105 NLSIU graduates took degrees in absentia: what happened at Bengaluru's law school
By TUF News Desk · Published 18 October 2026 · 3 min read
Fact-checked against 2+ independent sources · Editorial policy
The National Law School in Bengaluru has seen many convocations, but few like this one. On Saturday, 105 graduates of the 2026 batch chose to receive their degrees in absentia at National Law School of India University (NLSIU). The year before, that figure was 17.
Behind the number is a dispute that has shadowed the campus for two months. The convocation was first fixed for September 12. Students of the graduating class, joined by current and former NLSIU students, objected to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, the university’s Chancellor, presiding over the ceremony. The objection followed similar protests by NALSAR Hyderabad students over the same invitation, and the university called off the event on August 27, citing unavoidable circumstances.
How the ceremony went ahead
Earlier this month the situation moved again. University correspondence in the week of October 7 confirmed that the Chief Justice would preside over a rescheduled convocation on October 17, with actor Arundhati Nag also among the guests. The 34th annual convocation was held at the Jnana Jyoti auditorium with no livestream and no phones allowed inside.
On Saturday, Justice Kant delivered the Chancellor’s address with Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar present. He told the graduates that the legal profession is not for the faint-hearted, calling on them to pair intellectual independence with fairness. A lawyer must hear a person before judging, he said, and distinguish a person from a position without denying their dignity. He closed by telling the class that they were stepping not only into a profession but into a calling.
One honest caveat on the 105 figure
The number needs context. The university had given graduates the choice of attending in person or receiving the degree in absentia, and the published reports do not say how many of the 105 stayed away as a protest rather than for other reasons. Even so, the figure is a sharp break from the norm. It is roughly six times the 17 absentia degrees recorded at the 2025 convocation.
What aspirants should know
None of this changes how NLSIU admits students. The school has topped the NIRF law rankings since 2018, and the five-year BA LLB continues to run through CLAT. A ranking check is worth doing before comparing law schools, and if you are applying this cycle, keep your paperwork ready with the admission documents checklist. Applications and notifications for 2027 entry are announced on the official NLSIU website.
Frequently asked questions
Why did 105 NLSIU graduates receive their degrees in absentia?
Graduates were given the choice of attending the October 17 convocation in person or taking the degree in absentia, and 105 chose the latter, against 17 in 2025. Published reports do not say how many stayed away as a protest.
Why was the NLSIU convocation cancelled in August?
The ceremony originally scheduled for September 12 was called off on August 27 after students objected to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant presiding over it; the university cited unavoidable circumstances.
What did CJI Surya Kant say at the convocation?
In his Chancellor’s address he told graduates the legal profession is not for the faint-hearted and urged them to pair intellectual independence with fairness, ending by saying they were entering a calling, not just a profession.
Frequently asked questions
Why did 105 NLSIU graduates receive their degrees in absentia?
Graduates were given the choice of attending the October 17 convocation in person or taking the degree in absentia, and 105 chose the latter, against 17 in 2025. Published reports do not say how many stayed away as a protest.
Why was the NLSIU convocation cancelled in August?
The ceremony originally scheduled for September 12 was called off on August 27 after students objected to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant presiding over it; the university cited unavoidable circumstances.
What did CJI Surya Kant say at the convocation?
In his Chancellor's address he told graduates the legal profession is not for the faint-hearted and urged them to pair intellectual independence with fairness, ending by saying they were entering a calling, not just a profession.
Sources: The New Indian Express, The Times of India, The News Minute, Edexlive