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Supreme Court: Only 11 Women Judges in 70+ Years; SC Women Lawyers Assoc Flags 33% Reservation in Bar Associations

Target:UPSC GS-IIMPSCTeachingSSC GAPrelims HighMains HighStatic GK Link
06 Mar 2026
~2 min
Source: Indian Express
Key Data:11 women SC judges33% reservation in bar associations
Bodies:Supreme Court of IndiaSupreme Court Women Lawyers Association
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What This Article Covers

1.A panel discussion with senior advocate and former judge Justice (retd) Anjana Prakash, senior advocate Liz Mathew, and advocate Vidhi Thaker (AOR topper 2023) highlighted systemic gender biases.

2.Key issues include stereotyping (e.g., assigning women judges to 'food committees'), lack of mentorship and networking opportunities for women, and the Supreme Court's recent move for 33% reservation for women in bar associations.

3.The article is crucial for understanding challenges in achieving gender parity in constitutional bodies, a recurring theme in Polity and Governance sections of exams like UPSC and State PSCs.

The Big Picture
Prelims · HighMains · High

A panel of three generations of women lawyers reveals deep-seated gender biases and structural barriers hindering women's representation in India's judiciary. With only 11 women Supreme Court judges in over 70 years, the discussion highlights issues like stereotyping, mentorship gaps, and the need for institutional reforms like the 33% reservation in bar associations.

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

Women Judges in SC (Total)11
Current Women SC JudgeJustice B V Nagarathna
Reservation in Bar Associations33%
AOR Exam Topper 2023Advocate Vidhi Thaker

1-Minute Revision

  • ›Women Judges in SC (Total): 11
  • ›Current Women SC Judge: Justice B V Nagarathna
  • ›Target this Data: Only 11 women judges in the Supreme Court of India since its inception.
  • ›Target this Nodal Body: Supreme Court Women Lawyers Association (mentioned in context of Kanpur incident).
  • ›Target this Reform: Supreme Court's recent introduction of 33% reservation for women in bar associations.

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Q1Static LinkageEasy

As per the article, which constitutional body is currently composed of 33 judges, with only one woman judge?

Q2Statement-basedHard

Consider the following statements regarding the issues discussed in the article:

1. The Supreme Court has introduced a 33% reservation for women in the judiciary to improve representation.

2. Justice Anjana Prakash highlighted an incident where she was placed in a 'food committee' based on gender, reflecting deep-seated stereotyping.

3. The Kanpur Bar Association incident, involving objectification of women, was cited as an example of the need for greater sensitization within the legal profession.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricMedium

According to the article, how many women judges has the Supreme Court of India had in over seven decades since its inception?

Q4Application/ImpactMedium

What is the primary objective behind the Supreme Court's recent move to introduce 33% reservation for women in bar associations, as discussed in the article?

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