(INDIANAPOLIS) – The Indiana Supreme Court unanimously ordered adjustments to the February 2021 and future bar exams. The adjustments come amid pandemic social distancing and after review of a report by the Study Commission on the Future of the Indiana Bar Examination.
The February bar exam will be administered remotely on February 23-24 using software that was successfully used by the National Conference of Bar Examiners in October 2020. The online exam will consist of the Indiana Essay Examination, the Multistate Performance Test, and the Multistate Bar Examination.
Starting with the July 2021 exam, Indiana will adopt the Uniform Bar Examination. This two-day test was developed by the National Conference of Bar Examiners. Consisting of three multistate parts, the UBE provides a score transferable to other jurisdictions. Applicants of this universal exam will also have a required Indiana component.
Chief Justice Loretta Rush stated, “We are thankful for the work of the members of the Study Commission and are looking forward to begin offering the UBE to applicants. These changes will ensure qualified test-takers can join the legal profession on-time to provide needed legal services.”
The bar exam is administered twice a year through the Supreme Court’s Office of Admissions and Continuing Education, which certifies that admittees have fulfilled the requirements for admission to the bar. More details on these changes will be available online as they are developed.
