INTERVIEW WITH SHOBHA BHATI (10TH RANKER AT UPJS)
BY: MANSI AGARWAL
At first look, she seems a typical girl next door, but once the discussion starts, her academic brilliance becomes evident. Shobha Bhati completed her B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) from Teerthanker Mahaveer University, Uttar Pradesh before she plunged into preparing for the Judicial Service exams. Having scored 10th Rank in the UP Judicial Services 2016 in her first attempt, she is amongst the youngest to be appointed as a Judicial Magistrate in Uttar Pradesh.Shobha, a native of Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh and presently residing in Greater Noida, says that for as long as her memory could stretch she wanted to serve people. She goes on to say, “true happiness springs only when we indulge ourselves wholly in noble causes. So, if we really wish to experience what happiness feels like, we must make it a point to serve society, to serve humanity.”
Further on, Shobha shares the pleasures and pains of preparing for the services. She says, “During my college days, I developed a keen interest in law, hence, it was never too cumbersome for me to sit and study for long hours for the exams. Plus, my family offered me unhinged support and motivation without putting any undue pressure on me, which became my driving force.” She takes a pause and adds, “However, I would be lying if I said that I never delved into self-doubt, I did. Also, for a while I disconnected myself from social networking sites, and messenger apps.
On being asked to share the ineffable moment, when she first received the news of her selection, she heaves a sign of contentment and states that the moment was magical and inexplicable. “It was a moment of pride, pleasant surprise, accomplishment, joy and off course satisfaction.” she says.
Turning her attention towards the developmental decays prevalent in our nation, Shobha points out that our society needs an attitude adjustment towards social issues. Our focus is mostly pointed towards the problem, not the solution. Problems such as corruption, illiteracy, judicial delays or safety for all, can be resolved if we all work collectively as one nation to find solutions. On being asked to list one social issue which is closest to her heart, she answers confidently, “every social problem is inter-connected with the other, for instance, ineffective implementation of laws leads to corruption. It’s like a web.
As she answered all question with exact precision, I had know her opinion on capital punishment. Without a second thought Shobha puts forth, “Absolute ban on capital punishment is a big “no” from my side as every crime can’t be forgiven and every criminal can’t be reformed.”
Her tips to civil service aspirants are simple and encouraging, “During preparation remain true to yourself and give your 100%. Don’t do it just for the sake of doing it. Stay away from negative people, negative thoughts and be self-motivated. Keep the thirst of knowledge alive always. Best wishes.”
On a positive note Shobha concludes, “Never stop dreaming and never stop believing, dreams do come true. Be a dreamer- be a believer- be a winner.”
About the Interviewer:
Mansi Agarwal is a lawyer, presently pursuing LLM from AIALS (Amity University) with specialisation in Family Laws. Her interest is tilted towards expounding the humanitarian rationale behind all laws. She can be contacted at mansi734@gmail.com.
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