Interview: Ashwin Kunal Singh | Assistant Professor of Law

Mr. Ashwin Kunal Singh, an Assistant Professor at Christ University, possesses a notable academic background with a focus on Corporate & Commercial Laws. Currently pursuing a PhD in Competition Law, he has contributed significantly to the legal discourse through two publications. One of his works delves into the socio-legal analysis of the status of Indian women in the legal profession, shedding light on pertinent issues in gender dynamics within the field.

Additionally, his publication on the evolution of ecocentrism in India, specifically through the common law remedy of writs, showcases his expertise in environmental law. With a mastery of subjects ranging from Sports Law to Company Law, Banking Law, and Legal Methods, Mr. Singh brings a diverse and comprehensive perspective to his teaching role, fostering a rich academic environment at Christ University.

We recently got a chance to interview Ashwin Kunal Singh here’s the transcript of the Interview: Ashwin Kunal Singh, Assistant Professor at Christ University

Legal Bites: Is it accurate to assert that publications are crucial and hold substantial value on our CVs/Resumes? Additionally, could you provide details on enhancing the quality of our research papers?

Ashwin Kunal Singh: The said question depends on what students are looking to pursue after completing their degree. I agree, that for careers like think tanks, research and even litigation in niche areas (IP, Competition etc) publications and literary works in your name can help you. Academia too requires you to have in-depth knowledge of the subject which requires you to explore it, as a result of which publications would be a byproduct. But in litigation offices merely engaged in court practice, publications would not make or break job prospects.

Legal Bites: How have you improved and fine-tuned your research skills over the years?

Ashwin Kunal Singh: Engaging in research throughout my career in law, as a student and also a teacher, using the different platforms for research one gets accustomed to their workings. But the one practice to adopt to better your research skills is having clarity on the research question.

If you know exactly what to look for, time and effort directed towards finding a lacuna is reduced, giving you more time to focus on what would help prove your point.

Legal Bites: What influenced your decision to pursue academia instead of working in a law firm or practising in court? Based on your perspective and experiences, can you identify the advantages of entering the field of academia?

Ashwin Kunal Singh: To be fairly honest, the most attractive part of pursuing academia was a combination of two things for me, primarily that I found a passion for it while engaging in teaching practice sessions during my LLM and secondly that it to some extent retains the work-life balance, which for me is of high priority. If you have a passion for teaching, it is fulfilling to impart knowledge and also is equally rewarding as a law firm job.

Legal Bites: Do you recommend students to pursue advanced studies right after completing their undergraduate degree?

Ashwin Kunal Singh: Depending on what the student pursues post-graduation, either from a UG or PG degree, further studies would be required. Entering niche fields would require you to specialise in those niche areas.

Legal Bites: Do private universities prepare students to attempt competitive exams (like UPSC or Judiciary Examination)?

Ashwin Kunal Singh: No, the current educational model in law schools/universities is inadequate for the mentioned purpose. This is why there are separate coaching centres that aspirants enroll themselves in to have a better chance at cracking such examinations.

Legal Bites: Are the existing legal research tools, such as Manupatra and SCC, designed in a user-friendly manner in your opinion? Have you encountered any challenges while researching various topics?

Ashwin Kunal Singh: At first glance, filtering out content from the mentioned sources was a task for me as well. I had to resort to other sources of information to obtain what I required. I agree that they are hard to use for beginners.

Legal Bites: What unarticulated skills or qualities could improve students' prospects of securing employment immediately?

Ashwin Kunal Singh: In the legal field, many of our qualifications are outlined in our resumes. Apart from the essential interpersonal skills, other valuable attributes include the ability to take decisive action, proficiency in multitasking, and maintaining a focused approach, particularly when it comes to tasks.

Legal Bites: Do you consider extensive online libraries such as Legal Bites to be a convenient resource for accessing information on a wide range of topics in one place?

Ashwin Kunal Singh: Yes, having reliable information all at once place can be very convenient.

Legal Bites: Thank you so much!