How many types of papers are there in an Advocate-on-Record Exam?

A total of 4 types of papers are there where you need to get 50% in each paper: Paper I - Practice and procedure of Supreme Court Paper II - Drafting Paper III - Professional ethics Paper IV - Leading cases If we talk about aggregate marks in AOR, then students must secure 60% marks (Overall).

What topics are included in the paper I in the AOR exam?

In paper I of the AOR exam, there are various subjects involved under the Practice and procedure of the Supreme Court Important Provisions of the Constitution of India The Constitution relating to the Supreme Court of India Writ Jurisdiction of Supreme Court under Article 32 Original Jurisdiction of Supreme Court Appellate Jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of India Review power of the Supreme Court of India Contempt power of the Supreme Court of India Special Leave petition under Article 136 Binding nature of Supreme Court decisions: Article 141 of the Constitution Supreme Court rules and provisions of the Civil Procedure Code

What is the exam pattern of an AOR exam?

Total number of papers: 4 papers Mode of examination: Offline Exam Time duration: 3 hours for each paper Type of questions: Descriptive type questions Total marks: 100 per paper Language: English

What are the tips for aspiring students who wish to become a Supreme Court Lawyer?

Below are a few tips that students keep in mind. Let’s check them out: Establish a Solid Foundation Specialize Stay Up to Date Network actively Pass the Advocate-on-Record (AOR) exam Develop Your Legal Writing Skills: Acquire Experience

What topics are included in paper II in the AOR exam?

In an AOR exam, the second paper is drafting, and below is the syllabus for it: Petitions for Special Leave and Statements of Cases, etc. Decrees, Orders, and Writs, etc. Petitions of appeal, plaint, and written statement in a suit under Article 131 of the Constitution of India Review petitions under Article 137 of the Constitution of India Transfer petitions u/s 25 of the Civil Procedure Code Article 139 of the Constitution of India and Section 406 of the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 Contempt petitions under Article 129 of the Constitution of India Interlocutory applications including criminal miscellaneous petitions for bail, condonation of delay, exemption from surrender, applications for revocation of the special leave, etc.

What is the syllabus overview of the AOR exam?

Paper I - Practice and procedure of Supreme Court - 100 mark Paper II - Drafting - 100 marks Paper III - Professional ethics - 100 marks Paper IV - Leading cases - 100 marks

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Home ❯ Online LLM ❯ How to Become a Supreme Court Lawyer - Step-by-Step Guide

How to Become a Supreme Court Lawyer - Step-by-Step Guide

Sonika Jun 19, 2025 1K Reads

Becoming a Supreme Court lawyer in India demands dedication, deep legal expertise, and a clear route of academic and professional milestones. While all advocates begin their careers through similar legal education and Bar Council registration, training in the Supreme Court requires extra qualifications, including passing the Advocate-on-Record exam. This journey combines experience, knowledge, and a strong commitment to constitutional and legal excellence.

Who can become a Supreme Court lawyer?

A Supreme Court lawyer is a lawyer who is qualified to practice law and present arguments before the Supreme Court of India. These attorneys frequently defend clients in important and challenging cases and have extensive knowledge of both constitutional and legal issues. They may become Advocates-on-Record to submit petitions directly to the Supreme Court, but they must fulfill certain qualifying requirements to do the legal proceedings right before the Supreme Court Judge, whom we call the Chief Justice of India (CJI).

Let’s explain a bit about the AOR and then you get all the necessary details about it further in this blog. AOR is an exam that makes you eligible to present the arguments in front of the Justice of the Supreme Court. Without qualifying for this exam, the Lawyer may not fight or defend their clients in any case; all they can do is assist the SC Lawyer who is on that record (The Advocate-on-record). You must qualify for the AOR exam and thus can become the Supreme Court Lawyer. Keep reading this blog, you’ll soon get to learn about what is the education qualification required to become a Supreme Court Lawyer.

Roles and responsibilities:

In high-stakes criminal, civil, or constitutional cases, represent clients.
Give clients strategic direction and legal advice.
Keep informed of legislative developments and court decisions to bolster your case.
Analyze and apply intricate legal precedents and requirements.
Make sure that all Supreme Court rules and procedures are strictly followed.
Submit and present petitions to the Supreme Court, including appeals and writs.
Create compelling legal papers, such as written submissions, answers, and petitions.

The basic difference between a regular Lawyer and a Supreme Court Lawyer:

Practice Jurisdiction: While Supreme Court advocates work in the highest court, regular lawyers can practice in lower courts, district courts, and High Courts.
Qualification: Only AORs are qualified to file documents or petitions in the Supreme Court; regular lawyers are not.
Experience: Supreme Court advocates typically have years of experience and specialization.
Case Complexity: Supreme Court cases are frequently constitutional or involve matters of national importance.
Procedural Knowledge: Supreme Court practice necessitates familiarity with particular court procedures.
Recognition: Supreme Court advocates have a higher legal stature.

Requirement of educational qualification

To become a Supreme Court Lawyer, an aspirant must fulfill the following eligibility criteria:

Aspirants must have completed their bachelor’s degree in Law (LLB).
Enrollment with the State Bar Council is a must under the Advocates Act of 1961.
To practice on the Court of Law, aspirants must have passed the “All India Bar Examination (AIBE)” and get the certificate of practice.
A minimum of 5 years of legal experience is required. Minimum 3 years in district court and 2 years in High Court. Also, to file directly into the Supreme Court, candidates must have at last 4 years of experience in the High Court.
Advocate-on-Record (AOR) exam is a must to be passed by the aspirants to file petitions in the Supreme Court.

Syllabus and specializations

LLM needs a specialization to be chosen. Every aspirant must choose a specialization or a combination of two specializations in which they wish to complete the LLM degree. Below is the syllabus that students are going to read in their LLM program, If they wish to pursue it. However, if the students have completed their master's degree in Law, then the students getan additional 5 marks than the students who have applied just after completing an LLB degree. So, one should prefer to complete their master’s degree as well. Keep reading this blog, and you will get the details about LLM programs as well.

Syllabus for LLM degree

Legal research methodology:

Legal research & writing
The legal system: Foundations, institutes & Processes
Statutory Law & Interpretation
Case las & Precedents
Judicial Public Policy Making: Common Law & Judicial Activism
Research in a law Firm; Due Diligence, Memos & Advice

Law and Justice in the Globalizing World:

Globalization and its Effects on the Development of International Commercial & Economic Law
Challenges of Globalization to Law & Justice
Formulation to Law & Justice
Formulation & settlement of transportation norms & practices.
Individual rights vis-à-vis Free market principles & state capitalism

Comparative public law:

Public and private law in practice
Building an imagination sound comparative, constitutional, and public law
The unique position of international investments within public law and the legal principles governing it
How domestic law responds to foreign investments and the significance of capital flow for development
Investment contract regime and general threats to investments

Dissertation

LLM specializations

LLM specializations	Core subjects
Business laws	Law and Social Transformation in India Judicial Process Indian Constitutional Law: The New Challenges Law of Industrial and Intellectual Property Legal education and research Methodology International Trade Law Environmental Law Legal Regulations of Economic Enterprises Business Laws Law Relating to Regulatory Authorities Insurance Law Alternative Dispute Resolution & Securities Law
Constitutional Law	Administrative Process and Judicial Control Law and Social Transformation in India Administrative Law Constitutionalism: Pluralism & Federalism Human Rights Indian Constitutional Law: The New Challenges Research Methodology National Securit, Public Order, and Rule of Law Mass Media Law Judicial Process
Criminal Law	Research Methodology Legal Concepts Theories of Law Banking Law Legislative Process Corporate Jurisprudence Law of Intellectual Property Life and Fire Insurance Consumer Law Judicial Process Competition Law
Human Rights	Concepts of Human Rights Concept & Classification of Rights Concept of Human Duties Dialectics of Human Rights Human Duties, Responsibilities & its Effectuation Human Rights & Criminal Justice Emerging Concepts of Human Writes International Obligations Jurisprudence & Human Rights: Lego Philosophical Prespectives Refugee Law Constitutional Governance of Human Rights in India People’s Rights to Self-determination Human Rights and International & Regional Perspectives: Implementation Mechanism International Humanitarian Law
IPR & Tech Law	Advanced IPR and IT Law Intellectual Property and New Technology, AI Legal Research Methodology Comparative Public Law Music and Copyrights TRIPS and Public Health GDPR: A European Example of Data Protection Law International Investment Law and Intelectual Property
Family Law	Family Law I - System Scope Sources and Schools Family Law II - Marriage and Matrimonial Remedies Family Law III - Nuclear and Extended Family Family Law IV - Penal Laws on Family Affairs Family Law V - Family Property and Succession Foreign Business languages Comparative Public Law Legal English and Research Methodology Law and Justice in the Globalizing World

What is Advocate-on-Record?

An Advocate-on-Record (AOR) is a lawyer authorized to behave, act, and plead on behalf of a party in the Supreme Court of India. Only AORs can report legal documents, manage court procedures, and represent customers officially before the court docket. They should pass a special AOR examination conducted by the Supreme Court.

AOR Exam Syllabus: Overview

Paper	Question paper name	Marks
Paper I	Practice and procedure of the Supreme Court	100
Paper II	Drafting	100
Paper III	Professional ethics	100
Paper IV	Leading cases	100

AOR Exam Syllabus

Paper	Question paper name	Description
Paper I	Practice and procedure of Supreme Court	Important Provisions of the Constitution of India The Constitution relating to the Supreme Court of India Writ Jurisdiction of the Supreme Court under Article 32 Original Jurisdiction of the Supreme Court Appellate Jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of India Review the power of the Supreme Court of India Contempt power of the Supreme Court of India Special Leave petition under Article 136 Binding nature of Supreme Court decisions: Article 141 of the Constitution Supreme Court rules and provisions of the Civil Procedure Code
Paper II	Drafting	Petitions for Special Leave and Statements of Cases, etc. Decrees, Orders, and Writs, etc. Petitions of appeal, plaint, and written statement in a suit under Article 131 of the Constitution of India Review petitions under Article 137 of the Constitution of India Transfer petitions u/s 25 of the Civil Procedure Code Article 139 of the Constitution of India and Section 406 of the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 Contempt petitions under Article 129 of the Constitution of India Interlocutory applications, including criminal miscellaneous petitions for bail, condonation of delay, exemption from surrender, applications for revocation of the special leave, etc.
Paper III	Professional ethics	The Advocates Act and Cases reported under the Advocates Act, particularly disciplinary proceedings Cases relating to the Contempt of court involving Advocates The Bar Council of India Rules The Supreme Court Rules, 2013
Paper IV	Leading cases	The Supreme Court of India provides the list of leading cases on its official website, which aspiring AORs need to refer to in detail.

AOR Exam Pattern

Particulars	Description
Total number of papers	4 papers
Mode	Offline Exam
Time duration	3 hours for each paper
Type of questions	Descriptive type questions
Total marks	100 per paper
Language	English

Role of the Bar Council of India (BCI)

The Bar Council of India plays a major role in the legal sector. Below are a few of the roles of BCI:

Manages professional standards and legal education throughout India.
Speaks on behalf of the Indian legal community abroad.
Establishes guidelines for advocates' proper behavior and conduct.
Advocates for access to justice and legal reform.
Recognizes legal schools and keeps an eye on their curricula.
Disciplinary power to deal with wrongdoing in the workplace.
Carries out legal awareness campaigns and lectures.

A few tips for aspiring candidates

Establish a Solid Foundation: Get an LLB from an accredited university to begin with a solid grasp of constitutional law and legal processes.
Specialize: Pay attention to legal fields like criminal, civil, or constitutional law that are important to the Supreme Court.
Stay Up to Date: Regularly follow significant rulings, modifications, and legal developments.
Network actively: Engage in active networking by making connections with attorneys, going to seminars, and taking part in bar association events to gain visibility and guidance.
Pass the Advocate-on-Record (AOR) exam: After four years of practice, one must pass the AOR exam to file before the Supreme Court.
Develop Your Legal Writing Skills: Acquire the ability to write persuasive arguments, legal opinions, and petitions.
Acquire Experience: Gain years of courtroom experience, ideally in High Courts, working under experienced attorneys.

Universities offering LLM program

Various universities in India offer LLM degrees to the students which help them to get advanced knowledge about the specific subject or specialization. Below are a few of the universities thet offer LLM programs through regular mode.

Universities offering LLM programs in regular mode
National Law School	Aligarh Muslim University
Faculty Of Law	Chaudhary Charan Singh University
University of Delhi	UPES
Amity University	Lovely Professional University
NLU	BHU

Universities offering LLM programs for working professionals

Universities in India understand that law professionals wish to practice in the court of law and still want to get additional knowledge for certain reasons. Also, having a Master in Law gives them additional marks in the entrance and registration to become lawyers.

Universities offering LLM programs for working professionals
Kurukshetra Univerity	Jamia Millia Islamia
KUVEMPU University	Jindal Global Law School
Karnataka State Open University	Banaras Hindu University

Top colleges offering 1-year LLM program

Some universities and colleges in India offer 1-year LLM program. Most working professionals apply for this program. This program has various benefits to pursue. Let’ check ome universities offering 1 1-year LLM program with their specialization offered by them to the students:

Top colleges offering 1-Year LLM program
Colleges	Specializations
Jindal Global Law School (Blended Learning Program)	Corporate & Financial Law AI and Emerging Technologies Intellectual Property & Technology Law Dispute Resolution
National Law University, Delhi	Criminal Law Banking and Finance Studies Intellectual Property Law Commercial Law Environmental Law and Justice Consumer Law Health Law and Policy Taxation Law
Lovely Professional University	Business Law Constitutional Law Criminal Law Intellectual Property Law International Law
Symbiosis Law School International, Pune	Business and Corporate Law Constitutional Law and Administrative Law Innovation, Technology, and Intellectual Property Law Criminal Law and Security Law Human Rights Law Law, Policy, and Good Governance Family Law EU Law and International Law Telecommunication, Media, and Technology Law Climate Change Law and Policy* (Approval in process)
NLU, Kolkata	Corporate and Commercial Law International Law & Comparative Law Criminal and Security Law Intellectual Property Law Law and Technology
UPES	Corporate and Commercial Law Alternate Dispute Resolution Intellectual Property Rights Environmental and Energy Law Cyber Security and Digital Law

Jindal Global Law School

Since its initial establishment in 2009, Jindal Global Law School has been assisting law enthusiasts in realizing their aspirations through the completion of their legal degrees. The Bar Council of India (BCI) and the University Grants Commission (UGC) have both approved Jindal Global Law School. This school provides a blended learning option for its LLM program.

Jindal Global Law School
Eligibility criteria for admission	Students must have completed a 3-year or 5-year LLB from any recognized university Students who are appearing in the final semester exams may also apply Students should have secured good marks in any of the law entrance exams like CLAT, LSAT, DU LLM, or CUET LLM
Specializations	Corporate & Financial Law Online AI and Emerging Technologies Online Intellectual Property & Technology Law Online Dispute Resolution Online International Business and Finance Law Online
Course Duration	1-year program
Fee	INR 3,50,000

Syllabus

Below is the table that will help you to get the knowledge regarding the specialization and syllabus offered. Let’s have a look at that:

Specializations and syllabus at Jindal Global Law School (Blended Learning Program)
Specializations	Syllabus/Subjects
Corporate & Financial Law	Legal Research Methodology Law and Justice in a Globalizing World Comparative Public Law Advanced Company Law A Practitioner’s Approach to Competition Law in India Commercial Contract Drafting M&A and Private Equity Corporate Insolvency Law Dissertation
AI and Emerging Technologies	Legal Research Methodology Law and Justice in a Globalizing World Comparative Public Law Advanced IPR and IT Law Intellectual Property and New Technology, AI GDPR: A European Example of Data Protection Law, AI Introduction to GDPR Regulating AI Ethica, Law, and AI Comparative AI Regulation Dissertation
Intellectual Property & Technology Law	Legal Research Methodology Law and Justice in a Globalizing World Comparative Public Law Advanced IPR and IT Law Intellectual Property and New Technology, AI Music and Copyrights TRIPS and Public Health GDPR: A European Example of Data Protection Law
Dispute Resolution	Legal Research Methodology Law and Justice in a Globalizing World Comparative Public Law International Commercial Arbitration Principles and Practice of Arbitration in India Investment Arbitration Negotiation and Meditation Recognition, Enforcement, and Execution of Arbitral Awards Ethical Issues in Alternative Dispute Resolution Dissertation

Conclusion

This blog aims to get you a better understanding of how to become a Supreme Court Lawyer. There are various legal terminologies that you understood after reading this whole blog. Also, there is no need to pursue an LLM program, but if you did your master's and then applied to become a Supreme Court Lawyer then it will give you additional benefits.

Hope you get the answers to what you were looking for in this blog.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

A total of 4 types of papers are there where you need to get 50% in each paper:

Paper I - Practice and procedure of Supreme Court
Paper II - Drafting
Paper III - Professional ethics
Paper IV - Leading cases

If we talk about aggregate marks in AOR, then students must secure 60% marks (Overall).

In paper I of the AOR exam, there are various subjects involved under the Practice and procedure of the Supreme Court

Important Provisions of the Constitution of India
The Constitution relating to the Supreme Court of India
Writ Jurisdiction of Supreme Court under Article 32
Original Jurisdiction of Supreme Court
Appellate Jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of India
Review power of the Supreme Court of India
Contempt power of the Supreme Court of India
Special Leave petition under Article 136
Binding nature of Supreme Court decisions: Article 141 of the Constitution
Supreme Court rules and provisions of the Civil Procedure Code

The AOR exam is quite hard. Even if we look at the stats, then you will get to know that almost 80% of students fail the exam every year.

Aspirants can apply only 5 times for an AOR Exam.

Total number of papers: 4 papers
Mode of examination: Offline Exam
Time duration: 3 hours for each paper
Type of questions: Descriptive type questions
Total marks: 100 per paper
Language: English

Below are a few tips that students keep in mind. Let’s check them out:

Establish a Solid Foundation
Specialize
Stay Up to Date
Network actively
Pass the Advocate-on-Record (AOR) exam
Develop Your Legal Writing Skills:
Acquire Experience

In an AOR exam, the second paper is drafting, and below is the syllabus for it:

Petitions for Special Leave and Statements of Cases, etc.
Decrees, Orders, and Writs, etc.
Petitions of appeal, plaint, and written statement in a suit under Article 131 of the Constitution of India
Review petitions under Article 137 of the Constitution of India
Transfer petitions u/s 25 of the Civil Procedure Code
Article 139 of the Constitution of India and Section 406 of the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973
Contempt petitions under Article 129 of the Constitution of India
Interlocutory applications including criminal miscellaneous petitions for bail, condonation of delay, exemption from surrender, applications for revocation of the special leave, etc.