Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Friday shared a personal anecdote from his early legal career while hearing a plea filed by an Advocate-on-Record seeking re-evaluation of a judicial services examination paper. Using his own experience, the CJI advised young law aspirants not to become discouraged by temporary setbacks and instead focus on larger opportunities in the legal profession and judiciary. During the hearing in the Supreme Court, he suggested that the petitioner should consider appearing for the higher judicial services examination later in life rather than continuing to pursue the present plea regarding re-evaluation.
Addressing the petitioner, the Chief Justice said, “Apply for superior judicial services next time. But let me share something: why you should not press this.” He then recalled how, during his final year in law school, he had aspired to join the judicial service. At that time, final-year law students were eligible to sit for the judicial services examination. However, before the results were declared, the recruitment process changed following a Supreme Court judgment which required High Court judges to serve as subject experts whose views would be binding on the Public Service Commission during recruitment.
The CJI explained that during that phase of his career, he had already started appearing before the High Court, where one of the senior-most judges on the interview panel was familiar with his work. Recalling the interaction, he said the judge had called him into his chamber after noticing his name among the candidates appearing for the interview. “One day, he called me into his chamber and asked, ‘Do you want to become a judicial officer?’ I said yes. He immediately said, ‘Get out from the chamber,’” the Chief Justice recounted before the courtroom.
He admitted that the incident had shaken him deeply at the time. “I came out trembling. All my dreams were shattered. I thought I would become a judicial officer, but he had snubbed me like that,” he said. However, the following day, the same judge summoned him again and offered advice that eventually changed the course of his career. According to the CJI, the judge told him, “If you want to become, you are welcome. But my advice is, don’t become a judicial officer. The Bar is waiting for you.” Surya Kant said those words stayed with him and influenced his decision to step away from the judicial services interview process.
The Chief Justice said that after the conversation, he decided not to attend the interview at all and did not initially tell his parents because he knew they would be upset with the decision. “I came outside the chamber and decided not to go for the interview. I did not inform my parents because I knew they would get annoyed,” he recalled, adding that he later avoided discussing the matter further by making excuses. Turning back to the petitioner in court, he then asked, “Now do you think my decision was correct or not?”
Concluding his remarks, CJI Surya Kant advised the young lawyer not to lose confidence because of the present setback and encouraged him to continue preparing for future opportunities. “My suggestion to you is forget about this exam… after you turn 35, sit for the higher Judicial services exam,” he said, stressing that one unsuccessful attempt or disappointment should not define a person’s career path.
