India's top law school cancelled its convocation. Here is what happened, explained simply.
What happened
The National Law School of India University (NLSIU) in Bengaluru was going to hold its 34th convocation on 12 September 2026.
On 27 August, the university cancelled it.
The notice gave only two words as the reason: "unavoidable circumstances." No other explanation was given.
Students will still get their degrees. But instead of a ceremony, the degrees are being given "in absentia." Students can either collect their certificates from campus or get them by courier.
Why it was cancelled
The trouble did not start in Bengaluru. It started in Hyderabad.
Step 1: NALSAR students write a letter
In late July, about 70 final-year students at NALSAR University of Law in Hyderabad wrote to their college. They asked the college not to invite the Chief Justice of India, Surya Kant, as chief guest at their convocation.
Their reason: they were unhappy with things the CJI had reportedly said during court hearings about police action against student protesters in Delhi.
Step 2: The Bar Council reacts
On 13 August, the Bar Council of India (BCI) chairman Manan Kumar Mishra told all state bar councils not to register NALSAR's 2026 graduates.
This was serious. Without bar registration, a law graduate cannot practise as a lawyer.
The order was withdrawn within a few hours after strong criticism. Mishra later took it back completely.
Step 3: NLSIU students support NALSAR
On 15 August, NLSIU students issued a statement supporting the NALSAR students. It was signed by 702 people in total: 165 graduating students, 409 current students and 128 alumni.
They asked the BCI to apologise to NALSAR. They also said they did not want the BCI chairman or the CJI at their own convocation.
One important point here: the CJI is not just a guest at NLSIU. He is the Chancellor of the university. Giving degrees at convocation is part of his role.
Step 4: The CJI meets the students
On 17 August, students were told the CJI wanted to talk to them.
The meeting happened. Reports say he spent about 90 minutes listening to the students.
After the meeting, the students agreed to a compromise. They said the CJI could attend, as long as there was no protest during the ceremony. They were also told the BCI chairman would not come.
It looked like the problem was solved.
Step 5: A new condition, and then cancellation
Then students were reportedly asked to do one more thing: publicly invite the CJI in writing. They were also told this public invitation would be checked first, and it could not mention that the BCI chairman was staying away.
Many students felt this would look like taking back their support for NALSAR.
One graduating batch voted no.
Soon after, the cancellation notice came out.
NLSIU has not officially said this was the reason. But this is the order in which things happened.
The part people forget
For many students, this was not only about principles. It was about money and family.
Flights were booked. Parents and grandparents had made plans. For students who are the first in their family to reach a college like this, convocation means a lot to the people at home.
They still said no. That is worth thinking about, whatever side you agree with.
Why this story matters
- Student speech had a cost. Students wrote a letter to their own college, and their careers were briefly put at risk.
- A regulator's power is now in question. Students argued the BCI went beyond what the Advocates Act, 1961 allows.
- The university stayed silent. A college that teaches constitutional law gave a two-word explanation to its own students.
- It is not a simple villain story. The CJI did meet the students and listen for 90 minutes. The BCI did take back its order. The breakdown came later, over a different demand.
Quick answers
Why was the NLSIU convocation cancelled?
The university said only "unavoidable circumstances." Reports say it followed a disagreement over a demand that students publicly invite the CJI. One batch voted against it.
Will students still get their degrees?
Yes. Degrees are being given in absentia. Certificates can be collected from campus or sent by courier.
Why did students object to the CJI?
It began at NALSAR Hyderabad, over remarks reportedly made by the CJI in hearings about police action against student protesters in Delhi. NLSIU students gave the same reason and supported NALSAR.
What did the Bar Council of India do?
On 13 August, it told state bar councils not to register NALSAR's 2026 graduates. The order was reversed within hours and later withdrawn completely.
Is the CJI connected to NLSIU?
Yes. The Chief Justice of India is the Chancellor of NLSIU and gives out degrees at the annual convocation.
Where things stand now
No new date has been announced. Certificates will be sent out instead. The BCI order is withdrawn. And nobody has said publicly what the "unavoidable circumstances" actually were.
A convocation is just a certificate handover on paper. Everything else about it is symbolic. But symbols matter, and this one will be remembered much longer than the ceremony would have been.
