BCI chairman Manan Kumar Mishra apologises to law students in Independence Day letter over NALSAR row
Bar Council of India (BCI) chairman Manan Kumar Mishra, in an Independence Day letter to law students, expressed regret and apologised for any hurt caused by the recent controversy, asserting that the concerns of students deserve to be heard with patience, sensitivity and respect.
“The developments of the last few days have caused concern and anguish among a section of the student community. Whenever students feel hurt or aggrieved, their concerns deserve to be heard with patience, sensitivity and respect. If anything connected with the present controversy, any of my words, or letter, has hurt the feelings of our law students, I sincerely regret and apologise for the same,” Mishra said in the letter released on Saturday.
“There should be no hesitation in saying so. An expression of regret is not a matter of prestige or ego. It is simply an acknowledgment that the feelings and concerns of our students matter,” he added.
Extending greetings to the legal fraternity on Independence Day, Mishra said law students, particularly those in National Law Universities (NLUs) and other leading centres of legal education, are among the most informed and discerning young citizens of the country. “They study the Constitution, the Rule of Law, fairness and the importance of hearing all sides before reaching a conclusion. They are fully capable of applying their own independent minds. They do not require anyone to decide for them,” he said.
On the convocation issue, the BCI chairman said the occasion represents years of hard work and marks an important transition in life, and the decision to participate must ultimately remain with the students themselves. “No student should be compelled to attend, and no student should feel compelled to abstain. My only appeal is that the decision should be taken independently, after considering the matter in its entirety and according to their own judgment,” he said.
Mishra also said peaceful disagreement, questioning and protest are important features of a constitutional democracy, while the legal tradition teaches that when further facts or clarifications emerge, every issue should be reconsidered objectively and with an open mind.
“I therefore sincerely hope that the present issue will now be considered with fairness and a spirit of reconciliation. The issue should not be allowed to acquire a political or extraneous colour through outside influence,” he said, adding that the relationship between the Judiciary, the Bar, universities and law students is deeper and more enduring than any temporary controversy.
The letter comes amid the row over the BCI's withdrawn order barring state bar councils from enrolling graduates of NALSAR University of Law for 2026. The Student Bar Council of NALSAR had condemned the BCI over the order and sought an apology from the chairperson, saying the move was aimed at intimidating students who had questioned the functioning of the legal profession's regulator.
The BCI had earlier withdrawn the order after widespread criticism, including from the Chief Justice of India.
