How to become a Public Prosecutor

If you want to be a part of the legal system of the country and be a facilitator of justice in the court of law, then, Public Prosecution is one such arena that is highly rewarding as well as is kept in good regards. Being a Public Prosecutor, you would ensure that a fair trial is conducted and act in accordance with the directions of the judge. Now to what is the area of work if you work as the Prosecutor? So, let us understand what is your area of work. The task of investigating is the job role of a police officer who is in charge of the investigation. However, it is usually understood that the traditional right of “nulle prosequi” is available to the prosecutor. If we contextualise the role of a prosecutor in India, the professional is supposed to seek conviction in a fair, truthful and impartial manner while upholding the ethics of law. 

Why become a Public Prosecutor in India?

There are several reasons you should become a public prosecutor in India

• After gaining experience public prosecutors can become experienced professionals in their field 
• After gaining recognition for their work public prosecutors gain respect in all fields 
• Public prosecutors have the ability to help others with their work by implementing the criminal law framework of the country and bringing justice to the needy.

Roles and Duties of a Public Prosecutor 

The main aim of any court of law is to deliver justice. To provide aid in that goal of vindication of justice, a Prosecutor plays a key role in providing a righteous conviction. Below-listed are some of the important tasks performed by the professional:

• Work for the government and in turn for the people of the country. So, his loyalty should be to his profession and he should act as an agent of justice. 
• Represent the state and hence with due diligence, he should impartially get ahead in the investigation in a neutral manner and protect the community. 
• Act as an aid in the process of discovering the truth and justice without being influenced. 
• Representation of all material facts is also a part of the duties of a Public Prosecutor. 
• Irrespective of the police department or any other department of the state, they are entrusted by the Parliament with the responsibility to facilitate justice at all costs. 

Eligibility Criteria

There is a certain criterion that is considered as a key factor in determining whether a person is suitable to apply for a job irrespective of other factors. So, when considering to go ahead in the direction of public prosecution in the course of your career in law, one must consider the following eligibility requirements to choose this field in the domain of law: 

• The candidate who is looking forward to becoming a Public Prosecutor in the Indian court of law should be an Indian citizen.
• You should have a degree in law like LLB, LLM or an integrated course such as BA LLB, BBA LLB, etc. 
• Having work experience as a practising lawyer is mandatory to apply for this particular post. 
• You should be at least 35 years but not more than 45 years of age at the time of application.

Note: There is a certain provision that allows relaxation in age limit to those hailing from STs, STs and OBCs.

• There is a certain list of lawyers that is generated based upon the consultation between the Session Judged and District Magistrate under the Sub-Section 3. If the name of the person is not enlisted in that compilation, they are not eligible to be appointed as the Public Prosecutor by the State Government. 
• If all the above-mentioned conditions are successfully fulfilled, then, one has to appear in the examination conducted by UPSC for this post that is followed by an interview. And, together they determine whether you are selected as suitable for the post or not. 

Pros and Cons of Becoming a Public Prosecutor

The advantages and disadvantages of becoming a public prosecutor are as follows:

Pros	Cons
Stable job growth and good salary	Stressful career
Prestige in Society	Long working hours
Intellectual Development	Tough competition in the job market
Get the opportunity to help society	–

Salary of a Public Prosecutor 

The average salary of a public prosecutor is as follows:

Designation	Average Annual Salary
Assistant Public Prosecutor	INR 53,600- INR 63,300
Public Prosecutor	INR 73,000- INR 1.02 lakh
Chief Public ProsecutIon	INR 1.5 lakh – INR 1.90 lakh
Directorate of Prosecution	INR 2 lakh- INR 2.75

Job Opportunities of a Public Prosecutor 

As a Public Prosecutor you can get hired in the following organizations:

Organizations

Central Bureau of Investigation

Ministry of Home Affairs (Narcotics Control Bureau)

National Investigation Agency (NIA)

Central Government (District Sessions Courts, High Courts, Supreme Court)

State government (Executive Magistrates Courts, Metropolitan Magistrate’s Courses, District Sessions Courts, High Courts)

FAQs

Being a highly lucrative career option, becoming a Public Prosecutor is a post that entails a high sense of responsibility and people’s life depends upon it. So, with a career in this field, you would change the inner functionings and the implementation of the law and ensure that you work as an instrument of justice. And if you need any help in kickstarting a career in this direction, reach out to our study abroad experts at Leverage Edu who can provide you counselling with the help of their robust network of head coaches and mentors.