A compelling state interest is a legal concept that refers to an essential or necessary objective a government must achieve, which can warrant overriding individual constitutional rights. These interests typically involve issues of high importance such as national security, public safety, or the protection of fundamental rights such as equality and non-discrimination.
For example: A law designed to ensure equal access to education, regardless of race, might justify infringing upon the rights of a private institution to select its students if it is found to be racially discriminatory.