AIBE XXII (22) 2026 Exam – Exam Day Guidelines | Checklist | Question Pattern | Rules

Updated 23 September 2026

The All India Bar Examination XXII (AIBE XXII) will be held on 29 November 2026 in offline, pen-and-paper mode. It is an open-book examination: candidates may carry Bare Acts without notes, comments or annotations, and nothing else. The admit card goes live on 14 November 2026 and must be carried in print along with a valid government photo ID. Without both, entry to the centre is refused.

This page covers the exam-day rules, what is permitted in the hall, OMR instructions, PwD provisions and a checklist to work through the night before.

Table of Contents

1. AIBE XXII (22) Exam 2026 – Overview
2. AIBE XXII Important Dates & Exam Schedule
3. AIBE XXII Exam Pattern & Question Paper Structure
4. AIBE Exam Day Guidelines Issued by the BCI
5. AIBE XXII Exam Day Checklist
6. AIBE Exam Day FAQs

1. AIBE XXII (22) Exam 2026 – Overview

Candidates appearing for AIBE XXII (2026) must follow the official exam-day guidelines, reporting time and document requirements. The two things that decide whether you are allowed into the hall are the printed admit card and a valid photo identity proof.

The AIBE is an open-book examination. That permission is narrower than most candidates assume, and the whole of section 4.3 below is about the difference. A violation of the open-book rules can end in cancellation of candidature, and the most common problem is not a banned book but a permitted book that has been marked.

Key dates for AIBE XXII:

• Online registration opened – 19 August 2026
• Registration closes – 27 October 2026
• Admit card goes live – 14 November 2026
• Examination date – 29 November 2026

2. AIBE XXII Important Dates & Exam Schedule

The Bar Council of India announced the AIBE XXII schedule in its press release dated 18 July 2026, signed by the Chairman, alongside the declaration of the AIBE XXI result.

2.1 AIBE XXII (22) 2026 – Official Schedule

Activity	Date
Online registration opens	19 August 2026
Online registration closes	27 October 2026
Last date of payment through online mode	28 October 2026
Last date of correction in the registration form	30 October 2026
Admit card goes live	14 November 2026
Date of examination	29 November 2026
Result declaration	Between 7 and 10 January 2027

Note that registration, payment and correction have three different deadlines, one day apart each. Candidates who sat AIBE XX or AIBE XXI and did not qualify are not required to register afresh; the Bar Council’s notice of 19 August 2026 states that such candidates may log in with their existing User ID and password to fill and submit the AIBE XXII application form.

2.2 Exam Timing, Shift & Reporting Instructions

The AIBE is conducted in a single shift. The exact commencement time, reporting time and gate-closing time are printed on the admit card, and they are the only timings you should plan around.

Reach the centre well before the reporting time printed on your admit card, allowing 60 to 90 minutes for identity verification and security checks. As per the exam-day guidelines, candidates must:

• Report to the allotted centre before the reporting time on the admit card
• Carry a printed admit card along with a valid government-issued photo ID
• Follow the instructions on seat allotment, verification and hall conduct printed on the hall ticket

Visiting the centre a day in advance is worth the trip. Candidates are not permitted to leave the hall before the examination is over.

2.3 AIBE XXII Passing Criteria (Qualifying Marks)

The qualifying percentage is fixed at:

• 45% for General and OBC candidates
• 40% for SC, ST and PwD candidates

On a paper of 100 questions that is 45 marks and 40 marks. The percentage is fixed but the number of marks is not: where questions are withdrawn after the objection window, the paper is marked out of the reduced total and the qualifying score is recalculated on the same percentage. In AIBE XX five questions were withdrawn, so the paper was marked out of 95 and the pass mark became 43 and 38. In AIBE XXI the Monitoring Committee instead moderated the result and reduced the qualifying marks by three, to 42 and 37.

Candidates who qualify are eligible for the Certificate of Practice from the Bar Council of India.

3. AIBE XXII Exam Pattern & Question Paper Structure

Component	Details
Mode of Examination	Offline, pen and paper
Nature of Examination	Open book
Duration	3 hours (20 minutes extra per hour for eligible PwD candidates)
Type of Questions	Objective type, multiple choice
Total Questions	100
Total Marks	100, one mark for each correct answer
Negative Marking	None
Time per Question	90 seconds
Medium of Examination	Hindi, English, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati, Odia, Punjabi, Assamese, Nepali, Sindhi, Malayalam, Urdu, Dogri, Bodo, Maithili

3.1 What the Structure Actually Means on the Day

• One hundred questions in three hours is ninety seconds a question. A sensible plan allows roughly 90 seconds per question and holds back about 30 minutes at the end for revision.
• There is no negative marking, so a blank answer and a wrong answer cost exactly the same. Never leave a question unattempted.
• The paper tests practical application of law, not recall. Since it is open book, the binding constraint is locating the provision, not knowing it.
• Roughly a quarter of a recent paper cannot be answered from a Bare Act at all, because it turns on case law and doctrine. In AIBE XXI that was 27 questions out of 100.

4. AIBE Exam Day Guidelines Issued by the BCI

The examination is conducted under the supervision of the Bar Council of India. Follow the reporting rules and conduct guidelines to ensure entry and avoid disqualification.

4.1 Mandatory Documents

• Printed AIBE XXII admit card
• Valid government-issued photo ID proof, such as Aadhaar, Passport or Voter ID

Candidates without an admit card or valid ID proof will not be allowed to enter the centre.

4.2 Reporting Time & Entry Rules

• Report by the time printed on the admit card. Late entry after the gate-closing time stated there is prohibited
• Visit the exam centre one day in advance to avoid last-minute delays
• Once the examination begins, no candidate is permitted to leave the hall before it is over

4.3 Items Allowed & Prohibited in the Exam Hall

This is the section that decides most disqualifications, so read the actual wording rather than a summary of it. The instruction printed on the AIBE question paper reads:

“Bare Acts without notes are allowed. In case of unavailability of Bare Acts without notes, Bare Acts with least short Notes will be allowed subject to the discretion of the Examiner/Invigilator.”

Two things follow from that sentence. Bare Acts without notes are allowed as of right. Anything carrying short notes is allowed only at the discretion of the examiner or invigilator, which is not a permission you can plan around.

Allowed

• Bare Acts only, without notes, comments, annotations or commentary
• Printouts of Bare Acts as published in the Official Gazette, and bare indexes of Acts

Not allowed

• Bare Acts with commentary, in which an author comments on or explains each provision with case law and references
• Books, notes, papers, guides or study material other than permitted Bare Acts
• Mobile phones, smart or digital watches
• Bags, handbags, calculators
• Electronic gadgets or communication devices

In practice, Bare Acts marked with pen or highlighter are frequently rejected at the centre even though the underlying Act is permitted. Carry clean copies. Taxmann’s Bare Acts for the AIBE are published without comments for this reason, across all nineteen subjects.

Any candidate found in possession of prohibited items, or using unfair means, will be summarily disqualified.

4.4 Answer Sheet & OMR Instructions

• Mark all responses with a blue or black ball-point pen only
• Pencil is not permitted and its use can lead to disqualification
• Fill the Roll Number and the Question Booklet Set Code correctly and completely
• An error or omission in the OMR details can result in rejection of the answer sheet

The set code matters more than candidates expect. The paper is issued in multiple sets with the same questions in a different order, so an incorrectly filled set code means the sheet is scored against the wrong key.

4.5 PwD Candidates – Extra Time & Scribe Rules

• Candidates with 40% or more disability are entitled to 20 minutes extra time per hour
• A certified disability certificate must be produced to the invigilator
• Scribes are permitted as per Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment guidelines
• The scribe must be two to three academic years below the candidate’s qualification, must not be from humanities with Political Science or Legal Studies, and must carry valid school ID, age proof and address proof
• For certain disabilities a medical certificate from a government healthcare authority is mandatory

4.6 Important Disclaimer

• Candidature is provisional throughout
• A candidate found ineligible at any stage will have their candidature rejected
• Candidates using unfair means may be debarred from future AIBE examinations

5. AIBE XXII Exam Day Checklist

Work through this the night before rather than on the morning.

AIBE XXII (22) 2026 – Exam Day Checklist

Item	Details / Remarks
AIBE XXII admit card	Carry two printed copies for safety
Valid photo ID proof	Aadhaar, Voter ID, Passport or Driving Licence
Passport-size photograph	The same one uploaded at registration
Bare Acts	Clean copies without notes or comments, checked for stray marking
Blue or black ball-point pens	Carry two or three. No pencils
Registration documents	Optional, useful if identity verification is queried
Simple analogue watch	Digital and smart watches are not permitted
Transparent water bottle	Recommended for a three-hour paper

One item that is not on any official list and should be: a plan for the order in which you attempt the paper. Working the questions in the order printed is a trap, because direct lookups and long conceptual scenarios are deliberately mixed. Our guide to the AIBE syllabus and exam pattern sets out the subject weightage, and Taxmann’s CRACKER for the AIBE carries three full-length mock tests with practice OMR sheets so the first OMR you fill is not the one that counts.

6. FAQs on AIBE Exam Day

FAQ 1. When is the AIBE XXII exam?

AIBE XXII is scheduled for 29 November 2026. The admit card goes live on 14 November 2026.

FAQ 2. Is AIBE an open book examination?

Yes. The AIBE is an open-book examination and candidates may carry Bare Acts without notes, comments or annotations, subject to verification at the centre.

FAQ 3. Can I carry highlighted or marked Bare Acts in the AIBE?

Bare Acts with highlights, notes, comments or commentary are not allowed, and marked copies are frequently rejected at the centre. Carry clean copies. The printed instruction allows Bare Acts with the least short notes only at the discretion of the examiner or invigilator, which is not something to rely on.

FAQ 4. How long is the AIBE exam?

Three hours for 100 multiple-choice questions, which is ninety seconds a question. Eligible PwD candidates are entitled to 20 minutes extra time per hour.

FAQ 5. What are the passing marks for AIBE XXII?

45% for General and OBC candidates and 40% for SC, ST and PwD candidates. Where questions are withdrawn the paper is marked out of the reduced total and the pass mark is recalculated on the same percentage.

FAQ 6. Can I practise anywhere in India after clearing the AIBE?

Yes. Candidates who qualify are issued the Certificate of Practice, which authorises them to practise across courts and tribunals in India.

FAQ 7. Can the AIBE exam centre be changed after registration?

No. The centre cannot be changed after final submission of the application form. Candidates must appear only at the centre mentioned on the admit card. Limited details may be editable during the correction window, which closes on 30 October 2026.

FAQ 8. Do questions repeat in the AIBE exam?

Questions are reframed rather than reproduced. The same provisions recur across papers in different wording, which is why working past papers by subject is more useful than reading them end to end.

FAQ 9. How many attempts are allowed for the AIBE?

There is no limit. Rule 10(1)(e) of the Bar Council of India Rules provides that an unsuccessful advocate may appear again without any limit on the number of attempts.

FAQ 10. Who is exempt from appearing in the AIBE?

The Bar Examination is mandatory for law students graduating from the academic year 2009-2010 onwards and enrolled as advocates under section 24 of the Advocates Act, 1961. Candidates who graduated before that are not required to appear.

Examination dates, reporting times and permitted material are set by the Bar Council of India and change by notification. Confirm the current position on the official Bar Council of India portal and on your admit card before acting on it.