Patna High Court has opened recruitment for 68 posts of Ex-Cadre Assistant, a Group-C role that starts on a one-year probation before confirmation. The selection design here is worth understanding upfront, because it isn't as simple as "clear every stage, get ranked on everything." Two of the four stages — the optional Preliminary Test and the Computer Proficiency Test — exist purely to filter candidates. Only your Written Test and Interview scores actually build your final rank.

That distinction changes how you should prepare: clearing the Computer Proficiency Test with room to spare matters less than acing the Written Test, since the latter is what your eventual position on the merit list will be built from.

The Complete Exam Scheme, Stage by Stage

Notice how the qualifying bar rises and falls oddly — 40% is required to clear three of the four stages, but the Interview only demands 30%. And negative marking only bites at the MCQ stages; the Computer Proficiency Test and Interview carry none.

Negative marking of 0.25 marks per wrong answer applies only to the Preliminary Test and Written Test (both MCQ-based).

How the Candidate Pool Narrows at Each Stage

Shortlisting at every stage follows the High Court's model roster point and reservation policy category-wise, not just an overall combined list.

Tentative Examination Centres

Candidates pick 3 cities in order of preference at the time of application — and that choice is locked in permanently once submitted.

No request for change of examination city or centre will be entertained after submission, under any circumstance.

A couple of category-specific documentation points are easy to miss but important. BC/EBC candidates need a Non-Creamy Layer certificate in addition to their caste certificate — a caste certificate alone will not secure reservation benefits. Similarly, for married women claiming reservation, caste and NCL certificates must be issued in their father's name and address, not their husband's, while EWS income certificates for married women follow the opposite rule — issued from the husband's permanent residence. Getting these certificate specifics wrong is one of the more common, avoidable reasons applications run into trouble at document verification.

Disclaimer: Based on Patna High Court Advertisement No. PHC/03/2026 dated 23.07.2026. Candidates should verify complete eligibility, the detailed syllabus (Annexure-I), and document requirements on the official Patna High Court website before applying.