While BITSians were excited for the upcoming 50th edition of Oasis, the pandemic left everyone in low spirits. Given the public safety concerns and the uncertainty brought on by multiple lockdowns, the fest was postponed indefinitely. In response to the situation prevalent at that time and to uphold the spirit of Oasis, the Students’ Council for Cultural Activities (StuCCA) organised an online event in October as a preface to the 50th edition. The EPC interviewed StuCCA to discuss the various events held during this online “mini-fest” and the challenges faced by them in shifting to an online platform.

StuCCA held a total of five competitions for 2020—Swaranjali (Hindi Solo Singing), Unspoken (Spoken Poetry), And…Scene (Solo Acting), Desert Duel (Solo Dance), and Pitch Perfect (English Solo Singing). The platform used for all the contests was Paytm Insider. Some participants performed live, while others sent a pre-recorded video of their performance which was evaluated by a panel of judges. Additionally, Sponz got ATKT, a college fest application, as the title sponsor and the major media outlet for marketing. Cisco sponsored all the cash prizes for the winners along with an online music store—Onstage. 

The StuCCAn of the Department of Controls remarked that StuCCA was happy with the level of participation in this Oasis, given that this online mode was entirely new for organisers and participants alike. He acknowledged that this online edition had helped them tap into the Mumbai circuit of colleges, which rarely participate in Oasis and prefer other, local fests.

Talking about the management of events, StuCCA explained how the functioning of various departments had changed in the online mode. The work of the Department of Visual Media (DVM), Department of Publications and Correspondence (PCr), and Department of Sponsorship and Marketing (Sponz) did not change much. However, the Department of Controls and the Department of Reception and Accommodation (RecNAcc) had to tailor their work according to whatever help was needed. A few clubs, such as Gurukul, Karaoke Club, Mime Club, Poetry Club, and Dance Club, were also involved in organising certain events. Despite being called upon at short notice, the clubs managed to coordinate to make Oasis a resounding success. 

An online edition of Rocktaves was organised in partnership with OnePlus and a BITSian startup named Humit. To adapt to the online version and to augment the scale of participation, Rocktaves was not limited to rock bands. Participants across different genres were asked to submit their entries in the form of Instagram Reels, which were then posted on Oasis’s official Instagram page. A panel of judges, including the lead singers of Lagori, Parvaaz, and When Chai Met Toast, selected the winners from the top ten most liked entries.

The current situation does not seem promising for the 50th edition to be held offline even if the campus reopens next semester. StuCCA asserted that they have no intention to compromise on the scale of the 50th edition of the fest and will wait until the situation improves. With this virtual experience under their belts, the upcoming StuCCA would also be equipped to conduct online events for the 50th edition.