Goa, July 4 -- In a significant move to reform judicial appointments, the Supreme Court collegium has approved a record 36 names for elevation as judges to various high courts across the country. This follows an unprecedented two-day round of personal interviews with 54 candidates earlier this week.

The cleared appointments span several high courts, including Delhi, Punjab and Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Patna, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Gauhati. The collegium-comprising Chief Justice of India Bhushan R Gavai and Justices Surya Kant and Vikram Nath-conducted the interviews on July 2 and 3, marking the largest single batch of face-to-face assessments in the judiciary's history.

According to the collegium's resolution, the rec...