AIBE Will Be Held Twice A Year; Rules Framed To Allow Final Semester Students To Take Exam : BCI Tells Supreme Court
The Bar Council of India today told the Supreme Court that it has framed rules enabling final year law students to take the All India Bar Exam and the same will be conducted twice a year.
A bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta was hearing a writ petition which was filed in 2024 seeking directions to allow final semester students to appear in the AIBE. In 2024, the Court had passed interim orders allowing final year students to appear in the AIBE held that year. In 2023, the Court had directed the BCI to frame rules to this effect.
Today, the counsel for the Bar Council of India informed the Court that it has framed BCI Rules 2026 to this effect.
"The AIBE will be conducted at least twice a year and the last semester students will be allowed to sit for the exam subject to of course they clearing the final exam," the counsel submitted.
The Court recorded in its order that the purpose of the writ petition has been served by the framing of the BCI Rules of 2026.
The petitioners had relied on the Constitution Bench judgment in Bar Council of India v. Bonnie Foi Law College & Ors as per which final year law students should be allowed to appear in the AIBE.
"We are inclined to accept the suggestion from the learned Amicus that students who have cleared all examinations to be eligible to pursue the final semester of the final year course of law, on production of proof of the same, could be allowed to take the All India Bar Examination. The result of the All India Bar Examination would be subject to the person passing all the components required under the course of study of the University/College. This would be subject to the All India Bar Examination results being valid for a specified period of time"
Case : Nilay Rai & Ors V Bar Council of India| W.P.(C)No 577 of 2024