Only 50 per cent law graduates in state get ready to take All-India Bar Exam

While the deadline to enroll for All India Bar Exam (AIBE) ended on Sunday,only about 50 per cent advocates from the state have enrolled for the exam. “There are approximately 6,000 who have cleared their exam in 2009-10,out of which around 3,000 law graduates have enrolled for the examination,” said advocate Jayant Jaibhave,chairman of Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa (BCMG) based in Nagpur. The deadline to enrol for the Bar exam,scheduled for December 5,was extended from end-September to October 31. “The number is less considering that there are widespread protests for the examination from fresh and practicing advocates,” said Ahmedkhan Pathan,member of Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa (BCMG). Advocate Vaishali Rokade,secretary of BCMG,said the state council had sent enrollment form to around 5000 fresh advocates in the state. It is likely that the rest applied online for the exam. “Although most of the advocates associated with our organisation have registered for AIBE,very few have received the preparatory material consisting of two books,” said Atul Pandhe,president of Maharashtra Rajya Navodit Vakil Samiti (state committee of amateur lawyers).

To convey their protest to the Bar exam,Samiti submitted their memorandum to Sharad Pawar,president of Nationalist Congress Party with support from NCP legal cell. The Samiti has demanded cancellation of AIBE stating that Bar Council of India does not have the authority to conduct the exam. “Unless the present Advocates Act is amended,they cannot make it mandatory for fresh advocates to clear the exam and then practice. The Act nowhere makes it mandatory for lawyers to appear for exam,” Pandhe said.

The AIBE is compulsory by Bar Council of India for all law graduates wanting to practice in the court. It is currently being challenged by more than 10 writ petition,which are due to be heard by the Supreme Court after Diwali.