Meet Our New Students | BA LLB (Hons) Programme

Meet Our Students | BA LLB (Hons) Programme

Devanshi Shukla

Inspired by her grandfather, who as a doctor, was committed to giving back to society, Devanshi Shukla was clear about choosing a career that combines her personal interests such as writing and public speaking with the element of service. Devanshi is a Humanities student from Chhattisgarh. With guidance from her mentor, she ensured that she left no stone unturned in her preparations for CLAT. “I read the newspaper everyday, which, I would say, gave me abundant exposure and perspective,” she said.

Why Law: I have been certain about pursuing law from my high school days. While I am going into NLSIU with an open mind, in recent times, I have been paying attention to the developments in cyber law. Owing to the pandemic, everything, ranging from schools and offices to marketplaces has moved online. This has a particular impact on human rights of citizens, including but not exclusively, our right to privacy, right to freedom of speech and expression, right to life. This area of law is still in its nascent stages and I wish to contribute to the field.

Looking forward to life at NLSIU: I was keen about joining NLSIU because of the academic rigour here. Not only will it enable me to hone my skills but also help me develop a work ethic which will sustain my career in law. Apart from that, I think it would be my honour and privilege to be able to call myself an alumna of this institution. By the end of it, I hope to walk out as a better version of myself.

Coping with the Pandemic: It is definitely very difficult to cope with online classes, and more importantly, interact and learn from my peers, but I hope to make the best use of the situation and technology. This would include having more video conferences with my batchmates, forming e-documents and e-sheets to know them better, and using social media in a careful and productive way. I am prepared to take it one day at a time, and with an open mind.

Manhar Bansal

Although almost everyone in his family is a doctor, Manhar knew quite early on that he didn’t want to become one. “I’ve always liked subjects like history, civics and topics related to socio-political events. It is essentially my interest in these subjects that drove me toward law,” says Manhar, who hails from Muktsar, Punjab. A student of the Humanities stream, Manhar also took up the Foundations for a Legal Education (FLE) course at NLSIU, and shared his goals and interests ahead of the new term.

Why Law: I was annoyed at the inefficiencies and corruptness in the system and so I had an interest in becoming part of this system to bring about some change. Initially, I considered civil services and thought law would be a good choice as it would open a lot of opportunities even if I didn’t go down the UPSC route. During my higher secondary years, I got further exposure to humanities as a field and realised I liked human rights and matters related to law. Now, I’m doing law because I want to do it. Not as a means to some other end.

Looking forward to life at NLSIU:  I was in the 9th grade when I started exploring law programmes and the various NLUs. I knew that I wanted to get into NLSIU, and was very happy and grateful when I did get in.

I can’t see myself working in something that is devoid or detached from the ground realities. I would like to work either as a litigator, or an advocate for constitutional issues or to represent marginalised groups. Whether it is as an IAS officer, lawyer or a judge, my goal is to have some impact on society. I’m keen to explore these 5 years at NLSIU and see where my path takes me from here. I was inspired by the speakers during the orientation this year and I’m now looking forward to our classes next week!

An FLE student: During my CLAT preparation, I took up the FLE Course out of curiosity and interest. Although it was made clear it was not for CLAT, I felt it would help me develop basic skills for liberal arts and the law. I hoped that some of the elements that I learnt in the Course would help me think and understand better, be it for the examination or during law school.

Coping with the Pandemic: Family support, connecting with my friends, and my hobbies have helped me keep going during stressful times of the pandemic. Technology has definitely helped me during this time to connect with friends. We would get on Zoom calls even for CLAT preparation or for general discussions. So, this has helped me during the pandemic.

I enjoy reading, blogging and debating. I created a blog and started posting on my various interests – I’ve always loved literature so I write a bit of poetry, or post book/movie reviews and also indulge in a little bit of political commentary at times. My favourite books include ‘The Secret Letters of the Monk Who Sold His Ferrari’ by Robin Sharma and ‘The Fountainhead’ by Ayn Rand which I’ve also recommended to many people. I also picked up debating and public speaking in school, especially in 11th and 12th grade where I could participate in parliamentary debates. I also recently started learning a new language and have been keeping busy with other things as I didn’t want my life to only revolve around the examination.

Areeb Nabi

A Humanities student from Delhi, Areeb is a debate enthusiast and believes that the best answer lies in steadfast logic. “Typically like any other law student, I enjoy all kinds of public discussion, be it debating, mooting, or even group discussions,” he said.  As he prepares himself to participate in a variety of events and activities at NLSIU, he shares with us, what brought him here and how he intends to makes the best of his time at NLSIU

Why Law: Well, to be honest, it started with me thinking I knew a lot of civics back in 8th grade (but I did not). It is tough to explain, but social sciences subjects came more naturally to me. After deciding to take humanities in grade 11, I decided to prepare for law for a variety of reasons. With an interest in how society functions and a need to express myself, law was a natural choice. As I started preparing for CLAT, I became more confident about my choice.

Looking forward to life at NLSIU: I believe an institution is made primarily of the people that coexist within it. Alumni from NLSIU have always inspired me with their work in their respective fields. People like Gautam Bhatia, Shamnad Basheer and Menaka Guruswamy are few names that come to mind. So in my mind, I was clear that I had to go here. Being in the best law school, quite naturally, I look forward to faculty and peer interactions. I’m hoping it improves my critical thinking. And, I love to play football and can’t wait to take part in Spiritus, the annual sports fest.

Coping with the Pandemic: Since we would be attending classes from our home, it would be essential to remain part of the ecosystem. Thankfully, three of my friends have also made it to NLSIU, so I feel that will make it easier for us to connect with the rest of the batch.