“In all debates let truth be thy aim not victory or an unjust interest “ – William Penn 

On 30th September and 7th October 2023, Delhi Public School RK Puram had the honour of hosting the annual inter-school debating competition, Outspoken. The event was organised by the English Debating Society of the school, DebSoc. It saw the active participation of fourteen schools over two weekends. 

The event was adjudicated by a total of eighteen jury members. The Conventional debate was adjudicated by Darshita Joshi, Delhi College of Arts and Commerce; Mehak Bahl, Ambedkar University of Delhi; Sajal Kumar, Aryabhatta College. The Turncoat debate was adjudicated by Ayush Hans, Sri Venkateswara College; Priyanka Sheokand, Sri Venkateswara College; Vashmeet Kaur, Gargi College. 

The parliamentary debate panel included Vaishnavi Kashyap from Shaheed Bhagat Singh College; Ayush Hans, Sri Venkateswara College; Kaushiki Ishwar, Miranda House; Anupriya Bhatnagar, Gargi College; Naman Gambhir, Hansraj College; Harsh Darshan Upadhyay, Sri Venkateswara College; Raghav Khandelwal, Sri Venkateswara College; Ananya Mishra, Hindu College; Sneha Singh, Hindu College; Priyanka Sheokand, Sri Venkateswara College; and Vedang Choudhary, Ambedkar University. 

The debate took place in two rounds – preliminary and elimination rounds. 

The Preliminary rounds, conducted on 30th September,  consisted of two events – Conventional and Turncoat debates. In the Conventional Debate, (Seminar Room) schools were pitted against each other, arguing ideas relating to technology, legality, taxation, and more. The topics were given two days prior to the event. Their specific stances (for/against) were assigned to them 1 minute before the speaking time started.

The participants in the Turncoat Debate (AVH) faced the challenging task of switching stances mid-debate on topics they had received only 3 moments prior. 

The top eight schools with the maximum cumulative points advanced into the knockout-style Asian Parliamentary debate. In this format, the participants undertook engaging discourses, weighing the implications of motions while embodying the roles of Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and Chief Whip on side Proposition, and Leader of Opposition, Deputy Leader of Opposition, and Opposition Whip. This took place in three rounds – quarters, semis, and finals. 

Vasant Valley and DPS RK Puram made it to the grand finale, which took place in the Audio Visual Hall. Both the teams presented an intriguing deliberation on the motion “This house, as a feminist, would adopt traditionally masculine traits and characteristics”.

In the valedictory ceremony, the Principal, Ms. Padma Srinivasan congratulated all participating schools, and she upheld the spirit of participation over the joy of winning. While speaking upon the last topic for debate, she reminisced about her own college days in Miranda House, Delhi University, where she was an advocate of feminism. As years passed, she embraced a centrist view on gender, believing that everyone deserves equal respect. The event came to a close with the distribution of prizes and trophies.   

The schools that bagged the top three prizes in the final Asian Parliamentary Round were:

Position	Name of School
FIRST	Delhi Public School RK Puram
SECOND	Vasant Valley School
THIRD	The Shri Ram School, Moulsari

The best speakers in each format were as follows: 

Event	Name of School	Name of Speaker
Conventional	Mayoor School, Noida	Arnav Jai Singh
Turncoat	Vasant Valley School	Aadhya Bharara
Asian Parliamentary	Vasant Valley School	Devangana Jain

The Parent-Teacher Open House for Class VI on 7 October 2023 from 8 am to 1:30 pm aimed to facilitate substantive dialogue between parents and subject teachers. This event provided a platform for parents to engage in personalised discussions with subject teachers regarding their ward’s academic progress . Parents conveyed appreciation for the conscientious efforts and accomplishments of the educators and school authorities.

An Educational  trip for Class XI students  was organized by the Biology Department of Delhi Public School, RK Puram to attend  “68th Institute Day Exhibition in AIIMS” on 26th and 27th September,2023. The theme of this year’s exhibition was “AIIMS: Leading India’s Health Care Security” which was extremely informative for all the students.The trip was aimed to expose students to the cutting-edge technologies, ongoing medical research and advancements, diverse medical disciplines practiced at AIIMS and to help students interact with healthcare professionals and gain knowledge about their experiences and expertise.

Some of the activities of the trip included:

Day 1 Interactive Sessions:

The students were led into an exhibition where engaging sessions were conducted by renowned medical professionals from different departments such as trauma, dental, oncology ,ophthalmology etc. The students participated in CPR training and were provided with the opportunity to interact with doctors, researchers, and other healthcare practitioners. The healthcare professionals went a step further by testing the students’ eyesight, hemoglobin levels, blood sugar levels and dental health.

Day 2 A visit to the human anatomy lab:

Students embarked on an educational journey into the fascinating world of anatomy as they entered the well-equipped anatomy lab. Prior to entering the lab, students were briefed on safety protocols, ethical considerations, and the importance of respecting the human donors whose bodies would be studied.  The purpose of this hands-on experience was to provide them with a deeper understanding of the human body’s structure.The students were able to bridge the gap between theoretical learning and practical application by observing carefully preserved organs and tissues of cadavers.

The experience allowed students to gain a profound appreciation for the complexities of the human body, setting a solid foundation for their future studies in the field of anatomy

Entering the world of histology:

The students were then led into the  Microanatomy lab at AIIMS.. Researchers showcased the preparation of samples, staining techniques, and the operation of sophisticated imaging systems. The participants had the opportunity to witness real-time imaging of cellular structures, bringing textbook knowledge to life.

Students had an interactive session with Ist and IInd  year students at AIIMS wherein they shared the  tips and guidelines regarding the competitive exams. (NEET).The visit was indeed a fruitful one as it motivated the future doctors and heightened their interest in human anatomy.

On the occasion of “Gandhi Jayanti” the Ministry of Jal Shakti and Ministry of Education, Govt. of India observed the ‘Swachhata Hi Seva’ Campaign with active involvement of students, teachers and community to spread the message of cleanliness, sanitation and hygiene in the society. The campaign was celebrated by undertaking “Shramdaan ” activities through community participation as a “Jan Andolan”. 

Students of DPS RK Puram wholeheartedly participated in the Ministry directive and kickstarted its Cleanliness Drive of – “Ek Tareekh Ek Ghanta” on 01.10.2023 at 10:00 AM resulting in visible cleanliness in the areas adjoining the school campus. The drive was initiated with a short and invigorating speech by the Principal Ms. Padma Srinivasan, who emphasised the importance of cleanliness and the significance of Shramdaan. This was followed by a captivating ‘Nukkad Natak’ by the students underlining the principles through which Gandhi Ji led his life. The cleanliness drive saw more than a hundred students accompanied by the Principal, Vice Principals, Activity Coordinators, Class Representatives and Hostel Wardens target zones around the school that were not particularly clean, and ensured that all visible litter was collected, and discarded in appropriate bins. The students spread the message of Swachhata Hi Seva by giving Shramdaan through this morning activity.