The English Press Club sat down with Prof. Navin Singh to talk about his expectations from his tenure as the Associate Dean of the Students’ Welfare Division (SWD).

Talking about his vision, Prof. Navin shared that he aims to improve student life on campus and focus on the betterment of students’ physical and mental health. He added that he is also working on making the SWD more transparent and accountable and wants to remove the barrier between students and the administration. He shared that two major problems that students face are water and electricity. To eradicate these problems, DG Power backup in all hostels and insulated water tanks would be provided. Further, he mentioned that all four campuses are planning to implement stricter guidelines so as to salvage student discipline. For this, he is working with the IPC to prepare an undertaking stating institute guidelines that all students would be required to sign. This, he said, would ensure that the students are held accountable for their actions and thus, will not get away by claiming unawareness.

When asked about the accommodation issues and ongoing renovations, Prof. Navin shared that the institute had three different hostels simultaneously under renovation for the first time. He said that while this may have caused some hiccups in the students’ lives, it cut down the cost of construction significantly. ‘Costs that come directly from the students’ pockets’, he added. He further stated that this semester, the ninth block in Meera Bhavan will also undergo its much-awaited renovation. To resolve the accommodation issues that would be caused by this, one of the newly renovated boy’s hostels would be allotted to girls. He added that the institute is trying to find alternatives to the existing issues, and that patience and cooperation from the student’s end would be appreciated.

Prof. Navin concluded the interview by sharing his remarks on the importance of mental health. He emphasised the fact that wardens cannot look after 400 students at once, but peers can look after each other. He shared that although students think the better infrastructure can solve all their problems, there are pressing issues—such as mental health—that require more attention. ‘If you look after your immediate neighbours and they do the same for their immediate neighbours, then this chain goes on’, he said, urging the students to be more aware of their surroundings and peers. He added that anytime a student notices anything abnormal, they should feel free to approach the Chief Warden, the administration, or him.