Three years’ conventional Bar practice is not the sole means of acquiring the practical experience required for appointment as a Civil Judge; such experience may comprise actual practice combined with structured judicial training and supervised Law Clerkship. Supreme Court

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA CIVIL ORIGINAL JURISDICTION  

Writ Petition (Civil) No. 1110/2025

Bhumika Trust                                                         …Petitioner(s)

versus

Union of India and others                                       …Respondent(s)

Decided on 21 August 2026

Chief Justice SURYA KANT

Justice AUGUSTINE GEORGE MASIH 

Justice K. VINOD CHANDRAN

Legal Principle

Judicial Service Recruitment — Civil Judge (Junior Division). Prior practical exposure to the functioning of courts is an indispensable requirement for entry into judicial service; however, judicial competence need not be acquired solely through three years of conventional practice at the Bar, and may be secured through a combination of actual practice, structured training at the Judicial Academy and supervised Law Clerkship.

For recruitments notified up to 31 March 2027, all law graduates are eligible to apply notwithstanding the three-year practice requirement, subject to the prescribed training and Law Clerkship regime. For notifications issued on or after 1 April 2027, a candidate must have at least one year of actual practice in the District Courts, followed, upon selection, by one year of intensive Judicial Academy training and one year of structured Law Clerkship before entering regular judicial service.