Judicial Services Examination – What And How To Prepare?

In the present time thousands of law graduates who cracked the Judicial Services Examination to realize the dream of entering the highly prestigious Indian judiciary. For those who have a turning towards public service, the judiciary can be a worthwhile option.

The Judicial Services Examination provides a secure and pleasant tenure. Besides, it gives an opportunity to the selected candidates to distribute the country. Around 70,000 to 80,000 candidates appear for Judicial Services Examination each year in this country, but only those like Judges who studied with an intention and according to a plan, succeed. In order to succeed in Judicial Services Examination, a candidate can either take the self-study method or can adopt the support of a coaching institute. For the Preliminary examination, the focus on the bare Act study thoroughly whereas, with regard to mains examination, conceptual clarity about the various concepts of law is needed. As far as the interview is anxious, apart from the thorough knowledge about the current affairs as well as the general knowledge, the focus should be on important concepts of laws those are mention under IPC, CPC, CrPC and Evidence Act.

Read: Tricks to Crack Judicial Examination

What is Judicial Services Examination?

Judicial Services Examination which is commonly referred to, are entry-level exams for law graduates to become a judge of the judicial department. The state governments under the supervision of the respective Hon’ble High Courts appoint members/judge of the lower judiciary based on the competitive examination that is Judicial Service Examination.

Eligibility Criteria for Judicial Services Examination:

Lower Judiciary Services: The eligibility criteria for appearing in Lower Judicial Services Examination is-

1. A person must be a citizen of India.

2. Candidates must have been degree in LL.B or must be graduates in law.

3. He/she has enrolled or qualified to be enrolled as an advocate under the Advocates’ Act 1961. No practice experience is required and final year student can also appear.

4. The age limit varies according to the state. it is usually between 21 to 35 years.

Higher Judiciary Services: The eligibility criteria for appearing in Lower Judicial Services Examination is-

1. A person must be a citizen of India.

2. Candidates must have been degree in LL.B or must be graduates in law.

3. Candidates have a minimum number of years of litigating practice; usually seven years.

Structure of the Judicial Examination:

Judicial Service Examination is held in three continuous stages namely-

1. Preliminary Examination– The preliminary examination distributes as a screening for mains exam. It constructed objective type questions. The marks secured in the preliminary examination are not numbered for the final selection. The percentages of qualifying marks vary as per state to state. The minimum qualifying marks in the preliminary examination are 60 percent for general category and 55 percent for reserved categories.

2. Mains Examination– The mains examination is subjective type question paper. The exam constructed three to four papers. The marks secured by candidates are numbered for the final selection. Candidates equal to three times the number of vacancies are called for viva-voce or personal interview.

3. Viva-Voce/Personal Interview– This is the final stage of selection procedure for judicial services where candidates are evaluating on general interest, personality and intelligence among other factors.

Syllabus for Judicial Examination: 

The syllabus varies on the basis of state to state. It is broadly divided into Law (Civil law, Criminal Law, cyber law, family law etc.) and Language paper. The weight given to the language paper is almost 20 percent to 30 percent. The mains examination constructed six to seven papers and almost 70 percent of the questions are from law.

States conducting Judicial Services Examination

Arunachal Pradesh Assam Bihar Chhattisgarh Goa Delhi
Himachal Pradesh Haryana Jammu and Kashmir Jharkhand Karnataka Kerala
Madhya
Pradesh
Maharashtra Manipur Mizoram Nagaland Odisha
Punjab Rajasthan Sikkim Uttarakhand Uttar
Pradesh
West Bengal

How to prepare for Judicial Services Examination?

Candidates must be following those points namely-

1. First of all, candidates must be set your aim for being selected as a Judicial Officer and becoming so in your life. Then proceed further in this discretion with the consistent, well-planned and systematic preparation by preparing a well-planned, convenient & suitable time-table coupled with hard-work and strict discipline.

2. Have dominion over the subject/law by exhaustively & intensively studying and assimilating the Bare-Acts concerning the subjects of the examination without ignoring anything. Emphasis and focus on the key-points and language of the relevant provisions for answering the questions.

3. Practise the previous and model question and practice papers of the judicial as well as various examinations conducted by the various Public Service Commissions and High Courts for growing habit of and dominate the time-management as if you were appearing at the Examination-Hall for ensuring that no question [wholly or partly] is remained un-attempted particularly in the Written [Main] Examination.

4. For Language paper, read some standard Grammar book of the language anxious along with News-Papers, Magazines and Judgments rendered by the Hon’ble Supreme Court and the Hon’ble High Court/s. It helps in preparing précis-writing, translation and Essay-writing.

5. For General Knowledge & Legal General Knowledge, regularly read the News-Papers, Magazines and Judgments rendered by the Hon’ble Supreme Court and the Hon’ble High Court/s and some standard book of General Knowledge & Legal General Knowledge.

**Candidates must be remembering that there is no short-cut to success and that Rome was not built in a day. **

Recommended Books To Buy –

  • Solved Papers of Judicial Services Preliminary Examination – Buy Now
  • Multiple Choice Questions for Judicial Service Examination (Chapter-wise and Topic-wise) Vol.4  – Buy Now
  • Universal’s Guide to Judicial Service Examination – Buy Now

  • Judicial Service Examination/Unsolved Mains (All States) Papers (Subject-Wise and Topic-Wise)/Civil Judge Exam for Mains – Buy Now

  • Set of 3 books for MCQ Judicial Service Examination Chapter-wise and Topic-wise – Buy Now

  • Practice Papers for Judicial Service & Other Law Competitions: Dr. P.K. Pandey – Buy Now

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