Maj. Gen. P.K. Sharma (Retd.) Director, ALS Greetings!! Young friends. Amity Law School actively participates and encourages young talents in the fields of oral advocacy research, legal aid, publications by way of organizing various competitions, including Essay Writing Competition, Judgment Writing Competition, Legal Conferences, Parliamentary Debates, Quiz Competitions and Moot Court Competitions. We believe that through these co-curricular activities, aspiring students get the opportunity to sharpen the necessary skills and edify their legal career. Our Law School is equipped to train students to be ideal professionals and harbingers of justice. With a group of dedicated and professionally competent Faculty, the Law School stands out to inoculate moral, ethical and legal principles involved in the civil modern civilization. It gives me immense pleasure to see young minds putting their thinking caps on and enjoining to create an atmosphere of critical understanding via informed arguments and deliberations. The issue of Nation and Nationalism is a burning concern in the present times. Is Nationalism an ideology being used as a tool by political parties to push their Agenda in a shrouded and veiled manner? In the din and fog of Nationalism, another concept, Patriotism, has been propounded as an alternative and more acceptable ideology of Nationalism. To me the Indian Armed Forces, the Last Bastion, truly reflects Nationalism and Patriotism. As the judicial system of the country is looked upon for solutions to a plethora of issues prevailing in the society, it has become pertinent that the lawyers of tomorrow keep themselves aware and abreast with the dynamic social realities. The present Essay Competition provides them with a platform to think critically and provide creative solutions to ills prevailing in the society in a constructive manner. Our partners for this event, Legal Bites and Indian Lawyers Association are playing an integral part in making this event conceivable. I wish everyone the very best of luck, hoping that each one takes something from this venture. Best wishes to all!!
Ms. Shweta Lamba Executive Director Indian Lawyers Association ILA is proud to partner with Legal Bites for their initiatives to build a better community for legal professionals. In view of scarcity of such a platform where a law student could gather all relevant sources of knowledge. This year Legal bites joins hands with Amity Law School to organize the 2nd National Essay Writing Competition on Nation and Nationalism 2018. Such an initiative is in line with the ILA vision and we believe such writing competitions not only develop one s logical thinking in a written form, but also after having developed one s own style of writing one can certainly have developed a certain style of thinking and talking style. Many students are required to make comprehensive projects, legal writing reports, and dissertations during their time in Law College, thus it becomes important for them to keep improving and working on their writing and reasoning skills. The legal profession requires such students to be adept in their writing and research skills in all areas of law alike whether at college, internships or jobs to shape a better future. The theme for this year s event is Nation and Nationalism. Nationalism is a concept that invokes a feeling of extremely strong attachment towards one s own country. It has been recognized as one of the most significant political and social forces in history. An opportunity like this is not available for students often and should be utilized to strengthen one s writing skills. We are sure, each student participating in competition will make an attempt to enhance his reasoning and writing skills and in future it will help him/her to become a good member of the legal profession allowing our society to advance as a whole. Best Wishes,
Mayank Shekhar CEO, Legal Bites Hello Comrades! It is my pleasure to invite you all to the Second edition of National Essay Writing Competition on Nation and Nationalism organized by Amity Law School, Gurgaon in collaboration with Legal Bites and Indian Law Association. We, at Legal Bites, have a firm belief that the brave, impetuous heart yields everywhere to the subtle, contriving head. And the marvelous participation of intellects from all around the country in our previous two editions- 1st National Essay Writing Competition on Nation and Nationalism 2017 and National Conference on Nation and Nationalism 2017 catapulted us to launch the successor. And this time, I assure that the competition will be much more exciting and brainstorming for you all. Assumptions are quick exits for lazy minds that like to graze out in the fields without bother. Contradicting this, the thought provoking, factual and detailed submissions of the active citizens (participants) have forced us to remain clutched to the same theme. Seeing the agitation and anguish in the minds and hearts of youth on the recent critical trends of the country, subthemes have critically scooped out. In the present issue, we have come up with: Religious Majoritarianism and Nationalism, Independence of Judiciary and Nationalism, Anti-National and Anti-Government, Journalism and Nationalism and Mobocracy. The 2nd National Essay Writing Competition on Nation and Nationalism 2018 is one of the best platform to share the views, emotions and insights about our dear country for those who really care. It is righteously said by Martin Luther that If you want to change the world, pickup the pen and write. Because in this modern world, it is only the intellect that matters. I wish the participants all the very best and hope that this initiative will bring out the views of people in a legit and appropriate manner, rather than violence, that our country is urgently requiring at the very moment.
Amity Law School The VISION of the Amity Law School is to strive to be an internationally recognised leader in socially relevant legal research and education in India and Commonwealth States. In pursuing its vision, the Amity Law School has as its mission, the creation and sustenance of a research based academic environment that is grounded in values of social justice and excellence. The values of the Amity Law School are fully aligned with those of the University with a view to create a culture that reflects these values. We cherish: Academic freedom, creative and innovative thought, ethical standards and integrity, accountability and social justice; and. We foster: An inquiry led and evidence based approach to creating knowledge; and Academic citizenship, whereby we commit ourselves to harnessing our intellectual abilities in the interest of our nation and humanity. We recognise that: In a resource constrained world where vast disparities remain, the Faculty must endeavour to produce graduates who appreciate the importance of community engagement, entrepreneurial endeavours and innovative actions in generating employment and development in our local communities.
BACKGROUND A Nation, for some, is merely a piece of a land or a tract of a land limited by contours of its territories and boundaries, and nationalism, is a feeling or sense of belongingness attached to that tract of land; in this case, this feeling of belongingness is analogous to the feeling of owning or possessing a piece of land, the former being not more meaningful than the latter. But, for some, a nation is much more precious than a piece of land and its value, unquantifiable. It reflects the self of an individual. Nationalism, in this case, is not merely a feeling of belongingness, rather a feeling of indebtedness towards the nation. This feeling of indebtedness leads a person, to even give up his most precious life to the cause of nation. These diverse ideas make the notion of nation and nationalism, one of the most contested and disputed notions in the world. One must understand, that a nation, and nationalism, is different from a sheer ideology. A nation consists of diaspora of ideologies, which may at times be diametrically contradictory to each other, but each of such ideology works in synchronization, and harmonization, ultimately aiming at the growth of the nation. The structure which comes out as a result, is the nationalism at the root, and every other ideology as its branches. The root remains the most powerful element for the growth of the nation. The testament to this is a quote by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, who says, I do not want that our loyalty as Indians should be in the slightest way affected by any competitive loyalty whether that loyalty arises out of our religion, out of our culture or out of our language. I want all people to be Indians first, Indian last and nothing else but Indians. Dynamic changes in social, economic and legal spheres, affects the substance and feeling of nationalism too. The change in social binding and social harmony, brings out change in nationalism. The economic changes, such as industrialization and globalization, makes the concept of nationalism cutting across the territories of traditional states, and now the concept of nationalism is becoming merely a matter of degrees of governance. Similarly, the structural changes in legal framework, and weakness of its rigor, brings out change in nationalism too. Hence, we may say that Nationalism is a dynamic rather than static notion. The study of this is to be done very subtly and sophisticatedly.
Sub - Themes Religious Majoritarianism and Nationalism. Nation is not merely an institution based upon religious dominancy. Religious dominancy, includes primarily, number of persons belonging to a religion and their dominance over a region, this dominance may sometime relate to the numbers of people belonging to a particular religion, but sometimes it relates to even hierarchical societal nature, such as caste, class, religion, etc. The Indian Constitution is inherently secular, by its nature, which is projected under preamble, fundamental rights, DPSPs, and other parts of the constitution, and as has been held by various judicial pronouncements. One needs to distinguish between the two concepts. Religious Majoritarianism may not always dominate nationalism. The difference is simple in theory, but difficult in practicality. Anti-National and Anti-government. These two concepts nowadays, get intermixed and overlapped. One must understand the difference between the two. The former, directly challenges the existence of the nation and the latter, challenges the existence of government which governs the nation, and its policies. The anti-government actions do not attracts penalty of sedition, legally and technically, under criminal law, but the persons performing such an action, are mostly treated as rebellions and booked under such a law. Hence, the distinction between the two exists and is very important to understand. Minority rights and Nationalism. Nationalism is not merely a territorial form of the concept of Utilitarianism, the principle of which is grounded on the maxim of greater good for greater number of people. The government policies, nowadays needs to recognize not only utilitarianism, but also the minority rights. The persons in the minority, needs to be given protection in the nation, and must be given a sense of belongingness to the nation. This sense of belongingness is necessary for bringing uniformity in nationalism, and prevents the seclusion of such communities.
Journalism Is the Indian Media Anti-people? In the market-driven media industry, the journalistic principles have taken a backseat and are often comprised to sell news like hot cakes as a commodity. The media no longer remains impartial and balanced while covering news as the market forces tend to exert their influence. TRPs play the vital role in setting the strategy of any news channel; the more entertainment it will serve, the more advertisements it will get. This has led to the lowering of ethical standards in media s sphere. Mobocracy There has already been a spate of opinion pieces in mainstream media over the murder of people by mob lynching in India. A common thread which emerges across the Right and the Left is that vigilantism and mob lynching should have no place in society. Its presence shows an inept law and order situation and prevents society from facing and handling other serious issues of development. Messages and Blessings Enforced Nationalism cannot promote true culture. People and Culture, regardless of belonging to a particular class or geography, can truly grow and evolve if they can transcend all social and territorial limitations. Legal Bites has taken a wonderful initiative to unite the diverse ideas at a single platform. Prof. Dr. S.K. Singh Ex Dean, Dr. RML Awadh University In a democracy it is not necessary that every ones should sing the same song. We are in a situation today where any criticism of certain offices is branded as anti-national and sedition. It s time that we realize our fundamental duties and walk on the path of Constitutionalism. I wish Legal Bites all the very best in their endeavor. Prof. Dr. H.M. Mittal Dean, ICFAI Law School, ICFAI University, Dehradun
Rules and Regulations Eligibility: The Competition is open for all Students pursuing/completed Undergraduate and Post Graduate courses in any recognized University across the country. Theme of the Essay: Nation and Nationalism Sub Themes 1. Religious Majoritarianism and Nationalism. 2. Anti-national and Anti-government 3. Minority rights and Nationalism 4. Journalism - where is it heading? 5. Mobocracy Registration Fees: Rs. 400 for single authors and Rs. 500 for Co-authors. Mode of Payment: Registration Fees should be paid online via Legal Bites Portal. Single Author - Click Here for Registration Co-Author - Click Here for Registration A confirmation mail will be sent on approval of registration. Important Dates Date of Release 1 st August, 2018 Last Date of Registration 25 th August, 2018 Last Date of Submission 10 th September, 2018 Announcement of Result 20 st September, 2018 No submission will be accepted after the last date of submission. Awards 1 st Prize Certificate + Medal + Cash Prize 2 nd Prize Certificate + Medal + Cash Prize 3 rd Prize Certificate + Medal + Cash Prize Shortlisted Essays will be published on our website and in our Newsletter. Certificate of Participation will be given to all the participants.
Organising Committee National Convener: Mr. Pranshul Pathak Faculty Convener: Dr. Prof. S.K. Tripathi Student Convener: Abhilasha Yadav Student Convener: Priya Kotwani Submission Guidelines The essay must be written in English. The Essay should be of minimum 2000 words not exceeding more than 3000 words (excluding footnotes). Co-authorship of maximum two members is allowed. No part of the essay (except the cover page) should contain any identification of the author. Every participant will be allotted a submission code on registration. All submissions must be original and a bonafide effort of the participants and should not be submitted for any other purpose except the competition. Moreover any form of plagiarism will result in disqualification of essay. LEGAL BITES reserves all rights regarding eligibility/qualification/disqualification/publication of the submissions. Formatting Guidelines Font - Times New Roman; Font Size - 12 Line Spacing - 1.5; Alignment Justified Footnote Font Size 10; Footnote Spacing - 1 Submission Procedure The submission shall consist of Cover Page [containing the allotted submission code and Title of Essay], Abstract and Essay. An abstract should not be more than 300 words including title and keywords. The essay should not be more than 2500 words (excluding footnotes and abstract). Citations must strictly be in accordance with the Harvard Blue Book style (20th Ed.) All essay are to be submitted at competitionals@gmail.com in both word (doc or docx) and PDF format with the subject titled as Title Of Essay: Submission Code All participants should strictly abide by the guidelines. Any deviance shall lead to disqualification.
Scoring of the essay While assessing the documents the weightage would be given as below: Originality and clarity of the content Quality of the analysis and research Language and Structure of the essay Grammar, syntax and form Copyright All the essays submitted shall be exclusive property of Organisers. Organisers shall be free to use the information/ views therein in any manner it requires. Organisers shall not be responsible for any essay(s) not received. No essay shall be entertained if received after the deadline. Decision of Organisers in deciding the winner(s) shall be final and binding and NO query, correspondence etc. in this regard shall be entertained by the Organisers. Laws of India with jurisdiction of courts at Delhi shall apply to this competition. Note: Essays incompatible with the above rules and conditions will not be considered. Submission of entries to the competition implies acceptance of the above terms and conditions by the participant(s). Contact For any further details or queries, please write to competitionals@gmail.com or call Abhilasha Yadav +91-81306 69436 Priya Kotwani +91-70428 61747
The Indian Lawyers Association ( ILA ) is a voluntary professional organization for the legal professionals of India. Membership is open to lawyers, judges, professors, law students, and others interested in the law and the legal profession. The ILA has been formed to shape the future of the legal profession throughout India. As an essential ally and advocate for members of the legal profession, the ILA is committed to enable opportunities for quality professional development, support the enhancement of equality in the legal profession, promote the delivery of justice, facilitate effective law reforms, and advance the rule of law throughout India. ILA aims to support the legal profession by offering access to practical resources for legal professionals to help improve the administration of justice, establish ethical codes, and develop a professional network. ILA promotes an exchange of information between the hundreds of ILA Chapters nationwide. Growth of the ILA has been spurred by the classic tragic hero examples tremendous growth of the Indian economy and the legal profession. As companies and businesses worldwide become more deeply involved in the Indian economy, they require expert legal assistance and guidance from lawyers in India as well as from Indian lawyers across borders. The ILA helps lawyers to keep abreast of business and legal developments that affect their clients. More importantly, the ILA offers valuable opportunities for business lawyers to network with each other and with other lawyers and professionals in related fields of practice and business. The ILA Chapters hold a monthly meeting third Thursday of every month at 6 PM in their respective cities. These monthly meetings are an opportunity for local members to meet up and discuss ideas and thoughts and listen to guest speakers. Such meetings afford ILA members the opportunity to become acquainted with the Indian legal systems, lawyers and key leaders in the country. The ILA organizes an Annual General Meeting and Conference which provides a unique opportunity for lawyers to discuss legal, business and policy issues affecting India and cross-border business involving India, in a manner that fosters collegiality and development of relationships to enhance the legal practice through professional networking. These annual meetings and conferences are held in different jurisdictions.