NEET-Like Exam for Recruiting Judicial Officers? Government Proposes Idea!

Considering the huge number of vacancies for the post of judges at lower courts, the Government has proposed to the Supreme Court the idea of conducting a NEET-like exam to recruit judges. According to the data released in December 2015, there is a vacancy of 4,452 judges in subordinate courts.

The sanctioned strength of Judges in subordinate courts is 20,502, however, there are only 16,050 judges/judicial officers. The Government has proposed various entrance exam-based approaches to recruit officers in the lower judicial system. Though the idea is 60-year-old, the approach has been opposed by various states.

Following are the ideas proposed by the Government for recruiting Judicial Officers:

• Secretary (Justice), Law Ministry wrote to the Secretary General of Supreme Court that a NEET -like exam could be conducted to fill up the vacancies in the subordinate courts.
• The Law Ministry also suggested conducting a "centralised examination" that can be organised by a recruitment body for the purpose.
• Another proposal added that Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) can be given the responsibility to conduct a judicial officers’ recruitment test by modifying its procedures after consulting the high courts.
• Selection procedures followed by Institute of Banking could also be used for the selection of judges to lower courts, added the Secretary (Justice).

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The letter written by the Secretary (Justice) was a follow-up of the meeting held on April 8 regarding speedy justice. Various Government and judiciary representatives were present in the meeting. The meeting was chaired by Adarsh Goel, Apex Court Judge and Head of the Arrears Committee.

Currently, exams are conducted by various high courts and state service commissions to recruit judicial officers. The sanctioned strength of judiciary system has increased but has not reached the required figure. It is essential to fill these vacancies in order to speed up the case solving process.

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The letter has been forwarded to the states to get their point of views and will be discussed when the court’s summer break is over. The objections made by various states will also be discussed and considered before taking the final decision.