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IDIA Law Blog: Increasing Access by Increasing Diversity

Empowering underprivileged students through legal education.

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Image of IDIA chapter members standing with a faculty member. Trees is the background.

IDIA Odisha Chapter

The student volunteers of IDIA Odisha Chapter from NLUO, Cuttack (NLUO) have successfully completed 5 sensitisations in 3 months from June to November 2016. Our sensitisations have catered to diverse audience ranging from school students to housekeeping staff. Our last sensitisation in Dompara district was the most successful, and at least 20 students have qualified IDIA National Aptitude Test (INAT), and we are ready to conduct their background checks in the month of January, to which the principal of the school has already agreed.

 

Image of IDIA Chapter members standing in front of a blackboard. Blackboard has IDIA written on it. Some students in school uniform are also visible in the picture.

Sensitisation by IDIA Odisha Chapter

The team in its last sensitisation was supported and accompanied by an eminent journalist Mr. Kamla Kanta Dash (you can read more about him here – Wikipedia, Linkedin). He proactively gave an introduction to our drama in the local language (Odia), which was highly appreciated. Kamla Kanta Sir is also one of the founding members of the Odisha Diary, an online news portal. He has accepted our request to explore the possibilities of having Odisha Diary as an online partner with NLUO-IDIA team to promote ‘Law as a Career and Legal Awareness Workshops’ in rural areas of Odisha.

The team’s visit to Dampada College was published in Odisha Diary (available here), Telegraph India (available here), and in Sambad, the largest circulated Odia daily in the state.

Image of a newspaper clip in Odiya.

Sambad Coverage of IDIA Odisha Chapter’s activities

 The details of all sensitisations conducted by us are as below-

  • In-house sensitisation involving Housekeeping staff – All the members of housekeeping staff of NLUO were oriented about the possibilities of law as a career, the IDIA initiative and how it could help them.
  • DAV Public School, Cuttack – Students of Class XI and XII attended the sensitisation session conducted by us, and 60 students appeared for INAT. We have called 51 students for interviews, and are awaiting their response.
  • Kendriya Vidhyalaya 2, Cuttack – We addressed about 200+ students, out of which 71 students appeared for INAT.

 

School students sitting on the floor in six rows. Three columns are of girl students, and three of boys. An IDIA volunteer is walking in between the space separating the girls and the boys.

 

  • Kushpangi High School, Banki – We addressed the students of Class VIII, IX, and X on 29 September 2016. Banki is around 30 kms from NLUO. We prepared a skit involving several legal, moral and logical nuances. When presented before the kids, the skit drew laughter, applause, as well as thoughtful responses and answers to the questions posed by us. This was followed by a practice test to introduce the kids to the format of the CLAT exam.
  • Domapara Anchalika Mahavidyalaya, Damapada – The team began by explaining about the necessity and role of law, which was depicted through a short drama highlighting the flaws of today’s legal system. We had an interactive session with the students of the college and asked them questions related to the play. Also, the team interacted with the Principal of the college, Mr. Chittaranjan Rana, and other faculty members. We explained the procedure followed by IDIA for selection of students to them.

 

An IDIA volunteer is sitting and talking to students. He has a paper in his hand.

The team was ably assisted by Prof. Kamala Kanta Dash who teaches Public Policy, Management and Political Science at NLUO. Prof Dash who has experience and expertise in journalism, literature, public policy and many other diversified fields, enthusiastically participated in the process and tremendously helped make the event a successful one, by sharing his insights, experiences and knowledge with a curious crowd.

The team addressed about 200+ students out of which 103 students appeared for INAT. We will be starting the background checks from January when the university reopens.

Blackboard with IDIA Odisha NLUO, Increasing Diversity by Increasing Access written in white chalk

The IDIA team of NLUO, Cuttack has inducted its first trainee, Sriram Jajodia, who scored 25 out of 40 in his INAT. He has met the basic eligibility criteria to become a trainee. We are trying to get in touch with the LST branch of Cuttack for his training. The background check will be conducted in the first week of January 2017.

We will also be organising a fund raising in the upcoming semester. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate and thank the whole IDIA Odisha team and the people assisting us, who are working pro-bono for their efforts, dedication and most importantly time. Thank you all.

Author: Rahul Agrawal, IDIA Odisha Chapter
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