Postgraduate Studies

PERSONAL STATEMENT ‘The task of modern educator is not to cut down jungles, but to irrigate deserts.’ -C.S. Lewis. I am presently undertaking my dual graduate degree of B.A., LL.B. (Hons.) in Constitutional Law, from Institute of Law, Nirma University, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India (ILNU). I got enrolled in the 5 years’ integrated professional law course after completing my High School in Humanities Stream with History, Political Science, Sociology and Languages. The integration of Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and Legum Baccalaureus (LL.B.) in India is a post globalization marvel. ILNU presented me with 15 non-legal modules in Humanities and Social Sciences, which is quite a unique feature in my legal academic quest, as no other university in nation-state offers so many modules in ten semesters. The award of degree certificate is on acknowledgement of 271 credits grounded on 58 credit based modules. My fortA© has always been normative analysis of any scientific or theoretical enquiry. I have a respectable hold on political theory, philosophy and thought. The real asset of my temperament is inter-disciplinary approach and due regard to historical development and gendered reasoning. My enthrallment in juridical studies has streamed from Constitutional Law. Appreciation and admiration towards Legal Theory is culmination of readings in political theory and sociology. I deciphered modalities of ‘Jurisprudence’ by the academic discipline, viz., ‘Sociology of Law’. Also, ‘principles of statutory interpretations’ and ‘natural justice’ in Administrative Law are among my areas of interest. The comparative approach in common law countries, especially England, US, Australia and India is one of my strengths. I am a progeny of experimental Indian education system. The fault lies in higher education in India with regard to its quality. Attention should be paid to the teaching profession for the pedagogical cure of the Indian education structure. Hence, the need for a commitment to grow and learn advanced nuances, from younger as well as from senior generations. This is possible only if I regard my whole life bound in university campus, inside or outside the classroom. Research interests include, particularly pragmatics in law and trends in judicial process. My readings centre round in pursuit of indulgence in ‘justice’ as an idea and concept. This seed was sowed in my mind when I was 16 years old and for the first time read about theory of justice by John Rawls in a high school textbook. I found similarity between ‘difference principle’ and ‘talisman’ of Gandhi printed on cover page of the political theory book. The academic sub-discipline, ‘Sociology of Law’, where my extensive reading of Roscoe Pound, Roger Cottrell and Nicholas Timasheff, prepared me for legal theory in a better way. Advancing module on ‘Justice’ was based on Prof. Michael Sandel’s book, “Justice, what’s the right thing to do.” I developed analytical and critical approach after scientifically reading Bentham and Mill from a utilitarian angle and Nozick from libertarian side. In an effort to sort the various epistemic doubts I meticulously read Spinoza, Hobbes, Locke, Machiavelli, Kant, Hegel and Marx. The value of theorization came when I was able to appreciate essays and articles of Homi K. Bhabha. I was able to engage in dialogues with senior academic fraternity. ILNU provided me with a good opportunity by introducing me to module titled ‘Theorizing India: Construction, Contestation and Critique’. I sharpened my questioning skills by including legal history of India which is in contemporary times a British vintage and heritage. To fathom the modern legal edifice of India, framed by constituent assembly, one ought to know English legal traditions. Because Indian so called ‘founding fathers’ were law graduates from England and America. It was a prerogative for them to inherit the British sense of justice through common law practices. Indian Constitution has been accredited with a jigsaw of constitutions. It has been inspired by the English declaration of Magna Carta as well as Socialist revolution in Soviet Russia. I was able to mature and cultivate more into understanding of ‘comparative constitutional law’ by going through voluminous text of Constitution Assembly Debates and a critical treatise of H.M. Seervai pertaining to Indian Constitutional Law by subscription to classical constitutional approach, which is predominantly British. Being a student of law my choice of textbook for jurisprudence was P.J. Fitzgerald’s ‘Salmond on Jurisprudence’ and a notable book on Jurisprudence by R.W.H. Dias. I made myself busy by acquainting myself with all schools of thought and reading classical translated texts. The historical school of Savigny; positivist of Kelsen, Hart and Fuller and their creditable debate; the ‘idea of justice’ by Stammler. Other classical texts of Aquinas, Hohfeld, Finnis, Austin and Holmes enriched intellect. Syncretic approach and ethics based assimilation of theories made me augmentative and illuminated. Additional readings in contextual theory are of ‘Feminism’. I pedantically read three different translations of Simon De Beauvoir’s Second Sex. Also, about Civil Disobedience in modern democratic setup, where I got myself into trajectories of Thoreau, Rawls, Gandhi, Hegel, Jefferson and Socrates’ arguments in crito. Furthermore, I explored dimensions in marxist structure and superstructure archetype by Alan Stone; works of Pashukanis, Adorno and sub discipline, ‘Sociology of Music’ which gave clarity about Frankfurt school or the Critical School in more guided way. Scholars like Dicey, Wade, Friedmann, Paton, Duguit, Rene and Montesquieu who enticed me more with essential concepts of separation of power, rule of law and legislative and judicial roles. I quite generated a variety of interest base in psychoanalysis by getting introduced to Freud and Zizek. The list sometimes get exhaustive when I go in vacation my reading will extend on to ‘hermeneutics’, ‘historical methods’, ‘archaeology’ and various works of Laclau, Gadamer, Agamben, Butler, Nietzsche, Foucault, Lacan, Derrida, Deleuze, Kafka, Habermas, Max Muller to name a few. The impressions of Gandhi and Vivekananda in moral philosophy and also of oriental thought has huge impact on me, personally and academically. In the co-curricular activities, I was a Student Editor of Nirma University Law Journal (NULJ) ISSN: 2249-1430, a bi-annual refereed journal, which is also indexed at India’s most used and extensive database S.C.C. Online and Manupatra. While working there I mastered various reference styles and often had to convert them into appropriate ones. I established myself comfortably in OSCOLA, MLA, Chicago, APA and Bluebook 19th edition styles of referencing. I, out of my choice dedicated my commitment to academic research by associating with the aforesaid journal, which made a novel contribution to world knowledge domain. I was also a member of Internal Quality Assessment Cell (IQAC), of ILNU. I believe I have an aptitude for theoretical scholarship and for subtleties of legal theory. When it to comes to independent thinking, I am very apposite. Hence, I ruminate over having LL.M. with specialization in Legal Theory from prestigious establishment like the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), which is second to none. The manifested stature of LSE is non-analogous. While pursuing this course I would like to explore various advances in jurisprudence in a more arduous way. So to be well-fitted with the best of minds in a cosmopolitan, multicultural and plural atmosphere. Modules in LSE, which I would like to have for a special pursuit are Law and Social Theory, Political Thought. My commitment to research and Constitutional Law makes it quite evident that applying for specialization in Legal Theory in LL.M. at LSE is the reflection of my superior choice and non-settlement for mediocrity.

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