NALSAR to IIT Delhi: India's top institutes face a wave of student anger. Why?
At Hyderabad’s NALSAR University of Law, where the first such incident erupted, over 400 students objected to the proposed presence of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant at the university’s convocation. This was the beginning of what later turned into a way of expressing and…
At Hyderabad’s NALSAR University of Law, where the first such incident erupted, over 400 students objected to the proposed presence of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant at the university’s convocation. This was the beginning of what later turned into a way of expressing.
At Bengaluru’s National Law School of India University, students and alumni subsequently raised objections to the proposed attendance of the CJI and Bar Council of India chairman Manan Kumar Mishra. At IIT Delhi, the death of a 31-year-old MSc Physics student led to several.
What Happened
At IISER Pune, students began an indefinite sit-in over the suspension of a student representative and a wider set of demands following the death of a student on campus. But taken together, they point to a question that goes beyond individual campuses.
On August 13, the controversy took another turn when the Bar Council of India directed state bar councils not to enrol the university’s 2026 graduates as advocates until further notice.
On August 27, the university announced that its 2026 convocation would not be held, citing “unavoidable circumstances”.
IIT Delhi and IISER Pune occupy important positions in India’s scientific and technological ecosystem.
Key Details
The first major dispute emerged at NALSAR after students opposed the proposed invitation of CJI Surya Kant as chief guest for the university’s convocation. Around 450 students, according to reports, participated in the campaign.
NALSAR and NLSIU train a significant share of the country’s future legal professionals.
That matters because these institutions are not ordinary campuses.
What is common is the form of response: students are increasingly using collective representations, open letters, sit-ins and demonstrations to press administrations for answers.
Why It Matters
The objection was connected to the CJI’s role in proceedings surrounding recent student protests and concerns raised by students about his remarks and actions. The BCI withdrew the order within hours and later announced that proceedings against the batch had been closed.
The causes are distinct, and the institutions have responded differently.
It would be premature to describe these events as one nationwide student movement.
What Reports Say
Coverage of the story so far points to:
Continued reporting by India Today as more details emerge
