Rajasthan APO 2026 Notification Out – Vacancy, Dates, Eligibility & Pattern

The wait is finally over. The Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC), Ajmer has released the official Rajasthan APO 2026 notification (Advt. No. 03/EXAM/APO/EP-I/2026-27, dated 27 May 2026) for recruitment to the post of Assistant Prosecution Officer (APO) under the Home (Prosecution) Department, Government of Rajasthan. For every law graduate who dreams of joining the prosecution wing of the state, this is one of the most awaited openings of the year — and the clock has already started ticking.

If you are planning to appear for this exam, the next few weeks are critical. This article walks you through every official detail you need to know: the number of vacancies, the application timeline, eligibility conditions, age limit, pay scale, the two-stage selection process and the complete exam pattern. Read it carefully, bookmark it, and use it as your single reference point while you prepare.

Rajasthan APO 2026 – Quick Overview

Number of Vacancies

RPSC has notified a total of 371 Assistant Prosecution Officer posts, divided between non-scheduled and scheduled areas of the state. The vacancies are further distributed across categories — General (UR), SC, ST, OBC, MBC and EWS — along with horizontal reservation for women, persons with disabilities, ex-servicemen and other notified categories as per Rajasthan reservation rules. The Commission has clarified that the number of posts may increase or decrease at the department's discretion, so candidates should treat the figure as indicative.

Important Dates You Cannot Miss

The single most important takeaway from the notification is the application window. Online applications open on 8 June 2026 and close on 7 July 2026 at midnight. Late or offline applications will not be accepted under any circumstances, so do not wait for the last day — server load near the deadline is real, and a missed window means a full year lost.

• Notification released: 27 May 2026
• Online application starts: 08 June 2026
• Last date to apply & pay fee: 07 July 2026 (midnight)
• Preliminary examination (tentative): 02 September 2026
• Main examination: to be announced after Prelims results

Eligibility Criteria

Educational Qualification

To be eligible for Rajasthan APO 2026, a candidate must hold a Degree in Law (Professional) or an integrated law course from a university established by law in India. In addition, RPSC requires working knowledge of Hindi written in the Devanagari script and knowledge of Rajasthani dialects and the social customs of Rajasthan. This local-language requirement is unique to the state exam and should not be overlooked.

Age Limit

Candidates must be between 21 and 40 years of age as on 1 January 2027. Upper-age relaxation is available as per Rajasthan government rules — typically 5 years for male candidates of SC/ST/OBC/MBC/EWS of Rajasthan and general-category women, and up to 10 years for reserved-category women, with further relaxations for widows, divorced women, persons with disabilities and ex-servicemen. Always confirm the exact relaxation applicable to your category in the official advertisement.

Application Fee

RPSC charges a one-time registration fee through its One Time Registration (OTR) system. Indicative fees are around 600 rupees for General and Other Backward Class (Creamy Layer) candidates, and around 400 rupees for reserved categories of Rajasthan and persons with disabilities. The fee is paid online while submitting the application through the SSO portal (sso.rajasthan.gov.in).

Rajasthan APO 2026 Selection Process & Exam Pattern

The recruitment is conducted in two stages — a Preliminary Examination and a Main Examination — followed by document verification. Understanding the weightage of each stage is the foundation of a smart preparation strategy.

Stage 1 — Preliminary Examination

The Preliminary Examination is objective (MCQ) in nature. Within the paper, 70 percent of the weightage is given to the law subjects prescribed in the syllabus and 30 percent to proficiency in Hindi and English language. Crucially, the Prelims is only a screening stage — the marks scored here are NOT counted towards the final merit. It simply decides who qualifies for the Main Examination.

A few exam-day rules deserve special attention. Each question carries five options, and you must darken exactly one circle. If you choose not to attempt a question, you must darken the fifth circle; leaving a question completely blank attracts a deduction of one-third of that question's marks. Furthermore, a candidate who leaves more than 10 percent of questions completely unmarked is liable to be disqualified. In short, RPSC penalises blanks, so read every instruction on the OMR sheet carefully.

Stage 2 — Main Examination

The Main Examination is a written (descriptive) test that decides final selection. It consists of two papers:

The standard of Paper II (Language) is that of the Senior Secondary level. The minimum qualifying marks for each paper are 40 percent, relaxed by 5 percent (to 35 percent) for SC and ST candidates. Paper I on Law is designed to test the practical knowledge of candidates in criminal law and procedure, including the framing of charges in criminal cases — a direct reflection of what an Assistant Prosecution Officer actually does on the job.

Why This Exam Is a Golden Opportunity

With 371 vacancies, a clearly defined two-stage process and a syllabus that overlaps heavily with the new criminal laws every law student is already studying, Rajasthan APO 2026 is one of the most accessible prosecution-services entries this year. A government post at Pay Level L-11, job security, and a meaningful role in the criminal justice system make it well worth the effort. The candidates who start early — and prepare with a structured plan rather than scattered self-study — will have a decisive edge.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Prelims marks added to the final merit?

No. The Preliminary Examination is qualifying in nature; only the Main Examination marks decide the final merit list.

What is the age limit for Rajasthan APO 2026?

21 to 40 years as on 1 January 2027, with category-wise relaxation as per Rajasthan rules.

Is knowledge of Hindi compulsory?

Yes. Working knowledge of Hindi in Devanagari script and familiarity with Rajasthani dialects and social customs is a notified requirement.