The finale of the annual Indian Debating League (IDL) now its 5th edition held last week at IIT Delhi after 10 days of state selections, 9 rounds of interstate matches, and two intensive out rounds across 116 cities witnessed the culmination of the debating tournament with the declaration of winners across senior, middle and junior categories.
The winners of IDL 5.0 are:
- Seniors Grades 9 to 12: Team Tamil Nadu comprising students from KC High, NASR
- Middle Grades 6 to 8: Team Haryana comprising students from HIXS, The Shriram School, Pathways School Gurgaon
- Junior Grades 3 to 5: Team Rajasthan comprising students from Jayshree Periwal International School
Best Speakers were awarded to:
- Seniors : Aarav Mehta (New Delhi) ITL Public School
- Middle : Sia Bagaria (Haryana) Heritage International Xperiential School
- Junior : Rayesha Maheshwari(Rajasthan) Jayshree Periwal International School
As one of India’s few structured, circuit-based debating ecosystems for school students, this edition identified finalists across all three categories- Seniors (Tamil Nadu vs Karnataka), Middle (Haryana vs Odisha), and Junior (Rajasthan vs Andhra Pradesh). With adjudication led by some of the finest judges from the college circuit – hailing from institutes like IIT Delhi, Ashoka University, St. Stephen’s College, and SRCC – as well as seasoned professionals from organizations such as Deloitte and PwC India, each with over five years of competitive experience, the IIT Delhi finale tested students on argumentation, evidence, and clarity under pressure. A 90-minute deliberation across the closing rounds determined the winners, who will now represent India at the upcoming global tournaments – Harvard National High School Invitational Forensics Tournament and Annual Stanford Invitational.
While this edition of IDL celebrated its most successful national season, the league’s ambition runs far deeper: to prepare Indian students for rigorous global debating forums, including pathways to platforms such as the Oxford Union debates in March. IDL has created a model that mirrors international debating standards- multi-city circuits, calibrated motions, expert adjudication, and structured skill-building. This ecosystem ensures students don’t just win domestic rounds; they develop the intellectual discipline needed to participate confidently on the world’s most prestigious debating stages.
Anjali Tiwary, Founder & CEO of the Indian Debating League, said: “IDL was built on a very simple belief- those Indian students, when trained in the right structure, can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the best minds globally. We see this every year, but especially in 5.0. Students from different states, languages, and backgrounds came together and debated with a maturity that reflects global standards. Our long-term vision is to ensure that more Indian students reach prestigious international forums, including pathways linked to the Oxford, Cambridge Union. The discipline they learn here- listening, thinking, constructing, rebuilding arguments- is what makes that possible. Debate, when given the right space, shapes future leaders.”
With IDL 5.0 successfully concluded, preparations are underway for the upcoming international tournaments in Cambridge & Oxford Union debates in March 2026, where selected students will represent India on global stages.
