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Judicial Appointments (Collegium System)

PYQs

8

Articles

1

Momentum

21

Phase IFoundation

Background

Overview

The Collegium system is a highly debated topic in Indian polity, central to the independence of the judiciary, separation of powers, and judicial reforms. Understanding its evolution, functioning, criticisms, and proposed alternatives is essential for GS2.

The Collegium system is the method by which judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts are appointed and transferred in India. It is a system of appointment and transfer of judges that has evolved through judgments of the Supreme Court, rather than by an Act of Parliament or a constitutional provision.

Phase IIStatic core

Facts & tables

Key facts

Composition

The Collegium system involves a body of senior Supreme Court judges (CJI + 4 senior-most judges for SC appointments, CJI + 2 senior-most for HC appointments) making recommendations.

Criticisms

Criticized for being opaque, arbitrary, and lacking clear criteria for selection.

Executive collaboration

Allegations of 'unavoidable collaboration between the Collegium and the Executive' leading to partisan appointments.

International comparison

Contrasted with systems in other countries like Canada (inviting applications) or the UK (independent selection body).

Reference table

Judicial Appointment Systems

CountrySystem
IndiaCollegium System (judges appoint judges)
CanadaSystem of inviting applications
United KingdomIndependent body for judicial selection

Reference table

Static syllabus anchors

TypeReference
Conceptual areaIndian Polity & Governance

Reference table

Institutions & roles

BodyRole
Supreme Court CollegiumRecommends appointments and transfers of judges
Executive (Government of India)Approves collegium recommendations
Phase IIIExam lens

Prelims angle

Overview

Prelims angle: Multi-statement analysis

Prelims angle: Factual recall

Quick revision

  • System for appointing/transferring SC and HC judges.
  • Evolved through SC judgments, not Constitution/statute.
  • Criticized for opacity, lack of criteria, and potential for arbitrariness.
  • Involves CJI and senior-most judges.
  • Debate over its impact on judicial independence and accountability.

Elimination traps

Constitutional vs statutory — The Collegium system is neither constitutional nor statutory; it evolved through Supreme Court judgments.

Check if created by Constitution or by Parliament.

High-confidence PYQs

2023Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall

Consider the following statements: 1. If the election of the President of India is declared void by the Supreme Court of India, all acts done by him/her in t...

Indian PolityOpen question

In India, which one of the following Constitutional Amendments was widely believed to be enacted to overcome the judicial interpretations of the Fundamental ...

Indian PolityOpen question
2023Factual recall, Conceptual understanding

Consider the following statements: 1. If the election of the President of India is declared void by the Supreme Court of India, all acts done by him/her in t...

Indian PolityOpen question

In India, which one of the following Constitutional Amendments was widely believed to be enacted to overcome the judicial interpretations of the Fundamental ...

Indian PolityOpen question
2020Multi-statement analysis, Conceptual understanding

Consider the following statements: 1. The Constitution of India defines its ‘basic structure’ in terms of federalism, secularism, fundamental rights and dem...

Indian PolityOpen question
2019Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding

Consider the following statements : 1. The motion to impeach a Judge of the Supreme Court of India cannot be rejected by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha as per ...

Indian PolityOpen question

With reference to the Constitution of India, prohibitions or limitations or provisions contained in ordinary laws cannot act as prohibitions or limitations o...

Indian PolityOpen question

The Ninth Schedule was introduced in the Constitution of India during the prime ministership of

Indian PolityOpen question

With reference to the Constitution of India, consider the following statements: 1. No High Court shall have the jurisdiction to declare any central law to ...

Indian PolityOpen question
2019Conceptual understanding, Institutional roles and functions

Consider the following statements : 1. The motion to impeach a Judge of the Supreme Court of India cannot be rejected by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha as per ...

Indian PolityOpen question

With reference to the Constitution of India, prohibitions or limitations or provisions contained in ordinary laws cannot act as prohibitions or limitations o...

Indian PolityOpen question

The Ninth Schedule was introduced in the Constitution of India during the prime ministership of

Indian PolityOpen question

With reference to the Constitution of India, consider the following statements: 1. No High Court shall have the jurisdiction to declare any central law to ...

Indian PolityOpen question
2019Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall

Consider the following statements : 1. The motion to impeach a Judge of the Supreme Court of India cannot be rejected by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha as per ...

Indian PolityOpen question

With reference to the Constitution of India, prohibitions or limitations or provisions contained in ordinary laws cannot act as prohibitions or limitations o...

Indian PolityOpen question

The Ninth Schedule was introduced in the Constitution of India during the prime ministership of

Indian PolityOpen question

With reference to the Constitution of India, consider the following statements: 1. No High Court shall have the jurisdiction to declare any central law to ...

Indian PolityOpen question
2019Factual recall, Conceptual understanding

Consider the following statements : 1. The motion to impeach a Judge of the Supreme Court of India cannot be rejected by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha as per ...

Indian PolityOpen question

With reference to the Constitution of India, prohibitions or limitations or provisions contained in ordinary laws cannot act as prohibitions or limitations o...

Indian PolityOpen question

The Ninth Schedule was introduced in the Constitution of India during the prime ministership of

Indian PolityOpen question

With reference to the Constitution of India, consider the following statements: 1. No High Court shall have the jurisdiction to declare any central law to ...

Indian PolityOpen question
2018Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding

Consider the following statements : 1. The Parliament of India can place a particular law in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution of India. 2. The validi...

Indian PolityOpen question

Topic timeline

Indian Polity & Governance
Prelims 2018· Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding

Consider the following statements : 1. The Parliament of India can place a particular law in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution of India. 2. The validi...

Open question
Prelims 2019· Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding

Consider the following statements : 1. The motion to impeach a Judge of the Supreme Court of India cannot be rejected by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha as per ...

Open question

With reference to the Constitution of India, prohibitions or limitations or provisions contained in ordinary laws cannot act as prohibitions or limitations o...

Open question

The Ninth Schedule was introduced in the Constitution of India during the prime ministership of

Open question

With reference to the Constitution of India, consider the following statements: 1. No High Court shall have the jurisdiction to declare any central law to ...

Open question
Prelims 2019· Conceptual understanding, Institutional roles and functions

Consider the following statements : 1. The motion to impeach a Judge of the Supreme Court of India cannot be rejected by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha as per ...

Open question

With reference to the Constitution of India, prohibitions or limitations or provisions contained in ordinary laws cannot act as prohibitions or limitations o...

Open question

The Ninth Schedule was introduced in the Constitution of India during the prime ministership of

Open question

With reference to the Constitution of India, consider the following statements: 1. No High Court shall have the jurisdiction to declare any central law to ...

Open question
Prelims 2019· Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall

Consider the following statements : 1. The motion to impeach a Judge of the Supreme Court of India cannot be rejected by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha as per ...

Open question

With reference to the Constitution of India, prohibitions or limitations or provisions contained in ordinary laws cannot act as prohibitions or limitations o...

Open question

The Ninth Schedule was introduced in the Constitution of India during the prime ministership of

Open question

With reference to the Constitution of India, consider the following statements: 1. No High Court shall have the jurisdiction to declare any central law to ...

Open question
Prelims 2019· Factual recall, Conceptual understanding

Consider the following statements : 1. The motion to impeach a Judge of the Supreme Court of India cannot be rejected by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha as per ...

Open question

With reference to the Constitution of India, prohibitions or limitations or provisions contained in ordinary laws cannot act as prohibitions or limitations o...

Open question

The Ninth Schedule was introduced in the Constitution of India during the prime ministership of

Open question

With reference to the Constitution of India, consider the following statements: 1. No High Court shall have the jurisdiction to declare any central law to ...

Open question
Prelims 2020· Multi-statement analysis, Conceptual understanding

Consider the following statements: 1. The Constitution of India defines its ‘basic structure’ in terms of federalism, secularism, fundamental rights and dem...

Open question
Prelims 2023· Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall

Consider the following statements: 1. If the election of the President of India is declared void by the Supreme Court of India, all acts done by him/her in t...

Open question

In India, which one of the following Constitutional Amendments was widely believed to be enacted to overcome the judicial interpretations of the Fundamental ...

Open question
Prelims 2023· Factual recall, Conceptual understanding

Consider the following statements: 1. If the election of the President of India is declared void by the Supreme Court of India, all acts done by him/her in t...

Open question

In India, which one of the following Constitutional Amendments was widely believed to be enacted to overcome the judicial interpretations of the Fundamental ...

Open question

Judicial integrity — a case the Court cannot ignore

07 Sep 2026 · The Collegium system, an extra-constitutional mechanism for judicial appointments and transfers, is frequently criticized for its opacity, lack of defined criteria, and potential for arbitrariness. It is seen as a fundamental issue contributing to broader concerns about judicial integrity and accountability.

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Related topics

Current topic

Judicial Appointments (Collegium System)

Often confused with

Judicial Oversight of Executive Action

Open notesOften confused with

Judicial Accountability and Integrity

Open notes

Practice writing on this topic

UPSC has asked 8 linked questions on Judicial Appointments (Collegium System) in Mains. Write an answer to one — and get it evaluated.

See Mains PYQsEvaluate an answer

UPSC Prelims PYQs on Judicial Appointments (Collegium System)

Practice official previous year questions asked by UPSC related to this concept.

Consider the following statements : 1. The motion to impeach a Judge of the Supreme Court of India cannot be rejected by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha as per ...

2019·Indian Polity
Solve

Consider the following statements : 1. The Parliament of India can place a particular law in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution of India. 2. The validi...

2018·Indian Polity
Solve

Consider the following statements: 1. If the election of the President of India is declared void by the Supreme Court of India, all acts done by him/her in t...

2023·Indian Polity
Solve

In India, which one of the following Constitutional Amendments was widely believed to be enacted to overcome the judicial interpretations of the Fundamental ...

2023·Indian Polity
Solve

With reference to the Constitution of India, prohibitions or limitations or provisions contained in ordinary laws cannot act as prohibitions or limitations o...

2019·Indian Polity
Solve

The Ninth Schedule was introduced in the Constitution of India during the prime ministership of

2019·Indian Polity
Solve

With reference to the Constitution of India, consider the following statements: 1. No High Court shall have the jurisdiction to declare any central law to ...

2019·Indian Polity
Solve

Consider the following statements: 1. The Constitution of India defines its ‘basic structure’ in terms of federalism, secularism, fundamental rights and dem...

2020·Indian Polity
Solve

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