Debating Programs
At UFD Education, our debating programs stand out. Rather than simply teaching you arguments to memorize for tournaments, our goal is to transform how you view the world and approach debate motions. While prior debate experience is beneficial, it is not a requirement. We recommend you are familiar with common debate formats and their rules, understand the roles of each speaker, and ideally have participated in a few tournaments before joining us. Our approach ensures that you don't just learn debate, but also grow as future entrepreneurs, policymakers, and leaders. To maintain the highest quality of training, the total number of students across all UFD programs each year will be limited to just 45.
Super 20 Program
- Intermediate Level, Age group: 11 to 16
- Targeted specifically at National camp and International WSDC tournaments
- Only 20 students per year
- Application based, Selections in April every year
- Duration: May to December (8 months)
- Course Fee: INR 40000
- Timings: Tuesday and Wednesday, 7 to 8 pm every week
At UFD, we are committed to helping every student achieve their debating dreams. To do so, we prioritize building strong, personalized connections with our students. This means that, beyond training, we help find their ideal teammates, recommend the best tournaments, and oversee every aspect of their debating journey. Our training is not limited to the duration of the classes, but extends to each tournament they participate in, and each practice session they have. This batch is limited to just 20 students at a time, all of whom are selected through a rigorous process held each April. In the past, many of our consistent students from this batch have advanced to the national camp and national teams. In 2024, our students claimed the top two speaker prizes at the International Competition for Young Debaters, organized by the University of Oxford. We are proud of these achievements and look forward to more of our students earning similar accolades.
Sudarshan Manikantan and Apoorv Gupta
Best and 2nd Best Speaker respectively at
ICYD 2024, Organised by Oxford Union in United Kingdom
Personalized Mentorship Program
Fatima Zahra and Aadya Singh
Winner: Uhuru Worlds 2024, Westerns IV 2024
- Intermediate Level, Age group: 11 to 18
- Limited to 5 students a year
- Application based, applications open throughout the year
- Program Fee: 1, 25, 000 per year, 75,000 for a 6 month period
- Timings: Flexible, upto 12 hours a month
- Mode: Offline within mumbai, Online throughout India
The personalized mentorship program at UFD can accommodate only 5 students each year. The need for this program is clear: debating is a direct expression of critical thinking. However, critical thinking doesn't come naturally to children. In fact, much of traditional education often suppresses this ability. This program enables trainers to observe how a student responds to input, track their reactions, and identify ways to enhance their thinking. The process is straightforward: the trainer provides challenges (problems), measures the speed and quality of the student's response, and pinpoints the specific areas that require improvement. Students in this program have shown exceptional progress in just 6 to 8 months. Last year, they defeated over 500 teams worldwide, emerging as champions at Uhuru World 2024. They also impressed elite university students worldwide by winning large-scale university-level tournaments while still in middle school. This program accelerates the development of critical thinking skills, fast-tracking student's growth into exceptional debaters. For those living in Mumbai, we offer the option for offline sessions, which can be observed by parents.
The Pro-AM Program
- Level: Advanced
- Only two students per year
- Applications close in May
- Program fee: 1, 75,000 per year
The Pro-AM program is unique to UFD Education and cannot be found in any other debate academy. It is the most accelerated approach to debating. Can middle school students really compete in elite university-level tournaments in Europe and North America, taking on Ivy League teams and still win? This is exactly what happens in the Pro-AM program. While other teams come fully prepared, the renowned UFD coach, Anshuman, enters every tournament with just one of his students. Though many underestimate them, they consistently outshine the best teams from around the world. This isn't a dream—it's a reality at UFD. The purpose is simple: while basic skills can be learned through theory, the best growth happens when you debate alongside your coach. The Pro-AM program is a Coach-Student team-up, where they compete in offline tournaments within India and online tournaments globally—each of elite caliber—not just to win, but to learn. Anshuman is known for exclusively debating with his students, and anyone who participates in this program leaves as a transformed debater. You can see the results for yourself: the student in this program from last year is now leading the Indian National Debate Team. We look forward to seeing more of you achieve the same success.
Arnav Agrawal
Member: Indian National Debate Squad
2nd best novice speaker, Astana Open 2024
Open Semi Finalist: Westerns IV 2024
Winner, Transatlantic WSDC 2024
Debating Fundamentals
Naaz Mujral
Member, Indian National Development Team, 2025-26
- Level: Beginners
- Only 10 students per year
- Application closes in April
- Duration: May to February (10 months)
- Course fee: 50,000
- Class timings: Tuesday and Wednesday: 6 to 7 pm
At UFD, while our focus is on advanced debating, we recognize the importance of building a solid foundation for exceptional development. In this batch, we start from the very basics: teaching you the mindset required for debating, introducing debating formats, structuring your speeches, and preparing you for your very first tournament. Our beginner's batch is no less rigorous—it's on par with intermediate-level programs at other academies. Many students from this batch have gone on to reach the national camp, with one even becoming a member of the Indian National Development Team. By the time you complete the fundamentals training, you'll be ready to compete at a high level, with everything you need to succeed in debate tournaments. While class timings are flexible, we are always available to support you when needed. To ensure personalized attention, we limit this batch to just 10 students, selected on a first-come, first-served basis.
