▁the ▁year ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁the ▁format ▁of ▁the ▁competition ▁was ▁changed ▁to ▁a ▁league ▁system . ▁The ▁ 3 2 ▁particip ating ▁teams ▁are ▁divided ▁into ▁two ▁po ols ▁viz . ▁A ▁and ▁B . ▁Each ▁team ▁then ▁compet es ▁for ▁three ▁r ounds ( Le ague ▁round ▁ 1 , ▁ 2 ▁& ▁ 3 ). ▁The ▁winner ▁of ▁each ▁round ▁is ▁awarded ▁a ▁point . ▁The ▁top ▁eight ▁teams ▁qual ify ▁for ▁the ▁quarter - final s . ▁The ▁format ▁for ▁the ▁quarter - final , ▁semi - final ▁and ▁final ▁is ▁knock - out ▁style . ▁ ▁R ules ▁and ▁Reg ulations ▁▁▁ ▁One ▁speaker ▁of ▁the ▁team ▁makes ▁the ▁opening ▁speech ▁while ▁the ▁other ▁makes ▁the ▁closing ▁speech . ▁ ▁The ▁proposition ▁starts ▁the ▁debate ; ▁the ▁proposition ▁gives ▁the ▁opening ▁speech , ▁followed ▁by ▁the ▁opposition ' s ▁opening ▁speech . ▁ ▁The ▁opposition ▁ra ises ▁the ▁first ▁point ▁in ▁the ▁Ref ut ation ▁round . ▁ ▁The ▁last ▁ 3 0 ▁seconds ▁of ▁the ▁Ref ut ation ▁round ▁is ▁reserved ▁for ▁the ▁con cluding ▁statement . ▁ ▁The ▁debate ▁is ▁concluded ▁by ▁the ▁closing ▁speech , ▁first ▁from ▁the ▁opposition ▁and ▁then ▁the ▁proposition . ▁ ▁Th eme ▁Every ▁year ▁the ▁college ▁announ ces ▁a ▁theme ▁for ▁the ▁debate . ▁R anging ▁from ▁national ▁to ▁abstract , ▁the ▁theme ▁is ▁a ▁common ▁link ▁between ▁the ▁my ri ad ▁topics ▁that ▁the ▁students ▁debate ▁upon ▁in ▁the ▁course ▁of ▁the ▁event . ▁The ▁following