The Supreme Court on Friday declined to entertain a plea that contested the eligibility criterion requiring candidates to score at least 70 percent in their LL.B examinations to qualify for the Madhya Pradesh lower judicial service. The bench, led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, emphasized the importance of maintaining high standards in the judiciary.
The petitioner, Varsha Patel, represented by her lawyer, argued that the eligibility criteria were unfair due to varying marking standards among law colleges, which could disadvantage students from government law colleges compared to their counterparts in private institutions known for more liberal grading practices.
However, the Supreme Court bench pointed out that similar academic thresholds are in place in other states, including Maharashtra, underscoring that such standards are essential to ensure the competence and quality of judicial officers. Chief Justice Chandrachud remarked on the necessity of such regulations, stating, “Ultimately the purpose of this is that better people join the judiciary. The quality really has to be improved.”
