AIBE XXI 2026 Expected Qualifying Cutoff for SC, ST and OBC: Category-Wise Minimum Marks

The expected qualifying cutoff for AIBE XXI 2026 is 40% for SC and ST students (40 marks out of 100) and 45% for OBC students (45 marks out of 100), based on all previous editions of the All India Bar Examination.

The Bar Council of India (BCI) conducts AIBE as a qualifying exam — not a competitive ranking exam. Students who meet the minimum qualifying percentage receive a Certificate of Practice (CoP), which is mandatory to argue cases in any Indian court. AIBE XXI 2026 follows the same structure as earlier editions: 100 MCQs worth 1 mark each, open-book format, no negative marking. The actual marks threshold may shift slightly if the BCI withdraws any questions from the final answer key, as it did in AIBE XX 2025 when 5 questions were withdrawn, reducing the effective total to 95.

• Total marks in AIBE XXI 2026: 100 (100 MCQs, 1 mark each, no negative marking)
• Expected cutoff for SC and ST students: 40 out of 100 (40%)
• Expected cutoff for OBC students: 45 out of 100 (45%) — same as General category
• If questions are withdrawn from the final answer key, the marks threshold adjusts — for example, AIBE XX cutoff became 43 for General/OBC and 38 for SC/ST after 5 withdrawals.
• AIBE is a pass/fail exam — there is no merit list, no rank, and no college-specific cutoff.

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AIBE XXI 2026 Expected Cutoff Overview

AIBE XXI is the twenty-first edition of the All India Bar Examination. Unlike entrance exams, AIBE uses a fixed percentage-based qualifying threshold that does not vary with difficulty level or the number of students appearing. Every student who scores at or above the qualifying percentage is declared passed and receives the Certificate of Practice — regardless of how many others also qualify.

The qualifying percentage has been unchanged across all AIBE editions: 45% for General and OBC students, and 40% for SC, ST, and PwD students. However, if BCI withdraws questions from the final answer key after the objection window, the qualifying marks threshold adjusts proportionally downward. Based on previous-year trends, the expected base cutoff for AIBE XXI 2026 is 45 marks for General and OBC students and 40 marks for SC and ST students out of 100 — subject to any final answer key revisions by BCI.

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AIBE XXI 2026 Category-Wise Expected Qualifying Marks

The table below lists the expected minimum qualifying marks for each category in AIBE XXI 2026, assuming no questions are withdrawn from the final answer key. All figures are expected, based on previous-year trends; BCI will officially confirm the cutoff with the result.

Key distinction: OBC students in AIBE are grouped with the General category and must secure 45%, not 40%. The 5-mark relaxation applies exclusively to SC, ST and PwD students. This differs from many other competitive exams where OBC has its own intermediate threshold. Students must note their actual category as registered with their State Bar Council, since that determines which cutoff applies to them.

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Previous Years AIBE Cutoff Trends

The qualifying percentage for AIBE has been stable at 45% (General/OBC) and 40% (SC/ST/PwD) across all editions. However, the actual marks threshold can change when questions are withdrawn from the final answer key. The table below captures the historical trend.

The AIBE XX trend is an important reference point. When BCI withdrew 5 questions in the AIBE XX final answer key released on January 7, 2026, the effective total became 95 marks and the cutoff adjusted: 45% of 95 = 42.75, effectively 43 marks for General/OBC, and 40% of 95 = 38 marks for SC/ST/PwD. The qualifying percentage itself did not change — only the base total changed.

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How Question Withdrawal Affects the AIBE XXI 2026 Cutoff

After the exam, BCI releases a provisional answer key and invites objections. Questions found to be incorrect or ambiguous are withdrawn from the final key, reducing the effective total. The qualifying percentage is then applied to this revised total. The table below shows how the cutoff for AIBE XXI 2026 would shift under different withdrawal scenarios.

Students should always check the official BCI notification for the final answer key and any withdrawal announcements before calculating their qualifying status. The official cutoff is published on allindiabarexamination.com alongside the result.

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What Happens After Qualifying AIBE XXI 2026

Once BCI declares the AIBE XXI 2026 result, here is what follows for students who meet the expected cutoff:

1. Result and official cutoff published: BCI releases the result with the official category-wise cutoff on the AIBE portal. Students can check their qualifying status by logging in.
2. Certificate of Practice (CoP) issued: Qualified students receive a CoP from BCI. This certificate is mandatory to appear and argue in any court of law in India.
3. Linked to State Bar Council enrolment: The CoP is tied to your existing State Bar Council enrolment number. Both documents must be active to practise as an advocate.
4. Non-qualifiers can re-attempt: Students who do not meet the cutoff can register for the next AIBE edition. There is no cap on attempts and no eligibility penalty for not qualifying.

AIBE has no rank, no merit list, and no college-wise or state-wise cutoff. For SC and ST students, the 40% qualifying threshold versus 45% for General and OBC provides a meaningful 5-mark buffer on the base 100-mark total, which can be the difference between qualifying and not when papers are moderately difficult.