K’taka HC Permits Pregnant Woman to Write Judiciary Exam from her Hometown

In a first-of-its-kind arrangement, the Karnataka High Court has granted permission to a Civil Judge mains exam candidate to take the test in her hometown of Mangaluru due to her advanced pregnancy, preventing travel to Bengaluru.

The High Court had issued a notification in March for the recruitment of 57 Judges, with preliminary exams held on July 23, 2023. Out of over 6,000 candidates, 1,022 qualified for the mains exam scheduled for Saturday and Sunday in Bengaluru.

Nethravathi, an advocate from Mangaluru in Dakshina Kannada district, qualified for the mains exam and requested permission from the Court to write the test in her district due to pregnancy-related health concerns that hindered her travel to Bengaluru.

The High Court Committee for Direct Recruitment of Civil Judges, comprising Justice P S Dinesh Kumar, Justice K Somashekar, Justice S Sunil Dutt Yadav, Justice Ashok S Kinagi, and Justice M Nagaprasanna, approved her request. Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale approved the Committee’s decision.

Following the Committee’s directive and the Chief Justice’s approval, the High Court Registrar assigned a lady judicial officer to oversee the exam for the sole candidate at the District Court in Mangaluru.