NALSAR Row: BCI Chief Apologises to Students Over Enrolment Directive
We acknowledge the rescission of the letters and the extinguishment of the cause of action.
Bar Council of India (BCI) Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra on Saturday tendered a qualified apology to law students following widespread backlash over the regulatory body's directives targeting the 2026 graduating batch of NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad.
In an Independence Day communication addressed to students, Mishra expressed regret "if any of my words, or letter, has hurt the feelings of our law students," while maintaining that the expression of regret was not an issue of prestige or ego, but an acknowledgment of students' concerns.
The row erupted after around 450 NALSAR students raised objections against inviting Chief Justice of India Surya Kant as the chief guest for the university’s convocation ceremony.
Following the protest, the BCI had issued a directive instructing all State Bar Councils to withhold the enrolment of NALSAR’s 2026 batch as advocates until further notice.
The move drew sharp criticism from students, legal professionals, and alumni across the country. Facing mounting pressure, the apex bar body rescinded the order within hours, clarifying that all graduates of the batch would remain eligible for enrolment. Mishra later admitted that the matter had been handled in haste.
Closing the chapter, the BCI announced that all proceedings against the students stood closed with no further inquiry required, observing that the batch had no role in any disturbance.
In his letter, the BCI chief also acknowledged that peaceful dissent and questioning remain vital pillars of a constitutional democracy, asserting that students should have the freedom to air their views and that attendance or boycotts of convocations should not be enforced.
The apology follows mounting demands from the NALSAR Student Bar Council, which had sought an apology over remarks alleging "groupism" and "dirty politics," as well as earlier moves to collect details on protesting students and faculty members. The council maintained that peaceful criticism of public institutions and figures, including the judiciary and the Chief Justice of India, falls well within democratic scrutiny.
Students and alumni from the National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bengaluru, had also voiced solidarity, demanding an unconditional apology over the regulator's handling of the episode.
