GLC Mumbai withdraws objection to make use of of its identify in alumni podcast after governing council assessment

The Government Law College (GLC), Mumbai, has withdrawn its public discover dated July 31, 2025, which objected to the podcast GLC: Law and Lore utilizing the establishment’s identify. The withdrawal got here after the matter was positioned earlier than the faculty’s Governing Council, which expressed no objection to the continuation of the podcast. However, the principal has suggested the staff so as to add a disclaimer clarifying that the initiative isn’t formally affiliated with GLC. The college students have, from the outset, maintained that they by no means claimed the podcast to be formally linked to the institute.

Background

The principal, Asmita Vaidya, had issued a discover to the student-creators of the podcast stating that the usage of the identify ‘GLC’ within the branding of the channel is unauthorised and deceptive. The discover says, “Government Law College, Mumbai, has no affiliation or affiliation in anyway with the platform ‘GLC Law and Lore.’ The establishment has not endorsed, permitted, or collaborated with this entity or its directors. Any content material printed by “GLC Law and Lore” doesn’t mirror the views, insurance policies, or official stance of Government Law College, Mumbai”.

The discover had requested that these working the podcast cease utilizing the time period ‘GLC’ within the channel’s identify and branding. It had additionally requested college students to chorus from suggesting any formal reference to the Government Law College, Mumbai.

The college students behind the podcast launched a proper response stating that the initiative was at all times supposed as a approach of giving again to the faculty. They stated that the podcast was began by 4 final-year college students, now alumni, geared toward bridging the hole between present college students and graduates of the establishment. The assertion stated the podcast was independently funded, managed, and edited by the 4 college students, with no institutional backing.

The college students stated, “At no level have we claimed GLC: Law and Lore is formally affiliated with Government Law College. Neither we nor our visitors have stated something that would remotely hurt the faculty’s status. If something, our complete effort has been to have a good time it.”

While speaking to The Hindu, Jinay Jain, one of many podcasters, stated the faculty’s official LinkedIn web page had beforehand reshared posts from the podcast. The college students additionally stated they’d reached out to the faculty administration initially, requesting formal collaboration, however as a result of no response, they began it as a scholar endeavour.

The podcast options conversations with notable GLC alumni from varied fields, together with regulation, public service, and leisure. The college students famous that each visitor had been knowledgeable that the podcast was not an official initiative.

Alumni assist

Many notable alumni of the institute stood as much as assist the scholars. One of them, Justice G.S. Patel, an alumnus of GLC, who appeared on the podcast, in a letter to the Principal, wrote, “GLC isn’t a trademark nor a service mark. It is the identify of an establishment, and after we, and our college students, use it, the intent is barely to convey a way of belonging.”

He questioned whether or not any episode had triggered reputational hurt and referred to as the tone of the unique discover unjustified and thoughtless. He expressed concern over the specter of additional applicable motion in opposition to college students, saying, “The menace of ‘follow-up motion’ in opposition to college students is contemptible and disgraceful. No head of an academic establishment ought to go round threatening college students with a lawsuit.”