Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: In an interim order, the Supreme Court on Friday permitted final-year law students to appear in the All India Bar Examination (AIBE), scheduled for November 24, 2024. This decision comes in response to a petition challenging the Bar Council of India’s (BCI) exclusion of final-year students from registering for the exam.
The Supreme Court bench, led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, heard the petition filed by Nilay Rai and eight other final-year LLB students. The petitioners challenged the BCI’s notification, which prevented final-year law students from taking the AIBE.
The Bar Council of India (BCI) sought time to frame appropriate rules regarding final-year law students’ eligibility for the exam. However, the Supreme Court stressed that students should not lose a year due to procedural delays. “We direct that the BCI shall permit the registration of all students who fall within the ambit of Paragraph 38 of the Bonnie Foi Decision. This direction will apply for the AIBE scheduled for November 24,” the bench ordered.
The petitioners argued that the BCI’s notification would cause unnecessary delays in their careers as law graduates must pass the AIBE to enroll with a state bar council as practicing lawyers. The interim order ensures that final-year students can take the exam while the BCI continues to frame new rules.
