OPSC APP vs Delhi APP vs AIBE: Career Comparison

OPSC APP, Delhi APP and AIBE are three very different exams that often get mentioned in the same breath by law graduates deciding their next step: OPSC APP is a 172-post Odisha state recruitment for Assistant Public Prosecutor, Delhi APP is a 140-post UPSC recruitment for the same post title in Delhi, and AIBE is a qualifying bar exam that every practising advocate must pass, not a recruitment at all. Knowing the difference matters because preparing for one does not automatically prepare you for the others in the way candidates sometimes assume.

OPSC APP and Delhi APP: same post title, different recruiters and processes

Both exams recruit for the post of Assistant Public Prosecutor, but they are run by different bodies for different jurisdictions and have meaningfully different structures. OPSC APP requires only 2 years’ practice against Delhi APP’s 3 years, and it adds an Odia language requirement that Delhi APP has no equivalent of, reflecting OPSC APP’s Odisha-specific posting. OPSC APP’s selection runs through a three-stage prelims, mains, interview structure totalling 650 marks, while Delhi APP uses a two-stage RT and interview structure combined in a 75:25 ratio. A candidate preparing for one cannot simply walk into the other’s selection process expecting the same format, though the underlying legal subjects, CrPC/BNSS, IPC/BNS and the Evidence Act/BSA, overlap substantially between the two. See our Delhi APP exam date and pattern 2027 guide for the full Delhi APP details.

How AIBE is a fundamentally different kind of exam

AIBE is not a recruitment exam at all; it is a qualifying examination every advocate must pass to receive a Certificate of Practice from the Bar Council of India, and it carries no merit list or job offer attached to it. Many candidates preparing for OPSC APP or Delhi APP have likely already passed AIBE as part of becoming enrolled advocates, since practice years as an advocate are themselves a precondition for both prosecutor recruitments. In terms of subject overlap, AIBE’s wide syllabus of 19 subjects shares real ground with the criminal law portions tested in OPSC APP and Delhi APP, but AIBE also tests many civil and procedural subjects that a prosecutor recruitment does not emphasise to the same degree. Read our AIBE XXII 2026 exam date, syllabus and pattern guide for AIBE’s own structure.

Which one should you prepare for

If you already hold the required years of practice and want to move from private or litigation practice into a permanent prosecutorial government post, both OPSC APP and Delhi APP are worth applying to if you meet their respective eligibility, since applying to both does not conflict in any way; just keep their separate selection formats, dates and language requirements clearly apart in your preparation. AIBE, by contrast, is not a choice at all for a practising advocate; it is a mandatory step you likely already completed, and it is worth revisiting only if you need to brush up on subjects it covers that also appear in a prosecutor recruitment’s Main Examination.

Common mistakes candidates make

• Assuming OPSC APP and Delhi APP share one selection format just because the post title is identical.
• Treating AIBE as a competing career choice rather than the mandatory enrolment step it actually is.
• Skipping the Odia language requirement check for OPSC APP because Delhi APP has no equivalent condition.
• Not applying to both OPSC APP and Delhi APP when eligible for both, assuming they are mutually exclusive.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between OPSC APP and Delhi APP?

OPSC APP is a 172-post Odisha state recruitment requiring 2 years’ practice and an Odia language test, with a three-stage prelims, mains and interview selection out of 650 marks. Delhi APP is a 140-post UPSC recruitment requiring 3 years’ practice, with a two-stage RT and interview selection combined in a 75:25 ratio.

Is AIBE the same kind of exam as OPSC APP or Delhi APP?

No. AIBE is a qualifying bar exam conducted by the Bar Council of India that every advocate must pass for a Certificate of Practice; it is pass/fail with no merit list or job attached, unlike the recruitment-based selection of OPSC APP and Delhi APP.

Can I apply for both OPSC APP and Delhi APP?

Yes, if you meet each recruitment’s own eligibility requirements, since they are run by different bodies (OPSC and UPSC respectively) with separate application processes.

Does passing AIBE help with OPSC APP or Delhi APP preparation?

It can help with the overlapping criminal law portions, since AIBE also tests subjects like criminal law, procedure and evidence, though both prosecutor recruitments also test subjects AIBE does not emphasise to the same degree.

This page is for education and general information, not legal advice for a specific case. Law as on 2 November 2026.

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