UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — 30 judges appointed to High Courts across country

Q1. Under the Memorandum of Procedure operating the appointment of Judges to the High Courts, the proposal for appointment of a Judge of a High Court is initiated by which one of the following?

  • A. The Governor of the State, acting on the advice of the State Council of Ministers headed by the Chief Minister
  • B. The Chief Justice of the High Court concerned, in consultation with the two senior-most Judges of that High Court
  • C. The Chief Justice of India, in consultation with the four senior-most puisne Judges of the Supreme Court
  • D. The Department of Justice in the Union Ministry of Law and Justice, on a vacancy report from the High Court

Q2. Which one of the following judicial pronouncements first established the primacy of the judiciary in appointments by holding that the executive is bound by the opinion tendered in the constitutionally mandated consultative process?

  • A. S.P. Gupta v. Union of India, popularly called the First Judges Case (1981)
  • B. S.C. Advocates-on-Record Association v. Union of India, the Second Judges Case (1993)
  • C. In re Special Reference No. 1 of 1998, popularly called the Third Judges Case (1998)
  • D. S.C. Advocates-on-Record Association v. Union of India, the NJAC judgment (2015)

Q3. The Supreme Court Collegium that recommends appointments to the Supreme Court consists of the Chief Justice of India together with how many other Judges?

  • A. Two
  • B. Three
  • C. Four
  • D. Six

Q4. In the Union Government, the processing of appointments of Additional Judges of High Courts and of their subsequent appointment as permanent Judges is handled by which one of the following?

  • A. The Legislative Department of the Ministry of Law and Justice
  • B. The Department of Legal Affairs of the Ministry of Law and Justice
  • C. The Department of Justice of the Ministry of Law and Justice
  • D. The Judicial Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs

Q5. Under which one of the following provisions may a person who has held the office of a Judge of a High Court be requested, with the previous consent of the President, to sit and act as a Judge of a High Court?

  • A. Article 217(1)
  • B. Article 222
  • C. Article 224
  • D. Article 224A

Q6. In the batch of 30 High Court judges whose appointment was announced on 8 August 2026, what was the split between the two eligibility streams?

  • A. 15 from the Bar and 15 from the judicial service
  • B. 20 from the Bar and 10 from the judicial service
  • C. 10 from the Bar and 20 from the judicial service
  • D. All 30 were drawn exclusively from the Bar, no judicial officer being included in the batch

Q7. With reference to the batch of 30 judges appointed to four High Courts announced on 8 August 2026, consider the following pairs of High Court and number of judges appointed: 1. Madras High Court — 15 2. Calcutta High Court — 8 3. Karnataka High Court — 6 4. Allahabad High Court — 1 Which of the above pairs is/are NOT correctly matched?

  1. Madras High Court — 15
  2. Calcutta High Court — 8
  3. Karnataka High Court — 6
  4. Allahabad High Court — 1
  • A. 1 and 4
  • B. 4 only
  • C. 2 and 3
  • D. 3 and 4

Q8. Consider the following statements comparing the qualifications prescribed for appointment as a Judge of a High Court with those prescribed for a Judge of the Supreme Court: 1. Having held judicial office in the territory of India for at least ten years qualifies a person for appointment as a Judge of a High Court. 2. Having been an advocate of a High Court, or of two or more such courts in succession, for at least ten years qualifies a person for appointment as a Judge of a High Court. 3. Being, in the opinion of the President, a distinguished jurist is a qualification available for appointment to a High Court but not to the Supreme Court. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Having held judicial office in the territory of India for at least ten years qualifies a person for appointment as a Judge of a High Court.
  2. Having been an advocate of a High Court, or of two or more such courts in succession, for at least ten years qualifies a person for appointment as a Judge of a High Court.
  3. Being, in the opinion of the President, a distinguished jurist is a qualification available for appointment to a High Court but not to the Supreme Court.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q9. Consider the following statements regarding the qualifications and conditions of office of a Judge of a High Court: 1. He must be a citizen of India. 2. He must have attained a minimum age of forty-five years on the date of appointment. 3. He holds office until he attains the age of sixty-two years. 4. An Additional Judge appointed under Article 224 may continue to hold office beyond the age of sixty-two years if the President so directs. Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?

  1. He must be a citizen of India.
  2. He must have attained a minimum age of forty-five years on the date of appointment.
  3. He holds office until he attains the age of sixty-two years.
  4. An Additional Judge appointed under Article 224 may continue to hold office beyond the age of sixty-two years if the President so directs.
  • A. 1 and 3
  • B. 2 only
  • C. 2 and 4
  • D. 3 and 4

Q10. The Department of Justice reported that 47 Additional Judges of High Courts were made permanent during 2025. The conferment of permanent status on such a Judge is formally effected by which one of the following?

  • A. The President of India, by warrant under his hand and seal
  • B. The Chief Justice of India, on the recommendation of the Supreme Court Collegium
  • C. The Union Minister of Law and Justice, by notification in the Gazette of India
  • D. The Governor of the State, on the advice of the Chief Justice of that High Court

Q11. In the procedure for transfer of High Court Judges under Article 222, the Chief Justice of India forms his determinative opinion in consultation with the collegium of the four senior-most puisne Judges of the Supreme Court. In this context, the expression 'puisne Judge' denotes:

  • A. A Judge appointed for a fixed term not exceeding two years pending confirmation as a permanent Judge
  • B. A Judge who, having retired, has been requested to sit and act as a Judge of the court with the President's consent
  • C. The most junior Judge of the court, reckoned by the date of appointment or of taking the oath
  • D. Any Judge of the court other than its Chief Justice, irrespective of seniority