On May 20, 2025, the Supreme Court of India reinstated the requirement that candidates must have a minimum of three years of legal practice to be eligible for entry-level judicial services. However, the Court clarified that this condition will not apply to recruitment processes already initiated by High Courts before this judgment. These ongoing processes can proceed without the new practice requirement. The minimum practice condition will be applicable only to future recruitment processes.

This decision aims to ensure that judicial officers possess practical legal experience, enhancing the quality of the judiciary. Nonetheless, it also considers the interests of candidates who have already applied under previous eligibility criteria, allowing their applications to be processed without the new requirement.

Sources