In a major ruling, the Supreme Court of India has restored the requirement of three years of legal practice for candidates applying to the post of Civil Judge. This change will not affect current recruitments, but will be applicable from the next cycle onward.
The Court highlighted that the earlier system—where fresh law graduates were allowed to enter judicial services without any courtroom experience—has not delivered good results.
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"For the last 20 years, during which the recruitment of fresh law graduates have been appointed as judicial officers without a single day of practice at the bar has not been a successful experience. Such fresh law graduates have led to many problems," the Court noted.
The bench explained that judges, from the first day of duty, handle matters involving life, liberty, property, and reputation. In such serious matters, theoretical knowledge from books and even pre-service training cannot replace real courtroom experience.
"Neither knowledge based on law books nor pre-service training could be an adequate substitute to the first-hand experience of the working of the court system and administration of justice," the Court stated.
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The judgment emphasized that watching how lawyers argue and how judges conduct proceedings is essential for new entrants. Without this exposure, many young judges struggle to manage the courtroom effectively.
"This is possible when the candidate is exposed to the working of the court... and observing how lawyers and judges function in the court," the bench added.
Agreeing with several High Courts, the Supreme Court concluded that prior courtroom practice is necessary to equip new judges with the understanding of judicial responsibilities.
"The candidates should be equipped to understand the intricacies of a judge and therefore, we are in agreement with most of the High Courts that the requirement of the introduction of certain number of years of practice is necessary," the Court observed.
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With this judgment, the Court aims to strengthen the quality of judicial officers by ensuring they bring some level of practical experience before taking up the bench.
