Mock Parliament.
A Mock Parliament, also referred to as a Model Parliament or Youth Parliament, is a simulated learning experience of the parliamentary proceedings of a legislature or other deliberative assembly.
What is a Mock Parliament?
A Mock Parliament is a simulation of legislative proceedings in a parliamentary democracy.
In a mock parliament, participants role-play members of parliament and discuss an entire spectrum of real-world social, geopolitical and economic issues such as GST, Doklam or industrial emissions. Each participant has to balance their personal views, their party’s views, their constituency’s views, existing national policies, and the constitution of their country.
There are many models and a mock parliament may simulate either real-world legislatures or fictional ones. The most common mock parliaments are based upon the Westminster Parliamentary system and the Indian Parliamentary system.
Did you know?
The world’s first Mock Parliament Competition was organised in 1966 for the Higher Secondary Schools in the Union Territory of Delhi by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs.
For over 50 years, mock and youth parliament competitions have been held annually by schools in Delhi. Each and every state and union territory has also adopted the model and conducts or extends support to annual mock parliaments in its schools.
Why conduct Mock Parliaments?
Mock Parliaments promotes a series of skills that, with proper teaching and guidance, are very important in the holistic development of an individual. This activity exposes participants to current events and local political and economic issues.
The purposes of Mock Parliament are as follows:
- To make students understand the parliamentary procedure.
- To develop in students an insight into the working of parliament
- To make students consider public issues and form their opinion on them.
- To train students in the technique of group discussion
- To develop in students an ability to arrive at a decision after group discussion.
- To develop them in them respect and tolerance for the views of others.
- To develop in them an understanding that respect for rules is essential for conducting any discussion systematically and effectively.
- To train students in group behaviour.
- To make students aware of various problems facing our society and the country.
- To develop in students the quality of leadership.
- To make students understand the common man’s point of view and express it in an articulated manner.