All India Bar Examination postponed due to coronavirus

New Delhi: The Bar Council of India has resolved to postpone All India Bar Examination (AIBE) scheduled for August 16 due to the rising numbers of coronavirus patients across the country and frequent lockdowns to contain its spread.

The BCI, which is the regulator of legal education in the country, has also resolved to extend the date for receipt of applications from candidates till August 31.

Besides, the apex bar body has been authorised by the bar leaders across the country to represent lawyers before the Supreme Court in a writ petition against the Union of India seeking financial assistance and a soft loan of Rs 3 lakh each to needy lawyers.

AIBE is a national level exam meant to test a potential advocate who aspires to practice law.

The decision was taken in a resolution adopted on July 29. “Keeping in view the present pandemic (COVID-19)situation and frequent lockdown, increasing number of corona patients daily, the council has resolved to postpone the All India Bar Examination to be held on August 16 and it has further resolved to extend the date of receipt of applications from candidates till August 31 (for the present),” the resolution said.

In a virtual meeting between BCI and all the state bar councils' representatives and High Court Bar Associations, it was decided that the apex bar body will represent the lawyers before the Supreme Court in a writ petition in against the Union of India seeking financial assistance and a soft loan of Rs 3 lakh each to needy lawyers.

The BCI has said that a huge majority of lawyers are forced to live in a miserable condition due to continuing suspension of physical court functioning, leading to loss of earning and draining out their financial resources.

A bench headed by the Chief Justice S A Bobde on July 22 issued notice to the Centre on the petition, the council said. “It was unanimously resolved separately in both joint meetings of the Bar Council of India with all State Bar Councils and with High Court Bar Associations respectively, that since the aim and object of the BCI and the State Bar Councils and the High Court Bar Associations are/is one and the same, i.e. to procure financial assistance and help the needy advocates, all State Bar Councils and the participating High Court Bar Associations would authorise BCI to represent themselves before the apex court,” BCI's chairperson Manan Kumar Mishra said.