A bar examination is conducted by a jurisdiction’s bar council that a lawyer has to pass to be admitted to the council and allowed to practice law. In India the bar exam is conducted by the Bar Council of India. Known as the All India Bar Examination (AIBE), it is has been made mandatory for all graduating law students from the academic year 2015-16. It is basically meant to assess the capability of lawyers to practice the profession in India.
The bar exam is not an easy nut to crack. It is the last hurdle to cross before you become a top corporate lawyer in India. Cracking the bar exam requires some serious preparation. You have to put in dedicated effort for3 to 4 months if you want to pass the exam. It is, therefore, recommended that you should not work full time during that period and pay full attention to you preparation. Mentioned below are some study tips for bar exam that will help you pass it.
Make a Schedule
Making a study schedule is crucial for you preparation for the bar exam. At least 3 to 4 months of dedicated time needs to be given for the preparation with 8 to 10 hours of study each day. This means that if you have a family and other obligations to fulfil, you need to figure out in advance how you are going to cope with them. Do not hesitate to seek help from family or friends if required. Plan your daily routine and allot study hours accordingly.
Whatever schedule you make, try to stick to it. However, life throws up unexpected demands and you may have to respond to it. For instance, you may fall sick or someone in the family or friends suddenly decides to get married, etc. Under such situations you will have to be a little flexible, but make sure that the study time that you have had to forego because of some exigencies, is compensated by putting in extra hours some other days. If you are studying with others or signed up for a preparatory course, avoid studying when you are down with flu or something like that. Do not commit yourself for anything that can wait. Every minute is vital and you can’t afford to lose any. Try to stick to your schedule as much as possible.
Plan Your Study Method Early
Some people like to study alone where as some others prefer to study in groups. If you find it easy to motivate yourself and stay focussed you can go all alone and prepare for the exam. However, if you find it difficult to concentrate and get distracted while studying on your own, it is better that you sign up for some preparatory course. Whatever the case may be, you need to decide early how you are going prepare for the bar exam so that you don’t get stuck. It shouldn’t be like midway into your preparation you would want to change your approach.
Study Smart
You don’t just have to study hard, but you also have to be smart about it. Though it may seem obvious, but it is one of the most important study tips for bar exam. You have to figure out your strengths and weaknesses. You may want to allocate proportionate amount of time to each topic, but you have to decide early which topics you need to pay more attention to. For instance, when you are fresh out of law school, you would know which topics you didn’t understand that well or are not quite familiar with. Focus on those topics first and spend more time on them and save the topics that you understand well for the end. It is vital that you recognize your strengths and weaknesses early and allocate time to each topic accordingly.
Be Calm and Composed
Do not take too much stress about the exam. Being calm during your preparation and also, during the exam days is critical for your success. Do not just keep worrying about the exam but do other things that you do normally. Eat and sleep well, exercise, meet family and friends, and whatever spare time you are left with during the day, utilize that to unwind and recharge yourself. Maintaining balance is very important.
Staying calm and composed on the exam days is also very crucial. There would be hundreds of nervous and stressed test takers like you at the exam venue. Visualise the situation before hand prepare yourself for that in advance so that you feel relaxed and calm during the exam.
Be Prepared for the Exam Day
Now that you have put in the hard work studying for the bar exam, you would not want any last minute glitches. Plan beforehand how you would be going to the exam and reach the venue well before time so that there is no last minute running around. Take your seat on time and get ready to take the exam.
While passing the bar exam is tough, if you follow the above tips, your job would become much easier. Top law firms in India recommend 2 to 3 months of complete devotion to your preparation if you want pass the exam.
