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On April 15, 2026, students of the Tamil Nadu National Law University (TNNLU), Trichy, came out in protest when the vice-chancellor, Prof. (Dr.) V. Nagaraj, allegedly told a meeting between the representatives of the faculty that female students wearing shorts are inviting sexual harassment and would be a distraction even to faculty members.

On April 16, more than 100 students convened, most of them in shorts and black attire, and placed placards that stated, "Blame the mindset, not clothes." They insisted that they should be given a public apology and some investigation into the matter. The VC subsequently interviewed students, asserting that he was out of context and it was said as fatherly advice when speaking about the reputation of the university.

It is not the first occasion Nagaraj has received criticism; during an event in 2016, he made such statements at NLSIU Bengaluru. Students have strongly criticized the remarks as victim-blaming and called upon the act to put emphasis on changing the mindset but not pushing women to restrict their clothing. The demonstration goes on with requests of responsibility on the part of the university officials.