The Bar Council of India (BCI) has withdrawn the earlier direction by Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra barring State Bar Councils from enrolling NALSAR University of Law's 2026 graduates as advocates, after the BCI Council found that the vast majority of the students were innocent and had not intended to participate in the campaign opposing Chief Justice of India Surya Kant's participation in the university's convocation.

The Council modified the Chairman's August 13 direction after discussing the matter and concluded that all NALSAR 2026 graduates should be allowed to enrol with the State Bar Council of their choice. It said no student should be made to suffer without any fault on their part.

The BCI has accordingly modified the earlier order concerning the enrolment ban. It has directed that all NALSAR 2026 graduates will be entitled to enrol with the State Bar Council of their choice.

“The Council has thoroughly discussed and deliberated over the letter issued by the Chairman, Bar Council of India to the Vice-Chancellor, NALSAR University of Law and the Secretaries of all the State Bar Councils today. After thorough discussion the Members are of the unanimous view that as per the latest report, vast majority of the students of NALSAR (2026 pass out students) are innocent and they were not inclined to take part in the move of disrespect. Accordingly, the Council modifies the order of Chairman with regard to the ban on the enrolment of the NALSAR Students with the State Bar Councils. All the students will be entitled to get enrolled with the State Bar Councils of their choice”, the order states.

The BCI Council said it would wait for the inquiry report from the NALSAR Vice-Chancellor and take further action after receiving it.

The BCI letter also states that it has received reports from "some reliable sources" that a handful of teachers and outsiders were instrumental in instigating the students who were otherwise innocent.

Earlier today, the BCI Chairman had directed all State Bar Councils not to enrol students who obtained their law degree from NALSAR in 2026 until further orders. He had also sought an authenticated factual report from the university identifying those principally involved in initiating, organising, coordinating or mobilising the campaign opposing the CJI's participation in the convocation.

The earlier direction came after reports that a section of outgoing NALSAR students had opposed inviting CJI Surya Kant to the convocation over his comments concerning the Delhi student protests.

The BCI had asked NALSAR to provide copies of any representation, petition, memorandum or other communication submitted to the university concerning the proposed participation or invitation of the CJI, along with the complete list of signatories available in its official records.

The university was further asked to provide details of any involvement by student organisations, faculty members, research scholars, alumni or outsiders. The BCI had scheduled its final decision in the matter for August 19, 2026, after receipt of the NALSAR Vice-Chancellor's report.

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