The Tug of War: AILET’24 & AIBE’23 scheduled to be held on 10th December, 2023

The Tug of War: AILET’24 & AIBE’23 scheduled to be held on 10th December, 2023

Two crucial examinations for aspiring law graduates, AILET 2024 and AIBE 2023, are set to clash on December 10, 2023, causing significant concern among candidates. AILET, the national-level All India Law Entrance Test conducted annually by the National Law University Delhi, serves as a gateway for admission to LL.M and various other law programs.

The students majorly appearing for AILET 2024 are final-year law students and fresh law graduates. On the other hand, the All India Bar Examination (AIBE) which is conducted by the Bar Council of India is essential for fresh law graduates aiming to practice law pan India as the examination, upon clearing, provides license to young lawyers to practice all over India. The rope that is being stretched in this tug-of-war of exams is the fresh law graduates to whom both exams hold similar importance.

This clash isn’t received positively by the students, primarily due to several reasons:

1. High Application Fees: The fees for filling the mere application form for both AILET and AIBE is INR 3,500/- each which is not a trivial amount for a student especially, a law student who is probably the most underpaid intern/employee of all the professions. The economic exploitation of young lawyers is not a hidden fact, to put it straight the amount is not even enough to pay for travel expenses. Reflecting upon this fact makes it understandable why every single penny is important for fresh law graduates.
2. Career at stake: Many law graduates registered for the AIBE 2023 exam with the initial date set for October 26, 2023. Multiple postponements of the exam date have ensued. Consequently, candidates who paid fees for the October 26th exam now face the prospect of conflicting schedules. This clash potentially forces students to forfeit one exam, resulting in substantial career setbacks and financial losses.

There are potential courses of action that the Bar Council of India (BCI) can take to address this issue and ease the anxiety of troubled students:

1. Postpone the exam: Considering the previous postponements, BCI could further reschedule the AIBE 2023 exam, providing relief to candidates. Earlier the date for AIBE was 3rd December, 2023 which was later postponed to 10th December, 2023 due to the clash of the exam with CLAT 2024. On 17th December, 2023 the exam for Delhi Judicial Services is to be held. BCI can choose any date after 17th December 2023 to conduct AIBE 2023.
   
2. If postponement not possible now: then, BCI should adjust the amount of Rs. 3,500/- to the next AIBE for the students who are unable to appear in the present exam due to exam clash. BCI can open a dedicated portal on their website where students can upload their AILET Admit card and seek adjustment of fees.

In the end, the well-being of students should be the top priority for both the exam conducting authorities. A conversation to resolve this clash is crucial. By prioritizing students' needs, these authorities can earn the trust and support of the future legal minds they aim to nurture.

 - Written by Yogita Bharti, an advocate and a recent law graduate from Campus Law Centre, University of Delhi

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