The All India Bar Examination (AIBE) is a professional qualifying examination administered under the Bar Council of India’s framework. It assesses whether eligible law graduates possess the basic legal knowledge required for professional practice.
The next examination, AIBE XXII (AIBE 22), is scheduled for 29 November 2026. Registration opened on 19 August and closed on 27 October 2026. Admit cards are scheduled for release on 14 November.
Candidates should understand that AIBE is not an examination for admission to LL.B. or LL.M. programmes. Its principal purpose is qualification for the Certificate of Practice (CoP), subject to enrolment and other applicable requirements.
This guide explains eligibility, the latest examination pattern, subject-wise syllabus, application procedures, qualifying marks, previous-year papers and preparation strategies.
AIBE XXII 2026: Examination Overview
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Examination | All India Bar Examination |
| Short name | AIBE XXII / AIBE 22 |
| Conducting authority | Bar Council of India framework |
| Examination purpose | Certificate of Practice qualification |
| Examination date | 29 November 2026 |
| Mode | Offline, pen-and-paper |
| Question type | Multiple-choice questions |
| Total questions | 100 |
| Maximum marks | 100 |
| Duration | 3 hours |
| Negative marking | None |
| Number of subjects | 19 |
| Registration status | Closed |
| Admit-card date | 14 November 2026 |
| Official website | allindiabarexamination.com |
The examination assesses knowledge of substantive laws, procedural laws and professional ethics.
What Is the All India Bar Examination?
The All India Bar Examination is designed to assess the minimum professional competence expected of intending advocates.
The examination operates within the framework of the Advocates Act, 1961, and the rules prescribed by the Bar Council of India.
AIBE qualification is connected with obtaining the Certificate of Practice required under the applicable regulatory framework.
Candidates must distinguish three different stages:
- Completion of a recognised LL.B. degree.
- Enrolment with the appropriate State Bar Council, where applicable.
- Passing AIBE and completing the requirements for a Certificate of Practice.
Recent BCI clarifications permit certain candidates to appear before obtaining their final degrees or State Bar Council enrolment.
However, permission to appear in AIBE does not itself authorise independent legal practice.
AIBE XXII Notification and Important Dates
The BCI announced the AIBE XXII examination schedule through its July 2026 notification.
The schedule was subsequently implemented through the official registration portal.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Registration commenced | 19 August 2026 |
| Registration closed | 27 October 2026 |
| Extended payment deadline | 29 October 2026 |
| Application correction deadline | 30 October 2026 |
| Admit-card release | 14 November 2026 |
| Examination | 29 November 2026 |
| Provisional answer key | To be notified |
| Result declaration | To be notified |
The payment deadline was extended from 28 October to 29 October 2026.
Candidates who registered successfully should monitor the official website for admit-card instructions and examination updates.
The date of the final result should not be assumed from earlier examination cycles.
AIBE XXII Eligibility Criteria 2026
The BCI has clarified eligibility for law graduates and specified categories of final-semester students.
1. Three-year LL.B. graduates
Candidates completing a three-year LL.B. degree from a BCI-recognised university or approved institution are eligible, subject to the prescribed conditions.
Graduates awaiting the formal issuance of their degrees may also apply.
2. Five-year integrated law graduates
Candidates who complete recognised five-year integrated programmes, including B.A. LL.B., B.B.A. LL.B. and B.Com. LL.B., may appear.
The relevant institution must satisfy the applicable BCI recognition or approval requirements.
3. Final-year, final-semester law students
Students in their final semester may register if they have no backlogs from previous semesters.
They must submit the undertaking and academic documents prescribed by BCI.
For three-year LL.B. students, the supporting documents include marksheets for Semesters I to V.
For five-year integrated law students, they include marksheets for Semesters I to IX.
Candidates should read the official eligibility clarification and undertaking.
4. Graduates not enrolled with a State Bar Council
Eligible graduates who have not enrolled with a State Bar Council may appear under the revised framework.
This also covers certain candidates who previously surrendered their enrolment certificates.
The final right to practise remains subject to satisfying the applicable enrolment and Certificate of Practice conditions.
5. Candidates from unrecognised institutions
Candidates from institutions lacking the required BCI recognition or approval are ineligible.
Students must verify their institution’s regulatory status before relying on their degree qualification.
Age limit and number of attempts
AIBE does not prescribe a general upper age limit for eligible candidates.
Candidates who do not qualify may ordinarily reappear in subsequent examinations, subject to current BCI rules.
AIBE XXII Application Fees
The published application fee structure for AIBE XXII is:
| Category | Base application fee |
|---|---|
| General / OBC | ₹3,500 |
| SC / ST | ₹2,500 |
Applicable transaction or payment-processing charges may be additional.
Candidates should use the amount shown on their official payment receipt.
The registration window for AIBE XXII has closed.
How to Apply for the All India Bar Examination
During an active application window, candidates must register through the official AIBE website.
The prescribed online process generally involves:
- Opening the official AIBE registration portal.
- Creating a candidate account and completing verification.
- Entering personal details and educational qualifications.
- Providing State Bar Council enrolment information, where applicable.
- Uploading a photograph, signature and supporting documents.
- Submitting the prescribed undertaking, if applicable.
- Selecting the permitted examination preferences.
- Paying the examination fee and retaining the confirmation.
Candidates who appeared in earlier cycles should check whether the portal requires their existing credentials.
Personal details must match the supporting educational and enrolment records.
AIBE XXII 2026 Examination Pattern
The examination contains 100 objective questions carrying one mark each.
| Component | Details |
|---|---|
| Examination mode | Offline |
| Answer format | OMR sheet |
| Questions | 100 |
| Correct answer | +1 mark |
| Incorrect answer | No deduction |
| Unanswered question | No deduction |
| Duration | 180 minutes |
There is no separate descriptive paper or interview.
The BCI’s previous examination booklet confirms that questions may include direct statutory questions, case-based problems, assertion-reason questions and statement-based analysis.
Candidates should practise each format.
Because incorrect answers attract no negative marks, attempting all questions is generally advantageous.
AIBE XXII Syllabus 2026: All 19 Subjects
The BCI Trust published the official AIBE XXII syllabus on 13 October 2026.
The syllabus contains 19 subject groups with a combined allocation of 100 questions.
| No. | Subject | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Constitutional Law | 10 |
| 2 | IPC and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita | 8 |
| 3 | CrPC and Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita | 10 |
| 4 | Code of Civil Procedure | 10 |
| 5 | Evidence Act and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam | 8 |
| 6 | Alternative Dispute Resolution, including Arbitration | 4 |
| 7 | Family Law | 8 |
| 8 | Public Interest Litigation | 4 |
| 9 | Administrative Law | 3 |
| 10 | Professional Ethics and Professional Misconduct | 4 |
| 11 | Company Law | 2 |
| 12 | Environmental Law | 2 |
| 13 | Cyber Law | 2 |
| 14 | Labour and Industrial Law | 4 |
| 15 | Torts, Motor Vehicles and Consumer Protection | 5 |
| 16 | Taxation Law | 4 |
| 17 | Contract, Specific Relief, Property and Negotiable Instruments | 8 |
| 18 | Land Acquisition | 2 |
| 19 | Intellectual Property Laws | 2 |
| Total | 100 |
Candidates can download the official AIBE XXII syllabus PDF.
Constitutional Law
Constitutional Law carries ten questions.
Candidates should revise Fundamental Rights, Directive Principles, constitutional remedies, federalism, emergency provisions and judicial review.
Important judgments include Kesavananda Bharati v State of Kerala, Maneka Gandhi v Union of India and K S Puttaswamy v Union of India.
Criminal Law: IPC and BNS
This subject carries eight questions.
Candidates should prepare the essential ingredients of offences, general exceptions, abetment, conspiracy and criminal liability.
The syllabus expressly includes both the Indian Penal Code and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
The old provisions remain relevant to historical offences and earlier judicial decisions.
Criminal Procedure: CrPC and BNSS
Criminal Procedure carries ten questions.
Important areas include FIRs, arrest, bail, investigation, trial, appeals, revisions and maintenance.
Candidates must understand corresponding provisions under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023.
Civil Procedure
The Code of Civil Procedure carries ten questions.
Preparation should cover jurisdiction, pleadings, res judicata, temporary injunctions, execution, appeals and review.
Candidates should practise locating the relevant orders and rules efficiently.
Evidence Law
Evidence Law carries eight questions.
Major topics include relevance, admissibility, documentary evidence, electronic records, confessions and burden of proof.
Both the Indian Evidence Act, 1872, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023, appear in the syllabus.
Family Law and Commercial Laws
Family Law carries eight questions and includes marriage, divorce, maintenance, succession and adoption.
The combined Contract, Specific Relief, Property and Negotiable Instruments group also carries eight questions.
Candidates should focus on statutory ingredients, remedies and frequently confused legal distinctions.
Professional Ethics
Professional Ethics carries four questions.
The subject covers duties towards courts, clients, fellow advocates and opposing parties.
Candidates should study the Bar Council of India Rules, professional misconduct and disciplinary proceedings.
The Advocates Act, 1961, especially Sections 35 to 44, provides an important statutory foundation.
Are Bare Acts Allowed in AIBE XXII?
The previous examination guidelines permit bare Acts without notes.
The AIBE XXI question booklet stated that minimally annotated bare Acts could be considered where clean copies were unavailable, subject to invigilator discretion.
Candidates should not treat that discretion as automatic permission to bring annotated books.
The safer approach is to carry clean bare Acts without commentary, handwritten notes or explanatory material.
Final permission depends upon the official AIBE XXII instructions and admit-card directions.
Electronic devices, including mobile phones, smartwatches and laptops, are prohibited under the preceding examination guidelines.
AIBE Passing Marks and Qualifying Criteria
The applicable minimum qualifying percentages are:
| Category | Minimum percentage |
|---|---|
| General / OBC | 45% |
| SC / ST / PwD | 40% |
For a paper evaluated out of 100 marks, these percentages correspond to 45 and 40 marks.
However, final qualifying marks may change when the BCI withdraws disputed questions.
For example, the AIBE XX 2025 result was evaluated out of 95 marks following withdrawal of five questions.
Candidates should rely on the final answer key and result notification rather than assume every examination is ultimately evaluated out of 100 marks.
Previous-Year Question Papers (PYQs) and Official Answer Keys
Previous-year papers provide the clearest understanding of AIBE question formats.
Candidates should begin with recent examinations using the updated criminal-law syllabus.
| Examination | Question paper | Answer key |
|---|---|---|
| AIBE XXI, 7 June 2026 | Official English Set A question paper | Official final answer key |
| AIBE XX, 30 November 2025 | Archived Set A question paper | Paper and final-key archive |
| AIBE XIX, 22 December 2024 | Archived Set A question paper | Official BCI answer key |
| AIBE XVII, 5 February 2023 | Archived Set C question paper | AIBE paper archive |
The AIBE XXI paper and final answer key are hosted directly on the official examination website.
The older question-paper links include independent reproductions of identifiable past examination booklets.
An archived question paper should not be confused with a coaching mock test.
Candidates should also use the official AIBE website to check subsequently issued answer keys and corrigenda.
How to analyse previous-year papers
Attempt each paper within three hours.
Record the time required to locate statutory provisions.
Classify incorrect responses by subject and legal principle.
Compare the paper against the final answer key for the correct set.
Review withdrawn questions and accepted alternative answers where notified.
This process identifies weaknesses that ordinary textbook reading may not reveal.
Preparation Strategy for AIBE XXII 2026
Prioritise high-weightage subjects
Constitutional Law, Criminal Procedure and Civil Procedure together account for 30 questions.
Criminal Law, Evidence, Family Law and the combined Contract group contribute another 32 questions.
These seven groups therefore account for 62 of the 100 scheduled questions.
They should receive substantial preparation time without neglecting the remaining subjects.
Revise the new criminal laws
Prepare comparison notes covering IPC and BNS, CrPC and BNSS, and the Evidence Act and BSA.
Focus on corresponding legal principles, significant procedural changes and current statutory provisions.
Practise searching bare Acts
AIBE requires quick identification of legal provisions.
Practise using contents pages, chapter headings and section arrangements.
Avoid depending on extensive annotations or commentary.
Complete timed mock tests
Attempt full-length papers using the official examination duration.
Review the answer sheet carefully and practise accurate OMR marking.
The examination has no negative marking, so unanswered questions represent avoidable opportunities.
Final seven-day revision
| Day | Preparation focus |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Constitutional Law and important judgments |
| Day 2 | Criminal Law and Evidence |
| Day 3 | Criminal Procedure and Civil Procedure |
| Day 4 | Family Law, Contract and Property |
| Day 5 | Ethics, ADR, PIL and Administrative Law |
| Day 6 | Remaining subjects and statutory revision |
| Day 7 | Full mock examination and error review |
Candidates should adapt this schedule according to their strengths and available preparation time.
AIBE Admit Card and Examination-Day Instructions
AIBE XXII admit cards are scheduled for release on 14 November 2026.
Candidates should download their admit cards through the official registration portal.
Before leaving for the examination centre, verify the reporting time, centre address and permitted identification documents.
Carry the required admit card, identity proof and approved stationery.
Use a blue or black ballpoint pen for the OMR sheet, as prescribed in the previous examination instructions.
Candidates should carefully enter their roll number and question-booklet set code.
Incorrect OMR particulars may lead to serious evaluation problems.
AIBE Results and Certificate of Practice
Following the examination, BCI generally publishes a provisional answer key.
Candidates may be permitted to submit objections within the notified period.
The BCI reviews objections before publishing the final answer key and declaring results.
Successful candidates must complete any outstanding enrolment or document-verification requirements.
Candidates appearing under an undertaking may face additional conditions before their Certificate of Practice can be processed.
The BCI issued revised enrolment-certificate submission instructions in June 2026 for certain earlier qualifying candidates.
Candidates should follow the rules applicable to their own examination and eligibility category.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. When is AIBE XXII 2026 scheduled?
AIBE XXII is scheduled for 29 November 2026.
2. Can final-semester law students appear?
Yes. Eligible final-semester LL.B. students without previous-semester backlogs may appear under the BCI’s prescribed undertaking framework.
3. Is enrolment with a State Bar Council compulsory before appearing?
Not for every eligible applicant. The BCI permits specified categories of unenrolled graduates to appear.
4. Is AIBE an open-book examination?
It permits specified bare Acts, not unrestricted reference books. Candidates should follow the current examination instructions.
5. Is there negative marking in AIBE?
No. The examination does not prescribe negative marking.
6. What are the AIBE qualifying percentages?
The prescribed percentages are 45% for General/OBC and 40% for SC/ST/PwD candidates, subject to final evaluation adjustments.
7. Can a candidate reappear after failing?
Yes. Eligible candidates may ordinarily register for a subsequent examination, subject to current rules.
8. Does passing AIBE automatically issue a Certificate of Practice?
No. Candidates must satisfy the applicable enrolment, verification and documentation requirements.
Official AIBE Resources
Candidates should use the following official resources for the latest information:
- All India Bar Examination official website
- AIBE registration and candidate login
- AIBE XXII official syllabus
- BCI eligibility clarification
- Bar Council of India
- Official AIBE XXI question paper
Conclusion
AIBE XXII is a professional qualifying examination closely connected with entry into legal practice.
Candidates should understand the revised eligibility conditions, subject-wise syllabus and Certificate of Practice requirements.
Effective preparation combines statutory knowledge, updated criminal laws, professional ethics and timed question-paper practice.
The official AIBE XXII syllabus should guide preparation rather than unverified examination predictions.
Candidates appearing on 29 November 2026 should regularly check the official website for admit-card instructions and examination notices.
Last updated: 10 November 2026. Examination details remain subject to subsequent official notifications.
