In a major ruling, the Supreme Court has upheld the requirement that candidates applying for civil judge (junior division) posts must have at least 3 years of practice at the Bar. This decision strikes down rules introduced by some states (like Maharashtra) that allowed fresh law graduates to directly apply for the judiciary.
The bench emphasized that courtroom exposure is essential to understand the “practical realities of litigation.” The ruling aligns with recommendations made by the Second National Judicial Pay Commission and aims to ensure better-qualified judicial officers.
Impact: Thousands of aspirants will now need to gain hands-on legal experience before taking the judicial services exam.
📌 Case Title: District Judge (Recruitment) v. State of Maharashtra