Inter-School Debate Competition, Darjeeling

Inter-School Debate Competition

The School of Law, CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Pune Lavasa Campus, in collaboration with Mount Hermon School, Darjeeling, successfully organised an Inter-School Debate Competition that brought together talented school students in an intellectually stimulating environment. The competition provided a valuable platform for young learners to articulate their ideas, engage with diverse perspectives and develop essential skills in critical thinking, communication and persuasive argumentation. The event was conceptualised with the objective of encouraging students to move beyond conventional classroom learning and participate in meaningful academic discourse. Debate, as an experiential learning activity, enables students to analyse issues from multiple perspectives, construct reasoned arguments, respond to opposing viewpoints and communicate their thoughts with confidence. The competition therefore contributed significantly to the holistic development of participating students and complemented the University's commitment to fostering critical inquiry and active learning. The

participating schools demonstrated considerable enthusiasm and intellectual engagement throughout the competition. Students displayed confidence, clarity of thought, logical reasoning, effective communication and the ability to present arguments in a structured and persuasive manner. The debate also encouraged participants to appreciate opposing viewpoints and engage in constructive disagreement, thereby strengthening their ability to approach complex issues with openness and analytical thinking. The competition concluded with an impressive display of talent. St. Joseph's School, North Point emerged as the Winner – For the Motion as well as the Winner – Against the Motion. Sunrise School secured the Runner-Up – For the Motion, while Loreto Convent was declared the Runner-Up – Against the Motion. The achievements of the participating teams reflected their preparation, teamwork, confidence and commitment to excellence. The successful conduct of the event was made possible through the collaborative efforts of the faculty members, school representatives, student coordinators and institutional leadership. The organising team included Lijo Thomas, Director

& Dean; P.P. Dey, Principal, Mount Hermon School, Darjeeling; Justin P. Varghese, Academic Coordinator; Peter Muttungal, Student Affairs Coordinator; Dr. Sivananda Kumar K., Head of Department, School of Law; Dr. Sarbani Deb, Assistant Professor; Sheheen Marakkar, Assistant Professor; Sushma Gurung and Namrata Tiwari, Assistant Teachers, Mount Hermon School; and student representatives Keya Purohit and Parvathi S. Jayan. Their collective planning, coordination and dedication contributed to the smooth execution of the programme. The competition was further enriched by the presence of an esteemed panel of judges comprising Dr. Sarbani Deb, Prof. Sheheen Marakkar and Prof. Rippandi Lepcha, whose expertise and thoughtful evaluation provided valuable academic guidance to the participants. Special appreciation is also extended to Arun R. J., PhD, for his support and contribution from the Kengeri Campus. From an IQAC perspective, the Inter-School Debate Competition represents an effective student-centric and experiential learning initiative that promotes communication skills, critical thinking, collaborative learning and confidence-building. It also strengthened institutional and school-level collaboration while creating opportunities for students to engage with peers beyond their immediate academic environment. The event stands as a meaningful example of how co-curricular and academic initiatives can contribute to holistic education, active participation and the development of future-ready learners. The School of Law, CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Pune Lavasa Campus, looks forward to continuing such initiatives that encourage young minds to question, reason, communicate and engage constructively with the world around them.