Collegium system
The mechanism, evolved through the Three Judges Cases (1993, 1998), by which the Chief Justice of India and senior-most Supreme Court judges recommend appointments and transfers of judges to the higher judiciary.
Verified references:Wikipedia
On UPSC.wiki
Current affairsAll 25 High Courts Get Permanent Chief Justices: Centre Notifies Eight Appointments — Collegium System, Article 217, and Judicial PendencyThe Ministry of Law and Justice on September 5, 2026, notified the appointments of eight High Court judges as Chief Justices across eight High Courts. Following these appointments, all 25 High Courts in India now function with permanent Chief Justices for the first time — a milestone reflecting both the Supreme Court Collegium's functioning and efforts to address the judiciary's leadership deficit amid India's record case pendency crisis. Current affairsSupreme Court Reduces Judicial Service Practice Requirement to 1 Year: Bhumika Trust Case 2026 — Complete UPSC GuideIn Bhumika Trust v. Union of India (August 21, 2026), a three-judge Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant reduced the mandatory law practice requirement for Civil Judge (Junior Division) recruitment from three years to one year, introduced a transitional waiver for notifications issued up to March 31, 2027, and mandated structured Academy training plus a two-year clerkship for all fresh appointees. Current affairsTribunals Reforms Act 2026: National Tribunals Commission Ends Executive Control — Judicial Independence RestoredThe Tribunals Reforms Act, 2026 received Presidential assent on August 13, 2026, after passing both Houses of Parliament within a single day. It repeals the Tribunals Reforms Act, 2021 — key provisions of which the Supreme Court had struck down for violating separation of powers — and establishes a National Tribunals Commission (NTC) as an independent institutional mechanism for appointments, performance review, and oversight of tribunals across India. Current affairsSupreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026: Sanctioned Strength Raised from 34 to 38 — Tackling 92,000+ Case BacklogParliament has passed the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026, raising the apex court's sanctioned strength from 34 to 38 judges (including the Chief Justice). The Bill replaces the May 2026 ordinance and amends the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956 — a direct response to the 92,000+ case pendency crisis in India's highest court.
In previous-year questions
- The collegium system for recommending appointments to the Supreme Court of India, as established through judicial precedents, consists of which group of judges?UPSC · Current Affairs
- In September 2026, the Centre notified eight High Court judges as Chief Justices, ensuring all 25 High Courts have permanent Chief Justices. Under which Article of the Constitution are High Court judges (including Chief Justices) appointed, and by whom?UPSC · Current Affairs
- The National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC), established by the 99th Constitutional Amendment Act in 2014, was struck down by the Supreme Court in 2015. The primary ground for striking it down was that it violated which doctrine?UPSC · Current Affairs
- Which of the following correctly describes the Collegium composition for recommending High Court Chief Justice appointments, as established by the Three Judges Cases?UPSC · Current Affairs