Prof. (Dr.) Suman Srivastava is the Dean Faculty of Legal Studies and Research at Sai Nath University. He completed his bachelor’s degree in Bachelor of Legislative Law(B.A.,. LL.B.). After that, he completed his Master of Legislative Law (LL.M.) and earned a PhD as well. He joined Sai Nath University on December 10, 2018, and has been working there ever since.

Sai Nath University

What are your primary responsibilities as Dean and how do you balance them with other aspects of your job? 

The roles and responsibilities towards my department are first to look over the entire academic activities in my department. I also manage the examination procedure, the question papers, and the assignments, along with extracurricular activities such as games, cultural activities, and events like the freshers' party. My major responsibility is to manage the course structure and update the curriculum on time to provide for and educate the students in the best possible manner.

What inspired you to pursue a career in higher education administration, and what drew you to your current role as a Dean?

The things that inspire me to work in higher education are being able to work with accountability, transparency, and loyalty. The various dimensions of my responsibilities give me an opportunity to work and contribute positively to our students. I enjoy working for our faculties and for the university. It gives me immense pleasure to see all the stakeholders in my institute thriving and achieving success.

Are the courses of law affiliated with the Bar Council of India?

Yes. All our courses of law are affiliated with the Bar Council of India. We provide our students with a quality education that can land them the best jobs. They also possess transferrable skills that will enable them to work in another field other than law. Our goal is to provide more lawyers to the country to serve its citizens.

What do you see as the biggest challenges facing higher education today, and how do you think your university is addressing those challenges?

Nowadays, with the advancement in technology, students are finding it harder to go through and study through hard books or hard copies. Most students prefer to study through online resources and by searching for study material online. They will take this data found online, edit it and present it in the classroom. This is not how education should be, as students need to understand what they are studying and writing. This is a challenge we are trying actively to address. We try to engage our students more in the practical aspects of law and outside the classroom so that they are more aware of the skills they need to possess to work in the field.

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What new initiatives and collaborations has the University established with Industry Leaders to promote industry-specific courses?

We have MOUs with CLAT to help us teach students what is expected of them when working in the industry and with training. Additionally, when our students come to get a degree in LLB, BA LLB and LLM, respectively, along with a PhD, our priority is to give them a better place to learn. Many of our students have qualified for the judiciary, and around 17 to 23 students have been working with MNCs. Some of our students are also showing interest in pursuing their degrees in different streams, while others are going into public sector undertakings. Overall, we are trying to give more well-trained and educated judges to the country through our institute.

What advice would you give to someone who is interested in pursuing a career in higher education administration and how do you see the field evolving in the years to come?

Law in a programme that does not have any age bar and does not have a limitation on earning. It gives a wide spectrum to the students to earn and gain fame and notoriety in the industry. If you go through history, we see that most of our freedom fighters are law graduates, which helped them in their fights and contributed to their achievements. Law is a noble profession that gives name, fame, earnings, and more to a person. Today we have lawyers like Harish Salve, Kapil Saibal, and Ram Nath Kovind who are serving the nation and carving out names for themselves with their law education.

What do you think sets your institution apart from other colleges and universities and how do you communicate that unique value proportion to students and other stakeholders? 

We are focusing on making our students good citizens. Since law is based on the Indian Constitution, we focus on teaching the basic framework itself so that the students can become upstanding Indian citizens and human beings. We try to focus on liberty and fraternity and build on that with advanced topics and subjects. Our focus is to make a student a self-earned person by being an advocate and providing justice to society in the form of judges, along with being a productive member of the corporate sector by joining MNC. There are many sectors in which the students of law serve society.

Any suggestions you would like to give to the current youth and the aspiring students?

A disciplined life and honesty towards work are the pathways for students to reach and achieve their goals. Have a goal and work earnestly towards it. It is not an easy process and it will be hard. There will be ups and downs before reaching your goal. Additionally, keep learning and continuing your education in order to remain competitive. Do not back down and keep fighting till you reach your goal.