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Supreme Court Reduces Practice Requirement For Judicial Service To 1 Year; Selected Candidates To Undergo 1 Year Training & 1 Year Clerkship

Key takeaways from #SupremeCourt's review verdict on 3-year practice rule.

1. Practice condition waived for judicial service exam notifications from May 20, 2025 till March 31, 2027.

2. But such candidates, upon selection, will be appointed as trainee judges and undergo training at the Judicial Academy for one year.

3. After training, they must undergo one year clerkship. 6 months under District Judge and 6 months under High Court Judge.

For judicial service exam notifications after April 1, 2027.

1. Candidates must have one year law practice.

2. Post-selection, they must undergo 1 year training and 1 year clerkship (6 months under District Judge + 6 months under HC Judge).

CJI Surya Kant and Justice AG Masih were in the majority. Justice Vinod Chandran dissented and dismissed the review petitions.

CJI: we have not accepted the contention that post graduation be treated as experience at the Bar.

J Chandran: With due respect I have not been able to concur. The review petitions are dismissed.

CJI: After the transition period, it is 1 year of active practice is required. Thereafter the selected candidates shall undergo aforementioned 1 year training at the state judicial academy and 1 year of law club.

The scheme is not immutable. The effect of the present arrangement can be assessed only after it has operated for a reasonable period. A period of 3 years provides sufficient institutional experience to evaluate whether the scheme is achieving the desired objective. The court may thereafter revisit the scheme based on relevant indicators.

BREAKING| Supreme Court Reduces Practice Requirement For Judicial Service To 1 Year; Selected Candidates To Undergo 1 Year Training & 1 Year Clerkship

CJI: after the transition period candidates seeking appointment as civil judge junior division shall posses at least one year of active practice, subject to verification of certificate of practice.

Notifications to be issued hereafter for recruitment have to be in conformity with the force a directions. High courts to modify the relevant Rules governing the cadre of judicial service in conformity with these directions within 3 months.

This directions also adequately address the issues raised in with respect to the need for accommodation for persons with disability.

CJI: after completion of 1 year at the state judicial academy the training judge will go further 1 year of law clerkship. First six months under a principal district judge and the remaining 6 months under sitting judges of the High Court.

During the trainee period at SJA the trainees will get emoluments equal to half of the gross remuneration to a judicial magistrate first class.

During the clerkship they will get emolument payable during training at the state judicial academy.

CJI: candidates in judicial exam notifications between May 25 2025 till March 31 2027 are eligible regardless of prior experience but will be appointed only as trainee judicial officers for 1 year.

CJI: judgement under review does not require reconsideration on the desirability of practical experience but limited intervention is required in the manner in which the requirement is implemented. The objective behind the rule can be achieved not just through conventional practice but through a combination of pre institutional training at the state judicial academy and supervised probation which will be treated as equivalent to practice at the bar for the purpose of eligibility.

Court pronounces the judgement.

CJI: The sudden restoration of the three year practice rule without any transitional arrangement has visited hardship on young lawyers and law graduates. Limited intervention is warranted.