Editor,
Through the columns of your esteemed newspaper, I wish to draw attention to a growing concern regarding the manner in which inter-college extracurricular competitions are conducted.
Many competitions organised by colleges today increasingly resemble intra-college events. One of the major concerns is the appointment of judges who may have some form of association with the host institution. When the host college’s own team subsequently emerges as the winner, it naturally raises questions about the impartiality and credibility of the competition, even where no deliberate favouritism may have occurred.
Quiz competitions, in particular, are expected to test knowledge, reasoning and presence of mind. However, the outcome can become questionable when the quizmaster has extensive discretion over seating arrangements, the distribution and difficulty of questions, and the progression of the quiz. At times, one team may receive relatively elementary questions while another is presented with exceptionally difficult ones. If the rules or flow of the competition can also be altered at the discretion of the quizmaster, the result may depend as much on the manner in which the competition is conducted as on the participants’ actual performance.
Debate competitions face similar concerns. Although judging a debate necessarily involves some subjectivity, there should be clearly defined and consistently applied criteria. Participants who exceed their allotted time, read extensively from prepared scripts, or use non-parliamentary language should not appear to gain an advantage over those who follow the prescribed rules. Judging should be based on established parameters such as argumentation, rebuttal, content, delivery, adherence to rules and time management.
An inter-college competition should provide a level playing field for all participating institutions. The credibility of such events can be strengthened through independent judges, transparent judging criteria, standardised rules, balanced question allocation, and clearly defined procedures for handling disputes.
I hope the concerned institutions and organisers will consider these issues seriously and take appropriate measures to ensure that inter-college competitions remain genuinely fair, transparent and worthy of the participation they attract.
Issac Warjri
Shillong
