Supreme Court Seeks Views on Judicial Exam Criteria

The Supreme Court has solicited opinions from high courts and law schools on the mandatory three-year law practice requirement for judicial exam eligibility, following a plea to exempt specially-abled graduates. The court emphasizes uniform criteria to avoid feelings of inferiority among different categories.

The Supreme Court has reached out to high courts and law schools to gather perspectives on the minimum three-year law practice requirement for entry into judicial services. This comes after a plea from Bhumika Trust requesting an exemption for specially-abled law graduates.

The three-year practice criterion, established in a May 20 decision, prevents fresh law graduates from entering judicial services exams immediately. The court underscores the necessity of uniform standards to avoid a sense of inferiority among specific exempted groups, despite limited hiring opportunities for specially-abled graduates.

While recognizing the frustrations among young law graduates, the court stresses the importance of exposure to legal practice for developing necessary judicial skills. High courts and law schools have been asked to provide their feedback within four weeks to facilitate a comprehensive review of the policy.

(With inputs from agencies.)