Introduction of the Career as a Judge in India: – An organized system for resolving social problems is the Indian legal system. It provides the Young generation with a variety of options to participate in the system and help the nation in the best ways possible.

Career as a judge

All three tires of government — legislature, executive, and judiciary — accept applications from law graduates. There may be other graduates who work in the executive and legislative branches but not the judiciary. For this reason, it is true what is said that a law degree can open the door to many occupations that other degrees may not be able to.

The term “Judge” is defined in numerous legislation, including the IPC (Indian Penal Code), Cr. P.C(the Code of Criminal Procedure), and C.P.C(Code of Civil Procedure).

After the case, judges pronounce the judgment and ensure a fair trial. Judges protect the court’s reputation in society without exhibiting bias or taking unnecessary risks.

Eligibility to Serve as a Judge

The Indian judiciary is divided into three tiers: the Supreme Court, which is part of the union judiciary, the High Courts, which are part of the state judiciary, and the lower courts (District Courts).

A graduate can become a judge by Taking the Public Service Commission’s Civil Judge exam. At the state level, this exam is administered. Furthermore, the states determine the qualifications, eligibility, and timeframe of the judge exams based on the number of vacant positions.

Union Judiciary

There is one Chief Justice of India & 33 other judges on the Supreme Court of India. The selection of judges is contingent on the availability of vacancies.

Eligibility to serve as Supreme Court judges:

• An Indian citizen and a graduate of a law program from a recognized university are prerequisites for the Supreme Court judge appointment.
• He must have been an advocate in a High Court for at least 10 years or have served as a judge of a High Court for at 5 years, or 2 or more High Courts consecutively.
• According to the Indian president, he shall be a reputed jurist.
• The person appointed as a Supreme Court Judge will serve until he attains the age of 65.

State Judiciary

Every High Court has a Chief Justice and other judges as needed from time to time.

Eligibility to serve as a High Court judge is:

• An individual must be a citizen of India.
• He or she must have previously served in the Indian judiciary for at least 10 years, or
• He or she must have worked as an advocate in 2 or more such courts for at least ten years consecutively.
• The person appointed to H.C. judge can serve as a judge until he reaches the age of 62.

Subordinate Judiciary

In district courts, there are two types of judges: District Judge/Sessions Judge and Civil Judge (i.e., the magistrate). A District Judge’s appointment procedure and eligibility criteria are distinct from those of a Civil Judge.

Eligibility criteria for becoming an Additional District Judge are:

• The person must be an Indian citizen.
• The person must have been an advocate for at least 7 years.
• At least 35 years of age is required for the individual (age differs from state to state).
• The candidate must succeed in the test administered by the judicial service.

Examination for Judicial Service

For law graduates, the judicial service examination is an entry-level exam for Civil Judges organized by each state’s public service commission and High Court. After graduating from college, students are able to take the judicial service exam to become prominent members of the judicial officers.

Criteria for Judicial Service Examination Eligibility

There are two types of judicial service exams, each with its own set of eligibility requirements.

Lower Judiciary Services:

 A law bachelor’s degree is required to appear for the judicial services examination. The individual must have passed or enrolled as an advocate under the Advocates Act of 1961. There is no prerequisite, and even students who are in their final year of law school are eligible to apply because certain states permit appearing in exams during the final semester of a law degree. Additionally, each state sets its own age restrictions, which are often between 21 and 35.

Higher Judiciary Service:

Candidates for higher-level judicial positions must be law graduates with at least 7 years of litigation experience.

Stages of the Judicial Service Exam

The judicial service exam is divided into three phases: preliminary, mains, and interview.

Preliminary

The prelim examination is an MCQ-based paper, and those who pass it will be eligible to appear for the mains examination.

Mains examination

The mains exam is a subjective paper. This exam consists of three to four papers, and the candidates who pass it will be called for an interview. The number of aspirants selected in this round is determined by the number of vacant positions available at that time.

Interview

The final stage is the interview, during which the candidates are assessed and selected based on qualities including IQ, personality, and general interest.

Examination for all judicial services in India

The AIJS exam is a stage in which the exam will be administered for the appointment of additional judges and district judges on the central level. Similar to how the UPSC exams are administered for the entire nation. Similarly, AIJS will be conducted at the central level for judges.

Judge’s Responsibilities/duties

judge’s primary responsibilities are as follows:

1. A judge must be unbiased & fair, conducting everything for the sake of justice and nothing for the sake of friends or family.
2. A judge should completely avoid using a contentious tone or attitude when addressing counsel, litigants, or witnesses.
3. Both parties must be heard by a judge (prosecution and defence).
4. In criminal court, a judge must determine the innocence or guilt of criminal defendants & impose punishment on those convicted of a crime.

Judge’s Benefits and Allowances

Aside from the monthly income, a judge is entitled to the following monthly allowances:

1. Allowance for house rent
2. Allowance for travel
3. Electricity bill
4. Phone bill
5. Vehicle maintenance
6. Retirement pension

Pros and Cons of Becoming a Judge

In the Indian judiciary, the position of the judge is highly respected. However, everything on Earth has both positive and negative aspects.

The following are the advantages and disadvantages of being a judge to help you decide whether this career path is right for you or not.

Advantages of Career as a Judge:

1. It is a prestigious position with a high level of responsibility.
2. You can serve the country by becoming a judge.
3. A career as a judge will undoubtedly provide you with financial and job security.
4. There will be enough time for you to balance your professional and personal lives.
5. It is a powerful position with numerous benefits.
6. It provides the ability to weaken the social ills already present. A capability that can keep people safe.

Disadvantages of Career as a Judge:

1. Becoming a judge necessitates a significant amount of effort.
2. It is a sitting job with the same tasks every day.
3. Huge growth competition.
4. Mental stress or pressure can occur for a variety of reasons.
5. Threats may be made if a judge’s decision is not favorable to a particular party or group of people. Any seat in a prominent post is dangerous. However, things can be resolved with determination and bravery to benefit society.

Conclusion

To sum up, being a judge is an excellent career opportunity for law graduates. It provides power, prestige, the opportunity to serve the country, and a variation of both monetary and non-monetary benefits. On the contrary, from preparing for the judicial examination to becoming a judge, this profession necessitates a tremendous amount of hard work and dedication.

Frequently Asked Questions

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