To
The Hon’ble Chairaman,
Bar Council of India

Respected Sir,

Many candidates who have successfully cleared the All India Bar Examination (AIBE) are currently unable to apply for the Certificate of Practice (CoP) within the six-month period prescribed by the Bar Council of India due to ongoing delays at the State Bar Council level.

The enrollment process with various State Bar Councils is taking two to three months, sometimes even longer. These delays are administrative in nature and completely beyond the control of the candidates. However, despite having fulfilled their obligations by clearing the AIBE, these candidates are now at risk of being asked to reappear for the exam solely because their State-level enrollment was not completed in time.

This creates an unjust and disproportionate burden on young advocates, many of whom are still navigating the early stages of their legal careers. The requirement to reappear for the AIBE in such cases is not only demoralizing but also places an avoidable financial and emotional strain on individuals who have already proven their qualification.

In light of these challenges, we request the Bar Council of India to consider the following:

• Extend or relax the six-month deadline for applying for the Certificate of Practice in genuine cases where the delay is due to slow administrative processing by State Bar Councils.
• Issue a clarification or notification to protect the interests of affected candidates and ensure uniformity in implementation across jurisdictions.

This step would go a long way in supporting young legal professionals and ensuring that they are not unfairly penalized due to systemic inefficiencies.

We respectfully urge the Bar Council of India to act in the spirit of fairness and practicality by addressing this concern at the earliest.

Sincerely,

Deepak Kumar