Law graduates seek judicial intervention over bar exam irregularities in Maharashtra

Alleging “massive administrative failures” and violations of constitutional rights during the All India Bar Examination (AIBE-XX) held on November 30, a group of law graduates and lawyers from Maharashtra filed a petition in the Supreme Court of India and the Bombay High Court on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, seeking suo motu understanding and urgent judicial intervention.

The petition filed by members of Mumbai City Advocates Groups represents thousands of candidates appearing for the compulsory licensing examination at centers in Nalasopara, Vasai, Thane, Mumbai Suburb and Navi Mumbai. AIBE, conducted by the Bar Council of India under the Advocates Act, 1961, is a legal requirement for law graduates to practice in Indian courts.

The indictment alleges that test takers were subjected to “dangerous, unhygienic and unconstitutional conditions” that endangered their dignity and safety. It was reported that the centers are located in remote areas with poor transport connectivity, causing serious difficulties for senior citizens, women candidates and differently-abled persons. Conditions inside the halls were described as “grossly substandard”, with broken benches, overcrowded rooms and poor ventilation. Unusable sanitation facilities, lack of water and privacy forced female candidates into humiliating situations. There was also no provision for drinking water, medical aid or first aid arrangements, and it was alleged that supervisors were untrained and no compensation mechanism was in place.

Advocate Faiyaz Alam Shaikh, who led the petition, said, “These failures are not just logistical flaws; they amount to violation of Articles 14, 19(1)(g) and 21 of the Constitution.” The right to dignity and the right to pursue a legal profession cannot be compromised in a legal examination that determines entry into the legal profession, he said. “Judicial review is critical to restore credibility. We demand immediate judicial intervention, comprehensive reforms and a full Action Taken Report from the Bar Council of India, Maharashtra and Goa State Bar Council, examination conducting bodies and the government of Maharashtra to address these glaring failures,” he added.

The petition invokes the extraordinary jurisdiction of the courts under Articles 32 and 226 and seeks directions from the Bar Council of India and the State Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa for accountability and taking remedial measures. It also calls for the establishment of a High-Level Oversight Committee comprising retired judges, senior lawyers and academics to monitor future AIBE examinations and recommend systemic reforms.

Emails have been sent to the Supreme Court registry, the Bar Council of India and other authorities, but no official response has been received yet. The petitioners called on the courts to act quickly, warning that “the credibility of the legal profession’s licensing process is at stake.”