Checked 29 September 2026. From the SRA exemptions finder (row "India: Advocate"), the SQE1 and SQE2 exemption pages (updated 6 August 2026), the exemptions Q&A, the English requirement (updated 1 June 2026) and the qualified-lawyer pathway (updated 19 December 2025). The SRA reviews the finder; recheck your row before you apply.
An enrolled Indian advocate can qualify as a solicitor of England and Wales through the SQE, and the SRA's exemptions finder puts India among the jurisdictions where you "can apply for an individual SQE2 exemption". That is the headline many pages get right. What they often skip is the rest of the picture: the exemption is individual, not automatic; it needs a specific set of Indian evidence; India has no agreed SQE1 exemption and the SRA has granted one individual SQE1 exemption since 2021, so plan to sit SQE1 in full; and an SQE2 exemption brings an English-language requirement of its own. On the other side, a qualified lawyer needs no qualifying work experience at all. This guide sets out what the SRA asks for, from its own pages, with a checker for your situation and a comparison with other common-law jurisdictions. ProSyllabus is an independent study site. We are not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) or Kaplan, which delivers the SQE for the SRA; every rule below is quoted or summarised from their published pages, and the SRA decides every application.
SRA exemptions finder (India), SQE2 exemption page updated 6 Aug 2026, qualified-lawyer pathway updated 19 Dec 2025.
Which SQE route fits an Indian lawyer?
Answer for yourself. The checker applies the SRA's published rules for India, including the ones that rule the SQE2 exemption out.
Our reading of the SRA's published rules (exemptions finder row for India; SQE2 exemption page updated 6 August 2026), not a decision. The SRA assesses every application individually.
What the SRA asks an Indian advocate to show
| Evidence | What the SRA says for India | Exception |
|---|---|---|
| Bar examination | Evidence that you have passed the All India Bar Examination | Not needed if you completed your law degree before 2010 |
| Professional qualification | Evidence of your professional qualification with your local Bar, for example an admission certificate or a certificate of good standing | — |
| Experience | A reference showing at least two years of legal work experience after qualifying as an Indian advocate | Only mandatory pre-qualification experience can count; other pre-qualification work cannot |
| Referee | Proof of your referee's professional qualification, for example an admission certificate or a certificate of good standing | — |
| Translations | Certified English translations of any document not in English | Not AI-generated and not self-certified |
Source: SRA exemptions finder, row "India: Advocate", status "You can apply for an individual SQE2 exemption"; SQE2 exemption page (updated 6 August 2026); exemptions Q&A.
The SQE2 exemption test in full
The India row is only the evidence list. The general test on the SQE2 exemption page applies to everyone who applies. Every condition must be met, and the SRA lists the reasons it refuses applications, which are worth reading as a checklist.
| Condition | Detail |
|---|---|
| Practising rights | One or more practising rights in: criminal litigation (including advising at the police station); civil litigation or dispute resolution; property; wills and probate; business organisations |
| Experience | At least two years' professional legal work experience, or equivalent |
| SQE2 history | You must not have failed SQE2, and must not be waiting for SQE2 results |
| Coverage | Your qualification and experience must cover all the SQE2 skills and reach Level 3 of the SRA Threshold Standard, "equivalent to a day one solicitor" |
| Partial rights | With some but not all of the listed rights, complete section 8: scenario-based examples, one or two work samples and supervisor references |
| Your own words | A listed refusal reason is using AI "to provide explanations that are not individual to you" |
| Fee and timing | £265; a decision within 180 days of a complete application; a review may be requested within 28 days of a refusal |
Source: SRA SQE2 exemption page, updated 6 August 2026, and exemptions Q&A.
What SQE2 tests, and what you are asking to skip
SQE2 is the practical half of the SQE: 16 stations, 12 written and 4 oral, testing six skills — client interview with attendance note and legal analysis, advocacy, case and matter analysis, legal research, legal writing and legal drafting — across five practice contexts. Those five contexts are the same five practising rights the exemption page lists, which is the logic of the exemption: the SRA asks whether your practice already shows day-one-solicitor skill in them. The orals are held only in Birmingham, Cardiff, London and Manchester, so sitting SQE2 means travelling to England or Wales; the written stations can be taken at Pearson VUE centres in the UK and internationally.
| SQE2 practice context | Includes |
|---|---|
| Criminal Litigation | Advising at the police station |
| Dispute Resolution | Civil litigation |
| Property Practice | Conveyancing and property transactions |
| Wills and Intestacy, Probate Administration and Practice | Estates |
| Business organisations, rules and procedures | Money laundering and financial services |
Source: SQE website, SQE2 pages (Wayback capture), and the SRA SQE2 exemption page.
Where other pages get this wrong
Indian advocates should plan to sit SQE1 in full. India has an individual SQE2 exemption route; an SQE1 exemption is open to any qualified lawyer to apply for, but almost never granted.
Commonly published instead: Some pages say Indian lawyers are "exempt from the SQE", or describe the old Qualified Lawyers Transfer Scheme (QLTS) as the route.
The QLTS has been replaced by the SQE route; its last transitional sitting was the October 2023 SQE2. The SRA says SQE exemptions are available to qualified lawyers, but that an SQE1 exemption is "very rare" — only one has been granted since 2021 — because of "significant differences between the law of England and Wales and the laws of all jurisdictions reviewed to date", and academic study alone, including the LPC, is not enough.
How India compares with other jurisdictions
The exemptions finder has 168 jurisdiction rows. On our count of the finder's data, 127 say you can apply for an individual SQE2 exemption, 32 carry an agreed exemption, and six point to an aptitude-test route. The post-qualification experience the SRA asks for varies, and India's two years sits at the upper end.
| Jurisdiction (title) | Status in the finder | Post-qualification experience asked for |
|---|---|---|
| India (Advocate) | Individual SQE2 exemption | 2 years |
| Pakistan (all provinces) | Individual SQE2 exemption | 18 months |
| Bangladesh | Individual SQE2 exemption | 18 months |
| Sri Lanka | Individual SQE2 exemption | 18 months |
| Nepal | Individual SQE2 exemption | 2 years |
| Nigeria | Individual SQE2 exemption | 2 years |
| Kenya | Individual SQE2 exemption | 6 months |
| Malaysia | Individual SQE2 exemption | 15 months |
| Singapore | Individual SQE2 exemption | 18 months (12 with an overseas degree) |
| Hong Kong (solicitor) | Agreed SQE2 exemption | Set by the agreement |
| Australia (unrestricted practising certificate) | Agreed SQE2 exemption | Set by the agreement |
| Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland (solicitor) | Do not sit the SQE | — |
Source: SRA exemptions finder data, read 29 September 2026. The counts of 168, 127, 32 and 6 are our tally of its rows.
English: the requirement that comes with the exemption
If you are exempted from SQE2 you have skipped the assessment that tests spoken and written English, so the SRA asks for proof another way. You can rely on the same professional legal qualification your SQE2 exemption was based on, if it was assessed in English (or Welsh), or on a secure English language test (SELT) dated no more than three years before you rely on it for admission. Do not assume an English-medium LL.B. is enough on its own: the SRA's test is the professional qualification used for the exemption, and whether yours counts is for the SRA to decide on your evidence.
| Test | Minimum the SRA asks for |
|---|---|
| IELTS Academic for UKVI | 7.5 |
| PTE Academic UKVI | 71 |
| LanguageCert Academic SELT | 80 |
| Trinity ISE III | Distinction in reading, listening and writing; Merit in speaking |
Source: SRA English or Welsh language proficiency page, updated 1 June 2026. The SRA sets the scores; test fees are set by the test providers and are not quoted here.
How qualified lawyers do on SQE1
Qualified lawyers pass SQE1 at lower rates than other candidates, and it is worth knowing before you book. In the July 2025 sitting, qualified lawyers were 34% of first-attempt candidates and passed SQE1 at 42%, against 47% for everyone else; candidates whose first language is not English passed at 41% against 48%. In the 2023/24 reporting year, qualified lawyers were 31% of SQE1 candidates and passed at 49% against 55%. These are SRA figures; they describe cohorts, not you.
| Group | Share of candidates | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| Qualified lawyers, SQE1 July 2025 (first attempt) | 34% | 42% (others 47%) |
| First language not English, SQE1 July 2025 (first attempt) | 32% | 41% (English 48%) |
| Qualified lawyers, SQE1 2023/24 | 31% | 49% (others 55%) |
| Qualified lawyers, SQE2 April 2026 | 3% | 75% (others 85%) |
Sources: SQE1 July 2025 Statistical Report; SQE Annual Report 2023/24; SQE2 April 2026 Statistical Report.
The route, step by step
| Step | What to do | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Create a mySRA account and add your jurisdiction and professional title ("add jurisdiction"). This tells the SRA you need no qualifying work experience. | Qualified-lawyer pathway |
| 2 | Have your degree validated through Atlantic Data (international validation £54.84). A degree in any subject, or a UK level 6 equivalent, is accepted. | Check and validate your qualification |
| 3 | Apply for the SQE2 exemption (£265) with the India evidence. You may sit SQE1 while waiting; its result does not affect the decision. | SQE2 exemption page, exemptions Q&A |
| 4 | Book and pass SQE1 (FLK1 and FLK2). From January 2027 that is 340 questions. | SQE website (Wayback) |
| 5 | If the exemption is refused, pass SQE2 after SQE1. | Exemptions Q&A |
| 6 | Show English proficiency if you were exempted from SQE2. | English requirement page |
| 7 | Complete character and suitability screening and apply for admission (£100), with a certificate of good standing from every jurisdiction where you are admitted, less than three months old. Screening depends on where you have lived: UK screening costs £34; if you have lived only outside the UK for the relevant periods, overseas-only screening has no SRA fee but you supply a criminal-record check (with an official translation if not in English) for each country you lived in for 12 months or more in the past five years, at that country's charge. | Admission fees; SRA screening page (updated 17 July 2026); qualified-lawyer pathway |
Where can you sit SQE1 from India? The SQE website says SQE1 is delivered at Pearson VUE centres in the UK and internationally. We could not confirm the current list of Indian centres from an official page, so check availability in your SQE account before planning travel. The SQE2 orals are in England and Wales only.
Can an Indian advocate become a solicitor in England and Wales?
Yes, through the SQE route. India is listed in the SRA exemptions finder as a jurisdiction where you can apply for an individual SQE2 exemption.
Is the SQE2 exemption automatic for Indian advocates?
No. It is an individual exemption: you apply with evidence and the SRA decides, within 180 days of a complete application.
What evidence does the SRA want from an Indian advocate?
An All India Bar Examination pass (unless your law degree was completed before 2010), proof of your local Bar qualification, a reference showing two years of post-qualification legal work, and proof of your referee qualification.
Do Indian advocates have to sit SQE1?
Plan on it. Any qualified lawyer may apply for an SQE1 exemption, but the SRA calls them very rare and says only one has been granted since 2021.
Do I need qualifying work experience as an Indian advocate?
No. The SRA says qualifying work experience does not apply to qualified lawyers. Adding your jurisdiction in mySRA records this.
Can I sit SQE1 while my exemption application is pending?
Yes. The SRA says the SQE1 result will not affect the exemption decision. If the exemption is refused, you must pass SQE1 before sitting SQE2.
I failed SQE2. Can I apply for the exemption now?
No. The SRA says you cannot apply if you have failed SQE2 or are waiting for SQE2 results.
What IELTS score does the SRA want?
IELTS Academic for UKVI 7.5, dated no more than three years before you rely on it for admission, if you use a test. You may instead rely on the professional qualification your exemption was based on, if it was assessed in English.
Does an Indian law graduate who is not enrolled count as a qualified lawyer?
No. Without admission you follow the standard route: degree, SQE1, SQE2 and two years of qualifying work experience, which can be gained in India.
How much does the exemption application cost?
£265, whether you apply for one exemption or both.
Sources
- official — SRA — SQE exemptions finder by jurisdiction (India: Advocate)
- official — SRA — Applying for an SQE2 exemption (updated 6 August 2026)
- official — SRA — Applying for an SQE1 exemption (updated 6 August 2026)
- official — SRA — SQE exemptions: questions and answers
- official — SRA — English or Welsh language proficiency (updated 1 June 2026)
- official — SRA — Pathway to qualification for qualified lawyers (updated 19 December 2025)
- official — SRA — Check and validate your qualification (updated 25 July 2025)
- official — SRA — Degree or equivalent qualification (updated 23 July 2025)
- official — SRA — Admission forms and fees (updated 23 January 2025)
- official — SRA — Apply for screening (updated 17 July 2026): £34 UK screening, no fee for overseas-only screening
- official — SQE website — SQE2 assessments and specification, read via Wayback Machine capture
- official — SQE website — Booking windows and assessment dates, Wayback capture 20 Jul 2026
- official — SQE1 July 2025 Statistical Report (PDF)
- official — SQE Annual Report 2023/24, dated 11 March 2025 (PDF)
- official — SQE2 April 2026 Statistical Report (read as a saved PDF; the page sits behind the SQE website security check)
official = a document published by the conducting body. reported = a news or coaching site we could not check against an original. Where sources disagree this page says so rather than picking one.
