FIFA World Cup 2014: How excited are Indian colleges?

FIFA craze is burning full throttle in India with the world cup of the beautiful game currently being conducted in Brazil. Although domestic football in India is not at the same pedestal at which it is placed in other countries but football academies in our country are fast trying to match pace with their counterparts abroad.

These days wherever you go, it is impossible not to get caught up in the football fever. Ranging from people flaunting their favourite soccer team’s flag or wearing t-shirts representing their favourite footballer to the bright coloured FIFA inspired mocktails and cocktails offered at almost every other eating outlet, FIFA frenzy is all around.

So, Shiksha.com took out some time to figure out what various educational institutions and their students are doing around FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014:

IIM Lucknow: This management school will be screening football matches for its students starting next week. The matches will be screened in the cafeteria area of Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Lucknow’s campus. As of now students mostly gather in groups and watch the matches on TV.

FMS: No screening of football matches will be conducted at the Faculty of Management Studies (FMS). However, FMS did organise the screening of the T20 cricket world cup.

IIM Ranchi: The institute is presently in talks regarding the screening of FIFA World Cup matches. However, Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ranchi is currently closed for summer vacation and is expected to re-open on June 23, 2014 which is when the Planning Committee of the college will take a final decision regarding whether they should or should not screen the football matches.

IIM Kozhikode: At this b-school, students mostly gather in the cafeteria and watch the soccer world cup on TV. Another interesting fact is that the students have put up flags of the country they are supporting in the beautiful game in their hostel balcony. However, the college authorities or management at Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Kozhikode is not organising any event and is also not screening any football matches at its campus.

Similarly, no soccer related event or screening is being conducted at other management institutes such as IIM Indore, IIM Calcutta, IIM Kashipur and IIM Shillong as well. However, the fans of the game are known to watch the matches at their common rooms and cafeteria area. Some also gang up and head out to the nearest café which serve specials (in terms of food and drinks) while screening the football matches.

Even the various Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) are not holding any screenings of the FIFA World Cup being held in Brazil, primarily because summer vacations are currently underway and the colleges are expected to re-open only by July end and the soccer world cup is set to end on July 14, 2014, so football fans from these institutes can chill and enjoy every facet of their favourite sport at their respective homes.