A practical, subject-wise preparation strategy with a 30-day study plan to help you clear AIBE XXII with confidence — even with limited time.
AIBE XXII is an open-book examination, but only for Bare Acts: you may carry clean copies without notes or comments into the hall, and nothing else — no notes, printed study material, tabs or highlighting. This fundamentally changes how you should prepare: the goal is not to memorise every provision, but to know where to find the answer quickly and understand the legal reasoning well enough to apply it.
The biggest mistake AIBE candidates make is treating the open-book format as a substitute for preparation. In a 3-hour exam with 100 questions, you have under 2 minutes per question. You cannot afford to search the Bare Acts for every answer.
✅ Do: Use books as a reference, not a crutch
📑 Do: Learn where things are in your Bare Acts
⏱️ Do: Practise with time constraints
❌ Don't: Take anything but clean Bare Acts
This plan assumes 3–4 hours of study per day. Adjust the pace based on your baseline knowledge.
Week 1 — Core Civil & Criminal Laws (Days 1–7)
Week 2 — Evidence, Constitutional & Property Law (Days 8–14)
Week 3 — Commercial, Family & Specific Laws (Days 15–21)
Week 4 — Mock Tests, Weak Areas & Final Revision (Days 22–30)
Code of Civil Procedure (CPC)
Focus on jurisdiction (Sections 9–20), Order VII Rule 11 (rejection of plaint), res judicata (Section 11), execution of decrees, and appeals. Practice numericals on limitation.
Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC)
Master FIR (Section 154), bail provisions (Sections 436–439), cognisable vs non-cognisable offences, charge framing, and Sections 125 (maintenance) and 482 (inherent powers).
Indian Penal Code (IPC)
Prioritise: general exceptions (Chapter IV), offences against persons (Sections 299–325), property offences (Sections 378–420), and criminal conspiracy (Section 120B).
Indian Evidence Act
Focus on relevancy (Sections 6–55), oral and documentary evidence, estoppel, burden of proof, and confessions. Section 27 (discovery) is frequently tested.
Constitution of India
Revise Fundamental Rights (Articles 12–35), especially Articles 14, 19, and 21. Also cover DPSPs, emergency provisions, and landmark amendments.
Negotiable Instruments Act
Section 138 (cheque dishonour) is almost guaranteed to appear. Know the entire procedure: notice, complaint, presumption, and defence under Section 139.
Family Laws
Cover Hindu Marriage Act (grounds for divorce, void/voidable marriages), Hindu Succession Act (class I/II heirs), and POCSO Act basics.
Skipping mock tests
Mock tests simulate time pressure — the most common reason for failure is running out of time, not lack of knowledge.
Ignoring procedural law
CPC and CrPC together account for 20–25% of questions. Many candidates over-focus on substantive law.
Not knowing your Bare Acts' layout
You cannot tab or mark the copies you take in, so searching an unfamiliar Act in the hall is a time killer. Practise look-ups in clean copies during your mock tests.
Attempting questions randomly
Attempt subjects you are strongest in first. Come back to uncertain questions — guessing is safe since there is no negative marking.
Over-relying on coaching notes
Bare acts are the primary source. Coaching notes can miss nuances or contain errors. Cross-reference with the original text.
Neglecting recent amendments
BCI frequently tests recent amendments. Check for any changes to IPC/CrPC (now BNS/BNSS), Protection of Women Acts, etc.
📝 Day 1–2: Full-length mocks under strict time
🔍 Day 3–4: Error analysis only
📖 Day 5: Pack your Bare Acts
😴 Day 6 (day before exam): Rest
Practise with previous year AIBE question papers — timed mock tests with detailed explanations.