AIBE Bare Acts 2026: Complete List for AIBE XXII and Exam-Hall Rules

Bare acts are allowed in AIBE. Candidates can carry printed bare acts without notes or comments into the exam hall. Textbooks, guides, handwritten notes and electronic devices are not allowed.

AIBE XXII (AIBE 22) will be held on 29 November 2026. The paper has 100 multiple-choice questions across 19 subjects, and there is no negative marking.

Carry clean, unmarked copies of the Acts listed below. That includes both the old criminal codes (IPC, CrPC, Evidence Act) and the new ones (BNS, BNSS, BSA), because the AIBE XXII syllabus names both.

Always check the instructions printed on your admit card before exam day.

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Importance of Bare Acts for AIBE Preparation

Bare Acts are the original texts of laws enacted by the legislature. They contain statutory provisions, definitions, sections, schedules and amendments without detailed explanations, legal interpretations or commentary from authors.

For example, the Indian Contract Act, 1872, contains provisions relating to agreements, valid contracts, breach of contract and compensation. Studying the Bare Act helps candidates understand how these legal principles are expressed in statutory language.

Bare Acts play an important role in AIBE preparation because they help candidates:

• Understand the exact wording of important legal provisions.
• Identify relevant sections and legal definitions.
• Differentiate between similar legal concepts.
• Improve accuracy while solving law-based multiple-choice questions.
• Develop the ability to locate statutory provisions quickly.
• Revise important legal principles without repeatedly reading lengthy textbooks.

What is the difference between bare acts and law textbooks?

Basic	Bare Acts	Law Textbooks
Content	Original statutory provisions	Explanations and interpretations
Language	Formal legislative language	Simplified explanatory language
Case laws	Generally not explained	Often includes important judgments
Best use	Section-wise revision and statutory reference	Conceptual understanding
AIBE preparation	Essential for learning legal provisions	Helpful for understanding difficult topics
Exam hall	Plain Bare Acts permitted under AIBE XXII rules	Textbooks not permitted

For effective preparation, candidates should use the best AIBE books to understand complex legal concepts and Bare Acts to revise the actual statutory provisions.

Are Bare Acts Allowed in AIBE 22?

Yes. The Bar Council of India allows candidates to carry bare acts without notes or comments into the AIBE 22 exam hall. A bare act is the plain text of a law, with no explanation or commentary. The AIBE XXI examination guidelines state that candidates may carry “only BARE ACTS (without notes and comments)”, and that books, notes, papers and electronic devices are not allowed.

Allowed	Not allowed
Printed bare acts without notes or comments	Textbooks, guides and commentaries
Bare acts with minimal short notes, only at the invigilator’s discretion and only if a clean edition is unavailable	Bare acts with handwritten notes
	Highlighted, underlined or colour-marked bare acts (often refused at centres)
	Sticky notes or tabs with writing on them
	Mobile phones, smart/digital watches, calculators, bags

Is AIBE an open-book exam?

Not fully. Since AIBE XVI (2021), the BCI has not allowed books or notes in the exam hall. Bare acts are the only reference material permitted.

Can you carry photocopies or printouts?

Sources disagree on this, and the rules have not been stated clearly for AIBE XXII. To be safe, carry printed bare acts from a recognised publisher, and check the instructions on your AIBE 22 admit card.

Subject-wise List of Bare Acts for AIBE XXII (2026)

The AIBE XXII syllabus, issued by the Bar Council of India on 13 October 2026, has 100 questions spread across 19 subjects. It names the subjects but not the individual Acts. The table below maps each subject to the bare acts most relevant to it, so you can build your exam set subject by subject.

Seven subjects carry 62 of the 100 questions: Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Civil Procedure, Evidence, Family Law, and Contract & Property. If you are short on time or money, get these bare acts first. The smaller subjects still carry 2–5 questions each, so don’t skip them.

AIBE Subject	Questions	Bare Acts to Carry
Constitutional Law	10	Constitution of India
IPC & Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita	8	Indian Penal Code, 1860; Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023
CrPC & Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita	10	Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973; Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023
Code of Civil Procedure	10	Code of Civil Procedure, 1908; Limitation Act, 1963
Evidence Act & Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam	8	Indian Evidence Act, 1872; Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023
Alternative Dispute Redressal incl. Arbitration Act	4	Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996; Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987; Mediation Act, 2023
Family Law	8	Hindu Marriage Act, 1955; Hindu Succession Act, 1956; Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956; Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act, 1956; Special Marriage Act, 1954; Dissolution of Muslim Marriages Act, 1939
Public Interest Litigation	4	Constitution of India (Articles 32 and 226)
Administrative Law	3	Constitution of India
Professional Ethics & Professional Misconduct under BCI Rules	4	Advocates Act, 1961; Bar Council of India Rules (Part VI, Chapter II)
Company Law	2	Companies Act, 2013
Environmental Law	2	Environment (Protection) Act, 1986; Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974; Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981
Cyber Law	2	Information Technology Act, 2000
Labour & Industrial Law	4	-
Law of Torts, Motor Vehicles Act & Consumer Protection	5	Motor Vehicles Act, 1988; Consumer Protection Act, 2019
Law related to Taxation	4	-
Contract, Specific Relief, Property & Negotiable Instruments	8	Indian Contract Act, 1872; Specific Relief Act, 1963; Transfer of Property Act, 1882; Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881
Land Acquisition Act	2	Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013
Intellectual Property Laws	2	Copyright Act, 1957; Patents Act, 1970; Trade Marks Act, 1999

Note: Question count - AIBE XXII syllabus, Bar Council of India (13 October 2026). Torts, Administrative Law and PIL are largely uncodified, so prepare their case law separately. A bare act will not answer those questions. Check the instructions on your admit card before exam day.

Old or New Criminal Laws: Which Should You Carry for AIBE 22?

Carry both. The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) replaced the IPC, CrPC and Indian Evidence Act from 1 July 2024. However, the AIBE XXII syllabus lists the old and new codes together, so questions can be framed under either. That means six criminal law volumes, not three.

The new codes are not simple renumberings. Some provisions were merged, moved or changed, so learn the important sections in both versions.

Topic	Old law	New law
Common intention	IPC s.34	BNS s.3(5)
Culpable homicide	IPC s.299	BNS s.100
Murder	IPC s.300	BNS s.101
Theft	IPC s.378	BNS s.303
Cheating	IPC s.420	BNS s.318
Registration of FIR	CrPC s.154	BNSS s.173
Anticipatory bail	CrPC s.438	BNSS s.482
Maintenance of wife, children and parents	CrPC s.125	BNSS s.144
Dying declaration	Evidence Act s.32	BSA s.26
Electronic records certificate	Evidence Act s.65B	BSA s.63

How Many Bare Acts Should You Carry?

There is no official limit on how many bare acts you can bring. The real limit is time: 100 questions in 3 hours leaves under two minutes per question.

• Carry one clean copy of each Act in the subject-wise table. Prioritise the seven high-weightage subjects if you can’t get them all.
• Use editions you have practised with. An unfamiliar layout costs more time on exam day than a missing Act.
• Arrange them in subject order on your desk, so you can pick up the right volume without searching.
• Don’t bring extra Acts “just in case”. A taller pile is slower to search, not safer.

How to Find a Section Fast in the AIBE Exam Hall

Bare acts only help if you can reach the right provision in time. Use this routine for any question you can’t answer from memory:

1. Identify the subject first. Read the question and decide which Act governs it, for example arrest (BNSS/CrPC) or res judicata (CPC).
2. Go to the arrangement of sections, not the text. Every bare act opens with a list of chapters and section headings. Scanning it for your keyword is far faster than flipping pages.
3. Read the whole provision, not just the main sentence. Exceptions and conditions often sit in the proviso (“Provided that…”), the explanation or the illustrations. Questions on exceptions are usually answered there.
4. Set a time cap. If you haven’t found the section in about two minutes, mark your best answer and move on. You can come back in the last half hour.
5. Attempt the paper in three rounds. First, answer the questions you know. Second, do the ones that need a quick lookup. Third, attempt the case-law and doctrine questions a bare act can’t answer.
6. Never leave a question blank. AIBE has no negative marking, so eliminate what you can and choose an answer.

How to Prepare Bare Acts for AIBE Exam Effectively?

The best way to prepare Bare Acts for AIBE is to understand important legal provisions, revise them regularly, practise locating relevant sections and solve previous-year questions. Candidates should focus on both conceptual clarity and quick identification of the applicable law.

Here are some practical strategies to make Bare Act preparation more effective.

Start with High-Weightage Subjects

Begin with subjects that carry the highest number of questions in the AIBE syllabus.

Constitutional Law, Criminal Procedure, Civil Procedure, Criminal Law and Evidence Law together account for 46 questions under the AIBE XXII distribution. Adding Family Law and the combined Contract, Property, Specific Relief and Negotiable Instruments subject brings the total to 62 questions.

Give these areas greater preparation time without neglecting the remaining subjects.

A practical study sequence is:

1. Constitution of India
2. CPC
3. CrPC and BNSS
4. IPC and BNS
5. Evidence Act and BSA
6. Family Law
7. Contract and Property Law
8. Professional Ethics
9. Remaining law subjects

Understand Definitions and Important Legal Provisions

Definitions are of course of the utmost importance as they give the legal meaning of the words which are used throughout the Act.

While reading a Bare Act, identify:

• The meaning of important legal terms
• Conditions under which a provision applies
• Exceptions to the general rule
• Powers assigned to authorities
• Relevant penalties and remedies

For example, when studying the Indian Contract Act, candidates should understand the distinction between an agreement, a contract and a void agreement.

Similarly, while studying criminal law, candidates should distinguish between theft, extortion, robbery and criminal breach of trust.

Practise Finding Sections Quickly

One effective Bare Act preparation strategy is learning how to locate a provision without reading the entire legislation.

For practice, candidates can select a legal topic and find its relevant section using the arrangement of sections or table of contents.

For example:

• Res judicata — CPC Section 11
• Cheque dishonour — Negotiable Instruments Act Section 138
• Specific performance — Specific Relief Act
• Fundamental Rights — Part III of the Constitution
• Professional misconduct — Advocates Act Section 35

Practise locating these provisions under timed conditions. Avoid spending excessive time searching through a Bare Act when answering mock-test questions.

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Solve AIBE Previous Year Question Papers

AIBE Previous year question papers help candidates understand how statutory provisions are tested.

While solving a paper:

1. Read the question carefully.
2. Identify the relevant legal topic.
3. Attempt the answer based on your understanding.
4. Refer to the Bare Act where appropriate.
5. Verify the correct provision.
6. Record the concept that you got wrong.

After you've completed a question paper, assess whether your errors were due to a lack of legal knowledge, confusion between the provisions or simply taking too long to look up the relevant provision.

Use previous year AIBE Exam analysis to plan your next revision session.

Attempt Timed Mock Tests Using Bare Acts

Mock tests allow candidates to evaluate their knowledge, speed and accuracy under examination-like conditions.

During practice, use clean Bare Acts that match the permitted examination materials. Try answering familiar questions without referring to the books and use statutory references only when necessary.

After each mock test, evaluate your performance in three areas:

Performance Area	What to Check
Legal Knowledge	Were the relevant concepts understood?
Accuracy	Were questions answered correctly?
Time Management	Was too much time spent locating provisions?

Practising consistently can help candidates become less dependent on lengthy searches during the examination.

Download Previous Year AIBE Papers Here! ⬇️

How to Organise Your Bare Acts and Notes for AIBE

Keep two sets: a study copy and an exam copy. Your study copy is for learning. Underline, colour-code and tab it as much as you like, because that is how you learn where things sit in each Act.

Your exam copy must stay clean. That means no highlighting, underlining, handwritten notes or written tabs. The Bar Council of India allows only bare acts without notes or comments, and marked copies have been refused at exam centres.

Some practical ways to organise your preparation:

• Make a subject-wise notebook. Under each subject, list the key sections, definitions and exceptions in your own words.
• Write your mnemonics in the notebook, not the Act. Acronyms for lists of exceptions or ingredients of an offence belong on paper you keep at home.
• Keep an IPC, BNS conversion sheet. The new codes are renumbered, so note the old and new section number side by side for the provisions you study.
• Learn each Act’s arrangement of sections. Knowing which chapter covers which topic lets you find a provision in the clean copy without any markings.
• Do your final two or three mock tests with the clean exam copies. That way you are used to finding sections without your highlights before exam day.

Download Indian Contract Act Practice Questions for AIBE ⬇️

Effective Study Plan for Bare Acts of AIBE Exam

Creating a structured study plan can help you cover all important topics systematically and avoid last-minute cramming. Here’s a sample study plan to help you prepare for the AIBE exam effectively:

• Daily Goals:

  • Review the table of contents or index of the bare act each morning.
  • Learn 10 new sections every day and review at least 15 previously learned sections.
  • Spend an hour reading commentary or textbooks to understand difficult sections better.
  • Allocate 30 minutes for practicing multiple-choice questions on the topics covered that day.

• Weekly Goals:

  • Summarize what you’ve learned each week and highlight any sections that need further review.
  • Take a practice test every weekend to assess your progress and identify areas for improvement.
  • Spend time comparing old and new laws, focusing on amendments and their implications.
  • Review recent legal rulings and updates to ensure your knowledge is current.

• Monthly Goals:

  • Conduct a comprehensive review of all the bare acts studied so far.
  • Identify and focus on weak areas or sections that are difficult to understand.
  • Participate in study groups or discussion forums to clarify doubts and gain new insights.
  • Take a full-length mock test to simulate the actual exam environment and improve time management skills.

Understand the AIBE 22 Exam Pattern to set your study plan and prepare well. 

Download Constitutional Law Practice Questions for AIBE⬇️

Common Mistakes to Avoid While Studying Bare Acts for AIBE

Prepping from Bare Acts can be valuable for improving understanding, but a number of common errors make them of very limited use.

Studying Outdated Legal Provisions

Using the old editions without checking the amendments can be very confusing.

Candidates should verify the current legal position and prepare the new criminal laws alongside the older statutes named in the syllabus.

Memorising Sections Without Understanding Them

Simply remembering section numbers may not be enough to answer application-based legal questions.

Understand the purpose of a provision, its conditions, exceptions and legal consequences.

Ignoring Low-Weightage Subjects

Subjects carrying two to four questions can still influence the overall result.

Complete the full syllabus before the examination, even if some subjects receive less revision time.

Spending Too Much Time Searching Bare Acts

A common mistake is assuming every question can be answered by finding its provision during the examination.

Candidates should develop sufficient understanding to answer familiar questions directly and reserve statutory lookup for questions requiring verification.

Depending Only on Bare Acts

Bare Acts provide statutory text, but they do not always explain legal principles, judicial interpretations or complex applications.

For subjects such as PIL, Administrative Law and Torts, candidates should also study basic legal concepts and important case law.

Ignoring Examination Material Restrictions

Students sometimes prepare using heavily marked or annotated legislation without considering examination rules.

Always distinguish between the study materials used at home and those permitted at the examination centre.

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Key Takeaways

• Carry clean bare acts: Only bare acts without notes or comments are allowed in the AIBE exam hall.
• Carry both criminal law sets: IPC, CrPC and Evidence Act, as well as BNS, BNSS and BSA.
• Start with high-weightage subjects: Constitutional Law, CrPC/BNSS and CPC carry 10 questions each.
• Learn the structure of each Act: Read the definitions section, provisos, explanations and illustrations.
• Practise finding sections under time pressure: Solve previous-year papers with your bare acts open.
• Keep two sets: Mark up your study copy, and keep your exam copy unmarked.
• Don’t rely on bare acts alone: Case law and doctrine questions need prior study.