CUTTACK: The results of the written test of competitive examination-2023 for appointment of district judges through direct recruitment from the Bar and among judicial officers has become a cause for worry due to low success rate.
Only seven of the 398 candidates who appeared the written exams for 35 posts have qualified for interview, according to a notification issued by the registrar (examination) of Orissa High Court S K Dash Ray.
To qualify for interview, candidates were expected to secure minimum 50 per cent marks in aggregate in the two written papers with not less than 45 per cent marks in individual papers. According to official records, after scrutiny of applications, 326 candidates from the Bar were found eligible to appear for the written examination for 23 posts. Another 72 candidates were found eligible from judicial officers to take the limited competitive examination for 12 posts. The written test was held on November 5, 2023.
The December 21 notification, a copy of which was available on Monday said, five candidates - four of them female - had cleared the written examination from the Bar and two candidates - one female - had qualified from judicial officers.
Applications were invited from law graduates with minimum seven years practice as advocate and judicial officers having not less than five years’ experience in the cadre of civil judge (senior division). Candidates not below 35 years and not above 45 years were eligible to apply for the posts.
For direct recruitment from the bar candidates, the written examination consisted of two papers of 100 marks each whereas in the judicial officers’ category it included two papers of 75 marks each. Each paper was of two hours duration.
The course of one paper included Code of Civil Procedure,Personal Law, Transfer of Property Act, Specific Relief Act, Limitation Act, Law of Contract, Orissa Consolidation of Holdings and Prevention of Fragmentation of Land Act, OEA Act, Orissa Land Reforms Act and Law of Motor Accident Claim. The course of the other included Code of Criminal Procedure, Indian Penal Code, Indian Evidence Act, NDPS Act, Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, Prevention of Corruption Act, Essential Commodities Act, Environment Protection Act, Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act and Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.