India abolished the jury system after the infamous K. M. Nanavati case (1959), where a naval officer was tried for killing his wife's lover. The jury initially acquitted him, but the verdict was overturned by the Bombay High Court, citing media influence and public sentiment swaying the jury's decision. This led to India formally phasing out juries with the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) reforms in 1973. Since then, India has relied solely on bench trials, where judges deliver verdicts based on law and evidence.

World A: Nuremberg Trials 

The Nuremberg Trials (1945–1946) were military tribunals held after World War II to prosecute Nazi leaders for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. These trials established precedents for international law, emphasizing individual accountability for atrocities. Key figures, including Hermann Göring, were convicted, with several sentenced to death or life imprisonment.

World B: Gacaca Courts 

Following the 1994 Rwandan genocide, the traditional Gacaca courts were adapted to address the vast number of genocide-related crimes. These community-based courts aimed to expedite justice, uncover the truth, and promote reconciliation. Over a decade, they tried over a million cases, involving local communities in the justice process.

For the purposes of this debate, there is a machine capable of measuring the Crime Coefficient of a person i.e. the likelihood of a person commiting a crime. If the coefficient is low, the person can be rehabilitated. However, if it exceeds the limit, the person will commit crime regardless of rehabilitation attempts.

The Bihar Legislative Elections are expected to be conducted in October or November of 2025. The state is presently governed by a coalition of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal (United), with Nitish Kumar as Chief Minister. 

There is ideological tension in the BJP-JDU allliance; The BJP is focussed on hindutva nationalism, while the JDU leans toward social justice. Both parties publically claim that they will put aside identity politics in favour of coexistance and development. In contrast, the opposition party, Rashtriya Janata Dal, actively champions socialist, caste-based politics and minority rights, visibly opposing BJP’s Hindutva stance.

The Aam Aadmi Party has recently lost Vidhan Sabha elections in Delhi, after consecutive victories and relative dominance. At the same time, the AAP has been trying to expand beyond Delhi to states like Punjab, Goa, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh

On December 24, 1999, Indian Airlines Flight IC-814 was hijacked midair and forced to land in Kandahar, Afghanistan, then under Taliban control. The passengers and crew were held hostage inside the aircraft as negotiations unfolded under intense pressure. The hijackers, armed and highly organized, have already executed one hostage, his body thrown onto the tarmac as a brutal warning. Tensions have soared as the terrorists laid out their demands—the release of Jaish-e-Mohammed leader Maulana Masood Azhar, along with two other high-profile militants, in exchange for the lives of those still trapped onboard. In December 1999, India is under the leadership of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, heading the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The NDA had secured a decisive majority in the 1999 general elections, allowing Vajpayee to serve a stable term as Prime Minister. You have been in power for approximately two months - however, 1999 has been a tough year for the country with the Kargil war just coming to a close. Previously, Vajpayee has served two brief terms: a 13-day tenure in 1996 and a 13-month period from 1998 to 1999.

The hijacking of IC-814 has now stretched into its seventh tense day, with passengers held captive in dire conditions as negotiations drag on. The plane landed in Amritsar, however, due to the failure/the absence of designated negotiators,the hijackers were able to force the aircraft to take off again, leading it to Lahore, Pakistan, and eventually to Kandahar, Afghanistan, complicating rescue efforts.

India abolished the jury system after the infamous K. M. Nanavati case (1959), where a naval officer was tried for killing his wife's lover. The jury initially acquitted him, but the verdict was overturned by the Bombay High Court, citing media influence and public sentiment swaying the jury's decision. This led to India formally phasing out juries with the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) reforms in 1973. Since then, India has relied solely on bench trials, where judges deliver verdicts based on law and evidence.

World A: Nuremberg Trials 

The Nuremberg Trials (1945–1946) were military tribunals held after World War II to prosecute Nazi leaders for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. These trials established precedents for international law, emphasizing individual accountability for atrocities. Key figures, including Hermann Göring, were convicted, with several sentenced to death or life imprisonment. 

World B: Gacaca Courts 

Following the 1994 Rwandan genocide, the traditional Gacaca courts were adapted to address the vast number of genocide-related crimes. These community-based courts aimed to expedite justice, uncover the truth, and promote reconciliation. Over a decade, they tried over a million cases, involving local communities in the justice process.

For the purposes of this debate, there is a machine capable of measuring the Crime Coefficient of a person i.e. the likelihood of a person commiting a crime. If the coefficient is low, the person can be rehabilitated. However, if it exceeds the limit, the person will commit crime regardless of rehabilitation attempts.

In March 2025, Maharashtra's Fisheries and Port Minister, Nitesh Rane, introduced the 'Malhar Certification' initiative. This program aims to certify 'jhatka' meat vendors—those who slaughter animals with a single blow, aligning with certain Hindu traditions. The certification ensures that these meat shops are exclusively operated by members of the Hindu community, particularly from the Khatik caste. 

The primary objectives of the Malhar Certification are to provide consumers with meat prepared according to Hindu religious practices and to promote economic opportunities within the Hindu community. The initiative also seeks to offer an alternative to 'halal' meat, which is prepared following Islamic procedures. 

To facilitate this, a dedicated platform—MalharCertification.com—has been launched, allowing vendors to register and obtain certification. The website emphasizes that certified meat is fresh, clean, free from saliva contamination, and not mixed with other animal meats.

Macau, an SAR (Semi-Autonomous Region) of China, first legalized gambling in 2002, becoming the world's largest casino hub, with gaming revenue surpassing Las Vegas and contributing nearly 50% of its GDP. To regulate the sector, Macau enforces strict licensing laws, limits on new casinos, and monitors junket operators. The Chinese government has tightened oversight, cracking down on illicit financial flows and VIP gambling. Despite these measures, issues like underground betting and loan-sharking linked to organized crime persist. At the same time, Macau is trying to pursue economic diversification through investment in tourism, financial services, and the tech sector.

TIME SET: 1957

In 1957, nine African American students, Minnijean Brown, Elizabeth Eckford, Ernest Green, Thelma Mothershed, Melba Pattillo, Gloria Ray, Terrence Roberts, Jefferson Thomas, and Carlotta Walls, were selected to desegregate Little Rock Central High School. Briggs v. Elliott case of 1952, evidence showed that Black students in Clarendon County, South Carolina, attended schools in dilapidated buildings, lacked basic amenities like heating, and used hand-me-down textbooks from White schools. In the crumbling, overcrowded Black schools, students face not just broken desks and outdated books but also the grim reality of rising crime, drug use, and staggering dropout rates. Little Rock Central High School was previously all-white, and faced immense opposition to the desegregation. It has witnessed violence, and now, Federal troops have been deployed to protect the school from riots and vandalism.

India–Bangladesh border haat is a Haat or a trading post on Bangladesh–India border, jointly organised by the governments of Bangladesh and India, held one day each week. It is not only a market for locals and tourists for buying daily commodities but also a reunion spot for families living on both sides of the international border. The India-Bangladesh border haats provide a crucial economic lifeline, allowing traders in conflict-stricken and marginalized border regions to earn upwards of two times their daily incomes. 

Friendshoring refers to a country rerouting its supply chains towards geopolitical allies and away from countries with which it has geopolitical tensions. The rerouting of supply chains may include: changing the places where goods are manufactured, the way they are transported, the raw materials with which they are made, etc.

However, there is a growing trend of countries moving away from friendshoring—some pivoting towards economic isolationism to reduce external dependencies (e.g., the U.S.’s reshoring efforts), while others adopt ideological neutrality to maintain diversified trade relations (e.g., India balancing ties with both the West and Russia)

Hans Niemann, 20 years old, is an American chess grandmaster who rose rapidly in rankings but became controversial due to cheating allegations levied by Magnus Carlsen and others after the 2022 Sinquefield Cup. While a legal settlement with Chess.com and Carlsen has somewhat cleared his name, he continues to face exclusion from major invitational tournaments due to lingering skepticism by fans, players and organizers. In response, he launched the "Hans Niemann vs. The World" tour, seeking competitive opportunities outside traditional circuits. As part of this, he participated in the Aeroflot Open in Moscow, despite FIDE sanctions against Russian events following the Ukraine invasion, which invited severe backlash from the chess community over his decision.

In February 2025, Dallas Mavericks' General Manager Nico Harrison orchestrated a blockbuster trade, sending franchise cornerstone Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a future first-round pick. This unprecedented mid-season move, involving two high-profile NBA stars, was met with widespread shock and disapproval from Mavericks fans. Protests erupted outside the American Airlines Center, with supporters expressing their frustration and even staging a mock funeral for Dončić. 

In recent developments, Manchester United has implemented significant cost-cutting measures, including but not limited to the elimination of free staff lunches. These measures come amid reports of potential further job cuts, with up to 200 additional staff positions at risk, following a previous round of layoffs last year.

Strategic industries are sectors critical to a nation's security, economy, and long-term stability, including but not limited to defense, energy, education, etc.

Shaukiki and Makshas are a struggling lower-middle class couple in India. They were both orphans who have grown up in the Indian State Orphanage/Foster Care system. They are not married. They have accidentally conceived a child, and have come to know about this in the 24th week of pregnancy. They do not believe they have the resources to raise this child. They are now in a moral quandary, faced with two options.

You are Vit Rik. You come from a small town in a tier 2 Indian town and you have just gotten through the University of Delhi . You will be away from family and will be living in the college hostel. There now exist 2 worlds/routes:

World A: The university has asked you to fill a roommate matching form. You fill out important details about how you like to live - like whether you are a clean person or not, whether you socialize in your room or not, do you study with or without music etc. An algorithm then matches you to the individual with the most similar responses.

World B: Just before leaving for Delhi, you find out that a close acquaintance from your hometown has also secured admission to the same university. You have no idea what their living habits are beyond the fact that both of you come from the same cultural roots. You have never lived together before. You share your anxieties about leaving town and get relatively close to them on the train. 

For the purposes of this debate, a Manic Pixie Dream Girl (MPDG) is a quirky, free-spirited, and easily-attached female character who either lacks personal depth or willingly sets aside her ambitions for the male protagonist. Her primary role in a story is to "fix" the brooding male protagonist and push him toward experiences he wouldn't normally pursue. MPDGs often enter one's life like a hurricane—bringing excitement, spontaneity, and emotional upheaval—but their presence is never guaranteed to last. If they stay, relationships tend to become co-dependent; if they leave, they do so just as suddenly, often leaving behind unresolved emotions and personal upheaval, but also potentially a brand new perspective on life and self-identity. 

For example, Natasha (Kalki Koechlin) in Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara leaves her successful career without prompting and follows Kabir (Abhay Deol) on his bachelor trip to keep an eye on him and ensure he doesn't stray. Another example is Summer (Zooey Deschanel) in 500 Days of Summer, who brings spontaneity and joy into Tom’s (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) life, pushing him out of his comfort zone, but ultimately leaves just as abruptly, forcing him to confront personal growth on his own.