High security for convocation ruffles some feathers

A few students of the National Law School of India University (NLSIU) missed the convocation due to the tight security measures that were in place at the venue and, a ‘lack of a leniency’ on the part of the authorities.

President Pranab Mukherjee, Chief Justice of India T S Thakur, Governor Vajubhai Vala and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah were in attendance at the convocation.

An LLM (Master of Law) student who arrived from Delhi by the morning flight reached the venue, Jnana Jyoti Auditorium on the Central College campus at 10.15 am. But he was not allowed in despite showing his identity card at the entry gate. According to the instructions given by authorities, everyone had to be seated by 10 am. 

“I could have collected my degree certificate in absentia. But I wanted to attend the convocation in person and receive my certificate from the President of India. The University should have shown some leniency. I am not an outsider but a student,” he said. He spent nearly two hours waiting for the VIP guests to leave before he was allowed in.  

Another student of Postgraduate Diploma Course in Intellectual Property Rights Law said that he did not receive any intimation about the convocation on his mail and therefore went to the NLSIU campus in Nagarabhavi, where the convocation is held every year. “I reached the venue very late but was not allowed to enter,” he said.   

The security arrangements seem to have also ruffled a few feathers at the NLSIU as well. A faculty at the NLSIU said that “nothing was in their control.” 

Doordarshan was the only media agency that was allowed to cover the convocation, unlike during the previous years. While NLSIU officials had prepared a list of a few media houses to attend the convocation, this was not approved by the President’s office.

“Initially they had agreed to the list. But in the last moment they said no to it,” said the faculty.