WHY SIX & NOT NINE MONTHS AT JTRI

Hostel for participants at NJA

The recommendation of the National Judicial Academy, Bhopal (NJA) for civil judges was, that there should be nine months training at the judicial institutes and three months in the field to gain practical experience. However, our committee recommended six months at the Judicial Training & Research Institute, Lucknow (JTRI) and six months in the field. Here are the reasons for the same.

Advice to Young Judges

Judges Have Difficult Job।। Why Six and Not Nine Months at JTRI।। Act Without - Pressure, Fear, Expectation।। Decide Without Favour।। Adopt More Active Role।। Raja Bhoj and the Grazier।। Be Open & Correct Mistakes।। 

One of the reasons for recommending six months at the JTRI was the shortage of the infrastructure: it cannot cater to the large number of newly recruited civil judges. This could be overcome by improving the same, but the main reasons were others.

Larger the number, more difficult it is to provide personal attention: lesser the number, better attention can be given. This was one the reasons to divide the newly recruited civil judges in more than two batches. There were other reasons as well.

In the district courts, one essentially requires good knowledge of CPC, CrPC, IPC and Evidence Act. They have changed but are substantially the same, with suitable amendments for technology developments. 

The newly recruited civil judges have law degrees. They have studied the aforesaid subjects. They have also passed a difficult examination. They are well versed with these laws. Apart from it, a lawyer is bound to tell them the law, involved in the case. Even otherwise, lawyers could be requested to elaborate on the same. But it is more important to learn, how to manage the court; how to deal with the lawyers, litigants and employees. The best way to learn this is to watch their seniors handling them. This cannot be taught in a classroom in a training institute. This was the reason for reducing nine months period. 

I was a judge for about fifteen years:  thirteen years at Allahabad and two at Chhattisgarh. During thirteen-year period at Allahabad, there were three instances that taught me more about court management that any training institute could have taught me. In my next post, I will talk about an instance in dealing with the employees.  

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