Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant on Saturday said young people questioning institutions was a “healthy sign of a vibrant democracy”, emphasising that the judiciary must be willing to listen to the concerns and aspirations of the younger generation, who are not merely the country’s future but active stakeholders in their present.
Karnataka chief minister DK Shivakumar, Karnataka high court chief justice Vibhu Bakhru, and Ranga Shankara co-founder Arundhati Nag were among the attendees of the event. “Law will challenge your patience, test your ethics, and call upon the deepest reserves of your courage.
Asked how the judiciary should engage with a generation that increasingly expresses disagreement through public statements and social media, the CJI said the answer lay in greater dialogue, transparency in the functioning of institutions and legal education that helped young people understand both their rights and responsibilities. “The purpose of a legal education extends beyond learning the principles of criminal or constitutional law; it rests in the invigorating experience of encountering those who see the world differently than we do,” he said. Describing law school as a crucible where ideas collide, convictions are tested and dialogue is forged, the CJI said the legal profession demanded both the courage to defend what was just and the humility to listen to voices that often went unheard. The graduates, he said, were entering not merely a profession but a calling — to be guardians of autonomy and servants of the people. But it will also reward you with the singular joy of service — the serene satisfaction of righting a wrong, the pride of defending liberty, and the honour of upholding the Constitution,” he said.
