Didn't Go For Judicial Service At Career Start As A Judge Advised ''Bar Is Waiting For You" : CJI Surya Kant Recalls

The Supreme Court on Friday witnessed a personal moment from Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, who shared how a senior High Court judge once advised him against joining the judicial service at the start of his profession and encouraged him instead to pursue litigation, telling him that “the Bar is waiting for you.”

The CJI narrated the anecdote while hearing a plea filed by an Advocate-on-Record relating to the Delhi Judicial Service Exam. Advocate Prerna Gupta, who appeared in person, filed the petition challenging the alleged alteration of the exam marks. The CJI told her that revaluation is permissible only if the rules expressly allow it, and expressed reluctance to entertain her matter.

On getting to know that the petitioner is an AoR in the Supreme Court, the CJI asked, "They why you want to become a judicial officer?".

The CJI suggested that the petitioner should try for the Higher Judicial Service Exam. The petitioner said that she has not attained the minimum age of 35 years for the Higher Judicial Service exam.

Addressing the petitioner, the CJI remarked:

“Apply for superior judicial services next time. But let me share something, why you should not press this.”

He then recounted that while he was in the final year of law school, final-year students were permitted to apply for judicial services examinations. Around that time, the selection process underwent a change pursuant to a Supreme Court judgment, after which High Court judges were required to act as subject experts in the interview process and their opinion became binding on the Public Service Commission.

The Chief Justice said that he had qualified the written exam and was waiting for the interview. But the interview was getting delayed, and by then he had started practising before the High Court, and had already argued matters before a senior judge who was later nominated to the judicial services interview panel.

“The first case I argued before him was Sunita Rani v. Baldev Raj, where he allowed my appeal in a matrimonial case and set aside the decree of divorce granted by the District Judge on the ground of schizophrenia,” the CJI recalled.

According to the CJI, the judge was aware that he had applied for judicial services after seeing the list of candidates forwarded by the Commission.

“So one day, he called me into his chamber and asked, 'Do you want to become a judicial officer?' I said yes. He said, 'Get out from the chamber,'” the CJI narrated.

The remark, he said, left him shaken.

“I came out trembling. All my dreams were shattered. I thought I would become a judicial officer, and he snubbed me like that.”

However, the following day, the judge called him back to his chamber and offered a very different piece of advice.

“Next day he again called me to the chamber. He said, 'If you want to become, you are welcome. But my advice is, don't become a judicial officer. The Bar is waiting for you.'”

“These were the words he said: 'The Bar is waiting for you,'” the CJI emphasised.

The CJI further said that after the interaction, he decided not to appear for the interview.

“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. After two or three months, I told some lie here and there and refused to go,” he said.

"Now tell me, was my decision wrong or right?" CJI asked the petitioner. When the petitioner smiled, the CJI said, "So don't insist on the this petition, next year appear for higher judicial services exam and all the best wishes!"

Chief Justice Surya Kant started his practice of law in 1984. In 2000, he was appointed as the Advocate General of Haryana, and in 2004, he was elevated to the P&H High Court.

Case : Prerna Gupta v. Registrar General of Delhi High Court | SLP(C) No. 12677/2026