Ludhiana, February 14
The 16th edition of the Dr D R Memorial British Parliamentary Debate concluded at PCTE Group of Institutes with spirited exchanges of ideas and an impressive display of debating skills by student teams from across the country.
Organised over two days on February 13 and 14, the inter-collegiate event saw participation from over 53 teams representing leading institutions including the Faculty of Law, University of Delhi; Dr Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University, Lucknow; ICFAI University, Jaipur; Darul Huda Islamic University, Kerala; NIT Jalandhar; NIT Kurukshetra; IIM Amritsar; IIM Rohtak; and Amity Institute of Law, Mohali, West Bengal among others.
The debating rounds featured discussions on contemporary international developments and public policy challenges, reflecting the participants’ depth of research and analytical acumen. After a series of preliminary rounds followed by knockout stages, the final round culminated in a closely contested encounter between teams from Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, Patiala and IIM Amritsar. The team from IIM Amritsar emerged as the winner of Season XVI, while Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, Patiala secured the first runner-up position. Darul Huda Islamic University, Kerala finished as the second runner-up.
The programme witnessed the presence of several eminent personalities, including Dr K. N. S. Kang, Director General, PCTE Group of Institutes; Harpreet Kaur Kang, Dean – International Affairs, PCTE Group of Institutes; and Sobhan Soi, CEO, Clay Pre-School and General Secretary, Ludhiana Management Association. Among the other dignitaries who attended the event were Anuja Kaushal, Principal, BCM Arya School, Shastri Nagar and Chair – Institutional Learning & Training, Ludhiana Management Association, along with Savneet Chawla, Managing Director, Millennium School and Joint Secretary – Program Learning, Ludhiana Management Association.
At the Prize Distribution Ceremony, the winners were awarded cash prizes. The first-place team received ₹1,00,000, the first runner-up team received ₹25,000, while the second runner-up team received ₹10,000. The quarter-finalist teams were awarded ₹3,000 each. The quarter-finalists included Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh; Sri Aurobindo College of Commerce & Management, Ludhiana; Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, New Delhi; National Institute of Technology Jalandhar; and Dr Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University, Lucknow. Certificates were presented to all participating debaters.
To offer a refreshing break from the intense intellectual engagement of the debate, the campus hosted a Comedy Night featuring popular stand-up comedian Aashish Solanki as part of the Outloud Series.
Speaking on the occasion, Harpreet Kaur Kang said that such debating platforms play a significant role in shaping leadership, diplomacy and critical thinking skills among students. She reaffirmed PCTE’s commitment to providing holistic learning experiences beyond the classroom. The Dr D R Singh Memorial Debate continues to be among the most anticipated inter-college debating competitions in the region, encouraging dialogue, reasoned argument and confident public speaking among the youth.
