CJI Surya Kant: NLSIU Convocation Confirmed for October 17

• CJI Surya Kant will attend the 34th annual NLSIU convocation on October 17 in Bengaluru, presiding as Chancellor.
• This event follows the cancellation of a September 12 convocation, which was initially called off due to "unavoidable circumstances" with degrees to be conferred in absentia.
• The cancellation stemmed from controversy over the proposed presence of CJI Kant and BCI pro tem Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra, with over 700 students and alumni objecting.
• A similar controversy at NALSAR University of Law saw students opposing CJI Kant's presence, leading to a brief, withdrawn BCI directive to halt NALSAR enrolments.
• NLSIU students and alumni expressed solidarity with NALSAR and criticized the BCI's action, with over 700 community members signing an objection statement on August 15.

The sequence of events, from student objections to a cancelled convocation, a regulatory body's intervention, and subsequent community solidarity, reflects significant tensions within India's premier legal education landscape.

Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant is scheduled to attend the 34th annual convocation of the National Law School of India University (NLSIU) in Bengaluru on October 17. The ceremony is slated to take place from 11 am to 1 pm at the Jnana Jyoti Auditorium located on Palace Road. As the Chancellor of NLSIU, Justice Kant will preside over the event, according to an invitation distributed by the University.

This upcoming convocation follows the cancellation of an earlier ceremony that was planned for September 12. At that time, NLSIU had announced that no convocation would be held for the 2026 batch, citing "unavoidable circumstances," and stated that degrees would be conferred to students in absentia. The reversal of this decision and the rescheduling of the event with the CJI's presence highlight a dynamic situation within the institution.

The initial cancellation of the September 12 convocation occurred amidst significant controversy surrounding the proposed attendance of both CJI Kant and Bar Council of India (BCI) pro tem Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra. A substantial number of individuals, exceeding 700, including current students, graduating students, and alumni, had voiced their objections to the participation of these dignitaries at the event.

This internal dissent at NLSIU was not an isolated incident but rather followed a similar dispute at NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad. Students at NALSAR had also previously expressed opposition to CJI Kant's intended presence at their convocation, indicating a broader pattern of student activism within leading legal education institutions concerning high-profile attendees at ceremonial events.

The controversy at NALSAR escalated dramatically on August 13 when the Bar Council of India issued a directive to State Bar Councils, instructing them to halt the enrolment process for NALSAR's graduating batch. This directive, however, was withdrawn by the BCI within a matter of hours, underscoring the swift and contentious nature of the regulatory body's involvement.

In response to these developments, the NLSIU student body and alumni publicly expressed their solidarity with the NALSAR students. They also openly criticized the BCI's actions, viewing the directive as an overreach. This collective sentiment culminated on August 15, when more than 700 members of the NLSIU community formally signed a statement articulating their objections, further solidifying the unified stance against perceived external pressures and regulatory interventions in academic affairs.

The sequence of events, from student objections to a cancelled convocation, a regulatory body's intervention, and subsequent community solidarity, reflects significant tensions within India's premier legal education landscape. The re-scheduling of the NLSIU convocation with CJI Surya Kant's attendance, despite prior widespread student and alumni opposition, underscores the complex interplay between institutional autonomy, student voice, and the influence of regulatory and judicial authorities.

These incidents highlight the evolving dynamics of student activism in legal academia and raise questions about the appropriate boundaries of involvement for external bodies like the Bar Council of India in university affairs. The sustained engagement of over 700 members of the NLSIU community, both in expressing objections and showing solidarity, signals a robust and organized student and alumni body keen on asserting its perspective on matters affecting their institutions and the broader legal profession.

This article reports on an event and its controversial background within legal education institutions. It does not present a direct actionable implication or compliance exposure for practicing lawyers or compliance officers.

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