AIBE 2026 Exam Now Held Twice a Year: BCI Policy Change Explained

The Bar Council of India (BCI) has officially announced that AIBE will now be held twice a year, giving law students two annual windows to clear the exam and earn their Certificate of Practice (CoP).

The All India Bar Examination (AIBE) is the mandatory qualifying test every law graduate must pass before practicing independently as an advocate in India. Previously, BCI held AIBE once a year, so a missed or failed attempt meant waiting up to 12 months for the next chance. The new bi-annual schedule, announced in July 2026, cuts that wait to roughly six months and removes a significant barrier for fresh graduates entering the profession.

• AIBE will be held twice every year under BCI’s new policy effective 2026.
• Students now get two annual windows to clear AIBE and receive their Certificate of Practice.
• Eligibility, exam pattern, and passing marks remain unchanged under the new policy.
• AIBE is an open-book offline exam with 100 MCQs totalling 100 marks.
• Passing mark is 45 out of 100 for General and OBC students and 40 out of 100 for SC/ST/PwD students.
• Confirmed exam dates for both 2026 windows will be published on the official BCI website.

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What Is BCI’s New AIBE Policy?

The Bar Council of India issued an official notification in July 2026 stating that AIBE will henceforth be conducted twice a year rather than once. This decision follows persistent demands from law students, bar associations, and legal educators who argued that a single annual window placed unnecessary pressure on graduates and delayed their entry into legal practice.

The BCI noted that the number of law graduates appearing for AIBE has grown significantly over the past decade. Shifting to a bi-annual schedule helps manage the rising applicant pool and ensures no student loses a full year because of one missed or failed attempt. The new twice-a-year schedule applies from AIBE 2026 onward.

The policy does not change the nature of the exam. AIBE remains an open-book, pen-and-paper test conducted at designated centres across India, covering 18 subjects from the LLB curriculum. Only the number of annual exam windows increases from one to two.

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What This Means for Law Students

The bi-annual AIBE schedule creates several direct benefits for law students and fresh graduates:

• Shorter wait after a failed attempt: Instead of up to 12 months, you now wait roughly 6 months for the next window.
• Earlier CoP for mid-year graduates: Students completing their LLB in mid-year can now appear in the same calendar year rather than waiting for a single annual exam.
• Lower pressure on exam day: Knowing a second window is available within the year makes any single attempt less high-stakes.
• Better planning flexibility: Two fixed windows let you align preparation with your graduation timeline and internship commitments.
• Less time in provisional practice: Law graduates may practice under a senior advocate’s supervision before clearing AIBE; the shorter gap reduces the duration of this provisional stage.

Each window requires a separate registration and fee payment. If you clear the first window, you do not need to appear in the second.

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AIBE 2026 Expected Schedule

BCI has not yet published exact dates for both 2026 windows. Based on the July 2026 notification and past AIBE scheduling patterns, the expected bi-annual timeline is as follows. All dates are expected based on BCI’s July 2026 notification and prior AIBE trends — confirmed dates will be published on the official BCI portal.

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AIBE Eligibility and Exam Pattern

The new BCI policy changes only the frequency of AIBE. Eligibility criteria and the exam structure remain the same:

AIBE covers 18 subjects from the LLB curriculum, including Constitutional Law, Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, Code of Civil Procedure, Indian Evidence Act, and Contract Act among others. Since it is an open-book exam, you may carry bare acts and printed notes to the examination hall.

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How to Register for AIBE 2026

AIBE registration is conducted entirely online through the Bar Council of India portal. When the window opens, follow these steps:

1. Visit barcouncilofindia.org and navigate to the AIBE section under Examinations.
2. Log in using your State Bar Council enrolment number and date of birth.
3. Complete the application form with your personal, educational, and contact details.
4. Upload scanned copies of your LLB degree certificate, Bar Council enrolment certificate, and a passport-size photograph.
5. Pay the registration fee (approximately Rs 3,500 for General category and Rs 2,500 for SC/ST — confirm the exact amount on the BCI portal at the time of registration).
6. Submit the form and save the confirmation receipt for your records.
7. Download your admit card from the BCI portal 2 to 3 weeks before the exam date.

All AIBE communications from BCI — including admit card alerts, result notifications, and CoP dispatch details — are sent to your registered email and mobile number. Keep these details current on the portal.

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