Interview: Dr. Parantap Kumar Das, Associate Professor
Dr. Parantap Kumar Das is an Associate Professor at the School of Law and Constitutional Studies, Meerut. Previously, he was an Associate Professor and Head of Department, School of Law and Legal Affairs, Noida International University. Dr. Parantap Kumar Das has been chosen by the Govt. of India to serve as the Research Fellow for Doctoral Work in… Read More »
Dr. Parantap Kumar Das is an Associate Professor at the School of Law and Constitutional Studies, Meerut. Previously, he was an Associate Professor and Head of Department, School of Law and Legal Affairs, Noida International University.
Dr. Parantap Kumar Das has been chosen by the Govt. of India to serve as the Research Fellow for Doctoral Work in the Department of Criminology in LNJN NICFS (MHA). He has been awarded the University Gold Medal for the year 2003 as the best criminologist in the University and for standing First Class first by the Banaras Hindu University in recognition of his brilliant academic achievement.
Dr. Das has qualified the UGC-NET Examination for eligibility for Lectureship held on 26th June 2005 and is also a Life Member of the Indian Society of Criminology. He is the author of many articles which have been highly acclaimed in academic circles and is the acclaimed author of two books on Chambal Dacoits and ISIS.
Interview: Dr. Parantap Kumar Das, Associate Professor
We recently got a chance to interview Dr. Parantap Kumar Das here’s the transcript of the Interview: Dr. Parantap Kumar Das, Associate Professor Meerut
Legal Bites: Sir, before joining in as a tutor, you have worked in several commissions under the Ministry of Women and Child Development. What motivated you to take academics as a career option?
Dr. Parantap Kumar Das: Law is a dynamic discipline. I have realized that a career in academics allowed me to constantly learn and grow. If you want a career that allows lifelong learning, Law is a good one. As a Law Professor, this profession has always been exploring for me. The development in the legal field always motivated me to explore the new height in this career. Teaching students and engaging their interest in your subject is highly rewarding. It allows one to shape and inspire the next generation of academics.
The profession of Law requires a wide range of skills and unexpected challenges. My strength was in analyzing problems and advising others. Law as a profession provides enough knowledge and skill to counsel those who need assistance not only in terms of legal problems but also rational ones. For example, it gives me immense satisfaction that as a faculty I could help my budding lawyers to shape their future and help them solve their problems.
A lot of times students face peer pressure and other issues in college life, counselling is a must tool that has to be used by every teacher. It is an important skill we as lawyers have already derived from our law background as we are specialists in listening and arguing on the matter in question. The biggest pros of joining the academic world are that you are always learning and understanding new concepts relating to your specialization. As far as cons are concerned, I feel that sometimes few faculties often feel overburdened with hectic schedules of classes but that is a nominal cost for a productive career ahead.
Legal Bites: If we talk of earlier times, it was said that the profession of a teacher was a very pious and sacred one. But as we see today there is only fistful of students who want to go after their career as a teacher. What do you think changed this trend?
Dr. Parantap Kumar Das: We want to focus on the teacher’s perspective because we want them to participate in the change from teaching to learning. For this, it seems to me to appropriate to address them with regard to their worries and needs, their problems, and finding their own teaching style. Teaching is an art that gets better with experience and knowledge.
We focus on motivating our faculty members to inculcate research skills in them so that they can grow in their profession. We believe that if academicians want to survive in tough competitions, they regularly need to update their knowledge in their respective fields. Publishing papers is one such tool that helps them to keep writing useful thoughts on a piece of paper that would enlighten them as well as the academic fraternity. Further, we can also inculcate a good skill by providing teacher training programs and soft development skills programs and also orientation or refresher courses for the development of effective research skills.
Legal Bites: Sir, we see a booming trend of webinars nowadays where a lot of students enroll themselves. Do you think these webinars are able to fill the gap of learning in physical seminars and workshops?
Dr. Parantap Kumar Das: A webinar allows for people to attend and conduct a class from anywhere be it their home, a cafe, library, or just about any other place they feel comfortable in. All you need to do is decide upon a specific time and inform all the relevant audiences. Once you have shared the details of the theme of the webinar, date, time, and other such things any number of people can join the class from wherever they are. Thus, allowing people the freedom to schedule their personal tasks accordingly. Something that is usually is not possible in the case of an actual classroom setting.
Seminars and other physical in-person events have and generally will always be a great way to engage an audience. Multi-track events, multi-day panels, Q&As, breakout sessions, and more add to a seminar’s value because though it’s not openly said, most people go to events for the networking aspect as much as the content of the event.
Legal Bites: Sir, what do you hope to contribute to your field during your time at this university?
Dr. Parantap Kumar Das: In terms of subjects that are being taught to the students, I would like to suggest the introduction of new contemporary subjects with an interdisciplinary approach and also the introduction of comparative study in global legal education.
Moreover, teaching pedagogy should lean towards practical training apart from classroom studies. Practical knowledge is more important than books. I believe that students of law should possess skills such as the ability to be articulate and observant and have an attitude to interact with people in order to make good lawyers.
It is important for the law syllabus to include one foreign language and undertake one behavioural science course. This would enhance the quality of education and will expose law students to a new area of knowledge. We want our students to be pervasive and should be able to work in courts, in law firms, UN agencies, international organizations, and in the corporate world.
Legal Bites: As being a part of one of the leading law universities in the country, what advice would you like to give to young students?
Dr. Parantap Kumar Das: If you work hard, read a book a week, get a mentor, leave your comfort zone, stand up after every failure and improve, it will eventually lead you to a different life. Learning is a continuous process. Graduation ends one chapter of life but opens up a fresh new beginning. Go out and explore yourself. Don’t limit yourself or be a conformist. Be your own true self and demand the best from yourself. Don’t be a person who seeks change, be the change. Make a difference, leave your mark.
Legal Bites: Thank you so much!
