Bar Council of India chairman and Supreme Court senior advocate Manan Kumar Mishra apologised on Saturday to law students who may have been hurt by his recent remarks or correspondence, saying an expression of regret should not be seen as a matter of prestige or ego.
"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 an Independence Day message.
He stressed that students' concerns should be heard with "patience, sensitivity and respect", adding that there should be no hesitation in apologising when someone's feelings have been hurt.
The apology comes after the BCI faced criticism over its decision to initially block the enrolment of NALSAR University's 2026 graduating batch with State Bar Councils following a student campaign over Chief Justice of India Surya Kant's proposed participation in the university's convocation.
The council later withdrew the restriction, saying students should not be made to suffer without fault.
Mishra placed particular emphasis on the independence of law students, especially those studying at National Law Universities and other leading institutions.
