Amandeep Rajgotra
The moment a student gets into class 11th a question which is constantly asked to him is “what will you do after class 12th?” Students of all three streams science, commerce and humanities undergo the same scrutiny. Students are overburdened with the career choices, contemplating on a million dollar question of deciding their destiny and the incessant enthusiasm for making into a good college. Conventionally, science students with maths are expected to get into engineering, to clear JEE, Non-Maths students are expected to clear NEET, AIIMS; Commerce students either go for CA/CS/ICWA, B.com (Hons) or BBA/BMS from a top college in Delhi University. Humanities students also are on the radar to pick up an option which gives them a foundation for a rock solid career ahead. Many generations have been and are part of this vicious circle from ages. What is ironical in this case is that people still follow this conventional path. But as they say, the only thing constant is change; things are changing slowly and gradually. More and more students are going for unconventional courses; stream neutral options (courses which can be done by all students irrespective of their branch of study in class 12th) like Mass Communication, Hotel Management and one such course is LAW.
In this era of information flowing across through all possible media, it’s not hard to face the realities behind career options. Law, as a career, is more than black and white, but is now like a rainbow blooming with all possible colours on a canvas. During global recession, we witnessed companies shrinking and adapting retrenchment strategies. It became hard for graduates to find employment. Like always there was a safe harbor, doctors and lawyers. Companies amalgamated, mergers and acquisitions took place to safeguard businesses, and when happy days were back, came again to rescue the legal advisors to cater the Capital market issues and other regulatory procedures.
An ambition to enter the legal profession is usually drawn from inspiration. Most law aspirants tend to find the motivation and stimulus coming either from a legacy of the family, the personal heroes (the ones they have seen through their lives), the societal impact (like Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Ex US President Barack Obama to name a few) or because they feel that the tomorrow of our country can be safe if we work today, and an individual can make a difference.
The list of eminent personalities, who have used this degree as a foundation and a stepping stone to work wonders for our society, and to bring about a change for the people, is endless. There are numerous success stories in this noble profession, but as they say with great position comes greater responsibilities. It’s a feudal thought when people used to look down upon law as a career. It’s obsolete to think that stingy courtrooms and boring black robes were the only bread and butter of lawyers. From suave and elegant corporate offices to working in top media houses, lawyers have moved in two folds from the conventional way to a much modern outlook and approach. The face of lawyers has changed in past decade or so exponentially. Legal profession looks lucrative and attractive, but it requires a skill set and perseverance to sail through. There are certain qualities that this career looks in the person who wants to pursue it like:
*Good Communication Skills
*Fond of reading because one needs to research
*Objectivity so that you can come to your own conclusions, and
*Lastly if you don’t fear to voice your opinion, LAW is definitely a career you should consider!
One of the major concern as a student and of the parents is security and stability in a career. These two SS’s are fulfilled majorly by LAW as a career. As a layman, one thinks that Law as a career is only restricted to systems of rules and regulations or something which can be legally enforced, but the boundaries of this career option are immense and many. The plethora of options that Law proposes to the people who aspire to become a successful lawyer are fields such as Litigation, Corporate houses, Media, LP, Academics etc. As dynamic stream as it is, law provides variety of options. The savvy law school graduates, with the skills to handle positions are in huge demand, and the demand has surged drastically. This upward trend to become a law graduate will increase day-by-day as the number of trained lawyers are less than what is required to handle an economy as big as that of India. A law graduate can choose from a number of options available. Practicing Law in courts, the traditional career path, but it is essential to learn the intricacies under a senior counsel. The graduates are supposed to qualify a Bar Exam before they join the courts of Law. Litigation provides a whole gambit in both public and private domain. A law graduate can also go for Judiciary. LAW also becomes the most suitable choice for students aspiring for UPSC. Corporate houses these days require an in-house counsel who helps them in drafting and negotiating contracts; ensuring and monitoring compliance with rules and laws, and handling legal disputes.
Legal process outsourcing is an extension for the corporate where all drafts and compliances are handed over to an external counsel. Another major point which excites graduates irrespective of which stream they are from is the fact that as professionals, both journalism and law are entwined with each other. They require great writing skills as well as critical knowledge of the government and the legal system. Legal journalism is coming up as a career option strongly. It gets you both respect and the perks of being in limelight, adding colours to black and white.
According to Amandeep Rajgotra, Product Head LAW, states that Law as a career is rewarding to everyone who aspires to be a lawyer. A science student or a commerce or a humanities student; a boy or a girl; all are competent enough and welcomed to be part of this great career choice. To become a successful lawyer one needs to clear the much coveted CLAT exam. LAW Colleges offer an intellectual journey to the students. Life at a law college provides everything what you can expect from any other college of the country. It has Drama, Debates, Discussions, Fests, Competitions and Presentations and yes STUDIES………..!Another reason why LAW becomes most sought after choice, which is rewarding, is that the course curriculum followed at a LAW college is neutral irrespective of which stream you are from science, commerce or humanities. The admission to this course is through an entrance examination, which is an aptitude test.
The structure of the paper makes it a stream neutral option, making it possible for Science, Commerce and Humanities student to crack it and get a rewarding career for them. The sections that comprise of the entrance exam for law are Quantitative Techniques, Logical Reasoning, Verbal Ability, General Awareness and Legal Aptitude.
Career choice is an easy job. It becomes difficult when a proper ground work is not done. Students, gone are the days when conventional courses were the only choice one used to have to make their aspirations come true. A course like LAW gives you all that you must have dreamt off. As they say, “there is no way for happiness; happiness is the way for everything.” Go ahead make choices, fall just to rise again. A country like India requires a lot many lawyers so that justice is not delayed and denied.
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