How to enroll with State Bar Councils for AIBE? Registration Process Fees, Documents Required, Eligibility

In order to apply for AIBE, candidates have to register with a state bar council and get an enrollment number. Read details on how to enroll with state bar council. 

Candidates looking forward to appearing in the AIBE 19 Exam must note that enrolling with the state bar council is now mandatory. Without it, aspirants won't be allowed to appear in the AIBE (XIX) 19 Exam 2024. The decision to make it mandatory was taken after questions were being raised on the validity of the All India Bar Examination (AIBE), the learned counsels arguing against the exam suggested that the bar examination should be conducted as a pre-enrollment examination. However, the Supreme Court reserved its decision and asked BCI to conduct AIBE as a post-enrollment exam. Candidates must enroll with the state bar council before they fill out the AIBE 19 (XIX) application form . In this article, we have mentioned how you can enroll with a state bar council and other important details. 

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How to get enrolled with State Bar Councils?

The online registrations for the AIBE exam is expected to begin anytime soon. The last date to fill AIBE 19 Application Form 2024 will be announced along with the AIBE 19 official notification. Qualifying AIBE is mandatory for law graduates to earn the right to practice in a court of law in India. Qualified candidates will then be issued the Certificate of Practice (CoP). But to apply for the AIBE exam, the candidate needs to be registered as an advocate with their respective state bar councils. 

Since the registration process is done at a state level, the registration mode may vary. For example, advocates in Chattisgarh have to go to the Bar Council Office in person and register. However, the bar councils of Karnataka, Maharashtra and a few other states have online registration options available for advocates.

Eligibility Criteria for State Bar Council Enrollment

To get enrolled with a state bar council, the candidate needs to meet the following criteria.

1. Nationality - The applicant must be an Indian national.
2. Academic requirements - The candidate must have passed a law degree (either 3-year LLB or 5-year LLB degree). 
3. Age limit - There is no upper age limit to get enrolled with a state bar council.

Is AIBE qualification mandatory for candidates who have passed graduation before 2000-2010?

In case the candidate has passed the 3-year or 5-year LLB program before 2009-2010, they aren’t required to qualify the AIBE exam to practice in a court of law. 

Key points related to State Bar Council Enrolment 

• Candidates must get enrolled with a state bar council to fill the AIBE application form
• 3-year and 5-year LLB graduates can get enrolled with state bar councils
• Some state bar councils conduct an online enrollment process, while in some states the candidate needs to visit the bar council office in person and collect the enrollment form.
• Advocates Act, 1961 - The act gives the state councils the right to frame their own rules for advocate enrollment. 
• Enrolled candidates can fill the AIBE 19 Application Form.
• Applicants will be next issued admit cards for appearing in the AIBE XIX exam
• Certificate of Practice (CoP) - Candidates who qualify the AIBE exam will be issued the CoP certificate, which is mandatory to practice in a court of law.

Direct Link for State Bar Councils Enrollment for AIBE exam

Candidates can apply for their state's respective bar council and get enrollment number from the direct links below:

Enrollment with State Bar Council - Complete Procedure

The candidate must visit the state Bar Council website to check if the online enrollment process is available. If an online option is available, follow these steps

1. Online Registration - The candidate will have to get registered by entering details like name, email id, phone number, gender, and date of birth. On completion of the registration process, a unique account will be created. Login details will be sent to the candidate. 
2. Log in to the new account - The candidate will have to log in to the account to access the online enrollment form.
3. Fill in the enrollment form - The form will have various sections like academic, personal and contact details. Duly fill in all the sections. You will also be required to enter employment details.
4. Uploading of documents - Starting from pass certificates to mark sheets, and residence proof to attendance proof, you will have to upload all the essential documents as mandated by the state bar council. The exhaustive list of documents to be uploaded is given below. But do remember to upload the documents as per the prescribed specifications.  

In case the online enrollment option is not available, you have to obtain the enrollment form from the bar council office on payment of a specific fee. Duly fill the form and submit it to the enrollment office.

Also Read: Bare Acts for AIBE (XIX) 19 Exam 2024: Important Bare Acts, Study Tips

State Bar Council Enrollment Charges 

The enrollment fee may vary from one state bar council to another. Here we present to you the various enrollment fees charged by the Bar Council of Delhi. It will give you a rough idea about fee components and also the extent of the fees.

Enrollment fees charged by the Bar Council of Delhi

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Document Checklist for AIBE State Bar Council Enrollment

Candidates have to submit following documents along with the enrollment form of state bar council: 

• LLB Degree of Original Provisional Certificate
• LLB Marksheets of each semester/year
• Graduation Degree
• Graduation Marksheets of each semester/year
• Senior Secondary Certificate or 12th Class Certificate
• Class X and XII pass certificate and marksheets
• Proof of residence
• 3-4 color photographs in Black coat, white shirt & Black tie. The photographs have to be duly attested. 
• If left service, acceptance of resignation letter from the department
• If left service, permission letter from the department for taking admission in LLB.
• If left business, original partnership deed/dissolution deed.
• Original Attendance Certificate confirming the attendance of 66% classes held in LLB (the candidate is required to ascertain the attendance requirement with respective state councils)

Some of the commonly asked questions for state bar council enrollment are answered as under: