India gets it's First Visually Challenged Judge

A visually challenged candidate has cleared the Kerala Judicial Service Examination, 2025 for Civil Judges (Junior Division), with Thanya Nathan C. topping the merit list among persons with benchmark disabilities. The achievement marks a significant moment for inclusivity in judicial recruitment, reinforcing that disability is no bar to judicial office.

Hailing from Kannur, Thanya, who is completely blind, qualified the examination through self-study without formal coaching, shortly after enrolling as an advocate in August 2024. While continuing active courtroom practice, she prepared for the preliminary and main examinations independently and sought limited guidance for the interview stage.

Her journey unfolded against practical constraints, including limited access to paperless courtrooms and restrictions on electronic devices, which required her to rely on Braille notes during arguments. Despite these challenges, she described the courtroom environment as largely inclusive, crediting support from judicial officers, colleagues, and her family.

The development aligns with the Apex Court’s settled position that physical disability cannot be a ground to exclude candidates from judicial service consideration. In a recent ruling, the Court underscored that persons with disabilities cannot be denied entry into the judicial service merely on account of their disability, reaffirming equality of opportunity in public employment. Thanya herself highlighted the judiciary’s evolving embrace of assistive technology, calling voice to text recording of evidence a “revolution” that advances independence and parity.