Delhi High Court Declines PIL on AIBE Negative Marking

The Delhi High Court has rejected a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that aimed at introducing negative marking in the All India Bar Examination (AIBE), underscoring that such policy decisions are firmly within the jurisdiction of the Bar Council of India (BCI). Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia highlighted that the authority to determine examination metrics resides with the BCI.

"The decision on examination patterns is a policy matter for the relevant authorities," the Division Bench noted while declining the petition presented by advocate Shannu Baghel, who sought court intervention for implementing negative marking in the upcoming AIBE session. The petition focused on safeguarding the legal profession's quality standards, considered essential for societal impact.

The plea, lodged under Article 226 of the Constitution, expressed concerns about declining professional standards due to various alleged malpractices like easy access to law degrees and hybrid LLB courses. Highlighting these issues, the petition called for negative marking from April 2026 onward to ensure assessment rigor. Still, the court dismissed it, citing the BCI's conscious policy choice against such measures.