Integrate Compassion Quotient into Curriculum, Urges Nobel Laureate Satyarthi

New Delhi: Nobel Peace Prize laureate Kailash Satyarthi on Wednesday called for greater emphasis on what he described as the “compassion quotient” (CQ) in education, workplaces and public life, saying empathy must be valued alongside intelligence to build a humane society.

“Compassion should be valued as seriously as intelligence in shaping our institutions and our future,” Satyarthi said while speaking at the New Delhi World Book Fair 2026.

“For some, it is merely a task. For others, it becomes a deep personal commitment. I call this the compassion quotient, or CQ, it reflects how deeply we care about the lives and struggles of others,” he said.

Advocating empathy-driven leadership, he said compassion was not merely an emotion but a guiding principle for decision-making. “CQ is not about sympathy alone; it is about responsibility, action and ethical choices,” he said, adding that organisations and institutions should recognise compassion as a core leadership quality.

“In a few years, our youth may stop asking for kundalis for marriage and instead want to know the CQ of their prospective partner to see whether they can adjust, empathise and grow together as a family,” he said. Urging corporate India to consider compassion while appointing senior leaders, he noted that empathy-driven leadership leads to more ethical and sustainable institutions.

Referring to younger generations, Satyarthi said values such as empathy and understanding would increasingly define personal and professional relationships. “In the coming years, our youth will place greater importance on compassion, adjustment and shared growth,” he  said, reiterating the need to nurture these values through education.

The NDWBF 2026 is being held at Bharat Mandapam from January 10 to 18. Organised by the National Book Trust under the Ministry of Education, the fair features participation from over 35 countries, more than 1,000 publishers and over 3,000 stalls.