Overview: Explore your passion for the Indian Judiciary by discovering how to become a civil judge! This guide covers everything from immediate steps post-school to alternative routes, detailing qualifications and methods to achieve your judicial aspirations. So, let's begin!

In this article, we will cover:

• How to become a Civil Judge in India, including direct entry and judiciary exams.
• Eligibility criteria, including age and educational qualifications.
• Overview of judicial service examination stages: prelims, mains, and interview.
• Detailed information on law degree courses (BA LLB, LLB) and entrance exams (CLAT, AILET).
• Skills required for becoming a Civil Judge.
• Direct recruitment process for existing judiciary department members.
• Specific procedures for becoming a Civil Judge in Rajasthan, Haryana, and Punjab.

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Must Know Eligibility Criteria to Become a Civil Judge

Understanding the eligibility criteria is crucial for anyone looking to pursue a career as a Civil Judge. As you begin understanding how to become a Civil Judge, it's essential to be aware of the foundational requirements set by various state judiciary bodies. These criteria not only ensure that candidates possess the necessary qualifications but also help maintain the high standards expected within the judiciary system. Below, we elaborate on the key eligibility requirements for aspiring civil judges:

• Bachelor's Degree in Law from a Recognized University:

  • One of the primary steps on how to become a civil judge is obtaining a law degree. This ensures that candidates have a thorough understanding of legal principles, practices, and the framework within which the Indian legal system operates.
  • A recognized degree is a testament to the candidate's dedication and proficiency in the field of law, preparing them for the complex nature of judicial responsibilities.

• Age Criteria:

  • Aspiring civil judges must meet specific age requirements, with the minimum age set at 21 years and the maximum age typically below 35 years. These age criteria are designed to ensure that candidates have the maturity and life experience necessary for the role.
  • The age limit is carefully considered to balance the need for youthful energy and the wisdom that comes with age, contributing positively to the judiciary system.

• Qualification through the Civil Judge Exam:

  • The journey on how to become a Civil Judge involves clearing a series of examinations, starting with the prelims, followed by mains, and finally, the interview rounds. This rigorous selection process is essential in identifying candidates who not only have a solid legal foundation but also possess the analytical, reasoning, and interpersonal skills required for the role.
  • Success in these exams is a significant milestone in the path towards becoming a Civil Judge, marking the culmination of years of study, preparation, and dedication to the field of law.

How to Become a Civil Judge after the 12th?

Being a Civil Judge is a matter of prestige and, indeed, a dream of many Judiciary aspirants. Every year, lakhs of aspirants appear for the judicial service examinations held by 20 state-level judiciaries. 

The two primary paths to becoming a Civil Judge in any State High Court are: clearing the Judicial Services Examination or applying directly. The Judicial Services Examination is held for the position of Civil Judge in the High Court and Direct Recruitment, meaning that individuals who are already working in the Indian judiciary and want to become civil judge will be selected directly by giving an interview.

The admissions to these courses are provided based on marks scored in the entrance exam of a junior civil judge.

The most popular entrance exams that provide admission to law programs are CLAT, AILET, LSAT, SLAT, etc.

Undergraduate Degree Courses for Becoming a Civil Judge

The CLAT Exam is a national-level entrance exam conducted annually to provide admission to UG courses at 22 National Law Universities. (NLUs).

Courses	Course Details	Average Fees
Integrated BA LLB	Eligibility: Candidates must pass the 10+2 examination in relevant subjects with a minimum aggregate mark of 45%. Entrance Exams: LSAT Duration: 5 years	INR 30,000 to INR 3,00,000 per annum
LLB	Eligibility: Candidates must pass the 10+2 examination in relevant subjects with a minimum aggregate mark of 50%. Entrance Exams: CLAT, AILET, SET Duration: 3 years	INR 35,000 to INR 1,50,000 per annum

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Postgraduate Degree Courses for Becoming a Civil Judge

After completing your bachelor's degree, you can pursue various postgraduate law courses like LLM. To get admission to these courses, you must attempt entrance exams like AILET, CLAT PG Exam, etc.

However, post-graduation is not required to become a civil judge.

Courses	Course Details	Average Fees
Master of Law (LLM)	Eligibility: Candidates must have a qualified LLB or any other Graduate Law degree with a minimum aggregate mark of 50%. The minimum age for LLM is 17 years or more. Entrance Exams: AILET PG, CLAT PG, IPU CET, BHU LLM Duration: 5 years	INR 1,00,000 to INR 2,50,000

How to Become a Civil Judge in India after LLB?

Refer to the list of below-mentioned points to know the secrets to become a Civil Judge after LLB.

• The primary and minimum Judiciary Exam eligibility to apply for the Civil Judge post is that you must hold a degree in law from any recognized university.
• The essential requirement for becoming a civil judge is to have completed a bachelor's degree in law from a recognized board.
• You can do either BA LLB, a 5-year integrated law degree course) or LLB (Bachelor of Legislative Law), a 3-year law course.
• You can apply for LLB courses after graduating from any stream through a recognized university.
• The minimum age to apply for the Civil Judge post examinations is 21 years, and the maximum is 35 years.
• You must be a citizen of India to apply for the Civil Judge post examinations.

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How to Become a Civil Judge through Judicial Services Exam in 3 Steps?

Naina was a bright student. She always wanted to be the protector of justice and the messiah of common people. Thus, she decided to be a Civil Judge. Belonging to a non-law background, she had no idea how to become a civil judge in India.

Bunny, a friend of Naina, also wanted to become a District Judge. He suggested three golden steps to becoming a civil judge, which are as follows. 

Step 1: Earn a Bachelor’s Degree & Enroll in a Law School

Bunny told her to pursue a bachelor's degree in any field. But, he suggested that pursuing a law ug course would be better. It will help Naina to get a clear understanding of the law topics and Bare Acts.

The most important step is to appear in the law entrance examinations such as CLAT, AILET, ACLAT, DU LLB, and others to qualify for the LLB course. Else, the candidates may pursue a 5-year LLB instead of pursuing a bachelor’s degree and LLB separately, such as BA LLB, BBA LLB, or B.Com. LLB, B.Tech. LLB and others.

So, Naina enrolled herself in the LLB program at National Law University, Delhi. 

Step 2: Acquire the Skills Required 

Bunny told Naina that she must have the following skills to become a civil judge. 

• Excellent Critical Reasoning
• Strong Listening Ability
• Objective Analysis
• Reading Comprehension
• Unbiased Decision Making
• Empathy
• Good Writing Skills

Naina acquired all these skills by working as an intern in various law firms. 

Step 3: Qualify for the Judicial Services Examination

The favourite question of every judiciary aspirant is 'how to be a civil judge in India.' Well, we have some tips to help you become a Civil Judge. 

• The Judicial Services examination is the main exam conducted to recruit talented and hardworking candidates for various posts in the judiciary department of India.
• Every state‘s High Court and Judicial Services conduct the examination for the Civil Judge in their state’s High Court.
• As per the Judiciary Exam Pattern, there are three stages in the selection process, i.e., Preliminary Examination, Mains Examination, and Personal Interview round.
• The prelims exam is a screening test of 150 marks and will be a computer-based test.
• The Mains examination is a written test of 750 marks comprising four papers, i.e., Paper I is for General Knowledge and Language; Paper II is for Law – I, Paper III of Law III, and Paper IV is for Law paper.
• Paper 1 is 150 marks, and you will get 2 hours to complete it, and the three papers are 200 marks, and you will get 3 hours for each paper to complete.
• The prelims examination is qualifying in nature.
• The candidate's selection process depends on their score in the Mains examination and the Personal Interview Round. The Mains Examination is for 750 marks, and the personal interview is for 250 marks. So, the selection of the candidates depends on their total marks in both the Mains and personal interview rounds.
• Recently, Telangana Government announced a total of 87 Judiciary Exam Vacancy List for the Civil Judge in the Telangana High Court.

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Alternative Methods to Become a Civil Judge: Direct Recruitment 

Do you know how to become a civil judge in India? Here are the alternative methods for direct recruitment as a civil judge. 

• One more method through which you can become a civil judge, i.e., the direct recruitment method.
• Direct recruitment is valid only for candidates working in India's judiciary department.
• The candidates who have worked for the last five years are eligible to apply for the civil judge post examination.
• The candidates will have to apply for it internally only, and for recruitment, they also have to give a written test and interview.
• They will be selected based on their past record, current score, and personal interview round.
• If the candidate's past records are not good, like he had any issue with his senior, he is not good at work, or any issue, then the recruiter can cancel his or her candidature anytime.

How to Be a Civil Judge in Rajasthan?

Rajasthan High Court has prescribed specific criteria for the Rajasthan Judicial Service Examination. If you wish to apply for the RJS exam, you must satisfy the requirements set by the exam conducting body.

• The RJS Exam selection process involves three stages, i.e., prelims, mains, followed by the interview.
• The minimum age limit to apply for the exam is 21 years as of 01.01.2022
• The maximum age limit to apply for the RJS recruitment is 40 years.
• To apply for the Rajasthan Judicial Services Exam, you must hold a Bachelor of Laws (Professional) from any university established by Law in India and recognized under the Advocates Act, 1961.
• Also, you must have a thorough knowledge of Hindi written in Devanagari Script and Rajasthani dialects and the social customs of Rajasthan.

How to Become a Civil Judge in Haryana?

Haryana High Court is responsible for conducting the Haryana Civil Judge exam. As per the notification, your minimum age should be 21 years, and the maximum age is 42 years to apply for the exam.

Out of 256 vacancies, 56 are reserved for the General category, 40 for SC, 21 for BC-A, 11 for BC-B, 11 for EWS, 20 (ESM+ESP), and 10 for the PwD category.

• The preliminary round of the HCS Judicial Branch exam consists of 125 multiple-choice questions for 500 marks. The exam is conducted for 2 hours.
• In the Mains Exam, you are asked five subjects - Civil Law I, Civil Law II, Criminal Law III, English, and Language (Hindi in Devanagari Script).
• If you belong to the general category, you must obtain 50% marks in the Mains exam to get shortlisted for the viva-voce. For the reserved category, the qualifying marks are 45%.
• You will be shortlisted for interview/viva-voce only if you qualify for both the Prelims and Mains exams. The interview is conducted for a total of 100 marks.

How to Become a Civil Judge in Punjab?

The Punjab Judiciary Exam is conducted jointly by the High Court of Punjab & Haryana and the Punjab Public Service Commission to recruit civil judges. 

• The Preliminary Exam is a computer-based exam that includes multiple-choice questions.
• There are a total of 125 questions in the exam.
• The Mains exam includes five papers, i.e., Civil Law (Papers 1 & 2), Criminal Law, English Language, and Punjab Language.
• Except for the Punjab Language, the remaining papers are asked for 200 marks.

It must be noted that the syllabus for each state is different!

Conclusion

Becoming a Civil Judge is a commendable aspiration that requires a blend of academic excellence, adherence to eligibility criteria, and a successful passage through the rigorous selection process. As we've explored, the pathway to becoming a Civil Judge is structured yet rewarding, offering an opportunity to contribute significantly to the judiciary system and society at large.

Key Takeaways:

• Ensure you have a Bachelor's Degree in Law from a recognized institution, setting the foundation for your legal career.
• Meet the age criteria, with a minimum age of 21 years and a maximum age typically below 35 years, to demonstrate maturity and readiness for the role.
• Successfully navigate through the Civil Judge Exam, including prelims, mains, and interview rounds, showcasing your legal acumen, analytical skills, and personal attributes suited to the judiciary.

Remember, achieving your goal of "How to Become a Civil Judge 2024" is a testament to your dedication, hard work, and passion for upholding justice. Keep these insights in mind as you prepare for your journey, and you'll be well on your way to making a difference in the legal landscape of India.