Experiences and Feedback on IIT Roorkee’s Rajendra Bhawan Mess

As a current student at IIT Roorkee, I have firsthand experience with the various mess facilities, particularly Rajendra Bhawan, which have garnered mixed reviews from students. This article aims to provide an overview of the food quality, taste, and management practices at Rajendra Bhawan, based on my experiences.

Current State of Rajendra Bhawan Mess

As of my latest update, the mess facilities at IIT Roorkee, including Rajendra Bhawan, generally received mixed reviews from students. Many appreciated the variety of food and efforts to accommodate different dietary preferences, including vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. However, some students expressed concerns about food quality and hygiene, as well as the overall cleanliness of the mess facilities.

Issues such as long waiting times during peak hours and the need for better management of food waste were also mentioned. The administration works to address these concerns based on student feedback, so conditions can change over time.

Personal Insights from Student Experiences

Having served two semesters and attended NCC camps during autumn and spring semesters from 2011 to 2012, I can offer insights based on my experiences at the Rajendra Bhawan Mess. This was a period when non-vegetarian options were not served in any of the IIT Roorkee messes. If you are a non-vegetarian, things have likely improved for you since then.

Initial Impressions and Reality Check

For the first few days as a freshman, everything seemed glorious and magnificent, especially the Main Building, Lecture Hall Complex, MAC fields, and even the mess. However, it was my first time eating at any kind of mess, and I had been home-fed to such an extent that I gained 10 kg during JEE preparations, knowing nothing about what to expect.

I found the food to be generally good if not better than my expectations for the first week when parents were present. Parents could buy food coupons for meals at a nominal price, which the mess maintained to avoid complaints. After a fortnight, the quality of food with time resembled the decay of an exponential function, albeit variable every day due to budget constraints.

Daily Menu Varieties

The Breakfast menu consists of bread, jam, and options like paratha, chapati, maida, and poha, depending on the menu. Sprouts are also offered sometimes. Lunch offers a variety of dishes such as aloo dal, rasam, dahi, and khadi. On special days like Dussehra and Vijaya Dasami, items like naan and paneer curry are served.

Specific Day Menu Descriptions

On a specific day, such as Dussehra, the lunch menu included naan and a paneer curry. Other days might include ingredients like watermelon slices, papayas, chilli paneer, and gulab jamun for dinner.

Quality and Management Concerns

The quality of chapatis sometimes fell short of expectations, with the use of a roti machine leading to thin and dry results. The mess proved to be more efficient over time, reducing wait times from 40 minutes to 15 minutes for chapatis. Salads were an exception; they were served multiple times and were a popular choice for lighter meals.

Lunch was often monotonous, with the same gravy and vegetables, which made it hard to maintain a good mood. Breakfast, however, was the most important and best meal with options like fried idlis, bread, and various dishes.

Food Hygiene and Safety

There were occasional outbreaks of food poisoning among first-year students, linked to either the mess, canteen, or water supply. The best water was not known to me, but there were reports of contracts being cancelled and staff being fired due to safety concerns.

Special Events and Days

Festive days saw special food for lunch, while dinner was not served. Muslims inform the mess beforehand to accommodate fasting, and special meals are served for sick students or those in the hospital. On convocation day, mess deposits were returned to students who did not consume their meals.

Refunds and Compromises

If you are going for a leave mid-semester break or an industrial trip, inform the mess so you can get refunds for unused days. Bio metrics have been installed, so these procedures might be obsolete now.

Conclusion

Overall, the Rajendra Bhawan mess at IIT Roorkee provides a communal good for students, but individual preferences and expectations may differ. Despite the challenges, the effort to serve the best within budget is commendable, and students should maintain good relationships with the mess staff to ensure better service.

If you are considering enrolling at IIT Roorkee, it might be worth checking recent student reviews or forums to get a clearer picture of the current situation. And, for any students who need personalized advice, feel free to reach out!