Both are dream job of law graduates. One is military service while other is civil service. Let's compare b/w them :-

JUDGE ADVOCATE GENERAL (JAG)

1. SELECTION: All India level exam, seats are very limited (last year 6 for male & 3 for women). Only candidates age between 21 to 27yr age are eligible & no concept of reservation. Initially everyone granted SSC max. for 14yr on expiry (if not fit & eligible) released from the service. But if fit & eligible than only Permanent Commission granted (before expiry b/w 10 to 14yr). So not only cracking exam is tough but continuing in service is more tough. Also there is no scheme of lateral entry.

2. JURISDICTION : It only deals with criminal matters related within the Military provided under Army/Navy/Airforce Act. Any causality to civilians or if rape/murder/CH done within armed forces than only civilian (district) courts can deals. So the work scope is very much limited.

3. POWER : Simple punishment to Death penalty can be offered. Trial court presided by min. 5 or max. 9 member in which judgement by majority followed based on jury advised.

4. PROMOTION SCOPE : Join at Lt. and max. can be promoted upto Major General (min. 27yr of service required). Majority get retired at Lt. Colonel or Colonel rank and only best may make for Brigadier & Major General.

5. PAY & ALLOWANCES : Starting salary Rs. 56100 & max. 1.44L (Major General). Allowances paid among Army/Navy/Airforce grades are much higher than any govt. services. If exclude DA (currently 42%), only cash allowances makes around Rs.94k to 1.2L/M.

6. FACILITIES : Mostly you'll be allotted well semi furnished type 5 bungalows (sometime flat accommodation also) from starting. From Brigadier rank fully furnished type 6 bungalows allotted. Independent Car facilities or TA in lieu given from starting.

7. WORK CULUTRE : They also have mixed culture i.e., challenging but interesting. It is a judicial service so free from any political or other pressures and is job in military so definitely no room for laziness or pending works. All rules/ethics/conducts strictly monitored or followed and no mercy on failing or breaching.

8. SECURITY & TRANSFER : Regarding this there is no issue like PCS (J), an adequate number of security given at every level & everywhere. The transfers done anywhere but within armed forces jurisd. include HQs or in central ministries or other places as central govt. deems fit.

STATE JUDICIAL SERVICE [PCS (J)]

1. SELECTION : State level exam, seats are high, candidate b/w 21 to 35yr age can appear & age relaxation + few seats for reserved candidates. No SSC or PC rule applied & posted for fixed age i.e., 60 for district, 62 for HC & 65 for SC. Lateral Entry scheme are there at DJ, HC & SC level. Thus it is Easier than JAG to crack.

2. WORK SCOPE : They have wider areas to deal from criminal, civil to quasi-judicial matters. Even they can initiate proceeding against military personnel's even if civilians not involved on grounds time to time notify by Central Govt. They deals with matters pertains to both State & Central Law in India. Even they can deal any other matters if not expressly or impliedly barred by any Act/notification.

3. POWER : The actual court power is here. Unlike JAG, every JO's have independent court & vested with independent power. No jury or majority rule apply (except in HC/SC). Even death sentence can be passed by single judge (subject to approval of HC). District Court judges have much power than counterpart JAG Grades.

4. PROMOTION SCOPE : joining at Civil Judge (Jr. Divi.) for lower judiciary & ADJ for Higher Judiciary and max. can be promoted upto the post of Chief Justice of India (last post of Indian Judiciary). For HC 1/3rd seats reserved for district judiciary. promotion is easier than JAG as one can reach to the highest post of district judiciary within 15 to 20yr of service (in ADJ within 11 to 16yr).

5. PAY & ALLOWANCES : Civil Judge starting Rs.77840 & ADJ starting Rs. 1.45L/m. So min. 78K & max. 2.8L (CJI). Allowances are nearly at par with All India Service grades but very less than JAG officers. Round figure of cash allowances ranges between Rs.12K to 30K for Civil Judges while Rs. 25K to 70K for DJ ranks.

6. FACILITIES : Type 5 semi furnished flat accommodation provided to every judges of district judiciary except PDJs or Special Judges (in DJ ranks) or CJMs (who get type 6 furnished bungalows). Regarding car except PDJ/ADJ-1/CJMs/Special Judges (in DJ ranks) all are provided either pool car or fuel allowances.

7. WORK CULTURE : Mixed culture, free from all type of pressures or interference. Strictness but less than JAG.

8. SECURITY & TRANSFER : At starting no security provided except PDJs/CJMs/ADJs/ SDJMs/JM (holding special criminal courts) however in many states armed-home guard facilities deployed at judicial accommodations. As per SC order every district court judges shall be transferred on completing 3yr at one place. Transfers mainly within states but deputation varies as may be posted in central ministries or sometime in military departments too.

Conclusion : Except 1-2 factors PCS (J) seems to have better opportunities than JAG. Well both have merit and demerit. it is upon candidates to decide keeping various factors in mind. Whoever want to join & serve for Army/Navy/Airforce but non combat department & deals with legal matters, JAG is for them but if have sole dream to work for pure justice delivery system and eager to be part of judicial system of India then PCS (J) is best option.

HOPE THIS COMPARISON MAY HELP CONSUFED ONES

There was a detailed comment wrt the comparison between Judge Advocate General Branch & the State Public Services Commission exam. However, I found it to be factually incorrect and decided to pen down a full fledged comparison:

1. Exam:

JAG-There is no written exam for entry into the JAG branch of Army and Navy(no direct recruitment in IAF, offrs absored from the regular cadre). Vacancies are mostly in single digit(6-7 in Army & 2-3 in Navy) .All law graduates attaining a stipulated %age during their graduation can appear for the rigorous Services Selection Board(SSB) which is a five day interview process.

PCSJ-On the other hand, there is a state judicial services exam conducted by the respective state judicial services commn. In some states, the HC also conducts the recruitment process.

2. Certainity of the exam

Since the entry into the JAG is conducted by the SSB under the purview of the UPSC, there is a certainity (Notifications come out every year) of the recruitment taking place every year. No undue delay in notification/release of. result etc

The PCSJ exam is highly certain and notification based, for instance the UPPCSJ took place after a gap of five years which adds to the anxiety of the candidates and is highly unfair to say the least. Coming to the results, there is no calender which is followed. Everything takes its own sweet time. There are lots of instances of favouritism in these state level exams. Thus, the candidate is forced to appear for multiple state judiciary exams.

3. Perception of the exam

Recruitment into the Armed Forces(Army, Navy, IAF) is controlled by the UPSC which reflects that the entire process of recruitment is fair and transparent, like all other UPSC exams.

Since the State PSCs are regularly marred by complaints of irregularity, favouritism and corruption, this generally gives an impression that it is a typical state level exam.

4. Perception of the service:

The State PCSJ appointed cannot be compared with the Armed forces or the Civil Servants recruited by the UPSC. At best, they can be compared to any officer selected through the state administrative services, state police services etc.

5. Pay and allowances

The pay and allowances of the Armed Forces are the highest amongst any govt service in the country, even higher than the All India Services(IAS,IPS, IFS). It is noteworthy to note that the only defences officers are paid pension unlike other services like Judiciary which have reverted to the New Pension Scheme. (https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/defence-personnel-get-higher-pay-than-civilian-counterparts/articleshow/49886547.cms).

I haven't come to the allowances part yet. The JAG offrs are paid higher than the regular offrs due to the Non Practising Allowance(NPA) which is added to their regular salary. On top of that, JAG offrs are provided fully furnished( accommodations to their place of posting(Unlike judicial offrs who are given a meagre allowance for furniture, tech etc once in 3-4 yrs). You don't have to spend a single penny on your accommodation after shifting to a new town. In field areas JAG offrs are entitled to keep 2 accommodations(in any city) They can also avail free flight tickets for themselves, spouse and children ( Certain stipulated number of tickets). Until recently, the offrs could easily travel via IAF jets while coming home on leave, the rule has now been changed which allows the offrs to travel on chartered Flights(Similar to regular flight, these flights are run by airlines specifically for Armed Forces without any charge, however family members cannot travel). Air India also provides 50 % concession to defence personnel and their families(Rebate in other airlines is a maximum of 25pc).

Unlike the judicial services. the children of the defence offrs can avail all benefits( treatment in Military Hospitals, access to CSD) until they are 25 years of age(21 in case of other govt services).

The JAG officers are provided accommodation in military cantonments which is generally the cleanest and greenest part of any town. However small the town, it will have all top notch facilities ranging from Golf Courses, Race Course, Clubs, Swimming Pools sports club, tax-free booze to theatres( PS- free of cost). On the contrary, a State judicial services offices is provided nothing more than an accommodation(that too in a crowded area in the middle of the town) if he is posted(mostly) in a Tier 3 city/ rural area.

6. Training and Posting

The initial training of JAG offrs takes place in Officers Training Academy, Chennai(Naval Academy, Kerala) for Navy JAg offrs) After commissioning the training is done in Indian Military Institute, Delhi, technically all big metropolitan cities. As far as posting is concerned, JAG offrs of the army are not posted to far flung and remote areas like the judicial offrs( Civil Judge Junior Division of Balasore or Jalgaon). They are mostly(90 pc of their service) posted in Command/Corps Headquarters( All capital cities or top 2-3 cities of a state). The posting scene is even better in the Navy where JAG offrs hardly get posted to any city other than Mumbai, Kochi, Vizag, Calcutta etc.

Another fact which needs to be taken in into consideration is that the transfer of judical offrs takes place only in a particular state(Eg Rajasthan), which further reduces the chances of staying in a big city. You will not get posted to Jaipur more than once or twice in your career.Since it is a state service, there is no concept of central deputation(Delhi posting).

JAG offrs travel through the length and breadth of the country on postings and also get an opportunity to get posted in Delhi.

7. Promotion:

A judicial offr would start off as a civil judge(Jr divsion) and can at most rise to an ADJ/DJ( Fag end of career). Someone commented that a civil judge could be promoted to DJ within 15 yrs, I doubt its veracity as a DJ is generally a person who is 55 + yrs of age. A jag offr starts off as a Lieutenant and could rise to the rank of a Major General(JAG of Indian Army). Again, someone commented that only a few rise to the rank of a Maj Gen. Agreed, but in the Armed forces even if you dont get promoted, your pay scale is equated to the higher ranks, unlike the judiciary where the pay scales are not equated. So an ADJ will continue to draw lesser salary than a DJ even if he has missed the promotion. On the contrary, a Colonel/Brigadier's pay is equated to a a major General/Lt Gen even if he doesn't make the cut.