“Don’t stop learning,” Justice Surya Kant told students in Lucknow

CJI said that the university is named after a man like Ram Manohar Lohia, who described intellectual certainty as the most dangerous comfort. Justice Surya Kant said that Lohia’s legacy teaches us that progress requires courage.

New Delhi: At the convocation ceremony of Dr Ram Manohar Lohia National Law University in Lucknow on Sunday, Chief Justice (CJI) nominee Justice Surya Kant urged law students to remain inquisitive, never stop learning, and never forget to question intellectual certainty. He said these are the qualities that distinguish a lawyer from one who merely survives, and who progresses.

In his address, Justice Surya Kant said that success in the legal profession does not depend on how much you initially know, but on your willingness to learn and remain curious. He said that while graduates may soon forget his speech, they should remember its essence: learning should never stop.

Referring to the thoughts of Ram Manohar Lohia

He said that the university is named after a man like Ram Manohar Lohia, who described intellectual certainty as the most dangerous comfort. Justice Surya Kant said that Lohia's legacy teaches us that progress requires courage. The courage to question whether things should remain as they are, or whether they should change.

Congratulating the students and their families, he said that they had completed the country's most challenging educational process. Justice Surya Kant explained that this was his sixth convocation address this year. He shared an experience from his early legal days, saying that overconfidence led him to lose a simple property dispute case because he didn't review his arguments. This failure taught him the habit of starting from scratch every time and critically examining each case.

Advice for Professional Life
Justice Surya Kant said that the legal profession would be a home for students, one they are ready to transform themselves. He said that the early years would bring many doubts and challenges, but these questions lay the foundation of a successful lawyer. He urged students not to accept the system as it is, but to shape it into what it should be.

Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court also addressed the event
Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court Arun Bhansali also addressed the students. He said that words like justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity inspire, but their true power lies in the silence between them. He said that now students will no longer have any teachers or guides; instead, their decisions, their clients, and their conscience will be their guides.

Preparation is the most important thing - Chief Justice Bhansali
Chief Justice Bhansali said that the most important thing for lawyers is preparation. He said that in court, it is not the loudest voice that is honored, but the most prepared mind. He reminded the students that an impressive speech may shine for a day, but preparation builds a long career.