Happenings
The event was conducted as an individual-based competition and was open to students of Symbiosis Law School, Nagpur, including students from various BBA LL.B., BA LL.B. and LL.M. batches. A total of 34 participants registered for the event, out of which 13 participants attended and appeared for the first round of the competition.
The first round consisted of a legal quiz conducted through the Kahoot platform. The quiz served as an elimination round and focused on the legal and human-rights dimensions of children's rights in the digital age. The questions covered areas including constitutional protection of children's rights, the right to privacy, informational privacy, data protection, child protection laws, digital platforms, relevant case laws, international child-rights frameworks, and contemporary legal developments concerning children and social media.
Following the quiz, 10 participants qualified for the debate round. The debate was conducted on the theme: “Child Rights in the Digital Age: Should the State Regulate Children’s Access to Social Media?” The qualifying participants were required to present their arguments while engaging with competing considerations such as child protection and autonomy, privacy and online safety, access to information and regulation, technological freedom and State responsibility.
The debate round was judged by Prof. Aashish Gaur, Assistant Professor, Symbiosis Law School, Nagpur. His evaluation of the participants provided an academic and legal perspective to the debate, with participants demonstrating their ability to construct arguments, respond to opposing viewpoints, and critically engage with the legal and human-rights dimensions of the issue.
The event witnessed enthusiastic participation and meaningful engagement from the students. The combination of a knowledge-based quiz and an argumentative debate enabled participants to move beyond theoretical understanding and apply legal principles to a contemporary human rights issue. The event also provided students with an opportunity to develop their legal reasoning, public speaking, advocacy, and critical analysis skills, in line with the objectives of the Human Rights Cell.
The results of the debate round were announced on the same day. Reshma S. a 1 st year student was adjudged the Winner, while Shakshi Priyadarshini, a 4 th Year student was declared the Runner-up. The winners were awarded trophies and certificates of merit on the same day by Dr. Deepti Khubalkar, Deputy Director, Symbiosis Law School, Nagpur. All participants were also awarded e-certificates of participation in recognition of their involvement in the event.
The event was successfully coordinated by the student members of the Human Rights Cell, who undertook various responsibilities including participant coordination, timekeeping, scorekeeping, technical assistance, and other logistical arrangements. The coordinated efforts of the Cell members contributed significantly to the smooth and successful execution of both rounds of the competition. The event's proposed management structure included dedicated responsibilities for quiz administration, debate coordination, scorekeeping, timekeeping, and technical assistance.
The Human Rights Cell expresses its sincere gratitude to Prof. Aashish Gaur, Assistant Professor, SLS Nagpur, for serving as the Judge for the debate round and for contributing his valuable expertise to the event.
The Cell also expresses its heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Sukhvinder Singh Dari, Director, Symbiosis Law School, Nagpur, and Dr. Deepti Khubalkar, Deputy Director, Symbiosis Law School, Nagpur, for their continued guidance and encouragement. Special thanks are extended to Ms. Tanya Joshi, Faculty In-Charge, Human Rights Cell, for her constant support and mentorship.
Through its innovative combination of a legal quiz and debate, “Rights and Rhetoric” successfully provided students with a platform to engage with an emerging human- rights issue while developing their legal knowledge, critical thinking, and advocacy skills. The event reaffirmed the Human Rights Cell's commitment to promoting awareness of human rights and constitutional values through meaningful and student-driven academic engagement.
