The Bar Council of India prescribes the code of conduct for the state bar councils, advocates as well as, regulates legal education standards in India. Know all about BCI in this article below.
In India, Legal education and practice is regulated and managed by an authority known as the Bar Council of India (BCI). The BCI conducted AIBE 19 Exam 2024 on December 22, 2024. In this article, we have mentioned features of BCI, the latest news, the bar examination - AIBE, and other details.
Also Read: Lowest Weightage Topics for AIBE Syllabus: No. of Questions, Best Books & More
What is BCI?
The Bar Council of India (BCI), Delhi, is a constitutional body formed under the Advocates Act, 1961. BCI regulates legal education and professional standards in India including directing the state bar councils, standardizing law education and course framework at the universities and law colleges in India as well as conducting the All India Bar Examination (AIBE) to grant 'Certificate of Practice' to advocates practicing law in India. BCI also funds welfare schemes for economically weaker and physically handicapped advocates. The law graduates have to enroll with their state's bar council on payment of INR 600 and INR 150 to the BCI.
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The enrolment committee of BCI verifies the application forms of the candidates for the 'Certificate of Enrolment.' BCI comprises members chosen from the law fraternity in India.
Bar Council of India News (Latest in 2024 - 2025)
Here are the latest news and updates related to the Bar Council of India:
Q: Is AIBE exam easy or difficult?
Q: How many chances are given to a candidate to clear the AIBE exam?
Q: Which book is the best for AIBE exam 2024?
The bar examination is no longer an open book examination. Therefore, candidates appearing for AIBE 19 should be careful of choosing best books for AIBE preparation. However, getting best books for AIBE examination can become a challenge as the syllabus is vast. Candidates appearing for the bar examination must prepare with Bare Acts without comments. The Bare Acts to be used while preparing for AIBE are:
- Indian Penal Code, 1860
- Indian Contract Act, 1872
- Indian Evidence Act, 1872
- The Negotiable Instrument Act, 1881 and others
- AIBE 19 Answer Key 2024 PDF OUT @allindiabarexamination.com, Steps to download answer key with set codes
- AIBE 19 Registration Dates 2024 REVISED, Check the Updated AIBE 19 Registration Deadline, Important Details Here
- AIBE 19 Exam Date 2024 REVISED, Check New AIBE Dates, Application Form Submission Deadline here
- AIBE 19 (XIX) Exam Date 2024 Announced, Check AIBE Notification, Application Process details here
- AIBE 19 Application Process Begins @allindiabarexamination, check AIBE 19 Registration Process here
- AIBE 19 Exam 2024: Three new criminal laws take effect today, to be included in AIBE Exam? check details
- AIBE 19 Dates 2024: BCI releases important information on AIBE 19 Exam, AIBE 19 Notification, check details
- AIBE 18 Result 2023: 74,368 fail to clear AIBE 18 Exam, BCI information on AIBE 18 Question Paper, check details
- AIBE COP 2023: BCI releases important notice on All India Bar Examination Certificate of Practice, check details
- AIBE 18 Result 2023: OMR Rechecking important details released by BCI, check details here
- AIBE 18 Result 2023: BCI withheld AIBE 2023 Result, Check Important Details here
- BCI 20th Qualifying Examination for Foreign Law Degree dates OUT, check official notification here
- BCI releases important NOTICE on Certificate of Practice (COP), Check how to download COP @AIBESCOPE
- AIBE 18 Result 2023: BCI announces important update on AIBE 18 (XVIII) Result, check details here
- Important Update! BCI releases Urgent notice on Certificate of Practice, Check details
- AIBE Exam 2023: BCI releases important guidelines for candidates, check details here
Functions of the BCI
The role of the Bar Council of India as a legal education and professional standards regulatory body is vast. As mentioned in Section 7 of the Advocates Act, 1961, the functions of BCI are:
- Establishing professional standards and propriety for advocates
- Setting up procedures to be followed by disciplinary committees for legal education and practice
- Protecting the rights, interests, and privileges of advocates
- Promoting and supporting legal reforms in India
- Dealing and disposing matters of State Bar Council (SBC)
- Promoting and setting up standards for legal education in India
- Determining universities for offering law degrees for enrolling as an advocate
- Conducting seminars on legal subjects, publishing papers and legal journals by renowned jurists of India
- Organising and providing legal assistance to below proverty line citizens
- Recognising foreign law degree equivalence for admission as an advocate in India
- Managing investments of BCI funds
- Providing for electing members to manage and administer the State Bar Councils in India
- Organising and providing legal assistance to the reserved and minority categories in India
Eligibility for Enrollment of Advocates to the BCI
The Advocates Act, 1961, Section 24, states the qualifications of an individual permitted to enrol in the BCI. This section stipulates that conditional on the Act’s provisions and the rules framed, an individual shall be qualified and fulfill AIBE Eligibility Criteria to be enrolled as an advocate on a State roll if he/she meets the prerequisites as below
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- They should be an Indian citizen; a resident of any other nation can be permitted as an advocate on a State roll provided Indian citizens who are duly qualified, are authorized to practice law in the other nation, subject to other limitations.
- They should be a minimum of 21 years.
- They have obtained a law degree after completing three years of law courses from any university within India that is recognised for the objective and intent of the Act by the BCI. In a few cases, an advocate who has gained a degree from any University outside India, and if the degree is recognised for the objective and intent of this Act by the BCI, may be admitted.
- They must satisfy such other prerequisites as stipulated in the rules made by BCI
At present, an individual who desires to get enrolled as an advocate has to first clear the BCI exam. Subsequently, the person can enroll himself/ herself under any State Bar Council (SBC). Eligible individuals are admitted as advocates on the rolls of the SBCs. The Advocates Act empowers SBCs to formulate their own rules concerning the enrolment of advocates. The Council’s enrolment committee will examine a candidate’s application. Different SBCs have framed their own rules concerning enrolment as an advocate. Nevertheless, many of the SBCs require candidates to apply together with their law degree and mark sheets along with a judicial stamp paper and necessary fees.
The candidates have to send the application fee for enrollment with SBC and BCI through the separate Demand Drafts to each.
Those admitted as advocates by any SBC are eligible to take the AIBE that is conducted by the BCI. Passing the AIBE grant state-enrolled advocates with a Certificate of Practice (COP) that facilitates them in practising law as an advocate in any lower court and High Court within the Indian territory.
Q: What are the passing marks for AIBE exam?
The passing marks for the AIBE (All India Bar Examination) exam vary from year to year and are decided by the Bar Council of India. However, candidates must score a minimum of 40% marks to pass the exam. The AIBE is not an open book exam anymore, and candidates are allowed to carry Bare acts without notes to the exam center. However, candidates must ensure that they have a thorough understanding of the concepts and topics as they will be required to apply their knowledge to solve the questions. The exam is conducted in multiple-choice format, and candidates must answer 100 questions within a duration of 3 hours and 30 minutes. The questions are based on various legal subjects such as constitutional law, contract law, criminal law, family law, and professional ethics and conduct. Candidates who pass the AIBE exam are awarded a Certificate of Practice by the Bar Council of India, which allows them to practice law in India. Candidates who do not pass the exam can appear for the exam again in the next session by paying the requisite fees.
Q: What happens if one fails the AIBE exam?
Q: How do I study for AIBE exam?
In order to crack the AIBE Exam candidates need to have a dedication and plan. Here are some tips you can follow the clear the Bar examination in first attempt:
- First, be well-versed with the AIBE syllabus and exam pattern
- Second, pick the best subject-wise AIBE books for preparation
- Lastly, make a detailed study plan and follow it consistently
- Dedicatedly follow the study plan created
- Keep revising the topics already studied
- Attempt previous year AIBE question papers
- Take AIBE mock tests
Q: Is AIBE an open-book exam?
Till 2020, the All India Bar Examination was an open-book exam. However, in 2021 Bar Council of India changed this pattern. This means that students can no longer take the help of books and study material to attempt or solve the question paper. That being said students are still allowed to carry Bare Acts without notes with them. For more details, you may visit the Shiksha AIBE exam page. (https://www.shiksha.com/law/aibe-exam).
I hope this will help you.
Q: Is All India Bar Examination (AIBE) tough?
Yes, AIBE is indeed tough. Candidates who qualify in the AIBE exam are issued COP certificates that allow the candidates to practice law in a court of law in India. Without the COP certificate, one cannot practice law in Indian courts. Both 3-year LLB and 5-year LLB graduates are eligible to appear in the AIBE exam. Hence, it is not only tough but indeed mandatory for lawyers. In order to crack AIBE exam, candidates need to make sure that they are consistent and regular with their preparation.
Also read:
- How to get Enrolled with State Bar Councils for AIBE exam?
- Bar Council of Delhi: Registration, Eligibility and Fees
- Bar Council of Uttar Pradesh: Registration, Eligibility, Fees
- Bar Council of Gujarat: Registration, Eligibility, Fees
All India Bar Examination
AIBE is a national-level exam that is organised by the BCI and has been designed to fulfilling the objective of assessing the capability of advocates who have a strong desire to practice law in India. This examination is conducted semi-annually and tests advocates on procedural and substantive law. The AIBE will appraise skills at a fundamental level and fix a minimum benchmark for admission to practice law. After passing the examination, the candidate will be awarded the Certificate of Practice (CoP) by the BCI, and they become eligible to practice law in India.
Related articles:
| AIBE 19 (XIX) Important Dates | AIBE 19 Exam Pattern | AIBE 19 (XIX) Preparation Tips |
| AIBE 19 Question Papers - Past Years | AIBE 19 (XIX) Syllabus | Best AIBE 19 (XIX) Books |
The eligibility perquisites for the AIBE are set by the BCI. If the BCI feels that an applicant is unqualified, then their application will be disqualified. Therefore, candidates must check the AIBE eligibility perquisites before filling out the application form. The eligibility criteria that candidates must know before applying for the AIBE exam are
- Only Indian resident candidates are eligible
- The aspiring candidates must have completed their three-year or five-year LLB degree program from any recognized university
- Candidates must be enrolled with any SBC (under Section 24 of the Advocates Act 1961)
- He/she should have an advocate ID Card/enrollment card issued by the State Bar Council
Some of the other essential points to remember are:
- There is no age limit to appear for the exam
- There is no limit to the number of attempts
- There are no minimum marks prescribed in the qualifying exam
Important FAQs regarding Bar Council of India
Q: What is BCI?
A: BCI is a constitutional body that regulates legal education and professional standards in India.
Q: What is the fullform of BCI?
A: BCI stands for the Bar Council of India.
Q: What is BCI certificate?
A: The BCI certificate or the Certificate of Practice (CoP) is allotted to candidates when they pass the AIBE exam. Post obtaining the BCI CoP, candidates get eligible to practice legal profession in India.
Q: Is there a bar exam in India?
A: Yes, BCI conducts the All India Bar Exam (AIBE) bi-annually to award shortlisted candidates the Certificate of Practice.
Q: How can I enroll myself as an advocate?
A: To become an advocate you first need to enroll yourself in your respective state bar council. Thereafter, you need to clear the AIBE exam. After passing the Bar exam, you will be enrolled as a certified advocate.
Q: What are the passing marks for AIBE?
A: Candidates need to secure minimum 40 per cent (35 per cent for SC/ST) aggregate in order to qualify the AIBE exam.
Q: Is the Bar Council exam hard?
A: The difficuty level of the Bar Council exam, AIBE, is usually moderate. Click on AIBE exam analysis to get complete details on the difficulty level of AIBE paper.
Q: How can I apply for the Bar Council exam?
A: You can apply online for the All India Bar Examination on the official website of the exam.
Q: Why is the AIBE exam referred to as the Bar exam?
A: Bar is basically the partition that separates the seating of the judges and magistrates fro the rest of the hall. Becoming a lawyer implies 'being called to the bar'.
Q: Can one practice Law without passing the Bar exam?
A: No, candidates are not legally eligible to practice Law in India without passing the Bar exam.
Q: What happens if I fail the Bar examination?
A: In case you fail the Bar examination (AIBE exam), you need to re-appear for it till the time you crack it. It may be noted that there is no limit on the number of attempts for the exam.
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered a week ago
The Bar Council of India (BCI) released the provisional answer key for the All India Bar Examination (AIBE) 19 on December 28, 2024. Candidates were given the opportunity to raise objections until January 10, 2025.
As of now, BCI has not announced the exact release date for the final answer key. T
M
Beginner-Level 3
Answered 2 weeks ago
Hi Jigyasa,
If you have filled your enrollment number in the place of the roll number on the AIBE OMR sheet, it could potentially lead to a mismatch during the verification process. The roll number is the primary identifier for your exam, and it's important that the correct details are filled out in
A
Contributor-Level 9
Answered 3 weeks ago
To pass AIBE 19, a candidate must have at least 45% marks in case of being from the general or OBC category, and 40% in case of a candidate belonging to the SC/ST category. Considering you scored 43 marks, it seems that you failed to cross the pass mark.
K
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 weeks ago
The latest cutoff for AIBE 19 held on December 22, 2024, is given below for the General/OBC category as well as for the SC/ST/PwD category.
General/OBC Category: 45% (45 marks out of 100)
SC/ST/PwD Category: 40% (40 marks out of 100)
K
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 weeks ago
You need to send the enrollment details to AIBE. The AIBE will update accordingly.
Scholar-Level 18
Answered 4 weeks ago
The last date for correction in AIBE registration form was November 22nd 2024. So you can not correct now. Now the admit card downloading is in process from December 15th onwards.
Scholar-Level 18
Answered a month ago
The AIBE is the quintessential 'bar' examination that all law graduates in India must clear in order to be entitled to practice before any court in the country.
It assesses entry-level understanding of the knowledge of law and legal reasoning. One has to select the medium in which he/she would like t
R
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
According to the Times of India, the Bar Council of India (BCI) informed that out of 144014 students who appeared for the exam 69646 passed. In response to a right-to-information application filled by Shibu Babu, it was disclosed that 1487 81 students took the exam held on December 10 last year with
A
Contributor-Level 9
Answered a month ago
To access your results, you must log in using your User ID and Password on the official AIBE portal, using the same details they provided in their AIBE XIX application. The scorecard will include the candidate's roll number and qualification status, indicating whether they have passed or failed.
Y
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
The applications for AIBE or All India Bar Examination has been closed for this year. The exams are scheduled to be held on December 22, 2024. The last date was November 15, 2024. The candidates were allowed to select their prefered language from 11 options. This has really helped students, they c
Guide-Level 13
When will AIBE 19 final answer key be published?