INTERVIEW with
Maj-Gen Nilendra Kumar, Director of Amity Law School, Noida, Amity University,
on the occasion of the launch of his book, ‘Clinical Legal Education’ in Amity
University on 4th APRIL 2013
Sir, we want
to congratulate you first on this achievement before we proceed with the
interview.
1) How
many books have you written so far?
Frankly, I have not kept
track. Perhaps it is the.... twelfth one...
2) Why
this topic of clinical legal education?
Law is to be studied for its
application, be it family law, property law, criminal, taxation or any other
branch of law.Hence the importance for a law student to know and master its
application. This is the purpose of clinical legal education.
3) Who
is this book written for?
The target readership of the
book is the student in various law colleges and universities in India and also
their faculty, who, in most cases, do not have background of law application
and practice.
4) Which areas does the book cover?
The book’s contents relate to
the syllabus framed by the Bar Council of India. For example, trial advocacy
(mock trials) followed by appellate advocacy (moot trials), legal aid clinics,
client counselling, community lawyering and legal writing, etc.
5) What
do you think are the challenges faced by the Indian Legal System today with
regards to legal education?
The most critical challenge
before Indian legal education and for that matter in the subcontinent is the
absence of faculty who is equipped with the requisite experience to introduce
their students to clinical legal education.
6) Do
you mean there is a gap between legal education and the legal world?
Yes, I agree in the sense that
a law student when he/she comes to the actual world, be it in Court, or an
office, or law firm, he has a sense of bewilderment. He does not know what he
has to do, because his education focuses on the theoretical aspect mostly.
7) So,
your book represents basically a bridge between the academic and real legal
world?
In a way, yes. This book is just a small step
towards sensitising the academic environment about clinical legal education.
8) At
what level would you recommend this book to be prescribed in law schools and
colleges?
I would recommend each student
to procure a copy of this book in the first semester itself, and retain it
throughout their stay for legal education.
9) Do
you believe the book can also be relevant for foreign lawyers and academicians?
Yes, this book may be useful
for them to get an exposure about the functioning of the courts, tribunals,
authorities and also about the approach of legal studies in India as regards
its pedagogy.
10) On
a personal note, how do you feel after writing this book, and how much time did
it take you to write it?
It took me more than two years
to write this book. Its publication has given me huge satisfaction and a sense
of achievement in the sense of having contributed my small part to make legal
education emerge more relevant.
11) Will
you be coming with a sequel to this book or another one sometime soon?
As I mentioned, this is a
first step. The comments and suggestions from my faculty colleagues and also
the students on one hand and the law practitioners on the other would be needed
to make its contents meet the expectations of various quarters.
12)Do
you have a word of advice or suggestions for the law students re clinical legal
education?
Get hold of a copy of the book
at the earliest and make use of it to the maximum. And also, approach me
without hesitation if you have any suggestions as to making the book more
purposeful.
13)Finally,
to whom would you like to dedicate this book?
I wish to dedicate this book
to my students of 2008-13 batch of Amity Law School, Noida!
Interview conducted by:
1) Ms
Mokshda Bhushan- Assistant Professor, Amity Law School, Noida
( Mokshda Bhushan has read law from
London School of Economics,UK and is a qualified barrister from Mauritius. She
teaches criminology, legal communication skills and cyber laws in ALS,Noida.
2) Ms
Palka Rishi- Assistant Professor, Amity Law School, Noida
( Palka Rishi
has read law from IP University, Delhi. She teaches constitutional law in
ALS,Noida.)
