The All India Bar Examination (AIBE) is the qualifying examination conducted by the Bar Council of India (BCI) that candidates must pass to be entitled to practice law in India. Introduced in 2010, the AIBE sits between enrolment with a State Bar Council (which admits a candidate to the profession) and the grant of a Certificate of Practice (which authorizes actual appearance in courts).
**Structure.** The AIBE is an open-book examination with 100 multiple-choice questions, conducted periodically (typically twice a year) in multiple centres across India. The syllabus covers constitutional law, CPC, CrPC (now supplemented by BNS / BNSS / BSA), evidence, contract, torts, professional ethics, and other core legal subjects. Candidates may bring their bare acts and commentaries into the exam — the format tests the advocate's ability to locate and apply law, not memorize it.
**Passing criterion.** A candidate needs to score above the cutoff (typically 40% but subject to periodic revision). The certificate of practice is issued by the BCI upon passing.
**Controversies and reforms.** The AIBE has been the subject of litigation and reform — challenges to its constitutional validity, questions about the examination's quality control, and debate about whether a qualifying exam post-enrolment is the right regulatory model. The Supreme Court has generally upheld the AIBE's legitimacy as a BCI power to regulate legal practice.
**Practical impact.** Newly enrolled advocates cannot appear in court until they clear the AIBE. Most practitioners attempt it within 6-12 months of enrolment; failure is not uncommon on the first attempt, but unlimited re-attempts are permitted.