Law students in the last two years of their course alone can now intern at the Kerala High Court, though individual Judges remain free to take interns at their discretion, under an amended internship policy notified by the Court.
Kochi: Under an amended Internship Policy effective from October 17, 2026, the High Court of Kerala has restricted internships at the Court to students in the last two years of their law course, a limit that does not touch internships undertaken under Judges at their Lordships’ discretion [Internship Policy for the High Court of Kerala-2026 (Amended)].
The policy was notified by the Registrar General and supersedes the earlier version, which took effect on July 1, 2026. It applies to interns working under the Hon’ble Judges and the Sections of the High Court, and to those placed with other stakeholders: the Advocate General, the Additional Solicitor General, the Director General of Prosecutions, the Deputy Solicitor General, the Kerala State Legal Services Authority, the Mediation Centre, the Bar Council of Kerala and advocates.
Who may apply
Eligibility is governed by Clause 6 of the amended policy. Clause 6(a) provides:
Only students in the last two years of their law courses shall be eligible to undergo internship in the High Court.
Clause 6(b) exempts internships under the Hon’ble Judges at Their Lordships’ discretion. Applications are to be made through an online module that the High Court is developing, and each must come through the Principal or Head of the student’s institution. Incomplete applications, and those not sent through the proper channel, will not be considered. Until the module is ready, the process remains offline, and the notice says submission and processing will be in physical mode as far as possible.
The July policy and its amendment
An internship policy for law students was first framed and notified with effect from July 1, 2026. According to the notice of October 17, 2026, certain modifications were proposed later, and on consideration and approval the policy has been amended and is to be followed in place of the earlier version. The amended text is also on the High Court’s website. Three kinds of internship are kept outside it: those at the IT Directorate, which follow that Directorate’s guidelines; those at the Kerala Judicial Academy, where the Board of Governors decides; and programmes run with NUALS or other institutions.
Consent, passes and certificates
Where an application names a particular Judge, it is processed only once that Judge’s consent has been obtained through the Judge’s Private Secretary. The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the High Court oversees the programme, marks vacancies and issues entry passes, and only to those who applied through the module and have been permitted to intern. The number of interns for each Court is fixed by the Registrar General from time to time. Interns must attend a briefing before applying and sign in and out every day. A certificate is issued only for the days of physical attendance at the High Court, and absences, for whatever reason, are not counted.
Conduct on the premises
Interns are expected to maintain decorum, follow the dress code framed by the Bar Council of India under Section 49(1)(gg) of the Advocates Act, 1961 (without coat, bands and gown), and carry their institution’s identity card. Jeans, T-shirts, sneakers and flashy accessories are not allowed, and mobile phones, cameras and recording devices may not be used inside courtrooms and sensitive areas. On recording, the policy provides that
Any intern found engaging in photography, video recording, or audio capture and propagating it on social media, compromising the security of High Court, shall be subject to immediate termination of internship.
Seats in courtrooms are reserved first for advocates and litigants, and interns must vacate them when asked. Staff canteens are off limits during peak hours. A failure to follow the rules may lead to pre-termination, with no certificate issued, and repeated misconduct from a particular institution may lead to a temporary suspension of internship permissions for its students.
What it means in practice
For students, only those in the last two years of their course can apply for an internship at the High Court through the general route, although a Judge may still accept others at discretion. For the Court, the policy provides a single channel through the PRO, a ceiling on numbers, and rules on attendance and conduct aimed at safety and decorum within the premises.
Document: Internship Policy for the High Court of Kerala-2026 (Amended), Notice dated October 17, 2026
Issued by: Registrar General, High Court of Kerala
Effective: From the date of the notification, October 17, 2026
