Take a chance, make a change

Inspired by the powerful words of Former Prime Minister of India, Smt. Indira Gandhi, “The power to question is the basis of all human progress”, students of Apeejay School, Nerul participated in a Youth Parliament session on November 22, 2022.

Held in the school premises, the event saw engagement from newly elected ministers and opposition leaders. Through fierce debates and discussions, young learners promised to uphold the true democratic values of our country and work towards its development.

The official proceedings began with a formal address by Mr. Rakesh Joshi, Regional Director- Academics at Apeejay Education. He was the President at the parliamentary session. Further, the two political parties were led by Senior Head Girl, Nadaa Ahamed (leader of the ruling party) and Aadya Saxena (leader of the opposition party). Several student-members were also present in support of their respective parties.

The first round of the debate commenced with the opposition party questioning the Home Minister, Rohan Yadav regarding the Central Vista Project. This was followed by specific questions to the respective ministers of Education, Health and Hygiene and Environment. The ministers were countered by the opposition to which they responded by providing data and statistics. Soon, the battle of words began which engaged the audience.

The Prime Minister, Nadaa Ahamed and the opposition leader, Aadya Saxena argued on economic indicators such as government debt and GDP growth. The argument further intensified when the Minister of External Affairs, Nandan Sen Sharma was questioned about India’s stance on the Russia-Ukraine War by Opposition Leader, Aryan Gehlot. This resulted in an intense exchange of contrasting ideas that included humanitarianism on one side and foreign policies on the other.

In the next round, Sparsh Raina, an opposition leader sought to seek an explanation from the ruling party on the exorbitant budget of ‘The Statue of Unity.’ Other crucial topics such as income tax and allocation of government budget were also raised by Deputy Opposition Leader, Rupak Kallianpur.

A crucial discussion during the session was led by the Minister of Health and Hygiene, Mrunmayi Khedkar. The overall scenario of India during Covid-19 was debated by the ministers.  

The ruling party also highlighted the success rate of their various schemes through the year. However, they accepted the scope for further improvement.  Where there is democracy, opposition is of necessity. So, the leaders pointed out the loopholes and questioned the farsightedness of governmental projects. Throughout the session, the speaker ensured that the ministers and leaders maintain the decorum of the parliament.

The last hour of the parliamentary session was the ‘zero’ hour. During this time, questions from the audience were being acknowledged. It covered some of the most significant topics requiring clarity and upgrade such as safety of women, lack of educational opportunities, etc. The Education Minister Lavanya Nair tackled the same by providing appropriate facts and figures. The session was finally adjourned by the speaker after this.  

Overall, the Youth Parliament proved to be a great platform for students to share their views and inculcate the essential values of free speech and democracy. The audience was drawn towards these arguments and discussions, as it was emphasised that their opinion matters and their voice is heard.

Truly, a democracy can only succeed when everyone is involved, and this message was the sole takeaway from the session this year.

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“In the session, issues of national importance were discussed with enthusiasm and gusto. On a few occasions, the discussions even generated heat! The ‘zero hour’ was a treat to watch and students were very charged. They wholeheartedly participated in the event.”

-MR. RAKESH JOSHI, REGIONAL DIRECTOR- ACADEMICS AT APEEJAY EDUCATION