Debating Matters India is jointly organised by the British Council India and the Institute of Ideas. Now entering its fourth year we are delighted that the competition is running Regional Finals in eight cities: Delhi, Chandigarh, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Bangalore, Kolkata and Guwahati. The National Final will take place in Delhi 17-19 November.

India, with its strong tradition of debate and extensive schools debating scene, is a wonderful country to introduce the Debating Matters ethos and approach to. Pragati Mitta, a debater from Delhi Public School, Noida, which enters numerous debating competitions, told us that Debating Matters allowed her team to “experience a whole new dimension of debating” because “unlike other debate competitions” it “emphasised more on the research and preparation than the sound bites and semantics”.

The competition is supported by Shell Companies India and the Wellcome Trust. Find out more about the success of past years of the competition below and for full information about this year’s competition see the Debating Matters India micro site.

DM India National Final, Chennai 2010

The third year of Debating Matters India concluded with DAV Model School, Chandigarh crowned Debating Matters India 2010 Champions!  Eight schools from across India took part in the three day event at the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology Madras, 18-20 November. Over 300 schools entered the competition, with just 96 making it through to the autumn Regional Finals, and from those events the very best 8 schools secured a place at the Chennai event. Read the full story about the Indian National Final.

DAV Model School have also won their place at the Debating Matters International Final, competing against the the school that wins the 2010/11 UK competition in July, taking place at the Institute of Ideas Battle of Ideas festival, 29-30 October 2011. 

All of the debates held at IIT Madras in December are now available online, including the fascinating final on population growth in India. See the latest Debating Matters India 2010 video below to hear why students, teachers and judges had such a good time at the DM India National Final in Chennai last year.

2009/10 DM India National Final video

2008/09 DM India National Final video

FURTHER HELP

Visit the British Council’s Debating Matters India competition website.

If you’d like to see Debating Matters expand to more countries please contact the competition’s director, Tony Gilland.