Students and alumni of the National Law School of India University (NLSIU) have opposed the invitation extended to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Bar Council of India (BCI) Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra for the university's upcoming convocation ceremony. The development comes days after a controversy at another premier law institution, the National Academy of Legal Studies and Research (NALSAR) University of Law in Hyderabad, where objections by students to the proposed participation of the Chief Justice had triggered a significant dispute with the country's legal regulator.

In a letter issued on Saturday, NLSIU students and alumni said they stood in "unconditional solidarity" with their counterparts at NALSAR. They criticised the conduct of BCI Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra and also raised objections to the proposed participation of Chief Justice Surya Kant in their own convocation. The letter reflects concerns among sections of the student and alumni community over how disagreement and dissent expressed by law students should be treated by institutions and bodies associated with the legal profession. The NLSIU statement follows the controversy at NALSAR, where some students had objected to the invitation extended to the CJI to serve as chief guest at their convocation.

The disagreement subsequently escalated after the BCI briefly directed that students belonging to the 2026 graduating batch should not be enrolled as advocates. The move generated criticism because enrolment with the Bar is an important step for law graduates seeking to begin legal practice. The BCI later withdrew the order and Mishra apologised to law students. In his apology, the BCI chairman said that students' "dignity, independence of thought and legitimate concerns" must be respected. The withdrawal of the order and the subsequent apology brought the immediate confrontation at NALSAR to a close, but the episode continued to generate discussion among students and alumni of other leading law schools.

Also Read: CJI Surya Kant Says “Cockroach” Remarks Were Misquoted, Used To Mislead Youth

Against this backdrop, the response from NLSIU students and alumni assumes significance. Their letter indicates that the NALSAR episode has resonated beyond the Hyderabad-based institution, with members of another prominent national law university publicly expressing support for the students who had raised objections. By opposing the proposed invitations at NLSIU, the students and alumni have brought the question of participation by senior judicial and regulatory figures at university ceremonies into their own institutional debate.

The controversy also touches on broader questions concerning academic freedom, institutional autonomy and the ability of students to express dissent without facing professional consequences. Law universities occupy a distinctive position because their students are preparing to enter a profession governed by statutory and regulatory institutions. The events at NALSAR, followed by the response from NLSIU students and alumni, have therefore drawn attention to how disagreements between students and legal authorities are handled.

The developments come at a time when law students and graduates are increasingly engaged in discussions about the functioning of professional institutions and the relationship between legal education and the wider justice system. While convocation ceremonies are traditionally occasions to celebrate academic achievement and mark the transition from university to professional life, the disputes at NALSAR and NLSIU have turned attention towards questions about who should be invited to such events and how students' objections should be addressed.

For NLSIU, the letter from students and alumni now places the university's upcoming convocation under greater scrutiny. The immediate issue concerns the proposed participation of the Chief Justice of India and the BCI chairman, but the wider debate centres on the principle that students should be able to articulate concerns about institutional decisions. The NALSAR episode, including the BCI's subsequent withdrawal of its order and apology, has become the immediate backdrop to that debate at NLSIU.

Also Read: CJI Surya Kant Slams BCI Over NALSAR Enrolment Ban: "Totally Uncalled For"