UPES alumni shine in Bihar Judiciary Examination 2022

UPES alumni Hari Priya and Divyanshu Gupta

UPES School of Law graduates Divyanshu Gupta, Hari Priya, and Kartikey Kesarwani describe their journey to success

UPES alumnus Divyanshu Gupta (B.A. LL.B. with specialisation in Energy Laws, 2013-18), fresh from his success at the Bihar Judiciary Examination 2022 – he secured 2nd rank – reminisces the day he made up his mind to join the legal profession.

It was the day in 2000 when the Madhya Pradesh government decided to retrospectively stop the salaries of employees in government-aided schools. The decision hit families hard and Divyanshu’s father lost about 15 years’ worth of salary.

“I grew up watching my family suffer through a financial crisis,” Divyanshu says. “I kept my faith alive in the judiciary, continuously hoping and waiting for relief,” he adds.

The succour came in 2015 when the Supreme Court set aside the government decree and ruled in favour of the employees.

“That is when I decided to be a part of the judiciary, to contribute towards maintaining this trust the public has in the institution and towards making the justice delivery system swift and efficient,” the Bihar Judiciary Examination topper says.

Divyanshu credits UPES with providing him the opportunity to participate in various national and international moot court competitions which greatly expanded his skills repertoire.

“UPES played a constructive role in helping me improve my knowledge and analytical skills,” he says. “I was raised in a small town, but the exposure at college boosted my confidence. I befriended bright minds from across the country which greatly changed my cultural and social outlook and trained me to deal with the day-to-day challenges of life,” he adds.

Divyanshu, a first-generation lawyer in his family, had a rigorous schedule when it came to preparing for the competitive examination. He moved to Delhi for coaching and succeeded in clearing the Prelims. For the Mains, he decided to go back to his hometown and rely on self-study. His hard work yielded results when he secured Rank 2 in the Bihar Judicial Services this year.

For the last two years, Divyanshu has also been guiding college students and judicial service aspirants to prepare for these exams. He holds pro-bono classes online and wants to create a platform where selected officers and teachers can guide aspirants from socially and economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

Hari Priya’s success story is no different. Graduate of B.Com. LL.B. with specialisation in Taxation Laws, Hari Priya secured 117th rank in the Bihar Judiciary Examination 2022.

The UPES alumna also expresses gratitude towards the university for her success and glory.

“My dream of becoming a judicial officer and bringing about change in society is finally coming true,” Hari Priya gushes. She attributes her practical training and courtroom learning experiences to the School of Law and advises law aspirants to persevere and exercise patience.

“Patience and perseverance are the keys to success. Above all, the right mindset is a prerequisite to becoming a great judge. Compassion and kindness are added imperatives,” she asserts.

She hopes to serve the nation to the best of her abilities and write a book when she can on life inside a courtroom.

Kartikey Kesarwani pursued B.A. LL.B. with specialisation in Energy Laws from 2012 to 2017. He is jubilant about obtaining Rank 31 in the Bihar Judiciary Examination and is keen to bring about social change through his work.

He advises law aspirants to read a lot, be exceptionally organised, maintain a healthy perspective and not be too hard on themselves even if they stand face-to-face with failure.

About his alma mater, he says, “The numerous moot court competitions helped me hone my skills. Our teachers were always available with advice and words of encouragement whenever we needed them. My success wouldn’t have been possible without them.”