Over 50,000 Failed AIBE Last Year Despite Bare Acts with Short Notes

AIBE 19 Statistics - Appeared vs Passed

The last session of the All India Bar Exam saw a total of 2,29,843 candidates. Out of the total candidates who appeared, 1,77,592 passed, while 52,251 students failed despite being allowed bare acts with short notes. The AIBE 19 pass percentage stood at 77.27%. And mind you, AIBE 19 is not among the hardest exams in terms of difficulty level. The table below shows some statistics related to the AIBE 19 exam.

AIBE 19 exam - Number of Students Appeared and Passed

AIBE 18 - More than 50% students failed

If AIBE 19 seems like a hard attempt, AIBE 18 was like jumping from the frying pan into the fire. In AIBE 18, out of the total students who appeared in the exam, the number of failed students was more than those who passed. A total of 1,44,014 students appeared for the AIBE 18 exam, out of which 74,368 failed. Only 69,646 candidates were able to pass the AIBE 18 exam. The table below shows detailed statistics related to the AIBE 18 exam.

AIBE 18 - Appeared vs Passed

Why so many students fail the AIBE exam?

There is no single reason why so many students fail the AIBE exam. Some candidates fail due to a lack of preparation, while some lose out due to time management. Here are some of the major reasons why students fail the AIBE exam:

• Inadequate preparation: One of the major reasons behind the failure of students in the All India Bar Exam is inadequate preparation. The AIBE exam is usually conducted around two months after the date of notification. Many candidates find this time inadequate for preparation. Ideally, candidates who have completed their law graduation must be prepared for this exam, as the notification might be released anytime. Also, given the vast syllabus, many students fail to prepare for the exam in time.

• Overconfidence: Students are allowed to carry bare acts with short notes in the AIBE exam. This usually gives candidates a sense of overconfidence and creates a perception that the exam will be cleared easily. Such candidates are then unable to finish the exam in time or face other problems while appearing for the exam. Candidates must ensure that they are fully prepared and take the help of bare notes only if needed.

• Transition from IPC to BNS: India saw major changes in its legal system when three criminal laws were brought into effect from July 1, 2024. The parliament passed an order for these three new laws, where the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) replaced the Indian Penal Code; the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) replaced the Code of Criminal Procedure; and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) replaced the Indian Evidence Act. The same were included in the AIBE syllabus. Many students are still not very familiar with these laws, and this had an impact in the last session. These laws will also hold weightage in the upcoming AIBE 20 exam, so students must prepare accordingly.

• Unfamiliarity with syllabus and exam pattern: Candidates preparing for the exam must first start by knowing and understanding the syllabus and exam pattern. Many students who appear for the exam do not understand the pattern of the exam, which then makes the exam tricky for them. It is very important that candidates know what the topics are from where questions will be asked, what kind of questions will be asked, the duration of the exam, the marking scheme, etc.

• Increase in AIBE passing marks: The Bar Council of India increased the AIBE passing marks from the 18th edition. Earlier, general and OBC category candidates needed to secure 40% to pass the exam, while SC, ST and PwD category candidates had to score 35% to pass the exam. From the AIBE 18 exam, BCI increased the general and OBC passing criteria to 45% and SC, ST and PwD passing criteria to 40%. The increase in 5% marks in terms of passing also led to more students failing the exam. The year in which the decision game saw more than 50% students failing the AIBE exam.

Tips to ace the AIBE 20 exam

Here are some general preparation tips to qualify the AIBE exam:

• Practice previous year question papers: Candidates preparing for the future attempts of the AIBE exam must attempt as many previous year question papers as they can. Practising these AIBE PYQs will help candidates understand the exam pattern for the upcoming session.

• Time management is the key: Often, students fail in the AIBE exam due to poor management of time. Candidates must make sure they finish their exam on time. To ensure this, candidates must practice PYQs, identify problem areas and develop a good preparation strategy.

• Practice studying with bare acts: As mentioned above, candidates are allowed to carry bare acts with them in the exam centre. Candidates must develop a habit of practising PYQs and attempting questions with the help of the bare acts. This will be very beneficial for candidates as it will save them a lot of time in the actual exam.

• Create a structured study timetable: When candidates start their AIBE preparation, they must have a definite strategy for topics to attempt first, time for each subject, etc. Candidates are advised to create a timetable that suits them and strictly adhere to it.

• Identify weak areas and work on them: While solving PYQs, sample questions, etc, make a note of areas where candidates face issues. This will help candidates in eliminating problem areas and eventually improving their performance in the actual exam.