The High Court of Judicature at Patna has released the official Model Answer Key and Candidate Response Sheet notice (Notice No. 76/R&A, dated 22nd September, 2026) for the Ex-Cadre Assistant (Group C) Recruitment Examination, 2026 under Advertisement No. PHC/03/2026. This notice formally invites candidates who appeared in the computer-based Preliminary Test held on 18th September, 2026 across 19 centres in Patna and Muzaffarpur to review the model answers and submit online objections between 24th September, 2026 (11:00 AM) and 1st October, 2026 (10:59 AM) on the Court’s official website at a fee of ₹50 per question
Notification & Post Overview
| Parameter | Details |
| Recruitment Authority | High Court of Judicature at Patna |
| Advertisement Number | PHC/03/2026 (Dated: 23.07.2026) |
| Post Name | Ex-Cadre Assistant (Group-C Post) |
| Pay Scale | Level-4 (₹25,500 to ₹81,100) of 7th PRC pay matrix plus admissible allowances |
| Probation Period | 1 year initially |
| Official Portal | https://patnahighcourt.gov.in |
Important Dates
Important Dates from Both PDFs (Table Format)
| Event / Activity | Date / Time |
| Notification Issue Date | 23.07.2026 |
| Crucial Date for Age & Qualifications | 01.01.2026 |
| Commencement of Online Applications | 28.07.2026 |
| Last Date to Submit Online Application | 27.08.2026 (till 23:59 hrs) |
| Fee Payment Link Disabled | 28.08.2026 |
| Re-opened Fee Payment Window | 29.08.2026 to 30.08.2026 |
| Last Date for Making Online Fee Payment | 30.08.2026 |
| Preliminary Examination Held On | 18.09.2026 (Friday) (in 2 shifts) |
| Notice Issue Date (Answer Key) | 22.09.2026 |
| Model Answer & Objection Window Active | 24.09.2026 (11:00 AM) to 01.10.2026 (10:59 AM) |
Vacancy Distribution
Total vacancies: 68 posts (Tentative).
| Category | Total Vacancies | Horizontally Reserved for Women (35%) |
| Unreserved (UR) | 29 | 10 |
| Scheduled Castes (SC) | 11 | 04 |
| Scheduled Tribes (ST) | 01 | 00 |
| Extremely Backward Classes (EBC) | 12 | 04 |
| Backward Classes (BC) | 08 | 03 |
| Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) | 07 | 02 |
| Total | 68 | 23 |
- Locomotor Disability Reservation: 03 posts are horizontally reserved for Locomotor Disabled candidates (with at least 40% disability).
- Domicile Condition: Reservation benefits (vertical and horizontal) apply strictly to permanent residents of Bihar.
Eligibility Criteria
| Category / Parameter | Details |
| Essential Educational Qualification (as on 01.01.2026) | • Graduation in any discipline from a recognized University or Institution. • Diploma / Certificate of at least 6 months’ duration in Computer Application from a recognized institution. |
| Preferential Qualification | • Minimum 2 years of service in the Territorial Army, or • ‘B’ Certificate of the National Cadet Corps (NCC). |
| Minimum Age Limit (as on 01.01.2026) | 18 years (Candidate must not be born later than 01.01.2008). |
| Maximum Age: UR & EWS (Male) | 37 years (Born not earlier than 02.01.1989). |
| Maximum Age: UR & EWS (Female) | 40 years (Born not earlier than 02.01.1986). |
| Maximum Age: BC / EBC (Male & Female) | 40 years (Born not earlier than 02.01.1986). |
| Maximum Age: SC / ST (Male & Female) | 42 years (Born not earlier than 02.01.1984). |
| Age Relaxation: Govt. Employees | 5 years relaxation for Central Government or Government of Bihar employees. |
| Age Relaxation: Locomotor Disabled | 10 years additional relaxation in the maximum age limit of the respective category. |
| Age Relaxation: Existing Staff | Upper age limit does not apply to persons already serving in the High Court establishment, daily wage workers, subordinate court employees, or those on deputation. |
| Important Medical / Scribe Note | There is no provision for a scribe or extra time in any part or stage of the examination for Locomotor Disabled candidates. |
Application & Examination Fees
| Category | Examination Fee |
| Unreserved / BC / EBC / EWS | ₹1,500.00 |
| SC / ST / Locomotor Disabled (Bihar Domicile only) | ₹750.00 |
- Payable through online mode only; non-refundable under any circumstance.
Scheme of Examination & Selection Stages
The selection process consists of a Written Test, Computer Proficiency Test, and Interview. A Preliminary/Screening test will be held if applicant numbers are high. Final merit is prepared exclusively from marks scored in the Written Test (100 Marks) and Interview (10 Marks).
| Stage | Mode & Subject Areas | Questions | Max Marks | Min. Qualifying Marks | Duration | Shortlisting Ratio |
| Preliminary Test (Screening only, if held) | • General English (20) • Reasoning & Quantitative Aptitude (20) • General Awareness (10) | 50 | 50 | 40% (20 marks) | 60 minutes | 10 times vacancies |
| Written Test (Counts toward merit) | • General English (30) • Reasoning & Quantitative Aptitude (30) • General Awareness (20) • General Hindi (10) • Computer Awareness (10) | 100 | 100 | 40% (40 marks) | 90 minutes | 6 times vacancies |
| Computer Proficiency Test (CPT) (Qualifying) | • Word Processing (MS Word) – 20 marks • Spreadsheets (MS Excel) – 20 marks • Internet Proficiency – 10 marks | — | 50 | 40% (20 marks) | 30 minutes | 3 times vacancies |
| Interview (Counts toward merit) | Personality / Viva-voce assessment | — | 10 | 30% (03 marks) | — | Final appointment |
- Negative Marking: Deducts 1/4th (0.25 marks) for each incorrect answer in the Preliminary Test and Written Test.
Examination Centres
Centres will be allocated across 6 cities/districts in Bihar (applicants choose 3 preferences):
- Arrah
- Bhagalpur
- Darbhanga
- Muzaffarpur
- Patna
- Purnea
Answer Key Release Details
The provisional answer key is available for download starting 24 September 2026. Candidates must visit the official Patna High Court recruitment portal to access it.
How to Download Answer Key
- Visit the official Patna High Court website at patnahighcourt.gov.in.
- Go to the Notices or Recruitments section.
- Click on the link for Patna High Court Assistant Group C Answer Key 2026.
- Login using your registration number and password if required.
- Download and save the answer key PDF for your question booklet series.
Objection Process
Candidates can raise objections against the provisional answer key through the official portal. Check the answer key notice for the exact objection window dates, fee details, and required proof documents. Only valid objections submitted within the stipulated time will be considered –
- Candidates wishing to challenge any question or model answer must submit their objection online through the portal within the active window.
- Each objection must be supported by a copy of authentic source documents/proof.
- Objection Fee: A non-refundable fee of ₹50/- (Rupees Fifty only) per question/objection must be paid online.
- Any objection submitted without valid proof, without the prescribed fee, past the deadline, or via any offline/unauthorized mode will be summarily rejected without consideration.
Finalization of Result:
- The decision of the Patna High Court on all objections is conclusive and final.
- The Model Answer will be finalized after evaluating valid objections received.
- The resulting Final Model Answer will be used to generate the Preliminary Test results.
- If no objections are received, the published Model Answer will be treated as final.
Important Links
| Description | Link |
|---|---|
| Download Answer Key Notice | Click Here |
| Download Answer Key | Click Here |
| Official Website | Patna High Court |
