The Bar Council of India (BCI) chairman Manan Kumar Mishra has apologised to law students following the controversy involving NALSAR University of Law in Hyderabad. Mishra said students should remain free to express their views and make independent decisions.
The apology came after the BCI faced criticism over its action against the 2026 graduating batch of NALSAR. The council had temporarily barred state bar councils from enrolling the university’s 2026 graduates as advocates, but the order was subsequently withdrawn. 0
The controversy began after a section of NALSAR students objected to the proposal to invite Chief Justice of India Surya Kant as the chief guest at the university’s convocation. Following the protests, the BCI had issued directions concerning the graduating students and sought information related to those involved in the campaign.
The move drew strong criticism from the NALSAR Student Bar Council, which said that students and universities should be able to engage in peaceful dissent and legitimate scrutiny. The student body also demanded an apology from the BCI chairman over remarks concerning students and faculty.
On Friday, the BCI announced that proceedings against NALSAR’s 2026 graduating batch had been closed. Mishra said peaceful disagreement, questioning and protest are important features of a constitutional democracy and that students should be allowed to express their views.
In his subsequent letter, Mishra expressed regret if any of his words or communications had hurt law students. He also said law students are informed and discerning citizens who study the Constitution, the rule of law and the importance of hearing different sides before reaching a conclusion.
Mishra further clarified that students should independently decide whether to attend the NALSAR convocation. He said no student should be compelled either to attend or to abstain from the event.
The NALSAR controversy has therefore shifted from the initial dispute over the BCI’s enrolment order to broader questions concerning student expression, institutional autonomy and the relationship between legal education institutions and professional regulatory bodies. The BCI’s withdrawal of the enrolment restriction and the chairman’s apology have sought to bring the immediate dispute to a close.
