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Indian Schools Debating Championship 2024
Note: This is separate and independent to the ISDS National Selections for the Indian Debating Squad 2024-25. If you are interested in the selection process, please visit Team India Selections.
Competition Format and Logistical Information
- Format:
Prelim Round – Modified WSDC format (6:00 minutes speeches; 3:00 minutes replies).
Knockout Round & Grand Final – WSDC format (8:00 minutes speeches; 4:00 minutes replies).
► Access our Tournament Guide here
. - Team Composition:
You can only register as a school team of 3-4 [1] from a school in India, comprising of 9-12th grade students.
Note:
[1] To encourage young debaters, ISDC permits teams to register an additional non-speaking member from 8th grade at no additional cost.- Non-speaking members may not deliver speeches during rounds but are allowed to participate with their team during preparation time
- Non-speaking members are not eligible for prizes
- Competition Venue and Dates:
Prelim Rounds – 6 preliminary rounds, held over Zoom on 16th and 17th November (Saturday – Sunday)Knockout Rounds – Octofinal, Quarterfinal, and Semifinal rounds, held over Zoom on 30th November (Saturday)
Grand Final – In-person Grand Final to take place in Chennai on 26th December 2024. Venue: Arsha Vidya Mandir
. - Schedule:
The full Schedule is yet to be confirmed.
► Schedule for ISDC 2024
. - Registration Fee:
Phase 1: Rs. 6000/team[2]
Deadline: Thursday, 31st October 2024Phase II: Rs. 6750/team[2]
Deadline: Sunday, 10th November 2024
. - Registration Deadline:
Phase I: Thursday, 31st October 2024
Phase II: Sunday, 10th November 2024
Note:
- During Phase I, we will allocate up to 2 slots per school for diversity of participation. Schools may write to us to indicate interest for additional slots at – ragini@indianschoolsdebatingsociety.com. The allocation of additional slots will be made during Phase II of registration. However, schools that have indicated interest for additional slots during Phase I will be prioritised and charged Phase I fees.
- [2] The registration fees for government schools and APS are waived. Schools/students requiring bursaries are requested to write to: ragini@indianschoolsdebatingsociety.com
- Teams comprising of first-time debaters and/or only year 9 debaters are eligible to win a ‘Novice Champion’ award, depending on the number of Novice teams participating.
Why should you participate?
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Winners get the opportunity to be crowned National Debate Champions |
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The finalists and top 3 speakers at ISDC will directly enter the last stage of selections (National Selection Camp in Chennai) for the Indian Squad for 2024. |
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Have the chance to be awarded the L.R.I.D.E award*, receiving a scholarship for the prestigious Lumiere Individual Research Programme Scholarship and be selected for National Selection Camp 2024. |
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The winning team receives Economist Subscription, Amazon Kindle e-readers, access to 10 ISDS Masterclasses and exciting merchandise |
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4x Live, exclusive, ISDS Masterclasses with the ISDC 2024 CA and DCA team • Information packs on prelims debate topics |
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Gain thoughtful feedback on improving in debate from the best Indian and international debaters, and Indian Debate squad alumni |
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The ability to compete with top debate schools pan-India |
*L.R.I.D.E. Award:
Lumiere Resilience in Debate and Education
The L.R.I.D.E. Award is a prestigious recognition presented at the Indian Schools Debating Championship (ISDC), organized by the Indian Schools Debating Society (ISDS). This award celebrates exceptional debate skills while highlighting the resilience and determination of students from challenging backgrounds.
At ISDS, equity and inclusion are at the core of what we do, and we believe that every student, regardless of their background, deserves the opportunity to shine. By providing this award, we hope to inspire participants to embrace their challenges and transform them into strengths.
To be eligible for the L.R.I.D.E award, participants must meet the following criteria:
- Every participant attending a school with annual fees of less than Rs. 1,00,000/- is automatically eligible.
. - For participants who do not meet the fee criteria, eligibility requires participants to:
- Demonstrate exceptional skills in debate, showcasing clarity, argumentation, and engagement with topics
- Come from backgrounds marked by significant socioeconomic or domestic challenges, such as limited access to quality education, financial hardship, or lack of resources and support for debating opportunities.
Students can be nominated for the award in three ways:
- Automatic eligibility for those attending eligible schools
- Coaches and teachers are encouraged to nominate students who exemplify resilience and potential in the realm of debate by filling out our nomination form which we will circulate
- Students may also apply directly for the award by completing our application form which we will circulate
The recipient of the L.R.I.D.E. Award will receive:
- Recognition during the championship ceremony, highlighting their achievements in front of peers, mentors, and sponsors
. - Direct entry to National Selection Camp 2024
. - Access to Lumiere Education’s Individual Research Programme
Nominations for the L.R.I.D.E. Award will be accepted throughout the duration of the Indian Schools Debating Championship up until the knockout stages. The winner will be announced at the end of the event, with the recipient recognized during the awards ceremony on finals day.
ISDC FAQs
No. The Indian Schools Debating Championships is separate to the ISDS National Selections for the Indian Debating Squad 2024-25. While top eligible speakers are automatically considered for selections, the goal of this event is to crown the Indian Champions. Moreover, grade 12 students can participate here, but are ineligible for National Selections.
ISDC is primarily an interschool debate competition. You will therefore need to register with a team from your school. Individual participants and cross teams are not allowed.
We are currently accepting only two registrations per school as we want a diverse set of participating schools. However, after our Phase I registration deadline, we may open up registrations for existing participating schools. Schools may write to us to indicate interest for more slots at ragini@indianschoolsdebatingsociety.com. Schools which let us know interest in additional slots before 31st October will be prioritised for the additional slots and charged Phase I fees.
You can register your team by filling out our registration form. We need one adult representative’s information in order to participate, as they will be our primary contact. We would prefer that this be your teacher (for any school related clarifications). As an alternative, you can provide parent contact details.
The Registration fees during Phase I is Rs. 6000/- team. Deadline for Phase I is Thursday, 31st October 2024, 11:59 p.m.
The Registration fees during Phase II is Rs. 6750/-team. Deadline for Phase II is Sunday, 10th November 2024, 11:59 p.m.
Note:
* Schools/students requiring bursaries are requested to write to: ragini@indianschoolsdebatingsociety.com
ISDC 2024 will follow a modified WSDC Format. Constructive speeches will be 6:00 minutes long, and Reply speeches 3:00 minutes long. A team can only comprise of only 3 speaking members and one additional non speaking member. You can access the tournament format guide here.
- Registration Deadline:
Phase I: Thursday, 31st October 2024 and Phase II: Sunday, 10th November 2024 - Preliminary Rounds:
Saturday and Sunday, 16th and 17th November, 2024 - Knockout Rounds:
Saturday, 30th November, 2024 - Grand Final:
Thursday, 26th December, 2024
Preliminary and Knockout rounds will happen online over Zoom, and our Grand final round will be held in-person in Chennai (Venue: Arsha Vidya Mandir).
Registrations Closed