New Delhi: A Constitution-related question flashed on the screen at the National Law University in Dwarka, Delhi. It captivated the students in the audience who had come from various states including Haryana and Punjab. The auditorium was filled with mounting tension, whispers and anticipation. When the volunteer passed the microphone to a student who answered correctly, the audience burst into applause. The anchor’s spirited voice echoed the cheers.
The Centre for Law and Policy Research (CLPR) organised the quiz, which was attended by undergraduate and master’s students from 53 colleges and universities in New Delhi and adjacent states. It was the 7th edition of ConQuest—the leading national history, politics, and Constitution quiz in India—hosted by the Bengaluru-based not-for-profit trust.
“The team tries to effectively create a constitutional culture in India. One flagship event, as part of trying to spread constitutional awareness and generate some constitutional engagement is ConQuest, which we do every year,” said Vineeth Krishna, Senior Research Associate, CLPR. “The values of the Constitution, not in terms of celebrating the Constitution but the critical engagement of the Constitution that motivates the team. And this is what we want to do.”
The organisation has been hosting ConQuest since 2016. It was halted during the two years of the pandemic. CLPR conducts the quiz to promote constitutional culture through digital public goods and civic education. Its flagship initiative, Constitutionofindia.net, is the world’s most visited internet collection of Indian constitutional and political materials, opinions, and analysis.
Based on their performance, six teams from a variety of colleges and universities in the auditorium were chosen for the next round of the North Region ConQuest quiz. These included teams from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Hansraj College, two teams from National Law University (NLU), Faculty of Management Studies, and Law Center 2 of the University of Delhi.
Each team comprised three members, and the quiz had a total of five rounds. The trio from NLU—Kartikya Aggarwal, Ananya, and Rishabh—won.
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Learning through quiz
This year, the theme for ConQuest was Artificial Intelligence and its intersection with constitutional matters and related technologies. Rapid advancements in AI technology in recent months have influenced both the public and private sectors. Along with its ability to drive progress in society, many experts have also voiced concerns about its destabilising potential.
According to Krishna, students can be taught in the form of lectures, etc., but they may not engage with the subject. When it comes to education about the Constitution and its history, different tools have to be used. Quiz is one way to do that.
“Over the past decades, there has been a lot of writing and public engagement with the Constitution. We first saw it in the NRC-CAA protest, where people were reading the Preamble. The Constitution became the focus point in many ways,” Krishna said. “It’s just really vibrant now.”
There are different perspectives on what exactly the Constitution means in our history and who were the people behind its formation and the freedom movement. Krishna said students need to really understand the origin of the Constitution and “the quiz format is a very fun and effective way.”
Last year, Ananya made it to the finals and finished in second place. This time, she’s eager to win. Following their victory, the North region team will advance to the subsequent round in Bengaluru. As a law student, she perceives it as her responsibility to acquire a deeper understanding of the Constitution. And ConQuest prompts her to identify any remaining gaps in her knowledge.
“We are able to identify these knowledge gaps. This exposes everyone to the consciousness of knowing the Constitution. Through this, we also connect with new people,” Ananya said while collecting her trophy and certificate.
According to Mohammad Mehtab, a student at the Faculty of Management Studies, Delhi University, the quiz has managed to attract an audience that ideally would not be directly interested in learning about the Constitution.
“It has given me a deep insight into the workings of the Constitution and has also enthralled people from other disciplines through the ConQuest,” he added.
East, West, and North have all chosen their ConQuest winners. In the coming weeks, preparations will commence in the South. The finale will be held in Bengaluru on Constitution Day, 26 November.
(Edited by Ratan Priya)