In Conversation with Dr. VK Singh, Dean, UPES

Dr. Vijay Kumar Singh is the Dean of the School of Law at the University of Petroleum and Energy Studies in Dehradun. In this interview conducted by our Campus Ambassador Sharad Agnihotri, Dr. Singh shares his thoughts on the teaching of law, how the School of Law dealt with the Covid pandemic and more. .How has the School of Law at UPES adapted to the Covid pandemic?.School of Law, UPES adapted to the COVID pandemic in a constructive way without compromising upon the teaching and learning of our students. Within a week, the existing blended teaching facility was ramped up to a fully online system of learning, interaction and assessment. .We were one of the very few universities in India which could help our students graduate on time by conducting their online examination. During the break period, our faculty worked upon their capacity building to emerge as virtual teacher specialists. .I am proud to mention that all our faculty members are professionally trained to handle online teaching and learning and everyday are working to enhance the quality of delivery of online sessions. .COVID brought a new dimension of a teacher to the fore. I am proud of UPES to provide a sophisticated online platform and requisite capacity building to emerge as a successful virtual teacher. We lived true to our belief #LearningNeverStops..What do you enjoy most about teaching law?.Law is a noble profession and teaching law is still nobler. To me, teaching came naturally from my college days when I used to enjoy explaining difficult concepts to my friends. Teaching emerged as a passion and drew me back to the profession after my stint with the Government. .Teaching requires a passion, commitment and responsibility towards your students. Each class has to be considered as a new assignment and accordingly needs careful curation for delivery. I believe in making concepts simpler and understandable to the students with daily life illustrations. My practical experience of practice, travel in different countries and interactions with senior professionals brings the required masala in the sessions. .I consider a class well done when I am unable to answer few questions put up by my students. This makes me feel proud of my students and also helps me grow. Jerry Corsten said ‘Never forget to remain a student while you teach others’. I like the energy of my students the most which charges me up every time I enter a class room. I am missing the classes..Who was the one law teacher who has had the greatest influence on you?.I am fortunate to have excellent teachers in my life who taught from their heart with passion and enthusiasm. I consider myself a product of those reflections which I received from my ‘Gurus’. It is difficult to name someone who had the greatest influence on me, but if I have to name someone I would name Dr. Krishna Kumar. As a principal of our college, I learnt great administrative skills he possessed. .I am indebted to him for the lifelong learning skills and confidence he gave me. I still remember, I was organizing a program and on a brochure I wanted his opinion. He said, “Vijay, I have a piece of advice for you, you have the responsibility to execute this task and hence do what you believe in, you may receive different suggestions and it is difficult to make everyone happy.”.Why do you think one should study law?.‘Ignorantia juris non excusat’ goes a famous maxim that translates into 'Ignorance of law is no excuse'. Hence every person must know the legal system one is subject to. To quote CBSE Chairman in the Legal Studies Book of Class XI and XIIth,.“The importance of learning about the essential nature of law and the concerned legal systems cannot be overstated. Familiarity with law enhances one's understanding of public affairs and provides a clearer idea about one's rights and obligations as a citizen. It may also be helpful in eliminating some of the myths about law. Another advantage is that an understanding of law can undoubtedly encourage talented students to pursue a career in law-an objective which is laudable in its own right”.