LG Sinha Urges Graduates to Turn India’s Demographic Dividend into Responsibility, Says AI Must Be Guided by Human Values
Jammu, November 14, 2026: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday called upon the graduating youth to transform India’s demographic dividend into a “demographic responsibility”, stressing that technological advancement must remain guided by human values, compassion and accountability.
Addressing the first convocation of Cluster University of Jammu, the Lieutenant Governor described the graduating students as pioneering torchbearers of the university’s academic tradition and congratulated the graduates, gold medallists and their parents. Governor of Tamil Nadu Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar also graced the occasion.
Highlighting the outstanding performance of women students, Sinha noted that daughters had secured 130 of the total 163 gold medals awarded at the convocation. Describing their achievements as “badges of confidence” for future generations, he said women students across higher education institutions in Jammu and Kashmir were creating new milestones of success.
The Lieutenant Governor underlined Jammu and Kashmir’s rich intellectual and cultural heritage, referring to Maharishi Kalhana, Maharishi Abhinavagupta, Yogini Lalleshwari and Sheikh-ul-Alam, whose contributions, he said, reflected a longstanding tradition of knowledge, harmony and the pursuit of truth.
Referring to India's economic and technological transformation, Sinha highlighted the country's progress in space exploration, research, digital public infrastructure, quantum technology, artificial intelligence, semiconductors, green energy and biotechnology. He said the national resolve to build a developed India by 2047 would be shaped significantly by the achievements and contributions of today's youth.
He also pointed to India's expanding startup ecosystem, noting that the country had nearly 223,000 startups and 135 unicorns. The growing participation of entrepreneurs from smaller towns, he observed, demonstrated the democratisation of opportunities and the expanding scope of innovation.
Reframing the concept of the demographic dividend, the Lieutenant Governor said the country's young population should regard its potential as a responsibility towards society. He urged graduates to apply their knowledge to practical challenges, including connecting farmers with markets, transforming women's self-help groups into employment-generating enterprises and developing affordable medical technologies for remote areas.
Emphasising the importance of humanities alongside technological education, Sinha remarked, “Technology tells us what we can do, while the humanities teach us what we should do.” He said nation-building required engineers and historians, scientists and musicians to work together, adding that talent had no fixed geographical boundaries and that greatness emerged through courage, perseverance and struggle.
On artificial intelligence, the Lieutenant Governor said the relationship between humans and AI should be based on partnership rather than competition. While artificial intelligence could provide speed, data and new technological possibilities, he maintained that human beings would remain responsible for determining the purpose and direction of technological progress.
“AI will have speed and data, but humans will provide direction, compassion and the courage to ask new questions,” he said, emphasising that artificial intelligence must be guided by civilisational values, ethical standards and accountability, with human welfare taking precedence over profit and productivity.
Offering career guidance to graduates, Sinha advised students to approach internships with a problem-solving mindset, demonstrate their value through meaningful contributions and choose opportunities that provide new learning experiences rather than merely seeking placements.
He also outlined five resolutions for the graduating students: never stop learning, create opportunities rather than merely seek them, uphold honesty and ethical values, support those who follow and demonstrate patriotism through meaningful action.
“Your degree is not the end of your journey; it is a step to begin a new one,” he said, urging graduates to cultivate continuous learning, integrity, compassion and respect for every individual.
Vice-Chancellor of Cluster University of Jammu, Prof. K. S. Chandrasekar, presented the university report during the ceremony.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah; Minister for School Education, Higher Education and Jal Shakti Shamim Firdous; Registrar of Cluster University of Jammu Ankur Mahajan; faculty members, heads of departments, students and their parents attended the convocation.
Member of Parliament Jugal Kishore Sharma, Jammu West MLA Arvind Gupta, heads of educational institutions, prominent citizens and senior civil and police administration officials were also present. ANB
