Interview: West Bengal Judicial Service Topper Suryasikha Ray Shares Her Journey (WBJS 2022 RANK 5)

BY: THE LEX TIMES

Achieving a top slot in the judicial service examination is no small feat; please accept our heartiest congratulations.

Suryasikha: Thank you so much for your warm greetings. You are extremely kind.

Kindly introduce yourself along with your educational qualifications.

Suryasikha: My name is Suryasikha Ray and I have secured AIR 5 in West Bengal Judicial Service recently. My qualifications are B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) and LLM in Crime and Tort.

Please tell us about your preparation journey for the Judicial Services Examinations and at what stage you started your preparation.

Suryasikha: I started my preparation after graduating from law school. Prior to that, I tried to cover the entire law syllabus once in my final year. After graduation, I chalked out a strategy and revised everything thoroughly. I solved the past 30 years’ question papers, practised answer writing and answered mock tests.

Along with law, I put adequate emphasis on English, Bengali and General Knowledge & Current Affairs because all these subjects carry a lot of weightage in the mains. In my humble opinion, one can be thoroughly prepared for judicial services within 8-10 months of concentrated efforts and smart study.

Did you take any Coaching?

Suryasikha: Yes, I took a coaching from a judicial service mentor based in Kolkata. I attended classes, referred to her notes and practised answer writing regularly. Since I was also freelancing with a legal ed tech company, I had access to their judiciary course material but I was not their foundation course student. I practised mock interviews in both the places.

However, I feel that a lot of students tend to treat their coaching centre as a crutch which is not the right approach. They are also highly bothered about things like who took coaching from which place. This is besides the point actually. In competitive exams, no coaching centre can spoonfeed you. Coaching is always an add on to your own self study and you have to devise your own personal strategy so that you can tackle all types of questions in the examination hall.

Have you tried other states besides West Bengal?

Suryasikha: No. I did not appear for judicial service examination in any other state.

How many attempts did it take to crack this exam?

Suryasikha: This was my first and only attempt.

What motivated you to take up the judiciary as a career option? Is there any particular story or motivation that influenced your journey?

Suryasikha: When I was in school, we read about the Indian judiciary in our social science textbooks and that is when I felt drawn towards the same. I was too young and since I had no one from the legal or judicial fraternity in my family, I was not even aware of this examination until I entered law school. At that point, I saw many seniors appearing in West Bengal Judicial Service and even cracking it.

I felt that as a lawyer, I would be pleading for justice whereas if I become a judge, I shall be delivering justice myself. The society essentially needs both good lawyers and good judges in equal measure. Since I personally found my calling in judicial service, I tried to give my heart and soul to it as soon as I graduated so that I could make it to the Bench as early as possible.

What were your optional papers?

Suryasikha: My optional papers were Hindu Law, Mohammedan Law and Partnership Act.

What books did you prefer? Any specific books for prelims and mains?

Suryasikha: I read the bare Acts minutely and supplemented the same with textbooks. Here is a list of textbooks that I referred to:

CPC – C.K. Takwani

CrPC – R.V. Kelkar

IPC – PSA Pillai

Evidence Act – Batuk Lal

Contract I and II – R.K. Bangia

Torts – R.K. Bangia

Transfer of Property Act – R.K. Sinha

Hindu Law – Paras Diwan

Muslim Law – Aqil Ahmed

Partnership Act – Covered in Contract II by R.K. Bangia

Constitution – J.N. Pandey (I had it only in prelims and not in mains)

Limitation – Covered in CPC by C.K. Takwani (Same as above, I had it only in prelims)

For judiciary specific material, one can refer to the following books:

Universal Guide for Judicial Service Examination – contains both subjective notes and MCQs

A.K. Jain – contains concise notes and MCQs

Pariksha Manthan – topic wise compilation of MCQs from different states’ judicial service examinations

Samarth Agarwal – contains concise subjective notes

Allahabad Law Agency Question Answer series – contains standard model answers for different subjects

Surbhi Wadhwa – these books are for M.P. primarily but they contain excellent model answers. One can refer to the same for common subjects.

Spectrum Book of Essays – contains standard UPSC style model essays for the English Paper

Adhyapak P Acharya’s Rachana Bichinta – contains all relevant areas for the Bengali Paper

Arihant’s General Knowledge and Know Your State West Bengal – these two books contain Static GK and West Bengal specific GK respectively

Pratiyogita Darpan – helpful for both subjective and objective type questions on Current Affairs

What was your daily study routine? How many hours did you study daily?

Suryasikha: I tried to make a routine but could not stick to the same religiously. I studied law for 4-6 hours roughly and devoted another 1-2 hours of General Knowledge and Current Affairs. In addition to this, I tried to devote some time to English and Bengali whenever possible. I went through the past papers, shortlisted important topics, covered each topic one by one and practised writing answers simultaneously. I personally feel that quality matters more than quantity in such a scenario.

One should focus on how much one has learnt and imbibed in a day instead of counting the number of hours which will essentially not remain the same everyday once you start preparing. Moreover, all subjects will not require the same amount of your time and no one can remain equally high on energy everyday. Therefore, the number of hours will vary and that is perfectly alright.

How did you prepare for General Knowledge and Current Affairs?

Suryasikha: I referred to Arihant’s General Knowledge book by Manohar Pandey for static GK and referred to Arihant’s Know Your State West Bengal for our state specific general knowledge. For Current Affairs, I read the Hindu and followed Live law for legal current affairs. I also read the Pratiyogita Darpan every month and referred to YouTube videos for quick memorization and better understanding.

How did you prepare for the Hindi, Bengali, and English papers?

Suryasikha: One does not need to answer both Hindi and Bengali papers. You have to choose any one between Hindi, Bengali, Urdu, Nepali and Santhali. I chose Bengali since it is my mother tongue and I am fairly adept at it.

I referred to Adhyapak P Acharya’s Rachana Bichinta for Bengali and Spectrum Book of Essays for English. I could not devote a lot of time to these subjects because fortunately I had good writing skills already. However, if one needs to work on English Grammar, they can refer to Arihant’s Objective English and Wren & Martin. Additionally, YouTube videos and the Duolingo app can also help. There is another book named Arihant’s 151 Essays which contains essays that are written in a more lucid language. For Bengali grammar, there are chapters in Rachana Bichinta itself and in addition to the same, one can refer to any WB State Board Bengali grammar book for Higher Secondary school students. For vocabulary improvement, YouTube and Duolingo are always there to help.

What pens did you use for the mains and prelims?

Suryasikha: I used black ball point pen for both prelims and mains. In prelims, all specifications regarding the pen that is to be used is provided. One can even purchase OMR pens if possible. For mains, it is not advisable to use any colour other than blue and black. I personally preferred a ball point pen because gel ink tends to spread when it comes in contact with sweat or drops of water. Candidates can decide the rest as per their discretion.

Is there anybody in your family or among your friends who has been in judicial service?

Suryasikha: No one from my family is or has been in judicial service. However, I personally knew many seniors who were already in judicial service during my preparation phase. Most of them helped me to the best of their ability. While we were preparing, one of our batchmates became a judicial officer in a different state and that motivated me a lot. This time, many others who happened to be friends with me have cracked the examination and we shall be joining together. It is a beautiful feeling.

As it’s a long journey, people sometimes get demotivated or distracted. How do you handle that?

Suryasikha: This is a very important question. Distractions and setbacks are completely normal and it is okay to feel down sometimes. In my case, I had Hepatitis A immediately after starting my preparation, the examination process got delayed later due to some procedural reasons, I lost my grandmother between my mains and interview and so on. On the top of it, there will be many external influences that may make you question your worth. It happens to everyone and I have no shame in admitting that I did feel demotivated many times. However, I tried to take a break and then ponder upon the reasons as to why I started my journey.

There have been times when I didn’t study for some days and then got back to work once I felt better. There is no harm in taking breaks, reading non-academic books, going for walks/outings, watching movies, series and sports or listening to your favourite music during your preparation. Lastly, one must try to engage more with optimistic and broad minded people if possible because there is no dearth of negativity around us. This was my approach and thankfully it kept me going.

Judiciary exams are conducted in three stages. What was your approach? Did you prepare for each stage differently, or was your focus always on the mains from the beginning?

Suryasikha: I focussed mostly on mains because it carries 1100 marks. The interview carries only 100 marks and one gets adequate preparation time after mains. Therefore, since the beginning of my preparation journey, my focus was on mains. I read everything in detail and practised answer writing regularly. For around three months prior to the prelims, I solved MCQs extensively.

We got only 1.5 months between prelims and mains and since I was thorough with my mains preparation beforehand, my only task was to revise during this intervening period. After mains, we got several months to prepare for the interview and at that point, I worked on my personality, watched mock interview videos and took part in mocks myself. Mock tests and interviews were of immense help and I learnt a lot from my mistakes.

What is your secret method for mains answer writing? What is the specific number of pages needed to write for 5, 10, or 15 marks, and did you underline important words or phrases?

Suryasikha: It is no secret because even when I was an aspirant, I used to help my co examinees and I often shared my handwritten answers in different WhatsApp groups. Even when I practised writing skills, many others who appeared with me clicked photographs of my answers. It is my privilege that I am getting multiple opportunities to help others.

Coming to your question, I adhered to the following structure while writing answers:

Introduction

Relevant section numbers

Ingredients to be explained in one’s own words

Addressing the specific bit that has been asked for in the question

Relevant illustrations

Case laws if one remembers

Conclusion

For problem based questions, I structured my answers as follows:

Facts of the case

Issues involved

Provisions of law involved

Decision (analysis and conclusion)

For differences, I started with one point of similarity and explained each point of difference in paragraph form.

While writing answers, please do not count the number of pages because that will vary in accordance with your handwriting size. I am stating the number of words instead in order to define the desirable length.

5 marks – 150-200 words

10 marks – 350-400 words

15 marks – 500-600 words

I underlined important terms, headings, phrases and case laws using the same pen that I was writing with but kindly do not highlight using different coloured highlighters.

Is memorizing the latest case laws important?

Suryasikha: I did not write case laws everywhere but if one remembers the very recent case laws which are not mentioned in text books yet, it might give out a better impression. Additionally, you can expect questions from recent cases during the interview.

How did you prepare for the Personality Test / Interview? Many aspirants don’t know how to handle interview questions. Nervousness and anxiety are quite common hindrances. What is your suggestion for them?

Suryasikha: It is okay to be nervous and anxious and I have no shame in admitting that I was afraid too. In fact, the Hon’ble Justice and the Hon’ble Judicial Secretary who were a part of the esteemed panel asked me “why are you nervous?” twice during the interview. It is absolutely alright.

As far as preparation is concerned, try to read the laws thoroughly and expect questions from subjects which are not a part of the mains syllabus. You may get application based questions. Be thorough with general knowledge and current affairs too and put special emphasis on legal current affairs. Know everything about your background, the places where you have stayed, your school, college etc. If you have LLM, PhD or work experience, expect questions from those areas too. You can also get riddles, word games and hobby related questions in your interview. There is no exhaustive list of areas but you must prepare as much as you can.

Lastly, if you are unable to answer something, be honest and admit that you don’t know. There is no harm in admitting the truth because everyone favours an honest person. The esteemed panel is here to evaluate your personality and they are aware of the fact that you are young in age and experience. It is perfectly alright to forget or not know something but you must own up to it instead of beating around the bush.

Nervousness and anxiety can be controlled through meditation, repeated mocks and professional support but even then there is no one who does not feel a bit nervous or anxious during job interviews. I believe that it is perfectly fine.

How did you manage your physical and mental health throughout the preparation? Did you face any hurdles in your journey?

Suryasikha: I faced physical and mental health setbacks during my preparation and exams. As I mentioned before, I had Hepatitis A at the very outset. During the intervening period between mains and interview, I lost my grandmother and thereafter, I personally suffered from hormonal imbalances and rapid weight gain due to increased psychological stress. I took adequate medical support and breaks from preparation from time to time. Moreover, there were procedural delays and certain incessant external influences that kept affecting me mentally.

Apart from seeking medical help, one must keep telling oneself that good things take time and effort. This journey teaches you the value of resilience and perseverance. This journey is yours; you are doing it for yourself, by yourself and with yourself. Whenever you feel like quitting, remember why you started. Take breaks and adequate rest, don’t forget your hobbies and keep repeating positive affirmations in your mind. If you have got optimistic people around you, count it as a blessing. You got this.

Who has been your biggest inspiration throughout your journey?

Suryasikha: It is difficult to name one person but I would give the highest amount of credit to my mother who is the unsung hero of the family. She has always shown confidence in me through the highs and lows and whenever I felt down, she said “you will pass the exam with a single digit rank” and I once again got back to work. My father has also been extremely supportive ever since I expressed my interest towards the field of law and justice. Even my grandparents were always hopeful about seeing me on a judge’s chair and although most of them have left us, their words will continue to motivate and inspire me for all the times ahead. My elder sister has always been a personal cheerleader through the crests and troughs and this time, she was joined by my brother in law and baby nephew.

I am also grateful to my judicial service mentor for being optimistic throughout my preparation and long before I took the exams, she said that I would rank in top 5. Coming from the mentor herself, this is a major confidence boost for a candidate. She has played a pivotal role in shaping my journey thus far.

I also had several school teachers, law school academicians, sitting judicial officers, senior advocates, friends and acquaintances in my life who constantly said that I would make it when my own mind was filled with self doubt and insecurities.

This one is for all of them.

Were you confident about your success? How did you react to the news?

Suryasikha: No. I was not at all confident and I was mentally prepared to appear again in case I didn’t crack it this time. When the results came out, I refreshed the page around five times in order to ensure that I was not dreaming or hallucinating.

Please share some tips for our young minds who want to be a part of the judiciary.

Suryasikha: I have covered almost all the important areas. At the fag end, I would like to tell the aspirants that I am already proud of them because it takes a lot of courage and determination to even start preparing for judiciary. Do not panic because there is nothing to lose. You either become a judge or you use this knowledge in any other professional capacity. Do not get carried away by negative influences because only when you face problems, you can be sure that you are on the right path. Take care of your well being and say cancel, clear and delete whenever you find doubts creeping into your mind. I see you, I hear you and I am with you, should you choose to contact me for help. All the very best, warriors.

What qualities are required to become a judge?

Suryasikha: As the Bangalore Protocol says, the six core values that every judge must possess is independence, impartiality, integrity, propriety, equality and finally competence and diligence. As a would be judicial officer, these are the values that I shall strive to imbibe so that I can live upto the trust and faith that the people have on the judiciary.

Kindly tell us what it’s like to become a judge.

Suryasikha: I have not received my appointment yet. I am feeling extremely happy after my results and I am glad that I could make my family, my mentors/teachers, friends and all other well wishers proud. However, when the celebrations get over and I get appointed as well, I will try my best to stay grounded and learn as much as I can so that I can perform my duties properly once I get my posting. When I actually sit on the judge’s chair, I shall be able to share what it feels like.

Until then, take care and thank you very much for having me on board.

It was a pleasure having you, Suryasikha. Thank you so much for your valuable time. We wish you all the best in your future endeavors. We look forward to seeing your continued success.