Introduction
The Punjab Assistant District Attorney (ADA) examination, conducted by the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) under Advertisement No. 09 of 2026, has moved to a streamlined, MCQ-only written test — 120 questions, 120 marks, 2 hours. The entire selection now compresses into a single, high-stakes paper. This blog gives you the most accurate, copy-paste-ready guide to the Punjab ADA syllabus and eligibility, curated by Sparsh Sir at JudiciaryPRO — with 13 years of experience and proven success in judiciary courses across Gurugram and Delhi NCR.
About the Punjab ADA Exam
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Conducting Body | Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) |
| Advertisement | No. 09 of 2026 |
| Post | Assistant District Attorney (ADA), Group-B |
| Mode of Exam | MCQ (OMR-based) |
| Total Questions / Marks | 120 / 120 (1 mark per question) |
| Duration | 2 hours |
| Negative Marking | 0.25 per wrong answer; un-attempted = no credit/discredit |
| Sections | Part A (Annexure-1): 40 marks | Part B (Annexure-2): 80 marks |
| Official Website | ppsc.gov.in |
Eligibility Criteria
| Criteria | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Indian citizen |
| Education | LLB from a Bar Council of India recognised university (verify latest notification) |
| Age Limit | 21 to 37 years (with category-wise relaxation as per Punjab rules) |
| Age Relaxation | SC/ST/BC of Punjab: +5 | PwD: +10 | Ex-servicemen & widows: as per Punjab policy |
| Punjabi Language | Should have passed Punjabi at Matric/Class 10 level (or equivalent); Punjabi tested in Part A |
| Domicile | Open to all Indian citizens; reservation benefits limited to Punjab residents |
| Bar Enrolment | Strongly advised; may be required at the time of joining |
Exam Pattern (Advt. No. 09 of 2026)
| Part | Topic | Questions | Marks | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | GK & Current Affairs, Punjab History & Culture, Logical Reasoning & Mental Ability, Punjabi, English, ICT (Annexure-1) | 40 | 40 | MCQ |
| B | Questions from the Subject (Annexure-2) | 80 | 80 | MCQ |
| Total | — | 120 | 120 | MCQ |
Visual Snapshot — Marks Split
| Marks Distribution (out of 120) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part B — Subject |
| 80 | ||
| Part A — General |
| 40 | ||
Part A Syllabus (Annexure-1) — Weightage-wise
| # | Topic | Weightage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | General Knowledge & Current Affairs (Polity, Environment, Current Affairs, Science & Technology, Economic issues, Indian History incl. freedom struggle, Sports, Cinema & Literature, Geography) | 10 |
| 2 | Punjab History & Culture (physical features, ancient history, social/religious/economic life, language & literature, Afghan/Mughal rule, Bhakti movement, Sufism, Sikh Gurus & Saints, Adi Granth, Sikh rulers, freedom movements of Punjab) | 5 |
| 3 | Logical Reasoning & Mental Ability (logical/analytical 5 + basic numerical 3 + data analysis 2) | 10 |
| 4 | Punjabi (Gurmukhi) — shuddh-ashuddh, shabdjor, prefixes/suffixes, synonyms/antonyms, parts of speech, gender & number, akhan & muhavre, English-to-Punjabi translation, one-word substitution | 5 |
| 5 | English — basic grammar, subject-verb, adjectives & adverbs, synonyms, antonyms, one-word, fill-blanks, sentence correction, idioms, spell checks, articles, prepositions, direct/indirect speech, active/passive voice | 5 |
| 6 | ICT — basics of computers, network & internet, office productivity tools (Word, Excel, Spreadsheet, PowerPoint) | 5 |
| — | Maximum Marks (Part A) | 40 |
Part A — Visual Weightage Snapshot
| Part A — Indicative Marks per Section | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GK & Current Affairs |
| 10 | ||
| Reasoning & Ability |
| 10 | ||
| Punjab History & Culture |
| 5 | ||
| Punjabi |
| 5 | ||
| English |
| 5 | ||
| ICT |
| 5 | ||
Part B Syllabus (Annexure-2) — Subject (80 Marks)
Part-1 — Substantive & Procedural Laws
| # | Act / Topic | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sahita, 2023 (BNSS) | Procedural backbone — FIR, arrest, bail, trial, appeal |
| 2 | The Bharatiya Nyaya Sahita, 2023 (BNS) | Substantive criminal law — offences & punishments |
| 3 | The Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 (BSA) | Modern evidence law — relevancy, electronic evidence |
| 4 | The Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 | Tested alongside BNSS for transition |
| 5 | The Indian Penal Code, 1860 | Tested alongside BNS — foundational |
| 6 | The Indian Evidence Act, 1872 | Tested alongside BSA — classic concepts |
| 7 | The Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 | Jurisdiction, suits, pleadings, decree, execution |
| 8 | The Punjab Excise Act, 1914 | State-specific Act — frequent in Part B |
| 9 | Constitutional Law | Fundamental rights, writs, basic structure |
| 10 | The Information Technology Act, 2000 + Cyber Law | Cyber offences, electronic records |
| 11 | The Prevention of Damage to Public and Private Property Act, 2014 | Public order offences |
| 12 | The Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 | Anti-corruption law |
Part-2 — Legal Glossary (Punjabi)
A dedicated portion of Part B tests Legal Glossary in Punjabi, including revenue terms (e.g., ਮੁਜਰਮ, ਫਰਿਆਦੀ, ਮਾਲਕਾਨਾ, ਫਰਦ, ਜਮਾਬੰਦੀ, ਖਾਤੌਨੀ, etc.). Build and revise a Punjabi legal-revenue vocabulary list weekly. JudiciaryPRO provides a curated Punjabi legal glossary booklet inside the Punjab ADA course.
Why JudiciaryPRO & Sparsh Sir
JudiciaryPRO, led by Sparsh Sir, is one of the most trusted names for judiciary courses in Gurugram and Delhi NCR. With 13 years of experience and proven success across Haryana ADA, Delhi APP, Punjab ADA, and various State Judicial Services, the programme combines bilingual delivery, mock-driven preparation, dedicated answer writing, and one-on-one mentorship to convert law graduates into selection-ready prosecutors.
- 13 years of experience and proven success — Sparsh Sir mentors every batch personally.
- Gurugram + Delhi NCR physical campuses + nationwide online access.
- Bilingual delivery for English- and Hindi-medium aspirants.
- Mock-driven preparation with weekly tests and personalised feedback.
FAQs
Q1. Is there a Mains and Interview in Punjab ADA 2026?
As per PPSC Advt. No. 09 of 2026, the written test is conducted in MCQ format only — 120 questions, 120 marks, 2 hours. Always verify the live notification for any further stages.
Q2. Is Punjabi mandatory?
Yes. Punjabi (Gurmukhi) is part of Part A (5 marks) and Legal Glossary (Punjabi) is part of Part B. You should also have studied Punjabi at Matric/Class 10 level or equivalent.
Q3. Can NCR students prepare for Punjab ADA?
Yes. Many JudiciaryPRO students from Gurugram and Delhi NCR prepare for Haryana ADA, Delhi APP, and Punjab ADA together — the law overlap is significant; Punjabi and state-specific GK are the only differentiators.
Final Word
Punjab ADA 2026 is now a single, focused MCQ test — which makes precision, speed, and elimination the new winning skills. Use this guide as your foundation, plug into Sparsh Sir’s judiciary courses at JudiciaryPRO in Gurugram and Delhi NCR, and let 13 years of experience and proven success take you to the next PPSC merit list.