The decision came after students raised objections to CJI Surya Kant and BCI Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra attending the ceremony.
Published: August 27, 2026, 4:33 PM IST
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The university decided to call off the ceremony despite making ‘collective best efforts’ to hold it as plannedPTI
The National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bengaluru, has called off its 34th Annual Convocation, scheduled for September 12, due to ‘unavoidable circumstances.’ NLSIU called off the convocation following protests from students over the proposed attendance of CJI Surya Kant and BCI Chairman Manan Kumar MishraThe university said degrees will now be conferred to graduating students ‘in absentia’.
The University’s statement
According to a notification issued by the NLSIU Registrar, the university decided to call off the ceremony despite making “collective best efforts” to hold it as plannedStudents were informed on August 3 that September 12 was being considered as the date for the annual convocation.
Also Read | ‘Sincerely regret’: BCI chief apologises to law students amid NALSAR controversy
The notification stated, “On August 3, 2026, the Academic Administration team had emailed the graduating students with advance notice of September 12, 2026, as the proposed date for the Annual ConvocationDespite our collective best efforts, due to unavoidable circumstances, we are unable to hold the 34th Annual Convocation.”
Students to get degrees through…
The university said alternative arrangements are being put in place to award the degrees, pending the necessary approvals from its governing bodiesStudents will then be able to choose their preferred mode of receiving their certificates.
National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bengaluru, cancels its convocation for the graduating batch of 2026.
This development comes days after NLSIU students and alumni opposed the attendance of BCI Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra and CJI Surya Kant at the convocationpic.twitter.com/1UR1nFCKY1
— LawBeat (@LawBeatInd) August 27, 2026
“…The University will share a new form and the process with all graduating students to choose their preferred option later today….” the notification said.
The university will give graduates the choice of having their certificates delivered by courier or collecting them in person from the campus.
CJI held 90-minute interaction with students
The Bar and Bench reported, citing sources, that the CJI Surya Kant spoke with NLSIU students for around 90 minutes to understand their concernsA total of 165 graduating students, 409 current students and 128 alumni signed the statementThe development came after the BCI first put the enrolment of NALSAR Hyderabad’s 2026 graduating batch on hold and later restored it, following student objections to the CJI’s proposed presence at the convocation.
Also Read | NALSAR graduates’ advocate enrolment put on hold over CJI invite controversy
The NLSIU students accused the BCI of undermining free speech and objected to its directive asking NALSAR to identify those who took part in the campaign, describing the move as a “witch-hunt.”
