Must every advocate who graduated in or after 2009-10 now clear the All India Bar Examination? In Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, the High Court has notified that the AIBE is mandatory for them, and has directed qualified advocates enrolled after 1 July 2010 to submit their Certificates of Practice to the Registry within one month.
Srinagar: Giving effect to the Bar Council of India’s rules on the examination, the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh has made the All India Bar Examination (AIBE) mandatory for advocates enrolled with the Bar Council of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh who graduated from the academic year 2009-10 onwards. Those who have already qualified have been told to file their Certificates of Practice (COP) with the Registry within one month [Notification on implementation of the AIBE rules for enrolment of advocates].
Registrar General M K Sharma issued the notification. It follows a recommendation of the Rules Committee at its meeting on 19 August 2026 and the approval of the Full Court at its meeting on 8 October 2026, and operationalises Rules 9, 10 and 11 of Chapter III, Part VI of the Bar Council of India Rules, which govern the AIBE.
Four directions, one by one
The first direction applies to advocates enrolled with the Bar Council of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh who graduated from the academic year 2009-10 onwards: if they have not already passed the AIBE, they must do so. The second concerns fresh law graduates and provisionally enrolled advocates, who receive an absolute certificate of enrolment only after passing the AIBE and producing a COP issued by the Bar Council of India, within two years.
Under the third, advocates enrolled after 1 July 2010 who have already qualified in the AIBE must hand over copies of their COPs to the Registry within one month of the notification. The fourth is housekeeping: amendments to the instructions in the enrolment application form are appended to the notification.
Two dates, two groups
The notification uses two different cut-offs. The mandatory-AIBE direction turns on the academic year of graduation (2009-10 onwards), while the direction to file COPs turns on the date of enrolment (after 1 July 2010). It does not explain the difference, and the two groups may not be identical.
What changes for advocates
The notification brings the High Court’s enrolment and practice requirements in line with the Bar Council of India’s AIBE rules for the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Advocates in the affected batches get a two-year window to pass the examination and obtain a COP, while those already qualified have one month to place their COPs on record with the Registry.
Notification Details: Issued by Registrar General M K Sharma, High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, Srinagar | Notification dated 10 October 2026 | Rules Committee recommendation: 19 August 2026 | Full Court approval: 8 October 2026.