PASIGHAT, 15 Oct: Jiden Gao, a third-semester student of the department of commerce, won the Institutional-Level Youth Debate Competition 2026 held at the Arunachal Pradesh University (APU) here in East Siang district on Wednesday.

Mittu Bhagan and Ayang Lego secured the second and third position, respectively.

The competition was organised by the Siang Trust, in collaboration with the APU at the university's conference hall. Altogether 24 participants from various departments of the university took part in the debate on the theme 'The Youth of Today: More Rights, More Choice, More Voice, but Less Responsibility'.

As per the format, each speaker was allotted four minutes for an opening presentation, two minutes for rebuttal and counterpoints, and one minute for closing remarks.

The event was judged by a three-member panel comprising APU Academic Affairs Dean Prof Prakash Chandra Jena, English HoD Dr Razzeko Delley, and Commerce HoD Dr Rajen Miwu. The judges lauded the standard of the debate and commended the participants for their enthusiasm, seriousness, and effective presentation.

Paying tribute to late Prof Tamo Mibang, former vice-chancellor of Rajiv Gandhi University and a pioneer of indigenous studies in Arunachal Pradesh, APU Registrar Narmi Darang highlighted his contributions to academics, sports and social activism, and encouraged students to actively participate in university programmes.

Siang Trust coordinator Asokan KV said the youth debate was a new initiative of the trust and would be made a regular feature in its annual calendar. He informed that students from 14 institutions are expected to participate in the next phase, with each institution nominating one representative for an inter-institutional debate to be held shortly.

Siang Trust president Mohonto Panging Pao commended the participants and underscored the importance of debate in building communication skills, vocabulary, confidence, and clarity of expression. While appreciating the performance of the students, he said focused preparation would help them improve further.