How to become a judge in India

Being a part of the Indian Judicial System combines feelings of responsibility, discipline, pride, honour, and fulfilment. To be a competent judge, it is necessary to put in a lot more effort, training, and dedication than just being a law graduate. In this article, we will go over the requirements, eligibility, and duties of a judge in India. In India, judges are classified into several categories and subcategories, including Supreme Court Judge, High Court Judge, District Court Judge, Additional Court Judge, Civil Judge, Joint District Judge, and many others. To become a judge in India go through below mentioned article as it will provide you all the information for becoming a judge-

Qualification required for becoming a judge

Candidates in class 12th from any stream, including arts, science, commerce, and humanities, are eligible to begin their legal careers. Candidates who wish to become judges after completing their 12th grade must enrol in 5 year integrated law courses such as B.A.LL.B., B.Com.LL.B., B.B.A.LL.B., etc., though it is advisable to choose BALLB if you wish to pursue a career in judiciary as pre law subjects in BALLB such as history, sociology, and English help the candidate in further preparation for judiciary. However, it is not necessary to complete a 5-year course; graduate students can also enrol in a 3-year LLB programme. After completing the respective 5 year and 3 year LLB courses, the candidate is eligible to sit for the Judicial Services Examination or the Legal Practice Examination.

Lower Judicial Services

Exam Format :

• Preliminary Exam - Multiple Choice Questions Exam - To pass this exam, candidates must obtain a minimum of 60%.
• Main Exam - Descriptive type exam - Candidates must write detailed responses and score at least 40% in each exam and 50% in order to qualify for the interview.
• Face-to-face interaction with the selection panel is included in this round. Candidates who pass the main examinations are then invited to the interview round for final selection.

Eligibility:

The candidate must be an Indian citizen. Must have a combined 5 year or 3 year after graduation LLB or LLM degree (optional).proficiency in a local/regional language (in some states)

Age limit:

It is important to note that the age limit for the Lower Judicial Services Examination varies by state; however, the lower limit is 21 years and the upper limit is usually set at 35 for general candidates, with relaxation granted to candidates who fall into the SC/ST/OBC categories.

Higher Judicial Services

Candidates must take the Higher Judicial Services exam to be eligible to become district judges. Civil Judges, Advocates interested in becoming District Judges after joining the Bar Council of India.

Exam Format:

• Preliminary Exam< - MCQ-based exam - Candidates must score at least 60% to pass this exam.
• Main Exam - Descriptive type exam - Candidates must write detailed responses and score at least 40% in each exam and 50% in order to qualify for the interview.
• Face-to-face interaction with the selection panel is included in this round. Candidates who pass the main examinations are invited to the interview round for final selection.

Eligibility:

Any law graduate who has enrolled with Bar Counsel of India and has more than 7 years of experience as a lawyer is eligible to apply for the Higher Judicial Services.

Age limit:

The age limit for the Higher Judicial Services Examination is 35 years, but it varies by state.

HIGH COURT JUDGE

Eligibility

• The candidate must be an Indian citizen.
• Should be a member of the Bar Council of India.
• Should have at least ten years of experience advocating in the High Court or High Courts in succession.
• Alternatively, if he has served in a judicial capacity for more than ten years.

The High Court judges are nominated by the President of India after consultation with the Chief Justice. If the High Court has jurisdiction over two or more states, the governors of those states, in addition to the president and Chief Justice, are consulted before the appointment of such High Court Judges.

SUPREME COURT JUDGE

Eligibility:

• The candidate must be an Indian citizen.
• The candidate must have spent at least ten years as an advocate in the High Court or High Courts in succession.
• If the president of India considers a candidate to be a respected lawyer, he has the authority to appoint that candidate to the Supreme Court.

CHIEF JUSTICE OF INDIA

The Chief Justice of India is the single most important judge. The Chief Justice of India is appointed by the president of India.

Conclusion- It is true that great power comes with great responsibility. The prestige associated with being a judge is undisputedly flattering, but becoming a judge is not a one-day job; it takes a lot of hard work, determination, will, and the right guidance to make and shape a glorious legal career. Students who have just completed class 12th should take the first step by selecting the right law college after conducting sufficient research on the basis of past records of judges from the particular college and special training and skill development provided to students interested in pursuing a career in the judiciary, as this is the most important phase in building the future. There are numerous colleges that offer judicial services.