Like any activity or sport, Model UN takes practice and skill. But if this is your first conference, no need to worry! In preparation for an incredible time at the conference, this year we are offering you a preparation guide carefully curated by the YMUN India team. Many of our delegates are first-timers to Model UN, and we hope that this webpage, as well as the forthcoming background guides, will prove effective resources to help you get started. While you will have access to more specialized training both prior to, and at, the conference, with committee directors trained to answer any questions you may have, please do not hesitate to raise questions about MUN procedure, your topic, or even life at Yale to any of the Dais staff or Secretariat members.

Prior To The Conference

TOPIC PREPARATION

First, effective delegates begin by seeking to deeply know and understand their committee topic. Once background guides become available, they will provide extensive insight into the topic to be discussed. The background guide, in fact, should be your first stop for committee information as the Director of the committee has compiled, organized, and presented all information that he or she expects the committee to discuss in this very document. All of our background guides also include a bibliography to fuel additional research.

COUNTRY PREPARATION

Delegates should learn as much as possible about the country they will be representing — both in general and in relation to the topic they will be discussing in committee. While our background guides include an analysis of bloc positions on the topic, students should also attempt to understand the specific positions of their respective nations - essentially donning the role of a diplomat representing the said country, in the process!

GENERAL YMUN INDIA PREPARATION

On a more general note, thorough preparation is essential to making YMUN India the best possible educational experience. Pre-conference research makes the committee more fun and rewarding, as delegates can then immerse themselves in their roles as high-ranking diplomats.

POSITION PAPERS

Delegates will be required to submit position papers on their topic areas prior to the conference. The general guidance for YMUN India position papers will be listed in the background guide as well as the Guide to Delegate Preparation.

  • If you are in a GA, ECOSOC or Regional Body, please write a position paper of 1-2 pages stating how your allocated country views the issues at hand. Think about what historical perspective your allocated country or position brings, and what that might imply for what you (as a representative of that country or position) will aim to accomplish in committee.

  • Your position paper should be submitted on MUNbase under the file name [committee_position_school]. Please submit as a .doc, .docx., or .pdf.

  • In addition to this, YMUN India's policy against plagiarism is strict—so do keep that in mind. Any delegates with plagiarized position papers will not be considered for awards. If you have questions about your position paper or what constitutes plagiarism, please email your director.

NOTE: Specialized Agencies will often submit position papers in a different, specialized format from those of the GA, ECOSOC, or Regional Bodies.

Committee Dynamics

DEBATE

Every YMUN India committee holds three sessions over the three days of the conference. Committee sessions are designed to keep the delegates engaged and on their feet. The substantive aspects of the committee are coordinated by a committee director, who also serves as a moderator to guide debate according to formal rules of parliamentary procedure. The delegates usually spend the first committee session setting the agenda by deciding which topic area to discuss first. Delegates then move into a mixture of formal debates and caucuses aimed at formulating a resolution that addresses problems relating to the chosen topic area. Formal debate provides delegates with the opportunity to address the entire committee in order to clarify their positions. During the caucus, rules are suspended to allow for informal debate: delegates have the opportunity to share their ideas with other delegates so that ideas begin to coalesce outside of the constraints of parliamentary procedure. In the debate, delegates are challenged to reach a consensus within the committee while accurately representing their country’s policies.

COMMITTEE TOPICS AND BACKGROUND GUIDES

Every YMUN India committee director spends a significant period of time researching and compiling an extensive and comprehensive background guide. Background guides are the ideal starting point for delegating research, providing a detailed bibliography of further sources. However, additional, self-directed research is the cornerstone of the delegate experience. Delegates are encouraged and expected to conduct outside research to increase their participation in and enjoyment of the committee.

WORKING PAPERS AND RESOLUTIONS

Working papers are used to collect and circulate delegate ideas. The ideas in a working paper are debated and eventually moulded into formal documents written in the style of actual UN resolutions. After a formal introduction in committee, resolutions are debated, amended, and voted on by the body. Passed resolutions represent hours of debate, negotiation, and compromise.

While it is satisfying to see the hard work of the committee culminated in a resolution, YMUN India’s philosophy emphasizes the process of negotiation rather than the resolution itself. A committee must not necessarily pass a resolution to be considered a success. YMUN India does not have official sponsors of resolutions and, in order to maximize the incentive for compromise, only one resolution on a given topic area can be passed.