Chandigarh, Mar 14: Chief Justice of India Surya Kant set a gold standard for India’s future leaders at the Central University of Haryana’s 12th convocation, delivering a riveting address that reframed higher education as a societal covenant—where publicly funded degrees demand selfless governance over personal gain, with character as the ultimate litmus test.
Praising the university’s meteoric ascent to national accreditation in just 17 years, Kant spotlighted its role in nurturing talent for public institutions. “Every pillar of democracy—courts, civil services, schools, hospitals, local bodies—rises or falls on the calibre of those who serve. Democracy doesn’t bankroll your education for mere prosperity; it invests so graduates govern themselves wisely,” he told the cap-and-gown crowd.
Diving deep into life’s real exam, the CJI contrasted classroom smarts with untested mettle: “Degrees certify knowledge, but no paper gauges how character and judgment endure beyond structured academia. I’ve seen elite grads crumble under pressure—not from ignorance, but unexamined souls—while unknowns from obscure colleges command rooms with poise.”
What separates them? Upbringing’s forge, Kant asserted. “Those raised amid scarcity, managing dignity without entitlement, grasping that the world bends for no one and hard work is eternal—they carry genuine seriousness no syllabus imparts.” He hailed the audience’s roots: families who reoriented life around university dreams, not for luxury but legacy-building through educated sons and daughters.
Turning philosophical, Kant posed society’s overdue question: “What does your education owe the public purse that built these labs, paid faculty, and classrooms—from taxpayers many never touching college?” This births a structural duty, he said, invoking Ramayana’s Bharat—throned yet ruling from Nandigram via Ram’s paduka as trustee, not king. “Authority held for others, not self—that’s your obligation.”
With flair, Kant likened careers to kabaddi raids: “Great raiders don’t just cover ground; they master ambition’s edge against overreach.” He urged blending familial discipline, Haryana’s grit, and innate straightforwardness to engage systems, not exploit them—ensuring collective life thrives.
As confetti fell, Kant’s words lingered as a blueprint: Education’s true ROI lies in nation-builders who repay public faith with integrity, steering India toward a democracy where character outshines pedigree every time.
