1) After coming to the IITs, many students do not see what they expect from one of the best technical institutes of the nation. The new environment leads to mismanagement between academics and extra-curricular activities. What are your views regarding the same?
- In the new environment the students are bound to become responsible and take their own decisions. Under right guidance and mentorship, the students can create a balance between academics and extracurricular activities. The IITD system allows a student to perform well in academics by just being ‘regular’ in studies devoting some of their time to hobbies and passions. One has to put in an extra effort to fail in a course at IIT. One expects the students to do well in academics and develop that all rounded personality once he leaves IIT.

2)Do you think that a student doing rigorous hard work for a span of two years for his success to JEE can be motivated since after coming here their priorities are bound to change and most of them take their success for granted?
- Mentors play a crucial role in directing the students on the right path. Their crucial guidance and mentorship is important in determining the priorities of the new students. Besides, a sound advice from seniors is yet another important aspect in motivating the student to give their best shot both academically, as well as in the co-curricular spheres. I think some students feel that once they made it to IIT, their worries are all over and basic degree would land them a future of their dreams. They are totally wrong. One needs to work harder still at IIT to achieve their goals.

3) After the sad story of ragging cases in some hostels despite the strict measures taken by the institute, how can we ensure that no more such incidents occur in the future?
- Ragging measures have been put quite effectively by the institute and we shall continue to take very strict measures to curb ragging. Ragging has shown a significant decrease over the past few years all over the country. Now it’s the law of land. Yet the efforts on the part of institute to uproot this menace shall continue and may I warn all to refrain from indulging in such acts. It’s not worth it.

4) Can we draw a line between a healthy interaction between the seniors and juniors and ragging?
- I would never want there to be no interaction between the first year students and the seniors. Good and productive interaction is an essence to a great hostel life, but that should not take place at the cost of ragging. It’s very straightforward to point out the difference between interaction and ragging. Going beyond the point where a person says ‘NO’ to something he has been asked to do is ragging. Just assume someone doing the same treatment to your brother or sister and then seek an answer yourself. Also treating each individual with utmost respect is what I expect each resident to do.

5) Congestion in hostels regarding lack of space and bathroom facilities due to increase in number of entering students has been an issue especially after 2009 entry batch. Is the situation going to improve this year on account of the new hostel under construction?
- Regarding the girls, the problem regarding the hostel facilities is definitely going to improve with the renovation of the Kailash hostel and already functional New Girls hostel. We wish to provide the best of the facilities to all and would love to provide hostel to everyone so that all students get to enjoy this precious hostel life.
Regarding the Boys’ Hostel, the construction of two hostels is still under progress with all the efforts being made to finish the job in time but we are not sure whether the current progress status stands to our targets or not. Still, I must say that if the construction does not get completed as scheduled, we may have some trouble in accommodating an additional load of about 60 students per hostel and that may result in even third students sharing their hostel rooms.

6) Technocracy has taken great initiative in developing technical skills among students. What are you looking forward from the new students with respect to their participation in Technocracy?
- At IIT Delhi, we have numerous technical as well as recreational activities. I don’t want the student to join each and every activity. I want the student to pursue his interest, his passion, his hobby in field of sports, culture or technical stream. Again this should not be at the cost of academics; academics shall always hold priority amongst everything. I would again like to emphasize that just being ‘regular’ in studies is enough to excel academically and then one has enough time for all the other activities. One should go through the lectures in the evening, may be devote an hour or so to all that was taught that day and keep the weekends for completing tutorials and labs. Devote the rest of the time to extracurricular activities. But please SLEEP WELL.

7) Final message to the incoming students.
- I expect that all the incoming students have a great time here at IIT Delhi. They shall be having ample opportunities coming their way. I want them to have a certain passion, a hobby so that they can build their life around it. They should realize the importance of their academics and understand that the only requirement for a sound academic performance is regularity.
They just need to learn that little trick of time management and they shall come out successful in both the academic and the non academic spheres. This period in the form of their college life is one of the most crucial phases of life and also the greatest learning experience they shall ever have in their entire lifetime since this is the time one transforms from a teenager to a responsible human being. They shall be carrying with them some great memories and a whole bunch of lifelong friends.