Justice Vikram Nath of the Supreme Court of India attended as the Chief Guest, while Justice Ujjal Bhuyan of the Supreme Court of India was the Guest of Honour. Justice Ashutosh Kumar, Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court and Chancellor of the University, presided over the ceremony.

Vice-Chancellor's Report Highlights Academic and Infrastructure Developments

The proceedings began with an academic procession, followed by the National Song and the State Anthem. The dignitaries lit the ceremonial lamp before the Chancellor formally inaugurated the convocation.

Vice-Chancellor Prof. (Dr.) K.V.S. Sarma presented the University Report covering developments from October 11, 2025, to September 30, 2026.

The report highlighted the following developments:

· Academic Expansion: Both the B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) and LL.M. programmes expanded to two sections of 70 students each, while 12 Ph.D. scholars joined the University for 2026–27.

· Infrastructure: A 300-bedded student hostel was inaugurated on March 15, 2026.

· Intellectual Engagement: The University hosted discussions with judges, senior advocates and scholars on subjects ranging from constitutional law and judicial independence to artificial intelligence and disability rights.

· Publications: Notable releases included Access to Justice: Through Free Legal Aid (2025) and Intellectual Property Laws: Education for All (Volume II, 2026).

· Student Support: Fifty-five students received scholarships totalling ₹16.50 lakh. The report also highlighted achievements in mooting, client counselling and sports.

University Confers 107 Degrees

The University conferred 107 degrees, comprising 53 B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) degrees, 48 LL.M. degrees and six Ph.D. degrees. Of these, 81 were presented in person and 26 were conferred in absentia.

Top performers:

· Mr. Shivam Gupta: LL.M. topper with a CGPA of 9.50.

· Ms. Shambhavi: B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) topper with a CGPA of 9.78. She also received gold medals in Administrative Law and Taxation Law.

Other gold medal recipients:

· Ms. Jyoti Dahiya: Constitutional Law of India and Jurisprudence

· Ms. Aashi Jain: Environmental Law

· Ms. Rishika Sharma: Criminal Procedure

· Ms. Pratistha Boro: Company Law

· Ms. Susmita Kanjilal: Arbitration and International Commercial Arbitration

Chancellor's Address: Conscience Over Mechanics

Justice Ashutosh Kumar urged graduates to look past rigid rule-application and stay attuned to the human stories behind every case the victims, the accused, and those simply seeking dignity. Quoting Justice V.R. Krishna Iyer, he reminded students that "law without lawyers loses its locomotion; lawyer without law misses his function." He framed the Constitution as an enduring guide, telling graduates that in their professional journey, "the Constitution would remain your compass." Beyond constitutional morality, he encouraged graduates to embrace the North-East's cultural diversity, adopt new technologies thoughtfully, and never lose sight of empathy and humility.

Justice Bhuyan on Transparency and Teaching

Justice Ujjal Bhuyan wove together philosophy and practical reform in his address, drawing on Aristotle and Einstein to underscore how education cultivates independent thinking. He offered a simple but powerful metric for educators: "the success of a teacher is measured through the success of their student."

Turning to judicial transparency, he praised live-streaming of court proceedings as a tool that demystifies the justice system for the public and students alike, declaring that "Live streaming epitomizes transparency, good governance, and accountability." He also underscored the symbiotic relationship between legal education and the judiciary, noting that "A strong academia is an asset to the legal profession and by extension to the judiciary." His closing message called on graduates to act as bridge-builders—humble, empathetic, and firmly rooted in human rights.

Chief Minister's Message

A written message from Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, read by Assistant Registrar Dr. Nandarani Choudhury, congratulated the graduates while stressing judicial independence, accountability, and the urgent need to tackle litigation delays through better case preparation. The Chief Minister also encouraged graduates to understand local customs in the North-East while strengthening access to justice via legal research and digital tools.

Justice Vikram Nath: Integrity as the True Measure of Success

In his Convocation Address, Justice Vikram Nath framed graduation not as an endpoint but as the start of a lifelong commitment to learning and ethical practice. Referencing Tolstoy's War and Peace, he spoke on the value of recognizing one's own limitations.

Sharing stories from his early career including instances where he voluntarily disclosed errors to courts even after winning favourable interim orders he delivered a pointed warning to graduates: "Never think that a favourable order obtained by concealment is a victory." He stressed that the profession's foundation is public trust, urging graduates to extend dignity and honesty to judges, peers, opponents, and clients alike, and to prepare for frontier issues like AI, data privacy, and climate change.

He closed with a reflective wish for the graduating class, hoping they find "courage for the difficult days, patience for the long journey, curiosity to keep learning, and the wisdom to remember that success is not merely about where you arrive, but about the person you become along the way."

Alumni Dinner Honours Six Graduates Selected for Assam Judicial Service

The convocation was followed by an Alumni Dinner honouring six NLUJA graduates who cleared the Assam Judicial Service Examination, 2026: Anurag Bhuyan, Bansuri Poddar, Medha Basumatary, Minhaz Hussain, Subham Das, and Tarali Neog.

Mr. Debayan Banerjee, Vice-President of the NLUJA Alumni Association and an advocate practising before the Gauhati High Court, praised the University's role in shaping its graduates and encouraged the newly selected judicial officers to carry its values forward with confidence.

The convocation highlighted the importance of constitutional values, judicial transparency, professional integrity, legal education and ethical responsibility in the legal profession.