How has it been working as a Judicial Officer, specifically at DJS, has it been an enriching and satisfying experience or more of a run of the mill job?
Terrible job and terrible colleagues, big letdown if you are a smart NLU grad. But useful as a stepping stone to a litigation career and for CV value. I would say do the following:
- join the lit department of a tier 1 firm and work there for 2 years - then join a "brand name" HC/SC counsel in Delhi and work there for another 2 years - then join the DJS and work there for 3 years - then take leave and do an LLM at Harvard - then return to India and marry someone from a rich and influential family - then start your own practice in two cities: Delhi plus a tier 2/tier 3 city (e.g. Delhi-Allahabad, Delhi-Chandigarh) - then aim for a HC judgeship in that city - then either hope to become an SC judge, or quit and move back to Delhi to practice with the tag of being an ex-HC judge, or quit and join politics
Many of the lower judiciary officers resign and get higher position in law firms. If you have talent and want to get to judiciary, better practise as advocate and try to enter the higher judiciary at a later stage.
I was actually worried about work life balance in corporate law firms, while I can slog a lot, I do not want to spend all my youth simply slogging away, is Judiciary a better go to solution?
Can any insider give more insight on things like career progression and quality of life, since there is not much public visibility of Judicial Officers?
From hearsay, Delhi Judicial Services is the most attractive Lower Judicial Services in the country. Yes.
With attractiveness comes massive competition. Other States JSE has far far less takers than DJS. DJS has no extra local language requirements (only Hindi and English)
While in AP/TN you need to knows Telugu/Tamil, that too you need to be able to read, translate - entire orders/Judgements and write like a local person.
Even for a student from cities like Chennai/Hyderabad, he/she may not know to properly translate Judgements into Tamil/Telugu (Trust me, translation and writing is not like speaking, it's way more harder) It also gives local State Government Law College Students an extra edge.
But DJS almost everyone across the country can apply - because everyone studies Hindi and has knowledge enough to read and write.
So other states Judicial Services are less competitive as there is no cross state competiton ( Tough Local Language Tests and Requirements even prevents many Native Top NLU Students from ever applying)
So many students from other states (UP, Rajasthan, Telengana) also write DJS. Competition is not just from Delhi. Also the salaries are the highest for a lower JS Magistrate.
Everywhere else there are super long interstate transfers every 3 years, where majority of postings can be in Rural Areas. You will have a hard time shifting your family across the State. But in DJS, you always stay in Delhi and surroundings.
Let's say you are from Bangalore. And join Karnataka LJS. It's very unlikely that you will get more than 2 tenures in Bangalore. Majority of your career will be spent in rural/small Towns. In DJS that doesn't happen.
You will even see students from NLU Delhi, NALSAR and NLS trying for DJS (Despite getting placements)
Go to any other state, you won't see that happening. Students from Top NLU's rarely apply for LJS Exams of thier native states. Go to AP/TN Judicial Services, it's very unlikely to see Telugu/Tamil people from NALSAR/NLUD writing the test. Only Law College students apply (I am not saying any particular college is good or bad - Just pointing out how attractive DJS is)
Also if you don't like, you can resign and join law firms/private practice. As Delhi has a lot of opportunities. Do the same in an another state, (resign after a decade) it's almost very difficult to get back to practice.
Salary is a big issue, with all states being reluctant and nonchalant in spending on judicial officers.
Of course, the number of people willing to relocate to rural areas is dismissive. But, with an attractive pay( may be upwards of 150k) and a dash of better infrastructure in rural and far flung places, the judiciary is an option to look out for.
Given that the salary issue is likely to be sorted very soon, since your placed on the same pedestal as that a entry level IPS or Ias officer, judiciary may turn out to be a worthy career option.
I am not starting te debate on career progression, which is decent, but not luring enough.
Mere hisaab se - Haan satisfying hai zaroor. You will have decent pay in a stable career, the chance to live in Delhi, the opportunity to help litigants who approach your court, the respect of society. That's satisfaction worthy in my books.
Don’t want to work in Law Firm, while I am fine with less pay is it equivalent in terms of other group A civil services, for example IRS etc, if not IAS and IPS?
Lower judicial services jobs are utter crap and you do not get promoted as a HC judge (if at all) until you are 60 or so. Most smart people join the judicial services with the plan of exiting after 3 to 5 years and starting their own chamber or doing an LLM abroad with a scholarship (awarded because of BS about serving society) and then settling abroad.
If you are from an elite English-speaking social background, you will feel very demotivated in the DJS of other state judicial service. However, you can use it as a stepping stone to many different careers. For example, you can join the litigation department of a firm, or join the chambers of an A-list counsel, or start your own practice, or apply for a Fulbright scholarship and go to Harvard for an LLM and then join White & Case in New York.
1.23 lpm in hand + bahut sare incentive/perks/allowances + judicial power + prestige + rutwa + falna dhimaka milnge too kisko boring lage ga ye job. Yet for those it is boring than bhaiya/didi go before Adani or Ambani qki unhi ke pass tmhre farmais ki job hai
- join the lit department of a tier 1 firm and work there for 2 years
- then join a "brand name" HC/SC counsel in Delhi and work there for another 2 years
- then join the DJS and work there for 3 years
- then take leave and do an LLM at Harvard
- then return to India and marry someone from a rich and influential family
- then start your own practice in two cities: Delhi plus a tier 2/tier 3 city (e.g. Delhi-Allahabad, Delhi-Chandigarh)
- then aim for a HC judgeship in that city
- then either hope to become an SC judge, or quit and move back to Delhi to practice with the tag of being an ex-HC judge, or quit and join politics
With attractiveness comes massive competition. Other States JSE has far far less takers than DJS. DJS has no extra local language requirements (only Hindi and English)
While in AP/TN you need to knows Telugu/Tamil, that too you need to be able to read, translate - entire orders/Judgements and write like a local person.
Even for a student from cities like Chennai/Hyderabad, he/she may not know to properly translate Judgements into Tamil/Telugu (Trust me, translation and writing is not like speaking, it's way more harder) It also gives local State Government Law College Students an extra edge.
But DJS almost everyone across the country can apply - because everyone studies Hindi and has knowledge enough to read and write.
So other states Judicial Services are less competitive as there is no cross state competiton ( Tough Local Language Tests and Requirements even prevents many Native Top NLU Students from ever applying)
So many students from other states (UP, Rajasthan, Telengana) also write DJS. Competition is not just from Delhi. Also the salaries are the highest for a lower JS Magistrate.
Everywhere else there are super long interstate transfers every 3 years, where majority of postings can be in Rural Areas. You will have a hard time shifting your family across the State. But in DJS, you always stay in Delhi and surroundings.
Let's say you are from Bangalore. And join Karnataka LJS. It's very unlikely that you will get more than 2 tenures in Bangalore. Majority of your career will be spent in rural/small Towns. In DJS that doesn't happen.
You will even see students from NLU Delhi, NALSAR and NLS trying for DJS (Despite getting placements)
Go to any other state, you won't see that happening. Students from Top NLU's rarely apply for LJS Exams of thier native states. Go to AP/TN Judicial Services, it's very unlikely to see Telugu/Tamil people from NALSAR/NLUD writing the test. Only Law College students apply (I am not saying any particular college is good or bad - Just pointing out how attractive DJS is)
Also if you don't like, you can resign and join law firms/private practice. As Delhi has a lot of opportunities. Do the same in an another state, (resign after a decade) it's almost very difficult to get back to practice.
This is an outsiders perspective.
Of course, the number of people willing to relocate to rural areas is dismissive. But, with an attractive pay( may be upwards of 150k) and a dash of better infrastructure in rural and far flung places, the judiciary is an option to look out for.
Given that the salary issue is likely to be sorted very soon, since your placed on the same pedestal as that a entry level IPS or Ias officer, judiciary may turn out to be a worthy career option.
I am not starting te debate on career progression, which is decent, but not luring enough.
Genuine question.
Apart from this, agree with your comment.
Especially content that's not available on the internet.
Aren't there other relatively easier paths? Except for the white case, I don't find DJS worth of a stepping stone (keeping restricted to your options)
it is worth it, if you clear it. otherwise not.
So, the starting in-hand is around 1.47 per month.