Bihar gets highest pass percentage in All India Bar Examination

The results of the first ever bar examination in the country – the All India Bar Examination (AIBE), have been declared. A total of 71.3% of candidates appearing for AIBE have qualified the examination. Women candidates have recorded a marginally higher pass percentage (72.1%) than their male counterparts (71%). The results of the exam can be accessed by candidates through the BCI website (www.barcouncilofindia.org) by entering their roll numbers. The results will also be available at each of the State Bar Councils (SBC) across the country.

The state to record the highest pass percentage was Bihar (98.11%), followed by Sikkim (92%), Assam & North eastern region (91%), Uttaranchal (89%), Delhi (89%), Orissa (88%) etc. A state wise breakup of the pass percentage is also available on the website.

More than 20,000 lawyers had registered for the AIBE which was conducted in nine different languages (including English), across 41 venues in 26 cities. The examination recorded a very high attendance across all venues, nearing about 96 percent, except the three centers in Chennai where the examination was postponed due to protests.

There will be a prize for the top five scorers in the AIBE, which will be awarded after the examination is held at the three Chennai venues.

AIBE – Step towards modernizing the profession
Rainmaker, who had organized and conducted the examination today held a press conference at the Press Club to announce the release of results of AIBE. The President of Bar Council of India (BCI) Solicitor General Gopal Subramaniam was the guest of honor at the event.

According to Gopal Subramaniam, AIBE is the first step towards modernizing the Indian legal profession as the qualifying examination to practice law in India and also the first ever mass scale “open book” examination conducted in India. Subramaniam outlined the purpose of the AIBE, to assess an advocate’s ability to practice law, assess capabilities at a basic level, to set a minimum standard for admission to practice law and to assess an advocate’s analytical abilities and basic knowledge of law. The purpose was not to test their memory retention which is why it was an open book examination.

A success story
Gopal Subramaniam expressed his pleasure at not only the high attendance, but also at the discipline with which the candidates had undertaken the examination, though he was disappointed that “antisocial elements” had disrupted the AIBE at the three centers in Chennai. The examination will be held now on 27 March 2011.

There were no reports of use of unfair means or intimidating tactics. Even the invigilators had performed their duties admirably, since great care had been taken by the organizers, Rainmaker, to put in place a proper invigilation manual, added Gopal Subramaniam.

The examination was a self funded examination, where the examination fee of Rs.1300 included the exhaustive study material.

AIBE is said to have scientifically designed, with calibration tests held across seven law colleges selected across tiers and included more than 400 law students from a gender and age balanced cross section. Tests were attempted by students in controlled environments and without access to preparatory materials. The results were then analysed by experts and based on the analysis final databank of questions was prepared.

CEO of Rainmaker, Nikhil Chandra said that answer key to the exams as well as the meta data will be available only after the Chennai leg of the exams is conducted.

AIBE was also backed by a systematic support system. Details of AIBE were posted on BCI website in English and Hindi alongwith Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), study materials free of charge, sample question papers, continuous press releases and a video guide on how to fill the OMR application form. Helpline numbers set up for clarification of queries in English and HIndi received more than 12000 calls and the continuous email assistance provided by AIBE resolved more than 8500 queries.

Posters and handbooks on AIBE were available at all SBCs. The examination was also disabled friendly as scribes were provided for the disabled.

The way forward
On the issue of enrollment of candidates, Gopal Subramaniam said that rules for non-compliance will be strict and policing will be done by the respective State High Courts, the subordinate courts and SBCs.

Gopal Subramaniam also said that candidates with degrees from Foreign Institutions, will have to take a separate examination which will be different from AIBE. The examination will be rigorous and would contain six papers each spanning three hours.

Notably, BCI is in talks with Central Board of Secondary Education to include Law as an optional subject in the 10+2 examination.