PRESENT DAY ACADEMICS

The inaugural debate of the Debating Society of PSBB Nungambakkam was held on the 20^th of July 2010. The motion on the floor was “This house believes that present day academics is driving the students away from real learning”. The judges were Mrs. Vijaylakshmi Raman, HOD, Department of English, Mrs. Anita Nagaswami, PTA Member and Meenakshi Srinivasan of Std. XII

Purva, Malavika, Rishikesh and Lakshminarayanan from classes X and XI of the proposition faced off against Prajay, Harshini, Amritha and Ranjini of classes IX, X and XI from the opposition.

The proposition dealt with several important points like the different boards and syllabi and the pressure children faced owing to the above. They compared rote learning to real learning, and bald facts to innovation. They explained the pain of students to whom grades proved demoralizing and competition caused obsession. With the last speaker giving us an insight into the difference between memorizing textbooks and mastering a subject, the proposition rested their substantial case.

Competing with them neck to neck was the opposition, full of fact, example and analysis. With proof to the success of the Indian education system, research concerning its different changes and dilution, a testimony to its adaptation, and arguments showing why the yet imperfect system still had more pros than all the other existing ones, the opposition swept the judges off their feet.

Fierce and full of conviction, the rebuttal was the cherry on the absolutely delicious ice cream, this debate thus giving a perfect start to the debating activities of our school.

With the closing comments of the judges, the students dispersed, happy that they were able to witness a fitting start to the proceedings of the club.

Ranjini, Harshini and Amritha, all from the opposition were adjudged the best speakers, and the opposition was declared the winner. In a nutshell, the debate was lively, entertaining and of high standard.

Shruthi Anand

XI C