Final Year Law Students Now Allowed To Register For AIBE XIX: BCI Tells Supreme Court

The bench comprising Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, Justice JB Pardiwal and Manoj Misra, was hearing the plea challenging the earlier BCI (Bar Council of India) notification which barred final semester law students from registering for the exam.

Today the counsel for BCI submitted that as per the recent notification, the BCI has complied with the Court's earlier interim direction to BCI to allow the petitioners and similarly placed persons to appear for the exam.

“For the next exam, the rules are ready, we just have to put to the stakeholders, Lordships may have it after 4 weeks, we should be able to submit it”, the Counsel added.

While taking note of the above, the bench recorded in its order -

“The petitioners and similarly placed candidates who are pursuing their final year of the LLB degree course have been permitted to register for the AIBE scheduled to held on November 25, 2024. The Counsel for BCI states that rules in this regard have been prepared and are now in the process of stakeholder consultation. List after 4 weeks.”

Earlier, the petitioners submitted that the BCI's decision was contrary to the Constitution Bench judgment in Bar Council of India v. Bonnie Foi Law College & Ors as per which final year law students should be allowed to appear in the AIBE. The Bar Council of India also submitted that they required time to frame rules regarding final year law students. The bench said that they can take time to frame rules, but should ensure that final year law students do not lose a year.

Matter will now be heard in November

Case Details : Case Details: Nilay Rai & Ors V Bar Council of India| W.P.(C)No 577 of 2024