Delhi Judicial Services Exam Language, General Knowledge & Legal Aptitude Syllabus

Language, General Knowledge & Legal Aptitude syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Language, General Knowledge & Legal Aptitude in Delhi Judicial Services Exam, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   English Language Skills

   4 topics

   • Essay writing on contemporary and legal themes
   • Précis writing and comprehension
   • Grammar, usage and vocabulary
     • Correction of sentences
     • Synonyms, antonyms and idioms
   • Translation between English and Hindi
2. 2

   Hindi Language Skills

   3 topics

   • Translation of legal passages (English to Hindi and Hindi to English)
   • Comprehension of Hindi legal text
   • Knowledge of legal terminology in Hindi
3. 3

   General Knowledge & Current Affairs

   4 topics

   • Indian polity, history and geography
   • National and international current affairs
   • Landmark judgments and legal developments
   • Science, technology and society in the news
4. 4

   Legal Aptitude & Reasoning

   4 topics

   • Legal principles and application to facts
   • Logical and analytical reasoning
   • Judgment writing and appreciation of evidence
     • Structure of a civil and criminal judgment
     • Framing of issues and points for determination
   • Professional ethics and conduct of judicial officers

Language, General Knowledge & Legal Aptitude flashcards for Delhi Judicial Services Exam

22 of 50 cards from the Language, General Knowledge & Legal Aptitude deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What is a précis and what is the standard rule for its length relative to the original passage?

   A précis is a concise summary of a passage capturing only its main ideas in the writer's own words. The standard rule is to reduce the original to about one-third (roughly 33%) of its length, written in the third person and reported (past) tense with a suitable title.

2. In English grammar, what is the difference between an active and a passive voice sentence?

   In active voice the subject performs the action (e.g., 'The court delivered the judgment'). In passive voice the subject receives the action and the doer becomes the object of 'by' (e.g., 'The judgment was delivered by the court'). Passive uses a form of 'be' + past participle.

3. Define a 'synonym' and an 'antonym' with one example each.

   A synonym is a word with the same or similar meaning as another (e.g., 'lawful' and 'legal'). An antonym is a word with the opposite meaning (e.g., 'guilty' and 'innocent').

4. What is the Hindi legal term for 'plaintiff' and for 'defendant'?

   Plaintiff is 'वादी' (vaadi) and defendant is 'प्रतिवादी' (prativaadi).

5. Give the Hindi legal equivalents of 'bail', 'judgment', and 'witness'.

   Bail is 'जमानत' (zamaanat), judgment is 'निर्णय/फैसला' (nirnay/faisla), and witness is 'गवाह/साक्षी' (gawaah/saakshi).

6. What is the Hindi legal term for 'evidence' and for 'cross-examination'?

   Evidence is 'साक्ष्य/सबूत' (saakshya/saboot) and cross-examination is 'प्रतिपरीक्षा/जिरह' (pratiparikshaa/jirah).

7. When translating a legal passage from English to Hindi, what is the single most important principle to preserve?

   Preserve the exact legal meaning and intent rather than translating word-for-word. Technical terms must use their established Hindi legal equivalents (legal register), and the sense, qualifications and provisos of the original must remain accurate and unambiguous.

8. In comprehension of Hindi legal text, what does 'अधिनियम' mean and how does it differ from 'अध्यादेश'?

   'अधिनियम' (adhiniyam) means an Act passed by the legislature. 'अध्यादेश' (adhyaadesh) means an Ordinance promulgated by the President/Governor when the legislature is not in session, which has the force of law but must later be approved by the legislature.

9. What are the three organs of the Indian State and the principle that separates them?

   The Legislature (makes laws), the Executive (implements laws), and the Judiciary (interprets laws and adjudicates disputes). They operate under the doctrine of Separation of Powers, with checks and balances among them.

10. Which Article of the Indian Constitution guarantees the Right to Equality, and which guarantees Protection of Life and Personal Liberty?

    Article 14 guarantees Equality before law and equal protection of the laws (Right to Equality). Article 21 guarantees Protection of Life and Personal Liberty.

11. What is the difference between Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles of State Policy?

    Fundamental Rights (Part III, Articles 12-35) are justiciable and enforceable by courts. Directive Principles (Part IV, Articles 36-51) are non-justiciable guidelines for the State to frame policy and are not enforceable in court.

12. Under which writs can a citizen approach the Supreme Court (Article 32) or High Court (Article 226), and what does 'Habeas Corpus' mean?

    The five writs are Habeas Corpus, Mandamus, Prohibition, Certiorari, and Quo Warranto. 'Habeas Corpus' means 'to have the body' — it directs a person detaining another to produce the detainee before the court to test the legality of the detention.

13. What is the basic structure doctrine and in which landmark case was it propounded?

    The basic structure doctrine holds that Parliament cannot amend the Constitution so as to destroy its essential/basic features (e.g., supremacy of the Constitution, rule of law, judicial review, secularism). It was propounded in Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala (1973).

14. What did the Supreme Court hold in Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India (1978) regarding Article 21?

    It held that the 'procedure established by law' under Article 21 must be just, fair and reasonable, not arbitrary, and that Articles 14, 19 and 21 are interconnected. This vastly expanded the scope of personal liberty and due process in India.

15. In which case did the Supreme Court recognise the Right to Privacy as a fundamental right, and under which Article?

    In K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India (2017), a nine-judge bench unanimously held that the Right to Privacy is a fundamental right protected under Article 21 (and Part III) of the Constitution.

16. What was the significance of Vishaka v. State of Rajasthan (1997)?

    The Supreme Court laid down binding guidelines (the Vishaka Guidelines) to prevent and address sexual harassment of women at the workplace, later codified into the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.

17. What is the doctrine of 'stare decisis' and what is its effect under Article 141?

    'Stare decisis' means 'to stand by decided matters' — courts should follow precedent. Under Article 141, the law declared by the Supreme Court is binding on all courts within India, giving its precedents binding authority.

18. Distinguish between 'ratio decidendi' and 'obiter dicta' in a judgment.

    'Ratio decidendi' is the legal principle or reasoning essential to the decision and is binding as precedent. 'Obiter dicta' are observations made by the judge in passing that are not essential to the decision and have only persuasive value.

19. What is the standard of proof in criminal cases versus civil cases in India?

    In criminal cases the prosecution must prove guilt 'beyond reasonable doubt'. In civil cases the standard is the lower 'preponderance of probabilities' (balance of probabilities).

20. What is the difference between a 'cognizable' and a 'non-cognizable' offence?

    In a cognizable offence the police can register an FIR and arrest without a warrant and can investigate without a magistrate's order. In a non-cognizable offence the police cannot arrest without a warrant and require a magistrate's order to investigate.

21. What is the difference between a bailable and a non-bailable offence?

    In a bailable offence, bail is a matter of right and the accused must be released on furnishing bail. In a non-bailable offence, bail is at the discretion of the court and is not granted as of right.

22. In the appreciation of evidence, what is the difference between 'examination-in-chief' and 'cross-examination'?

    Examination-in-chief is the questioning of a witness by the party who called them, to elicit favourable facts. Cross-examination is questioning by the opposing party to test the witness's truthfulness, memory and credibility; leading questions are permitted in cross-examination.

See more Language, General Knowledge & Legal Aptitude flashcards →

Planning Language, General Knowledge & Legal Aptitude for Delhi Judicial Services Exam

Language, General Knowledge & Legal Aptitude (Delhi Judicial Services Exam) FAQ