Students cannot be punished for dissent, questioning: SC judge Ujjal Bhuyan
He said students cannot be punished for asking questions, and universities must let dissent be examined through reason, not hostility.
- On Sunday, Supreme Court Justice Ujjal Bhuyan told graduates at the 13th convocation of National Law University Delhi that threatening students for asking questions is "unconstitutional and an abuse of power."
- These remarks follow recent academic controversies involving the Bar Council, which briefly barred NALSAR University graduates from enrollment, and convocation cancellations at the National Law School in Bengaluru.
- Calling universities the starting point for independent thought, Justice Bhuyan argued that institutions must be spaces where "established positions" are "examined and questioned" without hostility.
- Tolerance is a "constitutional value," the judge stated, noting India has no place for an "intolerant mind," which undermines democracy when dissent is silenced or punished.
- Legal Professionals must ensure that constitutional values of liberty, equality, and justice remain central to the law, as the Constitution creates a framework where people with differing beliefs participate in public life with equal dignity.
17 Articles
17 Articles
The Economic Times
Times of IndiaStudents cannot be punished for dissent, questioning: SC judge Ujjal Bhuyan
In a powerful statement, Supreme Court Justice Ujjal Bhuyan declared that disciplining students for dissent is fundamentally unconstitutional. He highlighted that dissent is crucial for democracy, insisting that society must embrace it. The ability to question forms a cornerstone of citizenship, he argued. Educational institutions should cultivate a space where varied thoughts are scrutinized with reason, not aggression, as intolerance undermine…
<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.abplive.com/search?s=supreme-court" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Supreme Court</a> Justice Ujjwal Bhuyan on Sunday (August 30, 2026) made a major comment on the freedom of students to express their different opinions and ask questions in educational institutions. Along with this, he termed the attitude of threatening any kind of punishment for asking questions by the students as unconstituti…
Cant punish students for asking questions: Supreme Court Judge - The Tribune
Maintaining that the right to question is central to democratic citizenship, Supreme Court Judge Ujjal Bhuyan on Sunday said students cannot be threatened with punitive action merely for expressing views that differ from those in positions of authority.
Punitive action against student dissent unconstitutional: SC judge
Supreme Court Justice Ujjal Bhuyan stated that threatening students with punitive action for expressing different views or asking questions is unconstitutional and a misuse of power. He emphasised that universities should foster free thinking and disagreement, as tolerance and dissent are fundamental constitutional values essential for a liberal democracy.
Supreme Court Judge Says Threatening Students For Protest Is 'Unconstitutional'
Speaking at NLU Delhi's convocation ceremony, Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan said students cannot be threatened with punitive action for expressing dissent or asking questions, adding that any such action would be unconstitutional and amount to a misuse of power.
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