Sabha Game Evening to Explore Workings of the Indian Parliament

By TP Janani & Rachit Sharma

At Justice Adda, we believe that learning should be engaging, interactive, and effective. One of the ways we achieve this is through the innovative use of games, particularly when it comes to complex subjects like the workings of the Indian Parliament. Our educational game, Sabha, is designed to help participants understand the legislative process in a fun and interactive way. 

Concept Behind Sabha

Sabha was conceptualized by the Justice Adda team with the goal of making the intricate workings of the Indian Parliament more accessible to the public. Despite being India's primary legislative body, many citizens are not familiar with the nuances of parliamentary procedures. To bridge this gap, Sabha was developed to simplify these processes through interactive gameplay. Over a development period of nine months, the game was refined with inputs from a range of stakeholders including parliamentary experts and civic engagement professionals. Our aim was to make this complex process easily comprehendible and accessible to the public, especially to young adults (16+ years), who may not be familiar with parliamentary procedures. Instead of simply reading about the process or watching videos, Sabha allows participants to experience it firsthand in an interactive setting.

Game Process Overview

The game is designed to simulate the various stages that a Bill passes through in the Indian Parliament, from its initial introduction to its final approval. A Bill is a proposed law formally introduced by a Ministry or by a Member of Parliament. To become a law, it is required to be approved by the Parliament and the President following the process specifically prescribed for this purpose. In the game, players take on the roles of Members of Parliament (MPs) and collaborate to pass a bill through the legislative process.

The game starts with drafting a Bill, following which it is introduced in the Parliament and published in the Gazette (the last two steps jointly comprising the First Reading stage). Thereafter, the Bill is often referred to the relevant Parliamentary Standing Committee for detailed analysis and review. Then, the Bill goes through discussions in the Lok Sabha, amendments proposed by Members of Parliament and voting in the Lok Sabha (referred to as Second Reading - first stage, Second Reading - second stage and Third Reading respectively). 

Action Cards are a key component throughout the game. These cards allow players to make strategic decisions that affect the game's progression, allowing them to advance, gather votes, or overcome obstacles. There are also Committee Stage Cards, putting players in difficult scenarios that simulate the challenges that MPs face in parliamentary committees. These scenarios require players to make decisions that will affect progress in the game, which mirrors the complex scenarios encountered during committee discussions and decision-making processes.

As the game progresses, players must navigate through the Bill's subsequent phases, including key stages such as the Rajya Sabha and Presidential Assent phases, each of which introduces new challenges and opportunities for players to navigate in order to advance their Bill. The goal of the game is to win by passing the Bill. To do so, players must gather enough votes to pass their Bill. Once they have accomplished this, the Bill becomes law in the game.

Key Features of the Game

Sabha is intended to be an engaging and interactive experience that teaches players about the legislative process in a hands-on manner. As players progress through the game, they learn the step-by-step process of passing a bill in Parliament, from introduction to final approval. They also learn about the various nuances involved during each step, such as committee discussions, debates, and voting procedures, while experiencing them firsthand.

The game also encourages coalition building and negotiation. To advance their agendas in real-life parliamentary sessions, MPs frequently form alliances and negotiate with others. Sabha emulates this challenge by requiring players to work together and form coalitions to gain support for their bill. Another aspect of the game is time management, which requires players to make quick decisions and manage their time effectively in order to gather support and secure the necessary votes, allowing players to understand the importance of time constraints in legislative processes. Sabha also includes an instructional manual that serves two purposes: it guides players through the game and serves as a learning tool. The manual is intended to be as important to the game as the game board itself, providing players with relevant information at every stage of the game. 

Interactive experiences can improve learning in ways that traditional methods often cannot. By using games, we can make complex subjects like parliamentary procedures more relatable, engaging, and memorable. Sabha adopts gamification to transform education, creating an immersive environment in which participants learn by doing.

Event Overview

In November 2024, Justice Adda facilitated a game evening at Kushabhau Thakre Hall in Bhopal as part of the JusticeMakers’ Mela. This was aimed to introduce participants to both the concept of Sabha and the parliamentary processes it represents. The event provided a practical demonstration of how parliamentary procedures work, while encouraging broader discussion on civic participation. The session started with an overview of the Indian Parliament’s significance, followed by an introduction to Sabha, its purpose, and the game’s objectives. Participants were informed about how the game simulates various stages of parliamentary proceedings, ranging from the initial stages of conceptualising and drafting a Bill to the nuances of parliamentary debates and the final decision-making process. This was essential in ensuring that even those with limited prior knowledge could comfortably participate in the game. The game's structure was designed to be similar to the actual parliamentary process, providing participants with a practical understanding of legislative debates, committee meetings, and decision-making protocols.

Once the rules had been clearly communicated, participants were split into multiple groups to play the game and drafted a summary of the Bills they intended to introduce. Then they went through various scenarios that simulated real-life parliamentary challenges. The gameplay enabled them to practise strategic thinking and negotiation while simulating the complexities of legislative procedures in a safe and engaging environment. Throughout the session, facilitators provided guidance and answered questions to ensure that participants remained focused on the game's educational objectives.

The event concluded with a reflective session as the facilitators announced the winners. They were recognised for their strategic thinking, but the emphasis remained on the overall learning experience rather than competition.

Looking Forward

The Sabha event at the JusticeMakers Mela witnessed enthusiastic and voluntary participation by the Mela attendees, which was a small step towards improving public understanding of parliamentary processes. By transforming traditionally dense and inaccessible information into an interactive board game, the initiative hopes to bridge the gap between legislative processes and the general public, particularly young people, and to foster a more informed citizenry, resulting in stronger democratic engagement. As Sabha continues to evolve, we hope it serves its role as a useful educational tool to demystify complex governmental processes while promoting active and informed participation in the democratic process.

(Rachit and Janani are consultants with Justice Adda. Views expressed by the authors in this blog are their own and do not represent the views of Justice Adda.)