The Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) has replaced Chief Justice of India (CJI) Justice Surya Kant as the chief guest for its 86th convocation. The ceremony, which was earlier scheduled for August 2, was postponed at the last minute and will now be held on August 22.
TISS has invited Dr C. S. Pramesh, Director of Tata Memorial Hospital, to preside as the chief guest at the rescheduled convocation. The ceremony will be held at the institute’s Naoroji Campus in Deonar and will be attended by graduating students from TISS campuses across the country.
Convocation postponed just 48 hours before event
The original convocation was scheduled for August 2, with CJI Surya Kant expected to be the chief guest. However, around 48 hours before the ceremony, TISS informed students that the event had been postponed due to “unforeseen circumstances”.
The sudden postponement caused inconvenience to students and their families, many of whom had already made travel and accommodation arrangements.
Security concerns reportedly behind decision
While TISS cited unforeseen circumstances for the postponement, campus sources said the administration had concerns about possible protests or disruptions during the ceremony.
Reports linked these concerns to opposition surrounding CJI Surya Kant and recent student protests. The administration reportedly assessed that the ceremony could not be conducted in a conducive environment and decided to postpone it. TISS has now changed the chief guest for the rescheduled event, with Dr Pramesh set to attend instead of the CJI.
The development comes amid wider controversy at academic institutions over invitations extended to Justice Surya Kant for convocation ceremonies, including the ongoing row involving NALSAR University of Law in Hyderabad.
The TISS convocation will now take place on August 22, nearly three weeks after the originally scheduled ceremony.