6th Dr. Rajaram Jaipuria Memorial Inter-School Debate
The 6th Dr. Rajaram Jaipuria Memorial Debate Competition, held on August 23rd, 2023, brought together a diverse group of talented young debaters from various schools in the region. The chief guests and judging panel for day 1 comprised Ms. Sonia Wadhwa, Ms. Uzma Sheikh and Mr. Viveik Pandit. The motion for the first day was ‘Schools should use ChatGPT as a teaching-learning aid and not ban it.’ 14 teams vied for the final spots to compete for the winning title. The participants exhibited a remarkable level of enthusiasm and commitment, which added to the overall success of the event. The judges evaluated the debaters based on their clarity of thought, persuasive arguments, and ability to rebut opposing points. A panel of experienced judges, evaluated the participants based on established criteria, including content, delivery, rebuttals, and teamwork. The house stood split in their opinions with regard to the day’s motion. The arguments in favor of an AI platform like chatGPT were as convincing as those that stood against it. The culmination of the debate competition, hosted by Seth AnandramJaipuria School, Lucknow was held on August 24, 2023. The Chief Guests for day 2, Ms. Uzma Sheikh and Ms. Ambalika Bhat, comprised the jury for the debate. The motion for the second day was ‘Too much importance on standardized tests like CUET for college admissions is an undesirable move’. The schools demonstrated their exceptional oratory skills, articulation, and knowledge on the motion of the day. The participants debated passionately and eloquently, impressing the distinguished panel of judges and the enthusiastic audience. The house was tilted towards the view that standardized tests like the CUET could lead to more reasons for spikes in mental health issues, making the house stand against the emphasis on CUET than in favor of it. The Vice Principal, Mr. Pankaj Rathore, in his address, even stated how standardized tests leave no scope for personalized expressions and a lack of recognition of varied talents. In the end, City Montessori School, Gomti Nagar -1, emerged victorious, showcasing their outstanding rhetorical skills and comprehensive arguments. Utkarsh Singh, CMS, Gomti Nagar – 1 won the title of Best Speaker (for the motion) and Aditi Srivastava bagged the title of Best Speaker (against the motion). We extend our heartfelt congratulations and commend all participating schools for their exceptional performances. The event closed with a splendid finale dance performance which left the audience with nothing but spellbinding memories.
