Alleging “gross 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 advocates from Maharashtra on Tuesday (December 2, 2025) have petitioned the Supreme Court of India and the Bombay High Court, seeking suo motu cognisance and urgent judicial intervention.
The petition, filed by members of the Bombay City Lawyer Groups, represents thousands of candidates who appeared for the mandatory licensure exam across centres in Nalasopara, Vasai, Thane, Mumbai Suburban, and Navi Mumbai. The AIBE, conducted by the Bar Council of India under the Advocates Act, 1961, is a statutory requirement for law graduates to practice in Indian courts.
The plea alleges that examinees were subjected to “hazardous, unhygienic, and unconstitutional conditions” that compromised their dignity and safety. Centres were reportedly located in remote areas with poor transport connectivity, causing severe hardship to senior citizens, women candidates, and differently abled persons. Inside the halls, conditions were described as “grossly substandard,” with broken benches, overcrowded rooms, and inadequate ventilation. Sanitation facilities were unusable, lacking water and privacy, forcing female candidates into humiliating situations. There was also no provision for drinking water, medical aid, or first-aid arrangements, and invigilators were allegedly untrained, with no grievance of redressal mechanism in place.
