The Bar Council of India (BCI) on Thursday withdrew its decision to stop the enrolment of NALSAR University of Law’s 2026 graduates with State Bar Councils, just hours after issuing the directive amid a row over students opposing the invitation to Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant as the chief guest at the university’s convocation.
In a fresh communication issued after an emergency discussion, the BCI said all NALSAR students graduating in 2026 would be entitled to enrol with the State Bar Council of their choice. It said no student would be made to suffer "without any fault on his part."
The council, however, has not closed the matter and said it would await the inquiry report from the NALSAR Vice-Chancellor before deciding on any further action.
The reversal came hours after the BCI chairman directed that no NALSAR student who obtained a law degree in 2026 would be enrolled as an advocate by any State Bar Council "till further orders." The move triggered criticism and social media backlash over its potential impact on the professional prospects and placements of the graduating batch.
In its fresh letter, the BCI said it had “thoroughly discussed and deliberated” on the earlier communication issued by its chairman to the NALSAR Vice-Chancellor and the secretaries of all State Bar Councils. “After thorough discussion, the Members are of the unanimous view that as per the latest report, the vast majority of the students of NALSAR (2026 pass out students) are innocent, and they were not inclined to take part in the move of disrespect,” the letter said.
“Accordingly, the Council modifies the order of Chairman with regard to the ban on the enrolment of NALSAR Students with the State Bar Councils. All the students will be entitled to get enrolled with the State Bar Councils of their choice,” it added.
The council also claimed that “a handful of teachers and outsiders” had been instrumental in instigating the students. “It has further been reported by some reliable sources that a handful of teachers and outsiders were instrumental in instigating the innocent students,” the BCI said.
The council did not name the teachers or outsiders or provide further details of the allegation. It said it would wait for the inquiry report of the NALSAR Vice-Chancellor before taking any further action.
The controversy arose after a section of outgoing NALSAR students objected to the invitation extended to CJI Surya Kant to preside over the university’s 2026 convocation.
More than 450 students from the Batch of 2026 signed a representation addressed to the Vice-Chancellor, Registrar, professors and other university authorities, urging them to reconsider the decision.
The students said the date of the convocation and the choice of chief guest had not yet been formally finalised, but wanted to place their concerns on record before any decision was taken.
In their representation, the students cited recent judicial developments, particularly Justice Surya Kant's handling of a hearing concerning alleged police action against protesters during a Parliament march from Delhi's Jantar Mantar on July 20, 2026.
According to the students' representation, during the July 23 hearing, the CJI declined to watch video evidence allegedly showing police excesses, saying, “We are not interested in videos; we don't have time to watch.” The students also alleged that submissions by the petitioner's counsel were subsequently cut short.
The students also raised concerns over remarks attributed to the CJI regarding the Jantar Mantar protest and his alleged comparison of Indian youth to “cockroaches”. “We, the undersigned students of [redacted] (2025-2026), share the concerns of the graduating batch regarding inviting the Hon’ble CJI, Justice Surya Kant, as our convocation’s Chief Guest,” the letter said.
“From referring to the youth as ‘cockroaches’ to making insensitive statements about not having time to watch videos of police brutality, the CJI has shown apathy towards students like us. Inviting him to our college to hand us degrees that hold so much academic and emotional importance does not sit right with us,” it added.
The students said their objection was not directed at the office held by the CJI, but at whether his reported conduct in recent proceedings was consistent with the values they believe a university convocation should represent. “As students of law, our concern is narrow and more specific to us as a graduating batch,” the representation said.
The students argued that a convocation should reflect NALSAR's commitment to constitutional rights, access to justice and reasoned engagement with grievances.
They said receiving their degrees from a dignitary whose recent reported conduct appeared dismissive of allegations of police brutality against protesting citizens would be inconsistent with the values taught at the law university.
