SC Cuts Bar Practice To 1 Year, Adds Training And Clerkship For Civil Judges
SC Cuts Bar Practice To 1 Year, Adds Training And Clerkship For Civil Judges
M.U.H
21/08/202625
New Delhi: In a significant ruling on judicial recruitment, the Supreme Court on Friday reaffirmed its May 2025 decision requiring prior law practice for entry into judicial service, but eased the bar experience threshold—reducing it from three years to one.
The judgment was delivered by a bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and justices Augustine George Masih and K Vinod Chandran. The apex court’s decision came on a batch of review petitions challenging the May 2025 verdict.
Successful candidates in the judicial service exam will undergo a year of intensive training at the State Judicial Academy, followed by a six‑month clerkship with a district judge or higher judicial service officer, and another six months under a sitting high court judge.
Also, for candidates in the transition period from May 20, 2025 (the date of the original judgment) till March 31, 2027, the apex court waived the practice requirement.
During the transition period, law graduates may sit for the Civil Judge (Junior Division) exam without prior practice. However, those selected will serve as trainee judicial officers for one year, followed by an additional year of structured clerkship.
Earlier, the apex court had issued notice on the review petitions and allowed them to be heard in open court. The review petitions assailed a May 2025 judgment, which ruled that candidates must have at least three years of practice as lawyers to be eligible to appear for the Civil Judge (Junior Division) examination.
