Punishing Students for Questions Violates Constitution: Supreme Court Judge

Supreme Court Judge Ujjal Bhuyan on Sunday underscored that students cannot face punitive measures for asking questions or expressing differing viewpoints, describing such actions as unconstitutional and an abuse of authority.

Addressing the 13th convocation ceremony for postgraduate students at National Law University, Delhi, Justice Bhuyan stressed that universities should function as spaces where "established positions" can be critically examined and challenged without inviting hostility. He emphasized that free thinking and the habit of asking difficult questions must be cultivated in academic institutions, and that students should feel empowered to raise challenging inquiries.

The judge clarified that the right to question is not an act of defiance, but rather a fundamental aspect of intellectual development. He warned that an "intolerant mind" is fundamentally incompatible with the spirit of the Indian Constitution, implying that academic institutions have a constitutional obligation to foster an environment of open inquiry and intellectual freedom.

Justice Bhuyan's remarks come as a significant statement on academic freedom in India, reinforcing judicial expectations that universities must protect students' constitutional rights to dissent and critical thinking without resorting to disciplinary action.