How To Crack Supreme Court's AOR Exam

Raghunandan Malik May 15, 2023

There are less than 3000 Advocates-On-Record (AOR) in India. To practice before the highest court of the land, i.e., Supreme Court of India is a privilege and one that does not come easy. There are more than 1 lakh practicing lawyers in India and a minuscule percentage of that clears the AOR Exam. The reason? It is a process that requires rigorous efforts, attention and structured preparation.

The Supreme Court's AOR or Advocate-on-Record examination is one of the toughest examinations. A committee of three Supreme Court Judges appointed by the Chief Justice of India holds the AOR exam.

The examination comprises four papers that need sincere and methodical preparation. The four papers are 1) Practice and Procedure of the Supreme Court, 2) Drafting, 3) Professional Ethics & Advocacy and 4) Leading Cases. The examination is set around these four silos because superlative command over these topics is essential for an advocate to practice in the Supreme Court of India.

The AOR Exam needs a methodical approach to preparation. A good strategy and a well-devised preparation plan can augment a professional’s chances manifold. So, it is crucial to know how to prepare and write the paper. A few of these tips are:

Past papers - While learning from textbooks and the syllabus is important, it is crucial to understand the examination pattern. This includes your response to these questions when crunched for time. The only way to ace that is by going through past papers. While there is no set pattern for the examination and the paper varies year to year, a careful analysis of the past years' papers can help you get an edge over the other candidates. This practice can help you prune and perfect your knowledge and skill and align your preparation in the right direction.

Course material - Once a professional is acquainted with the pattern of the examination, the next step is to sieve through the material. Concentrate on a course that will help you achieve the best results. Do not let the multitude of available data overwhelm you. Seek help from professionals. Invest in courses online that bring their years of expertise and expert guidance to help you crack the examination with their live online courses.

Crash courses/revision courses — Studying with your peers with set daily and weekly targets can enrich your knowledge. Join a revision or a crash course batch online. Devote time to the curated courses comprising reading case laws and being thorough with the SC Practice and Procedure manual. Preparing for the exam is not an easy feat. Thus, you must maintain consistency.

AORs are the most sought-after lawyers of the Supreme Court. It is a prestigious title that not only begets respect but also has a huge impact on the decision-making process of the Supreme Court. Thus, impacting society at large. As one of the toughest legal examinations in the county, clearing an AOR Exam comes with a rewarding career. Besides the monetary benefits of holding the title, an AOR degree opens up a world of opportunities for the candidates. This gives lawyers a chance to appear before the nation’s highest court. They have the power and the responsibility to shape the fate of cases that could affect the very future of the nation.

As per Article 145 of the Constitution, the Supreme Court of India can draft and enforce rules and regulations. The AOR is a designation in the Supreme Court of India, where AORs are responsible for filing cases on behalf of any party in this Apex Court.

While the examination itself tests lawyers on their skill and command of the subject, becoming an AOR also requires being a member of the Bar Council for at least five years. The lawyers pursuing this designation must have active practicing experience of at least five years which includes one year of training under an AOR.

The road to becoming an AOR is a path less travelled and peppered with many milestones to achieve. Thus, the strategy to prepare for the exam must be designed to blend technology with theory and practice to give you an edge.