New Delhi, Aug. 22 -- The Supreme Court on Friday revised its eligibility criteria for selection of judicial officers at the lowest rung by reducing the three-year mandatory legal practice rule to just one and upon selection, requiring the trainee judge to undergo institutional training for a further period of two years.

At the end of the two year training-the first year at the judicial academy; six months with a district judge; and the last six months with a high court judge-the court required a report to be submitted by the concerned high court judge. The judicial officer will be regularised after the report is found satisfactory.

During the period of training at the state judicial academy, the court held the trainee judge to be entit...