In mid‑August, more than 450 students of the National Academy for Legal Studies and Research (NALSAR) in Hyderabad drafted a petition to the university’s vice‑chancellor, registrar and faculty, objecting to the invitation extended to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant as chief guest for the 2026 convocation. The students cited the CJI’s recent remarks calling youth “cockroaches” and his refusal to view video evidence of a police attack on a protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on July 20. Their appeal asked the administration to reconsider the invitation on the grounds that the remarks undermined the dignity of the graduating cohort. [c_e2d9f05cd7b63bc2]
Following the petition’s circulation, Bar Council of India (BCI) Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra issued a circular directing every state bar council not to enrol any of NALSAR’s 2026 graduates as advocates. The order also demanded that the university submit a detailed inquiry report on the students who had opposed the CJI’s appearance, citing its regulatory authority. The move was framed as a safeguard for the profession, but it instantly threatened the career launch of an entire graduating class. [c_e2d9f05cd7b63bc2, c_0bfe8baa9d521e93]
The NALSAR Student Bar Council responded with a blistering statement that condemned the BCI’s directive as an "intrusive violation of privacy" and accused the regulator of using "groupism" and "dirty politics" to vilify faculty and students. The council argued that the request for a list of every individual involved – from organizers to social‑media administrators – exceeded the statutory remit of the Advocates Act and amounted to a punitive surveillance of peaceful dissent. The statement called the BCI’s language "unprofessional, unfounded, and without any substance" and warned that such tactics echoed an anti‑national narrative that dismisses dissent as external manipulation. [w_63654b89836fd6be, c_0bfe8baa9d521e93]
Chief Justice Surya Kant took the courtroom to defend the students, noting that they have the right to protest peacefully and questioning the BCI’s authority to intervene in what he described as a dialogue between the regulator and the students. He warned that the Bar Council had no right to interfere with the constitutional right to dissent, adding that no disciplinary or criminal action should be taken against the students for expressing their views. The CJI’s remarks were recorded in the hearing on the NALSAR row. [w_f3e2918ec31683c7, w_764f747cb055320a]
Facing a wave of criticism from across the legal fraternity, the BCI reversed its order, withdrawing the enrolment freeze and issuing a formal apology. In an Independence Day‑dated letter, Mishra expressed sincere regret if any of his words or the earlier circular had hurt the feelings of law students, insisting that "there should be no hesitation in saying so" and that the regulator would respect the students’ right to decide where to enrol. The BCI also announced that all 2026 graduates would be entitled to enrol in any state bar council of their choice, pending the outcome of the university’s internal inquiry. [c_ecb140e246926105, c_5ead7eb3359bc9ae, c_7de580d066f7d69e]
The controversy rippled beyond Hyderabad. Students and alumni of the National Law School of India University (NLSIU) in Bangalore issued a joint statement condemning Mishra’s letters, demanding an unconditional apology and urging the BCI to respect university autonomy. A separate open letter signed by 441 NALSAR alumni echoed the same concerns, describing the BCI’s actions as a “high‑handed” intrusion into academic affairs and a breach of free‑speech rights. Both sets of statements highlighted the broader anxiety that a professional regulator was overstepping its statutory boundaries. [c_da4a6c5203c5d3eb, c_18c8de990edbb3a7]
The row also landed in the Supreme Court’s docket as the case Mihira Sood v Bar Council of India. The Court issued a notice to the BCI, directing it to file a response within two weeks and ordering that no punitive action be taken against any student, faculty member, or national law university in connection with the controversy. While the BCI’s earlier circular has been withdrawn, the Court’s notice leaves the regulator to await the university’s inquiry report before deciding on any further steps. The episode has reignited debate over the extent of the BCI’s authority over academic institutions and the protection of student dissent in India’s legal education ecosystem. [c_1e89ad5d43fcb25f, w_f3e2918ec31683c7]
As of mid‑August, the BCI’s enrolment ban remains lifted, and the university is preparing its internal report on the protest. The NALSAR Student Bar Council continues to demand accountability, insisting that any investigation respect the privacy of students and that the regulator refrain from future interference in university matters. The episode has become a touchstone for discussions about the balance between professional oversight and academic freedom, with the Supreme Court’s reaffirmation of the right to protest serving as a constitutional anchor for future disputes. [c_1e89ad5d43fcb25f]
- NALSAR students demand apology from BCI chairman over withdrawn enrolment directives — https://telanganatoday.com/nalsar-students-demand-apology-from-bci-chairman-over-withdrawn-enrolment-directives - Over 440 NALSAR alumni condemn BCI’s directives against students — https://telanganatoday.com/over-440-nalsar-alumni-condemn-bcis-directives-against-students - The NALSAR Row Raises a Bigger Question: Who Should Govern Law Universities? — https://www.thequint.com/opinion/nalsar-row-exposes-governance-puzzle-in-india-law-universities - Bar Council Chief Apologises After Order 'Banning' Students From Becoming Lawyers — https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/bar-council-chief-apologises-after-order-banning-students-from-becoming-lawyers-11915094#publisher=newsstand - NALSAR ವಿದ್ಯಾರ್ಥಿಗಳ ನಿಷೇಧ ಆದೇಶಕ್ಕೆ BCI ಅಧ್ಯಕ್ಷರ ಕ್ಷಮೆ! — https://www.kannadaprabha.com/nation/2026/Aug/15/bci-chair-apologises-over-nalsar-ban-order-says-students-dont-require-anyone-to-decide-for-them - NLSIU students, alumni condemn BCI action against NALSAR — https://telanganatoday.com/nlsiu-students-alumni-condemn-bci-action-against-nalsar - தலைமை நீதிபதி எச்சரிக்கையை தொடர்ந்து மாணவர்களிடம் பகிரங்க மன்னிப்பு கோரிய பார் கவுன்சில் தலைவர் - என்ன நடந்தது? — https://www.maalaimalar.com/news/national/bci-apology-to-law-students-manan-mishra-withdraws-enrolment-ban-after-nalsar-protest - BCI chairperson Manan Kumar Mishra issues apology to law students after NALSAR convocation row — https://www.barandbench.com/news/bci-chairperson-manan-kumar-mishra-issues-apology-to-law-students-after-nalsar-convocation-row - 'Supreme Court & CJI Not Beyond Legitimate Scrutiny In A Democracy ... — https://www.livelaw.in/top-stories/supreme-court-right-to-dissent-nalsar-student-council-condemns-bci-manan-kumar-mishra-ban-on-enrolment-calls-malicious-545979 - 'BCI has no business, who are they...': CJI Kant... - BusinessToday — https://www.businesstoday.in/india/story/bci-has-no-business-who-are-they-cji-kant-slams-bar-body-for-barring-nalsar-students-defends-their-right-to-protest-549158-2026-08-14 - Supreme Court backs NALSAR students and slams BCI circular; CJI Surya ... — https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/supreme-court-backs-nalsar-students-and-slams-bci-circular-cji-surya-kant-asks-who-are-they-to-interfere/articleshow/133229942.cms