New Delhi, 21 August 2026: The Supreme Court has reduced the mandatory three-year legal practice requirement for law graduates appearing for the entry-level Judicial Services examinations to one year. The court has amended its own judgment given last year in this regard. Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice A.G. Christ and the Judge. The division bench composed of Vinod Chandran gave this verdict with a majority of 2-1 along with dismissing the review petition.
The bench had said that the candidates appearing in the judicial services examinations announced between May 25, 2025 and March 31, 2027 will be considered eligible even without previous experience. However, the candidates selected through these examinations will initially be appointed as Trainee Judicial Officers. They will have to undergo one year training at the Judicial Academy and then complete one year structured clerkship i.e. practical training.
On May 20 last year, the Supreme Court had stopped fresh law graduates from appearing for the entry-level examination of the judicial services and made it mandatory for them to have a minimum of three years of legal practice.
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