The countdown for Oasis 2017 has already begun. With a multitude of events happening for 96 hours straight, this year’s fest is expected to be bigger than any of its previous editions. Nisanth Varma, the Controls StuCCAn, shed some light on how the work has panned out so far.

‘We are placing more importance on the quality of events rather than just prof shows’, says Nisanth. Emphasis has been laid on obtaining better participation and inviting experienced judges. All of this is being achieved by providing clubs and departments with a bigger budget.

The StuCCA feels that the theme is often ignored due to its incompatibility with the events. However, there has been a deliberate attempt to change that with this year’s theme being “Realms of Fiction”. With numerous theme based quizzes and game shows being organised, the theme is expected to help clubs and departments innovate.

Oasis is known for its abundance of events such as Rocktaves, Choreo, and Street Dance. It boasts of being the only fest that organizes Rap Wars, a contest which offers talented rappers from all over the country a platform to showcase their skills. In a bid to improve the quality of the fest, emphasis is being laid on these kernel events. In addition to this list, new events added this year are ‘Pun Wars’ and ‘Turncoat’. The StuCCA is also trying to find a solution to the problem of limited accommodation which places an upper cap on participation. There are also plans to revamp decoration of the campus. Nothing specific was disclosed regarding the art décor, which will be worked upon by CrAC and ADP as usual.

Prof Shows this year include performances by Vishal Dadlani and Shekhar Ravjiani, a standup comedy show by Karunesh Talwar, and live concerts by Submarine in Space and Agam. With sponsorship exceeding expectations, the StuCCA hopes to keep at least two of the Prof Shows free of cost for BITSians.

‘Our mind-set from the start was to improve our events and we have come a long way doing just that’, Nisanth said in conclusion.