New Delhi, 27 August— In yet another controversy around the country’s judicial ecosystem, the National Law School of India University (NLSIU) Bengaluru has cancelled its 34th Annal Convocation amid strong opposition from a group of students over the likely presence of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Bar Council of India (BCI) Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra at the ceremony.
Earlier this month, a controversy erupted in NALSAR University of Law at Hyderabad when a campaign was started by around 450 out of NALSAR’s 1,400 students against inviting the Chief Justice of India to the university convocation.
The Student Bar Council, which is the elected student body at NALSAR University of Law, had condemned the Bar Council of India for first issuing the now withdrawn ban on the outgoing NALSAR batch of 2026 and demanded an apology from BCI chairperson Manan Kumar Mishra for “objectionable comments” against students and faculty.
The NLSIU convocation was scheduled to be held on September 12, and CJI Surya Kant and BCI Chairman Mishra were reportedly invited as guests, a move that irked the students.
According to a communication from the NLSIU, the convocation ceremony has been cancelled due to “unavoidable circumstances,” and graduates will be conferred their degrees in “absentia”.
“On August 23, 2026, the Academic Administration team had emailed the graduating students with advice notice of 12 September, 2026 as the proposed date for the Annual Convocation, despite our best efforts, due to unavoidable circumstances, we were unable to hold the 34h Annual Convocation”, the notification said.
The Registrar of the University said the graduating students would receive their degrees by courier. The same can also be collected from the campus.
The University will share a new form and the process with all graduating students to choose their preferred option later today,” the notification added.
The development comes against the backdrop of the NALSAR row. Students at the Hyderabad-based law university had also opposed CJI’s proposed presence at the convocation.
CJI Surya Kant had also slammed the Bar Council of India for interfering in a matter that he said is between him and the students.
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