National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bengaluru, has called off its 34th annual convocation, which was scheduled for September 12. The move comes after as many as 700 students and alumni opposed the presence of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Bar Council of India (BCI) chairman Manan Kumar Mishra in the convocation event.
The university on August 3 sent an email to the students informing them that the ceremony is scheduled to take place on September 12. Soon after this, on August 27, a fresh notice was announced that no convocation had been called off due to “unavoidable circumstances.”
“Despite our collective best efforts, due to unavoidable circumstances, we are unable to hold the 34th Annual Convocation,” the notice read.
“All graduating students will be conferred their degrees in absentia after due approvals by the governing bodies. Students may elect to receive their certificates by courier or collect them on campus. The university will share a new form and the process with all graduating students to choose their preferred option later today,” the notice said.
Students and alumni of NLSIU opposed the presence of Mishra and the CJI attending NLSIU’s convocation; furthermore, they demanded an unconditional apology from the National Academy of Legal Studies and Research (NALSAR) University of Law’s student and faculty community.
The statement was signed by 165 graduating students, 409 current students, and 128 alumni.
A university convocation is a monumental event in a student’s academic life meant to celebrate years of hard work and perseverance. In a country where access to higher education is severely restricted by barriers of class, caste, and gender and poorly designed and conducted entrance examinations, a convocation marks an important achievement for families. In this context, inviting persons in high office to confer degrees to students towards whom they have publicly expressed their disdain and condescension is offensive, humiliating, and a mockery of students and their struggles,” the statement read.
Reacting to the notice, Cockroach Janata Party co-convenor Saurav Das said that he hoped the graduating batch would organize their own ceremony and invite a special guest to felicitate the students.
“I hope the NLSIU graduating batch organizes its own graduation ceremony and invites the most honorable guest to felicitate them. Do it the Gen-Z way!” he said through a social media account.
Earlier than this, the students objected to Bar Council of India (BCI) Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra and Chief Justice of India (CJI) Suray Kant for attending the convocation of NLSIU, demanding an unconditional apology from BCI to the students and faculty community of the National Academy of Legal Studies and Research (NALSAR) University of Law, Hyderabad.
