Youth Must Ask Difficult Questions, Says Ex-CJI Chandrachud at Mumbai Event

Former Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud on Wednesday addressed the 10th Annual IC3 Conference in Mumbai, urging the youth to develop the ability to ask difficult questions, even when speaking truth to power.

Speaking at the plenary session of the two-day conference, Justice Chandrachud addressed the challenges emerging with artificial intelligence and information overload. He noted that while finding information was once a challenge, the modern difficulty lies in discerning what deserves to be knowledge.

Justice Chandrachud told the audience that in an age of technology, children need to become patient listeners and willing observers. He stressed that access to education is only the beginning and that young people require guidance to distinguish evidence from assertion, significance from novelty, and judgement from opinion.

The former CJI also highlighted significant disparities in education, pointing to unequal opportunities and insufficient investment. He questioned why the educational system continues to mainstream students without acknowledging individual capabilities and needs, advocating for an inclusive model that accommodates diverse learners and redefines merit.

Addressing critical infrastructure issues affecting rural girls, Justice Chandrachud raised concerns about school dropouts linked to inadequate sanitation. He pointed out that in 2025-26, 1,05,000 schools still lacked proper toilet facilities for girls, including thousands of institutions without any girls' toilets at all, leading many menstruating girls to discontinue their education.

Justice Chandrachud also emphasised the value of preserving traditional knowledge alongside modern technological advancements. Citing practices in Japan, he explained that passing down ancestral knowledge helps cultivate a national memory, adding that modern progress should not erase the lessons learned by earlier generations.

The 10th Annual IC3 Conference, organised by the IC3 Movement around the theme 'Looking Deeply — From Information to Insight', runs on August 19 and 20 in Mumbai. The event gathered school counsellors, university representatives, industry leaders, diplomats, and policymakers from more than 60 countries alongside students, teachers, and parents.