Chief Justice Sharad Bobde spoke at the convocation ceremony of a university in Nagpur. (File)
Chief Justice of India Sharad Bobde on Saturday said that citizenship was not only about people's rights, but also about their duties towards the society.
Speaking at a university convocation in Maharashtra's Nagpur, the Chief Justice said that some educational institutes have become "extremely commercially-minded" and that developing intelligence and character was the true goal of education.
"Today, education is proliferating. Unfortunately there are some institutes which have become extremely commercially-minded. I say this from my personal knowledge," he said.
"The most important question we should address is the purpose of university education. Universities are not about brick and mortar certainly. They aren't supposed to function like assembly line of a production unit," the Chief Justice continued.
On education, the Chief Justice said, "Closely connected with idea of education is the idea of discipline and I understand that there is a growing resentment in some areas about the idea of discipline. But the word discipline does not mean what it has come to mean today. It is the state of mind in which one can learn endlessly any subject. Education is the state of mind for disciples and that state of mind is discipline," he said.
Research and thinking are important and must be undertaken in the ultimate analysis, he said, adding, "It is equally important, if not more, for the graduating students to realise what is expected from them by the society. It must be realised that in the society, interdependence is as important as independence."
"A university degree gives tools to chisel one's future. What one carves with these tools is the choice and wisdom of the craftsmen. Tools don't chisel on their own, one needs to be guided by moral compass that resides within," the Chief Justice added.
"You all have a responsibility to be an active citizen too and citizenship isn't only about rights but it is equally about duties towards society," he said.