“The Fourth Estate has failed to Strengthen Democracy in India”.

The Seventh All India IISU English Debate was held on 29 January 2020. The topic of the debate was “The Fourth Estate has failed to Strengthen Democracy in India”. The total of twelve across the nation participated in the debate. The judging panel included Ms. Swati Vashistha, Journalist, Writer and a Photographer, Jaipur, Dr. Nikee Chaturvedi, Associate Professor, Department of History, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur and Ms. Vini Gogna, an Entrepreneur, Jaipur. The Chairperson at the Debate was Ms. Shubham Choudhary, IAS, Jaipur. At the outset, the Debate Co-ordinator Ms. Priyanka Ruth Prim formally welcomed all, thereafter the Debate was declared open by the Chairperson.

The participants for the motion and against presented their views in a quite impressive way. They put forward their views on the current role and condition of media in both positive and negative manner, stressing on how the same directly affect the society. All present agreed that freedom of speech is the foundation of free media in our country and that its exercise must help in the making of a healthy nation and not in spreading unrest amongst the masses, which can further hinder the growth of the country.

After the debate, the judges and Chairperson of the event addressed the gathering. They spoke on length on the relevance of the debate topic and also on the art of debating while emphasizing the skills required i.e. body language, voice modulation, intonation, content and research to be a good debater and an orator.

The results of the debate was announced by Dr. Vandana, the debate Nodal Officer. The winning participants and teams were felicitated by the panel of judges, Chairperson and Honb’le Vice Chancellor Dr. Ashok Gupta and Dr. Raakhi Gupta, Registrar IIS (deemed to be University), Jaipur.

The First position went to Tag no. F8 – Mr. Prashant Mishra, S.S. Jain Subodh PG College, Jaipur. The Second position was bagged by the two students, Tag no. A10 Ms. Aadya Sharma, IIS deemed to be University, Jaipur and F11- Mr. Sudeep Krishna, Jamia Milia Islamia, New Delhi. Tag A3- Ms. Nikita Singh, St. Xavier’s College, Jaipur was declared the Second Runner up. IIS (deemed to be University) was announced the Best Team, Jaipur but being the host team the trophy was presented to Jamia Milia Islamia, New Delhi.

Thereafter, the debate was declared closed by Dr. Raakhi Gupta, Registrar, IIS (deemed to be  University), Jaipur.