Law degrees are famously challenging. Yet life at Jindal Global Law School is far from ‘all work and no play’. It’s anything but dull! Beyond the classroom, JGLS is a dynamic melting pot of young lawyers-in-the-making who also shine as singers, dancers, actors, artists, photographers, athletes, writers, poets, activists and film-makers.
One moment you could be in a classroom studying corporate law, and the very next, you could be rocking away to glory at a music show by the flagpole.
Anush Joshi was a passionate drummer before he earned the Savitri Jindal Scholarship and started his journey at JGLS. “Coming to Jindal didn’t stop me from pursuing my talent, it just promoted it!” exclaims the cool and confident youngster. Anush—like his fellow B.A. LL.B. students—is encouraged to follow his passions. “There are so many different festivals where I can perform. It’s helped me gain a lot of confidence and de-stress from academics as well,” he adds.
A good law school is not all about academics. University or ‘college life’ as we like to call it, is a whole new life experience—one that can make space for you to celebrate your talents, explore your interests, discover your skills and chase your dreams.
With over 28 clubs & societies at O.P. Jindal Global University, you can achieve academic excellence, and at the same time, evolve in the most holistic way possible.
Train to be a sport, in, on or off ‘court’
Discover a range of co-curriculars beyond mooting, from sports to fitness and more
Most law aspirants may think mooting is all there is to co-curriculars at law schools. It definitely has its place—JGLS has an excellent Moot Court Society and a vibrant mooting culture that’s taken students to national and international competitions and won many laurels—but there’s a lot more to consider. In fact, between all the simulated courtroom proceedings and the academic curriculum itself, law school is intense—so how about letting off some steam on a different kind of court?
The sports culture at JGU brings the whole university together. “Following the IPL auction system, we have player biddings and team owners. It’s a very thrilling and motivating experience for all of us!” beams Abhilasha Vyas, who’s picked up volleyball at university.
Be it cricket, basketball, football, badminton, volleyball, table tennis, pool, chess, carrom or swimming, you’ll find state-of-the art facilities and supportive coaches to hone your skills. There’s a fully-loaded gymnasium. Yoga, dance and aerobics sessions are also organised.
It all culminates in ‘MAGNUS’—JGU’s entirely student-run intercollegiate sports festival. JGLS students have also won big at Inter-Law University Competitions where the best of law schools compete. Many international sports persons and even Olympians have shared their experiences and advice with the young sportspersons on campus.
All the world’s a stage
Tune in to your passions, be it music, dance, film, theatre, performing arts or poetry
Some people discover their talents early on in life. For some others, it takes a little more time, a bit of exploration and self-discovery, and a gentle nudge to open up to and embrace the many possibilities they hold.
Like many of his peers, that’s what happened with Romit Sarkar. Though a fan of theatre and an eloquent speaker, he held back from acting on stage. It all changed once he joined the Performing Arts Society. “It’s when I joined Jindal that I really learned to love theatre. PAS at Jindal functions as a springboard for students. When you join, you’re not really sure where you fit in or what you can do, but you have a wide variety of performing arts, dance, theatre, music to explore. We try to put all that together in the first year as a musical. You’re encouraged to get comfortable and find your space,” explains Romit. The law student is now confidently charismatic, both on and off stage.
From movie screenings organised by JGU Film Society, fun-filled musical nights courtesy of the Music Society, captivating moves from Raqs, the JGU Dance Society that get your feet tapping or powerful performances by JGU Theatre Society to watching documentaries and discussing socio-political issues with Soch, the Documentary Society, or looking at life through a new lens with the Jindal Photography & Visual Arts Society—law students are free to explore pretty much anything under the sun.
Do your bit for the community
Reach out through the Human Rights Society, Social Services Society & Legal Aid Clinic
Though set amidst the lush green fields of Sonipat, Haryana, far removed from big city life, JGU is not really the protected, cocooned world you might imagine it to be. Community outreach and engagement is woven into the very fabric of JGU.
Alongside faculty, staff and peers, you will learn to do your bit for society through grassroot activism. The Human Rights Society and Social Services Society have been reaching out to the neighbouring villages and even beyond, interacting with the disadvantaged, and understanding the complexities of their lives. These are experiences that many students hold dear during their time at JGU, and even after.
Students work with young children, workers, women and villagers at large, to help them lead a better life. From how to tell time to the importance of hygiene, teaching through sports, developing life skills, and much more, students come up with innovative ways to help those in need.
Joining the Legal Aid Clinic, which is a part of the law school, is a way for students to put their legal expertise to good use, even while at college. It seeks to ‘bridge the gap between what law promises to offer and the actual realities of law’. Students have been organised awareness drives, conferences, conclaves, and engaged with rural communities. Check out the Clinic’s projects here—http://jgu.edu.in/legal-aid-clinic/.
Ample opportunity to read, write and research
There’s something for everybody. If you like to snuggle up with a steaming cup of coffee—which you can get at the cafes on campus, as it happens—and read a book or pen down some poetry, there’s a lot to love about JGU. You can discuss the latest Salman Rushdie book, or revisit Virginia Woolf’s feminist favouriteswith the JGU Book Club.
For those who’re passionate about research and writing, there’s the Academic Writing Society. It is committed to improving your writing abilities, which is needed across the board—be it for assignments, research papers, or your future work. Especially in the legal domain, writing and communication abilities need to be top-notch. Research is also given serious attention at JGLS. There’s a resourceful Global Library and 55 plus research centres at the university to build up your skills and contribute to the knowledge reservoir.
What does all this mean at the end of the day?
A holistic education that offers the best of academics with the freedom to explore other interests really brings out the best. Students come out of JGLS as not only competent lawyers or legal professionals, but wholesome, all-round individuals who are in touch with the world around them, and with the many passions and dreams, within.
They are inspired to be confident, bold, fearless. They are taught to dream big and equipped to succeed. They take on responsibilities and live up to them. They are empathetic, sensitive and considerate. They are people, growing and evolving, with the best kind of support they can get.
Explore JGU’s clubs and societies: http://campus.jgu.edu.in/student-clubs-and-societies/
