‘Don’t waste our time’ remark haunts CJI Surya Kant as Hyderabad law students protest NALSAR invite

A growing student dissent at the NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad, has put the proposed chief guest for its 2026 convocation under a cloud, with hundreds of students opposing Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant over his recent conduct and remarks during the NEET protests in New Delhi.

The university has not yet announced the date of the convocation or officially confirmed the CJI's presence.

However, having the CJI deliver the convocation address has been a tradition at NALSAR for some time.

The opposition began with a show of solidarity on the campus and gradually developed into a collective demand for the university to reconsider its choice of chief guest.

Student dissent gathers momentum

NALSAR students first signalled their support for the NEET protesters and educationist Sonam Wangchuk's hunger strike at Jantar Mantar on July 20. Several students observed a one-meal fast on campus that day, coinciding with the Cockroach Janta Party's call for 'Chalo Sansad', where protesters faced alleged police excesses.

Two days later, the issue gained further traction on campus after a Bench led by CJI Surya Kant declined to initiate suo motu proceedings over the alleged police excesses.

Remarks attributed to the CJI, including his refusal to consider videos of the incident and his warning against wasting the court's time, subsequently went viral.

For the outgoing batch of 2026, those remarks became the basis for a formal representation to the university.

On July 23, students wrote to the Vice-Chancellor, Registrar, professors and the administration, asking them to reconsider the CJI as the chief guest for their convocation.

The representation was endorsed by around 70 students, including members of the Students Bar Council.

The students argued that the convocation should represent NALSAR's commitment to constitutional rights, access to justice and meaningful engagement with grievances. They said accepting degrees from a dignitary whose recent public conduct, as reported, appeared dismissive of serious allegations of police brutality against protesters was difficult to reconcile with the values taught at the institution.

The opposition did not remain limited to the graduating class. By July 25, students from the 2027, 2028, 2029, 2030 and 2031 batches, numbering around 380 in total, had also expressed support for the representation initiated by the 2026 batch.

University yet to respond

Despite the growing support, students said the university had neither acknowledged their representation nor communicated its position as of August 8. There is also uncertainty surrounding the convocation itself.

The event had initially been expected to take place in August, but the administration has not informed the graduating students of a date. Some members of the outgoing batch have already begun working abroad.

Students also pointed out that preparations normally associated with the ceremony have not begun. These include planning the event and mobilising volunteers from junior batches to assist with its organisation.

University officials, speaking anonymously, indicated that an August convocation now appeared unlikely, particularly because the later weeks of the month would overlap with mid-semester examinations for some classes.

One university official said the representation had been noted and understood by those who received the email, but suggested that reconsidering the CJI's proposed role remained unlikely.

The administration, the official indicated, appeared to be adopting a wait-and-watch approach. Students, however, said they were not prepared to drop the issue.

They said they would continue seeking a response from the university and, if their concerns remained unanswered, would organise a protest after giving the administration a week's notice.

For now, the university has not officially confirmed either the convocation date or the CJI's participation, leaving the proposed ceremony facing an unusual student-led challenge even before its formal announcement.