ABOUT M. P. State Judicial Academy
The High Court of Madhya Pradesh did not have any institutionalized facility for imparting judicial education to members of District Judiciary. After their selection, Civil Judges and Additional District Judges used to be posted straight away to District Headquarters, where practical training was imparted to them under the supervision and guidance of the District Judge by senior Judges posted there, as per the scheme issued by the High Court. However, the training so imparted was never considered to be satisfactory and there was a crying need for a formal, institutionalized set up to educate, train and groom members of District Judiciary in such a manner as to equip them with requisite knowledge and skills. It was also felt necessary that ethical values should be inculcated in Judges of Subordinate Courts from the day one. Thus, the Academy aims at equipping the members of District Judiciary with up to date knowledge of laws and also inculcating and developing in them the qualities of a good Judge so that they can face the challenges of day-to-day judicial work. It was felt that such a conditioning would optimize the inherent qualities of a individual Judge, so that he is in a position to play his designated role effectively and efficiently in the justice delivery system.
The Idea to have a training Institute for the Judges of Subordinate Judiciary was conceived as early as the year 1974. In its report, a sub-committee comprising two Judges of the High Court of Madhya Pradesh, suggested the desirability of such an Institute. The idea was taken little further when in April 1989, the Full Court in its meeting, passed a resolution for establishing a Training Institute at Jabalpur under the direct control of the High Court. The State Government, no doubt, accepted this noble proposal but the idea could not take a concrete shape due to financial constraints. Nothing came out in material form till the year 1993. In the year 1994, due to the relentless efforts of Hon'ble Shri Justice U.L. Bhatt the then Chief Justice, the goal of having a Training Institute for Subordinate Judges of the State was ultimately attained. The State Government vide its Order No. F.17(E)2/88/21-B(I), dated 22/23.3.1994 gave its approval for the establishment of a Training Institute at Jabalpur for imparting judicial education to the newly recruited Civil Judges of the State. Consequently, Judicial Officers' Training Institute (JOTI) was established in the premises of the High Court Madhya Pradesh at Jabalpur.
In the month of September 2002, the name of the Judicial Officers' Training Institute (JOTI) was rechristened to JOTRI“ Judicial Officers’ Training & Research Institute”(JOTRI) with the object of making the institute research-oriented. Thereafter the name of the institute was changed to Madhya Pradesh State Judicial Academy vide order dated 12.3.2014 of Hon’ble Chief Justice High Court of Madhya Pradesh.
On date 15.12.2022 it was resolved in a full Court meeting by Hon’ble Justice Ravi Malimath Chief Justice and other Hon’ble Judges of High Court of Madhya Pradeshthat “All Courts other than High Courts will hereinafter be referred as District Judiciary and not as subordinate judiciary and all Courts other than High Court will be referred as trial Courts not as subordinate Courts.”
The motto of the academy "pursuit of excellence" has been devised by Hon'ble Chief Justice Shri Ravi Malimath. This motto reflects the constant endeavour of the Academy to attain excellence in whatever tasks it undertakes. The Academy in consequence of the resolution dated 03.08.22 passed by the Governing Council, at the behest of His Lordship's direction, acquired this new motto. The academy strives to carry out it's work in this very spirit.