Prologue

Judicial Services is one of the most respected services in our Country. It is one of the best options to aim for after law graduation and this indeed makes the competition way tougher.

Will confine this article only to Delhi Judicial Services and its preparation –

PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION

Syllabus - CONSTITUTION OF INDIA, CODE OF CIVIL PROCEDURE, CRIMINAL PROCEDURE CODE, INDIAN PENAL CODE, CONTRACT ACT, PARTNERSHIP ACT, PRINCIPLES GOVERNING ARBITRATION LAW, EVIDENCE ACT, SPECIFIC RELIEF ACT AND LIMITATION ACT

LAW PREPARATION

First take some previous year papers and analyze them on type of question and pattern. Read Bare Act thoroughly atleast 2-3 times and specially focus on provisions containing proviso, exception and saving clause [Many a times question are made from such provisions]. Once you are done with a subject, take any Multiple choice questions book and solve whatever MCQs are given. Try solving the questions in a time trial mode [Like about 80-100 questions in one hour – this prepares you for the actual examination scenario].

GENERAL STUDIES, GENERAL KNOWLEDGE AND ENGLISH

Again, analyze some previous year papers to see the pattern and the types of questions asked. Read newspaper daily (it updates you on news, current affairs and also improves your English), take out 5-10 news daily and write it separately. Also take out 5 English words daily and write them separately alongwith their Hindi translation word.

For Static GK – read any book – Arihant, Lucant. Alongwith this you can also have any of the current affairs app on your smartphone – make sure to check it every day and bookmark the important ones or better to write it separately as notes.

MAINS EXAMINATION

Syllabus –

Section I : General Knowledge : This is to test the candidate's knowledge of current affairs etc.

Again, analyze previous papers. For GK – Continue to make notes of current affairs, news and static GK. Make notes on a monthly basis, try and make it a habit of doing these exercise daily and revise all notes weekly [because it is more factual and is hard to mug up all this, so it is better to read as many times as possible].

Section II : Language (Essay, Translation and Precis Writing)

For Essay (1000 words) and two Short notes (150 words) – daily newspaper will help – choose about 4-5 topics of essay and about 12-15 topics on short notes. Topics keep changing depending on national and international developments. Read newspapers daily or some articles – collect material topic wise. Once you have enough material on one topic – read everything and try making your own 1000
& 125 words essay – don’t copy, just read, understand and write your own essay.

For Translation – Remember we were making daily 5 words of English and their Hindi translation – that will be helpful now. If you have about 600-700 (i.e. 5 words daily for just 6 months) you will have a good vocabulary. Added to this, practice translation in time bound manner and for Hindi every Sunday just write 1 page of Hindi taken from anywhere [it improves your handwriting in Hindi and you get a sense of formation of Hindi tense and complex Hindi sentences]

For Precis – one can practice once or twice every month with one article. You can even get a book to practice.

CIVIL LAW-I :

Indian Contract Act, Indian Sale of Goods Act, Indian Partnership Act, Specific Relief Act, Hindu Law, Mohammadan Law, Delhi Rent Control Act and Law of Torts.

CIVIL LAW-II :

Civil Procedure Code, Law of Evidence, Law of Limitation & Law of Registration.

CRIMINAL LAW :

Criminal Procedure Code, Indian Penal Code & Indian Evidence Act.

For Law – one must understand that every subject has a core area (from where practical questions can be asked) and then peripheral provisions (from where theoretical questions are asked). One has to read and understand each of these provisions. Then some provisions of one law are connected to some other law (like Specific Relief Act to Contract and CPC; Evidence to CPC and CrPC, etc.). If you understand the provisions well then you will start to know the links between these provisions (don’t rush, these things comes with time).

Over and above this, read and solve previous papers. And make a habit of reading Delhi Law Times latest cases – preferably one year prior to the date of MAINS examination. You need not buy it, they are available in the library of the Hon’ble Delhi High Court and even in the libraries of Hon’ble District Court of Delhi.

VIVA VOICE

This is more or less personality based. You are asked about you, your family members, about your hobbies, what all you studied other than law (if there is diploma, LLM or PhD). No specific study is required, other than you must talk to friends, teachers and colleagues and explore your own self.

START TO FINISH

Don’t jump start (it effects in the long run) and don’t out run. A steady and continuous pace gives the best possible mileage.

Start with reading newspaper daily (current affairs, English-Hindi words and articles for essay and short notes), static GK (again, make notes). Completing the newspaper in an hour will be difficult in the beginning, but you will soon be able to do it in less than one hour.

Start preparing for MAINS EXAMINATION first (reason being there will not be much time between preliminary examination and mains examination).

Start by reading the object and purpose of the Act given before the Title and in the backdrop of the object and purpose read the provisions. Prepare the core areas first, then the peripheral areas. Don’t leave any provision of the Act at this moment. First read the provision, then some commentary/ book/notes containing explanation of the provision and once you understand, again read each word of the section and make sure you understand each word, phrase, sentence. Make your own notes on each provision. You can give 3-6 hours daily (depending upon whether you are in college or working or free) but one must try to finish the entire mains syllabus within 8-10 months.

One can also give 30-60 minutes daily in reading landmark and latest judgments of High Court and Supreme Court or just read one case daily [This helps in acquiring better legal acumen and acquire writing in legal terminology].

For preliminary examination – stop the mains preparation atleast 30-40 days prior to date of preliminary examination. Focus on each subject, read the bare act cover to cover – and then solve MCQs subject wise. You can use Universal, Jains, Butterworths publication.

Solve the question on a time trial mode. Self-evaluate and before moving on to next subject – look for the questions you failed to answer or answered incorrectly. Analyze them, explain it to yourself and then move on to next subject.

Once your Preliminary Examination is done. Take rest for a day or two – then take up your mains preparation. [If you could not complete any subject because the preliminary examination was announced a bit early– now is the time. First complete those subjects which were left out]. Now revise your own notes, read the particular section alongwith notes. Finally, read bare act [atleast the core areas] again and explain the section to your own self. You can even add landmark/ relevant case laws to your explanation, preferably by the latest ones, if possible.

Once you are done with the syllabus, preferably within 40-50 days [also depends upon the time you have]. Solve previous papers on a time trial mode and again analyze and rectify your mistakes. If possible get your papers checked by your teacher/ senior.

For the INTERVIEW – again revise your notes, read newspaper daily [infact by this time, you will be addicted to reading newspaper and you will crave for a newspaper first thing in the morning]. Read old and current landmark judgments and latest legal developments in the Country. Also keep an eye on issues of national importance and one must have his own thoughts and opinion on issues, but based on the sound understanding of the Constitution of India.

The most asked question is what all to study, I had attended a very well renounced coaching institute ‘The Rahul’s IAS, Mukherjee Nagar, New Delhi’ and trust me, I never referred to any course book or commentary to understand the provisions of law.

These following are the materials I referred to in my preparations –

Preliminary Examination – Bare Act and Shailender Malik- Universal’s Guide to Judicial Service Examination.

Mains Examination – Bare Act, Notes, Shailender Malik – Universal’s Guide Previous Years Mains Examination solved book. Delhi Law Times – about 1 year prior to the date of mains examination – it will be around 8-9 volumes. Each volume having 800 pages of which around 400 pages only are relevant.

GK/GS – newspaper, Current affairs, mobile app, General Knowledge by Arihant publication.

English – newspaper. [It is not compulsory, but to improve my English, I brought a book online “Synonyms and Antonyms by Roshan Tolani published by Arihant”]

Hindi Essay – I appeared for Rajasthan Judicial Service Examinations, so the books I referred for Hindi Essay was – “nibandhmala, 221 Hindi Nibandh published by Arihant”.

In the blogs to follow, will share some of my preparatory notes and essays. You can read them to see the important topics and make sure you don't miss any topic in your preparation.

All the Best and wishing the very best for all your future endevours.

-         Mr. Paras Dalal

-         Advocate