Interview of Mr.Shailesh Kumar (Commonwealth Scholar ) on higher studies and lecturership

• Commonwealth Scholar, Associate Tutor, Birkbeck, University of London.

• Senior Editor of Birkbeck Law Review

• Former Guest Faculty, Delhi University 

• Pursuing  Ph.D. in Criminology from Birkbeck University of London

• Completed M.Phil. from Jawaharlal Nehru University(JNU)

• Completed LL.M. from NALSAR, Hyderabad

• Completed B.A. LL.B.(Hons.) from Chanakya National Law University

1) Sir, please introduce yourself to our readers.

As anyone out there, I'm also a combination of multiple identities. To forge a connection with some, I'm a Bihari, a CNLU alumnus, currently pursuing my PhD at Birkbeck, University of London as a Commonwealth Scholar.

2) You completed your graduation in 2013 and went on to complete your LL.M. from NALSAR, Hyderabad and then you did M.Phil. from JNU and bagged the reputed Commonwealth Scholarship and now you are currently pursuing Ph.D. in Criminology from the Birkbeck, University of London.

Please tell us in detail about this journey of yours such that our viewer will understand the entire process of opting for higher studies.

In my case, it was a mix of care, chance, and support I got from my parents, family, friends, former partners, and teachers, and my labor and passion to know more and work in an environment having efforts-based opportunities. There is a lack of access to information in India wrt higher studies as it circulates within close caste-class circles. Internet and some good folks have democratized and decentralised it to some extent though, which should help people wanting to pursue higher studies take decisions wisely.

LLM was an option to look for a corporate job that I couldn't secure after CNLU. But the experience of writing and publishing a bit, of Teaching Assistantship at Nalsar, and my labor helped me get into JNU.

I secured the UGC JRF that helped me sustain without parental financial support lately. JNU, along with an intellectual companion I gained there, helped me read the Indian society closely. I got wonderful teachers, supervisors and friends in Nalsar and JNU that helped me shape my future career. I got first rank in the faculty recruitment done by NJA, Bhopal, but couldn't join so as to finish my MPhil. I had personal and professional life crises. Things got better on personal side. But on professional side, I couldn't secure assistant professorship at 3 NLUs, one private university, and a position at one think-tank. I did get an opportunity to teach at the Law Faculty, Delhi University though. I secured an offer letter from some universities but couldn't secure any scholarship after finishing my MPhil.

Actually, I followed my present supervisor from India itself as I found his work interesting and overlapping with my interests. Next year I applied again, and this time I could secure two scholarships. Meanwhile I also secured assistant professorship at Nalsar. It was a tough decision to opt for a funded PhD from Birkbeck, leaving behind the teaching opportunity at Nalsar. There were various socio-economic-psychological elements at function when I made that decision. I think caste/class/gender are the most prominent identities that push or pull you in such situations as they do play a vital role in shaping your confidence, thoughts, and actions, but one must be strong in such a situation.

An interesting incident I would like to talk about here. I was mocked for my MPhil thesis on the art and architecture of Indian courts by the head of an interview panel who was a NLU's VC then. Of course I got rejection. However, I was determined to publish a part of that work before leaving for my PhD to London, and I am now happy to share that the work has been cited by feminist geographers, architects, and a scholar from law and humanities field.

3) What are the things which really inspired you to study further and achieve such heights which you achieved and which you are going to achieve?

I would say good suggestions, parental support, patience, perseverance, personal conviction, and a passion for research and teaching. But I would eschew eulogizing these things by using 'such heights.'

4) Many of the law graduates face financial problems. Moreover, there is mounting family pressure to get a job and end the academic career and enter into professional life.

How one is needed to handle this pressure?

It's about passion and personal conviction in cases where one faces family pressure and/ or economic pressure. One shall make decision to pursue higher studies wisely and with widest possible consultation. I think as an adult, one needs to draw a circle in terms of exercising freedom of choice for education, career, and even life partners. No one should be allowed to enter that circle forcefully and violently, not even through the soft power of parental love and care or community pressure.

5) Any pro tip from you for our readers on how to get such prestigious scholarship?

It's the labor you put in and the plan you devise. Luck may play some role, but I believe more the labor lesser the luck. Apply for as many scholarships as you can. After coming to London, I realized that there are many scholarships. You just need to look for them and tailor the right ones for yourself.

6)How different is your teaching experience in the UK from India?

In the UK, I had to put in much more effort and that could be because of the pedagogy they follow here and the curriculum they have. Teaching law from critical legal and socio legal theoretical perspectives, where you think of and read gender, race, aesthetics, literature, psychoanalysis and so on make the difference. I think Indian law schools are catching up but slowly, and this maybe because of various reasons, the primary being the workload on and lesser reading by teachers.

7) Internet is a great source to access quickly the required information but it is a great source of distraction as well.

How you managed to make the internet a boon for yourself rather than being an incumbrance in the path of studies?

Well, I think the internet, and social media in particular, has two sides as most of the other things. Watching various videos and Ted talks I would say fix a time period to use it. 30 minutes or an hour a day at one go. Or else it's a source of fragmented concentration. Just to add, I have failed terribly myself in following this. Haha.

8) Did you face any anxiety issues, low confidence or difficulty in concentrating? What piece of advice would you give to the students which could possibly help them to overcome these issues?

Yes. I guess these are not very uncommon experiences. Realize that you're very much capable of doing what you want to do. Invest your time and energy in capacity building and wider reading. Family is a great asset, and if one can add even one friend and/ or a partner, that should be sufficient to overcome these issues.

9) Thank you so much, sir, for talking to us, please conclude it with an adage which will motivate our readers while pursuing their path.

I would borrow from Ambedkar and say that "so long as you do not achieve social liberty, whatever freedom is provided by the law is of no avail to you." And this, I believe, should begin at individual and familial levels. Thank you so much for your time and energy. It was my pleasure. I hope my experiences will be helpful.