Protest by students briefly mars MSU convocation ceremony
The 33rd convocation ceremony of Manonmaniam Sundarnar University was disrupted by student protests over a last-minute change in the degree distribution protocol. Students were upset that the Governor would only present certificates to medallists, leaving others to receive theirs from the Chief Guest.
Why it matters
The event underscores the tension between administrative convenience and the traditional expectations of students during significant academic milestones.
The 33r d convocation of Manonmaniam Sundarnar University (MSU) held here on Tuesday (July 28, 2026) was briefly marred by a protest by students who opposed the announcement that the Governor would present degree certificates only to medallists.
The Master of the Ceremony announced around 10 a.m. — 30 minutes before the start of the function — in the hall packed with 113 medallists and 758 Ph.D. scholars that Governor and Chancellor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar would give the degree certificates only to the medallists while the others would receive them from the Chief Guest, triggering vehement objections from the students.
The event organisers tried to pacify them. It was announced that the Ph.D. scholars would receive their degrees from Chief Guest B. Madhusoodhana Kurup, founding Vice-Chancellor of Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies, as the Governor, who was unwell, could not stand for long.
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