Review of Inter IIT Cult Meet 6.0

Four days (chaar din ka sapna for people into culturals?) marked by heightened emotions and a fervent pursuit of artistic excellence, the Inter IIT Cultural Meet stands as a testament to passionate individuals competing to bring honor to their respective IITs. In contrast to the well-established Inter IIT Sports Meet which has seen 53 editions and the Inter IIT Tech Meet with 12 editions, the Inter IIT Cult Meet is a relatively new addition to the club, with this year being the 6th edition of the meet, however it is gradually making its mark.

IIT Bombay has had a rich legacy in the Inter IIT Cult Meet. It has hosted it twice previously, once in 2016 and then in 2019. The body responsible for managing the preparation and logistics for the IITB contingent, is the Institute Cultural Council, which also organises cultural events throughout the year.

This year, IIT Kharagpur played host to the meet, featuring 48 competitions spanning across 11 diverse genres from December 26th to 29th, 2023. Through this article, Insight takes a look back on IIT Bombay’s past performances and compares it to this year, and delves into the meticulous preparations undertaken by various teams within the IIT Bombay contingent for this year’s event.

IIT Bombay’s Performance in the Past

IIT Bombay has had a stellar record, finishing in the top three in the overall standings in every meet held until now.

Edition 1 (2016): 1st

Edition 2 (2017): 2nd

Edition 3 (2018): 1st

Edition 4 (2019): 3rd

Edition 5 (2022): 2nd

Edition 6 (2023): 2nd

IIT Bombay secured second place in overall standings last year, with an impressive finish across multiple genres, and clinching two genre cups, in Filmmaking and Lifestyle Arts.

This year, we have improved upon our performance. Although still 2nd in overall standings, we have clinched four genre cups, in Filmmaking, Dance, Culinary and Literary Arts.* 

Insight reached out to the Contingent Leaders (CLs) of this year, Yuvraj Singh Tanwar and Pratham Kingar, to understand the preparation processes and what went on behind the scenes, things that played out in our favour, and areas that still have scope for improvement. We also had a chat with the Genre Captains and team members to dive into more genre-specific nuances, which have been elaborated upon later.

General Organisational Changes in the IIT Bombay Contingent 

This year, the post of Contingent Coordinator was a new addition into the organisation, which helped in improving management and logistics at IIT KGP for our team. We had 3 Contingent Coordinators, two of which were first year students, and the third, a second year student.

There was also a dedicated team for media coverage of the IIT B team, led by the Publicity Nominee and some media coordinators. 

The Selection Process:

This year, captains for genres were selected early on during the semester (September) unlike previously when they were selected sometime just before the Cult Meet. This allowed for them to gain experience by leading their teams to participate in college fests happening around Mumbai as well as outside. 

Around the same time, board meets were conducted by the Organising Team of IIT KGP for all participating IITs, where the existing Constitution and Rulebook were reviewed and revised with changes and new additions. 

A welcome change this year was the decision to have auditions for the contingent selection earlier than previously. These were done mostly by October, barring a few in the first week of November; and allowed the contingent more time to practice. 

For some genres in specific, like filmmaking, a two step process was followed; a large pool of people were selected through auditions and provided training to improve, out of which, the best were taken for offline competitions to IIT KGP.

There has been a rise in the percentage of freshers in the contingent from last year, and as per the CLs, more than 50% of the total contingent of 280+ consisted of freshers and sophomores. This sudden rise could be attributed to lack of participation from them last year due to the anti-ragging period that was on during the time of auditions for Inter IIT Cult Meet last year, which disallowed any form of engagement between freshers and seniors. 

As we talk of the auditioning process, one must appreciate the culture of inclusivity of clubs here at IIT Bombay. In most other IITs, auditions are held to take in freshers into closed groups or societies, and it is this same set of people who participate in every competition to come ahead. Many, especially the younger IITs, also have their scene for culturals revolving only around the Inter IIT Cultural Meet. On the other hand, IIT B has clubs active throughout the year and open for all, allowing opportunities for more people to participate in events, improve in their respective genres and get to be part of the Inter IIT Cult Meet through auditions. 

The Preparation Stage: 

Preparations in IIT B are entirely student run. The entire team is decided through auditions every year, and the preparations last for about one to two months. 

This year, many student groups from IIT Bombay participated in college fests in and around Mumbai, notably including Rendezvous in IIT Delhi and Malhar in St Xaviers’. Since these competitions happened early in the semester, they provided a boost to preparations for the Inter IIT, and to understand where shortcomings lay. The final push came from participation in Mood Indigo, where the contingent achieved podium finishes in multiple competitions, tremendously boosting morale. These aided in understanding performance specific nuances such as audience reactions as well as the point of view of a judge.

Members of the contingent mostly stayed back in the institute during the winter break for practices. Due to the Inter IIT Sports and Mood Indigo happening around the same time, a lack of resources was experienced by the team.The Student Activity Centre as well as many sport facilities were unavailable at times. The contingent however adapted to all of this very well, making usage of alternate venues. This was also made possible by the support of the Dean SA, Cultural Chairperson and SAC officials who helped with multiple permissions for the same.

There were a series of ‘Know Your Genre’ and ‘Know Your Team’ posts released on Instagram that helped create excitement and buzz around the Inter IIT Cult Meet.

To uplift the spirit of the IIT Bombay contingent, a gathering was held at the Convocation Hall on the 16th of December. The occasion was also graced by the Dean of Student Affairs and the Cultural Chairperson, and their words enthused the crowd with excitement and energy. It was also here that it was announced that for the first time ever, the IIT Bombay Inter IIT Culturals contingent members would be granted a daily food allowance of Rs 300, much to the joy of everyone participating. 

At IIT KGP

The contingent was very adaptive to all challenges that came up. From some of them having to adjust to sleeping at 10 degrees without a blanket (far cry from Mumbai weather) for one night due to delay on provisions by the organising team, to being there to support each and every team, the IIT Bombay contingent remained united throughout. 

If one is to compare the preparation of IIT Bombay in the one or two months after auditions versus many other IITs whose culture revolves around the Inter IIT right from the beginning of the year, we performed stellarly well, especially given the fact that we do not use any kind of professional help and that the training process is completely handled by students.

For detailed reviews for specific genres, read on below. 

The Contention System: From 26 to 29 of December, the Contingent Leaders of all IITs would meet everyday at night after all the events of the day were completed. A Google Sheet was used where the questioning IIT would raise their contention against the other IIT, genre wise. Thus, scores for all events of the day would be finalised. 

*Please note, there has been a change made for genres of this year’s meet, i.e., the separation of the Lifestyle Arts genre into what will now be known as Fashion Arts and Culinary Arts.

Preparations by Genre Teams

We talked to genre captains and team members to find out more about their preparations for each of the competitions, about their strategies and their ambitions of clinching the overall cup for IIT Bombay.

Please note: – indicates no standings achieved in the particular competition.

Dance 

Overall Cup: 1st

Group Dance: 2nd

Street Battle: 2nd

Just Duet: 6th

Last year, the team emerged 2nd in the group dance and 1st in the duet competition. The street battle competition had been scrapped off entirely by the organisers despite the competition already nearing the final rounds, wherein IIT Bombay’s team had also made it to the final rounds. 

This year, IIT Bombay’s dance contingent, taking inspiration from other IITs, started practices earlier. According to Nabeel, the Genre Captain, diversity has always been a key strength for the IIT Bombay dance team, which incorporated various styles, dancers, and songs in its performances. “An inclusive approach, with open-minded selections and no restrictions on the number of members from different batches, and a commitment to individual styles is practiced in our campus.” This is owed to the existence of open clubs in our campus. A relaxed budget also allowed for purchase of a crash mat which helped reduce injury risks.

Culinary Arts

Overall Cup: 1st

Tag Team: 2nd

Mixology: 1st

Cook Off: –

The Culinary Arts teams underwent notable changes in preparation, thanks to the inception of Kava, the Culinary Club, which has not only created a space for culinary expression but has also set the stage for a culinary renaissance within the institute. 

There are three competitions that happen in this genre. Cook off entails showcasing prowess in crafting delectable dishes using a given theme and pantry. Mixology is a mocktail making competition requiring adherence to given colour combinations and themes using a given colour palette. Tag team is a relay-style challenge requiring participants to alternate cooking every 15 minutes and to incorporate a specific ingredient into their dish, determined by a lucky draw. Last year, the team stood 1st position in the cook-off competition. 

According to Shubhang, the Institute Culinary Nominee and also the Genre Captain, “IIT Kharagpur has always been a very strong competitor, owing to their established culinary culture and well established learning spaces for the same. The IIT Bombay team’s strength lay in its focus on diversity, with a combination of experienced hands and eager learners”. Crafting a cohesive strategy, being thorough with theory required for mixing in mixology, and streamlining coordination for the tag team were identified as some areas of improvement. 

With the establishment of a permanent kitchen, increased inventory, and a more generous budget, the team was better equipped this year. The allocation of a budget also enabled the team to order ingredients flexibly and enhanced the overall experience. 

Quizzing and Literary Arts

Overall Quiz Cup: 3rd

India Quiz: 1st, 6th

Sports Quiz: 3rd, 7th

SciTech Quiz: 4th

General Quiz: 4th

MELA Quiz: 8th

BIZ Quiz: –

Overall Literary Arts Cup: 1st

Scrabble: 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th

Word Games: 2nd, 5th, 8th

Cryptic Crosswords: –

English Creative Writing: 3rd, 5th

English Poetry Writing: 3rd

Hindi Creative Writing: –

Hindi Poetry Writing: –

Literary Arts and Quizzing are separate genres but most of the competitions under these two genres come under the purview of the Literati club. The remaining competitions here, Hindi Creative Writing and Hindi Poetry Writing come under the purview of the Vaani Club.

The team finished first in Scrabble and fourth in Cryptic Crossie last year. Unlike the previous edition, wherein practices occurred in the middle of the semester lasting 7 to 10 days, the team this year embraced a more consistent and dedicated practice regimen, resulting in a better-shaped contingent. The enthusiasm notably increased, with over 100 people auditioning, a substantial surge from the 13 to 14 participants in the previous year. Last year’s tournament, occurring after a three-year gap, saw less fervor, and entries were limited, but this time, the heightened interest allowed for a more competitive selection process.

Kanishk, the Institute Literary Arts Secretary and also a Genre Captain spoke to us, “There was a renewed focus on creative writing. The quizzing contingent had a significant number of freshers, contributing to the team’s diversity and skill set. The team strategically tailored its gameplay, ensuring that each member complements the strengths of others, covering a spectrum of skills including vocabulary and calculation for word games like anagrams, an example being the India Quiz where people from different parts of India were paired together.” Provision of classrooms in the energy building and VMCC for practice despite December being extremely busy in the institute helped improve practices. 

Omkar, the Indian Languages Secretary spoke to us about the competitions Vaani handled. “This year, the selection process, GCs and auditions were used to select people for poetry writing and creative writing.depending on the given prompts and their preparation. Team strengths included good bonding, unique writing styles, and a distinct thinking process. While they practiced well, there is always room for exploration and improvement.” The subjectivity of judging in the genre is pointed as a concern, and themes provided by the judges for the competition were said to be essay-like rather than prose.

Music

Overall Cup: 3rd

Band Competition: 2nd

Pair On Stage: –

Solo Singing: 1st

Classical Vocal Solo: –

The band finished first place last year, with a second place finish in solo vocals; and a second position was achieved overall in Music. The pair on stage competition was scrapped off by the organisers last minute.

We discussed this year’s preparations with Jitartha, the Genre Captain. “This year, a more structured approach to song selection for IIT B’s performance was adopted, contrasting with a few last-minute decisions in the past. This included meticulous discussions on software requirements and the incorporation of a dedicated sound engineer in the contingent, contributing significantly to the efficiency of the preparation process.” A diverse set list of songs for performance was a key strength. The team remained focused on areas requiring improvement, notably tightness of performance and not exceeding stage time. 

During the soundcheck, a lost patch for one song by the organisers went unexplained. Despite requesting compensation, no additional soundcheck time was granted, due to which the team had to resort to live mixing.

The provisions made, including budget discussions, liquid budgets for equipment, aided in putting forth a strong performance. There are however expectations of an improved and better streamlined reimbursement process by the institute and more efficient logistical arrangements since music is a equipment heavy genre. 

Theatre Arts

Overall Dramatics Cup: 2nd

Stage Play: 1st 

MonoAct: 2nd & 5th

Mime: 3rd 

Street Play: 9th

The IIT Bombay contingent stood first in stage play and second in mime last year. The overall position obtained in the genre was second.

This year, an introduction of two genre captains and a well-attended audition process significantly strengthened the team. The team reached the finals in MI for almost all competitions, and even won the stage play competition, using these as an opportunity to understand areas of improvement, as well as a source of encouragement 

Street play emerges as a primary focus due to the lack of a street play culture at the institute. The team put in extra efforts to improve their performance from last year. This included learning from the strengths of other colleges and refining their approach accordingly.

According to Mohit, one of the Genre Captains, “The team’s strengths lay in its experienced members, and an extremely dedicated street play team. The music team was outstanding, and has always been an element unique to IIT Bombay and a few other IITs only, as the others use prerecorded material. A well-coordinated lighting setup was another strong point. The prod team worked tirelessly and helped elevate the level of performance. An issue the team experienced was a lack of human resources, owing to a hard limit on the contingent size this year. This led to people getting overworked.”

The institute’s support, including adequate budget allocations, resources, and access to practice venues such as the indoor cricket court which exactly matched dimensions of the final venue, contributed to the team’s preparedness.

Filmmaking Arts

Overall Cup: 1st

Online Filmmaking: 3rd

51 Hours Filmmaking: 1st

Last year, the team stood 1st in the 51 Hours Filmmaking competition and won the overall cup. 

This year, the team initiated the process well in advance, conducting a comprehensive workshop session and competition for recruitment. The recruitment process included a portfolio round and practice sessions, ensuring a thorough selection of participants. A large pool of students were selected, out of which some were picked to take for the offline meet to Kharagpur. 

Divyansh, the Genre Captain, spoke to us about the genre. “We aim not only for success in the competition but also to cultivate a film-making culture within the campus. The team concentrated on narrative depth, ensuring a unique approach to storytelling. The team’s strengths lay in strong bonding and a well-organized structure, and multi-talented members, with even actors being trained to set lights and production. Core teams, along with their respective heads, were designated, allowing for seamless collaboration and support.” Despite some challenges, such as permissions and budgetary concerns as well as facing issues with permissions for shooting locations, the team appreciated the alternative solutions provided by the institute. However, there are expectations for smoother processes and timely support from the institute in terms of budget approval and equipment procurement. The passing of bills, though delayed, provided some relief,.

Themes were released by the organising committee rather than the judges. This was attributed to the judge being busy in the detailed report released by the organisers reviewing the Inter IIT. 

Despite such issues that cropped up, the team showcased their creativity and skills at IIT KGP, delivering an outstanding performance and bringing home the cup once again.

Digital Arts

Overall Cup: –

Photoshop Battle: –

Online Graphic design: 5th, 6th

3D-Animation Competition: –

Design Marathon: – 

Street Photography: –

Online Photography Competition: –

Online Photostory: –

Historically, the team has performed exceptionally well, achieving 2 out of 5 cups. Last year saw a first place finish in the design marathon competition. The performance this year was less than spectacular, and are owed to the subjectivity of judging in the genre.

There was a significant increase in the number of participants from the beginning of the camp, providing them with the opportunity to form stronger and more diverse teams. Initial practices were conducted for everyone, and teams were structured accordingly.  According to Sahil, the Genre Captain,” in design, where individual portfolios are crucial, the team recognizes the importance of evaluating how well individuals perform within a team. Instead of formulating a specific battle plan, the team emphasized self-focus in design.” They acknowledged the need to conduct the camp earlier to avoid clashes with participants going home. Challenges such as revoked permissions for planned practices at LHC posed obstacles.

Fashion Arts

Overall Cup: 3rd

Fashion Show: 1st

Online Modelling Competition: –

The team stood 1st in the Fashion Show competition last year. 

This year, the team shifted its focus towards choreography and, notably, the intricate aspect of costumes. Jahnavi, Institute Fashion Nominee said that the team recognised the complexity of fashion and its requisite practice. The team composition included more senior members, contributing to a wealth of experience.  

The team maintained their streak of 1st place finishes in the Fashion Show from last year. They however acknowledged the evolving competition landscape, with other IITs drawing inspiration from their groundbreaking 2019 performance, featuring convertible costumes. However, the team faced a disqualification in the online modeling competition, owing to a misunderstanding of a rule in the provided rulebook.

Strengths lay in the team’s intense focus on individual costumes, with each model dedicatedly working on their attire. The support from senior members added to the team’s overall strength. However, the team acknowledged challenges, particularly in managing delays and overcoming hurdles.  In terms of provisions, the team managed the budget effectively, but an immense need for liquid cash to purchase raw materials was felt. 

Speaking Arts 

Overall Cup: –

English Slam Poetry: 6th, 8th

Hindi Slam Poetry: –

Literati and Vaani were in charge of the above two competitions respectively. Reviews of competitions handled by them can be found in the Literary Arts section.

Debating

Parliamentary Debate Competition: 8th

Just-A-Minute: 8th

Last year, the team won 2nd place in STEW (Survive Tackle Extrapolate Win), 3rd place in Parliamentary Debate and 3rd place in JAM (Just A Minute). This year, the STEW competition was scrapped off. 

The IITB Debating Society, boasts a legacy of successes both domestically and internationally. However, the performance at the Inter IIT was not up to the mark, with no podium finishes in any of the genres. The unavailability of quality participants, who were occupied with other major international tournaments, is cited to be a major reason behind this. 

Harsh, the Genre Captain spoke to us about the performance in IIT KGP. “While the other teams who went outside are better and more practiced, in and of itself we were surely good enough to atleast reach the finals easily. We had multiple practices with other IIT SOCs. More intensive preparation would have surely helped achieve better results. In most competitions, we lost by very small margins. There is a major issue here that needs to be pointed out; in the Inter IIT, participants of the different IITs acted as adjudicators too, which is normal in usual debating competitions, but can cause direct conflict of interests in an Inter IIT. But that is just how debating competitions work.” 

On similar lines, the report by the organising committee of IIT KGP mentioned a way ahead for the next inter IIT, “Having a Core Adjudication Panel is a must along with a test to gauge the level of each participating adjudicator.” 

Stand Up

Stand Up Comedy: 1st and 3rd

Improv Battle: 6th

Last year, the team achieved exceptional results, with all three positions,1st, 2nd and 3rd in Stand Up, and 1st place in Improv Battle.

IIT Bombay was the first IIT to have ever started a club dedicated to comedy. There is a call for the establishment of a separate cup for comedic arts in the Inter IIT Cult Meets to provide a fair platform for the evolving comedy culture across IITs.

We spoke to Dhawal, a contingent member for comedy both last year and this year to understand how preparations unfolded. “The team engaged in extensive standup material testing through open mics, refining and perfecting their content. We also emphasised on steering clear of crass and vulgar content, which however tend to get the crowd to react more. In improv, there was an attempt to explore new dimensions, although it is acknowledged that a greater focus on basics may have been beneficial. It is an observation that many other IITs tend to send their dramatics contingent for improv in order to be more expressive while speaking, and our team needed to focus more on better acting. There also lies an issue of subjectivity of judging in the genre.”

Exposure from comedy in the Bombay circuit also has been significant in aiding preparation. The team appreciates funding they received to visit an improv show, workshop, and open mic, thereby helping in refining their performance. 

Fine Arts 

Overall Cup: 4th

Live Sketching: 5th and 6th

Canvas Painting: –

Charcoal Art: 2nd

Costume Design: 6th

Last year, the team stood 1st and 3rd in canvas painting.

Ritika, the Genre Captain, talked to us about the genre’s performance in the Inter IIT. “Unlike last year’s form-based selections, this time, auditions were held for charcoal and costume, with more organized practices and ideation sessions. The team tailored their gameplay to address weaknesses observed in clashes and interactions from the previous year. Practicing not only individually but also in groups, to promote interaction, was emphasized upon.” KGP’s consistent success in fine arts over the last three years was acknowledged. 

This year, the team had no positions in the top 12 for canvas painting, and this is owed to the immense subjectivity of judging in the genre. The costume designed by IIT B, depicted a warrior suffering from mental illness. 

The winning artworks were allegedly not shared on social media or any platform, thereby making it unknown as to which art pieces won. More transparency in such aspects from the organising committee will help with future editions of the Inter IIT.

Concluding Note

The Contingent Leaders of IIT Bombay acknowledged the need to improve performance in the non performing arts, i.e, digital arts and fine arts, as well as the speaking arts.

This year, there were concerns about lack of fairness by the organising IIT team, particularly surrounding release of themes by the organising IIT instead of judges for multiple competitions. According to the report released by the organising team, “The introduction of a new judge selection process, involving the Judge Selection Committee comprising the Organizing Committee of the host IIT and one student representative from each participating IIT, aimed at promoting transparency and inclusivity. However, unforeseen challenges arose during the implementation. The process, designed to involve multiple IITs in the nomination and screening of judges, faced delays that impacted the timely finalization of judges for certain events. This delay, in turn, forced the Organizing Committee to provide themes on the designated day, as outlined in the rulebook, before the judges could be confirmed.” There is hence a call to have a clear demarcation between the organising team and the participating team in order to avoid collusion of any kind. 

The Inter IIT Cultural Meet is currently at a very nascent stage. A proposal for official recognition from the Ministry of Culture is currently under progress. There is also a push to increase the number of days the Inter IIT Cult lasts, on similar lines as Inter IIT Sports, as organising 48 competitions within a span of just 4 days is a major constraint. We are positive about this increase occurring as the Inter IIT last year at IIT Madras was a 3 day event, which further increased to 4 this year. The next Inter IIT Cultural Meet shall most likely be taking place at IIT Roorkee. Let us hope the IIT Bombay team moves upwards, and maintains this rich legacy!

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