Karnataka HC allows 8.5 months pregnant candidate to write judge exam in M'luru

In a first-of-its-kind arrangement, the High Court of Karnataka has allowed a candidate appearing for the Civil Judge mains exams to write the test in her hometown of Mangaluru as she was 8.5 months pregnant and was unable to travel to Bengaluru.

The HC issued notification for conducting the exams for recruitment of 57 Judges in March this year. The preliminary exams were held on July 23, 2023. Of the over 6,000 candidates, 1,022 were selected for the mains exam scheduled on Saturday and Sunday in Bengaluru.

Nethravathi, an advocate from Mangaluru, Dakshina Kannada district, had qualified for the mains exam. She submitted a requisition to the HC to allow her to write the exam in the district itself as she was unable to travel to Bengaluru having delicate health conditions being pregnant.

The HC 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, after considering her application, allowed her to write the exam in Dakshina Kannada district itself. Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale has approved the decision of the Committee.

Following a direction by the Committee and the Chief Justice, the Registrar of the HC has deputed a lady judicial officer to conduct the exam for the lone candidate at the District Court in Mangaluru.