After emerging victorious in the Group Level of the 17th National Youth Parliament (NYP) Competition, students of the Central University of Punjab (CU Punjab) showcased their outstanding oratory and elocution skills during the opening performance of the National Round held on Wednesday. Organized by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, Government of India, the NYP aims to inculcate democratic values among students by providing them with a platform to engage in parliamentary-style debates and discussions.
This year, 46 institutions participated, out of which eight teams qualified for the final round, with CU Punjab proudly among them. The event was conducted under the patronage of Vice-Chancellor Prof. Raghavendra P. Tiwari. The distinguished panel included Shri Bratin Sen Gupta, former Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha); Shri A.B. Acharya, Director, Youth Parliament, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Dr. Avon Kumar Vaid, Principal, Amritsar Law College.
The jury commended the vibrant and spectacular performances of the students. It is noteworthy that CU Punjab previously clinched the championship titles in the 15th and 16th National Youth Parliament (2019–20 and 2023–24).
In a 55-minute session, CU Punjab participants presented 13 agenda items related to parliamentary proceedings, including Oath-taking, Obituary, Introduction of New Ministers, Question Hour, Zero Hour, Breach of Privilege, Laying of Papers, Messages from the Upper House and President’s Office, Introduction and Passing of Bills, Welcoming Foreign Delegates, and Legislative Process.
On this occasion, Prof. Raghavendra P. Tiwari, Vice-Chancellor, expressed gratitude to the jury members and stated that this initiative of the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs will spread awareness of democratic value systems and inspire youngsters to contribute to the smooth functioning of parliamentary democracy. He applauded the participants for covering a wide range of issues, including the Pahalgam attack, accomplishments of Operation Sindoor and Operation Mahadev, US tariff policies, economic reforms such as income tax enhancement and GST changes, the proposal of ‘Ek Rashtra, Ek Chunav’ and a resolution on Green and Renewable energy promotion among others.
Dr. Puneet Pathak, Nodal Officer, NYP congratulated the students for their exemplary performance and expressed hope that, like in previous years, CU Punjab students will make a mark in the 17th National Youth Parliament Competition and bring further laurels to the university.
At the end of the session, the jury announced 8 best speakers out of 55 for special appreciation by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs:
· 1st Prize: Shuchi Arora
· 2nd Prize: Padma Angmo, Deep Dhara
· 3rd Prize: Aman Tiwari, Kumar Abhinav
· 4th Prize: Anubhav Pratap Singh, Aaradhana, Neha Mishra
Prominent attendees included Prof. R.K. Wusirika (Dean In-charge Academics), Prof. Monisha Dhiman (Director IQAC), Prof. Sanjeev Thakur (Dean Student Welfare), Prof. Deepak Chauhan (Dean, School of Legal Studies), and Prof. Kanhaiya Tripathi (Chair Professor, Ambedkar Chair on Human Rights and Environmental Values), along with faculty, staff, and students of CU Punjab.