The examination for the Advocates on Record (AoR) is being conducted on the Supreme Court premises on Tuesday (June 12). Today is the first day of the examination. The examination will continue for another three days, June 13, 14 and 15.

An AoR exam is mandatory if one wants to practice in the apex court. Only an AoR can file a case in the top court on behalf of any party. To qualify as an AoR, one must clear this AoR exam conducted by the Supreme Court which is a set of four papers with passing marks of 50 in each paper and an aggregate of 60.

The four papers are Drafting, Advocacy and Professional ethics, Practice and procedure of Supreme Court and leading cases.

Over the years, many petitions have been filed challenging the constitutional validity of AoRs. The petitions have contended that “apex court can’t appoint AoR by conducting exams”.

Most of these petitions have been dismissed by the apex court as well as the high courts.

Even in the appointment of Senior Advocates, there are rules laid down a change in which has been demanded by senior counsel Indira Jaisingh. This process is in progress.

—India Legal Bureau