Verbattle

Debate

Complete round structures for Verbattle Beginner, Junior, Senior, and Kannada categories — from selection and Zonal Clamber through Skirmish, Combat, Confrontation, and Face-Off.

Overview

How Verbattle formats work

Each category follows a progression through competitive stages. Teams of two members debate in groups of three, with statements and sides often decided by lotto. Round counts vary by category and stage.

Skirmish

First state-level stage. 81 teams in 27 debates of 3 teams each.

Combat

Mentors join on stage. Teams consult mentors; mentor question round tests opposing teams.

Confrontation

Audience round added. 9 teams reduced to 3 finalists.

Face-Off

Finalists receive subjects, prepare statements, and debate for the championship.

Verbattle Beginner – Format

Verbattle Beginner format is suitable for participants in the age-group 08-12 years.

Selection Round

Ten statements will be given to Verbattle Beginner registrants. Registered teams need to be prepared to argue in favor of and against for all the ten statements.

Five random teams will be put on the stage at a time for the skirmish debate. But way of lotto (picking up of chits), one statement is selected for debate for each batch. Team arguing in favour or against will also be decided by lotto. There will be three to four rounds depending on number of teams participating. Each team will get one minute to speak in a round. Based on the argument,performance, behavior, and team spirit, a total of 27 teams will be selected for the Combat round.

State level Skirmish – 81 teams

Three teams debate on one statement
Number of rounds: 5 (4 debate rounds, 1 mentor round)
Total of 27 debates
Number of teams selected for next level: 27

Combat - 27 teams

Three teams debate on one statement
Number of Rounds: 7 (4+1 mentor + 1 audience + 1 Judges)
Total number of debates: 3
Number of teams selected for next level: 3

Confrontation - 9 teams

Three teams debate on one statement
Number of rounds: 7 (4+1 mentor + 1 audience + 1 Judges)
Total number of debates: 3
Number of teams selected for next level: 3

Face-Off – 3 teams

Three subjects will be given and statement should be prepared by the each of the three teams using one subject which will be selected out of lotto
Rounds: 7 (4+1 mentor + 1 audience + 1 Judges)
Total number of debates: 3
Winner – One Team

Verbattle Junior – Format

Verbattle Junior format is suitable for participants in the age-group 12-16 years.

Zonal Clamber

Clamber will be held in each of the Zonal or Regional Centers. Ten statements will be given to Verbattle Junior registrants. Registered teams need to be prepared to argue in favour of and against for all the ten statements. Zonal example:Mangaluru Zone,Hubli Zone,Mysuru Zone,Bengaluru Zone

Three random teams will be put on the stage at a time for the Zonal debate. By the way of lotto (picking up of chits), one statement is selected for debate for each batch. Team arguing in favour or against will also be decided by lotto . There will be 3 to 4 rounds depending on number of teams participating and each team will get one minute to speak in a round. Based on the argument, performance, behavior and team spirit, total of 81 teams will be selected for the Skirmish round.

State level Skirmish – 81 teams

Three teams debate on one statement
Number of rounds: 5 (4 debate rounds, 1 mentor round)
Total of 27 debates
Number of teams selected for next level: 27

Combat - 27 teams

Three teams debate on one statement
Number of rounds: 6 (4+1 mentor + 1 audience - Optional)
Total number of debates: 9
Number of teams selected for next level: 9

Confrontation - 9 teams

Three teams debate on one statement
Number of rounds: 7 (4+1 mentor + 1 audience + 1 Judges)
Total number of debates: 3
Number of teams selected for next level: 3

Face-Off – 3 teams

Three subjects will be given and statement should be prepared by the each of the three teams using one subject which will be selected out of lotto.
Each statement will be argued
Number of rounds: 7 (4+1 mentor + 1 audience + 1 Judges)
Total number of debates – 3
Winner – One team

Verbattle Senior – Format

Verbattle Senior format is suitable for participants in the age-group 16-24 years.

Zonal Clamber

Clamber will be held in each of the Zonal or Regional Centers. 10 statements will be given to Verbattle Senior registrants. Registered teams need to be prepared to argue in favour of and against for all the 10 statements. Zonal example:Mangaluru Zone,Hubli Zone,Bengaluru Zone.

Three random teams will be put on the stage at a time for the Zonal debate. By the way of lotto(picking up of chits), one statement is selected for debate for each batch. Team arguing in favour or against will also be decided by the same method. There will be three to four rounds depending on the number of teams participating and each team will get one minute to speak in a round. Based on the argument, performance, behavior and team spirit, a total of 81 teams will be selected for the Skirmish round.

State level Skirmish – 81 teams

Three teams debate on one statement
Number of rounds: 4
Total of 27 debates
Number of teams selected for next level: 27

Combat - 27 teams

Three teams debate on one statement
Number of rounds: 5 (4 + 1 audience question round - Optional)
Total number of debates: 9
Number of teams selected for next level: 9

Confrontation - 9 teams

Three teams debate on one statement
Number of rounds: 6 (4 + 1 audience question round + 1 Judges' question round)
Total number of debates: 3
Number of teams selected for next level: 3

Face-Off – 3 teams

Three subjects will be given, and a statement should be prepared by the each of the three teams using one subject which will be selected out of lotto.
Number of rounds: 6 (4+ 1 audience question round + 1 Judges' question round)
Total number of debates – 3
Winner – One team

Verbattle Kannada – Format

Verbattle Kannada format is suitable for participants in the age-group 12-16 years.

Zonal Clamber

Three random teams will be put on the stage at a time for the Zonal debate. By the way of lotto(picking up of chits), one statement is selected for debate for each batch. Team arguing in favour or against will also be decided by the same method. There will be three to four rounds depending on the number of teams participating and each team will get one minute to speak in a round. Based on the argument, performance, behavior and team spirit, a total of 81 teams will be selected for the Skirmish round.

State level Skirmish – 81 teams

Three teams debate on one statement
Number of rounds: 5 (4 debate rounds, 1 mentor round)
Total of 27 debates
Number of teams selected for next level: 27

Combat - 27 teams

Three teams debate on one statement
Number of rounds: 6 (4+1 mentor + 1 audience - Optional)
Total number of debates: 9
Number of teams selected for next level: 9

Confrontation - 9 teams

Three teams debate on one statement
Number of rounds: 7 (4+1 mentor + 1 audience + 1 Judges)
Total number of debates: 3
Number of teams selected for next level: 3

Face-Off – 3 teams

Three subjects will be given, and a statement should be prepared by the each of the three teams using one subject which will be selected out of lotto.
Each statement will be argued
Number of rounds: 7 (4+1 mentor + 1 audience + 1 Judges)
Total number of debates – 3
Winner – One team

Shared Rules

Elements common to all formats

Three-team debates

Three teams share the stage for each debate. Sides are assigned by lotto — two teams may argue for and one against, or vice versa.

One minute per round

Each team typically receives one minute to speak per round, with round counts varying by stage and category.

Mentor, audience & judge rounds

Later stages introduce mentor consultation, audience questions, and judges' question rounds in addition to standard debate rounds.

Understand the full competition journey

Read the process page for Zonal Clamber details, quota allocation, and stage-by-stage progression from registration to Face-Off.

View Process Register Now Read FAQs