Rules of
Procedure

Roll Call

The Dais begins each session with roll call. Delegates respond "Present" or "Present and Voting". "Present and Voting" obligates the delegate to vote Aye or Nay for the session — abstentions are not permitted.

First Session Only

In the very first committee session: (1) a delegate must move to open the Speakers' List, and (2) the agenda must be set — delegates vote to choose which topic (Topic 1 or Topic 2) is debated first.

Points & Motions Check

After roll call, the Dais asks to hear any points or motions. If there are none, the Dais recognises the next speaker on the Speakers' List carried over from the previous session.

Quorum

A simple majority of the committee roster must be Present or Present and Voting to begin formal debate. Without quorum, only unmoderated caucus may proceed.

Default Format

The Speakers' List is the default format of committee whenever there are no points or motions on the floor. A country may only appear on the list once at any given time.

Adding to the List

Delegates can be added by raising their placard when the Dais asks, or by sending a note directly to the Dais.

Speaking Time

The speaking time is set by the delegate who moves to open the Speakers' List. Any delegate may later move to change the speaking time.

Exhausted List

If the Speakers' List runs out and no delegates wish to be added, committee moves immediately into voting procedure on any draft resolutions that have been introduced.

Yielding Remaining Time

If time remains after a speech: yield to the Dais (speech ends), yield to another delegate (they receive the remaining time but may NOT yield to a third delegate), or yield to questions (other delegates may give feedback).

Moderated Caucus

A less formal debate on a specific sub-topic, introduced while the Speakers' List is open. No set speaking order — the Dais selects each new speaker after the previous one finishes. Delegates may NOT yield time; if finished early, the Dais moves to the next speaker. Motion must include a topic, total duration, and speaking time per delegate (voted on by the committee).

Unmoderated Caucus

The least formal format. Delegates move freely around the room and speak to one another to draft resolutions. Delegates may NOT leave the room without permission from the committee director.

Stage 1 — Working Paper

The first draft of a resolution. Like DRs, working papers require sponsors and signatories. Sponsors submit the working paper to the Dais for feedback. The committee discusses working papers before moving to draft resolutions.

Stage 2 — Draft Resolution

An improved, edited version of a working paper. Assigned a number by the Dais based on the order received. When ready to be introduced, one sponsor moves to introduce it — this is at the Dais's discretion, not voted on. The committee then reads it, the sponsors explain it, and a Q&A session follows (Dais sets time for each).

Sponsors vs Signatories

Sponsors wrote the working paper or have their ideas substantially represented in it. Signatories want to see the working paper debated — they need not agree with its content. Sponsors count towards the total signatory number.

Amendments

Written down with a sponsor and signatories. Friendly Amendment (all DR sponsors agree): added without debate. Unfriendly Amendment (at least one sponsor disagrees): requires majority support from the committee. Amendments are voted on FIRST, before the draft resolution itself — each amendment is read with one or two speakers for and against.

Conflicting Clauses

Delegates may not pass two draft resolutions that have conflicting clauses. Once a draft resolution passes, it becomes a Resolution.

Entering Voting Procedure

Delegates move to enter voting procedure after debate. Before the vote, four delegates speak — two in favour and two against. If the motion passes, doors are closed and no delegates may enter or exit until all voting is complete.

Amendments Voted First

Each amendment is read, with one or two speakers for and against, then voted upon. Amendments are resolved before the final vote on the full draft resolution.

Roll-Call Vote

During voting procedure, delegates may move to ask for each country's vote individually ("roll-call vote"). This is separate from regular roll call at the start of sessions.

Division of the Question

Delegates may move to vote on different parts or clauses of the resolution separately rather than all at once. Clauses that fail are struck; the remaining clauses are voted on as a whole.

Passage Threshold

General Assembly and most committees: simple majority (50%+1). Security Council: nine affirmative votes with no veto from the P5. Some procedural motions require a two-thirds majority.

Motions vs Points

Motions change what the committee is doing and generally require a vote. Points do not require a vote. Motions may only be introduced while the Speakers' List is open and between speakers.

Point of Inquiry

Used to ask the Dais a question about parliamentary procedure. Cannot interrupt a speaker.

Point of Order

Used when a delegate believes the Dais has made a PROCEDURAL ERROR. May interrupt a speaker.

Point of Personal Privilege

Used to express a comfort concern — e.g., cannot hear the speaker, room temperature is disruptive. May interrupt a speaker.

Point of Information

Used to ask a clarifying question about the content of a speech or statement. Only valid during the Speakers' List. Cannot interrupt a speaker.

⚠ Interrupt Rule

ONLY a Point of Order and a Point of Personal Privilege may interrupt a speaker. All other points must wait until the speech concludes.

What Is a Resolution?

A resolution is one long sentence describing how a committee will address its topic. It has two clause types: Preambulatory (context) and Operative (action).

Preambulatory Clauses

Set the context and justify the actions in the resolution. NOT numbered. End with a COMMA. The preambulatory phrase is italicised (e.g., Deeply Concerned, Noting with Approval, Reaffirming). They call for no specific action.

Operative Clauses

The main substance — each calls for one specific action. NUMBERED. Operative phrase is underlined (e.g., Calls Upon, Recommends, Urges). Ends with a SEMICOLON — except the final clause which ends with a PERIOD. Sub-clauses use lowercase letters (a, b, c); sub-sub-clauses use lowercase roman numerals (i, ii, iii). No underlined words in sub or sub-sub clauses.

Binding vs Non-Binding

Most UN committees can only pass non-binding recommendations. Words like "requires," "forces," and "obligates" may NOT be used — except in committees that may pass binding resolutions, such as the UN Security Council.

The All India Political Parties Meet (AIPPM) is an Un-Conventional Indian Model Committee (IMC) — its Rules of Procedure are defined by the Executive Board, not a fixed script. Unlike Conventional committees (Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, State Legislative Assembly) which follow constitutionally prescribed procedure, AIPPM and similar bodies (Niti Aayog, NCW, Stakeholders Meet, Citizens Dialog) adapt their RoP to the simulation's objectives. Delegates represent major national parties — BJP, INC, AAP, SP, TMC and others — debating domestic policy with political intellect and strategic thinking. The EB is NOT looking for copy-paste party positions; they want delegates who know their ideological limits and push beyond them with out-of-the-box solutions.

Attendance & Opening Statements

Committee begins with formal attendance. Each delegate delivers an Opening Statement (60 sec default, extendable to 90 sec) outlining their party's position. After every speech, yield the floor back to the EB — the EB then directs members to ask questions. Best opening statements give the committee DIRECTION across multiple aspects of the topic, not just one or two points.

Speech Structure Frameworks

Use one of these proven structures: (1) Premise – Analysis – Example, (2) Problem – Solution – Benefits, (3) Past – Present – Future, (4) What – So What – Now What. Formulate opinions; do not simply quote historical events or paste existing policy statements.

Public Session

Formal debate in the presence of media and outside observers. Every word is on the public record and subject to public critique. RoP must be followed strictly. IP delegates may be present.

Private Session

Fully confidential — nothing discussed goes on record or in the public domain. Used to negotiate political realities candidly, form backroom alliances, or discuss "less savory" aspects of political functioning. Delegates cannot reference private session content in public debate. Best delegates use private sessions for party/personal strategic advantage.

Point of Personal Privilege

Rise if a matter impairs your ability to participate fully. Can interrupt a speaker ONLY if the speaker is inaudible. Otherwise wait until the speech ends.

Point of Order

Rise to challenge a FACTUAL FLAW in the speaker's speech. Quote the incorrect statement, then state the correct fact as your unquote. Cannot interrupt a speaker. (Note: in AIPPM this differs from UNA-USA where PoO addresses a procedural error by the Dais.)

Point of Parliamentary Inquiry

Request an explanation from the EB on the Rules of Procedure. Cannot interrupt a speaker. Example: asking the EB to share the next five speakers on the list.

Point of Information (PoI)

Ask a question or seek clarification from the speaker after their speech. Cannot interrupt. Best delegates use PoI to nullify the speaker's argument with sharp facts, logic, or counter-examples. If unsatisfied with the answer, request a Follow-Up — the EB decides whether to allow it.

Right of Reply

Rise if your personal integrity has been impugned by another delegate's remarks. Cannot interrupt. Must be raised immediately after the speech ends. Cannot be raised on a previous Right of Reply. The EB's decision on a RoR is final and cannot be appealed.

What Are Chits?

Written notes passed to the EB or fellow delegates — an essential tool for active participation. When you cannot get recognised to speak, a well-crafted chit ensures your content reaches the floor or the dais. Chits are evaluated positively and contribute to Best Delegate scoring.

1 · Substantive Chit to EB (Formal)

Addressed directly to the Executive Board. Use when you have important points that ran over your speaking time, or analysis you want the EB to consider for the record. Format: "To: EB | From: [Party] | Substantive Chit | [Content]".

2 · Delegate-to-Delegate Chit (Informal)

Exchanged directly between delegates without EB involvement. The primary tool for lobbying — convincing others, building consensus, and forming alliances during committee. No fixed format required.

3 · Chit via EB (Formal)

Addressed to another delegate but routed through the EB, who reads it before forwarding. Used for formal Points of Information in writing, or where the EB should note and score the exchange. Format: "To: [Delegate] | From: [Party] | Via EB | Point of Information | [Content]".

Moderated Session

Formal debate regulated by the EB from the General Speakers List. Maintain decorum at all times; personal attacks on individual delegates (not on parties or their policies) are prohibited.

Unmoderated Session

Motion must include a duration and justification. Passes by simple majority; EB may suggest a different duration or rule the motion out of order without appeal. Delegates remain in the room — use this time to lobby and draft Bills.

Bill

The AIPPM equivalent of a Draft Resolution. Proposes domestic policy actions, legislative changes, or government directives. Structured into Preamble Clauses (background) and Operative Clauses (action). Requires minimum sponsors set by the dais. Amendments follow the same Friendly/Unfriendly framework.

Joint Communiqué

A non-binding statement of shared intent from two or more parties. Signals alliances or shared positions without committing to a full Bill. Requires dais approval to enter the record.

Zero Hour

Inspired by Parliament's actual Zero Hour. Delegates raise urgent national matters in 30–45 second interventions. No vote is taken — purely a platform for pressing, time-sensitive interventions.

Roll Call Vote

The EB calls each party by name. Delegates respond "Aye", "Nay", or "Abstain". Mirrors the Lok Sabha division vote. Creates a public record that rewards consistent delegates and exposes contradictions.

Voice Vote

Used for procedural motions. If the result is unclear, any delegate may call for a division (counted vote) to keep proceedings efficient.

Whip System

Each party's Chief Whip ensures party-line voting. Breaking the whip requires the delegate to explain their rationale to the EB. Party discipline is tracked and factors into Best Delegate awards.

Bill Passage

Bills pass by simple majority. Opposition parties must form coalitions to defeat ruling-bloc legislation — authentically mirroring parliamentary arithmetic.

The Three Pillars

RESEARCH (deep knowledge of the agenda), ANALYSIS (evaluate importance of research points and form original opinions), REPRESENTATION (art of public speaking + chits + lobbying). All three are scored by the EB.

Accepted Evidence

Government ministry reports, official .gov/.nic websites, RSTV / LSTV / DD News, Parliamentary Standing Committee Reports, RTI proofs, Questions & Answers of Parliament. Wikipedia is NOT accepted as evidence, though it can aid background understanding.

Research Sources

YouTube (IAS lectures 15–20 min for context, Rajya Sabha/Lok Sabha debates, BBC/Al Jazeera for international perspective), agenda .pdf searches, newspaper editorials (national + international), ministry annual and quarterly reports.

Speech Standard

Formulate opinions — don't quote definitions or paste past positions. Back every opinion with facts, examples, or logic. Use your full speaking time. Participate actively through PoI, PoO, and lobbying during Un-Mods. Know your party's political stance and ideological constraints inside out.

The International Press (IP) is the conference's in-house media body — recording, interpreting, and communicating the proceedings of committees through writing, photography, and visual art. Where delegates debate resolutions, the IP documents them. Where committees deliberate, the IP informs. The IP holds the power and responsibility of freedom of speech within the conference space. It produces a conference newsletter that brings together journalism, photojournalism, and political cartoons into a cohesive publication — capturing not just what happened, but what it meant. In AIPPM, the IP also injects breaking-news crisis updates that political committees must formally respond to.

Journalist — Written Word

Reports, analyses, and opines on committee proceedings. Observes debates closely, researches the agenda and delegate positions, and produces articles across multiple formats. Must balance accuracy with a distinct individual voice. The 4Ws + 1H — What, Why, When, Where, How — anchor every piece.

Photographer — Camera

Gives the conference its visual memory. A single photograph can communicate what paragraphs cannot — tension in a room, an expression mid-speech, the energy of a packed committee. The photographer's job: document moments that are both journalistically meaningful and visually compelling.

Caricaturist — Drawing

The political cartoonist of the conference. Where journalists report and photographers document, caricaturists interpret. Their art distils complex debates into a single image — provoking thought, inspiring laughter, or cutting to the heart of an issue. Has no obligation to be neutral; the job is to see clearly, think critically, and draw boldly.

Beat-Based Article

The foundational form. A beat reporter covers one specific committee in depth — what arguments were made, counter-arguments raised, and conclusions reached. Strictly factual and unbiased. Think of it as the official record of what happened, written for a general reader.

Op-Ed (Opinionated Editorial)

The journalist's voice takes centre stage. Expresses a clear stance on the agenda, grounded in facts. The opinion must be established from the very first paragraph and sustained throughout. The journalist writes from the perspective of their assigned newspaper agency — a left-leaning outlet calls for a different angle than a right-leaning one.

Feature Article

The creative wing. Takes unconventional forms — a letter, diary entry, short story, or poem — to explore the human dimension of an agenda. Does not need to make a hard argument; it needs to make the reader feel something. Uses literary devices, vivid language, and emotional resonance.

Interview

A tool for accountability. Select a committee delegate and prepare 3–5 questions that probe their position, reasoning, and responsibility. The craft lies in asking questions that cannot be deflected with a vague diplomatic non-answer. Format: Question / Answer.

Filler

Short, humorous, satirical. Under 150 words. A comic or ironic take on something at the conference — a delegate's behaviour, a recurring argument, an absurd moment. Casual in tone. A release valve that keeps the newsletter human and readable.

Press Conference Review

After directly questioning delegates in a press conference, the journalist writes a report of the event: what was asked, what was said, and what it revealed. Combines the factual approach of a beat article with the accountability-driven intent of an interview.

ISO — Sensor Sensitivity

Low ISO (100–200) = clean image, requires more light. High ISO (800–3200) = works in darker rooms but introduces grain. Use the lowest ISO that lighting conditions allow.

Shutter Speed — Motion

Fast shutter (1/1000s) freezes motion — ideal for a sharp delegate expression mid-gesture. Slow shutter allows more light but blurs movement. At MUN, faster shutter speeds are generally preferred.

Aperture — Depth of Field

Wide aperture (low f/stop, e.g., f/1.8) = more light, blurred background, sharp subject. Narrow aperture (high f/stop, e.g., f/11) = keeps more of the scene in focus. Portraits: wide. Group shots: narrow.

Rule of Thirds

Divide the frame into a 3×3 grid. Place the most important element at one of the four intersections — not dead centre. Creates visual tension and balance simultaneously.

Fill the Frame & Watch the Background

When the background distracts, crop in close. Fill the frame with the subject — a face, a gesture, a detail. Before shooting, always check what is behind the subject. A cluttered background ruins an otherwise strong shot.

Lead-In Lines & Depth

Roads, tables, rows of chairs, and corridors lead the eye through the image toward the subject. Including a foreground element, midground subject, and background context gives three-dimensional depth that flat compositions lack.

Know the Issue

A cartoon cannot be sharper than the understanding behind it. Research the agenda, understand the key players' positions, and identify what is genuinely at stake. Only then can the cartoon make a point worth making. Choose a stance — attack or defend, support or counter. The clearest cartoons have a clear point of view.

Symbolism

Political cartoons compress complex ideas into a single visual using pre-loaded symbols. A globe, a scale of justice, a handshake, a wall — these carry meaning the viewer brings with them. Decide what symbol will carry your central idea before you begin drawing.

Exaggeration

The caricature distorts to reveal. Exaggerating a figure's most prominent feature makes them instantly recognizable while adding commentary. This is the oldest tool in the cartoonist's kit.

Analogy

Analogies make the unfamiliar familiar. A territorial dispute shown as two children fighting over a toy. A diplomatic deadlock as two people refusing to move through a narrow doorway. The best analogies are surprising but obvious once seen.

Irony

Depicts the opposite of what is supposed to happen — the powerful figure caught powerless, the peacekeeper causing chaos, the agreement that solves nothing. Reveals the gap between what is said and what is done.

Labels & Dialogue

Sparingly used labels clarify ambiguous elements — they should clarify, not substitute for clear drawing. Speech or thought bubbles add the final layer. The image should do most of the work; the words should finish it.

One Publication, Three Contributors

The IP is not three separate jobs running in parallel — it is one publication produced by three kinds of contributors. A journalist's article is stronger with a photograph alongside it. A caricature lands harder when it references something the reader has already read about. The newsletter works as a whole when its parts are aware of each other.

Collaboration in Practice

Journalists and photographers should share observations. A written piece and an image can be combined. A press conference review can be paired with a cartoon of the delegates being questioned. Building joint features — combining writing, image, and illustration — elevates IP work from coverage to storytelling.

What Good IP Work Looks Like

Originality (a distinct voice that could only have come from this person) · Accuracy (facts verified, positions fairly represented) · Depth (engages with what it means, not just what happened) · Craft (writing is well-structured; photographs are composed; cartoons are purposeful) · Relevance (connects to actual committee debates, not a generic treatment of the topic).

The IP Mindset

"Press is made to question, and thereby to improve." The best IP members are not just observers — they are participants in the intellectual life of the conference, using their medium to contribute to the conversation rather than simply report on it.