AIBE IX held, evokes mixed response from Newbie Lawyers

Thousands of Lawyers wrote All India Bar Examination (AIBE), an examination to examine an advocate's capability to practice the profession of law, held in various centres across the Country yesterday. In Kerala, sole Centre was in Cochin. Hundreds of Lawyers were seen thronging into Maharaja’s College and Government Law College, Ernakulam with bag full of Text Books and Bare Acts.

AIBE-IX was scheduled to be held on December, 2015 which was adjourned to March 6^th.  Syllabus for the examination covered various subjects in Law. Most weightage was given to Contract and Property Law, Criminal Laws, Evidence, CPC and Constitution. Exams were Open Book.

Lawyers’ response

Live Law spoke to some lawyers who took part in the exam and got mixed reactions. Some said that the Exam was not easy as they expected while others said they might easily clear it as many questions were direct.

On being asked about what they expect the Three Judge Bench of Supreme Court, which is hearing the challenge against AIBE, would do, some said that the Apex Court might not scrap the Exams. Advocate Ashok Kini who appeared for the Exam, who also works with Live Law, said “What can happen is that Supreme Court may scrap exams for those who have already enrolled. But ultimately the Court may endorse the idea of an All India Exam to screen capabilities of Lawyers by proper amendment of Advocates Act and Rules.”

Most of the lawyers, we spoke to, did agree that an exam like AIBE is necessary to keep up the dignity of Profession of law. But some said “We feel like Insulted. After clearing more than 30 theory papers and doing internship with Law firms, and after 10 months after enrolment, we are being asked to write another exam to prove our capability. It is quite uncalled for.”