A judge in India is a legal professional. Any student taking the LLB degree has the primary motive of becoming a judge. A judge is considered to be one of the most prestigious civil servants in India. A judge will preside over all the court proceedings and will also listen to both the prosecutors and the defense. The judge will give the body to the court after they listen to both parties about applicable laws and matters. Many young aspirants to the LLB degree in India have a dream career of becoming judges, so they need to learn the process of how to become judges in India and the duties that a judge has to perform.
So, here we are going to discuss the primary duties of a judge and how you can easily become a judge in India.
What are the primary duties of a judge?
As a legal professional who gets appointed to take command of the legal court proceedings in India, the judge will pass the final verdict after listening to both parties. They will give a proper opportunity to both parties before making decisions regarding the legal dispute. The judges must hear the allegations from both the defense and the prosecution parties. They need to witness the testimony, inform the defendants about their rights, and rule over the admissibility of evidence.
The judge also has the major duty of giving instructions to the jury members. They are responsible for determining the guilt or innocence of the criminal. They have the right to impose the sentence on the defendant who is found guilty. The judge also has the responsibility to determine damages and liability in civil cases.
Understanding the Process for How to Become a Judge in India
Becoming a judge in India is very easy. You need to follow certain important steps that will help you have the best career in LLB and become eligible to work as a judge. The steps that you must follow are:
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Complete Bachelors Degree
After you complete your 10 + 2 education, the students need to complete a bachelor’s degree to become judges. There is no requirement for you to complete your bachelor’s in any discipline, and you can complete it in any sufficient way, like B.com, BBA, BCA, BA, or BTech.
Study at a Law Coaching
After completing your bachelor’s degree, all candidates are required to appear in law entrance exams like AILET, DU LLB, ACLAT, CLAT, and others. If you want to qualify to study for the LLB degree at a top law university in India, then you need to clear these entrance exams. This will help you to continue your career as a judge in India. To clear the difficult entrance exam for the five-year LLB degree, you need to study at the best law coaching institute in India. Most of the law aspirants in India look forward to studying at a top coaching institute to easily get their LLB degree.
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Qualify to Take the Judicial Services Exams
To work as a judge in India, the aspirants must sit for the Judicial Services Test, or the Provincial Civil Services Judicial Exam (PCS). It is a type of exam through which law graduates can easily become practicing members of the subordinate judiciary. This is one of the primary ways in which freshly graduated students can become subordinate court judges.
The two types of examinations that are available for law aspirants are:
- Lower Judicial Services
- Higher Judicial Services
The examination will happen in three rounds for both of these judicial services exams. The first round will be the preliminary examination, which will be an objective-based exam. The minimum passing percentage in this section is 60% for general students and 55% for reserved students.
After this, there is the main examination, where the students have to give a written test. General students with 50% marks will acquire the next spot, while reserved students need 40% marks to go to the next round.
The last step is the Viva test, where the interview round will happen for the recruitment panel.
How Do I Become a Supreme Court Judge?
The Indian judiciary system comprises three types of courts: the Supreme Court, the High Court, and the Subordinate Courts. The most powerful and highest court in India is the Supreme Court. Situated in Delhi, it is one of the most effective government bodies in the country, where decisions taken cannot be challenged or ruled by any other court in India. The details of the eligibility criteria for understanding how to become a Supreme Court judge are:
- The person has to be an Indian citizen to be eligible to become a Supreme Court judge.
- The person has to qualify for the LLM or LLB degree.
- You need to have experience working as a judge for a high court with a minimum experience of 5 years. You can also work as a high court advocate for a minimum period of 10 years.
- A person can also be eligible to become a judge of the Supreme Court if they are an exceptional jurist, according to the president of India.
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How Do I Become a Judge of a High Court?
High courts are considered to be state-level courts. There are 25 High Courts in India, comprising every state and union territory. The eligibility criteria for becoming a judge of the high court are:
- You have to be an Indian citizen.
- You must qualify for the LLM and LLB degrees.
- You must have been a judicial officer in the country for 10 years, or you must also have been an advocate for the high court for 10 years.
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Salary details for a judge in India
The salaries of the judges in India depend upon their career progressions and their appointments in courts. The details are:
| Position | Current Salary | Proposed Salary |
| Junior Civil Judge or First Class Magistrate | INR 27,700 to INR 47,700 | INR 77,840 to INR 1,36,520 |
| Junior Civil Judge or First Class Magistrate (After 5 Years in the Service) | INR 33,090 to INR 45,850 | INR 92,960 to INR 1,36,520 |
| Junior Civil Judge or First Class Magistrate (After 5 Years of First Career Progression) | INR 39,530 to INR 54,010 | INR 1,11,000 to INR 1,63,030 |
| Senior Civil Judge | INR 39,530 to INR 54,010 | INR 1,11,000 to INR 1,63,030 |
| Senior Civil Judge (After 5 Years in the Service) | INR 43,690 to INR 56,470 | INR 1,22,700 to INR 1,94,660 |
| Senior Civil Judge (After 5 Years in Career Progression) | INR 51,550 to INR 63,070 | INR 1,44,840 to INR 1,94,660 |
| District Judge | INR 57,700 to INR 70,290 | INR 1,63,030 to INR 2,19,090 |
| District Judge (Selection Grade prior to 5 Years of Entry Grade) | INR 70,290 to INR 76,450 | INR 1,99,100 to INR 2,41,000 |
| District Judge (3 Years to Selection Grade) | INR 70,290 to INR 76,450 | INR 1,99,100 to INR 2,41,000 |
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Conclusion on Become a Judge
These are the details that will help you understand how to start your career as a judge. Complete your minimum qualifications and then start practicing law at the court to become a subordinate court judge. Take guidance from the best law coaching institute for the best results.
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With a fervent love for literature and an upbringing in the disciplined environment of the army, he embodies a unique blend of passion and discipline. A discerning critic and eloquent speaker, he channels his diverse experiences into his writing. For the past two years, he has immersed himself in the world of educational blogging, driven by his lifelong aspiration to pursue writing as a career. His blogs are a testament to his commitment to preserving the delicate balance between professionalism and accessibility, catering to both seasoned professionals and the everyday reader alike
