TISS Cancels Convocation Citing 'Protest Fears', Announces New Date and Chief Guest

Weeks after unexpectedly postponing its convocation ceremony, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) has announced a fresh date for the event and named a new chief guest. The 86th convocation of TISS in Mumbai, which was initially scheduled for August 2, will now be held on August 22. The ceremony was originally set to have Chief Justice of India Surya Kant as its chief guest. However, Dr CS Pramesh, Director of Tata Memorial Hospital, has now been chosen to attend the event as the chief guest.

The institute had postponed the ceremony just two days before the scheduled event. A late-night notice issued on July 31 announced the cancellation but did not provide a specific reason. According to sources cited by NDTV, concerns over possible student protests against the CJI were among the factors behind the decision. TISS officials and student representatives reportedly pointed to security concerns and intelligence inputs suggesting that some students could protest during the event.

The proposed presence of CJI Surya Kant had reportedly become a contentious issue on campus, with the possibility of demonstrations being discussed ahead of the ceremony. The TISS decision came shortly after a separate controversy at NALSAR University of Law in Hyderabad, where around 450 students reportedly protested against the invitation extended to CJI Surya Kant as the chief guest for their convocation.

The NALSAR episode later led to a wider dispute involving the Bar Council of India (BCI). CJI Surya Kant criticised the BCI chairman's punitive action against the protesting students, saying that students have the right to express their dissent. The Chief Justice had remarked in court that the matter was between him and the students and questioned the BCI's involvement in the issue.

Following the controversy, BCI Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra withdrew an order that had prevented NALSAR students from registering with the Bar. He acknowledged that the decision had been taken in haste and subsequently apologised to the university's students. With TISS now selecting a new chief guest and setting August 22 as the revised date, attention will remain on the institute's upcoming convocation and the security arrangements surrounding the event.