Protests at Tamil Nadu National Law University (TNNLU) eased after Vice-Chancellor Prof V Nagaraj issued a statement with an apology for his remarks on women students wearing shorts on campus.
The Vice-Chancellor's statement dated April 19 read:
"I was recollecting my experience as a faculty at NLSIU Bangalore, in 2016 about the dress code issue. In the course of the meeting, as the Vice-Chancellor, I said that certain forms of dress may distract the labourers working in the campus (ladies-hostel annex construction is going on), visitors, vendors, etc. who are visiting the campus. The social and cultural diversity of these visitors, vendors, and stakeholders is wide and at different levels. Also, since this university is situated in a village panchayat, it is better to exercise your wisdom during dressing and behaviour in general, so that unnecessary attention or remarks are not invited from the outsiders."
The statement further reads,
“If my statements have hurt the sentiments of any members of the student community, faculty members or administrative staff of TNNLU, I have no hesitation to apologise for the same.”
Students had been protesting against the VC's comments on women students wearing shorts on campus since April 16.
Registrar of the University Prof SM Balakrishnan also announced holidays at the University in light of the Tamil Nadu elections and the University's convocation, slated to be held on April 25. The email from the Registrar reads,
"In view of the Tamil Nadu State Legislative Assembly elections scheduled to be held on 23.04.2026 (Thursday), which is declared as a public holiday and considering the representations received from students, a section of whom or first time voters, it has been decided to extend the holidays around the election day i.e., from 23.04.2026 (Thursday) to 25.04.2026 (Saturday). The next working day shall be 27.04.2026"
Speaking with Bar & Bench, a student said that protests were planned to be held during the upcoming convocation as well.
"Suddenly they announced five days of holiday and that too during convocation so that people will go home and not protest. We had planned to protest during the convocation as higher officials will be present. As far as I know, we are not protesting, but we are sending a reply to him and also continuing our demands for a SBA (Student Body Association)."