India Supreme Court cuts judicial entry practice to one year

The Supreme Court of India on Friday, August 21, 2026, significantly reduced the mandatory legal practice requirement for law graduates seeking entry-level judicial positions, cutting the period from three years to one year. The decision modifies a controversial May 2025 ruling that had reinstated the three-year bar practice criterion, a move the court acknowledged had caused hardship for young lawyers.

A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant delivered the ruling by a 2:1 majority, with Justices Augustine George Masih and K Vinod Chandran. Justice Chandran dissented, upholding the original 2025 verdict in its entirety. The court was reviewing a batch of petitions challenging the earlier judgment.

Under the new framework, successful candidates will no longer need to provide proof of three years of legal practice before applying for the Civil Judge Junior Division examination. Instead, they will be required to complete a structured two-year program after selection. This includes one year of intensive training at a State Judicial Academy, followed by a one-year law clerkship. The clerkship will be divided into six months under a Principal District Judge or a member of the Higher...