Students perform at the foundation day ceremony of CNLU on Monday. Picture by Nagendra Kumar Singh

Indiscipline should not cloud the academic atmosphere of a university, especially where students aspire to be lawyers, felt a high court judge on Monday.

Foundation day ceremonies are usually marked by speeches loaded with words of praise for the institutions. But the one at Chanakya National Law University (CNLU) on Monday turned out to be a bit different with Patna High Court judge Ajay Kumar Tripathi venting out his anger against the misdeeds of students.

Tripathi, also a member of the university standing committee, said: “I have an emotional attachment to this institution and have always treated it as my baby. It is disappointing when I see some students not utilising their energy despite they getting best facilities. Some of them are indulging in the anti-academic activities bringing bad name to the institution.”

Sources said Tripathi used such harsh words for the students as there are reports that some of them had protested and boycotted the CNLU’s eighth foundation day function allegedly over differences with another group.

Tripathi also asked vice-chancellor A. Lakshminath not to make any compromise with indiscipline.

He said: “It is a clear message to all the students who are participating and to those who have chosen to skip the function; students found indulging in indiscipline would be dealt with seriously.”

When Tripathi, the guest of honour of the function, was about to start his speech, a group of students were found murmuring inviting wrath from the judge.

In the last few years, the sources said, CNLU students had indulged in various anti-academic activities.

In the beginning of this session, the institute has seen ugly incidents in which senior and junior students clashed among themselves in last four months. In May, the university suspended five fourth-year students for their involvement in the brawl.

A fourth-year student, on condition of anonymity, said: “The words of Justice Tripathi were though harsh but to improve the academic activities, the institute should be strict with unruly students.”

Education minister P.K. Shahi also had some words of caution for the budding lawyers. Shahi said: “In every educational institution, there are some groups of students who have a habit of protesting but during a function like foundation day, it is expected that all students should participate.”