How to Become a Supreme Court Judge in India

Indian administrative system is divided into three groups, and they are Legislative, Executive, and Judiciary. Each of these bodies has specific functions and roles. Take, for example, legislative is a law-making body, the executive executes the law and, judiciary provides justice to the oppressed people of the country. It is the judiciary of India that plays a pivotal role. Indian judiciary has judges and other people who fight against the wrongdoers. You must know that the highest court in India is the Supreme Court. This court is presided by the Chief Justice of India.

You can choose to become a judge of any court. But to do so, you have to acquire good academic qualifications. A judge is a superior person in the court. As a judge, your decision is firm and binding upon the parties. To become a judge is a matter of prestige and honor. In any court, it is the judge who gives the final verdict or decision. If you are the judge of any court, you have to be neutral in your decision. You have to make the judgment after hearing the case and carrying good research work. Please plan to become a judge.

Academic eligibility for a Supreme Court judge:

How to Become a Supreme Court Judge in India

To become a Supreme Court judge, you must have specific educational qualifications. In the following lines, you will know about the eligibilities.

  • You must complete your LLB course to become a judge. LLB course is now a five years course or three years Course. You can choose the suitable one. If you want to pursue a law course after 10+2, you have to go with the 5 years course. On the other hand, if you want to pursue legal career after graduation, you can go with a three years course.
  • It is also okay if you pursue the two years LLM course after the completion of LLB. This will widen your scope and avenues.
  • In some cases, few years of practicing experience is also required to become a Supreme Court judge. It is found that seven years of court experience is needed to become a Supreme Court judge.
  • You must remember that you will not be eligible to become a judge if you pursue any diploma course. To become a judge, you have to qualify for the judicial service that is held every year. The exam is taken in two phases. The first is the introductory level. If you pass that level you will be allowed to sit for the judicial service’s main test.
  • You must not cross 65 years of age to become a Supreme Court Judge. It is mentioned in the Indian Constitution.
  • It is okay if you serve as a distinguished jurist for 10 years. This period will give you good experience and knowledge. It will also make your path smoother to become a judge.

Skills required becoming a Supreme Court judge:

Apart from all this, it would help if you had some funda5mental qualities to become a Supreme Court judge. As a judge, you must be a disciplined person and man of strong ethics and morals. Here are some of them.

  • You have to be an Indian citizen. It is mandatory.
  • You have to qualify for all the examinations to become a Supreme Court Judge. The exam is taken in various levels, and you have to prepare all the levels, including the interview session.
  • You must be a good listener and must have excellent communication skills. You have to interact with people of various communities and states.
  • You must have good logical thinking ability, interpersonal skills, analytical and mediation skills.
  • You must have a good concept of legal knowledge.
  • You have to be a person of strong moral character. It is essential to see that you deal with every case with sincerity and dedication.
  • You must be vocal and outspoken. Try to go to the depth of the case before taking any decision.

Who appoints a Supreme Court Judge

You must try to know that who elects s Supreme Court judge. As per the Indian Constitution, under the supervision of the President of India and collegiums of senior judges of the Supreme Court and High Court elects a Supreme Court judge. It is mentioned in Article 124(2) of the Indian Constitution. However, a person selected for this position must work as the Supreme Court’s advocate for about 5 to 7 years. You must have a promising practicing career to become a Supreme Court Judge.

Steps to become a Supreme Court Judge:

In this part, you will learn about the steps to become a Supreme Court Judge. Through this discussion, you will form an idea about the process of becoming a Supreme Court judge.

  • You have to complete your 10+2 from any stream with a minimum mark of 55%. You have to try to meet your five years LLB course that comes after the 10+2 level. If it is not done you can pursue the course after graduation. You can go with a three years LLB course.
  • Many people complete the post-graduation course of 2 years (LLM). This will increase the scope of becoming a Supreme Court judge.
  • However, it would help if you tried to start practice in a court. A promising practicing career is required for becoming a Supreme Court Judge. It is okay if you have a sound practicing career of 5 to 7 years.
  • You have to first become the judge of the High Court for at least five years. If you complete this 5years time, you can be promoted to the Supreme Court.
  • One thing is also required for becoming a Supreme Court judge. You have to spend at least ten years of practicing career in the Supreme Court. This litigation experience is mandatory for becoming a Supreme Court Judge.
  • As per the President of India’s opinion, you need to become a distinguished jurist for becoming a Supreme Court Judge. You must also have a good sense of justice. Instead, you must have a clear conception of legal matters.
  • Besides this, to become the Supreme Court judge you must qualify the test conducted for this position. Once you clear the exam, we will call you for the interview round.

Salary of a Supreme Court Judge:

You must be eager to know about the salary package of a Supreme Court judge. It must be said that apart from the salaries, a Supreme Court judge is entitled to many perks and advantages. At the entry-level, the person gets about INR 7, 00,000 per annum. The salary remains INR 10, 00,000 per annum in the mid-senior level, and in the senior level the income becomes INR 30, 00,000 per annum. As a Supreme Court judge, you will also get a pension after retirement. So, it seems that life is settled with this job.

Job prospects as a Supreme Court judge:

In India, the highest guardian of law and order is the Supreme Court. Any decision of the Supreme Court is always binding upon the parties. You have to maintain it under any circumstances. If you successfully become a judge, you will gain a lot of prestige and honor. Your life is settled and secure at the same time. You have to cross a lot of hurdles and barriers to becoming a Supreme Court Judge. When be achieve it, you will be the winner. You can continue in this position for some years. Soon after this, you can try to become the Chief Justice of India. This time, the race is much demanding and challenging.

Selection procedure of the Supreme Court Judge:

You have to follow a process while getting selected for the position of a Supreme Court judge. The selection is only initiated when there is a vacancy. When a  Supreme Court judge is about to retire, the Supreme Court sends a proposal to the Ministry of Law, Justice, and Affairs for filling up the seat. The recommendation that is send by the Supreme Court is forwarded to the Prime Minister of India, who sends it back to the President of India. However, with the approval of the Indian President, the Secretary to the Department of Justice makes the appointment notice in the Official Gazette. You have to follow these gazettes to see about the vacancies. Once you come to know, you should start applying for the position.

Top Indian Law Colleges:

Here is the list of some of the best law colleges in India that can help you to become a successful professional in your future. These colleges are run by eminent lawyers and Judges who have already accumulated ample experience and knowledge. It will be great to gather knowledge from these personalities. You will be luckier. Here is the list of colleges.

  • National Law School of India University, Bangalore
  • National Law School, New Delhi
  • National Academy of legal studies and research, Hyderabad
  • Indian Institute of Technology (Rajiv Gandhi School of Law), Kharagpur, West Bengal
  • Symbiosis Law School, Noida

Conclusion:

The job of a judge is challenging and promising. You have to meet various challenges of life that may turn to be complicated. Being a Supreme Court Judge is a matter of prestige. It can change your life to a great extent. You should remember that if law and order are not strong, it cannot be a peaceful country. If you become a Supreme Court Judge, you can bring some changes in the judiciary. You should be a man of strong personality and willpower to become a judge.

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