'Knowledge About Constitution Confined To Small Segment Of Population' : CJI Urges Law Graduates To Spread Awareness

Lamenting that the knowledge about the Constitution is limited to a small segment of the Indian population, Chief Justice of India NV Ramana urged law graduates to take up the mission of spreading awareness about "the supreme document" among common people.Speaking at the convocation ceremony at the Hidayatullah National Law University, Raipur, the CJI told law graduates that it should be their endeavour to explain the the Constitutional provisions in simpler terms and assimilate its ethos into the minds of the people."The sad reality is that the supreme document which defines the aspirations of modern independent India is confined to the knowledge of law students, legal practitioners, and a very small segment of the Indian population.The Constitution is meant for every citizen. Every individual must be made aware of their rights and duties. We have collective duty to promote the constitutional culture and raise awareness. It should be your endeavour to explain the Constitutional provisions in simpler terms and assimilate its ethos into the minds of the people. A constitutional republic shall only thrive when its citizens are aware of what their Constitution envisages", the CJI said."Law school education must turn graduates into social engineers, because the law is an instrument of social change. Law graduates must inculcate analytical skills, critical evaluation, and creative solutions to social and legal problems", the CJI said.The CJI also urged law graduates to assist in legal aid services. "Now that you are entering the profession, I urge you all to take up as many pro-bono cases as possible. In his autobiography, Justice Hidayatullah states that as a young barrister, getting clients was difficult and slow. For every case that he got paid, he was taking up three free cases. His practice was built slowly but steadily. Through his hard work, he established a credible reputation in the bar and the society. There cannot be any better example to emulate in your profession", the CJI said.The CJI also said that youngsters, who are first generation lawyers, are shinning and are reaching greater heights in the profession through their sheer hard work and commitment, although the legal profession has not emerged completely out of its old ways.Lawyer must be an all rounderSpeaking about the role of lawyers, the CJI said that mere knowledge of statute might not help one in the long run. The best lawyers are the ones who are well acquainted with history, politics, economics & other social & scientific developments. A lawyer must be capable of dealing with a simple civil suit as well constitutional issues to IT related crimes."A lawyer is not a mere representative before the court. Simply knowing a statute will not help you in the long run. Your clients may expect you to be aware about different facets of business, society or even sports. A lawyer needs to be an all- rounder, a leader a changemaker", the CJI said.The CJI urged the graduates to think out of the box instead of following the traditional ways.The Full Text of CJI's speech : This university of law has been named after one of the greatest legal luminaries of the past century, Justice Mohammed Hidayatullah. He was called to the bar from Lincoln's Inn at the young age of 25, in 1930. In his time, he was the youngest Advocate General, the youngest Chief Justice of a High Court and the youngest Judge of the Supreme Court of India. He also has the unique distinction of being the Vice- President, as well as the acting President of India. He was not only an eminent jurist, but was also an outstanding statesman.He took active interest in the development of legal education in India. Even after his retirement, he continued his pursuit to improve the standards of teaching in law schools as the chairperson of the Legal Education Committee of the Bar Council of India. He was known to be a thorough gentleman. He dedicated his life to the service of the Constitution and the people of India. For times to come, he will not only be remembered as a crusader of liberties, but also as a strong independent voice of the Indian judicial system.Before I begin my address, I would like to congratulate the students, on their graduation today. It is a moment of pride, not only for the university, but for you, your parents, faculty, and each and every person, who was a part of shaping your life so far. I congratulate and extend my best wishes to everyone.Dear young friends, today marks an important day in your life and a significant milestone in your journey. It marks the culmination of a phase of learning. Now you are deemed ready, as worthy citizens, to contribute to the nation and the world at large. Let me also congratulate you on becoming part of an immensely challenging, intellectually stimulating and incredibly satisfying profession. I understand the pressures of graduating. The legal profession has not completely emerged out of old days. However, the importance of pedigree,...

'Knowledge About Constitution Confined To Small Segment Of Population' : CJI Urges Law Graduates To Spread Awareness

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