Debating Season Begins: Bishop Cotton School's Slater Debates Team Ready for Intellectual Duels

Shimla, October 15, 2023: The debating team of Bishop Cotton School (BCS), Shimla, is gearing up for a series of intellectually stimulating contests as they prepare to participate in the prestigious 26th Annual Slater Debates. These debates are scheduled to be held from Friday, October 27th to Tuesday, October 31st, right on the BCS campus.

The Slater Debates, known in honor of the school’s first headmaster, Rev Dr. Samuel Slater, who led BCS from 1863 to 1885, have become a prestigious competition that attracts the best debating schools from all over India. Notably, last year’s victors were the girls from La Martiniere, Kolkata.

The director of BCS, Simon Weale, expressed his enthusiasm for this annual event, stating, “This is one of the highlights of our academic year. We welcome the best young debaters from across India, and our boys genuinely experience the atmosphere of a university campus for a week. Everyone who attends the event benefits from witnessing the intellectual cut and thrust of these sharp young minds.”

The recently announced BCS debating team has been diligently preparing, consolidating their knowledge and honing their techniques in anticipation of the tough competition ahead. Teams participating in the Slater Debates are evaluated based on their style, speed, tone, volume, diction, fluency, clarity, delivery, and, of course, the quality of their arguments.

Bishop Cotton School, founded in 1859, holds the distinction of being one of the oldest residential boys’ schools in Asia. Throughout its history, it has played a significant role in shaping the development of public schools and education in India while producing numerous well-known and successful alumni.

This year, the Slater Debates will feature 16 participating teams from various renowned institutions across India, making it a highly anticipated event in the world of school-level debating. The debates are expected to be an intellectual spectacle, demonstrating the eloquence, wit, and knowledge of the young debaters as they battle it out at the podium.

16 Slater Debates Participating Teams

1.La Martiniere For Girls, Kolkata

2.La Martiniere For Girls, Lucknow

3.Mallinson Girls School,Srinagar

4.Mayo College, Ajmer

5.St.James’ School,Kolkata

6.St.Thomas’ Girls School,New

7.St.Xavier’sCollegiateSchool,Kolkata

8.The Assam Valley School,Assam

9.TheCathedralandJohnConnonSchool, Mumbai

10.The Sri Ram School, Aravali

11.Tyndale Biscoe School,Srinagar