Matinee show Meeting - GBM 2024

Let’s be frank: the General Body Meeting (GBM) was the year's highlight (until now?), eagerly anticipated by all. 

A year filled with turmoil of events and fluctuations, from poor placements and internship statistics to advocacy for more academic flexibility, and the issues raised by the student body- the cancellation of the fest, hostel, WiFi, and water supply- all added to the drama. And not to mention the transportation and mess debates on the sidelines parallelly, it’s safe to assume that IIT Tirupati has seen itself transition into IIT Hollywood in the past few months, right?

The nucleus of this article focuses on giving a summarised insight into the only GBM that took place this year, and we have tried our best to cover the vast sea of topics discussed.

The meeting started on the evening of 16th February 2024, at around 6:16 pm. With strong attendance from the student body, including the secretaries and faculty deans, wardens, and other personnel concerned, the event began with opening remarks.

The GBM took off with the presentation of the action taken report for the previous year, starting with a focus on the sports facilities. The master plan for the same was unveiled to the students, including details such as the proposed seating arrangements for the volleyball court. Transitioning to other matters, attention shifted to the Photography and Film Club (PFC), which was tasked with publishing two folders for each campus event - academic, cultural or external. The topic then slid into the laundry service offered by Haeir Smart Systems on the campus through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The light was shed on the topic of faulty machines - for which the institute informed that the Haier Smart Service would happen on a biannual basis, ensuring the smooth operation of the laundry facilities on campus.

The discussion then centered on the issue of frequent power cuts, for which the institute informed about the manual to automatic changeover in the South campus, which would cross the issue off the list. The following points of discussion included setting up the weekly fruit stalls and ironing facilities near the C3 faculty block, serving as convenient campus amenities, as well as pest control. AMC bringing the pest control department every week was also highlighted.

The focus then shifted to the prevalent issue of dogs in the G Block hostel and mess area, which even sparked an argument between the student body and the CCW.

While the author holds a deep fondness for dogs, ahem, he finds it hard to categorise this point as a ‘nuisance’, but the prolonged presence of dogs in these areas raised concerns beyond mere nuisance to the committee. Dogs have been frequently spotted even in the food court and corridors of G Block hostels, which prompted questions about hygiene and safety standards on campus. The idea of specific dog feeding spots on campus didn’t seem to do the trick. The CCW acknowledged the gravity of the situation and informed that measures are planned to be taken to tackle the issue of the excessive dog population in residential areas, and drives for dog vaccination could be implemented soon. 

The crux of the meeting was to unfold the crucial student-body problems; the subject then shifted to the voices raised by the body. One of the points talked about was the issue of transportation and the removal of buses for cost-cutting and environmental reasons. With the scorching heat of Tirupati, the sun poses risks of heat strokes and dehydration, especially for students who have to walk miles for lectures. Well, our daily commute to college feels like an involuntary sunbath; I often joke that I’m majoring in Chemical Engineering with a minor in Solar Studies - the practical way (the author is terrible with dad jokes - welcome). Moreover, the uneven terrain of the campus doesn’t make it an ideal choice for cyclists. With the poor tree cover, including recently planted saplings, it seems the shade situation won’t ameliorate anytime soon. Ideas like electric buses popped up, but the recent email from the Registrar regarding the implementation of paid E-Rickshaws may spark as a creative solution. 

The next point was akin to the entry of the villainous Kevin Spacey in any 90s film - the mess issue. The prolonged debates resulted in some actions - a new bidder has been identified, and the new operations are expected to start soon - probably before the end of the semester. Regarding the finalising of Archer, the CCW mentioned that the short-term contract would be reviewed. The tender floated in December 2023 saw 18 bidders with two stages- one technical and another financial. Regarding payments, the idea of per-day payments was brushed off due to tender restrictions but still remains a hot topic of discussion. The institute has also promised to tackle the issue of mess hygiene with more prudence, and hopefully, the conditions will be enforced in the following tender. One of the innovative points of discussion that sprung up was for the cooking area to be visible from the outside - a transparent kitchen. Suggestions like open walls, windows, and CCTV installations supported the argument. 

In our Kevin Spacey-esque film, one of the supporting actors was the issue faced by Ph.D. scholars - the reimbursement of scholar’s funds. The Senate committee gave its assurance and informed that the entire process would be managed through the ERP. Additionally, the committee updated on the availability of quarters for married scholars, which are expected to be ready by the end of 2024. The other supporting actor was the upgradation of the health centre - the number of beds has increased to 5 from 3. Doctor visits have been scheduled on a weekly basis, and the medical assistance team is available 24/7. An ambulance has also been stationed near the G-Block hostels, and the emergency number has been circulated. 

Some attention was also directed to the unsolved issue of street lights on the main road, from the college to the railway line. The institute stated that they have received a green signal from the district collector for the installation, contingent upon the college being prepared to handle the maintenance. Additionally, the proposal for a bus stop for the college has been raised and has received an affirmative response. The only obstacle remaining is land acquisition from NHAI for its construction.

Another point raised was about the issue of supplementary exams - The Senate Committee gave us their most scintillating update yet - that the issue was looked into in the 27th BAP Meeting, held on 2nd Jan 2024, where they decided to - wait for it - look into the matter in the next BAP Meeting, to be held on the 5th of April. Yay…..

Okay, now, we slowly progress into the climax of our movie. Note that the authors won’t be explaining in detail the sequence of events that took place that evening (frankly, they are confused themselves) but will try to summarise the same. Without further ado, let’s get into it. The Budget - about Rs 80 lakh was set aside for student activities for the present academic year, which is still being utilised. The details of the expenditures are to be presented on Gymkhana Day - 2024. That concludes the pre-climax.

Now, a bitter truth - Tirutsava 2024, as of today, stood cancelled. Rather than an impulsive decision, this was a result of numerous oversights snowballing to produce the final result. Over the course of the discussion, it was discovered that a document titled ‘Tirutsava Regulations’ was ratified by the Board of Secretaries. This document was ostensibly formed to govern all decisions regarding the festival. It proposed the formation of a governing council consisting of the SGS, CAS, TAS and DoSA.This was the first misstep taken towards the cancellation of Tirutsava - the ratification of this document and the formation of the Governing Council - both of which happened in a rushed manner, without the knowledge of the general public.

Once this was complete, an application to choose the head of Tirutsava was sent to all students. Following this, two candidates were finalised for the interview stage, where they were required to present their vision for the festival. Once they completed their interview, the Governing Council was supposed to deliberate on the matter and arrive at an absolute consensus,  and not a majority consensus. This, supposedly, was not achieved. In the end, neither of the candidates was chosen for the position. This was the second misstep.  At this point, the General Body Meeting turned contentious and argumentative. Many accusations were raised, and names were thrown. The authors do not wish to go into detail regarding this matter in the interest of time and civility.

Moving on, it was then decided by the governing council to ask the candidates whether they intended to work together as co-heads in managing the festival. Both the candidates denied this. At this juncture, conventionally, the CAS and TAS take over as fest heads and conduct the festival, as was done last year. However, this, too, was not done. We do not criticise the individual decisions of the CAS and TAS, as they may have their own reasons for doing so. However, this entire sequence of events, together, serves as the third misstep, where a series of small decisions and clauses led to the hammering of the final nail in the coffin of Tirutsava - 2024.  This serves as a sobering reminder to us as part of the student body of IIT Tirupati. We are a fledgling institute, and such mistakes serve as yardsticks for future decision-making and policy-making. We should take the lessons learned from this fiasco and try to ensure that such incidents are avoided henceforth. Phew, that was a long one!     

Moving on to the post-credit scenes (there were many of them), some other matters were brought forth by members of various cultural committees regarding extensive paperwork being required for fund approvals. It was decided that a single format for approval of funds for various activities would be discussed and approved after consulting all club heads and secretaries. Progress is yet to be made on this front, while integration of said process with ERP is also in progress.

It was also decided that the Students’ Constitution would be tabled and approved at an appropriate time. The details, however, have not been sorted yet.

Post-credit scene 2:  Placements and Interviews: Many queries were placed on this front, including the enlisting of companies who do not take any candidates even after interviewing many of them. The placement coordinator stated that the same problem was encountered in other IITs, too, and that they would consolidate a list of bad companies for screening in subsequent placement rounds.

Post Credit Scene 3: Internships: Neither the Faculty Advisor (Internships) nor the Internship Co-ordinator was present for the meeting. Therefore, no questions were answered. 

And that’s it! 3 hours and 20 minutes of debate, discussion, and arguments, condensed into an article which takes…. A shorter duration of time to read! we know it’s trailblazing, pioneering and pathbreaking! You may thank us later. 

The Student General Body Meeting

Directed by: The Board of Secretaries, IIT Tirupati

Produced by: The Dean, Student Affairs, IIT Tirupati

Starring: The Students, IIT Tirupati

Audience who doesn’t want to pay for popcorn: Neerav Sreekumar, R Shreenivason