Introduction –
Currently, Prof. Saroj Bohra is serving as the Director of Amity Law School at Amity University Rajasthan in Jaipur. For her academics she has received two gold medals in law graduation and secured second merit in law post-graduation and was also awarded a National Merit Scholarship for academic excellence from J.N.V. U, State University, Jodhpur, Rajasthan. With over eighteen years of experience in research, teaching, administration, and industry, have been responsible for the development of academic programs, curricula, and regulations, in addition to preparing and delivering lectures in classroom discussions. Prof. Bohra have been recognized as one of the top ten Influential Women Leaders in Indian Education, 2021′ by Higher Education Digest magazine.
Professional Journey –
Prof. Saroj Bohra started her professional journey at National Law University, Jodhpur, and later served at UPES, Dehradun, IMS Unison University, Dehradun, Karnawati University, Gandhinagar before joining Amity University Rajasthan, Jaipur. Have co-edited the book ‘Healthcare Systems and Global Business Issues’, Editor for seven issues of Pragyaan: Journal of Law, and her recently released book titles ‘Biodiversity Laws in India: Issues, Policies and Prospects’ published by Thomson Reuters. She has guided several dissertations and doctorate scholars and been empaneled with various law schools and national repute organizations in the capacity of an expert for conducting interviews, member of the governing bodies, examination board among the others. Under her abled leadership, Forbes, an international magazine, recognized the Amity Law School as one of the top law schools in India under Legal Power List, 2020.
Incorporation of Technology in the Classroom –
Prof. Saroj Bohra deliberates that we are living in the digital era where the inclusion of technology in education is not an exception. She believes that the use of technology during whole-class instruction can foster student engagement for auditory and visual learners and prepare students for the 21st-century workforce with modern technology skills and competencies. According to her, educational technology makes the teaching process scientific, objective, clear, simple, easy, interesting, and effective, additionally, it helps educators create blended learning environments that make learning relevant to students’ lives.
While conducting classes, she ensures technology-enabled blended learning using digital resources. Her teaching sessions are a blend of integrating simple technologies like PowerPoints and research-based assignments using online databases, using online platforms like LMS & MS Teams that allow students to participate in virtual discussions, quizzes, and online assessments. She encourages the use of online tools as it boosts productivity and creativity among students. Also, she states, that, nowadays, AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants have the potential to improve learner engagement and provide fast feedback, while AI algorithms make assessments more accurate and efficient. Soon, she plans to introduce them into her pedagogy too.
Institutional Contribution –
Prof. Saroj Bohra have developed the curriculum for the students, which incorporates innovative teaching practices, new technologies and emerging educational trends to enhance learning experiences. She makes sure that the curriculum must be an industry-driven curriculum that provides students with exposure to real-world problems and challenges faced by the industry. She opines that industry oriented curriculum helps students to develop a better understanding of the industry and its needs. Further, she has ensured that the institute fulfills its social responsibility by developing ethical and moral values among the youth, also, to provide social awareness as well as cultivate humanity, imparting knowledge and skills to the students which she mentions that it’s done through integration of activities under Probono, Unnat Bharat Abhiyan, National Service Scheme, National Cadet Corps, and Legal Aid Clinic. She ruminates that it gives an opportunity for students to have hands-on clinical experience.
About her workplace Amity University Rajasthan – Prof. Bohra concedes that the Universityprovides value-based contemporary education with a thrust on innovation, research, and productivity blended with modernity and tradition. Academics at her workplace is unique and rigorous, as it includes an industry-based curriculum, value-added courses, and a Choice Based Credit System along with core subjects which develops proficient in both theoretical knowledge as well as practical skills. She mentions that communication skills, foreign languages, and behavioral science courses offered make every student employable in the national as well as international job market.
Prof. Bohra had joined Amity Law School, Jaipur as founding faculty which was set up in 2008 with the goal of providing a comprehensive approach to learning and the institute is committed to exploring multidisciplinary approaches through its unique curriculum, which is designed to provide students with extensive exposure to domestic, international, and comparative law subjects. She further states that the courses are holistically designed with internships, summer projects, and dissertations to promote both employment readiness as well as the inclination for research. The institute offers a five-year integrated law program, B.A./B.B.A./B.COM. LL.B. (Hons.), with five specializations includes Corporate law, IPR, Criminal law, Constitutional law, and International Trade law, and an LL.M. program with three specializations Constitutional law, Criminal law, and Corporate law. The Ph.D. program is offered full-time and part-time for working professionals.
Issues and Their Resolutions –
Prof. Bohra consider that challenges and difficult times reveal one’s potential and willpower that one may not have been aware of before. She believes that regardless of the outcome of any challenge or struggle, one gains new experiences and lessons that strengthen individuals’ personal growth. Every step on a career path can bring new expectations and obstacles to overcome. She advises her students to be prepared for these challenges, and suggests that learning tips and strategies to overcome them can help them reach their career goals. Prof. Bohra commends that to overcome almost any obstacle includes methods and strategies such as staying calm and positive and looking at the challenge from all sides and finding solutions. She further proposes that one must understand when to delegate, when and where to share your thoughts. She stresses that one must take every challenge as an opportunity, and must set goals based on understanding one’s ability, strengths and weaknesses.
Educational Landscape of India –
Sharing her thoughts Prof. Bohra states that the education system in India has undergone significant changes over the past few decades. Talking about the recent launch of National Education Policy 2020 which replaces a long-standing education policy from 1986 and proposes substantial reforms spanning from school education to higher learning, according to Prof. Bohra, it seeks to reform the Indian education system and make it more inclusive, multidisciplinary, and modern. After reading the policy, Prof Bohra shares that it follows in a long line of anti-colonial Indian experiments in higher education, but unlike those earlier experiments, it takes a purely instrumental view of the arts, for the sake of economic productivity, leaving little room for the exercise of dissent and critical analysis that has been the core value of modern liberal education, especially as a result of anti-colonial pressure. She appreciates the government of India numerous schemes and initiatives to improve the quality of education in India, but she believes that there is still much room for improvement and constant efforts of all stake holders can bring revolution in Indian education system.
Inspirational and Influential Source –
Prof. Bohra shares that the sense of purpose for her existence, personal fulfillment, recognition, and the desire to achieve professional growth keeps her motivated. Prof. Bohra further mentions that she was raised up in business-class family and she is the first generation in service, so her professional journey and success is more self-motivated with hard work, perseverance, commitment, sacrifices, and keenness to learn and evolve.
Professional Aspirations –
Prof. Bohra goal is to obtain higher credentials and stay current with the ever-changing educational landscape, participate in professional development opportunities, network, and contribute to policy initiatives in higher education. She wants to be an inspirational mentor for future generations, helping them to reach their fullest potential as learners, thinkers, and individuals.
Takeaway for Students –
Based on her life experience, Prof. Bohra advises to today’s students and future professionals is that they must understand that ‘to be Genius it’s 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration’. She stresses that students must understand that to accomplish their goals they need to have the self-discipline, self-respect, self-reliance, self-control, and self-confidence because the opportunities don’t happen one need to create them. She closes the interview asserting that students must understand that success is not final; failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.