Introduction
Are you attempting the All India Bar Exam this year?
Are you struggling with the vast syllabus? Do you feel anxious about managing preparation for the exam alongside everyday work?
Do you want guidance on preparation and exam-taking strategy?
Don’t make the mistakes that 80% of those who fail the All India Bar Examination make
You might be wondering how someone can fail an exam where you are allowed to carry your Bare Acts. However, the reality is that around 30% of the candidates failed this exam when along with bare acts students were allowed to carry notes as well. It is not their fault - it is just that an open book exam such as AIBE requires a different style of preparation.
We have successfully coached many of those candidates to crack the exam in their first attempt as well as second attempt.
Here is a list of the top mistakes that people make.
Not finishing the paper in time
You have a little less than 2 minutes per question. This time needs to be split into reading, finding the answer in your bare acts and then answering the question. Owing to the vast syllabus, candidates spent a lot of time browsing through a mound of carry-in materials/bare acts. By the time they finish attempting about 30 questions, they get tired and start slowing down. By the end of the exam, several students are unable to attempt more than 70-80% of the questions.
Faulty exam-taking strategy
Failure rates also increase because of faulty strategies for attempting exams. For example, candidates often attempt the questions in a sequence. Paper-setters know this, and they jumble up the questions across different subjects, so that you take more time to find the answers.
Another mistake people make is to resort to guess work when they don’t know the answer. Some take calculated risks when they are in doubt.
This is a grave mistake, because you are at the liberty of carrying your bare acts to the exam! You should always verify your answer as a best practice, during the exam. That is the only guaranteed way to pass.
There are several other exam-taking and preparation mistakes that candidates make, which we address in the course.
Insufficient practice
Irrespective of the number of insights and knowledge that you acquire, you cannot successfully crack an exam without having some practice. In case of the All India Bar Examination (AIBE), the syllabus is vast. Its precise scope is uncertain as only the subjects are specified.
One needs practice with one thing - finding the answer enough number of times, to build confidence. That comes with practice. Lack of practice will lead to struggle in the exam and anxiety during the preparation phase, even if you are an intelligent lawyer.
What happens if you fail to crack the All India Bar Examination?
- You lose about 6-8 months of seniority in the profession, until you crack the next Bar Exam.
- This period of time can be critical, as you will not be able to practice independently, to file a vakalatnama in your own name to represent a client, to argue in court or to issue a legal opinion in a law firm.
- You will have to issue it as a junior to someone, until you crack the exam, even if you have all the skills.
- Your seniority is counted from the date of cracking your Bar Exam. Seniority is relevant for various purposes in future, such as application for allotment of chambers in the High Courts or district courts, or your eligibility to attempt the Supreme Court Advocates on Record examination.
What you need to successfully crack the AIBE (alongside your existing job or practice)
Adapt to tweaks and changes in paper pattern
In the past few years, the All India Bar Exam paper pattern has been subject to a good number of modifications. In order to be abreast with the kind of paper that one must expect it is important to understand these changes that have been made in the exam pattern over a period of time and adapt a strategy accordingly.
For example: In the AIBE XVI, the BCI has barred students to carry notes, books or any other study material to the exam except Bare Acts, therefore, now students must focus more on Bare Acts and start practising with bare acts alone.
Practice in tackling an open book (bare acts only) exam
Attempting such an exam is very different from a memory-based exam. For one, the types of questions asked become very different. Many of us have not attempted an exam with the help of our bare acts. On the face of it, it looks like it is easier, but in reality it is a different ball-game altogether. In fact, many students become lax and do not prepare at all, which actually backfires in the examination hall, as they struggle to find answers to the questions in limited time. It is even more difficult now because the BCI will be testing both your memory and interpretation of bare acts provisions.
At the same time, beware of preconceived notions about your strengths, weaknesses and interests! You may have scored really well in certain subjects during college, or may be practising a particular area of work everyday (which is in the syllabus), but that has nothing to do with how well-prepared you are to attempt the AIBE ! Such notions need to be methodically validated by attempting mocks and quizzes in an exam-environment, as per the format of the exam.
Creation of an exam-specific strategy
Apart from attempting mocks, you need to prepare a strategy specifically for the AIBE. Here are a few tips on what that strategy should address:
- What Bare Acts should one carry in the exam hall?
- How much time must be given to a particular question?
- When to leave a question on guess work?
To succeed, you need to practice attempting mocks as per the exam’s format.
Staying focussed while preparing for a vast syllabus
The major difficulty in this area is due to lack of proper mentorship and guidance. It is true that the syllabus of any competitive exam ought to be vast, however the tricks to be able to strategize your study plan in such a way as to focus more on the areas that carry more significant weightage and brush up other subjects.
Taking out time to prepare alongside full-time work
As you saw, there are several aspects which are unique to the AIBE. You will need to study and practice attempting mocks. Further, the syllabus is vast, and you need to stay focussed for some period of time. It is very challenging to do this alongside your full-time work, if you are working independently, in a law firm or as a junior. (Now, the time you need gets significantly reduced when you have a mentor.)
Measurement of progress indicators along your preparation journey
You can study for hours but still not know where you stand with respect to the rest of the competition. You need a measurable mechanism that tells you everyday how much preparation is complete and how much is left. Apart from attempting mocks, which merely indicate your pass/ fail marks, you also need active mentorship on what to focus on next, areas to improve upon, etc. Some of this requires active mentorship - an automated system is not sufficient. From time to time, you also need to have ‘positive’ peer support, else you risk losing focus and slowing down your preparation.
The 5 Pronged Approach to Confidently prepare for the All India Bar Exam
#1- Systematic preparation for quick progress
In any competitive exam, the best way to prepare is to analyze the past years’ question papers. It can take a lot of time to do this work on your own. It can be difficult to spot periodic deviations and exceptions. Past years’ question paper analysis sets the tone for your preparation.
If you make mistakes here, or you do not complete this exercise thoroughly, your preparation can go in the wrong direction.
You will start your preparation with a detailed question paper analysis of past years’ papers, identify the different types of questions and also the method to attempt each type of question. Due to detailed and methodical study, you will develop proficiency in quickly attempting different kinds of questions.
As the second step, you will also prioritize your preparation, by focussing more on the subjects that carry the most marks.
This will enable you to cover maximum ground in the least possible time. If you are short of time, this strategy is a boon.
#2- Easy learning and building familiarity to find answers three times faster in the exam hall
You cannot plan your bare acts at the last moment.
You need to have a manageable set of bare acts, and practice with them to be able to find answers fast. You can further speed this up by studying beforehand using advanced lists and flowcharts.
We will help you plan the bare acts you need to carry for the exam as one of the first steps when you start preparation. You do not need to carry each and every bare act.
Also, you will practice all the mocks and practice tests with the same set of bare acts so that you build familiarity and can find the answers to the question paper in the exam hall at least three times faster.
You will also have access to our proprietary Hacksheets for your preparation, which will help you solve memory based questions and clear your basics.
#3- Reinforcement-based learning and classroom preparation after work hours to learn easily, stay motivated and address doubts
While most people struggle with cramming, you will find learning easier because of a reinforcement-based method. Memorization turns easy. Also, study materials are designed in a way that reinforces your learning - you learn a concept by navigating the Bare Act, past year paper analysis, study materials, pre-recorded content, and topic-wise assignments. 5 reinforcements to ensure that you do not forget!
For the first time, we have added weekly online classrooms (after working hours) to provide you guidance and doubt-clearing. If you do not get time to study or lose motivation, attending the class is one way to re-focus on the exam. A schedule for the live classes is also provided well in advance. Classrooms are for discussing concepts, doubts and exam-taking strategies. We have some exciting in-class exercises as well, so that you can experience tangible improvements in the one hour that you spend attending class.
#4- Phased testing system for assessment and building confidence
In the real exam, you will be tested on your ability to answer questions on 20 different subjects. How do you build your competence for that? How do you identify where you stand?
- Start by taking a full-length mock to identify where you stand.
- Study the most important subjects and attempt quizzes on one segment of each subject.
- Move to full-length subject-level quizzes.
- Repeat this for each priority subject.
- Practice full-length mocks.
- Do this for the other subjects.
- Measure progress.
#5 - Last-minute revision plan to stay focussed during the endgame
The last week of the exam is the most crucial. Most students panic or lose direction and focus in this period. Anxiety grips you. Stay on track during the endgame by following our 20 hour study plan. You can also reach out to our team for doubts. We will organize a special doubt-clearing session in the last week.
Why take this Course?
More than 2,000 people have already used this fully online course since the first bar exam in 2010. We have an unparalleled 100% pass rate. People who failed the exam multiple times have taken this course and passed.
Side effect: This is also a great way to brush up on your fundamentals of law in a way that you will never forget.
What’s New?
The BarHacker program is designed to help you ace the bar exam with advanced strategy and preparation techniques that can enable you to prepare effectively, even if you started the last minute.
Check out the all new series of Hack Sheets, topic wise quizzes, pre-recorded lectures (both for content and strategy) and extensive mocks for practice.
Certification
This course is recognized by the National Skill Development Corporation, a PPP under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship of the Government of India. You will receive a certificate cobranded by NSDC and Skill India on successful completion.
This is how the certificate from NSDC and Skill India will look as per the current applicable format (may change as per the approval authorities):
Money Back Policy
If you take this course and follow it diligently by attending and participating in all our classes and practice tests; and still do not clear the AIBE, we will refund the entire course fee to you. Please refer to our Refund Policy for more details.
Study Material
The provision for Hard Copies is not available in this Course.
Here are some of our faculty members
Note: This is an indicative list of our guest faculty members and not an exhaustive list. We may change the faculty members at any point based on availability.
Our Special Features
- SELF PACED
- ONLINE EXAMS
- PERSONAL COACHING
- ANDROID & IOS APP
- 24*7 ASSISTANCE
Syllabus
Course Plan
Above prices are inclusive of all applicable taxes and charges.
- Get Sample Material in your inbox
- Regular career guidance on email
- Sample Exercises
- Five very useful lessons
- No Certification for Free Material
Carry in Materials Guides
Question Papers from Dec. '13
13 Mock Tests
Barhacker Report: New AIBE Pattern
Course Content
15-Minute Expert Consultation
Hacksheets(TM)
We guarantee that you will pass this exam if you use our course. If you will fail, we will refund your money.
Weekly classrooms on preparation strategy, how to find answers to specific types of questions, doubt-clearing sessions
Special weekly classrooms on last-minute preparation strategy in the last month
FAQs
Unless specifically mentioned otherwise, none of our courses is recognised, accredited, or validated by any university, government or third party. We consider government regulatory standards as an impediment to offering high-quality courses we offer at an affordable cost, offering informal, non recognised courses rather than collaborating with formal universities.
This course is offered as a skill development course by a private company. LawSikho is India’s leading online legal education provider and provides high-quality legal courses that teach you how to do practical legal work as required by the industry.
For any recruiter or client, what matters the most is whether you possess the relevant skills to match their needs and serve their interests. We will train you in rare and important skills that are highly in-demand and our initiative is one of a kind.
Experts review the syllabus and course content for all the courses. These experts are drawn from law firms and the industry at large. The course is conceptualised, coordinated and marketed by LawSikho, a venture that aims to make justice accessible to people from all walks of life through access to superior legal knowledge.
The legal industry knows and respects our work, and they know that anyone who finished our course and obtained certification has a certain level of knowledge and skills. If nothing else, you will be appreciated for the knowledge and skills you would acquire through our courses and would be able to demonstrate after due completion.
We recommend that you should have completed your Higher Secondary / Class XII from a recognized Board / University. In the case of foreign nationals, you should have completed the equivalent of Higher Secondary in India in your respective country. You should also be comfortable with the English language and using a computer. However, we have no formal pre-qualification requirements because we are not a University or college. Anyone who wants to learn is welcome to join our courses.
Students of LawSikho will be provided hard copy materials within 30 days of your course commencement date.
However, online classes, videos, regulatory updates and periodic upgrades to the courses cannot be included in the hard copies. We will provide you with hard copy material for all important chapters. We keep adding many new chapters from time to time and there are restrictions on page numbers so all online material cannot be available in hard copy. We would keep adding new material online from time to time, so please do not expect all such material to be made available in the hard copy also. You can use the hard copy materials for your reference, however, we recommend that you do not exclusively rely on hard copies for cracking the assessment test and the exercises. Please refer to the online library of materials from time to time.
Note: We will send hard copy material through our service partners. We have three service partners.
1. Indian Speed Post (Provides delivery ‘anywhere in India’ under contractual service)
2. Delhivery
3. Trackon Couriers Pvt Limited
If our service partners do not have a presence in your area and want to get the hard copy, you can send us a specific request.
LawSikho will not be responsible if the speed post bounces back or hard copy material is not delivered. We will levy the courier charge on you in such a scenario.
Please visit the respective course page to learn more about the hard copy study material policy of that course.
If international students require hard copy material, they need to share their correct address and we will let them know the cost of the courier which they need to pay and then the hard copy will be dispatched. This is the process because the cost of an international courier is very high compared to the domestic courier within India (for domestic courier we have no additional charges). Some international students provide us with an Indian address for couriering hard copy material. In those cases, we charge nothing extra for the courier.
A person can visit the official website of LawSikho and find the relevant course and see the course syllabus, learning objectives and even a list of weekly exercises. You can also subscribe for free sample material. If more clarification about the course is needed, feel free to chat with our online chat specialist. You could also call us on our landline number, +91 11 40845203 for further assistance.