India Justice Report
Current Affairs & Government Schemes › Important Reports, Indices and Surveys · Topic 18.4
The India Justice Report (IJR) is a civil society ranking of how well Indian states deliver justice, first published in 2019 by Tata Trusts in collaboration with the Centre for Social Justice, Common Cause, the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, DAKSH, TISS-Prayas, the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy and How India Lives. It scores states on four pillars, police, judiciary, prisons and legal aid, using official data. In the India Justice Report 2025, the fourth edition, Karnataka ranked first among 18 large and mid-sized states with a score of 6.78 out of 10, and West Bengal ranked last, as reported.
5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Current Affairs & Government Schemes · Important Reports, Indices and Surveys
At a Glance
- Started 2019, by Tata Trusts and partners
- Pillars Police, judiciary, prisons, legal aid
- Editions 2019, 2020, 2022, 2025
- IJR 2025 top Karnataka, 6.78 of 10
- Nature Civil society report, not official
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Current Affairs and Government Schemes: Important Reports, Indices and Surveys
Where Does It Fit?
This topic continues the survey series with a governance index. It links to the National Crime Records Bureau report, whose data on police, prisons and crime feed the IJR scores. Previous topic: National Family Health Survey (NFHS). Next topic: State of Working India Report.
What Does the India Justice Report Measure?
| Pillar | What is assessed |
|---|---|
| Police | Vacancies of officers and constables, share of women, representation of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes, spending, training and CCTV coverage in stations |
| Judiciary | Vacancy of judges, case clearance rate, pendency, share of women judges, budget and spending per capita on the judiciary |
| Prisons | Occupancy rate, share of undertrial prisoners, vacancy of staff, medical facilities and spending |
| Legal aid | Per capita spending on legal aid, legal services clinics, panel lawyers and paralegal volunteers |
| Cross-cutting | Human rights commissions and diversity in the system, and trends over five years |
| Scoring | States are scored out of 10 and ranked in two groups, 18 large and mid-sized states and 7 small states, using official data from the Union and the states |
What Did the India Justice Report 2025 Find?
- Overall ranking: Karnataka was first with 6.78 out of 10, followed by Andhra Pradesh with 6.32, Telangana with 6.15, Kerala with 6.09 and Tamil Nadu with 5.62, as reported
- Bottom of the list: West Bengal ranked last among large and mid-sized states with 3.63, as reported
- Karnataka by pillar: It was first in legal aid, second in prisons, third in police and fourth in judiciary, as reported
- Other pillar toppers: Tamil Nadu topped the prisons pillar and Kerala topped the judiciary pillar, as reported
- Vacancies: Vacancies of judges, police officers and prison staff remain high nationwide, and only a few states fill their sanctioned posts
- Women in the system: The share of women in police and the judiciary is still low in most states, though it is higher among district judges than in police
- Forensics: The report flagged that forensic laboratories in some states, including Karnataka, remain under police control, a concern for credibility
- Verification: Rankings and scores are reported from press releases and coverage, so readers should check the IJR website for exact data
What Else Should You Remember?
- Publishing partners: The report is a collaboration of Tata Trusts with the Centre for Social Justice, Common Cause, the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, DAKSH, TISS-Prayas, the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy and How India Lives
- Editions: The first edition came in 2019, followed by 2020, 2022 and 2025, so the 2025 report is the fourth edition
- Data source: Data comes from the National Crime Records Bureau, the Supreme Court, the Bureau of Police Research and Development, the National Legal Services Authority and the Ministry of Home Affairs, as in National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) Report
- Case pendency: More than 5 crore cases are pending across Indian courts, according to the National Judicial Data Grid, as reported, and most are in district courts
- Undertrials: A large share of prison inmates, over 70 per cent in recent counts, are undertrials who have not been convicted
- Legal aid law: The Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 sets up the National Legal Services Authority, and Article 39A directs the state to provide free legal aid
- Police reform: The Supreme Court in Prakash Singh versus Union of India of 2006 gave directions on police reform, including a fixed tenure for the police chief, which many states have not fully followed
- Law links: The new criminal laws, as in The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (Replacing IPC, CrPC, Evidence Act), raise the load on police and courts
- Limitations: The report uses official data that may be outdated, and it does not measure quality of outcomes directly
- Common mistakes: Calling the IJR a government report or saying it ranks only courts
Why Does It Matter for the Exam?
- Publisher: Tata Trusts-led civil society group
- Pillars: Police, judiciary, prisons and legal aid
- Latest: Karnataka first in IJR 2025
- Articles: Article 39A for free legal aid
- Common errors: Saying NITI Aayog publishes it or leaving out legal aid from the pillars
As an analytical point, justice delivery depends on four linked parts, and weakness in one, such as vacancies in police, slows the rest. Filling posts, using technology and investing in legal aid give the best return for the justice system.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Report Publisher and pillars
- Ranking Top state in news
- Governance Judiciary and police themes
What Came Next?
The next topic covers the State of Working India Report. Next topic: State of Working India Report.
Key People and Terms
- Pendency Cases waiting for decision
- Undertrial Prisoner not yet convicted
- Legal aid Free legal help
- Paralegal Trained legal volunteer
- Case clearance rate Cases disposed versus filed
- NALSA National Legal Services Authority
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- Publisher: Tata Trusts and partners, from 2019.
- Pillars: four.
- IJR 2025 top: Karnataka.
- Article 39A: free legal aid.
- Not a government report.
Do Not Confuse With
- IJR and NCRB report Justice delivery ranking versus crime statistics
- NALSA and IJR Legal aid authority versus a report
- Judiciary pillar and legal aid pillar Courts versus free legal services
Memory Hook
Police, courts, prisons, aid: four pillars, Tata Trusts counts.
Mains Angle
Mains questions ask about reform of the justice system. These points give a balanced frame.
- Gaps Vacancies and pendency
- Reform Police, prisons, aid
- Way Funding and technology
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“What do the findings of the India Justice Report reveal about the state of justice delivery in India, and what reforms are needed?”
How to Answer
- Findings Karnataka first, high vacancies.
- Gaps Pendency, undertrials.
- Reform Fill posts, legal aid.
- Way Funds and data.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the India Justice Report?
The India Justice Report is a ranking of Indian states on justice delivery, first published in 2019 by Tata Trusts with partners such as Common Cause, DAKSH and the Centre for Social Justice. It scores states on police, judiciary, prisons and legal aid using official data and is not a government publication.
Who publishes the India Justice Report?
Tata Trusts leads the India Justice Report in collaboration with the Centre for Social Justice, Common Cause, the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, DAKSH, TISS-Prayas, the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy and How India Lives. It is a civil society effort, and it has appeared in 2019, 2020, 2022 and 2025.
Which state ranked first in the India Justice Report 2025?
Karnataka ranked first among 18 large and mid-sized states in the India Justice Report 2025 with a score of 6.78 out of 10, followed by Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, as reported. West Bengal ranked last. Karnataka was first in legal aid and near the top in the other pillars.
What are the four pillars of the India Justice Report?
The four pillars are police, judiciary, prisons and legal aid. Each is scored using indicators such as vacancies, spending, diversity and case clearance, and a state overall score is derived from them. States are ranked separately as 18 large and mid-sized states and as small states.
What is the latest status of justice delivery according to the IJR?
The latest edition, in 2025, shows that southern states lead overall, but vacancies in police, judiciary and prison staff remain high across the country. Women are under-represented in the system, and legal aid spending is low in many states, as reported, so the data should be checked in the full report.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 The India Justice Report is published by the Ministry of Law and Justice.
It is led by Tata Trusts with partners.
2 Legal aid is one of the four pillars of the India Justice Report.
The others are police, judiciary and prisons.
3 Karnataka ranked first in the India Justice Report 2025.
Among large and mid-sized states, as reported.
4 Article 39A deals with free legal aid.
It is a Directive Principle.
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