diff --git a/evalai/utils/requests.py b/evalai/utils/requests.py
index 99b7b0d5d..186843cd2 100644
--- a/evalai/utils/requests.py
+++ b/evalai/utils/requests.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import json
 import requests
 import sys
 
@@ -11,75 +10,31 @@
 
 
 def make_request(path, method, files=None, data=None):
+    if method in ["PUT", "PATCH", "DELETE"]:
+        raise Exception("HTTP method {} is not supported by make_request".format(method))
+
     url = "{}{}".format(get_host_url(), path)
     headers = get_request_header()
 
-    if method == "GET":
-        try:
-            response = requests.get(url, headers=headers)
-            response.raise_for_status()
-        except requests.exceptions.HTTPError as err:
-            if response.status_code in EVALAI_ERROR_CODES:
-                validate_token(response.json())
-                echo(
-                    style(
-                        "\nError: {}\n".format(response.json().get("error")),
-                        fg="red",
-                        bold=True,
-                    )
-                )
-            else:
-                echo(err)
-            sys.exit(1)
-        except requests.exceptions.RequestException:
-            echo(
-                style(
-                    "\nCould not establish a connection to EvalAI."
-                    " Please check the Host URL.\n",
-                    bold=True,
-                    fg="red",
-                )
-            )
-            sys.exit(1)
-        return response.json()
-    elif method == "POST":
-        if files:
-            files = {"input_file": open(files, "rb")}
-        else:
-            files = None
+    if method == "POST":
+        files = {"input_file": open(files, "rb")} if files else None
         data = {"status": "submitting"}
-        try:
-            response = requests.post(
-                url, headers=headers, files=files, data=data
-            )
-            response.raise_for_status()
-        except requests.exceptions.HTTPError as err:
-            if response.status_code in EVALAI_ERROR_CODES:
-                validate_token(response.json())
-                echo(
-                    style(
-                        "\nError: {}\n"
-                        "\nUse `evalai challenges` to fetch the active challenges.\n"
-                        "\nUse `evalai challenge CHALLENGE phases` to fetch the "
-                        "active phases.\n".format(response.json()["error"]),
-                        fg="red",
-                        bold=True,
-                    )
-                )
-            else:
-                echo(err)
-            sys.exit(1)
-        except requests.exceptions.RequestException:
-            echo(
-                style(
-                    "\nCould not establish a connection to EvalAI."
-                    " Please check the Host URL.\n",
-                    bold=True,
-                    fg="red",
-                )
-            )
-            sys.exit(1)
-        response = json.loads(response.text)
+
+    try:
+        response = requests.request(method, url, data=data, headers=headers, files=files)
+        response.raise_for_status()
+    except requests.exceptions.RequestException as e:
+        if isinstance(e, requests.exceptions.HTTPError) and response.status_code in EVALAI_ERROR_CODES:
+            validate_token(response.json())
+            error = response.json().get("error")  # Error message is returned by server in this case
+            e = "\n{}\n" \
+                "\nUse `evalai challenges` to fetch the active challenges.\n" \
+                "\nUse `evalai challenge CHALLENGE phases` to fetch the active phases.\n".format(error)
+
+        echo("Could not establish a connection to EvalAI with error: {}".format(e))
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+    if method == "POST":
         echo(
             style(
                 "\nYour docker file is successfully submitted.\n",
@@ -90,19 +45,9 @@ def make_request(path, method, files=None, data=None):
         echo(
             style(
                 "You can use `evalai submission {}` to view this submission's status.\n".format(
-                    response.get("id")
+                    response.json().get("id")
                 ),
                 bold=True,
-                fg="white"
             )
         )
-        return response
-    elif method == "PUT":
-        # TODO: Add support for PUT request
-        pass
-    elif method == "PATCH":
-        # TODO: Add support for PATCH request
-        pass
-    elif method == "DELETE":
-        # TODO: Add support for DELETE request
-        pass
+    return response.json()