Wishing luck to all the Indian lawyers!

The Bar Council of India (BCI) according to its latest press release has informed that the All India Bar Exam (AIBE) has been postponed to March 6^th next year and will allow law graduates to practice on the condition of an undertaking that they will appear and clear the AIBE.

The press release states verbatim, “The last date of registration for the AIBE was November 15, 2010 and the Bar Council of India (“BCI”) has received over 22,000 applications for the AIBE. The Bar Council of India in its meeting held on November 14, 2010 has passed a resolution to postpone the All India Bar Examination scheduled to be held on December 5, 2010. The AIBE will now be held on March 6, 2011.

Known as the All India Bar Examination (AIBE), it will be mandatory for all the law graduates from 2009-10 onwards. The decision by the Bar Council to conduct this exam has been mired in controversy from day one. Till last year, law graduates could start practice after passing their final year law exams and signing up with a local bar group.

At least six suits have been filed against this decision of the Council. But the Council maintains that the Bar Exam is not for getting license of Advocate, as believed by all, but for getting a 'Certificate of Practice', after getting the license of Advocate. This test will be conducted every six months by the Bar Council of India (BCI), the apex statutory body to regulate the legal education and profession in the country.

AIBE 2010 will be conducted across the country in 9 languages. Candidates are free to choose an examination centre of their convenience and have also received printed preparatory materials to assist them in preparing for the test. They will be allowed to bring in these study-aids or other reading material they choose, into the exam hall. The test will have 100 multiple-choice questions spread across various subjects.