BREAKING | Supreme Court Reduces 3-Year Practice Requirement for Civil Judge Recruitment to 1 Year; Waives Practice Rule Till March 2027

The Supreme Court has modified the practice requirement for entry-level judicial service in Bhumika Trust v. Union of India and connected cases, reducing the earlier three-year requirement to one year. The Court has also introduced mandatory judicial academy training and a structured clerkship for selected candidates.

A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Augustine George Masih and Justice K Vinod Chandran delivered the decision while considering review petitions against the Court’s May 2025 judgement. Justice K Vinod Chandran dissented from the majority view and favoured dismissal of the review petitions.

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The majority maintained the basic principle that candidates entering the judiciary should have some exposure to legal practice. However, it found that requiring three years of practice, particularly without a suitable transition arrangement, could create difficulties for recent law graduates and young lawyers.

The Court has created a special arrangement for judicial recruitment notifications issued between May 20, 2025 and March 31, 2027. Candidates applying during this period will not be required to possess prior legal practice and will be treated as having completed one year of active practice for application purposes.

Candidates selected during this transition period will initially be appointed as Trainee Judicial Officers. They will undergo one year of intensive training at the concerned State Judicial Academy before completing another year of structured judicial clerkship.

The clerkship will be divided into two parts. For the first six months, trainees will work under the Principal District Judge or members of the Higher Judicial Service. The remaining six months will be completed under the supervision of sitting judges of the concerned High Court.

During judicial academy training, trainees will receive remuneration equivalent to half the gross remuneration payable to a Judicial Magistrate First Class. The same level of remuneration will continue during the clerkship period.

After the clerkship, the supervising High Court judge will submit a reasoned assessment of the trainee’s performance and suitability. A satisfactory evaluation will enable the candidate to receive regular appointment and the applicable pay scale and service benefits.

For recruitment advertisements issued on or after April 1, 2027, candidates will need at least one year of active legal practice before appearing for the Civil Judge (Junior Division) examination. The practice period will have to be verified through a prescribed certificate.

The selected candidates will thereafter undergo the same one-year academy training and one-year structured clerkship programme.

The majority said the new arrangement may be reconsidered after operating for three years. Chief Justice Surya Kant observed, “The effect of the present arrangement can be assessed only after it has operated for a reasonable period.”