CBI Special Public Prosecutor 2026: 4 Posts, LL.B., 10 Years Exp

CBI Special Public Prosecutor (Retainer Counsel) Recruitment 2026 is an official contractual job notification released by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) through its official website cbi.gov.in on 13 June 2026. Through this notification, CBI has announced a total of 4 vacancies for the post of Special Public Prosecutor (Retainer Counsel). The Retainer Counsel will be appointed on contractual basis to handle criminal cases on behalf of CBI at Kolkata High Court and subordinate courts. This is a prestigious position with attractive financial benefits including retainer fee of Rs. 50,000/- per year, daily fee of Rs. 15,000/- per case per day, drafting fee of Rs. 5,000/- per case, clerkage, and out-of-pocket expenses. The selection is based purely on eligibility verification and document confirmation (no written exam or interview).

The last date for submission of the Online Application Form for CBI Special Public Prosecutor (Retainer Counsel) Recruitment 2026 is 30 June 2026. The application window opened on 13 June 2026. All candidates must ensure that their online application is submitted on or before the closing date. Candidates are strongly advised to submit their online applications well before the closing date and not to wait till the last day. Applications received after 30 June 2026 will not be accepted under any circumstances. After submission, candidates should take a printout or save a PDF copy of the submitted application form for future reference at the time of Document Verification.

To be eligible for the post of Special Public Prosecutor (Retainer Counsel) under CBI Recruitment 2026, a candidate must possess the following mandatory qualifications: (1) Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree from a recognized university (recognized by Bar Council of India), (2) Duly enrolled as Advocate with Bar Council of Calcutta High Court (enrollment must be valid and active), and (3) At least 10 years of experience as Advocate with substantial experience in handling criminal cases. The 10 years experience must be post-LL.B. enrollment as Advocate. Experience must be primarily in criminal litigation (not civil cases). Candidates must have substantial track record of handling criminal cases. Only candidates meeting ALL three criteria will be considered eligible. Candidates not fulfilling any of the above eligibility criteria will be rejected at application review stage.

The financial benefits for Special Public Prosecutor (Retainer Counsel) under CBI Recruitment 2026 are as follows: (1) Retainer Fee: Rs. 50,000/- per year (fixed annual amount), (2) Daily Fee: Rs. 15,000/- per case per day (for cases at Kolkata), (3) Drafting Fee: Rs. 5,000/- per case (for legal drafting work), (4) Clerkage: 10% of daily fee with maximum cap of Rs. 3,000/- per case, and (5) Out of Pocket Expenses: Rs. 1,000/- per case (reimbursable). Total potential income depends on number of cases handled. For example, handling 10 cases with 5 days each: Rs. 15,000 × 50 days = Rs. 7,50,000 + Rs. 50,000 retainer + drafting fee + clerkage = Approx. Rs. 8-9 Lakhs per year potential income. This contractual engagement offers attractive financial compensation for experienced criminal lawyers.

The CBI Special Public Prosecutor (Retainer Counsel) Recruitment 2026 notification does not specify any separate age limit criteria. The primary eligibility criteria are: (1) LL.B. degree from recognized university, (2) Enrollment as Advocate with Calcutta High Court Bar Council, and (3) At least 10 years of experience as Advocate with substantial criminal case handling experience. Since the requirement is 10 years post-LL.B. experience as Advocate, practically candidates will be at least 28-30 years old (assuming LL.B. completion at age 21-22). There is no upper age limit mentioned in the notification. However, candidates must be physically fit and able to handle criminal litigation work effectively. The appointment will be on contractual basis as Retainer Counsel.

The CBI Special Public Prosecutor (Retainer Counsel) Recruitment 2026 notification does not mention any application fee. Based on the official details provided, there is no application fee for this contractual Retainer Counsel position. Candidates can apply online without paying any fee. However, candidates should always check the official notification PDF for any updates regarding application fee before submitting the application. The official notification PDF can be downloaded from the link provided in the Important Links section. If any fee is introduced later, it will be notified on the official CBI website cbi.gov.in.

The selection process for CBI Special Public Prosecutor (Retainer Counsel) Recruitment 2026 consists of two stages: (1) Application Review: CBI will review all submitted applications to verify eligibility criteria including LL.B. degree, Bar Council enrollment with Calcutta High Court, and 10 years criminal case experience. Applications will be screened based on the information provided in the online form and uploaded documents. (2) Document Verification: Candidates whose applications are approved will be called for Document Verification. Candidates must appear with all original documents including LL.B. degree certificate, Bar Council enrollment certificate, experience certificates proving 10 years criminal case handling, and other required documents. Important: There is no written examination or interview for this post. Selection is based purely on eligibility verification and document confirmation. The appointment will be made on contractual basis as Retainer Counsel.

Yes, enrollment as Advocate with Bar Council of Calcutta High Court is absolutely mandatory for applying to CBI Special Public Prosecutor (Retainer Counsel) Recruitment 2026. Only candidates who are duly enrolled as Advocate with Calcutta High Court Bar Council are eligible to apply for this post. The Bar Council enrollment must be valid and active. Candidates must upload their Bar Council enrollment certificate while filling the online application form. Candidates who fail to produce the original Bar Council enrollment certificate during Document Verification will not be considered for selection. Lawyers enrolled with other State Bar Councils (not Calcutta High Court) are not eligible to apply for this post. This requirement is mandatory and non-negotiable.

Yes, at least 10 years of experience as Advocate with substantial experience in handling criminal cases is absolutely mandatory for applying to CBI Special Public Prosecutor (Retainer Counsel) Recruitment 2026. The 10 years experience must be post-LL.B. enrollment as Advocate. Experience must be primarily in criminal litigation (not civil cases). Candidates must have substantial track record of handling criminal cases. During Document Verification, candidates must produce experience certificates from previous clients/law firms/courts proving 10 years of experience as Advocate, along with proof of criminal cases handling (court orders, case papers, or certificates showing substantial experience in criminal litigation). A list of criminal cases handled with case numbers, court names, and outcomes must also be submitted. Candidates without 10 years criminal case experience will not be considered eligible and their candidature will be rejected at application review stage.

The job location for Special Public Prosecutor (Retainer Counsel) under CBI Recruitment 2026 is primarily at Kolkata. The Retainer Counsel will be appointed to handle CBI criminal cases at Kolkata High Court and subordinate courts in Kolkata. The daily fee of Rs. 15,000/- is specifically mentioned as “per case per day (Kolkata)”. The Retainer Counsel will need to appear in criminal cases filed by CBI at various courts in Kolkata jurisdiction. However, as per contractual terms, the Retainer Counsel may also be required to appear in CBI cases at other locations if assigned by CBI. The appointment is on contractual basis as Retainer Counsel, and the counsel will be engaged for handling CBI criminal cases as assigned by the bureau.