AIBE Exam Twice-A-Year: The All India Bar Examination (AIBE) will now be conducted twice a year, and final-semester LLB students will be eligible to appear for the exam. The decision was announced after the Bar Council of India (BCI) informed the Supreme Court about changes to the examination rules.
The development was recorded by a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta while hearing a writ petition filed in 2024 seeking directions to allow final-semester students to appear in the AIBE. Taking note of the submission, the bench disposed of the plea.
During the hearing, the counsel for the Bar Council of India submitted, "The AIBE will be conducted twice a year and the last semester students of LLB will be allowed to sit for the exam subject to their clearing of the final exam." The counsel further informed the court that the BCI has framed the BCI Rules, 2026 to give effect to the decision.
Earlier, in 2024, the Supreme Court had passed interim orders allowing final-year students to appear in the AIBE held that year. In 2023, the apex court had directed the BCI to frame rules on the issue.
On September 20, 2024, the top court granted major relief to final-year law students by directing the BCI to allow them to appear for the AIBE that year. Observing that final-year LLB students cannot be "left in the lurch", the court noted that their one year would be wasted if they were not permitted to take the bar examination that year.
The Supreme Court had earlier, on February 10, 2023, upheld the BCI's authority to conduct the AIBE. It had also accepted the suggestion of an amicus curiae for allowing final-semester law students to take the AIBE on production of appropriate proof of eligibility.
The apex court had taken note of submissions made by advocates A Velan and Navpreet Kaur, appearing for nine LLB students, including Nilay Rai of Delhi University, and allowed them to appear in the AIBE conducted on November 24, 2024.
The plea had challenged a BCI notification restraining final-year LLB students from appearing in the AIBE. Clearing the AIBE is mandatory for law graduates to enrol as advocates with their respective state bar councils. The petitioners had argued that the restriction would result in the loss of valuable time in pursuing their professional careers.
The BCI had released the AIBE 21 2026 examination schedule along with AIBE 20 results. The test will be held on June 7, 2026 and registrations will start on February 21, 2026.
Other Important Dates For BCI XXI 2026 Exam
The last date to register for the AIBE XXI is April 30, 2026. Fee payment facility will end on May 1, 2026.
Corrections in the application form will be allowed till May 3 and the admit card will be available for download from May 22, 2026.
