Debating Matters India 2009
The Institute of Ideas, in collaboration with the British Council and their sponsors Pfizer, had organized Debating Matters India, the Indian chapter of the Debating Matters competition, which is already popular in the UK.
The competition had several levels and each level involved some extensive debating sessions. Our school performed exceptionally well as we went on to become the national runners up. The competition began with an Online Elimination Test (OET) with some 250 schools participating all over the country. We were shortlisted among the top 12 teams from the eastern region.
The 1st elimination took place in the Science City conference rooms on the 8th of November. We debated against Assam Valley School, on the topic – “Man and not machines should explore space”. We were against the motion. 6 teams from the 12, qualified for the 2nd elimination round and we were among them.
The 2nd elimination took place on the 10th of January in the ICCR Hall, Kolkata; here we were in a group competing against Modern High School for Girls and Ashok Hall School, on the topics “Nuclear Power is the best alternative to fossils fuels” and “The skills learnt from video games is equal to those learnt from books.” Having debated successfully, we convinced the judges about our stance and emerged as the winners from our group. We lost the regional finals to St.Xavier’s Collegiate School (the winners of the other group).
Nevertheless we went to Delhi on the 17th to 19th of January as the runners up from the eastern region. At Delhi, we attended various seminars and discussions on top issues like Euthanasia, Global Terrorism etc. Our quarter finals were against Lady Andal Subbbarao, a school from Chennai, against the motion of the house “Free Speech is NOT an Absolute Right” (the same topic on which we had lost in Kolkata). But better prepared, after our previous experience, we won the debate and proceeded to the semi-finals the next day. Our semi final was against Shri Shankara Vidyashram, another school from the southern region. It was a tough debate, where both the sides were well prepared and confident about their stance. We had to debate for the motion “Clinical Trials in India exploit the poor and the vulnerable.” Though we did not win the audience poll, the judges decided contrary to the prediction and we qualified for the 1st ever Debating Matters India finals against S M Choksey, Pune. The topic of the house was “India’s Future lies more with Asia than with the United States” and we had to speak for the motion. It was an edge of the seat debate that ended on a photo finish. The judges pointed out both our pros and cons and S M Choksey was adjudged the winners and we were awarded the National Runners Up trophy, along with each team member receiving a gift voucher of Rs.1500 of the Oxford Book Stores.
Debating Matters was a debate with a difference, where the judgment was not based on any criteria but on general impression. The stress was not on rhetoric but on how deeply we had delved into the topic. We are very thankful to the Institute Of Ideas and the British Council for being wonderful hosts for the entire event. The food and lodging facilities of the teams was really praiseworthy and they have lived upto their name.
We are very thankful to the authorities for giving us a chance to participate in this competition and are looking out for similar future events. It was a learning experience for both the participants and the audience. It taught us to agree to disagree, to debate not just for the competition Debating Matters but because of the fact that debating ‘matters’.
Debating Matters Team:
Teacher Coordinator: Ma'am Seema Shukla.
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