidate Registration". Enter your primary details (Name, Father's Name, Date of Birth, Email ID, Mobile Number).
5. Receive Login Credentials: A system-generated Application Number and Password will be sent to your registered Email and SMS.
6. Complete Detailed Application Form:
   • Select your target post (Senior Personal Assistant or Personal Assistant).
   • Fill in your category, educational credentials, and shorthand/typing speed proficiency details.
7. Upload Scanned Documents:
   • Passport-size photograph (recent, plain light background)
   • Signature in black ink on white paper
   • Left Thumb Impression
   • Class 10th Certificate (for Date of Birth proof)
   • Graduation Mark Sheet / Certificate
   • Valid Category Certificate (SC/ST/OBC-NCL/EWS) if applicable
8. Review Application Draft: Cross-check every entry carefully before final submission.
9. Pay Application Fee: Pay ₹1,500 (or ₹1,300 for reserved categories) via net banking, UPI, or credit/debit card.
10. Print Confirmation Page: Download and print the payment receipt and final submitted application form for future reference.

Strategic Preparation Tips for Aspirants

• Shorthand Practice: Dictations at 110 w.p.m. demand quick shorthand outline recognition. Practice legal terminology, judicial phrases, and parliamentary speeches daily for 2–3 hours.
• Accuracy over Speed in Typing: Maintain a minimum typing speed of 45–50 w.p.m. with 98%+ accuracy to comfortably clear the 3% error threshold in Stage I.
• Descriptive Writing Skills: Dedicate 1 hour daily to drafting 250-word structured essays and formal letters on legal, environmental, and socio-economic topics. Practice Hindi-English legal translation regularly.

Quick Reference & Official Links