Hyderabad: A section of students at the National Academy of Legal Studies and Research (NALSAR) University of Law has urged the university administration to reconsider inviting Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant as the chief guest for its upcoming convocation.
In NALSAR’s tradition, the sitting Chief Justice of India delivers the convocation address. The date for the 2026 convocation has not yet been finalised, and the university has not officially confirmed the chief guest.
Students from the outgoing 2026 batch submitted a representation on July 23 to the Vice-Chancellor, Registrar, professors and administration. Around 70 students, including members of the Students Bar Council, signed the letter. By July 25, students from the batches of 2027, 2028, 2029, 2030 and 2031 extended support through separate representations, bringing the total number of signatories to roughly 350–450, according to students involved.
The opposition stems from CJI Surya Kant’s reported remarks during a Supreme Court hearing related to alleged police excesses against ‘Chalo Sansad’ protesters at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. The protests were linked to issues surrounding the NEET examination. When videos of the alleged police action were offered, the CJI was reported to have said: “We are not interested in videos; we don’t have time to watch” and “Don’t waste our time, and don’t waste your time.” Students also referred to earlier comments attributed to the CJI comparing certain youth to “cockroaches.”
In their representation, the students stated that a convocation should reflect the university’s commitment to constitutional rights, access to justice, and reasoned engagement with grievances. They argued that receiving degrees from a dignitary whose recent public conduct appeared dismissive of serious allegations of police brutality against protesting citizens “sits uneasily with the values we have been taught at NALSAR.”
One student associated with the Students Bar Council told media: “We respect the CJI’s position. But we have been taught the Constitution and constitutional values, and we don’t want to support something that goes against those values.”
As of the latest reports, the university administration has not responded to the representations or communicated its decision on the chief guest.
Source: Agencies
