I've noticed very little influence of NLU grads in Judiciary examinations. Although the number are on an increasing trend but considering the tag and prestige of NLU isn't it surprising to see such low representation of students, I mean the whole purpose of establishing NLUs across the country was to uplift the Legal education in the country but most of the grads prefer corporate making the agenda void. What do you guys think are the reasons one should or shouldn't pursue it as an NLU grad?
(Note: Please don't pollute the thread by addressing me as someone who can't think beyond NLUs, I'm just curious to know what lead the grads to choose corporate over litigation or judiciary.)

NLUs cost money. Neither judiciary pays any, nor does litigation for the first decade unless you've already got family connections. The guidance received from seniors is also limited to only a few fortunate people. Upliftment of legal education sounds too fancy a thing for which government is not spending anything anywhere near adequacy. A lot of NLU graduates have been doing very good work if you actually follow their career trajectories. But they choose to do so after getting some financial stability unless they have got family money.

Is 75k per month plus perks nothing???

Yes, when you are spending close to 18 lakhs for your education, it is. Not to mention atrocious working conditions and lack of infra. People who want good minds to flock to the judiciary regularly should clamour from the improvement of the working conditions first. All those brilliant legal minds in the SC Benches have done very little to change that for the better over the years, because in reality they treat lower judiciary like people beneath their notice.

Bhai 18L kismei lag gaye tere? Donation diya tha kya

Add all miscellaneous expenses, travel for moot court, internships, cost of books, formal clothes, hostel and mess fees, and include the interest payable on the education and you will reach roughly that amount for most NLUs.

Every NLU costs about 12 to 15 anyway??

We have a helipad for CM and cost under 10L, I welcome all talented young brains to this innovation hub of an NLU which boasts of one of the best comedians as its most famous alumni.

Which NLU costs 18 Lacs??

80k per month is what you get at some tier 2 law firms, when you include the cost of living in a metro city.
With next to no extra benefits and shitty working condition (crap hours, little to no respect, can be fired anytime)

I'd anyday pick Judicial Services which offers me 75k per month as a fresher judge (Bound to increase to 90k dor fresher judge with second Judicial pay commission and a return to old pension scheme) with a bungalow, househelp, transport facility, good working hours and respect.

Bungalow for all the members of the lower judiciary? Please wake up from your dream. T2 firms may start with 70k per month, but the annual rise including bonus will keep rising, plus you can easily shift to a T1 firm after just a year. No argument about work stress, that's certainly better for the judiciary compared to firms, unless you are counting the danger of getting killed by people you have or are going to rule against, as some judges have found to their misfortune lately.

Ever heard of housing allowance ;)

Also, I am pretty sure that the security of lower judiciary officers is bound to increase as the SC has taken suo moto cognizance after the death of Judge Uttam Anand.

Lol, as someone who has been in this profession for a while, let me just say that you are being too optimistic.

What respect? May be true in small towns. Otherwise not really that much.

This seems like a narrative from the 1600s- curbing of choices masqueraded as a well intended societal objective. "Oh I created these institutes for you, now you please join judiciary/ litigation and improve the quality...." Firstly, students pay (quite hefty fees) for their education at NLUs, which are not subsidized in any way. Hence they need to make the smartest economic choice in case they don't intend to live in poverty and drag their families into it. They don't owe an obligation to anyone but themselves and their families. Secondly, lower judiciary/ litigation won't attract the brightest with prospects elsewhere. Financial insecurity is a real thing which dissuades people from joining litigation. And not everyone is comfortable with grinding through lower judiciary in remote small towns for the rest of their lives for very average pay, while the by birth privileged form a cabal and monopolize the higher judiciary. The onus of improving judiciary lies on the government/ higher judiciary, not fresh graduates swamped in debt. Stop the practice of appointing judges in higher courts on the basis of recommendation of "uncles"/ "family friends" and start an all India competitive exam if real improvement is to be witnessed.

First of all, you needa stop blaming the judiciary for this, we have seen how hard they have worked for a greater representation of aspiring lawyers in the system.
The problem is that the ultimate power to appoint judges again rests with the executive, this collegium is just a farce, to project some notion of judicial independence.
The judiciary is a mechanism that legitimates the govts decisions, they have no real power, so the problem is with the elected incumbent.

On the contrary, the percentage of NLU students/All law students in India is actually lesser than the percentage of NLU students cracking judiciary/All law students cracking judiciary in India.

Well, NLU Nagpur seems to have heeded to your concerns by starting an entire new degree course for this - the B.A. LL.B. (Honours in Adjudication and Justicing) - aimed at prepping kids for the judiciary exams over five years of law school. IMHO, this is just a glorified coaching class enterprise though.. minting money!

JGLS WANTS TO KNOW YOUR LOCATION

A lot of people from the lower NLUs get into judicial services.

RMLNLU being the flag bearer. https://www.jagran.com/uttar-pradesh/lucknow-city-150-selecting-for-judges-under-pcs-j-in-the-uttar-pradesh-19427591.html (Article is in Hindi)

CNLU, NLUD and HNLU also have also given many Judicial Officers.

How many NLUD students approximately are there in the lower judiciary? More than 20 probably not. Most of the older NLUs have a lot of LLM students who eventually join the judiciary though.

The reason NLU grads are not that attracted towards judiciary is simple..THEY HAVE OPTIONS. And that too better paying ones. As you can see from multiple threads on savings and investments, a 10 year PQE Tier 1 lawyer or even a good in-house counsel can have a net asset value of 5 to 15 crores. A lower judiciary officer can not even dream of this much money in such a short span of time. An A4 lawyer may be earning 2.3 lakhs per month, while the same guy after slogging for judiciary prep for two -three years will probably start at 80k and probably the most senior lower judiciary officer who is going to retire now will be earning 2.3 lakhs. On the other hand Partners/GCs close to the age of 60 are earning in multiples of crores of rupees. So yes NLU students are looking mostly at these lucrative jobs. Secondly the need of living in a metro city is a major attraction. With judiciary you can just about be posted in any district of the state (states like Delhi are an exception). So yes the top tier NLU people easily get attracted to corp jobs and they know it is easy for them to get placed there. I was not in a top tier NLU and after trying for a couple of years to get placed in a top tier firm, I have started preparing for government exams, because for someone like me I see this as the only route to fulfill the dreams of my parents. But yes if I had the option I would have loved to do a well paying corporate job. I do not like the uncertainty and anxiety associated with government exams like UPSC./judiciary, inspite of trying very hard I could not make it last year. Hoping this year would be different.

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