Judge Advocate General

Did you know that the title Judge Advocate comes from Judex advocates, which means “a judge appointed to help the court without being a member of it”? The position of Judge Advocate General was first mentioned in the Articles of War in the year 1765 and was responsible for the Crown’s prosecution. The Judge Advocate General has always been a prestigious and powerful position, that’s why in this blog, we will cover all details you need to pursue this renowned profession! 

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Judge Advocate General: What is it?

In India, Judge Advocate General (JAG) is held by a Major General, who is the Army‘s legal and judicial leader. A distinct JAG branch, made up of legally trained army officers to assist the Judge Advocate General. The work is similar to that of a litigator. They help with finalizing papers, briefing government attorneys, ensuring compliance, and appearing before various courts and tribunals. Lieutenant and JAG are of the same ranks and extremely powerful positions.

Eligibility Criteria

The following are the eligibility criteria for Judge Advocate General:

• To apply for  Judge Advocate General (JAG), a candidate must be an Indian citizen.
• In addition, applicants must be between the ages of 21 and 27 years old. (As in January for a course in April, or July for a course in October)
• Candidates must have an LLB/LLM degree with a minimum of 55% from any institute recognized by the Bar Council of India
• The applicant must have completed their LLB and hold a provisional or final degree.
• Candidates must have 6/6 eyesight and be at least 157.5 cm tall for men and 152 cm tall for women
• Parameters of a Physical Endurance Test-:
  • In 15 minutes, 2.4 kilometres
  • Sit-ups (25 reps)
  • Climbing Rope – 3-4 Meters
  • Push-ups (13 reps)
  • Ups-06 – Chin

Related Read: Difference between a Lawyer and Advocate

Judge Advocate General: Selection Process

Army

1. The initial shortlisting of online applications will occur at Army Headquarters’ Recruiting Directorate, and the decision of the DG Recruiting will be final. No complaints will be considered in this regard
2. Those who pass the shortlisting process are eligible to take the SSB. There are two substages to this. Both stages will last four days and include a Psychological Aptitude Test, Group Test, Psychological Test, and an Interview. Those who meet the criteria will be physically checked at the end

Navy

1. Officers are commissioned into the Department of the Navy by the JAG
2. The eligibility requirements are identified as those of the Army
3. It is critical to passing the SSB. There is no written examination for SSB

Airforce

Officers with 3-13 years of Air Force service and a law degree can apply for a JAG Department position.

Explore: RBI Law Officer Recruitment 2021

Judge Advocate General: Tenure Period

All officers are required to serve a six-month probationary period. The overall tenure is 14 years. However, there are several restrictions. After ten years of service, an SSC officer may be rehired for another four years if he or she is fit and suitable.

Training of a JAG Officer 

Army and Navy training would be held in Chennai and Kerala, respectively, with additional positions filled on a merit basis:

• The training period is 49 weeks long. Only after completing the training period will a trainee be formally assigned to the position of Lt. JAG
• Candidate is not permitted to marry during their training time, and if they do, they will be dismissed
• The University of Madras will issue a “Post Graduate Diploma in Defence Management and Strategic Studies” to all candidates who complete Pre-Commission training at Officers Training Academy, Chennai.

Judge Advocate General: Procedure

The SSB selection process is objective, fair, and open-ended. Because the primary goal is to choose the best candidate. As previously stated, the selection is based on the following criteria:

1. Psychological Aptitude Test
2. Physical Examination
3. Ground Tasks
4. Interview 

How to Apply?

1. Only online applications will be accepted at www.joinindianarmy.nic.in. After that, go to ‘Officer Entry Apply/Login’ and then ‘Registration’ (Registrations are not required, if already registered on www.joinindianarmy.nic.in).
2. Fill out the online registration form after carefully reading the instructions. After you’ve registered, go to the Dashboard and click on ‘Apply Online.’ The page titled “Officers Selection – Eligibility” will appear. Then, next to the Short Service Commission JAG Entry Course, click ‘Apply.’
3. The page titled “Application Form” will appear. Read the instructions carefully before clicking “Continue” to fill in the essential information in the various segments. Personal details, communication details, educational details, and prior SSB details are all required.
4. Before moving on to the next phase, save and continue each time. After you’ve completed the last stage, you’ll be taken to a page called “Summary of your information,” where you can review and change the entries you’ve previously made. Then, click ‘Submit’ only after you’ve double-checked that all of your information is right.
5. Each time a candidate opens the application to modify any details, they must click on ‘Submit.’ Candidates must print two copies of their application with their Roll Number 30 minutes after the online application closes on the last day.

Required Skills & Characteristics

The panel keeps an eye on a few essential characteristics and skills before appointing a JAG officer in the Indian government:

1. Positive Mentality
2. Analytical Mind
3. Teamwork
4. Self-assurance
5. Ability to Communicate
6. The ability to lead

Roles and Responsibilities of a JAG

Judge Advocate General’s responsibilities include the following:

• To serve as the Presiding Judge in the criminal jurisdiction of the Services and as the leader of its judges, supervising the jurisdiction.
• To advise all SJS stakeholders on practises and procedures, developments, and reforms.
• To monitor the operation of the Service Courts and provide advice on their efficiency and effectiveness as needed.
• To issue Service Court practise directives
• To issue sentencing guidelines for the Service Courts for disciplinary offences and to provide guidance on Service reasons for deviating from Sentencing Council Guidelines where appropriate (as permitted by Armed Forces Act 2006 section 259).
• To provide procedural guidance to Service Courts
• To serve as an observer on the Services Justice Executive Group and the Service Justice Board, as well as to chair the Service Courts Rules Review Committee.
• To designate and deploy judges to conduct specific trials in Court-martial in the United Kingdom or elsewhere.
• To appoint judges to the Summary Appeal Court and the Service Civilian Court, as well as to hear applications for detention in custody and search and arrest warrants.
• As a trial judge, you will preside over some of the most serious, sensitive, or contentious trials in the Court Martial (such as for murder)
• To refer to Court Martial Appeal Court cases involving an extremely important point of law
• To keep track of things.

FAQs

This blog discussed the essential details, such as the eligibility criteria, selection process, and application process, to help you become a Judge Advocate General.  We hope you found this blog helpful. For more educational content, stay tuned with Leverage Edu.