Super Lawyer

Tag: SSB

  • In conversation with Srishti Chaturvedi – the choice between JAG and academics, and the road so far

    In conversation with Srishti Chaturvedi – the choice between JAG and academics, and the road so far


    This interview has been published by Sonali Parashar. The Interview was taken by The SuperLawyer Team.

    What prompted you to choose Law? Did you always want to take Law as a career? 

    Law was not my first career choice. While in school, I maintained a persistent good grade and was expected to prepare for engineering entrance examinations while pursuing my 10+2. I had never really been only into academics from the early start and was therefore also pursuing vocal music, kathak and karate competitively during the time. A major reason why I started looking for options other than engineering has been NCC though. I had been in the Army wing of NCC in my VIII and IX std. when I participated in the Republic Day Parade in Delhi; after which, I participated in the Senior Wing of Air Wing in my XI and XII std. and received a ‘C’ certificate and was also chosen as the Main Flier for the MP&CG contingent in Vayu Sena Camp. All of this led me to consider Flying as an alternate career option. My parents were not particularly keen on this and as a result, this was deferred till my graduation. I had started exploring other options though. Some of my friends who were preparing for CLAT suggested that my aptitude is better suited for law and so I prepared for the CLAT entrance intensively for a month and got through NLIU, Bhopal.

    While pursuing LLM, you appeared for the JAG exam for the Navy and cleared all the stages. What special effort does the JAG exam require? How did you manage to make out time for both? Would you like to suggest a few tips for its preparation?

    The entrance examination for JAG was during the first month of the LL.M. course and GNLU was accommodating enough to give me academic leave for the 11 days that I stayed at the SSB centre. Since it was the start of the course, I did not have to juggle two things simultaneously. 

    I was recommended for JAG and cleared the medical tests in my first attempt. I liked the experience of the 5 day SSB exam process because, in my opinion, it is one of the few entrance tests that does not promote rote learning and tests the aptitude of the candidates. Some people prepare for it through coaching centres etc. but I don’t think it is necessary. It is adequate to have a thorough knowledge of the various tests and activities that are conducted in the 5 days. The preparation for written tests can be done through any basic book of preparation for SSB (I read Arihant) and the aspirant must have a minimum level of physical fitness to go through the physical tasks of the examination. Having a basic knowledge of the composition and working of the Defence forces is usually very helpful, and having certificates in NCC and sports competitions is an added advantage. Over-preparedness does not help as the tests are structured in a manner to test the aptitude of the aspirants. 

    Do you think TA-ship is important in the LLM programme? How was your TA-ship experience? What was that one learning experience in your TA-ship that you’d credit to have shaped your career and your current role? 

    Yes, I think TA-ship is extremely important in the LL.M. programme, especially for students who want to take up academics as a career. I did my TA-ship under Dr Jagadeesh Chandra, for Law of Evidence classes in GNLU and had a wonderful experience learning about various teaching pedagogies in theory and then seeing him use them in his lectures later. It was his style of interacting with students in an open, relaxed atmosphere and actively engaging in discussions with them, that made me understand the importance of having a mentor and not just a subject-teacher in the life of a student. I have tried adapting a similar role when I am assigned a class to teach or a group of students to interact with, in any other official capacity. 

    PhD is all about extensively researching in the chosen field and gaining an insight into the subject. What new things and skills did you develop while pursuing your PhD? How strenuous was clearing the PhD entrance exam of NLIU? 

    I slightly differ on the view that a PhD is all about researching and gaining insight into a particular topic. Of course, extensive research has to be done even before a topic can be finalized and by the time a thesis is submitted, you have considerable insight into the topic of your research. But there are a lot of other skills learnt. During the course work, we learn a lot about quantitative methods of research which is not covered adequately even during masters. We learn about various statistical, citation and referencing and content-correcter tools. Since every draft is revised and corrected several times before it is finalized, it results in not just better research skills but also far better legal writing and articulation skills than we started with. Most importantly, you learn to be patient with yourself and the people around you since everything cannot be controlled directly, and you learn to work with long-term goals. For a lot of us who had already started teaching for some time before starting our PhD, the coursework period especially presents an excellent opportunity to refresh what is it like being a student and knowing their expectations, learning obstacles and preferences, from a first person’s perspective.

    The exam is honestly not very difficult if you are in touch with the basics of law. When I gave the entrance exam for NLIU in 2018, there were 3 subjective papers for Research Methodology, Constitutional Law and Jurisprudence. Since I was also preparing for UGC-NET at the time, it was not very difficult to prepare for. This was followed by a small interview session where the panel asks questions to know the proposed area of research and how the applicant plans to go about it.  

    Srishti Chaturvedi

    You have observed students very closely and from different perspectives by the virtue of being in different roles. How would you describe the modern era student’s mindset? What improvements do they need in their day-to-day activities to help them succeed?

    I think students today are extremely smart and informed, they know a lot more than we did in our graduation days. However, I also think the competition of getting successful, more and faster, than their peers is making a huge dent in their emotional well being. To study law and build a career in the middle of a pandemic, only adds substantially to this pressure. I have worked with Jagran Lakecity University, NLIU Bhopal, DNLU Jabalpur and now at RNTU in 4 years and I have found one thing which is common in all the students irrespective of all the other differences, that they are under a lot of pressure and most of them are not coping well with it. I cannot emphasize enough how important mental and emotional well being is, to succeed not just in life generally, but also in one’s profession specifically; everyone should make this an utmost priority if they want any kind of success in life.

    I don’t think that the students require a lot of tips about succeeding academically, except that they should be open to all kinds of experiences that the course offers. They should take up extra courses, write research papers, moot, participate in MUNs, present papers, become part of various committees and clubs, and intern in different places till their third year at least. This will help them discover what they like and what they want to do after graduation. The efforts of the next 2-2.5 years can be streamlined accordingly.

    You also started working as one of the founding members of CAN Foundation’s blog ‘Vedanam’ and later, as an Executive committee member of the Foundation itself. Can you tell us a bit about your role at CAN? What all responsibilities did you have? 

    My role as an Executive Committee member is primarily to focus on the execution of the 2 flagship scholarship programs of CAN- ‘Eklavya’ and ‘Dhananjay’. I work with the student committee of CAN from the inception of the project. We set the minimum eligibility criteria to apply, invite applications from meritorious students, go through hundreds of applications and sort them meticulously while also verifying their documentation. Thereafter, we have multiple rounds of meetings with the scrutiny committee and selection committee to finalize the names of the scholarship awardees. The whole process takes a lot of time and organization and cannot be done without the hard work and consistent efforts of the student committee members of the Foundation and the able guidance of Mr Siddharth R. Gupta,(CEO, CAN Foundation). Going through various applications of students who are extremely meritorious even while facing all kinds of financial hardships, since the last 2 years, has further encouraged me to realize my privilege and set long-term goals through which I can contribute back to the community in any form.

    Can you tell us a bit about your current work and role? What do you plan to achieve next in your career trajectory?

    I am currently in the final stages of completing my PhD thesis, and will probably be submitting it this year. However, I kept thinking I wanted an opportunity to do something different and most importantly, I wanted to be back in a classroom. So, I have recently joined as an Assistant Professor of Law in RNTU, Bhopal. My job profile includes teaching UG and PG classes, working on administrative rebuilding and cohesion and working with the local community as the Legal Aid Cell in charge through various projects of the University. 

    My sole aim for my career this year is the successful submission of my PhD thesis. I have been wanting to be an ‘Author’ of a book for some time, but the plan keeps being postponed due to some reasons. So after my PhD, I plan to write a book sometime soon. Working at DNLU made me realize I like taking up administrative responsibilities as much as I like teaching since I was also the Warden, the Faculty in-charge of the Legal Aid Cell and some other committees as well; so I would like to take up roles where I can work more in administrative capacity along with working on my classroom teaching skills.

    What would be your parting message to our young readers?

    My message to the readers, especially students, is to not be too hard on yourself. Read as much as you can, and not just about law, watch good movies, participate in competitions, create a lot of good memories with your friends and take utmost advantage of the facilities and opportunities offered by the University. The time, resources and opportunities that are offered during the 5 years of law school will not come again and they should be experienced accordingly. Everyone succeeds at their own pace, and as redundant as it sounds, every person should only compete with themselves. Someone might get a PPO in 4th year while you may still be giving interviews post-graduation, but that is okay. Someone might select the field they want to work in the first go, while you may have switched 2 fields already and are still not sure about what you want to do, and that is okay. Keep learning, keep exploring, keep working and take adequate breaks to breathe between all of this. Things will start falling in place one after the other.

    Get in touch with Srishti Chaturvedi:

  • Shreya Sood, Law Graduate, RGNUL, on cracking the SSB and joining the Armed Forces

    Shreya Sood, Law Graduate, RGNUL, on cracking the SSB and joining the Armed Forces

    shreya-sood-2Shreya Sood graduated from RGNUL, Patiala. She has cracked the Services Selection Board exam and is all set to join the Indian Army.

    In this interview we speak to her about:

    • Her time at RGNUL
    • Her preparation procedure
    • Plans for the future

     

    What motivated you to join the army?

    To answer your query, I must say that I have always been a big fan of the Indian Armed Forces from a very young age. I always admired what they did. The tales of raw courage and valour, courtesy the media, on war anniversaries or books, struck a chord within me from an early age itself. The Olive Green became a dream. A long time back, I used to say to myself that wouldn’t it be great if I could be an Army officer? Then I realized that there was no reason that I couldn’t be one! And moving ahead from admiration, I decided that I would opt for the Army as a career when it was time for me to make a choice. A big chunk of my life is related to this. I was an athlete throughout school, but got distant from it while doing law though I did stick to a bit of volleyball. I love travelling, writing, and aviation. My ultimate goal in life is to be of some use to my country, because I am one of the privileged who had access to the best education and resources possible. I am not guided by jingoism, but simply by a sense of responsibility towards India.

     

    What was your law-school life and routine like?

    Doing law had more to do with practicality than a direct interest in spite of having a grandfather who was a judge, an uncle who is a lawyer and a brother who is the Founder/CEO of the Be More America movement. I wanted to have a professional degree as back-up in case my plan of joining the forces didn’t work out. However, from my very first week in law school, I got hooked to law. I enjoyed every semester thoroughly. Apart from academics, I devoted my time to writing papers, extra reading, volunteering for college events and even a couple of moots. I was always amongst the top ten of my batch. Its necessary for me to dispel the flawed logic of only those joining the army who are weak academically/unaccomplished.  All in all, it was an enriching and wholesome experience. I am glad I am a lawyer!

     

    Please tell us about your interview?

    The SSB interview was the trickiest and the most difficult interview I have ever faced, simply because it is designed to test your reactions under pressure, to poke you, provoke you and delve deeply into your psyche. The interview was on my birthday, and I don’t think I have ever had a scarier birthday! And yet, it was also fun. I mean, how often do you get to talk about yourself endlessly? The interviewing officer asks fifteen to twenty questions in one go, and once he is done, you start answering, depending upon the questions you manage to remember. This cycle is repeated three to four times. My interview lasted for around 40 minutes, and I was dazed by the end of it. (Going into more detail here doesn’t make sense because then it’s going to be a never-ending post.)

    I cleared CDSE four times. The first three times, I appeared for the exam simply for the heck of it, knowing very well I wasn’t eligible for SSB. Around this time, I discovered my ineligibility for the flying branch of the Indian Air Force due to crossing the age limit by a mere one day, and this caused an immediate dip in my enthusiasm as I had always wanted to be a pilot. I applied for LL.M to a number of foreign universities, and got accepted at almost all of them- Berkeley, UCL, SOAS, Essex, etc.

    I thought I was headed to Europe by September for sure! Then the results of my fourth CDSE exam came out, and I received the letter informing me of my SSB in Allahabad in May. I couldn’t attend it due to final exams in college, and was unsure about the absentee batch in June as I was sure I wouldn’t have my law degree by then. Call it divine intervention or whatever you may, but somehow, exactly a week before the SSB was scheduled to begin, I received my mark sheet, degree and all other important documents from college!

    This put me in a frenzy, because a week was simply too less to prepare for something as challenging as the Service Selection Board! I relied solely on the advice of two of my closest friends, who themselves had cleared their respective SSBs with flying colours (one of them will be an officer by this time next year). Coaching was out of question primarily due to lack of time, but I did download some sample psychological tests and tried working on those. I was a nervous wreck and was sure I would be coming home after the Screening test on Day 1 itself. I even made the train reservations accordingly! Knowing that other candidates must have been preparing for months automatically placed more pressure upon me, which in hindsight was completely unnecessary. We have control over our preparation, and should focus entirely on that.

     

    What efforts to you make to stay physically fit and train for SSB medical test?

    Physical fitness is as important as mental toughness is one’s physical fitness. In my case, I was exposed to sports at a very young age so running, swimming and cycling were a part of life. Upon moving to Delhi, I started training four times a week in the Israeli martial art of Krav Maga, which was a fantastic workout in every way. Sadly, I couldn’t continue with any of this in law school due to the pressure of its own commitments. I did manage to play a little, and I also completed a gruelling mountaineering course which made me a certified mountaineer. Even if you are not headed into a career where physical fitness is important, you must develop it for your own sake. The old cliché of a healthy mind in a healthy body is actually true, especially in the highly competitive and stressful times of today.

    Regarding the fitness for SSB, I made no special effort as I wasn’t even sure about going, but now that I was free from college, I returned to my running and krav and that helped me. Here, I must add that reporting for SSB at the given time might have been doubtful initially, but once I made up my mind, there was no turning back. I approached it more seriously and strategically than I have ever handled anything else, and that alone is the reason why I not only cleared it but got AIR 3 in the final merit list. Good things in life do not come easy, and every major goal needs commitment, dedication and preparation. Coaching or not is only a tiny part of any prep.

     

    How difficult is it for a woman to get into the Armed Forces?

    Well, in a society like ours, gender-related realizations come at a dizzying pace. For women to get selected for the army is not much different than it is for men, except that the seats are lesser. The real test lies in proving your mettle to those who believe that the army must stay a man’s bastion, simply because women are not ‘good enough’. And I am prepared to prove that point, beyond any reasonable doubt. I would like to be judged on how I handle the responsibilities entrusted to me, rather than my gender. And yes, people tend to react a little differently once they get to know I am going to be an army officer. It is still not a common career-choice for women to make, I guess. I have been met with respect, admiration, glee, shock and horror. I have heard everything from ‘wow!’ to ‘you are ruining your life’. I met a very senior judicial official of Indian Judiciary on the train back from Allahabad, and he was appalled at my career choice. The whole gamut of reactions the sentence ‘I am joining the Indian Army’ evokes is very amusing!

     

    Tell us about your travelling experiences.

    Travelling is in my blood. I used to take a number of road trips with my parents, and as I got older, I started travelling solo or with oddly assembled travel companions. I have traveled the length and breadth of India, along with a few foreign trips. Some of the most memorable experiences include riding from Khardung La to Leh on a bike; getting chased by the police for setting up a tent on what turned out to be forest land in Uttarakhand; and a marriage-proposal from a drunken tourist in Bhutan!

     

    Given a chance to turn back the clock would you have done anything differently from what you’ve done in life?

    By nature, I have been headstrong and stubborn. I have often gone and done exactly what I wanted to. Consequently, I have learnt a lot of tough life lessons, just as I don’t have too many regrets at this stage. Therefore, I really wouldn’t want to turn the clock back.  But yes, I wish I had taken TOPA a little more seriously.

     

    What’s the next goal on your list?

    My one and only goal as of now is to do justice to my military training that starts next month in OTA, Chennai. I am not thinking of anything beyond that, because how I handle my training will reveal a lot to me about myself, based upon which I shall look ahead.

     

    Given the license to be preachy, what would you like to tell our readers?

    Ahaan! Given the licence to be preachy, I want to give a holler to all the ladies out there who have dreams and ambition, but are in doubt. Make your own path. From being a partner in top-notch law firm to a volunteer with an animal shelter, from being a Supreme Court judge to a primary teacher, from being an Army Officer to a nun- IT’S YOUR CALL! You alone must choose your future, and not allow society, peers, friends or foes to dictate the course of your destiny. This isn’t about subscribing to feminism or some other sociological phenomenon. It is about standing up for your own self, and never allowing someone to tell you that you are not good enough for this or that. Only you can truly understand your talent, dedication and drive, so make sure you put all of it towards achieving what you want to achieve, and not pandering to what is expected of you.