The Bar Council of India (BCI) has informed the Delhi High Court that the All India Bar Examination (AIBE XXI) will be conducted in June 2026. The Council also confirmed that the qualifying exam for Indian nationals holding foreign law degrees will be held from December 15 to 20, 2025, according to a report by Bar and Bench.
The update was shared before Justice Sachin Datta during the hearing of a plea filed by a foreign law graduate seeking permission to practice law in India. The High Court had earlier asked BCI to clarify whether the qualifying exam could be scheduled before AIBE, ensuring foreign graduates do not lose an academic year due to scheduling gaps.
BCI stated that candidates with foreign law degrees, after obtaining provisional registration with their respective State Bar Councils, will have two years to clear the AIBE. During this period, they will not be barred from beginning legal practice.
Under current rules, Indian nationals who earn a law degree abroad must complete a bridge course in India, clear the qualifying exam, and subsequently pass AIBE to be fully eligible to practice in Indian courts.
The petitioner, a law graduate from Brunel University, London, completed the mandatory bridge course at a Goa law college. The plea challenges BCI’s requirement mandating both the qualifying exam and AIBE for foreign degree-holders.
The petitioner’s counsel argued that scheduling delays—particularly holding the qualifying exam only after AIBE—unfairly prevent candidates from appearing for the bar exam for nearly a year. The court also raised concerns over this gap and questioned why the BCI had not arranged the qualifying exam earlier.
The petitioner further sought permission to appear for AIBE XX, scheduled for November 30, 2025, without clearing the qualifying exam first. However, BCI objected, reiterating that AIBE is only for candidates formally enrolled as advocates in India.
The Delhi High Court criticised the mismatch between exam timelines, noting that foreign law graduates could be left “sitting idle” for months due to procedural delays. The court urged BCI to ensure that exam schedules are better aligned in the future to avoid loss of time for aspiring advocates.
Further directions from the court are awaited as the matter continues to be heard.