New Delhi: The Supreme Court has reduced the mandatory legal practice experience for direct recruitment to the post of Civil Judge from three years to one year. However, the court has made it compulsory for candidates clearing the Judicial Service Examination to complete one year of intensive training followed by a one-year law clerkship.

The landmark order was delivered by a bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant in a case related to the appointment of judicial officers.

Candidates qualifying in the Judicial Service Examination must first undergo a one-year intensive training programme at their respective State Judicial Academy. Following this, they must complete a one-year law clerkship.

The first six months of the clerkship will be served under a Principal District Judge or members of the Higher Judicial Service, while the remaining six months will be under a sitting High Court Judge.

This mandatory training and clerkship will substitute for the remaining two years specified in the previous three-year experience rule.

Furthermore, the requirement for prior advocacy experience has been exempted for those applying between May 20, 2025 and March 31, 2027. However, successful candidates selected during this period will initially be appointed only as Trainee Judicial Officers for their first year and must subsequently complete the one-year clerkship.

The court observed that the sudden reintroduction of the three-year practice rule without a sufficient transition period caused hardship to young lawyers and law graduates.