The judiciary in the largest democracy of the world is a mighty pillar, a sentinel that defends the rights and freedom of more than 1.4 billion people. Being a judge in India is not just a vocation, it is a mission, the mission to serve the Constitution and to make sure that the scales of justice are even. The need for judicial officers is enormous, and the recent statistics make it clear. By early 2025, more than 30 percent of the approved judge posts in the High Courts of the country are vacant, which is a massive force in a system struggling to handle an ever-increasing caseload.
Add to this is the glut of legal practitioners whereby it is estimated that 70,000 law graduates enter the profession annually with many having ambitions of putting on the judicial robes. Such a combination of demand and stiff competition highlights the difficult, but well-worth-it process of becoming a judge in India.
This article is a comprehensive guide to how to become a judge in India who wishes to climb to the bench, on the complex ladders that run through the lower judiciary to the exalted chambers of the Supreme Court.
Understanding the Indian Judicial System and the Role of a Judge
It is highly essential that before one undertakes this tough journey, there should be a basic knowledge of the Indian judicial scenario and the immense duties that a judge holds.
India Hierarchy of Courts:
Indian judiciary is hierarchical, with the Supreme Court on the top. High Courts of different states which have jurisdiction over a state or group of states and union territories are placed below the Supreme Court. District and sessions courts, courts of civil judges (junior and senior division) and judicial magistrates make the subordinate judiciary which is the foundation of the system. To understand how to become a judge in India, one must first be familiar with this judicial structure and the roles at each level.
What does a Judge do?
A judge presides over a court of law, and is charged with the fair administration of justice. The main responsibilities of their job are:
- Settling of Disputes: Listening and rendering judgment on civil and criminal cases depending on the evidence provided by each side and the relevant provisions of the law.
- Interpreting the Law: The study and interpretation of statutes, regulations and precedents and applying them to facts of a case.
- Fair Procedure: This is ensuring that everybody gets a fair trial and that due process is employed.
- Passing of Judgments and Orders: Passing of judgments and orders which are reasonable, well pronounced and legally faithful.
- Upholding the Constitution: Making sure that any and every law, and every act of the executive and the legislature is consistent with the Constitution of India.
Key Qualities of a Good Judge:
The judicial office requires a special combination of high intellectual capacity, impeccable character and an ingrained sense of justice. Part of the main attributes are:
- Integrity and Honesty: A clean record of being just and uncorrupt is not up for discussion.
- Legal Acumen: A deep sense of the law and power to illustrate it with discretion and judgment.
- Impartiality and Objectivity: The ability to render decisions without regard or fear, love or hatred.
- Patience and Empathy: Being able to listen to everyone involved and human aspects of a conflict.
- Decisiveness and Courage: The Strength to make tough calls and resist external influences.
- Excellent Communication Skills: The capacity to express legal reasoning effectively and efficiently, each in speech and in writing.
Eligibility Criteria to Become a Judge in India (2025 Updated)
The eligibility criteria to become a judge. This is your answer to how to become a judge in India:
| Judicial Position | Educational Qualification | Age Limit (Varies by State) | Experience |
| Civil Judge/Judicial Magistrate | Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from a recognized university. | Typically 21 to 35 years. | As per a 2023 Supreme Court ruling, a minimum of three years of practice as an advocate is mandatory. |
| District Judge (Direct Recruitment) | Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from a recognized university. | Typically 35 to 45 years. | A minimum of seven years of continuous practice as an advocate. |
| High Court Judge | Citizen of India. | Up to 62 years (retirement age). | Must have held a judicial office in India for at least 10 years or been an advocate of a High Court for at least 10 years. |
| Supreme Court Judge | Citizen of India. | Up to 65 years (retirement age). | Must have been a judge of a High Court for at least five years, or an advocate of a High Court for at least 10 years, or be a distinguished jurist in the opinion of the President. |
Pathways to Becoming a Judge in India
India has three main routes to judicial career each having a separate recruitment procedure and its own bunch of challenges.
A. Civil Judge /Judicial Magistrate (Entry Level Judiciary)
It is by far the most popular way of getting into the judicial services, usually known as the Provincial Civil Service-Judicial (PCS-J) examination or the Judicial Service Examination.
Civil Judge in India
Interested applicants have to pass the competitive examiner given by the respective State Public Service Commission or the High Court.
Recruitment Process:
The selection process consists of three stages:
- Preliminary Examination: This is an objective-type (Multiple Choice Questions) screening test for shortlisting candidates for the main examination. It generally consists of two papers: General Knowledge and Law.
- Main Examination: This is a subjective, written examination that tests candidates’ academic legal knowledge. There are generally a number of papers which will have much of the following or a similar composition – Civil Law, Criminal Law, a language paper, a paper on procedural laws. The marks they obtain in the mains are used for concluding the final selection process.
- Interview/Viva-Voce: Candidates who pass the main examination will be called for an interview. The interview panel is usually composed of High Court judges and other respected persons. The panel then assesses applicants’ personality, legal knowledge, general knowledge and suitability for a judicial office.
Exam Pattern:
While there are different specifics from state to state, there are generally commonalities. Take our example of Uttar Pradesh PCS-J exam, which is one of the most popular designations. The preliminary exam consists of two papers (General Knowledge and Law) for 450 marks. The main exam consists of 6 papers, (General Knowledge, English Language, Hindi Language and 3 on Law) totaling 1,000 Marks. The interview has a value of 100 marks.
Eligibility after LLB:
An LLB degree from a university established by law (or a foreign LLB) is the only basic minimum educational qualification. However, the Supreme Court’s 2023 decision in All India Judges’ Association v. Union of India restated the condition of the minimum three years of experience as an advocate to be eligible for the Civil Judge (Junior Division) exam.
B. District Judge (Higher Judiciary at District Level)
There are two main routes to appointment to the position of a District Judge which is within the Higher Judicial Service (HJS). What are the steps to becoming a District Judge in India:
- Direct Recruitment (DJS – District Judge Service Exams): This pathway is available to active advocates that fulfill the eligibility requirements. Higher Judicial Service (HJS) examination is directly recruiting District Judges by the High Courts of different states. The exam is like the Civil Judge exam, there is the preliminary test, main written examination and an interview. The major distinction is the issue of eligibility whereby one must have at least seven years of uninterrupted practice as an advocate.
- Civil Judge/ Judicial Magistrate: This is the more conventional path, by which Civil Judges (Senior Division) are elevated to the status of District Judge either on seniority-cum-merit basis or by a Limited Departmental Competitive Examination (LDCE). The promotion process falls under the jurisdiction of the judicial service rules of the state and is informed by the evaluation of the performance of the judge, the annual confidential reports and an evaluation of the judgments that the judge has made. A Civil Judge (Senior Division) is usually expected to have served a specific number of years to be promoted.
C. High Court Judge and Supreme Court Judge:
Selection to higher judicial posts, the High Courts and the Supreme Court is not done by open competitive examination. Rather they rest on an appointment system by the President of India.
Appointment Process:
The Collegium System is the method used in appointing judges to the High Courts and the Supreme Court.
- High Court Judge: The Collegium in the appointment of a High Court judge, is composed of the Chief Justice of India and two of the senior-most judges of the Supreme Court. The proposal to appoint was originally made by the Chief Justice of the respective High Court after consulting two senior-most judges of that court. This recommendation is further applied to the Chief Minister of the state and he/she passes it to the Union Law Minister. The Supreme Court Collegium next takes the suggestion and forwards its final suggestion to the President of India to appoint.
- Supreme Court Judge: The Collegium recommending names of eminent judges or advocates for appointment as Supreme Court judges consists of the Chief Justice of India and the four senior-most judges of the Supreme Court. This recommendation is further forwarded to the Union Law Minister and then to the Prime Minister, who advises the President. For those aspiring to understand how to become a judge in India at the apex level, this process underscores the importance of seniority, integrity, and distinguished service in the judiciary or bar.
Eligibility:
To be eligible to assume these high judicial offices, an individual needs to be a citizen of India; he also needs to have considerable experience either as a judge or as an advocate as it is described in the eligibility table.
Years required to become a Judge in India (High Court/ Supreme Court):
- High Court Judge: He or she must have a minimum of 10 years experience either as a judicial officer or as an advocate. But in reality, lawyers and judicial officers who have much more experience are sought to be elevated.
- Supreme Court Judge: He or she must have at least five years experience as a High Court judge or 10 years experience as an advocate in a High Court. It is an honor to be tested by a long and brilliant career in the legal profession in the Supreme Court.
Judicial Services Exam Syllabus & Preparation Strategy
The Judicial Service Exam syllabus is extensive and differs from state to state and sometimes involves local laws. However, much of the syllabus covers the same subjects.
Common Topics:
- Civil Law: Code of Civil Procedure, Indian Contract Act, Transfer of Property Act, Specific Relief Act, Hindu Law, Muslim Law, Law of Torts.
- Criminal Law: Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, Indian Evidence Act.
- Constitutional Law: The Constitution of India.
- General Knowledge and Current Affairs: History, Geography, Indian Polity, Economy, Science and Technology, and recent national and international happenings.
- Language: English and the local language of the state.
Preparation Tips:
- Know Your Bare Acts Very Well: Bare acts form the primary source of law and are extremely important for your preparation. You should read all of them carefully and multiple times.
- Standard Texts: In addition to reading the bare acts you should read standard texts from recognized authors to develop your comprehension of law.
- Analyzing The Case Law: You should follow landmark and recent judgements of the Supreme Court and High Courts too. You need to be able to analyze or dissect the case law by picking out the ratio decidendi and obiter dicta.
- Answer Writing Practice: This is very important for the main exam. You have to practice writing compact, structured, referenced and correct answers.
- Mock Tests: You should do mock tests regularly for both the preliminary and main exam. The mock tests will help evaluate your test preparation, aid with time management and identify strengths and weaknesses.
- Regular Current Affairs Clips: Read newspapers and magazines regularly so that you stay abreast of current affairs, this is especially for the General Knowledge and interview section and is worth it.
- Language Ability: Make sure you do not neglect the language paper; it is useful for the final merit list.
How Difficult Is It to Become a Judge in India?
There is no denying that how to become a judge in India. A judge in India requires considerable effort and persistence. It is highly competitive – with lakhs applying for a limited pool of vacancies. The pass rate for judicial service exams is low – often less than 1%. The syllabus is vast, and the process can often be long and strenuous.
That said, with a clear plan of action, a strong commitment and consistent hard work, it is a tangible goal. But it’s not easy, especially for those who do not have the grounding in law, basic analytical skills and the temperament for a judicial career.
Career Progression and How Many Years to Become a Judge in India
The court service provides a clear career structure and a hard-working person would be able to climb the ladder.
- Civil Judge (Junior Division): The entry level post. Upon selection, they undergo a one year training at the Judicial Academy in the respective states.
- Civil Judge (Senior Division): One is promoted to this position after a period of about 5-7 years of service as a Civil Judge (Junior Division) depending on seniority and performance.
- District Judge: With a few more years of service a Civil Judge (Senior Division) may be further promoted to the rank of District Judge, normally after a total of 10-15 years of service in the subordinate judiciary. As discussed above, advocates having seven years of experience are also directly recruited as District Judges.
- High Court Judge: The appointment to the High Court is a very big step. A High Court Judge may be appointed from a District Judge who has an unblemished record and has served long enough to have established seniority, or a leading advocate with a practice of not less than 10 years. It may take 15 to 25 years of service before a judicial officer is lifted.
- Supreme Court Judge: The highest in the judicial career in India. Only the very superior High Court judges, and, in rare cases, superior advocates are appointed to the Supreme Court. This normally occurs at the end of a lengthy and illustrious career of several decades.
Judicial Hierarchy and Promotions:
The subordinate judiciary promotions are made on the basis of seniority combined with the merit and service record of that individual. The High Courts are also important in the appointment and placement of the judicial officers in their area of jurisdiction.
Conclusion
Becoming a judge in India is a marathon and not a sprint. It does not only require intelligence but also firm persistence and a deep-seated love for justice. A judge holds a position of great power and even greater responsibility. For those prepared to face the challenges, the rewards go beyond a secure and honorable career — it is the ultimate fulfillment of a duty to the nation and the rule of law.
If you’re wondering how to become a judge in India, the journey begins during your law school days. Start by building a strong foundation in core legal subjects. The key is consistency. Create a realistic and disciplined study plan and stick to it. Though the path is demanding, for the right person, it is a noble pursuit — a journey to becoming a true custodian of justice in the great Indian democracy.
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FAQs
Is experience in litigation required to be a judge?
The answer to this is yes, since a 2023 Supreme Court decision, one now requires at least three years of experience as an advocate to appear in the Civil Judge (Junior Division) exam. To be recruited directly as a District Judge, he/she must have at least seven years of practice.
Is it possible to become a judge after graduating LLM?
LLM is a good supplementary qualification, which can not give one a direct judicial entry. The most common path is via the competitive Judicial Service Examinations, where the minimum qualification is an LLB degree plus the necessary practice experience.
What is the number of attempts permissible in Judicial Service Examination?
The attempts are dependent on the state. There is no upper age limit in some states and in others, there might also be a limit on the number of attempts a candidate can take the examination.
How much does an Indian judge earn?
The salary of a judge is dependent on the level of the judiciary. The salaries are boosted with several allowances and benefits which rise tremendously with promotions.
