AIBE XXI in June 2026, qualifying exam for foreign law graduates in December, BCI tells Delhi HC: Report

The Bar Council of India (BCI) has informed the Delhi High Court that it will conduct the All India Bar Examination (AIBE XXI) in June 2026. The bar council has also told the court that it will conduct the qualifying exam for Indian candidates holding foreign degrees in December 2025, as per a report by Bar and Bench.

The bar council informed Justice Sachin Datta that the qualifying exam for foreign law graduates, looking forward to practice law in India, will be conducted from December 15 to 20 and the AIBE 21 will be held in June 2026, the report said.

The announcement from the BCI comes after a law graduate from a foreign university filed a plea in the court seeking to practice law in India. While, on the last date of hearing, the Delhi High Court has directed the BCI to take instructions on whether the qualifying exam can be scheduled before the AIBE test, the report added.

"It is further informed that upon provisional registration with the State Bar Council, the petitioner and the other similarly situated students/persons will have a period of 2 years to clear AIBE. In the intervening period, they would not be precluded from commencing their legal practice,” the court said.

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BCI's requirement to practice law in India for foreign graduates

The petitioner is a law graduate from Brunel University of London and has completed a “bridge course” from a law college in Goa, the Bar and Bench report stated.

The law graduate has challenged the BCI’s requirement to practice law in India for foreign law degree holders. As per the rules, Indian nationals with foreign law degrees with a bridge course must appear for a qualifying exam and also pass the AIBE test in order to practice law in India, the report says.

Questioning the BCI over the schedule for AIBE XXI, the HC, earlier, had told the BCI: “He is a young advocate sitting idle at home, he concluded his bridge course several months ago. You have created this problem; you only find a solution. You should have conducted the qualifying exam before then, this will waste a year. Why did you not schedule the qualifying exam before? His chance to appear in AIBE will be after one year now."

The law graduate counsel has requested the HC to allow the petitioner to appear for the AIBE 20, scheduled to be held on November 30, without first having to give the qualifying exam.

Whereas, the BCI's lawyer opposed the petition and stated, “AIBE is for candidates enrolled as an advocate in India."

The Court had questioned the BCI for not conducting the qualifying exam before the AIBE in order to enable law graduates holding degrees from foreign universities to take the AIBE exam.