2 days ago
NALSAR Students Back NLSIU Graduates Amid Convocation Dispute
NLSIU planned a graduation ceremony for its 2026 students but cancelled it.
The cancellation happened during a disagreement about who should attend the ceremony.
The people involved included the Chief Justice of India and the chairman of the Bar Council of India.
NALSAR’s student group said NLSIU students had earlier disagreed with the CJI’s presence but later agreed to it.
NALSAR alleged that the students were then asked to publicly invite the CJI again.
It said this could make students feel they had to give up their protest to have their graduation ceremony.
NALSAR also criticized the university for cancelling the event without clearly explaining why.
The statement supported the NLSIU students and was endorsed by 111 NALSAR alumni.
NALSAR’s Student Bar Council backed NLSIU’s outgoing 2026 batch after its convocation was cancelled.
The dispute involved the proposed presence of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Bar Council of India chairman Manan Kumar Mishra.
NALSAR alleged that students were asked to publicly “re-invite” the CJI after previously expressing dissent over his presence.
The council said linking a public invitation to the convocation could pressure students to choose between graduation and dissent.
The statement criticized the cancellation as opaque and was endorsed by 111 NALSAR alumni.
- Who
- NALSAR’s Student Bar Council and 111 NALSAR alumni, supporting NLSIU’s outgoing 2026 batch.
- What
- They issued a solidarity statement after NLSIU cancelled its convocation and alleged that students were asked to publicly re-invite the CJI.
- Where
- National Law School of India University in Bengaluru and NALSAR University of Law.
- When
- Recently; the dispute concerns the outgoing 2026 batch and its cancelled convocation.
- Why
- The cancellation followed a dispute involving the proposed presence of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Bar Council of India chairman Manan Kumar Mishra, as well as allegations about a public re-invitation to the CJI.
NALSAR Students and Alumni
Institutional and Administrative Position
Public re-invitation to the CJI
NALSAR Students and Alumni
NALSAR said asking students to publicly re-invite Chief Justice of India Surya Kant would require them to reverse an earlier act of dissent and could discourage future student protest.
Institutional and Administrative Position
The available account did not establish who made the alleged request; NALSAR said the administration appeared not to have made it and that direct stakeholders would need to clarify the sequence.
Cancellation of the convocation
NALSAR Students and Alumni
NALSAR called the cancellation unfortunate and cruel, saying students had made arrangements with family and friends. It also said the university gave only an oblique reference to unavoidable circumstances and did not transparently explain the decision.
Institutional and Administrative Position
NLSIU cancelled the convocation, but the articles do not provide a detailed public explanation from the university or state its response to NALSAR’s criticism.
Students’ right to dissent
NALSAR Students and Alumni
NALSAR defended the NLSIU students’ right to peacefully express disagreement and praised the Batch of 2026 for maintaining its earlier position.
Institutional and Administrative Position
The CJI’s presence was connected to his ex-officio role as NLSIU chancellor, and the articles state that students had later agreed to his presence at the convocation.
Key facts
- Affected students
- NLSIU’s outgoing Batch of 2026
- Supporting body
- NALSAR Student Bar Council
- Alumni endorsement
- 111 NALSAR alumni
- Cancelled event
- NLSIU’s convocation
- CJI named
- Surya Kant
- BCI chairman named
- Manan Kumar Mishra
- Central allegation
- NLSIU students were asked to issue a public letter re-inviting the CJI
- NALSAR concern
- The request could force students to choose between attending a lifetime milestone and maintaining dissent
Quotes
NALSAR Student Bar Council
The elected student body of NALSAR University of Law
“Students had agreed to the presence of CJI at their convocation (later on). However, it is particularly concerning, and deserves condemnation that students were asked to issue a public letter of ‘re-invitation’ to the CJI…In the current circumstances, especially in the light of the BCI controversy, requiring students to publicly re-invite the CJI is nothing but asking them to go back on their act of dissent, and forsake their principled act of solidarity”
indianexpress.com
“Snatching this opportunity from students, which would have enabled them to savour this moment with family and friends is cruel”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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