Law qualifying exam raises the bar for students

The AIBCE, which has been made mandatory by BCI to reform the Indian Judiciary has now turned a road block for students, who are considering other alternative means to a career as advocates.

 Several students who were supposed to appear for the exams are now in two minds to take up examination after seeing the model paper. “I never expected it would be a tough examination,” said a student appearing for the exam.

Another described the process as meaningless, since more than an exam it is performance as an advocate that will test the mettle of a law student.

“If we do not perform, we will perish. What is the need for this exercise ?”  “It is not only in Bangalore. Many candidates aspiring to become advocates elsewhere are protesting against this examination. We have even learnt that some of them are knocking the doors of Apex Court against this,” Virendra E S, a student of private law college in the City said.
Some advocates too are critical of the exam.

“Even practising advocates are finding it  difficult to answer. How can students who have been taught just theory answer such questions?,” says G R Mohan, a City-based advocate.

“The paper poses tough questions about the CrPC. Most of the students and even some of advocates are not aware about the provisions contained in Code of Civil Procedure (CPC), unless you practise,” he explained. Jayakumar Patil, Chairman, Karnataka State Bar Council (KSBC) says  “The detailed syllabus and the twisted questions make it difficult for the students. The syllabus is derived from the entire 21 subjects studied by the students. How can they write about what they studied somewhere during the past five years?” he said.  

Mentioning that the KSBC has no role in this examination process except processing the application, Patil suggested that the syllabus for the examination be studied as a subject in the final year so that the students can prepare for it.

However, some of the students have a different opinion. “The model paper appears to be easy. All the candidates need to do is apply their mind,” says Akshata Shenoy, a law student from Mangalore University.

Anil Kini, also from Mangalore says: “The examination will be a multiple-choice question paper. It is open book examination and the candidates can take books with them,” he said.

Every year one lakh students pass out as law graduates.  Following the BCI resolution, the examination is being conducted for the first time on the same day across the country. The response, however has been low with BCI receiving just 20,000 applications. 

The last date of submission of application has been extended from October 31 to November 15 due to poor response.   The test will be conducted in nine languages including Kannada.