PUNE: Nikhil Prasad Baji, a 31-year-old city-based lawyer with cerebral palsy, has cracked the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) exam to become a judge.
Baji resides with his parents, brother and sister-in-law in Rambaug Colony in Navi Peth. He passed the Civil Judge Junior Division and Judicial Magistrate (First Class) exam in his second attempt.
Baji said he was differently abled and therefore in childhood he faced lots of challenges but he never took them in a negative way which could affect his life. He maintained a positive balance in his mind.
“I could not play cricket in childhood due to my disability but I became umpire to judge other children’s play,” Baji told Sakal Times.
Baji completed his law degree from Gujarat National Law University (GNLU) in 2013. Since then he has been practising at the Pune District Court in Shivajinagar. He felt law practice requires lots of running around and he realised it would be better to be in the judiciary to utilise his potential.
He first appeared for the MPSC exam in 2017 and then in 2019. The exam has three stages – preliminary, mains and interview round.
While advising aspiring students, Baji said, “I would like to appeal to all students who are preparing for the competitive exams that you should focus on the preparations and not the end results. It is the process which will develop qualities in you and the process should be given more focus and attention.
You have to remain positive. It is a positive mindset that helps you because your first road block is always in your mind and you should have hope in yourself by saying yes I can.”
