The competitions first round - the scavenger hunt- is introduced to the students. He and Abhimanyu have a fight and are enemies. Upset, Abhimanyu pushed away Shanaya one day and tells her to go away, Shanaya sees her ring from the wedding day and stays there in the room and they both kiss. Meanwhile, Abhimanyu's grandmother falls sick and eventually dies. Abhimanyu realizes that Shanaya is a distraction and that he wants to focus on the competition. The "Student Of The Year" competition is introduced to all the graduating students. They head back to India as the wedding is done. Then Abhimanyu realizes that he truly loves Shanaya. Rohan apologizes to her and is easily forgiven. On the wedding day, Shanaya's earring isn't going to her piercing so Abhimanyu covers her ear with her hair and keeps one of her earrings. The plan works and Rohan is told that this was a plan to get him back on track. In a party before the wedding Shanaya performs on a song and openly flirts with Abhimanyu, attempting to make Rohan jealous. Noticing all this, Abhimanyu goes to meet her and tells her that they can teach Rohan to respect his girlfriend if not the straight way then the crooked way. Shanaya leaves that place and starts crying. Rohan stands up for Tanya and is rude to Shanaya. Shanaya is rude with Tanya as she wants her to stop be if near her boyfriend. There, Shanaya sees Tanya massaging Rohan's back. They reach there and spend time at a beach. The guest are all taken to Thailand on a private jet. He is then invited to Rohan's elder brother's wedding and is informed that Shanaya and other rich family friends will be invited to the destination wedding in Thailand. After a late night party with Rohan, Abhimanyu sleeps at Rohan's house and has breakfast there as well. Rohan in a friendly but firm way warns Abhimanyu not to think about linking up with Shanaya. Finally, Rohan introduces Shanaya to Abhimanyu. Rohan and Abhimanyu have fights at first but become best friends over the course of time. His dream though, is to become a big business tycoon like Rohan Nanda's father.
He lives with his aunt, uncle and grandmother due to the death of his parents. One day before school Shanaya sees Rohan flirting with Tanya (Sana Saeed) and warns him that if it happens again she'll break up with him.Then after a brief introduction to their showy and classy college new heartthrob of the college,Abhimanyu Singh(Sidharth Malhotra) is introduced.He is an orphan hailing from a middle class family. She is born in a rich family but is unsatisfied by her family, as her mother keeps on divorcing and marrying many rich men. Her name is Shanaya Singhania (Alia Bhatt).
Then the most rich and popular girl of the college - also the girlfriend of Rohan - is introduced. He is the son of a huge business tycoon (Ram Kapoor) and has everything he wants but his father wants him to be a business man like him and disagrees with his love and passion for music. The flashback starts off by showing the most rich and popular guy in the college named Rohan Nanda (Varun Dhawan).
The whole movie is based on a flashback where a competition known as the "Student Of The Year" determines the best student with all abilities. They hold themselves responsible for the chirpy and lively Dean Yogendra Vashisht to have fallen ill. Soon a few former students arrive and talk a lot all their regrets ten years back in college. His desire is to see the students from his last batch, who were part of the student of the year competition. The story starts of with former principal Dean Yogendra Vashisht (Rishi Kapoor) aging and falling very ill.