We have become a generation of short-term gratification: CJI

Your law degree has given you knowledge, but your choices will define your legacy, Justice Chandrachud tells new graduates

“Studies have shown that we have become a generation of short-term gratification. The world, climate change, new modes of entertainment like social media and an eagerness to change social evils are making us seek short-term results for complex problems. Unlike my generation, you all have leveraged technology to be inquisitive, ask questions, and have them answered at the click of your finger. The urge to act with immediacy is natural. But it is equally unsustainable in the long run and sets unrealistic standards for you and for others to match up to,” said Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud on Sunday.

Delivering the presidential address at the 32nd annual convocation of the National Law School of India University (NLSIU) here, he said, “A decision made in haste requires our attention and drains our mental health in the long run. It is also unlikely to create long-term positive changes for your goals. Keeping this in mind is especially important for lawyers. Your profession will demand your attention. In meeting these demands you must remember that you are here for the long haul. No matter how much the forced sense of urgency, you must approach life with patience.”

“I know that some of you will pursue traditional legal careers, and there’s great valour in upholding the pillars of our justice system. Others might leverage the legal background to become entrepreneurs, policymakers, or advocates for social change. And some might take completely unexpected routes. After all, the ability to think on your feet is transferable. You may become authors, tech innovators, or even stand-up comedians. God knows that law professionals can use a sense of humour from time to time. Your law degree has given you knowledge, but your choices will define your legacy.

Delivering the convocation address, R. Venkataramani, Attorney General of India, said, “While globally and domestically we have pledged to march towards a society of equals, materially, economically and socially our struggles or conflicts of ideologies in fashioning political and governance tools are still raging debates.”

“For political debates, it remains the current coin. How much weight democracy can bear to resolve these tensions is an open question. But we must hold democracy as the only civilised way of human ordering. The task is made more difficult and challenging by reason of the choices we need to make in calibrating, and identifying the means. The means go beyond mere policy statements. They are now in the realm of technology,” he said.

Mr. Justice Chandrachud conferred degrees to the graduates. Aditi Vishwas Sheth got eight gold medals in BA LLB (Honors) programme and emerged at the top.

This year, as many as 1,079 students graduated from various academic programmes of the NLSIU, including two from the Ph.D programme, 52 from the Master of Public Policy, 90 from the Master of Laws, 85 from the Bachelor of Arts and Laws (Honours), and 850 students from the Online and Hybrid Education Programmes, including the Master of Business Laws Degree and seven Postgraduate Diploma programmes.

Manan Kumar Mishra, Chairman of the Bar Council of India, State Law Minster H.K. Patil, Higher Education Minister M.C. Sudhakar, and Vice-Chancellor of the NLSIU Sudhir Krishnaswamy were among those present.

Published - September 22, 2024 10:32 pm IST