Summary
The Bar Council of India (BCI) has informed the Supreme Court that it has framed new rules permitting final-year LLB students to appear for the All India Bar Examination (AIBE).
With the introduction of the new rules, the long-standing uncertainty for final-year law students regarding the bar examination has now been addressed.
The Bar Council of India (BCI) has informed the Supreme Court that it has framed new rules permitting final-year LLB students to appear for the All India Bar Examination (AIBE), a mandatory qualifying test for enrolment as an advocate. The legal regulator also announced that the AIBE will now be conducted twice every year, a move aimed at preventing delays in the professional careers of law graduates.
The submission was made before a bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, which was hearing a writ petition filed in 2024 seeking directions to allow final-semester law students to take the bar examination. After recording the statement made on behalf of the BCI, the apex court disposed of the petition.
According to the counsel representing the Bar Council of India, the regulatory body has formally introduced the BCI Rules, 2026, under which students in the final semester of the LLB programme will be eligible to sit for the AIBE, provided they successfully clear their final university examinations. The counsel clarified that the revised framework ensures that eligible candidates do not lose a year waiting for the next bar examination cycle.
The issue has been under judicial scrutiny for several years. In 2023, the Supreme Court had directed the BCI to frame appropriate rules allowing final-semester law students to take the AIBE. Subsequently, in 2024, the court passed interim orders permitting final-year students to appear for the examination conducted that year. On September 20, 2024, the top court granted significant relief by directing the BCI to allow final-year students to take the AIBE, noting that denying them the opportunity would result in the loss of a crucial year in their professional journey.
The Supreme Court had earlier observed that final-year LLB students should not be “left in the lurch”, as preventing them from taking the AIBE would unnecessarily delay their enrolment as advocates. On February 10, 2023, the apex court had also upheld the BCI’s authority to conduct the AIBE and accepted the suggestion of an amicus curiae to allow final-semester students to appear for the exam upon producing valid proof of eligibility.
The court had taken note of submissions made by advocates A Velan and Navpreet Kaur, who represented nine LLB students, including Nilay Rai of Delhi University. Based on these submissions, the students were allowed to appear for the AIBE held on November 24, 2024.
The original plea had challenged a BCI notification that barred final-year LLB students from appearing in the AIBE, arguing that such restrictions would lead to the loss of valuable time in building professional legal careers. Clearing the AIBE is mandatory for a law graduate to enrol with a state bar council and begin legal practice. With the introduction of the new rules, the long-standing uncertainty for final-year law students regarding the bar examination has now been addressed.
Last updated on 21 Jan 2026
