Good day, Shreyansh Jain. I'm Arjun. I've had a look through your background and your professional record. I'm interested in hearing more about your work and how you see yourself fitting in here with our faculty. Ready to start?

Please start. We should start.

OK.

Please start by introducing your professional journey in academia.

So I'm sure I understand. I started my graduation in 2014 from Bhopal. I'm from Bhopal. So I started my initial journey in college, my bachelors from Bhopal and completed in 2017. Uh, after that I joined one of the most prestigious university in India, Banas in the university for masters and completed it in 2019. After that, I cleared my I cleared JRF with a 99.89 percentile in 2020.

Take

And subsequently I joined IIT Roorkee for PhD.

I have completed my PhD last year in August. My PhD research work, particularly the title of my thesis, was Identity Formation and Resistance, a study of buildings from a Trope.

In the slack science fiction and my thesis in my research work, I was focusing on the intersection of two genres, building stoma and science fiction to be specific, dystopian narratives was exploring how the genre of buildings Roma has changed its structure in science fiction or in narratives, how it has brought how its development or its exposition in science fiction has brought different kinds of.

Yes, and has emerged or has given it a new propensity, a new kind of energy to address social issues in today's time, contemporary issues in today's time. So that was what PhD work in which. So till now I have published, I have started publication out of them for Scoopers Index 3 adverse science index. Apart from that during my PhD I have also.

UH found myself interesting in environment narratives and uh, environmental concerns, especially in Indian subcontinent. And that's why I've been developing a proposal for a possible project in the future, our kind of funded project, where I would be seeking funding right now. Right after my PhD, I started working at Christ University Delhi NCR campus, where I'm currently working, UH, for last five months.

And so yeah, that's all for my introduction.

Thank you, Professor. Thanks for sharing your journey. Let's proceed.

Professor Jain, let us start by verifying your skills against the requirements for the role of English Professor. I’ll begin with Digital Humanities. Could you explain your understanding of Digital Humanities and any experience you have applying it in an academic or research context?

No, I have not. I have not applied particularly.

In digital humanities, uh, in any manner, I do not have, I do not have any expertise in that area. So for that I would actually not be able to respond properly to their question.

Thank you for your honesty, Professor Jain. Moving forward, let us evaluate your familiarity with Commonwealth Literature. How would you define its significance in the study of English Literature, and could you share any relevant teaching or research experience you have in this domain?

OK, so common literature to my understanding, particularly refers to English language writing from former British colony India being 1I is also a former British colonies. That's why whatever is introduced in particularly English language is a kind of takes, uh, in English. But in English, English language particularly carries this kind of uh, significant or this certain kind of colonial postcolonial neocolonial aspects. So in countries like India.

Canada, Australia, parts of Africa and Caribbeans also which all of these are characterized by colonial experiences, themes of displacement, identity, migration, cultural hybridity and these countries. The literature of these countries, especially in English uses but not only English, but also how English itself has been transferred or it has been transforming the country so it is closely linked to.

So post colonial literature particularly is I think is a very significant aspect of Commonwealth literature. Now in my experience, I have not exactly worked on Commonwealth literature. I have worked on certain aspects of post coloniality particularly because my research works have focused on writers like Manjula Padmanabhan. Priya Karukai Chhabria and SB Divya so Priya Saraki Chavariya's work clone particularly deals rather.

Post a kind of posthumanist idea, but what we see in that how humanity as a whole has colonized or has are controlling the post humans post human clone in a way we can remotely relate to because it is also a kind of post colonial novel.

Return, of course, 50 or 60 years after colonial rule. So it is showing how we can actually comprise or understand that in the same manner how the humanity as a whole is controlling the clone population in the novel, how British actually control us, giving us a less significant or making us or proving us less significant than them. And trying to what they tried, actually they tried to.

So those kind of aspects are focused. Apart from that I have studied at length. I have not researched particularly in post colonial area. I have studied at length in post colonialism and Commonwealth literature but my research has been limited to a review.

Uh, educate us. They tried to civilize us.

A review article that I had published for a book on a book in 2024, which was particularly related to science fiction and postcoloniality.

In India. And that's what my exposition to poor Commonwealth literature has been till date. Thank you.

Understood, Professor Jain. You’ve articulated a thoughtful perspective on Commonwealth Literature and its intersections with postcolonial studies, particularly through your analysis of works like "Clone" and your 2024 review article. While your research background isn't deeply rooted in Commonwealth Literature itself, your insights demonstrate a nuanced grasp of the connections between postcoloniality and broader literary themes. Next, let us assess your expertise in English Language Teaching (ELT). Could you elaborate on your approach to structuring an English language curriculum and share any prior teaching experiences specifically related to ELT?

OK, uh, ENT English language teaching, particularly in what methods of teaching English to non-native speakers Now, uh, particularly I have not focused on teaching English as a language, but rather, uh, have we teaching the use of English in different domains of our lives, such as I would say in uh, business.

Studies. How so? I have been taking course on Business communication in my present institution. Professional communication software skills. I was a teaching assistant during my PhD at IT Rookie where I used to teach students soft skills. So all these things especially dealt with English.

The soft skills and the requirement of English in different kind of domains but.

The English language teaching per state were teaching English to the second students. While I myself, uh, if to clarify further, I myself, I'm from uh, my initial education was from a Hindi school and I myself faced certain kind of problems during that time and learned English.

Let's say during my, uh, primary and secondary education, primary and uh, yeah, secondary education. So by the time I got into English literature, I was really, let's say, fluent. And I also really, really not. So as the person I myself have been through that kind of journey. So from that perspective, I can understand how non-native speakers, what kind of problems do they face and how can I make them?

Uh, learn if I'm given particular aspect or a particular aspect of teaching English language to a second, uh, language or to a non-native speakers. So while I do not have a direct teaching experience or research experience in the area research experience. So I don't have at all, but I, while I do not have direct teaching experience, I can provide insights and I can, uh, bring a person belonging to this field, uh, that is closely knitted to English language teaching.

So not directly since I'm taking English as a always to this to taking classes for the students who already have a certain initial or rudimentary knowledge of English. But still I can assure you and I am confident that I can take if required, classes on English language teaching also.

Thank you, Professor Jain, for sharing your background. While your experience leans more towards teaching English in applied contexts like business and professional communication, your personal journey with English as a second language offers valuable perspective. I also appreciate your confidence in adapting to ELT responsibilities if required. Let us now evaluate your ability to teach both theoretical and laboratory courses. Could you share an example of how you have effectively structured or delivered a theoretical concept and, if applicable, how you created a practical or applied component to complement it?

OK.

I would say.

Take

For theoretical part.

Uh, I'd give you, I would explain it through an example. OK, So, uh, at my current institution, I'm teaching to business students. So there was this particular concept, uh, everywhere. You also might be aware of Aristotle's, uh, rhetoric. So Aristotle introduces rhetorics and it's particularly three elements, ethos, pathos and logos. So while I was teaching, I introduced.

Students to the elements ethos, which particularly includes the credibility of a speaker or credibility of an advertisement in business context as well as in the context of literature speech speeches literature and other contexts also. So when we focus on it, so we understand that ethos is I explain what is ethos it's ethical, the ethical significance and also the credible aspects and this of the speaker from both perspectives from the perspective of a speech.

Which is of course theoretical and the perform the perspective of an advertisement or it's used in business background for business background students in order to make advertisement in order to analyze let's say a PR release.

Any kind of conference and how CEOs and different kinds of people are reacting to a particular situation, What could be their agenda and what credibility do they own? Why are they speaking when there is something like that?

Then I explained them the pathos, how it is used in speeches and how it is used in advertisement and 3rd also logos which is basically logic.

Uh, so, uh, after explaining all these aspects for let's say for half an hour or four, I took a bun one class with giving multiple examples of species analyzing, uh, a specific aspect of his speeches, such as Wangari Maathai's uh, uh, novel laureate speech, whether or you could also, uh, say.

The speech by Indira Gandhi that she gave in 1980. So different kinds of speeches and also recent speeches by Prime Minister Narendra Modi maybe last year on 15th August. So analyzing certain aspects of those speeches I explained them and also in advertisement such as Nikes, the tagline just do it and how it uses different kind of advertisement can use different aspects of ethos, pathos, logos. So after explaining it in advertisement and speeches, I gave them a task.

Uh, I introduced them to certain photos or certain advertisement and told them, gave them an assignment where they would prepare the explanation and the use of ethos pathos logos in those advertisements and will present it into the classroom that people can question them so they can other type of activities. I also told them, I told them to create a PR release or, or a crisis communication. Release.

And use using these aspects where they can convince their audience. The whole aspects of rhetorics was to convince your audience in convince your audience toward your goal. Whether if it's an advertisement, you want people to use a product more and more. If it's a PR release, that means you want it to be effective. If it's a crisis communication, post crisis communication or post crisis, it's a post crisis communication, then you need to convince people that.

What kind of words, what kind of language to be used? So those kind of aspects this gives this gave student because I asked them to present these things in the classroom as an activity, which was again I gave it as a continuous assessment assignment. So they took it very seriously and this resulted. So in this way I dealt with the theoretical aspect and also it's applied use in real life there when they would become leaders after someday or someday. So they will use those kind of aspects.

You're trying to make the issue better, You're trying to address the issue, and you also show general sympathy.

I would answer to this by saying that I have joined this my current institution recently. It's only been five months and this is my first job. I've been trying to get students to come to me. I've also been talking to other faculties if the senior faculties who were teaching senior bachelors, those students who are capable of writing or capable of producing certain kind of materials in research. While I'm very much interested, I'm also currently conducting. Some kind of research on myself I'm trying to publish.

Thank you, Professor Jain, for detailing your instructional strategy. The integration of Aristotle’s rhetorical principles into both theoretical exploration and practical application, especially through speech analysis and advertising exercises, exemplifies an effective pedagogy that bridges academic concepts with real-world applications. It also reflects your commitment to fostering communication skills while ensuring active student engagement. Let us now turn to another requirement: guiding student projects and research. Could you describe an instance where you successfully supervised a student project or mentored research, highlighting your approach to fostering independent inquiry?

I'm writing a paper to be published, published. I also want students or guide students in order to do the same. For example, one of the teacher was the faculties from my current institution asked me, Sir, there are students who wants to write book, uh, movie reviews. So I asked him, please, Sir, please send them to me. Uh, I'm very much interested. The students never came to me. The problem is otherwise I'm very much interested in it. And uh, I would definitely. Very open to guiding because.

One of the most important reasons why I want to work at VIP, I want to go to VIT is because this opportunity of research which is Hanford at my current current institution where I where I would get a student. I would encourage students and students also would show some interest in research and I am very, very dedicated to guide.

Thank you, Professor Jain, for your candid response. While direct experience in guiding student research may be limited due to your current institutional setting and tenure, your proactive efforts to engage students and your enthusiasm for fostering research demonstrate a foundational commitment to academic mentorship. Next, I would like to assess your communication and structured teaching approach. How do you ensure clarity and engagement in your teaching methodology, particularly when dealing with complex theories or abstract concepts?

OK.

Though, uh, itos patos logo is uh, kind of not that kind of complex, uh, idea, but.

Like I told you.

When I was trying to teaching, uh, I was trying to teach a particular idea. For example, I am also taking some literature classes. Now in literature classes, there are automatically complex poems, theories. So I was teaching a poem particularly to students. That is a class of 80, a very large class, class of 80 students.

And it's a complex poem. The poem is My Last Touches by Robert Browning, published in 1842.

And, uh, I'm taking this example because it's a little bit complex. So firstly I went through the, the whole poem and explained line by line. Uh, what does it mean? What does the poem is trying to say? And I also introduced them to students to the idea of dramatic monologue, which is the central aspect of a poem and.

And how dramatic monologue has a single speaker? It's a monologue. So there's a single speaker who is trying to say who's, who's talking to another, uh, someone present some kind of audience, but they never respond the audience. We only get the responses of the audience from what the speaker is saying from the monologue itself. And it is written in such a manner by Browning or it is the dramatic monologue is written in such a manner where without intention, the speaker.

Has shown his own personality.

In his own speech, which he was not intending to do, but that's what the reader might under or the reader can understand the personality of the, uh, Duke himself. Now, after I was done with that, firstly, this was the complex idea that how the words of a person.

How the words of a person, especially like Duke or how the poem has been written through a via single speaker and the poem has been written in the form of a dramatic manner where the single speaker is speaking, but by the manner of his speaking, you realize what he's doing throughout the poem. You realize you know a lot about the personality of the same person and this particular aspect I explained to a student, but it was still. Since it's a class of 70, they might not be able to get get.

That how could this be possible? That's why I conducted a kind of classroom session in order to make the activity or the teaching fun. Also in order to make them understand the poem on a deeper level. Also where I conducted a kind of courtroom trial where one group of people.

Would defend the Duke that if the Duke intended to kill his wife or did he actually kill his Duchess, then another group would defend the Duchess that he actually killed her. And it is very much mentioned and it was Duke's fault. And the third group would actually become the judge and the rest of the third group, so three groups and rest of the students would actually observe and give their observation. So this kind of activity which went for one hour when it was conducted and this kind of activity provided A deeper sense.

Understanding two students with and it also became a fun, uh, for them. And they requested me specifically to conduct such kind of activities again. So this fulfills both the roles where students find students, uh, where I teach them theoretical sections, complex theoretical sections try to explain them. And at the same time, I'm also making them learn through activity. If they have not learned, they have not understood the complex. Uh, theoretical approaches. They will definitely understand if they are participatory enough they when they when.

Well, they'll definitely understand through these kind of activities.

Thank you, Professor Jain, for detailing your approach. Your example of teaching "My Last Duchess" highlights a commendable balance between structured theoretical explanation and innovative engagement mechanisms, such as the courtroom activity. This approach not only aids in conceptual clarity but also fosters critical thinking and active participation, which are vital in higher education pedagogy. Let us now discuss the final two areas: research publications and experience in industry projects or consultancy. First, could you summarize your research contributions, particularly focusing on your publications in reputed journals?

OK so in total I have 7 publications.

Order them to. So out of them, four are Scopus index publication is journals, one of them is Q1 and one is then it's published in Q1 Index Scopus journal. The name of the journal is Quarterly review of.

Film and video, the other three papers are published in Q3 Scopus index journals that are Scopus index and apart from that I have three Web of Science index.

Publication. Out of them, two are book review publications and one is the paper publication.

In a journal, Literature in Aesthetics, which is of course I have already mentioned Web science in this. So in total I have had 7 publications. Apart from that, one of my publication is under review. I'm waiting for its first round of review, which might be, which I hopefully wish would be a positive response and it might get published in next three or four months. So I will have.

Right now I have 72.

Thank

OK, no, no I do. I have not had any industry experience since I have already mentioned I've recently joined and I have not been exposed to any kind of industry experiences till date.

Thank you, Professor Jain. Your publication record, including contributions to Scopus and Web of Science indexed journals, notably one in a Q1 journal, highlights a strong foundation in academic research. It reflects dedication to scholarly discourse across varied levels of critical inquiry. Finally, could you share any experience or involvement you’ve had with industry projects or consultancy, if applicable?

Understood, Professor Jain. Thank you for clarifying. While industry experience may not yet be a part of your academic journey, your existing strengths in research and teaching display a clear focus on academic advancement. With this, we have covered all the required areas. Allow me a moment to finalize the skills evaluation.

Yes, please.

I see that you have published articles in notable journals and have expertise in areas such as Speculative Fiction and Dystopian Narratives. Let us discuss your research and its application in teaching. Could you provide an overview of one of your published papers, particularly focusing on how the topic connects to the themes you plan to incorporate in your classroom teaching?

OK.

Through my publication.

Dystopian buildings from a study of the whole title was Dystopian Building Summa.

My first paper was published.

A study of.

A study of identity formation. Hello yes, a study of identity formation Strobe in the Priya Saruka Chavadiya's clone. So in the paper I was focusing on how because my whole focus on building strama, which refers to the adolescent identity formation where the whole novel or a novel would be. The story of a novel would be centered around the development of a protagonist from his innocent childhood stage to an adultery stage.

The middle, the median time would be a little synthesis which represents it now. So my research particularly focus in how they are developing and with this kind of development, how they are resist in order to form their identity or reach their adulthood. They have to raise this because it's a dystopian society, dystopian narrative. They have to resist certain societal norms, certain norms that are kind of hindrance to their own identity and this particular focus.

Thank you, Professor

I have introduced the two students also because the student at at the level I, uh, OK, when I deal with the students at this level, they are also at their adolescent stage. And in a way, they are also in the process of making their identity. So when I deal with them, I introduce you to the idea that how they need to leave or they need to question their childhood ideologies because it is at the adolescent stage where.

Or when students are exposed to different kind of ideological values rather than only to their childhood values, and they begin to question those ideologies. And so that's what I introduced to them, that you should question your childhood ideologies when you are exposed. Maybe because there are things that their parents have taught them, the past experiences have taught them, but now they are at this stage where they need to be exposed to different kind of ideologies and decide for themselves what do they want to become, what kind of moral.

The students tend to question. Students should question. Everybody should question uh.

Could stick to the ideas and ideologies and the kind of values their parents have taught them, the early stages of development have taught them or do they also want to include some other aspects? Do they want to go with the kind of attitude, with the kind of religion, with the kind of profession they believe they want or because since now they have rather larger they are exposed to the larger amount of information they have experienced multiple things by coming here so now so, so that's what my whole idea was about I also.

Uh, direction They want. Do they still want?

Zaric Erickson's psychosocial approach, developmental approach, this also talks about identity crisis and how students at this stage of identity crisis and how should they resolve. So this particular aspect of identity crisis is I've used throughout my thesis where the characters in the novel, protagonists in different novels are also facing identity crisis where they are questioning their past ideologies while when they are exposed to the reality of things.

Why are there little sensitive states? And when they create their identity, they negotiate. So this kind of negotiation students also do, and students also should do in order to form their own personal identity, rather remaining adherent to their past ideological beliefs, what they have been taught, what they have been brought up as an ideological value system of society. So in this way they can question societal malpractices, the practices that are not. Equitable.

Or equitable to everyone so they can question those values and in this way they can create their own personal identity in a very conscious manner. Rather than going what we say in general terms, going with the flow, whatever the society is doing, we will do. So you question things and then do decide for yourself. You, you, you question things. You are skeptic and then you decide after a certain time, OK, I want to be this. And that is what actually maturity shows. Or when you reach.

Which represents adulthood.

OK.

Please proceed, Professor.

So my I while the ideas are complex, I'm not questioning them because the this particular aspect I taught in detail in psychology class where they are already exposed to a certain extent to Eric Erickson psychosocial theory, not all theory, but at least the concept of identity formation and how he treated is or introduced the concept, the concept of identity crisis as a as a positive concept, which is a very.

Why you think during adolescent stage? And when I tell them I attach it to their own belief system, attach it to their own experiences, even if it is a complex, if we get into the theoretical aspect of Eric Erickson's theory.

To understand it, taking the examples of their own lives is altogether another matter, so I will give you an example for that that.

I asked them that what kind of values their parents have. So where this is where the whole discussion might take place in this way. So they would say their parents believe this their parents for for example, to girl child, they might say remain in the house, do not go outside at night. Uh, uh.