All India Bar Examination (AIBE): Eligibility, Paper Pattern, Subjects & Key Updates

What is AIBE (All India Bar Examination)

Although a law graduate is granted the right to temporarily practise in a court for two years without needing to clear the AIBE, to obtain a permanent licence to practise in any Court of India, they must qualify for the AIBE. The All India Bar Examination (AIBE) is a qualifying exam conducted annually by the Bar Council of India (BCI). Clearing this exam is mandatory for law graduates to be recognised as permanent advocates, granting them the right to practice law across all courts in India. 

Who is Eligible to Appear for AIBE?

Until 2023, only those law graduates who had enrolled with the State Bar Council and obtained a provisional enrollment number were eligible to appear for the AIBE. However, in 2024, a major update followed the Supreme Court’s interim order in the case of Nilay Rai v. Bar Council of India. Based on this, the BCI released a new notification in 2024 expanding the eligibility criteria to lawyers or law students who have not even enrolled in any State Bar Council. Although the expansion was already granted by the Apex Court in its final judgement in the case of Bar Council of India v. Bonnie FOI Law College, 2023, the BCI failed to enforce this.

Now, the following categories of candidates are eligible to appear for the AIBE:-

1. Law Graduates passed from an University recognized by the Bar Council of India.
2. Final-year law students (in their final semester) without any backlogs.
3. Law graduates who have not yet received their degree.
4. Graduates who have not yet registered with a State Bar Council.
5. Lawyers who had previously enrolled but relinquished their registration

These candidates must submit an undertaking (as per BCI format) while filling out the application form. This undertaking is available via BCI and should be submitted as part of the registration process.

Additional Criteria:

1. The candidate must have pursued or be expected to have their law degree from a BCI-recognised institution.
2. There is no age limit for appearing in the AIBE.

AIBE Paper Pattern

1. Mode of Exam              :                Offline (pen-paper based), OMR Sheet
2. Total Questions            :                100
3. Type of Questions        :                Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
4. Marks per Question     :                1 mark
5. Total Marks                   :                100
6. Duration                         :                3 hours and 30 minutes (210 minutes)
7. Negative Marking         :                No negative marking.
8. Open Book Exam          :                Bare Acts without commentary only

Passing Marks:

• General & OBC Candidates:          45% out of 100
• SC/ST & PWD Candidates:           40 % out of 100

Syllabus of AIBE || Subjects Covered in AIBE

Everyone who is aspiring to be an advocate is now well aware of the fact that only after clearing the AIBE can they be the same. This is the only way through which a law graduate gets the permanent right to practise in any Court of India. Fresh law graduates and other lawyers are very much worried about clearing this exam. They are always very confused and unaware of the syllabus or the subjects from which the questions are asked, which leads to their failure in the exams. According to the Bar Council of India, there are a total of 19 subjects from which questions are prepared for the AIBE. On their official webpage, the Bar Council of India not only mentions the subject but also the number of questions to be asked from every subject. Below are those mentioned. The AIBE syllabus includes:- 

1. Constitutional Law:                                                                                                           10 Marks
2. BNSS (Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita)/CrPC:                                                    10 Marks
3. Code of Civil Procedure (CPC):                                                                                       10 Marks
4. BNS (Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita) / IPC:                                                                             8 Marks
5. BSA (Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam)/ Evidence Act:                                                    8 Marks
6. Law of Contract, Specific Relief Act, Property Laws, Negotiable Instrument Act:   8 Marks
7. Family Law:                                                                                                                          8 Marks
8. Law of Torts including Motor Vehicle Act & Consumer Protection Law:                   5 Marks
9. Alternative Dispute Redressal including Arbitration Act:                                              4 Marks
10. Public Interest Litigation (PIL):                                                                                         4 Marks
11. Professional Ethics & Cases of Professional Misconduct under BCI Rules:             4 Marks
12. Labour & Industrial Law:                                                                                                    4 Marks
13. Law Related to Taxation:                                                                                                    4 Marks
14. Administrative Law:                                                                                                            3 Marks
15. Company Law:                                                                                                                     2 Marks
16. Environmental Law:                                                                                                            2 Marks
17. Cyber Law:                                                                                                                           2 Marks
18. Land Acquisition Act:                                                                                                         2 Marks
19. Intellectual Property Laws:                                                                                                2 Marks

From the above-mentioned list, we can easily deduce that there are a few subjects that are very crucial to go through for qualifying for this (AIBE) exam. For example, constitutional law alone covers 10 questions, while all three criminal laws (i.e., BNS, BNSS, and BSA) collectively cover 28 questions, etc. 

Note: While the official syllabus still includes both old and new criminal laws, the 2024 paper had questions only from the new criminal laws. So, aspirants are advised to focus more on the updated legal provisions.

Open Book Exam – What Can You Carry?

The AIBE is an open-book exam, but with restrictions:

• Only Bare Acts (without commentary or notes) are allowed inside the examination hall.
• You can carry Bare Acts for all or selected subjects, but no notes, books, or guides are permitted.

Growing Competition

Since the revised eligibility norms were introduced in 2024, the number of aspirants appearing for AIBE has significantly increased:

• In 2023, around 1.4 lakh candidates appeared.
• In 2024, this number jumped to 2.3 lakh.

This reflects the increasing competition, and hence, aspirants are advised to prepare thoroughly.

AIBE 2025: Tentative Dates & Fees

Based on the analysis of previous timelines, here are the expected details for AIBE 2025:

1. Notification Release September 2025 (expected)
2. Exam Date December 2025 (expected)

Examination Fee:

1. General/OBC                                                                 -                    ₹3,500 + GST & ID charges.
2. SC/ST/PWD                                                                  -                    ₹2,500 + GST & ID charges.

Final Takeaway

The All India Bar Examination is no longer just a formality—it has become a gateway to a legal career in India. With updated eligibility norms, increasing competition, and changes in syllabus (especially new criminal laws), aspirants must stay updated and prepare smartly.

Make sure to:

• Focus on bare acts and key subjects.
• Stay alert for the official notification.
• Download the BCI undertaking format if you're a final-year student or a non-enrolled graduate.