Judge (judicial services)
Deciding cases in India's courts — starting as a Civil Judge or Judicial Magistrate.
Facts checked 17/10/2026
- Class 11–12 subjects
- Any stream.
- First degree
- LLB (5-year after Class 12, or 3-year after a degree), enrolled (or eligible) as an advocate.
- Entrance exams
- State Judicial Services exam for Civil Judge (Junior Division), run by the High Court or the State Public Service Commission: Prelims, Mains, Viva.
- Licence or registration
- Enrolment as an advocate with a State Bar Council.
What the work is like
Hearing civil and criminal cases, writing judgments, managing a court. Promotions lead to Senior Civil Judge and District Judge.
The full route: exams, training, registration
- Step 1LLB at a Bar Council-recognised college; enrol as an advocate.
- Step 2 · from April 2027At least 1 year of actual practice in the district courts, certified with a senior advocate. (reported — check with the official body)
- Step 3Your state's Civil Judge exam. Karnataka example: Prelims (100, qualifying) → Mains (4 papers incl. English–Kannada translation) → Viva (100).
- Step 4 · 2 years1 year at the State Judicial Academy + 1 year clerkship (6 months with a District Judge, 6 with a High Court judge). (reported — check with the official body)
- Step 5Appointment as Civil Judge / Judicial Magistrate.
- LaterDistrict Judge: by promotion, or directly from the Bar after 7 years' practice (Karnataka: up to age 45, 48 SC/ST).
Ways in
- Civil Judge (Junior Division)
- Who
- Law graduates enrolled as advocates (plus 1 year's practice from April 2027).
- Age
- Varies by state. Karnataka (2025): up to 35 General, 38 OBC, 40 SC/ST. Delhi (2023): up to 32.
- Selection
- Prelims → Mains → Viva. You must know the state's language (e.g. a Kannada translation paper and a Kannada test in Karnataka).
- Training
- Judicial Academy and clerkship, as above.
- You get
- Civil Judge / Judicial Magistrate First Class.
- District Judge (direct from the Bar)
- Who
- Advocates with at least 7 years' practice. Since Oct 2025, judicial officers with 7 years of combined practice and service can also apply (minimum age 35, reported).
- Age
- Karnataka (2023): up to 45 (48 SC/ST). Delhi: 35–45 (reported).
- Selection
- Prelims → Mains → Viva.
- Training
- Judicial Academy.
- You get
- District Judge.
- Other government legal jobs
- Who
- Assistant Public Prosecutor (state exams; e.g. Tamil Nadu asks for 5 years' criminal practice) · Law officers in PSUs like NTPC and NHPC, often hired on CLAT PG scores · JAG in the Army.
- Age
- Varies.
- Selection
- State PSC exams, or CLAT PG score + interview for PSUs.
- Training
- On the job.
- You get
- Government legal service.
- May 2025: the Supreme Court required 3 years' practice before the Civil Judge exam.
- 21 Aug 2026 (Bhumika Trust v. Union of India, 2:1): for notifications up to 31 March 2027, fresh law graduates can apply; those selected do 1 year at the Judicial Academy and a 1-year clerkship on half pay. From 1 April 2027: 1 year of actual practice in district courts is needed, then the same training. An LLM does not count as practice. (Reported from legal news; High Courts are updating their rules.)
Good to know
- High Court and Supreme Court judges are appointed through the collegium system — there is no exam.
- Keep a record of your court appearances from day one; you'll need a certificate of practice.
About pay: it varies a lot by city, employer and skill, and changes year to year, so we don't print salary numbers. Ask us in a session and we'll show you current, sourced figures for your case.
Sources: Karnataka High Court, Civil Judge notification (Feb 2025) · Karnataka High Court, District Judge notification (Oct 2023) · Delhi High Court, DJS 2023 notice · SC Observer: 3-year practice rule (May 2025) · LiveLaw: practice rule modified (Aug 2026) · Verdictum: Bhumika Trust judgment summary · SC Observer: judicial officers and District Judge posts (Oct 2025) · TNPSC APP notification (Dec 2025) · NHPC Trainee Officer (Law) via CLAT PG · No exam for High Court judges (govt reply, 2023)