The Bar Council of India (BCI) will conduct the All India Bar Examination – XXII (AIBE 22) on 29 November 2026. The AIBE is not a recruitment or a job vacancy — it is the national-level certification (eligibility) examination that a law graduate must qualify in order to obtain the Certificate of Practice (CoP) and practise law in courts across India. Every advocate enrolled with a State Bar Council after 2010 is required to pass this examination to continue practising.
The BCI announced the complete schedule of AIBE-XXII through its press release dated 18 July 2026. Online registration for the examination was open from 19 August 2026 to 27 October 2026 on the official portal allindiabarexamination.com, and the registration window is now closed. Candidates who have successfully registered should now note the next important milestone: the admit card will be released on 14 November 2026, and the examination will be held in offline (pen-and-paper) mode on 29 November 2026 across the country. The result is tentatively scheduled to be declared between 7 and 10 January 2027.
This article explains the AIBE-XXII schedule, eligibility, application fee, exam details and the Certificate of Practice process, based on the official Bar Council of India announcements.
Recruitment Overview
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Exam Name | All India Bar Examination – XXII (AIBE 22) |
| Conducting Body | Bar Council of India (BCI) |
| Type of Exam | Certification / eligibility examination for law graduates (not a job recruitment) |
| Purpose | To obtain the Certificate of Practice (CoP) for practising law in India |
| Notification | BCI press release dated 18 July 2026 (no advertisement number is issued for AIBE) |
| Total Vacancies / Seats | Not applicable — this is a qualifying examination, there are no vacancies or seats |
| Application Mode | Online (allindiabarexamination.com) |
| Exam Mode | Offline (pen-and-paper) |
| Official Website | https://allindiabarexamination.com/ |
Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Schedule Announced (BCI Press Release) | 18 July 2026 |
| Online Registration Started | 19 August 2026 |
| Last Date for Online Registration | 27 October 2026 (now closed) |
| Last Date for Fee Payment | 28 October 2026 |
| Application Correction Window Closed | 30 October 2026 |
| Admit Card Release | 14 November 2026 |
| AIBE-XXII Examination | 29 November 2026 |
| Result Declaration (Tentative) | 7 to 10 January 2027 |
Note: The above schedule is as announced by the Bar Council of India. Candidates should regularly visit allindiabarexamination.com for any change in the schedule and for admit card and result updates.
Vacancy Details
Not applicable. The All India Bar Examination is a qualifying certification examination and not a recruitment drive, so there are no posts, vacancies or seats. Any law graduate or eligible final-year law student who fulfils the eligibility conditions could register for the examination. Candidates who qualify will be issued the Certificate of Practice by the Bar Council of India.
Educational Qualification (Eligibility)
- The candidate must hold a 3-year or 5-year LL.B. degree from a university recognised by the Bar Council of India, or from a college approved by the BCI and affiliated to a recognised university.
- Final-year, final-semester students of a 3-year or 5-year LL.B. course are also eligible, provided they have no backlogs in previous semesters.
- Enrolment with a State Bar Council is not a precondition for appearing in the examination: law graduates who have not enrolled with any State Bar Council, and those who have surrendered their enrolment certificate, can also apply (subject to the applicable undertaking).
- Candidates already enrolled with a State Bar Council must qualify the AIBE to obtain the Certificate of Practice.
- Candidates who had failed in AIBE XX or AIBE XXI were not required to register afresh for AIBE-XXII; as per the BCI notice, they could log in with their existing credentials.
- Students or graduates of an institution that is not recognised or approved by the Bar Council of India are not eligible.
Age Limit
The Bar Council of India has not prescribed any upper age limit for appearing in the All India Bar Examination. There is also no limit on the number of attempts — an unsuccessful candidate may appear again in the next edition of the examination.
Application Fee
| Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| General / OBC (including Gen-PwD / OBC-PwD) | ₹3,500 (plus transaction/bank charges) |
| SC / ST (including SC-PwD / ST-PwD) | ₹2,500 (plus transaction/bank charges) |
The fee was payable online through the AIBE portal at the time of registration. The last date for fee payment was 28 October 2026.
Selection Process
AIBE is a qualifying examination, so there is no merit list or interview. The process works as follows:
- Written Examination (Offline): Candidates appear in the pen-and-paper examination on 29 November 2026 at their allotted exam centres, using the admit card to be released on 14 November 2026.
- Qualifying Marks: As per the Bar Council of India norms, the qualifying percentage is 45% for General and OBC candidates and 40% for SC, ST and PwD candidates. The result is declared as Pass/Fail.
- Certificate of Practice: Candidates who qualify will be issued the Certificate of Practice by the Bar Council of India, which entitles them to practise law in courts in India.
There is no salary, stipend or pay scale attached to this examination, as it is not an employment recruitment.
How to Apply
Registration for AIBE-XXII is already over (the last date was 27 October 2026). For the record, the application process was as follows, and the same portal is used for admit card and result updates:
- Visit the official AIBE website https://allindiabarexamination.com.
- Open the AIBE-XXII (22) registration link on the homepage.
- Register with the required details such as enrolment state, enrolment number (if enrolled), name, mobile number and email ID.
- Fill the application form with personal details, LL.B. details, State Bar Council enrolment details (if applicable) and exam city preference.
- Upload the required documents, photograph and signature.
- Pay the application fee online for your category and submit the form before the last date.
- Candidates who have already registered should log in on the same portal to download the admit card from 14 November 2026 and to check the result after its declaration.
Important Links
| Link | Address |
|---|---|
| Official AIBE Website / Admit Card / Result | https://allindiabarexamination.com/ |
| Official Notification (BCI Press Release, AIBE-XXII Schedule) | Press release dated 18 July 2026, available on https://allindiabarexamination.com/ |
| Bar Council of India Website | https://www.barcouncilofindia.org/ |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. Is AIBE 2026 a government job recruitment?
Answer: No. The All India Bar Examination is a certification examination conducted by the Bar Council of India. Law graduates must qualify it to obtain the Certificate of Practice and practise law in India. There are no vacancies or posts in this examination.
Q2. When will AIBE XXII 2026 be conducted, and is the registration still open?
Answer: AIBE-XXII will be held on 29 November 2026 in offline mode. Registration was open from 19 August 2026 to 27 October 2026 and is now closed. The admit card will be released on 14 November 2026.
Q3. Who can appear in the AIBE examination?
Answer: Candidates holding a 3-year or 5-year LL.B. degree from a BCI-recognised university or BCI-approved college can appear. Final-year, final-semester LL.B. students without backlogs are also eligible, and enrolment with a State Bar Council is not compulsory for sitting the exam.
Q4. What is the application fee for AIBE 2026?
Answer: The fee was ₹3,500 (plus transaction charges) for General/OBC candidates and ₹2,500 (plus transaction charges) for SC/ST candidates, as per the official schedule.
Q5. What are the passing marks for AIBE XXII?
Answer: The qualifying percentage is 45% for General and OBC candidates and 40% for SC, ST and PwD candidates. The result is declared in Pass/Fail form and is tentatively scheduled between 7 and 10 January 2027.
Q6. What do I get after qualifying AIBE?
Answer: After qualifying, the Bar Council of India issues the Certificate of Practice, which allows the advocate to practise law in courts across India. There is no limit on the number of attempts for candidates who do not qualify in an edition.
Source: Bar Council of India — press release dated 18 July 2026 announcing the AIBE-XXII schedule, and the official All India Bar Examination portal allindiabarexamination.com. Candidates must check the official portal for the latest updates before taking any decision.