Bhavya Nain
LawyerIndia
Bhavya Nain is an Indian lawyer and former judicial officer who served in the Delhi Judicial Service. His successful legal challenge to the rejection of his judicial-service candidature concerned whether a person with bipolar disorder could be denied public employment based on assumptions about the condition. [4]
Career and work
Nain earned his law degree in 2009 and later completed an LL.M. at the Indian Law Institute on a merit scholarship. Early in his career, he worked as a law clerk and research assistant at the Supreme Court of India, practiced law, and served as an Assistant Professor of Law at Amity Law School. [6]
He later sat for the 2018 Delhi Judicial Service examination. After clearing the preliminary and main examinations and being called for interview, his candidature was rejected on the ground that his disability was not considered permanent. Nain successfully challenged that decision, and the Delhi High Court ordered that he be declared selected to the Delhi Judicial Service. [4]
He subsequently served as a judicial officer before voluntarily resigning in September 2023. He then returned to legal education, working independently as a law coach and mentor for aspiring judicial officers. [6]
What has been publicly discussed
Sources and other resourcesExpand to view the sources used in this profile and resources to learn more.
Sources used for this profile
The following sources contain information that supports the claims made on this page.
“Will make all endeavours to deliver justice: Lawyer with Bipolar Disorder set to be judge” — Bar & Bench, 2021 Interview covering Nain’s diagnosis, treatment, and judicial appointment.
article or webpageBhavya Nain — “Some notes/material on the point of disability of Bipolar Disorder and work,” 2024 Nain’s first-person writing about bipolar disorder, remission, disability, and employment.
article or webpageBhavya Nain — companion article on bipolar disorder and work Nain’s writing about job-specific fitness and reasonable accommodation.
article or webpage
View all 6 sources
Bhavya Nain v. High Court of Delhi — Delhi High Court, 2020 Documents his diagnosis, treatment history, judicial-service examination, rejection, and successful legal challenge.
court decisionAkanksha Singh v. High Court of Delhi — Supreme Court of India, 2021 Records the medical board’s findings regarding remission and fitness for judicial work.
court decisionSuperLawyer interview, 2023 First-person career history covering law, teaching, judicial service, resignation, and legal coaching.
interview
Learn more
Recommended books and other resources about Bhavya Nain and their experiences.
- “SC paves the way for bipolar man to be a judge” — Hindustan Times, 2021Article
Reporting on the Supreme Court proceedings, the medical board’s findings, and the employment and disability issues raised by Nain’s case.
- Disability Rights India — analysis of the Delhi High Court decisionCourt decision
Disability-rights analysis of the case and its implications for people with mental illness in public employment.
- Bar & Bench — Delhi High Court decision, 2020Court decision
Contemporary reporting on the High Court ruling and the legal issues around remission and disability.