FOR PRIVATE CIRCULATION 2016-2017

PaGaLGuY
The Education Network

THE GDPI
ANTHOLOGY
Personal Accounts of Group
Discussions and Personal XLRI, MDI, NMIMS,
Interviews for MBA Admissions to IIMs, New IIMs,
India’s Best B-Schools IITs and Others
 PaGaLGuY
The Education Network

THE GDPI
ANTHOLOGY
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Reproduction without permission in any form or means is illegal.

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Acknowledgements
We’d like to thank all the PaGaLGuY members who’ve
been contributing their GDPI experiences to PaGaLGuY
every year.
Your contributions have helped the aspirants immensely in
their preparation for GDPI.

Back at the PaGaLGuY HQ, the following people contributed to the

making of this GDPI Anthology:

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Layout, Editing and Cover Design
Table of Contents
002 XLRI GDPI Experiences
A collection of experiences for XLRI’s BM
and HRM courses

070 MDI GDPI Experiences

A collection of experiences for MDI Gurgaon

106 IIM GDPI Experiences

Experiences from IIM A, IIM C, IIM K, IIM I, IIM S

158 New IIMs GDPI Experiences

Experiences from IIM CAP (New Campuses)

180 NMIMS GDPI Experiences

Experiences from MBA Core of NMIMS

196 IITs GDPI Experiences

Experiences from IIT K, IIT Roorkee, IIT Madras

204 Miscellaneous Experiences

Experiences from IMT, XIME, IIFT, XIMB,
JBIMS & Others

Wish you the best from PaGaLGuY

 No paper was harmed in the making of this page.

1
 XLRI GDPI
EXPERIENCES

2
@naman181 XLRI BM Interview
GD Topic: Globalization is good for economy but it destroys
cultures.
X: 85.8 XII: 82
GD was pretty good. All of us pitched in a lot of points and we
Graduation: 73.4 - M.Sc. + B.E.,
were able to give the discussion the required structure. All of us
BITS Pilani were pretty happy about how GD went.
XAT: 98.97%ile
Three senior faculty members at XLRI. Let’s call them P1, P2
GK: 93.xx
and P3.
Essay: Okayish
P1: So Naman, tell us what have you been doing for the past
10 months? (I had to leave job for medical reasons)
How many days Me: Sir, I have been working on my aptitude and teaching
students online to maintain a steady source of income.
would it take for me P1: Tell me one good quality and one bad quality that learned
to learn harmonica? about yourself while teaching those students.
Me: Sir, one good quality that I learnt is that I am a patient guy
who generally doesn’t get irritated if a student asks same doubt
over and over again.

P1: So have you ever tested this patience, I mean after how
many repetitions do you start to get irritated?
Me: Yes sir, after 5-6 times I sense a little bit irritation but then
I try to understand what is the problem because of which the

3
student is not able to get the concept. Either I am not explain-
ing properly or the student is not paying attention and then act
according to that.
P1: Okay, now tell me one bad quality.
Me: Sir I think my negotiation skills. My motive for doing this
is to maintain a steady flow of income and if a student does not
have enough money, say he/she can only spare $20 per hour
instead of 30, I let it go and take 20.
P1: So isn’t that a good quality? Gurus in the past were lenient
about their fees.
Me: Sir because of this I suffer economic loss and that is why
I consider it as a weakness, and regarding the gurus in the
past, I thing they were very stringent about Gurudakshina,
Dronacharya asked for Eklavya’s thumb!
(P1 goes silent and P3 starts talking)
“On the 7th day of my stay there, I
was diagnosed, and according to their
policy I could not continue.”
P3: So which company were you working in before you left it
and why?
Me: Sir, I was working with Hindalco industries in Renukoot
and I left because I was diagnosed with color blindness so I
had to leave.
P3: Did you not know about this before-hand or have you not
gone through medical check-up before joining?
Me: Sir, I was doing an internship in Germany when the
e-mail for these medical check-ups came and since medical
care is very expensive in Germany I asked the officials at Hin-
dalco for permission to undergo medical check-up once I join
and they readily agreed. On the 7th day of my stay there, I was
diagnosed, and according to their policy I could not continue.
P2: Naman, you have studied Bhagvad Gita in your 2nd year.
How many chapters are there and which epic is it a part of ?
Me: Sir, I don’t remember the exact number of chapters but I
do know that it is a part of Mahabharata and the conversation
took place between Arjun and Krishna.
P2: Don’t you think Bhagvad Gita should be taught by Swa-
mis and not teachers?
Me: Sir, the teacher that taught us had all the qualities that I
can imagine in a Swami. He was a very calm person, with no
materialistic attachment. Despite being a professor at BITS
Pilani, he sleeps on floor, commutes with bicycle and donates
most of his earnings to the charity.
P2: Naman, I think the strength of BITS lies in the fact that a
lot of diverse courses are offered, but I can see from your tran-
script that you have taken only 4 humani ties elective.
Me: Sir, after graduating, my aim was to as an engineer for 2
to 3 years to gain industry exposure and then pursue MBA.
Keeping that in mind, I focused on diversity in my field. I
think I have fulfilled that objective as I have internships in
Oil & Gas Industry, Steel Industry, Paper board Industry in
Sweden and one research internship in Germany.
P3: So tell us about your work in Germany.
Me: Explained the work. It was pretty technical.
P3: So your work was not theoretical?
Me: No sir, it was very practical and I did conduct some useful
research that can be used later.
P3: And what about your internship in Sweden? Did you work
alone or in group and was it a single project?
Me: Sir I worked independently with my colleagues to guide
me if needed. I was allowed to make my own decision and to
come up with new projects. One of my major project out of 7
was to design a cigarette packaging for Phillip Morris Inter-
national.
P3: (Looking at the questionnaire) Naman, you have written
about the bad quality of Youth Hostels in Hindalco in Renu-
koot. Tell us more about it.
Me: Sir, before we joined Hindalco we have heard stories about
how Aditya Birla group treats Graduate Engineering Train-
ees like their Daamaad (they all laugh). But the quality of the
Youth hostel was nowhere near to what we had expected. So
we suggested some pretty cheap solution to improve the qual-
ity of living for current and future employees, but they were
adamant that they have best hostels in that particular industry.
P3: And you said that you wanted to do an MBA after some
time?
Me: Yes sir, in core industry, after a certain point the work
becomes monotonous and growth is very slow, promotions are
far apart. So to give a boost to that I had decided to pursue
MBA after a while.
P3: So you must be happy when you got the news that you
can’t work there.
Me: No sir, I was not happy but I was not sad either. This
is something that I cannot control and having this condition
(color blindness) is not my fault. So I guess there is no point
being sad about this.
P2: You have received a certificate from Himachal Pradesh
Government for various adventure sports. You trekked for 45
kms and went upto 12,000 feet! (He was a bit amazed). Where
4
was this? Kullu?
Me: Sir, this was an adventure camp organized by our school
and our first destination was near Manali.
P2: Yeah, Kullu and Manali, same thing. (P1 comes back into
the conversation)
P1: You know Naman, I’ve been thinking for the past 15 min-
utes that BITS really hasn’t done justice to you. They should
have conducted a medical test before you joining the college.
Specially with Chemical Engineering and Chemistry as your
majors.
Me: Sir, I thought about this too, but now I think there is no
point lamenting about this. I can’t help it. What’s done is done.
P3: Yes yes, we totally understand that, what we are trying to
ask is, have you done anything about this?
Me: Indeed sir, I have contacted my HOD and told him about
this and he assured me that appropriate measures will be taken.
P1: Tell me the science behind color blindness.
Me: Told.
P3: So you have written that you learnt to play a few instru-
ments. Which ones?
Me: Sir, I play Guitar and Harmonica and I picked up flute
just a few days ago.
P2: So where did you learn these instruments?
Me: On the internet, Sir.
P2: What! How can you learn these instruments from the in-
ternet! (He was not angry, just happily inquisitive). Tell me
about the websites from where you learnt these.
Me: Sir, Justin Guitar for Guitar and Harptabs for Harmonica
are two of such websites.
P2: So why do you play Harmonica and what do you like
about it?
Me: First thing, its size! It is so small that I can carry it ev-
5
erywhere, I actually have right here in my pocket (they smile).
Moreover the sound is very pleasant. It helps me relax.
P2: How many days would it take for me to learn Harmonica?
Me: Sir if you know a little bit about Music, maximum 7 days.
It is actually quite an easy instrument.
P1: Rank Harmonica, Guitar and Flute according to the time
required to learn them.
Me: Guitar > Flute > Harmonica.
P3: Naman, you have written that you try to keep abreast with
world affairs. Why? What purpose does it serve for you?
Me: Sir, I mostly do it for conversations (they raise eyebrows). I
believe if you are abreast with world affairs, the quality of your
conversation increases and you can also make new connection
with individuals because you have something common to talk
about.
P1: So tell me what is going on in Spain and Netherlands?
Me: I don’t exactly know sir, can you give me a hint?
(He gives me a hint and I connect it to immigration problem
due to Donald Trump’s travel ban, he nods his head in affirma-
tion but still the conversation was short)
Me: Sir what just happened proves my point. If I knew about
this topic, our conversation would have been much longer and
we would have connected more. (He nods)
P1: (In Hindi) To Sharma ji, Tonk Road rehte ho? Ram
Mandir ke paas? Jaate ho kabhi Ram Mandir.
Me: Ji Sir, kabhi kabhi parents ke saath Janmashtami par jaate
the.
He smiles and says thank you, you can leave.
This is almost verbatim. I hope I did okay. Let me know what
you guys think.
Flip for next Interview

6
@Ankan_Kesh XLRI BM Interview
GD Topic: Innovation is the best insurance against irrele-
vance. GD was nice. Everyone spoke. We had already decide
Centre: XLRI to maintain decorum and to come up worth criteria before
putting forward any argument. Spoke for 7-8 times.
Date: 04/03/2017
XAT Score: 99.53 PI experience (30 mins approx.)
GK Score: 43.xx
P: How was the GD? How are your parameters for innova-
CAT’15: 92.18%ile
tion? Which is the most innovative country according to you?
CAT’16: 99.56%ile Is India innovative? Was demonetisation innovative?
XAT’17: 99.53%ile Me: Talked about this for 7-8 mins.

P: Why are the Scandinavian countries so ahead of us in terms

Are you innovative? Is of innovation and why is there little or no poverty?
Me: Gave my views.

this room innovative? P: Are smart classes innovative? Are you innovative? Is xlri
innovative? Is this room innovative?
Me: Told.

P: I am from marketing, so can you state a few innovations

from this area?
Me: Talked about the Pepsi blind test marketing and Patanja-
li’s marketing strategy.

7
P: You know Indira nooyi?
Me: Told.
P: She is from PepsiCo. What innovation do you think Pepsi
has made in recent times?
Me: Told about reducing the portion sizes.
P: Did you join engineering right after 12? Why not wait a
year and prepare better?
Me: Told my views.
“Told about my passion in social work
and how I had discovered that during
my graduation and…”
P: You think you had put enough hard work into it?
Me: Told about my passion in social work and how I had dis-
covered that during my graduation and how I didn’t neglect
my engineering and tried to complete my course the best I
could.
P: Sin^ -1 = t, what is tan ^-1 x ?
Me: Told.
P: Why are you nervous? This is okay?
Me: Sir it has been long since I solved a trigonometric prob-
lem.
P: You are an engineer, aren’t you? Which department?
Me: Told.
P: What are your other favourite maths area?
Me: Sir TSD and numbers.
P: Do you know what are prime numbers?
Me: Told.
P: What is the formulae for them?
Me: Couldn’t recall.
P: Gave me that ball bouncing GP problem and asked me how
I would solve the distance covered and the number of drops?
Me: Told about distance. For the number of drops I started
counting, then I realised that as I had taken an infinite GP,
the number of drops would theoretically be infinite. Told that.
P: Why did you started counting then?
Me: Poker face.
P: So you work for an NGO, what do you do?
Me: Told about my work in details.
P: So is there anything you would like to talk which we may
have missed?
Me: Sir I am big fan of football.
P: Favourite club?
Me: Told.
P: Now, I would ask you about Indian players?
Me: Okay Sir.
P: Captain of India?
Me: Told.
P: If he is not playing, then?
Me: Told.
Okay then we are done.
P: So you have written in you form about LGBT issues, what
made you work toward that?
Me: I had a discussion of about 7-8 minutes.
Okay. It was nice talking to you. Have a toffee.
8
@BaluSam
David
Slot: 04/03/2017 at 1:45 PM
10th Score: 92.14
12th Score: 92.4
UG Score: 7.66, B.TECH
Work Ex: 30 Months
XAT: 97.29%ile
Do you feel Trump
was wrong to look
into US economy?
9
XLRI BM Interview
GD Topic: Innovation is the best insurance against irrelevance.
GD Experience: GD was a healthy discussion with everybody
pitching in with valid points. I could also play along with the
group and raise 4 valid points supported with examples. Al-
though the group couldn’t rank it as per the required format.
PI Experience: Two Lady professors L1, L2. One man G1.
L1: So, you work in XYZ? In Gurgaon?
Me: No, at Greater Noida.
L2: So, you have mentioned that you vehemently oppose jin-
goistic viewpoints? Why what is wrong?
Me: Answered it originates from a sense of feeling superior
to others and breeds racist and sectionalism which is not de-
sirable in the modern society. Eg. Trump calling Mexico Bad
Hombre.
L2: Do you feel trump was wrong to look into US economy?
Me: US Economy needed a revival since growth was declining.
But that does not call for such immature response and name
calling. It sends out a wrong message from the most powerful
Office Bearer.
L2: Why is it wrong? Why do you feel it is wrong?
Me: Explained how I have interacted with Pakistani’s during
my professional life & how the interaction changed my pre-
conceived notion about the so called enemy “Pakistan”. People
are not inherently bad and should not be judged based on their
ethnic background.
L2: So do you think everybody is good?
Me: Everybody is not good. Just as everybody is not bad. We
should judge people based on their actions and not prejudice.
L2: Why do you think such viewpoints arise?
Me: Superiority Complex.
“Culprits should have been punished
by the college itself. Asked how does
anybody become a culprit here?”
L2: What are you doing to eradicate that?
Me: I make sure that in my sphere of activity personal and
professional such attitudes are not shown and a spirit of broth-
erhood is created.
L2: How have you done that? Rather, How do you make oth-
ers follow suit?
Me: College experience of bringing shy people to the fore
front. Then asked about recent action. Told about an experi-
ence at the office.
L2: What is your stand on DU issue?
Me: Started talking about how the issue should have been
controlled to a college issue. Instead of letting the media have
a ball day. Culprits should have been punished by the college
itself. Asked how does anybody become a culprit here? Start-
ed blabbering how people were denied permissions to conduct
the function and still they went ahead with the function. Pan-
ellists seemed confused. G1 budged in & told that I have con-
fused it with JNU incident. Apologized for the mistake and
talked about the Gurmehar issue. How people were wrong at
harassing her online. How we should disagree with dignity &
it was an unjustifiable mob frenzy.
L2: You seem to be well informed. Do you write blogs?
Me: No.
L2: Nothing in social media? How do you convince people to
your side of the argument if you are not voicing it out?
Me: I do respond in social media. But while responding I do
make sure that the language is not overcritical lest it should
invite unwanted attention.
L2: You have mentioned in your form that in personal conver-
sations you stand by your opinion. But now you told you are
selective in responding.
Me: I am selective in responding because I don’t want to at-
tract unwanted attention. But I do make my opinions clear in
personal circles & open discussion forums. But I refrain from
doing so in professional spaces because it might lead to uneas-
iness at work place. Told about how Gurmehar’s subject was
valid, whereas she could have avoided much of the attack by
just tweaking her words a bit to convey the same message. I
would always be careful with my words.
L2: So, you are saying your words should be politically correct?
Me: Yes.
L1: What do you do in your free time currently?
Me: I travel. Not tour. I travel to places with close friends, to
explore the place as a whole.
L1: What do you learn?
M: Told. Connected with earlier points.
L1: At your work place do you find something which you feel
should be changed?
Me: Told about how cast names still matter in India even in
professional spheres. Tried to contradict, threw in a personal
example.
L1: How is Kerala?
Me: Kerala is pretty good.
L2: What good ? Tell us why it is so?
Me: Told about education and health standards. How every-
body even labour immigrants get it.
L1: Are you sure immigrants get it? I don’t think so.
Me: Well, not everybody, people who have been here for some
time eventually bring their families and have access to the
same education as resident Keralites have.
L2 Tried to contradict again. But sticked to the point.
L2: About Kerala’s GDP?
Me: Explained the challenges.
G1: Okay. (I kept waiting for questions. He had verified my
docs and had given me a piece of paper to scribble if needed).
You are a bit taken aback since I have not asked you anything.
I have heard what I wanted to here. Don’t worry you may go.
Me: Thank you.
10
@mazahirladhi
Date: 12/03/2016
10th Score: 83.14
12th Score: 86.33
Graduation: 75.04 (B.E Civil)
XAT: 98.xxx%ile
GK Score: 65.xxx
Essay: Average
Have you come across
any person who has
changed after doing
MBA?
11
XLRI BM Interview
GD: India Requires Dictatorship
It was a decent GD. I brought new points for and against and
tried to rank the points as per the given format.
Personal Interview: Three panelists P1, P2, P3.
P2: What does your name mean?
Me: It means exteriors/external in Arabic.
P1: What does internal mean?
Me: Sir don’t know.
P1: Tell me and let me know then.
Me: Okay.
P2: What do you do in free time?
Me: Cricket and Movies.
P2: Who is your favourite cricketer?
Me: Rahul Dravid.
P2: These cricketers have a lot of superstitions (has written
about superstitions in one of the questions of questionnaire)?
Me: Answered you need to have belief in yourself to achieve
goal…people who believe in no proper planning…good to
superstitions don’t believe in “Want to get involved in World invest time in planning before
themselves and have low self the start of project…(P1 inter-
confidence.
renowned projects like Bandra-Worli rupts... oky we get your point).
Sea Link, Burj Khalifa…”
P3: Why do you get angry at P2: Have you come across any
people believing superstitions? person who has changed after doing MBA?
Me: Because if they pressure me to believe their supersti- Me: Gave them an answer about my friend who is currently
tions…asked me about an example…gave them an incident doing MBA (but did not look convinced) said will be meeting
regarding it. him today and observe the changes.

P2: What is your ambition? P1: Asked me further questions related to questionnaire
Me: Want to get involved in world renowned projects like (about work experience)
Bandra Worli Sea Link, Burj Khalifa etc. I want to go back to Me: What challenges I faced in my job, new things which I did
the same industry (real estate or infra). on my job and how I implemented them.

P2: Why do these projects (infra) get so much delayed? (Re- P1, P2, P3: Okay thank you.
lated to video)?
Me: Answered how proper risk analysis is not done... not Bad GK, Average Essay, Decent GD, Good PI.
securing proper approvals…lead to suspension of project…
leads to time and cost overruns…shortage of skilled labour…

12
@arenutkarsh XLRI BM Interview
GD Topic: Justice is never given, it has to be extracted every-
time.
Date: 08/03/2017
There were three panelists.
Location: Delhi
XAT: 99.01%ile P1: So Utkarsh why did you change your interview slot?
GK: 92.xx Me: Sir I received a call from XLRI and they only changed my
slot on their own from 14th Feb to 8th March.

How many digital P2: Give us a quick recap of Utkarsh from school to college
to work.

transactions are taking Me: Spoke for around 3-4 minutes covering the major details
and putting more emphasis on my work-ex as I wanted to

place currently in our drive the interview in that direction.

country? P2 & P1 then cross questioned on my role and the working of

our startup.

P1 advised some structural changes in the working of our

startup but then I convinced them of why we chose to work it
this way.

P1: So you have mentioned demonetization in the question-

naire. Why you think it’s good?

13
“Talked about cashless economy, less chances of black money,
more technological advancements…”
Me: Talked about cashless economy, less chances of black
money, more technological advancements, people understand-
ing the advantages of digital transactions and making a shift
towards them
P1: Can you tell us how many digital transactions are taking
place currently in our country?
Me: Currently I guess 20 out of 100 in urban areas and 1 out
of 100 in rural areas.
P2: So how these numbers gonna improve?
Me: Talked about a few measures adopted by government and
need to educate people about the same. By the way P3 was just
looking and observing me and smiling.
P1: You have mentioned POS in questionnaire, what’s the full
form?
Me: I said it wrong. All three gave me a big surprised look!
Then thankfully I remembered the right one and which made
P3 smile again.
P2: Why didn’t you chose campus placement in TCS rather
than joining a startup? (I mentioned it in questionnaire)
Me: Linked it to why MBA. And benefits of working in a
business development field ann then doing MBA in marketing
domain.
P1: You have studied in Delhi and working here. Why you
want to come to a remote place like Jamshedpur?
Me: Talked about how XLRI will help me, the companies
which visit XLRI and I am interested in.
P2: (With a broad smile) I am not asking a question but sug-
gesting that you don’t need MBA, you are already working in
that profile. MBA would limit your thinking and would not
let you take risks.
Me: I nodded smilingly but then talked about how it will be
helpful for me in achieving my long term goals.
P3: What you like to do in your free time?
Me: I love playing and watching cricket.
Then he asked few questions on cricket, IPL, a good discussion
on why players are sold for such high prices.
P3 looked at P2 and they wished me all the best for future.
14
@dhruv XLRI BM Interview
GD Topic: Social Entrepreneurship is an oxymoron.

palejwala As topic was comparatively difficult the discussion went silent

10th Score: 94.20
12th Score: 75.23
Engineering: Till 7th sem CGPA 9.38
Fresher Chemical Engineer
in 40 minutes of specified time many times. I entered the dis-
cussion late. Added 3-4 valuable points on which discussion
was done and we were able to structure the GD as per the
specified format.
PI Experience: 3 panelists, all male. Would call them P1, P2
and P3. I entered the room and greeted them.

XAT: 96.958%ile P1: Showed my questionnaire and asked me to find my mis-

takes in that.

How many girlfriends

Me: Asked if it’s grammatical error?

P1: 1 chance gone, 2 left.

you’ve had till date? Me: I tried but couldn’t find any, then He told that everything
is in CAPS (I was like what a welcome).

P2: Asked about college.

Me: Told.

P2: Asked about median marks of my college and my rank in

college.
Me: Told.

15
“In democracy no one is accepted ubiquitously and people
have their personal reasons.”
P3: Asked questions from questionnaire.
Me: Answered satisfactorily.
P3: Why are some people in Gujarat are not happy with Modi
despite BJP having very strong presence in Gujarat?
Me: In democracy no one is accepted ubiquitously and peo-
ple have their personal reasons. Justified with example of my
grandmother.
P3: Are you a supporter of Modi?
Me: I replied positively.
P1: Tell us 3 shortcomings of Modi.
Me: Told 2 shortcomings and P3 interrupted.
P3: Tell us any 2 instances of your life of past 2 years where you
didn’t give your 100%.
Me: Told and mentioned control valves in one of them.
P1: Tell me what is butterfly valve?
Me: Told.
P1: I want to pass CO in a line, which valve will you use?
Me: It will depend on application sir.
P1: Decide based on just CO.
Me: We cannot use gate and globe valve as there will be prob-
lem of leakage with Gas and CO is non corrosive in nature so
Ball valve will do.
P2: Tell us about an instance where you didn’t follow your pro-
fessor’s advice and succeeded.
Me: Told one such incident related to my final year project.
P2: How did you decide you were successful?
Me: Based on my scores.
P2: But your college voice marks easily.
Me: It’s not like that sir, Yes I agree is easy to score till some
extent but to score beyond 9 is certainly not easy.
P2: Asked about my plans.
Me: Told, no cross questioning on that.
P2: We’re done.
I was collecting my file and stuff. Suddenly from nowhere
P1: How many girlfriends you’ve had till date?
Me: Shocked but told.
P1: What is your vision in this manner?
Me: Sir no vision in this regards and there were laughs all
around.
Time: Somewhere around 25 mins.
16
@raghu.vinay XLRI BM Interview
GD Topic: Is world ready for third world war?

10th Score: 86% Q: How is NIT Bhopal?

A: Good College.
12th Score: 96%
Engineering: 79.1% Q: Why didn’t you write MANIT? Whose portraits do you
XAT: 99.883%ile find in the main entrance?
A: One is Maulana Azad and I don’t know the other one.
GK Score: 75
Work-Ex: 27 months, Analytics Q: Who is the chairman?
A: AK Singh.

Why don’t your college Q: Who taught you entrepreneurship? Is it Priyanka?

A: Don’t know.
students attend Q: Have you attended the class? Ever been to VIP Guest-
classes? house in college?
A: No.

Q: Why don’t your college students attend classes? You

worked on CRM?
A: Yes, explained.

Q: How do you do segmentation?

A: Explained.

17
Q: Do a segmentation for XLRI?
A: I didn’t what he meant.
Q: What does XLRI do?
A: Couldn’t think of any answer.
Q: Do the segmentation in the same way you do in work?
A: Took some basic parameters like XAT score, GD score, and
Prior work ex and divided into various segments like market-
ing, finance, consulting.
Q: Does it work?
A: No, It doesn’t as they are categorical variables.
Q: What were your assumptions and how you did the seg-
mentation in the work? What is electronics?
A: Consist of devices which control flow of electrons (Asked
same questions Repeated 3-4 times).
Q: Is torch light an electronic device? What is communica-
tion?
A: No and communication is a subject which involves the
message transfer between 2 devices.
Q: Does mobile cover come under communication? What is
engineering and what is difference between PNP and NPN?
A: Told only 1 difference.
Q: What is noise?
A: Anything other than desired signal.
Q: Like what you are saying? Why don’t you think before an-
swering? What is CDMA? Advantages of CDMA over oth-
ers? What is Economics?
A: (Out of the blue, blurted out nonsense) Field which in-
volves transaction between 2 parties. (All 3 of them started
laughing. Mocked this answer for 5 minutes).
Q: What did you study in Industrial Economics?
A: Taylor’s theorem of scientific management.
Q: Anything else? Full name of Taylor?
A: W.H. Taylor (All 3 of them started mocking me).
Q: Types of sampling methods?
A: Don’t know.
Q: Who is Maulana Azad?
A: First education minister, birthday celebrated as National
education day, won Nobel prize.
Q: Noble Prize?
A: Sorry Sir, Bharat Ratna.
Q: When is birthday of Maulana Azad?
A: Don’t know.
Q: Isn’t he a freedom fighter?
A: Yes, forgot to mention that.
I left then and said thank you.

18
@harshit73 XLRI BM Interview
GD Experience: Wars are an extension of conflicts within.

Date: 12/03/2017 GD was good, spoke about the reasons for war (ideological,
territorial, hidden political agenda). Extended the discussion
10th Score: 82%
by stating the impacts of war (keeping people, country, govern-
12th Score: 80% ment, economy and others as stakeholders) and how to bridge
Work-Ex: 2.5 years (Business Analyst) the gap (present organizations and other possible solutions).
Other people also brought some good points by putting real
XAT: 97.3%ile
life examples.
Essay: Average
After the HR debacle two days back, here comes BM PI. I was
the last one in the group to be interviewed and came to know
So, tell us who is the that people were mostly grilled on academics and work-ex.

bad guy among us? P3: So based on what others must have told you, tell us
amongst us who is asking academics, who is asking work-ex
and who is asking other current affairs?
Me: Told.

P1: So, tell us who is the bad guy among us?

Me: Didn’t know whether I was even supposed to answer that
or not. Anyways, simply smiled. P1 said obviously you would
not say. (All laughing)

P3: Okay, you seem to have a lot of interest in economic pol-

19
icies (My video topic). Why don’t you tell us what you know?
Me: Explained why India had a socialist model right after in-
dependence, what policies were followed during the pre-liber-
alization era, what happened exactly in 1991 that forced India
to undergo economic reform change, positive and negative
impacts of liberalization and the areas where we still need to
improve (went on for like 5-6 minutes, they did not interrupt
me even once as probably I was the last one in the panel).
“Sir, it represents basic human needs.
It’s a pyramid with either 5 or 6 layers.”
P3: Okay. Where do you work? Explain your job profile?
Me: Explained him everything in detail (client, work, deliver-
able, work model and all other things). Went on for like 4-5
minutes.
P3: What is your specific role?
Me: Explained. I used ‘We’ 2-3 times while answering for
which he interrupted me and said, tell us your specific role and
not your team’s role. Went on for 2-3 minutes.
P3: What does your deliverable contain? Explain me in detail?
Me: Explained (To my surprise, he knew everything in and
out).
I think P3 was done with me in around 15-17 minutes. Now,
P1 takes it over.
P1: Define ‘Information’?
Me: ‘Fact’ or ‘whereabouts’ of a particular thing.
P1: Grilled a little. Define ‘Information Technology’?
Me: did not give a satisfactory answer. Again grilled a little.
P1: Do you anything known as Meslow?
Me: Sir, it represents basic human needs. It’s a pyramid with
either 5 or 6 layers (Not sure about the exact number of layers).
P1: Tell us 5 organizations which provide Cloud Computing
services?
Me: Could answer only 3 (Am I even an I.T engineer?). A
sweet discussion for like 2-3 minutes.
P3: How was the HR interview?
Me: Sir, not good.
P1 Looked at P3 in surprise and said, oh, his HR interview
did not go well.
P3: Why did that happen?
Me: Sir, I was not able to answer the questions well during the
first 10 minutes of discussion and hence could not drive the
interview well.
P1: Which other calls do you have?
Me: Sir, only XLRI
P1: Shocked. What? You don’t have any other calls?
P3: Tell us something about yourself that you would want to
tell us.
Me: Told them how my strategies have not worked well in
the past 10 years and how I panic which leads to performance
issues. Apart from that, told them about my hobbies, what all I
have learned after coming to Bangalore, interacting with peo-
ple, learning from various experiences.
P3: We have judged you from all possible areas. Are you satis-
fied with the interview?
Me: Sir, I am totally satisfied.
P3: Okay, then.
Me: Thanks a lot sir.
P1: All the best. (Don’t know whether it’s a good sign)
Smiles all around. Entire process took a little over 30 minutes.
(In my panel, out of 9 only 4 had more than 30 minutes dis-
cussion. Rest it was close to 20-22 minutes)
My only concern is low XAT score of 97.3 which might possi-
bly play a spoilsport. I hope things fall in place.
Suggestions: Exactly opposite happened with me in HR in-
terview, where in others had a casual conversation but I was
screwed badly. Here, others were mostly grilled and few even
had stress interviews. Apart from this, based on what I came
to know from people who had their interviews before me, they
emphasize a lot on acads (even people with more than 2.5 year
work experience had more than 40% to 50% of their interviews
on acads). Rest nothing much. All the best to all.
20
@gaurav XLRI BM Interview
GD Topic: No matter what economic reasons are given, the

bansal
sole aim is to gain power GD was okay. Lot of deviation from
topic. I started (since no one was starting waited for 10 sec-
onds), then went silent for 10 mins and then chipped in 2-3
times.
Date: 17/03/2017
10th Score: 95% My slot was changed from 15th to 19th to 17th March by
XLRI. I was last in my panel since I was rescheduled candidate.
12th Score: 82%
Graduation: 73.5% PI Experience: 3 panelists with 1 lady.
XAT: 99.928%ile
GK Score: 82 Q: Why change of slot?
Me: Explained.
Essay: 2/5
Work-Ex: 8 months in RIL as a chemical Q: Which IIM calls do you have?
engineer Me: Only IIM Shillong.

Q: You graduated from ICT, right ie UDCT?

What do you think Me: Yes, you are right.

should be profit Q: What does your father do?

Me: Told.

margin of Jio? Q: Okay then. What do you want to become after doing man-
agement?

21
“Network problems, slower internet in many places. Free
services went on for 6 months instead of 3…”
Me: Told want to lead an multinational organization (long
term goal) and need an MBA to first gain requisite skills and
knowledge. Told what XLRI would provide and something
more along that lines. Was a generic answer.
Q: Explain your work in RIL?
Me: Explained. Went for around 10 min.
Q: You are chemical engineer. So tell me what auto ignition
temperature is. Explain me in layman terms what would hap-
pen when naphthal auto ignites.
Me: Explained.
Q: Let me give you an hypothetical scenario. Suppose I say
that 50% ppl coming for interviews are from RIL and TCS,
what can be the reasons for this?
Me: Gave 4 reasons listed below -
1. They are mass recruiter. Since lot of just graduated employees
compared to other companies, their proportion would be
higher.
2. Stagnant growth. Jump in career so MBA.
3. Exploring new opportunities. Mismatch between their work
they are doing and what they actually wish to do .
4. Peer pressure. Seeing lot of their friends going for mba, they
too try for it.
This discussion too was quite long. Around 5 minutes. In be-
tween I said RIL doesn’t hire from IT or comp science from
the colleges.
Q: Why don’t they hire from IT or CS?
Me: Not their main area.. They are into petrochemicals, re-
finery, telecom and retail. So they don’t hire from CS or IT
colleges. I think they hire CS and IT people who already have
work experience.
Q: Speaking about telecom, Reliance launched Jio. Suppose
you are a critic. Criticize Jio.
Me: Network problems, slower internet in many places. Free
services went on for 6 months instead of 3. Not good thing
for competitors. Main thing I see is that it is trying to create
a monopoly in the market. If it succeeds, let’s say in 2-3 years,
then it will have major market share and they would be free to
increase prices since there would be no competition and it may
do so for gaining more profits.
Q: What would you advice to Jio then?
Me: Improve your services first. Stick to what you have said
ie provide good services in whole country including very rural
areas. Don’t go for high profit making once market share in-
creases a lot. Profit margins should not be too high.
Q: What do you think should be profit margin of Jio?
Me: Depends on initial investment and time to recover that.
Generally 20% to 30% would be decent profit margin.
Q: What is payback period? How to calculate that? What are
fixed and variable charges in this case?
Me: Explained and told payback should be around 5-10 years.
Q: You started GD but lost steam after that. What was the
problem?
Me: Deviation from the topic. Tried once to bring it back but
couldn’t.
Q: So if don’t like something, do you boycott it in real life too?
Did your coaching institute say that boycott the GD if you
don’t like it? They tried to stress me.
Me: Said no. Can give you real life examples too. Today I
couldn’t drive the GD. I could have done better today.
Q: Did the same thing happen in HRM GD too? Are you like
that only?
Me: No, HRM GD was good. It was productive and I did well
there.
Q: Okay. How would you rate your this interview vs hrm in-
terview? Which was better and why?
Me: I said both were equally good. Both went into different
directions. HRM was based only on questionnaire. I could
express myself decently in both the interviews, so both were
equal.
Panelists: We are done. Thank you.
I feel I wasn’t that good during interview. Felt that I couldn’t
create an impact on them or impressed them as I couldn’t see
on their faces. And one of panelists was feeling sleepy in be-
tween the PI. plus my gd according to them was bad.
22
@niteshsood
10th Score: 90.4%
12th Score: 94.4%
Graduation: 8.88 CGPA in B.E
Work-Ex: 7 months in IT
XAT: 99.74%ile
GK Score: 95.xx
What is Shannon?
23
XLRI BM Interview
GD Topic: Do you think MPs and MLAs should have grad-
uation as the bare minimum of education. (Went on for 50
minutes even though it’s usually supposed to be 40)
P1: Where are you from? What do you do?
Me: Gave long explanation about the job itself and the respon-
sibilities. Mentioned “cryptology techniques” as a keyword.
P1: Do you have a team?
Me: Yes, but the team is mostly managers, I am the only person
who implements.
P1: Is there any disagreement in your team?
Me: Yes, but only minor disagreements.
P1: Has there ever been another time where there was a dis-
agreement, how did you get out of that?
Me: This was a question in the questionnaire. Gave the same
answer but explained in detail.
P2: You mentioned cryptology techniques, can you name
some?
Me: Listed 5 of them.
P2: Okay, now out of these 5, how will you rank them?
Me: Gave 2 measures.
P2: Confused, I’m asking for measures (P2 had confused one
measure as a type of security technique, P1 points it out).
Okay, so how do you rank the first measure?
Me: Sir, in terms of data leakage and performance loss.
P1: What do you mean by performance loss?
Me: Explained.
P2: So how do you measure data leakage, in what units?
Me: It’s actually measured in terms of a probability.
P2: But then what is Shannon. What is that?
Me: Sir I don’t know but those are completely different mea-
sures, it’s not related.
(P2 cuts me off and asks P3 to question me)
P3: You’ve mentioned you got into BITS for engineering but
chose not to go. That is confusing why not?
Me: Explained staying at home was good in the long run be-
cause it led to opportunities even though at the time I wasn’t
happy.
P1: So today you are happy so it wasn’t a bad decision. What if
those opportunities hadn’t worked out, who would you blame?
Me: I had answered this in one of my questionnaire questions,
gave the same answer.
P2 & P3: Can’t remember, you’ve said that you got a govern-
ment subsidized seat of your choice, don’t you think it will be a
loss? (Vague question hangs in the air, not able to understand
it. I assume he means won’t I be taking the govt subsidy and
not giving back to the community)
Me: No Sir, I want to do IT product management which would
put me back in Bangalore and therefore no loss to anyone.
P1: Okay thanks, please take a toffee?
Me: I was the third person to be interviewed. Everyone before
me had the same format. First job profile and then questions
related to the questionnaire.
24
@djabru XLRI BM Interview
GD Topic: Consumerism as an indicator of economic pros-
perity.
10th Score: 93%
GD went well. Everyone participated and we explored a lot of
12th Score: 86.5%
different areas. I focussed on the challenges of consumerism
Graduation: 7.7 CGPA (B.E in CS) and could bring in a lot of different areas. We didn’t follow the
1.5 years gap due to UPSC Preparation prescribed format nor could conclude (as no one was watching
the time). However I enjoyed the quality discussion and was
(cleared Prelims)
quite satisfied with my performance
XAT Score: 99.33
GK Score: 99.957 Personal Interview: 3 Panelists. Two male (P1, P2) and one
Essay: Pretty Good female (P3). It started on a horrible note.

P2: So you are from BITS Pilani. Tell me where are the other

When you came in for campuses?

Me: Hyderabad, Goa and one international in Dubai.

GD, you went & sat P2: So tell me, why do they open new campuses?
Me: Blabbered something about brand expansion, cover differ-
on Chair 1. What logic ent geographical locations, compete with quality institutions
like IITs etc.
was that?
P2: You are still not coming to the point.
Me: Oh yes, because demand hence supply (I had raised this
issue in GD). But I still could defend my line of thinking as

25
education is still non-profit in India and it has an altruistic
motive than a market one.
(Then comes the bomb)
P2: Okay, tell me about the subjects in Computer Science?
Me: Networks, Algorithms, Data Structures etc.
“You seemed to know a lot about
economics (I had talked about invest-
ment cycles, credit expansion etc…”
P2: Don’t you have hardware?
Me: (I am dead now look) Yes Sir.
P2: Tell me how microprocessors are made?
Me: Sir it was a long time back that I studied this. Really un-
able to recall.
P2: Okay, tell me the use of prime numbers?
Me: Cryptography.
P2: Algorithm to find whether a number is prime?
Me: Start a linear search and keep dividing. Go on till log n
(genuine slip of mind).
P2: Log N?
Me: Can I rethink it for a minute? Quickly used a pen and
paper and arrived at root n.
P2: Now you are just throwing random functions of n?
Me: No sir, I can justify this. Went on to explain.
P3: Okay, so you seemed to know a lot about economics (I had
talked about investment cycles, credit expansion etc.). What
else are you good at? (Evidently not at computers) Which
subjects you learnt during the gap year.
Me: Philosophy.
P3 asked a couple of questions about philosophy that I was
able to answer.
P2: You are a manager and you have to take a decision where
you either pay a bribe or lose the contract causing a loss of
livelihood to 400 families.
Me: I’ll explore all the legal alternatives. There are many exam-
ples of ethical businesses.
P2: Suppose that you have reached a critical point.
Me: I’ll not go ahead with it. Even if we consider the utilitari-
an benefit, there is always a chance of it being exposed and the
contract being void ultimately. That will cause more harm to
the company and employees in the long run.
P2: Think about it.
Me: Yes sir, I can’t accept bribery.
P1: Accept bribery (smiling)?
Me: The concept of bribery, Sir.
P1: Alright. Okay tell me do you know Cartesian philosophy?
Me: Told.
P1: Cartesian physics?
Me: No Sir, did not read that. Talked about Cartesian dualism,
mathematics, cogito ergo sum etc.
P1: Asked me the difference between inductive and deductive
logic (again philosophy). When you came in for GD, you went
and sat on Chair 1. What logic was that?
Me: Sir it was a simple deduction, as it followed your instruc-
tion of sitting at position 1.
P1: But what made you assume that the chair won’t break etc.
Me: Yes sir, all elements of common knowledge came after in-
ductive logic.
P1: Asked me about my favourite philosopher in the west?
Me: Kant (Followed by some satisfactory discussion on Kan-
tian ethics)
“I’ll not go ahead with it. Even if we
consider the utilitarian benefit, there
is always a chance of it being exposed.”
P3: Do you practice any of these philosophies?
Me: Yes, Buddha’s middle way and compassion.
P3: (Laughing) Oh you rest on Buddha after all that! Would
you take up a high paying corporate job or work in the social
sector, given a chance?
Me: I want to work in a managerial role in the social sector.
(Blabbered something about how after a decade I would love
to look back and see the impact I had etc. but now that I think
about it, she just wanted the answer, not the justification)
P2: Asked about types of Karmas which I could answer. He
seemed satisfied.
Some other questions that I don’t recollect now, but were easy
to answer. As I was about to leave, P2 (the tough sir from the
beginning) said, “Quick question, do you believe in Aham
26
Brahmasmi (Vendanta concept that one is Brahman, the whole
of reality is within you) yes or no?” Other panelists smiling.
I broke into a smile and said yes sir, I do! I am unable to decide
how it went ultimately, but I had a really good time. Also
I won’t post my HRM interview separately. While the GD
was great (Employee privacy vs Employee Productivity, the
panel felt that I was under confident in the PI. Also I could
not justify how my knowledge of philosophy could make me a
good manager (I think). I answered a few GK questions they
asked like on Mumbai civil polls, Pakistani artist ban etc. but
27
mostly the interview was on the self-assessment questions and
behavioural. Grilled me on having too many backups such as
UPSC, XAT etc. I replied those are the only two options I
considered and are quite similar roles too. Then asked what
if I don’t make it to XLRI (as I was honest that I didn’t give
CAT due to clash with Mains), I said I will take up a job and
give CAT and XAT again next year. At this point, I felt maybe
honesty wasn’t such a good policy after all.
Talked about my training in classical music, half finished novel
etc. But overall I don’t think they were very impressed.
Flip for next Interview

28
@vickyarnab XLRI BM Interview
GD Topic: Wrong Medication should always be a cognizable
offence.
Date: 26/02/2017
GD Experience: Average GD, everyone chipped in their
10th Score: 92%
points. It was hard to follow the required structure. Imple-
12th Score: 93.20% mentation challenges were discussed although in a dissatisfac-
UG (B.Tech) Score: 78.47% tory manner. I tried to relate Trump and Brexit to the topic
(was grilled on this in the interview). Concluded satisfactorily.
Work-Ex: 17 months
Made decent entries. Not great though.
XAT: 99.795%ile
PI Experience: 3 panellists, all were male.

Why do you get P1: Please introduce yourself.

Me: Answered.
nervous in interviews? P3: (Takes my folder) Where is your checklist? From your an-
swers, you seem to be very meticulous.
Me: (I had mentioned in one of my answers that I take pride
in planning every minute of my waking hours.) I am sorry Sir.
But I don’t think there was a checklist required for the inter-
view. (Smiling sheepishly, not a good start to the interview)

P2: Okay, then tell me about your checklist for the day.
Me: I checked into my hotel quite late in the night yesterday.
So, I planned to wake up sharp at 7:15. Enjoyed my 20 minute

29
meditation to calm down my nerves as I tend to get nervous
in interviews. I had instructed the receptionist to bring me my
complimentary breakfast sharp at 9.
P2: (Interrupted in between) Why do you get nervous in in-
terviews?
Me: I believe interviews include too short a time period to
judge a person’s acumen. The next 25 minutes is going to de-
cide my next 2 years.
“The interviewee has to communicate
his values, skills apart from what his
CV shows.”
P2: So, what should we do? How do we increase the effective-
ness of this short process?
Me: I think it is the responsibility of both the interviewer and
interviewee to actually bridge the gap. The interviewee has to
communicate his values, skills apart from what his CV shows.
Interviewer has to test him on that. It is a 2 way process. Both
have to take a step towards each other.
P3: Ok, explain the path from metallurgy to MBA. Why XL?
Me: Path explained. Why XL explained.
P3: If XL is so perfect, then why did you sit for CAT?
Me: Because we don’t dream about a single college, we dream
about a cluster of colleges namely IIM A, B, C, L, XL, FMS.
(May have shot myself in my foot here)
P2: Okay, in GD, you spoke heavily against Trump and Brex-
it. What is so wrong about these aspects?
(I had not spoken that heavily against Trump and Brexit. But
they seemed to harbour this idea that somehow, I feel very
strongly about these issues, which I don’t)
Me: Talked at length about reverse globalisation, how trade is
good for a country, protectionism, Mexico-US trade partners,
P2: What is so wrong about Trump being a nationalist?
Me: Nothing Sir, but going against other countries (on immi-
gration issues for example) is going to incur huge intellectual
cost to US. (Could have framed my answer in a much better
way, but alas!)
P1: Do you think democracy is bad for a nation?
Me: (Sensing a trap) No Sir. Even though democracy has its
cons but it is still the best form of government.
P1: What are these cons?
Me: It is a time taking process. Sometimes it is run by public
sentiments rather than clear rationale.
P1: Trump and Brexit were decided/elected by democracy.
So according to your logic, democracy should be replaced by
something else.
Me: Sir, sometimes democracy is overrun by public sentiments.
So, it is the duty of experts like economists to make the public
see the reasoning and rationale; bridge that knowledge gap so
that the public takes the right decision based on rationale not
sentiments.
P1: So, you propose a form of government where the more
knowledgeable people get more votes in decision making and
the normal people get less.
Me: No sir. Just because I am less knowledgeable, it does not
make me a less part of the government. Here the role of the
experts/debates come into play where we bridge the knowl-
edge gap.
P1: Don’t you think it is impossible to bridge the gap?
Me: Just because it seems impossible doesn’t mean we don’t
work towards achieving that.
P1: Okay, we are done.
My tips for GD and PI: Go second in GD if you are unsure.
Go first if you are absolutely confident. Try for points that
make impact. Don’t just aim for more airtime. Listen intently
to others’ points as they might give you an opening into GD.
For PI, just be confident. Take your time framing your answers
rather than just babbling like me. Be in the moment (don’t get
lost in the emotions) as you might surprise yourself with the
quality of instant that might come out of your mouth.
30
@madhur XLRI BM Interview
GD Topic: The only way to remove inequality is by making the

katyal
poor rich and the rich poor?

Figured in all the arguments for and against. Brought in all

the conditions. Couldn’t rank. Felt I contributed heavily by
10th Score: 93.1% structuring the GD, pitching in points about communism, fair
12th Score: 90.4% playing field, discredit to the hard working rich, philanthropy
through both the sides (forced and natural), empathy/to un-
B.Tech: 75.66%
derstand the struggle of the other person (why Donald trump
XAT: 96.430%ile was not just racism but also a feeling of being left out). Natu-
rally, I felt I did well in GD.

How can we measure PI was extreme stress of 30-35 minutes. I don’t remember all
the questions but will give a rough idea.
inequality of marks? P: You read newspapers? Editor? The company which owns it.
Me: Indian express. Raj Kamal Jha. Goenka group (was not
sure of the exact name).

P: Your views on UP elections?

Me: I was prepared so answered thoroughly but mentioned
caste based politics as a factor.

P: Write down the distribution of different castes in UP?

Me: Not answered.

31
(They wondered you read the paper, how are you not sure about
the numbers.)
P: Which states are formed from UP?
Me: Uttrakhand.
P: From Bihar?
Me: Jharkhand.
P: Chhattisgarh?
Me: Didn’t remember that it was from MP but knew the year.
P: Parties in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana (had absolutely
forgotten about this. In all honesty I read the paper but this
happened long time ago, so had hazy memory)? Also why was
Telangana formed?
Me: Telugu desam party and congress (not sure which con-
gress). Answered the next part.
P: Leaders?
Me: KCR and YSR Reddy (Yes, I brought a dead man alive).
But I remembered it was Chandrababu Naidu after the inter-
viewer said the word. Didn’t expect but happens (they started
laughing, too. They were doing that all the time but been there,
faced that).
P: What is the symbol of BSP?
Me: Told.
So, more or less this was the GK part. The communism and
utopia all down the drain, since I got confused between YSR
and Chandrababu Naidu.
A third panelist asked me something related to how we can
measure inequality. I said by making a reference level. Then
he took my mark sheet and how can we measure inequality
of marks. I replied it can be based on each subject, as well as
in total (our GD had the income inequality factor, too). This
third paneslist was asking random questions from everyone. I
was asked about other career plans and my calls. Advised me
on taking up a job and trying again (Bahut jagah bol dia ek
jaghan to select bhi kur lia).
So this was my story. An excellent GD but a poor PI. Low xat
percentile. Tried my best, made a couple of gaffes (would have
not committed had it not been an interview that too an XLRI
stress). Will get rejected straight away.
32
@regina
buffay
Date: 17/03/2017
10th Score: 95.8%
12th Score: 85.8%
Graduation: 83.7% (BE in IT)
XAT: 98.049%ile
GK Score: 82.466
Essay: Okayish
Won’t you feel bad in
selling gutka?
33
XLRI BM Interview
GD Topic: Innovation is the best insurance against irrelevance.
GD went well. We came up with three points for and against,
and three criteria’s to rank them. Thirty minutes into the GD,
as we were ranking the points, the moderators stopped us.
I contributed well to the GD with points for both for and
against stating examples.
P: So what does your name mean?
Me: It is the name of a river in Ujjain.
P: Have you been to Ujjain? Which state is Ujjain present in?
Me: No, I have never been there. I think it’s in Rajasthan.
P: Rajasthan? Really? Do you think there are rivers in Rajas-
than? Take another chance.
Me: I get your point sir, I think it’s in Madhya Pradesh.
P: Correct. Use your LTA and go on a Bharat Darshan and
hang a map of India in your room. Geography is very import-
ant.
Me: (Smiling) Yes sir.
P: So ITC comes to the college and is offering you 1 crores for
heading a business division which sells Gutka. Will you take
this job?
Me: Sir, I will give it a thought surely. See what kind of respon-
sibilities they will be providing me.
P: You will be heading a huge division but won’t you feel bad
in selling Gutka?
Me: I will feel bad, but they would not shut down the division
if I don’t head it. On the other hand, if I do take the position,
I can contribute to the society in other ways like CSR. Being
in such a good position will help me organise more CSR ac-
tivities.
“If you are looking only at the monetary
benefits, one should be looking at the
long term, this amount of money…”
P: Okay. So, you have a decent salary right now. You will be
losing two years’ worth of your salary plus 20 lacs rupees for
MBA. How do you justify that?
Me: I told them I have already thought a lot on this because
I will taking a loan. If you are looking only at the monetary
benefits, one should be looking at the long term, this amount
of money would not matter so much 35 years down the line.
Moreover, my major motivation to do an MBA is that I want
to work in that area. I need to change my domain of work.
P: Asked about what I work on, name of product, name of
clients, what I worked on, how I could make it better, what
impact did my product have?
Me: Told.
P: So you say you were not giving enough time for your efforts,
(I mentioned it in the questionnaire) how much time do you
give now?
Me: Told that it depends on what kind of goal I have in mind.
Now, I break down the goals into smaller tasks so that the
timeline is set (had already mentioned something of this sort
in the questionnaire). Gave an example of becoming a senior
application developer.
P: You said obedience and discipline were instilled in you at a
very young age. When do you think these qualities will be bad
for you?
Me: Told that because I am obedient, I do not question much,
if I am told to do something by my manager, I would not ques-
tion his authority, and it would be difficult for me to take a
stand if I see he is wrong in something
P: Have you done something of that sort in your work-ex yet?
Me: Not exactly, but there was this one time, where a UI would
be much faster if another technology was used. I talked to the
manager about that, but we could not get permissions and thus
could not implement it.
P: Give me 2 advantages and disadvantages of a joint family?
(Mentioned in my questionnaire)
Me: Explained how having younger cousins made me respon-
sible, having my ideals to look upto as well. Made me adjust-
ing, so I do not have conflicts with people living with me, for
disadvantages I said I had a lot of disturbance while studying.
As I was thinking for the other one, another prof mentioned
resource sharing, I said but there are more earning members as
well. Then I said at times, there were conflicts, and especially
when I was small, I sometimes felt it was not my house.
P: So you had so much trouble in thinking about the disad-
vantages, why isn’t the society moving towards joint families
then?
Me: Told that job opportunities in larger cities, parents do not
want to leave their roots. Talked about ideological differences
as well.
Gave a candy. End of interview. The interview went on for
about 25 minutes, the longest in my panel (don’t know if that’s
a good thing or bad). All the best everyone!
34
@aditya XLRI BM Interview
GD was fine, put 4-5 points and summarized the implication

sharma
challenges.

P1 (Head): As soon as I entered the room I was asked about

my 10,12 and grad percentages.
10th Score: 91.67% Me: 10th: 91.67, 12th: 85.60, Grad: 85.90.
12th Score: 85.60%
P1: So you were ranked somewhere in the college?
Graduation: 85.90%
Me: Yes sir, I was 2nd ranker of my branch.
XAT: 99.045%ile
GK Score: 99.093 P2: So you talked about unionization in your GD. What are
its positive implications?
Me: It allows a single worker to connect properly with the
Have you heard of top management. It allows the top management to convey its
policies properly to the workers it acts as a bridge between

PaGaLGuY and how? management and workers.

P2: So why there are fights over unionization?

Me: Gave examples of Maruti and Honda plants wherein
companies tried to crush workers etc.

P2: What are the ethical and unethical things that can arise in
unionization?
Me: Workers might try to get their unreasonable demands
passed, top leaders of the union might want to pursue their

35
own interests behind the secret veil of union,companies might
combine with union leaders and crush the reasonable demands
of a single laborer etc.
P2: Gave a graph and asked to find rate of change.
Me: Differentiate or use slope.
P1: Gave one set of questions.
Me: I told I don’t know.
P1: How many subsets can be formed from a set of n elements?
Me: 2^n.
P1: Okay, do you play sports?
Me: I follow tennis and cricket a lot and sometimes play crick-
et but do not play tennis.
“It happens on its own. My mother
has told me about this, I had tried to
correct this but till now no result.”
P1: Okay, you speak too fast. Words come out of your mouth
at an amazing speed.
P3: (Until now, was looking through my certificates) Do you
do this voluntarily or happens on its own. What are its posi-
tive and negative effects?
Me: It happens on its own. My mother has told me about this,
I had tried to correct this but till now no result. Its positive
effect is that it keeps the listener constantly attentive to my
words otherwise he might miss the point which I m telling. Its
negative effect is that it might irritate the listener.
P1: Tell us about your job?
Me: Told everything from scratch.
P3: Have you heard of Pagalguy and how?
Me: Yes mam, used it last year to gain strategies about at-
tempting cat and xat mock papers.
P3: So tell me who are the stakeholders affected from the in-
terview experiences that people post on pagalguy.
Me: Told a few points as below:
1) It might be useful to future aspirants who might know the
level of questions.
2)It might affect the aspirants who had already given the in-
terviews badly as the future aspirants who still have their inter-
views left might know the few questions being asked.
3)It might make future aspirants anxious about few questions.
I am in this category so I generally don’t read others interview
experiences.
P3: Okay nice. Any other stakeholders other than aspirants?
Me: (Thinking and suddenly this came to my mind) Coaching
institutes. If they know questions being asked in a particular
interview they might prepare their future students with those
questions and answers that are being asked in a particular in-
stitute’s interview.
P3: Okay, thank you.
Me: Thank you.
P1: (While I was leaving) After we told you about your habit
of speaking too fast, you slowed down.
Before I could answer, P3 answered.
P3: He was consciously trying to control his speed and trying
to contain this habit. All of us had a laugh.
Don’t know how was the interview. All the candidates before
me were asked questions on questionnaire, gk etc. while I had
only the above questions. The interview was short compared to
previous aspirants.
Keeping my fingers crossed. Cannot be predicted how was the
interview. Any comments on how was the interview.
P. S. : Since I speak fast it was a rapid fire round going on.
They posing questions and me immediately giving answers.
No fumbling, nothing.
36
@shubhamc21 XLRI BM Interview
GD Topic: Is religion an economic activity? 40 Minutes (We
were 8 people).
10th Score: 92.6%
In the time that we had waited outside, we had discussed how
12th Score: 92.2%
GD at XLRI is different from others and decided not to let it
Graduation: 6.2 CGPA become a fish market. So, one of the guys began with a point
XAT: 99.395%ile for the topic and rest of us added to it. After about 20 minutes
we started discussing the points against, which was quite a dif-
Work-Ex: 28 Months (I work for OFSS
ficult task. Many of us deviated a lot. This was the time I gave
Pune as a developer) some good points. By the last 10 minutes we were discussing
the criteria for the arguments and decided the best arguments
in unison. Overall it was done quite well; I do believe my per-
My EX fell in love formance could have been better. It was quite a long GD and
everybody got a chance to pitch in multiple times.

PI: It’s a long one, went for around 30 minutes

I was the second last guy to be interviewed, yet again; I don’t

know what these B-School interviews have against me. There
were three people (All Male, in their 40s) in the panel.

Every interview took around 25-30 minutes, started at 3 PM,

my turn came at 6.00.

As I went in, I was asked if this was a tiring day, to which I said

37
yes. Out of the three people in the panel, two (P1, P3) had my
forms (the questionnaire etc. that we’d filled). The one person
in the middle (P2) asked me to hand over my folder. And this
happened for the first time in the last 9 years since I gave my
first interview that somebody wanted to look at my certificates!
This is how it went on after that.
P1: So Shubham, as I can see in this form, class X 92.6, class
XII 92.2, and then MNIT Jaipur 6.2. How much did you en-
joy your life in college?
(Only if I had a penny every time I was asked that. I’d started
laughing midway when he was asking the question, and the
other two panelists too were smiling, knowing that I know the
question.)
Me: There’s no excuse for that performance, sir. I lost my focus
and performed badly.
“So how do you explain the prices
today, do you think self publishing is
better than traditional?”
P1: What made you lose your focus?
Me: Although I’m not blaming my activities for my bad aca-
demics, but I had my own startup in college, and I also was too
much into writing and published my first book in 2012 and I
guess somewhere I had to pay the price with my academics.
(From there on it was all about my book)
P1: Tell me how the MRP of a book is decided. What are the
important factors?
Me: Answered, told in detail about the pricing in the industry.
P1: So how do you explain the prices today, do you think self
publishing is better than traditional? (There were a few more
questions in the same topic)
Me: Answered.
P3: What was your book about?
Me: Told. I kept smiling throughout, since it was a humor/
fiction book and the name is ‘My EX Fell in Love’, one ought
to get nervous saying that to such a senior person.
P3: Tell me a three things that you’d tell a new writer who
wants to get published.
Me: I told him about the issues I faced and the mistakes I
made. As soon as I mentioned the second point, i.e. define your
target customer, he cut me off and asked me about my target
customers. I told him about their age and other demographic
data. He wasn’t convinced and asked me for more. This went
on to the extent that I even told him the eating habits of a few
of my readers. I didn’t even have to make anything up; this was
actually easy to tell.
P2: (Who was looking at my certificates till now) Asked me a
few more questions about the book, the publisher etc.
P1: Okay, enough about the book. Tell me about your startup.
Me: I explained the business plan and why we’d started it.
(P1 then asked a few cross questions about the startup and its
domain that I answered.)
P2: So how do you think management is going to help you
in your career? (One of the 50 shades of why MBA question)
Me: I answered it, connecting this to my startup and before I
could complete, P1 interrupted, I think you’re only coming to
MBA to get a good brand name in your profile, that will make
it easier for you to get funding. Sir as much as I agree that
XLRI would be a big addition to my resume, I don’t think NIT
Jaipur is a small brand name or the fact that I was a student
entrepreneur was not enough to get me funding.
P1: So why didn’t you go full time with your startup, or writing
for that matter?
Me: For writing, it was never the plan. I wrote the book be-
cause I wanted to, not because I thought I’d make it a profes-
sion. For the startup, I didn’t have a vision.
(And then I said a few more things like where I lacked and
how I plan to learn that in MBA.)
P3: So does your family know about your writing?
Me: Of course!
P3: Did they like your book?
Me: My parents did, so did most of my friends. My sister didn’t.
(Everybody laughs)
P3: So how did you take her criticism?
Me: Told how she disliked my work and gave me a few things
to improve which I did, and how she really liked the things I
wrote next.
P2: By the things I wrote next, do you mean another book?
Me: Yes sir. (Shouldn’t have said it I guess. Blunder!)
P1: So why didn’t you publish it?
Me: Sir I had to halt the project, I couldn’t think of an ending
that’s worth the story I’d written.
38
P1: So what if you come to XLRI and then think of an ending
and end up compromising your studies here?
Me: (This started sort of an argument where all the three pan-
elists tried to tell me that I’m a good writer, that was evident to
them from the questionnaire too, and I should not even think
of MBA and go to full time writing instead and I kept defend-
ing my decision till what seemed like an eternity.)
As soon as this ended, all three looked at each other and asked
me to go. 20 minutes, and the interview was over! I stood up,
and then P3 realized he had something to ask and asked me
to sit again.
(This was followed by some basic questions about publishing
and business, and some more grilling on why am I not going
for writing full time.)
I was also asked about my performance in GD, to which I
said it was average, and I’d rank myself as 4 out of 8. When
they asked me who was the best, I named one guy, then I also
named one for the worst, which kind of surprised them, but I
was pretty confident with my reasons for both.
P2: Can you tell me someone who started writing around the
same time as you but managed to make it big?
Me: Nikita Singh. Her first book came around a few months
before I started writing and today she’s one of the bestselling
authors in the country.
P2: So what does it take to be her?
Me: I mentioned the need of a network and many other things
and how I wrote a story with her.
P2: You have all that don’t you? You’ll probably ditch us in the
middle of your studies!
Me: Even if I do, and even if I can make it as big as her, I don’t
think I’d be ditching anybody (Followed by how her work has
degraded with time and how I don’t want to be a part of that
Engineer turned MBA turned Author clan, and write good
books even if I do).
39
P3: Shubham, look me in the eye and tell me one thing, don’t
you think if you manage to get one bestseller in the coming
years, you’d leave everything and take up writing? Am I wrong?
Me: No.
P3: (Looks at the other panelists) Told you.
Me: I’m sorry sir but by no I meant I’m disagreeing with you.
Sorry for not making it clear. I don’t know if what you say can
happen or not, but saying that by succeeding in one thing I’ll
fail in the other is wrong. I’ve paid the price once in my aca-
demics and it’s not happening again. No matter what B-School
I go to, I can tell you I’ll be one of the best there, regardless of
what I do apart from academics.
This is the time it came to an end. P1 asked me if I have a copy
of the book to gift him, I said I wish I had brought one. To
which P1 jokingly said bring a copy to the college if you get
selected.
As I stood up to go out, they offered a candy, and then asked to
take one more as I took one. And then asked to take another
one (Well, more candies for me!) and by this time everybody
was laughing, I don’t even know why.
Takeaways from the Interview:
1. Duration: XLRI BM interviews go on for about 25-30 min-
utes on an average. I reached the center at 1.15 and my inter-
view was over at 6.30, I’m assuming the last guy left at 7.
2. Your certificates matter. Take them.
3. Make sure you know your questionnaire responses and video
inside out.
4. Be very very clear about your reasoning and opinions. Ex-
press yourself.
5. For all I know, XLRI interviews don’t focus that much on
your knowledge of academics or the world around you, it’s
more about how much do you know yourself.
6. Sorry for taking so much time of those who read this, this
was probably the longest and the most in depth yet chilled out
interview I’ve had, I just had to share this.
Flip for next Interview

40
@regina
buffay
Date: 17/03/2017
10th Score: 95.8%
12th Score: 85.8%
Graduation: 83.7% (BE in IT)
XAT Score: 98.049
GK Score: 82.466
Essay: Okayish
At this point I saw P1
sleeping, I don’t know
if…
41
XLRI HRM Interview
GD Topic: Role of HR managers is to keep all employees happy.
GD went well. We were able to complete the process, as men-
tioned in the notice on time. I gave a lot of examples/case studies
for companies giving special care to women, policies for harass-
ment, how companies provide benefit plans according to demo-
graphics of the employees.
PI: 3 Panelists. Two male (P1, P2) and one female (P3).
P1: So, you mentioned traveling to the Meghalaya in your
video. When did you go there and why did you choose Me-
ghalaya?
Me: During my college years. Explained that chose it for the
scenic beauty and since the culture is very different than ours.
P1: So do you know they have a matriarchal society.
Me: No I did not know that.
P1: Oh you did not know that? Explained what a matriarchal
society means.
Me: (Smiling) I did not know that, but that’s so great!
P1: Which aspect of technology would you like to work on
from now?
Me: Told them I work on financial applications. I do not wanted
to be working in the IT domain, but if I do keep working here,
I would like to work somewhere where there are a lot of oppor-
tunities to innovate. Explained how creating new applications
which would solve new problems would interest me.
P1: So you mentioned a startup in your questionnaire, what
was your idea and why was it rejected.
Me: Explained it. One more counter question on that. Gave the
answer.
P2: So you mentioned the law for decriminalising domestic
violence in Russia. Tell me why Putin did that.
Me: Mentioned that they believe it is their tradition to hit wom-
en and children. They feel it’s their right. (He kept interrupting
me whenever I said a point. Did not let me explain, asked for
another point.)
I said I have a code which sends
me an email notification whenever
somebody’s birthday is coming up.
P2: Now defend Putin on this. You can see this from the Indi-
an perspective, I am just giving you a hint.
Me: Explained that laws of this nature are misused many a
times, like in India for domestic violence and dowry system laws.
At this point I saw P1 sleeping, I don’t know if he was bluffing
or actually sleeping.
P3: What impact did you have on your team or organisation
during your work experience of 20 months?
Me: Explained tools that I had made apart from my general
work which made some work convenient for the team. They
asked non-technical, I said I have a code which sends me an
email notification whenever someone’s birthday is coming up
and so we organize a birthday celebration for them.
P3: I see you have a lot of certificates in your school time, but
none during college. Did you not contribute?
Me: Mentioned dancing and NSS. Mentioned I taught under-
privileged children all 4 years.
P2: So are you still continuing any of this.
Me: Yes sir, I am a part of Oracle volunteers.
P3: What activities have you done?
Me: Mentioned 2-3 activities.
P3: Okay. Thank you! Is there anything else that you would
like to tell us. Which you would want to tell us for making
your candidature stronger.
Me: I would like to mention why I want a shift from IT to HR.
Explained that I felt that right now I am only making an impact
to the company’s product or market value, but I want to be im-
pacting people’s lives as well.
P2: (Interrupting) But your first choice is BM?
Me: (I didn’t know that we had given preferences) No sir, my
first choice is HRM (almost by reflex).
P2: No it is BM (showed me a paper). Did you get a call for
BM?
Me: Yes sir. While filling the form I might not have realised.
P2: (Interrupting) That’s okay. We heard what you said during
the GD (with an angry expression). Thank you.
The female professor offered me a candy. She was smiling all
the time. P2 seemed a little agitated with me towards the end.
P1 was sleeping during other people’s interview as well, so he
might be bluffing. I am guessing he said “We heard what you
said during the GD” because I had mentioned a lot of examples
during the GD of HRM impacting the lives of employees, but I
don’t know why he was angry about that. My interview went on
for about 18 minutes, which was the average for my panel. All
the best everyone!
42
@stonerG XLRI HRM Interview
GD Topic: Does browsing at workplace affect productivity?

Date: 02/03/17 GD Experience: Alright. I wanted to start, but that didn’t hap-
pen. I mostly played the listening game, as the other fellows all
10th Score: 93.1%
had work experience and were going on about what goes on in
12th Score: 66.8% the workplace. I interjected a couple of times, seeking clarifica-
UG: 72.4%, Electrical & Electronics Engi- tions and pulling out a couple of points. After a while, I tried to
recapitulate the things, the major points each person had put
neering (BIT Mesra)
across so as to achieve a mutual agreement. GD went on for
Work Ex: 0 another 5 mins after that.
XAT score: 96.958, 92.55 (GK)
Gut feeling: Okay. Not Bad. Certainly not exceptional.

Do you read batman PI: Person Left (PL), Person Centre(PC), Person Right(PR).

comics? PC: Good morning. Have a seat. I see you are quite passion-
ate about mathematics. Strong words in your SOP. So tell me,
you have worked on epidemiology, what is it?
Me: I defined it. Spoke about the objectives of the field. Ex-
plained a simple model. Built upon that to reach the complex-
ity of the model I had worked on.

PC: A few questions about the utility of such models, out-

comes etc.
Me: Spoke about it.

43
PC: Asked why paper was unpublished etc.
Me: Explained.
PC: Turns to PL.
PL: Please do not be offended, but I am not a big fan of sports.
But you seem to be very passionate about it. (I am a Powerlift-
er, was selected for the Jharkhand State team back in coll) So
tell me, how do you intend to leverage your passion for sports
by studying HRM at XLRI ?
Me: I believe that sport in India is an HR issue. We are a land
of a more than a billion, yet our performance always seems to
be quite underwhelming. However, there seems to be a positive
outlook. The central government has done a few good things.
Spoke about TOP, about how we are emulating the British
model, and the results. Then I added that the stunning results
that we have is not really possible with just state policies, but
there is a powerful corporate hand involved.
Spoke about Jindal Steels forming JSW sports, purchasing
Bangalore Yodhas and Bangalore FC etc. Described the talent
management, acquisition process, need for a robust compen-
sation/ benefits scheme etc. I said something to the tune of “I
will be able to immerse myself into this scheme of things via
HRM”.
PL: (Listening to me and cross questioning) Hmm, why not
sports management? Is it not more pertinent to.
Me: Something to the tune of (sports management is too spe-
cialised.) What I am interested is the being close to the talent,
forming a cohesive group blah blah. Spoke about SRI (Sport
recruitment international) and the work some of them (HRM
professionals) do and I want to do something similar.
PR: But all this sounds like sports marketing. You have BM
call also. BM teaches a lot of the things you are talking about.
So why not BM?
Me: That would be a boon in disguise. While sports is hu-
man capital intensive making it apt for HRM, it has to be ap-
proached as a business to improve how competitive the process
is and to get the required output.
PL: Hmm. You are trying to impress us. Be honest. I mean, it
is not a crime to impress us. So honestly, tell us.
Me: Yes sir HRM. The role allows me to be very close to the
sport, the people involved etc which is ideal given how pas-
sionate i am about it.
PL & PC turn to PR who is the senior most person. PR smiles
at me: Arey you have taken some chalta hai subjects in your
UG. Like business ethics. Don’t you feel it is quite useless? Is
it not very intuitive?
Me: Hmm Sir I believe I had a similar notion when I first
started the class. I believed it is quite straight forward. I felt all
we have to go in an organisation is be nice to everyone, offend
no one, do your job and go back. But, I realise that an actual
work place has far more nuanced scenarios where there is no
absolute right or wrong. So I would have to take fair decisions
such that max value is created for all stake holders involved.
PR: Trying to get me to talk about specific situations, how the
Talked about how batsy’s parents are
murdered etc. He is all powerful, a
vigilante by night.
classes went etc.
Me: We worked on case studies in classroom etc. But I am
sorry sir, I can’t seem to recall any specific case.
PR: How do you make such decisions etc?
Me: Sir this might sound a little odd. If I may I make decisions
like Batman.
PR: You read Batman comics?
Me: Yes sir. Talked about how batsy’s parents are murdered etc.
He is all powerful, a vigilante by night. Talked about how his
personal ethics stopes him from being judge, jury and execu-
tioner etc. I said I try to emulate that strong sense of ethics and
try to maximise value for all stake holders while being ethical.
PL, PC, PR: Thank you. I hope you have a great day.
Me: Thank you Sir.
Gut feeling: I had some stronger points, details about HR
functions and sports. Didn’t come through on that though.
I also had a proper ethics based answer in the questionnaire
which PR probably wanted to discuss. But, it just slipped out
of mind. Overall, not bad. Lets see. HRM at XLRI would be
fantastic. I guess I’ll have to play the waiting game again.
44
@shiv.am XLRI HRM Interview
GD Topic: Customs and traditions should prevail over law.
Everyone spoke about Jalikattu (I had predicted that), then a
Date: 07/03/2017 few more points. I gave example of regional local council in
North East states. Benefits of customs, benefits of law. Went
10th Score: 83.6%
silent. Then people started recycling points eg. One guy said
12th Score: 77.6% 1+1=2, someone else said if you have one goat and I give you
Graduation: 70.01% (B.E. in Computer another goat it will be two goats. It was not leading anywhere.
I interrupted a guy while he was repeating a point and in-
Science)
troduced the structure of the GD and asked them to stick to
XAT Score: 99.3 it. While discussing the pros and cons, people went again to
GK: 99.831 Jalikattu and 1 Cow + 1 Cow example. I asked them to list
pros and cons as we had enough discussion already, a guy rein-
troduced the Example of Dubai but it had fallacy in it. Anoth-
I jump out of the er girl wanted to continue, I interrupted and pointed out the
fallacy. We completed the GD and the panel asked us to leave.

window to discover if PI: Three Interviewers -

I can fly… P1 (Sitting to the left): Prof. Antony Uvary (OB)

P2 (In the Centre): Prof. Narasimhan Rajkumar (Marketing)
P3 (To the right): Prof. M. Srimannarayana (HRM)

P2: So you are Shivam, there was a movie recently something

Shivam or Shiv.
Me: (I could remember the title track but not the name) Sir,

45
Shivaaaaa.
P3: Arrey sir, he is a very diverse candidate, he is interested in
stocks, he did engineering, working for a finance client. Had
his BM interview yesterday, sitting here for HRM, right Shi-
vam?
Me: (Smiling) Yes Sir.
P3: How was your GD yesterday? What did you learn from
yesterday’s GD?
Me: It was a chilled out GD.
P3: No, what did you learn? Your personal learning.
Me: That I need to be more patient.
We have people with 5 years of expe-
rience in our 1 year program. They tell
me testing is very boring.
P3: Exactly, That’s what I was talking about. Why didn’t you
show that today during the GD?
Me: (Smiled) I learned it just yesterday. (Baby face) All 3 of the
panelists laugh out loud.
P1: Why were you not patient today? Why did you interrupt
that girl today. Don’t you know it’s bad to interrupt people.
Me: Sir, we had a target in mind to complete the GD, people
were repeating points, time was running out, had we run out of
time we would have failed as a team.
P2: But don’t you think team members’ happiness is supreme.
Me: Sir, the target needs to be completed that’s what we are
here for, the team would not be happy if we don’t perform, even
the company.
P2: Suppose it happens with you at Accenture, the target is
complete but you have some things in your heart, a concern
what do you do?
Me: I make sure my supervisor knows about my concerns and
these things don’t happen in future.
P2: You had BM interview yesterday, How was It?
Me: Sir, it was good.
P2: What did they ask you?
Me: (Smiled) Stocks.
P2: Ohhh, isn’t it unfair that they ask you what you already
know?
Me: (Laughed) No they did ask me things I didn’t know. All
laughed in Unison.
P2: What did they ask you which you didn’t know?
Me: They asked me Jamshedpur’s role in WW2.
P2: Did you look it up?
Me: (I did look it up, the quizzer in me can’t let these things
pass) Yes Sir, it was Tatas who manufactured armoured vehi-
cles for British, supplied steel for expansion.
P2: Don’t you think it is Tata’s role not Jamshedpur’s? There
is an anecdote Antony told me today. Do you know anything
about it?
Me: No sir.
P2: Would you look it up today on the internet? You need to
search more.
Me: Yes Sir, I will.
P1: Okay Shivam, you are working for Accenture, what do
you exactly do?
Me: Told I work as a QA (Some more fancy Stuff ).
P1: How do you do that?
Me: Told (Boring tech nerd stuff ).
P2: Don’t you think testing is a very dead and boring job. I
meet people they are bored.
Me: No sir, I don’t know what other people tell you but my
work is interesting.
P2: It gets boring after sometime, people are doing same
things day in day out.
Me: No sir in our organization after sometime you can get up
the ladder to do something more interesting.
P2: I am not talking about your organization, it gets boring.
We have people with 5 years’ experience in our 1 year program.
They tell me testing is very boring.
Me: Sir, testing is a very holistic process there might be some
parts of it which are boring also there are different types of
testing, the really fun part is finding a bug and tracing it back
in the code and mapping requirements, the people you men-
tioned might be doing functional testing.
P2: Yes, they might have left the tracing part for developers.
Me: Right Sir.
P2: This is a leader’s world. Do you agree?
Me: If all will be leading who’ll work? (All Laugh) I believe we
need workers as well.
P1: You are a worker or a leader?
Me: It depends on the situation, I can work as a leader and
work with people if situation requires.
46
P2: Leaders need not be workers, eg. Modi is not an econo-
mist, MMS was a better worker but terrible leader. Would you
like to change your answer?
Me: No sir, I think you need to be a leader as well a worker.
Gave example of a TL who worked with his team and how the
team respected him more because of this.
P1: What kind of leader are you?
Me: Spoke something.
I don’t believe a person is Incompetent
in every field, I’ll find a role fit for some
of the people.
P2: Are you even listening? The question is, what kind of a
leader are you?
Me: It depends on the situation sir.
P2: Yaar, he is such a situational fellow (All laugh). Check this
situation. Suppose your team is incompetent, non-coopera-
tive, they don’t want to talk to you, what’ll you do?
Me: Sir, I’ll try to convince.
P2: Arrey, they are non cooperative, they don’t want to talk.
Me: I’ll try to train them.
P2: They are incompetent.
Me: I’ll fire them.
P2: You’ll fire them, okay that’s what I wanted to hear. Don’t
you think it’ll create social problems? Wouldn’t it be unfair to
them?
Me: Sir, if they are incompetent then they shouldn’t have been
on my team.
P2: So, you’ll fire the HR as well?
Me: No sir, recruiting is a wholesome process, HR is one part
of it, and I’ll analyse the problem and fill in the loop holes, so
that we don’t get incompetent people.
P2: Okay let me give you my example. You have joined a bank
which was Government Owned first but is now privatized,
the people are incompetent, and what will you do as a leader
to solve the deadlock?
Me: I don’t believe a person is incompetent in every field, I’ll
find a role fit for some of the people, for rest of them I’ll ar-
range trainings and to act as buffer while this is done, I’ll hire
new outside talent.
P2: But don’t you think it will be difficult to train people who
had been doing same things for 20 years. Why don’t you fire
47
them?
Me: Sir they know you can’t fire all of them so this won’t work,
I’ll provide right motivators like fast track promotions as we
know rate of growth in Government Banks are slow.
P2: Do you think it will work?
Me: Yes. (In the meanwhile gate opens and another candidate
comes in)
P3: Another impatient fellow. (All of us laugh). P3 gets up to
attend him.
P1: Shivam, you have 83% in 10th, 77% in 12th, 70% in engi-
neering, why a decline in marks.
Me: Sir, I was involved with extracurricular activities, look
studies lightly, realized later scored 78-79% marks in 8th sem
because I needed to get above 70% marks cumutatively. So I
believe.
P2: Everyone says that, give us something new.
Me: I wish I could travel back in time and change that.
P1: What extracurricular, you were in Quizzing only.
Me: No sir I was a member of literary society.
P1: So what you were “Only Member” or member.
Me: A member (P3 comes back, arrey I left you smiling now
I come back to see you are not smiling, kindly keep smiling)
(I felt like Akshay kumar when Anu Kapoor said “Muskuraiye
aap Lucknow main hain”).
P1: Do you know what “Only a member” and member means?
Me: I believe only a member participates in activities orga-
nized by club members organize them.
P2: Was it easy to get 79% marks.
Me: Once I decided I needed to score it was easy.
P3: Okay.
P1: No, he’s saying had he decided he needed to score he’d
have scored in entire engineering, but he chose not to.
P2: Shivam in the section of your questionnaire under on
which points you disagree with others vehemently, you have
written when they give up without trying just because they are
afraid of failure. Why?
Me: Sir, if you allow me I would like to cite an example.
P2: Okay.
Me: Most of the people in my organization want to get in an
MBA program for obvious reasons but they want to get into
tier 2 colleges and don’t want to even try to get into tier 1 col-
lege because they think they cannot do it. That’s what I meant.
P2: Suppose, I jump out of the window to discover if I can Fly.
What will happen?
Me: Why would you do such a stupid thing? You’d break your
bones. (Every one laughs)
P2: Exactly, so?
Me: But in the case I cited what would happen if you fail is
you’d lose Rs. 1500 that’s what’ll happen at max, but you’d
know for sure, if you are made for tier 1 colleges or not.
P2: Suppose, I am fascinated by statistics but I don’t like
mathematics, should I prepare for Indian Statistics institute?
Me: No because you know you are bad at mathematics and you
know that.
P2: So what if the people in your example hate maths so that
is why they don’t want to spend 50000 at TIME to learn that
they are not made for this?
Me: Then they should not try for Tier 2 colleges as well they
also ask the same type of questions, they also have similar ex-
ams so trying and failing in the process and then choosing a
tier 2 college is better than just trying to getting into tier 2
college.
P2: Okay Shivam, is there a question you would…(P3 inter-
rupts: Shivam I have a question but I’ll ask it after this ques-
tion) you would like us to ask from any part of your life but we
have not asked yet.
Me: What if the question P3 wants to ask is the same question
I want you to ask but you have not asked? (All laugh hysteri-
cally).
P3: Can you cite an example where you failed.
Me: Yes, I failed in two subjects.
P3: No anything from Accenture.
Me: Sir, it has just been 6 months, I can’t recollect something.
P3: Okay, you may leave. I get up reach the door.
P3: Wait Shivam.
Me: (I turn my back) Yes sir.
P3: One last question. (I keep standing) What did you learn
from your experience in sourcing materials from the UAE (I
helped someone import something from UAE and written it
as a frustrating experience in my Questionnaire).
Me: That you need to take into consideration external factors
and plan accordingly also you should read about other people’s
experiences so that you do not repeat their mistakes.
P3: You can go we are done.
Me: Thanks.
48
@madhur XLRI HRM Interview
GD Topic: Should begging be legal?

katyal A very well structured GD in which we covered the pros and

cons. Ranked them. Suggested a few solutions. I pitched in
with the points that a lot of disadvantaged people are helped in
10th Score: 93.1% this case. Job creation is not an easy task, this kind of provides
12th Score: 90.4% a temporary refuge. Also, making it legal would mean curbing
the work culture. A big impact on the tourism industry. Or-
B.Tech: 75.66%
gained mafia exploiting children, women and so on. A very
XAT Score: 96.430 cordial GD. I think I did fair enough.

Q: What are your hobbies?

There seems to be Me: I emphasised on reading as my main hobby (novels, mag-
azines, quora, pro public)
anger in your answers? Q: According to us, reading is not a hobby? Why do you think
so?
Me: Anything for which you take out time, and it gives you
pleasure (bliss) is hobby for me. I exercise to remain fit, but
reading is something I do for the bliss associated with it. (They
were not agreeing, but since it is what I believed in, I made sure
I don’t change my stance).

Q: There seems to be anger in your answers? A dismissive

tone?

49
Me: No that is not the case. At times, I may, but always I don’t
think so. (They said have I ever been pointed the same, but in
MDI they said my voice is a bit ‘mechanical in nature’. My
voice!)
Q: What are the weaknesses you have?
A: Told. (Won’t be mentioning as this is something one must
be aware of )
Since you just said begging should
be illegal, but it seems you have a
different view?
Q: (The interesting part) Any recent editorial which you read
which made you think/impacted you?
Me: The economist has a special magazine called “1843”. There
was an article on how polygamy is not wrong. So, this opened
up avenues of an ethical dilemma which revolved around the
contours of formal and casual relationships (This was a 5 min-
ute dialogue between me and them). This also brought in UCC
into play. I will not be explicitly mentioning what I told them,
but knew my stance was not on the wrong lines.
Q: Now consider you are an HR manager, you would impose
your views, and then it is wrong for the work place?
Me: I will perform my professional duties and never allow my
personal opinion to mix with professional. I am there to make
an impact on professional lives, not personal. I don’t remember
but something related to Trump came in. It had to do with
the questionnaire I guess, but again it was a personal opinion
which the urban voter despises.
Q: Since you just said begging should be illegal, but it seems
you have a different view?
Me: Sir, that was my professional duty. This is what I believe (
job creation is not easy and the disadvantaged deserve better)
The interviewers said in Hindi “fresher hun”. Thank God, no
academics up till now.
Q: How do you rate your confidence?
Me: It has improved over the years. Have been working on it.
Q: Are you overconfident?
Me: Not at all.
Q: Why should we select you?
Me:Had three reasons in mind (Again everyone would be
aware of why should they be selected. A right mix of analytical
and interpersonal skills).
Q: What is unique about you?
Me: I guess most candidates are good with academics and fix-
ated with the numbers, where as I truly believe I want to make
an impact on culture and lives more than the product because
at the end of the day human relationships matter more than
the numbers one billed in. I want to give back to the society.
Q: So up till now have you not tried?
A: Told them what I have done as an individual and some
other views.
This went for about 15 minutes. I don’t remember each word
but this is the broad outline.
As I wasn’t asked anything more, Sir said I should read why
polygamy is deterrent to adultery and the economic benefits (a
polar view. Now, you guys can discern what I would have said.
I simply replied I haven’t read that much and I will look into it.
Also, I said I am young. My opinions will change as I interact
with more individuals. So, I guess I did fair in both GDPI
but owing to my low percentile and no work experience, not
very hopeful. Guys, please share your views if you like. Hope
it helps.
50
@Ankan_Kesh XLRI HRM Interview
GD Topic: Should higher earning employees not get legal
protection?
Centre: XLRI
GD went good, everyone spoke and we chipped in with some
Date: 04/03/2017
points. It got repetitive after a point but we stuck to the format.
XAT Score: 99.53
GK Score: 43.xx Personal Interview: 3 panelists. Talked about college fest and
the things I wrote in my questionnaire. The interview revolved
CAT 2015 Score: 92.18
around that.
CAT 2016 Score: 99.56
XAT 2017 Score: 99.53 P: Talk about LGBT issues (as it was there in one of the ques-
tions).
Me: Told in details. A lot of cross questions.
What are your views P: So you are an instigator of crime? You are doing something

on Robin Hood? which the supreme court of India has deemed illegal?
Me: Legally yes, morally no.

P: Name some Indian LGBT’s who have made it big.

Me: Talked about a few.

P: Which people do you call at your conference for LGBT?

Me: Told.

P: So you are always ethical?

51
“What about the others who really want to eat meat? Why are
you not thinking about them?”
Me: Told.
P: Tell me a case where you were not unethical?
Me: Told.
P: Tell me an instance where you were ethical?
Me: Told about XAT where I attempted the GK questions
selectively, only those which I knew and not every question as
they were non negative.
They smile. A lot more questions regarding LGBT and college
fest and its use for students.
P: What are your views on Robin Hood?
Me: Told (I disagree) and gave the reasons behind it.
P: Suppose you are the HR manager of a company and you
are also in charge of mess. You have a party on a festival and a
part of the work force doesn’t want to have non veg as it is not
allowed in their religion. What would you do?
Me: Sir can I shift it to the next day?
P: No same day.
Me: Sir then I would not like to add it as it would hurt the
sentiments of a few people?
P: What about the others who really want to eat meat? Why
are you not thinking about them?
Me: Sir then I would like to host 2 parties at 2 adjacent rooms
and people in that case can have what they like and can inter-
act as well. Talked about this for some more time.
P: What are your hobbies? What else do you do?
Me: Told.
Okay we are done. Thank you. Enjoy.
52
@irass XLRI HRM Interview
GD Topic: 7 of us were given a topic “Are trade unions irrele-
vant”. Total time: 40 mins.
Date: 27th Feb, 2017
We discussed all the arguments for about 20 minutes, then we
10th Score: 91.23%
discussed the criteria for the argument. Then we ranked the
12th Score: 86% arguments under these criteria.
Engineering: 71%
We couldn’t conclude the GD though. I chipped in a few times
Work-Ex: 15 Months in Deloitte
with relevant points.
XAT Score: 96.58
PI Experience: 3 panelists.

What do you do after P1: (Took my folder and asked) Do you like creative things?
(My folder was made of Bamboo fibres intertwined)
watching a movie? Me: (Fumbling) Not really, this was the only folder that is not
torn or spoilt.

P2: So you work in Deloitte, give me a personal learning ex-

perience in Deloitte.
Me: Told.

P2: No, not this something specific.

Me: Told a training experience.

P2: No this is a training experience. I want something more

53
specific.
Me: Told one more experience where I had some shortcom-
ings.
The next few questions were pretty much on this shortcoming:
what I learnt from it, how I’m implementing it, any disadvan-
tages of my solutions to this shortcomings. All the while P1
was grinnin, gP3 was intently listening.
P3 (Takingt over): Do you like travelling? Have you travelled
across India?
Me: Yes.
P3: You like travelling alone or with friends? And what do you
do?
Me: Travelling alone. Listening to music, reading a book.
P3 :What are you reading right now?
Me: Contact by Carl Sagan.
P3: Any movie you have recently seen in this genre?
Me: (After about 10 sec) Dr. Strange.
P3: So do you have a large group of friends or a small one?
Me: A few close friends and a larger group of friends.
P3: What do you do after watching a movie? Do you go to the
eateries?
Me: Yes. (Is this a legit question?)
Then P3 asked a few questions on my questionnaire I submit-
ted.
P2: Anything you would like to add?
Me: No Sir. (Should have said something here I suppose)
Thats all folks.
Tips: In GD there is lot of time to express your points. Do not
rush into them at once, or you might have no points later.
In PI, just be yourself. Be honest as that’s what they are looking
for and also they ask probing questions so you can’t fake it for
a long time. The overall experience was chilled and some ques-
tions were vague. Not sure about the result though.
54
@hosseini XLRI HRM Interview
GD Topic: 5 years of service in rural India should be made
compulsory post MBA.
Date: 01/03/2017
9 people in the GD. It was kind of chaotic. There were few
ICSE (Xth): 95%
people who were speaking over and above the others. After a
ISC (XIIth): 97% point, everyone was looking to snatch opportunities to speak.
B.Tech (Chemical Engineering) from NIT
I quoted a few comprehensive facts in the GD (For example,
Allahabad: 8.45 CGPA
884 million people live in rural India, of which 36% are il-
XAT Score: 99.06 literate. Of the 64% literate ones, only 5.4% are high school
GK Score: 82.66 graduates and only 3.4% are college graduates). Facts like these
were picked up by the group and extensively used in the sum-
marisation process.
What do you think is Personal Interview (20-25 minutes)

the faculty shortage P1 (Male), P2 (Female), P3 (Senior male). P1 took my file and

at XLRI? began going through the certificates.

P3: So, 884 million. How do you know so many facts, man? Is
it a part of your preparation?
Me: Sir, I am very much interested in politics and hence, read
quite voraciously. So if I ever come across a fact which arrests
my attention, I record it on my phone, and go over them reg-
ularly. I can use them in my conversations and they also con-

55
stantly remind me of how much of what exists is still so painful
and so much is still to be done for humanity. If you permit me,
I can tell you a few more interesting and surprising facts.
(This was followed by me quoting facts for 2-3 minutes. The
professors were showing astonishment and amusement at
several facts. The last fact I stated was that the IITs have a
combined faculty shortage of 36%, with KGP leading the pack
with 46% shortage.)
P1: So, what do you think is the faculty shortage at XLRI?
Me: Sir, your placement statistics don’t point towards any
shortage at all.
(This was followed by general laughter.)
The simplest form in which substances
occur naturally is called an element.
Two or more elements together make
up a compound.
P1: So you are interested in politics. A few days back, Viren-
der Sehwag was in the news, but not for his batting. Do you
know anything about it?
Me: Explained the entire Gurmehar Kaur incident as had hap-
pened. Also stated that although I am keenly interested in pol-
itics, I detest the firebrand student politics that seems to have
become the order of the day since the BJP has come to power.
P1: You are a chemical engineer. So tell me, is soap made from
oil?
Me: Yes Sir, soap is made from fat/lye, same as oils.
P1: So how can oil in soaps remove oil from hands?
Me: Sir, soap is amphiphilic. So a part of it is hydrophilic,
which attaches itself to a water molecule, and the other part
is hydrophobic, which attaches itself to the oil molecule. In
this way, it accentuates the dirt removal properties of the water
molecule, as it individually cannot attach itself adequately well
to the dirt.
P1: What is a molecule?
Me: Sir, we need to understand the difference between an
element and a compound first. The simplest form in which
substances occur naturally is called an element. Two or more
elements together make up a compound. So a molecule is the
smallest form in which a compound can exist, without losing
its identity.
P1: What is the minimum number of atoms required to make
a molecule? Also give an example.
Me: Sir, a minimum of 2 atoms are needed to make a molecule.
For example, 1 atom of Na and 1 atom of Cl together make 1
molecule of NaCl.
P1: What happens when you break a molecule?
Me: You will get the constituent atoms and a lot of energy is
taken. The identity of the molecule will cease to exist.
P1: What is that energy called?
Me: Sir, it is called the energy of formation. Sometimes, energy
of dissipation is also used to refer to it.
P1: What is the formula used to calculate it?
Me: Sir, I do not know.
P1: Yes, you must have forgotten.
P2: If you are so much interested in politics, why do you want
to do an MBA?
Me: Ma’am, I have been a student of science all my life. Sci-
ence, for all its wonders, doesn’t help understand laws, eco-
nomics, finance and other areas which are pivotal for success in
public life. At XLRI, I will have subjects such as Development
Economics, which directly deals with efficient public policy
as a driver for overall economic growth. Subjects like Labour
Law Applications and Industrial Jurisprudence will teach me
about existing laws, their shortcomings and possible alterna-
tives. I strongly feel that in the days to come, the paucity of
jobs, which the youth today confronts, will be a major chal-
lenge for any policy framer. Even for this, XLRI offers interest-
ing courses like Managing Redundancy. So upon graduating
from here, I will be armed with the necessary knowledge in
the necessary areas to really make a difference. Besides, one of
XLRI’s HR alumni is Mr. K. Pandiarajan, the erstwhile School
Education Minister of Tamil Nadu. So, I even have inspiration
to be found here.
P1: Can you tell me a bit about Pandiarajan?
Me: Sir, he is a part of the Paneerselvam camp and was expelled
from AIADMK by Sasikala just before she went to prison.
P1: Was he always a part of the Paneerselvam camp?
Me: No. He was a Jayalalithaa loyalist and after her demise,
once Paneerselvam came into his own, Pandiarajan threw his
weight behind him.
P3: You said that the situation pains you. So what have you
done about it?
Me: I haven’t done anything grand yet. I humbly concede that
my knowledge base is woefully small for me to be truly ef-
fective if I take up active public service right away. But I am
sustained by the truth that my intentions are pure. I have been
56
involved in several teaching related activities, with primary and
high school children as I feel that education is of utmost sig-
nificance for the upliftment of lives. Now, in my college, I can
see that there is a healthy atmosphere of debate and discussion
over politics. People want to be aware of these issues. I feel that
I can take some credit for it because of the societies facilitating
these discussions which I have set up in college. On graduation
from XLRI, once I have the necessary know how, I will be in a
position to do far more.
P1: Tell me one thing that you particularly like to do.
Me: Sir, I love to write. I am also the Chief Student Editor of
my college magazine.
P1: And one thing that you absolutely dislike doing?
Me: Sir, I don’t like attending parties and am not very good at
socialising with people. I like to be in my comfort zone, around
my friends, not attempting to introduce myself to new people.
I know that this introverted nature of mine may prove to be a
deterrent in the career that I have envisaged for myself. I have
been working on it and have also made improvements, but I
still have a long way to go.
Do you wish to get into politics
completely seriously and properly?
P1: Are you sure you are an introvert? You spoke well in the
GD.
Me: Sir, in matters of debate and discussion, I am always in my
element. I can talk with anyone on these issues for any amount
of time. But in parties.
P1: You can’t gel in?
Me: Sir, let’s just say I have trouble shedding my serious side.
(General laughter follows.)
P2: Do you wish to get into politics completely seriously and
properly?
Me: Yes, ma’am. This may sound like a childlike ambition to
you, but I wish to be the PM of India. If not that, the HRD/
Education Minister And I will get there.
P1: You will get there?
Me: Yes Sir, I will get there.
P2: Rohan, had you been in colleges like JNU or DU, you
57
would have had a good launching pad to prepare yourself for
politics. Since you aren’t affiliated to such a university, how are
you preparing yourself for politics?
Me: Ma’am, firstly, I am fundamentally against these student
unions which swear loyalty to one party or another, and have
reduced centres of educational and academic excellence to fo-
cal points for petty politics, hooliganism and patronising be-
haviour.
P2: Okay. Tell me how you are preparing yourself for peaceful
politics.
Me: Ma’am, I read a lot. I have a set of political heroes, who
were instrumental in changing lives and uplifting people
through amazing feats of leadership. By reading about their
decisions, policies and ideas, I have a vague idea of how one
country became the world leader in education while another
saw a record number of movement of people from poverty to
the middle class. I have heard Bill Clinton’s lectures, read Lee
Kuan Yew’s and Barack Obama’s books and also regularly read
informative and reputed journals, newspapers and reports to
get an insight into important issues. Once I join XL, I will
also have the necessary technical knowledge to complement
my existing ideologies, which I have received, through exten-
sive reading, from people who I consider champion leaders and
statesmen and my role models.
P2: (nodding) So you want to learn before working hands on.
Okay.
P2: One last question. Will you be sitting in our placement
process?
Me: Ma’am, I am glad that you brought that up. I am very
much interested in XL’s unique initiative called “Parivartan”,
which places students in the social sector, in organisations
which do noble work for the betterment of society, at large.
I would prefer this to the conventional placements any day.
Could you also maybe tell me a little about it?
P2: Actually, I don’t know much about it. Maybe Sir (pointing
towards P3, the senior prof ) can tell you.
P3: You already know enough.
P2: So, thank you Rohan!
I shook the hands of all three panelists and left!
Flip for next Interview

58
@anurag3134 XLRI HRM Interview
GD Topic: 5 years of service in rural India should be made
compulsory Post-MBA.
X Score: 87.6%
In the GD 2-3 guys were constantly speaking without even
XII Score : 79.4
listening or discussing others points. I started the GD, gave
B.Tech (EEE) from KIIT University Bhu- 2-3 inputs, as a group we were able to present all the points
baneswar: 8.28 CGPA and rank them as well.
XAT: 95.6%
I was in the morning batch, but since only 2 of us were there,
GK Score: 97.3% the panelists took our interview alone and asked us to join in
Work-Ex: 2 Years 7 months in WIPRO the afternoon batch for the GD. So, my GD was after the in-
terview (I don’t know it’s positive or negative).

Who is your favorite Now the interview, it lasted well over 30 mins, as only two of
us were there for the morning slot, the panelists had ample

poet? time at their disposal.

P1: Very senior faculty

P2: A charming and smiling lady
P3: A XLRI alumni, quite young.

P1: So what you are doing now? (As I had left my job in Nov
2016)
Me: I am helping my father in his business.

59
P1: So what have you prepared for this interview?
Me: Initially I just said “not much”, but immediately he cut
me off and said, it’s XLRI interview how come you are not
prepared and smiled. Then I said, sir, I have prepared, I have
HRM by Mr. K. Aswathappa and have introspected a lot.
Since I write and read Hindi poems, also my video was on
Hindi poetry.
P1: Who is your favorite poet?
Me: Sir, Ramdhari Singh Dinkar.
P1: But, he always writes about fighting and bloodshed, why
do you like him?
Me: I explained about his way of poetry and I recited one of
his poems and explained the meaning to him. P1 knew about
poetry, a lot!
P1: But he is the same person who has also written this. He
said 2 lines in Hindi which were of pessimistic view.
Me: I said, I haven’t read this line and I don’t support this view
as well and then I explained that, poetry is all about the poets
emotion at that time, the poet might would have been facing
some issues in his life so he would have written these lines.
P2: This is about his business, something about moral values.
Me: Gave another and last example, where my father held his
moral values when there was an opportunity to make fast and
wrong money.
P2: Good, so did you even apply this?
Me: Yes mam, I gave an story, in 2012, we had participated in
an international competition “Shell Eco Marathon”, we had to
make a super-mileage vehicle, college was sponsoring all our
funds, so few of my teammates, asked to put up more costs so
that we can make some profit, and I opposed it and made sure
that didn’t happen.
P2: She asked me about my work, which was knowledge man-
agement and resource management (both HR functions).
Me: I answered them quite well. (P2 looks at P3 amd says, I
am done over to you!)
P3: Anurag, so you are an EEE engineer, tell me about pulse
code modulation and tome modulation?
Me : I don’t know sir, It’s been over 2 years, I can vaguely recall
the graphs but exact answer I don’t know. (I was showing the
graphs with my hand)

P1: Suppose you become HR, P3: Okay, answer me this

and one of your reportees Initially I just said “not much”, but question: why is there a sag in
writes poems in his diary. And the transmission lines?
he/she has shown that to you,
immediately he cut me off and said, Me: I said, that it expands and
and you see that some depress- it’s XLRI interview how come you contacts depending on the
ing and pessimistic lines are are not prepared and smiled. weather conditions so the sag
written there, what will you is there.
do?
Me: First of all, I will appreciate the person, for being able P3: This is a physical reason, tell me something else.
to write such lines and then would ask if he/she is facing any Me: Sir, I vaguely remember the formula for it, but exactly
issues at work or in personal life and try and resolve it. what is the reason, I am not able to recall. And then I smiled
and said, sir, to minimize transmission losses.
P1 looked at P2 and said I am done, over to you!
All the 3 panelists laughed!
P2: She took my questionnaire and asked me why you are in-
fluenced so much by your father? P3: Which was the best moment in your life?
Me: Because of his strong moral values. Me: When I went to Malaysia to participate in Shell eco mar-
athon.
P2: What are bad moral values?
Me: Greed, thinking bad about people etc. P3: Why, give me one reason, fast?
Me: Because of the 121 teams, from all over the Asia-Pacific
P2: Give me one example, where you learnt something from region, I was the only participant from 2nd yr engineering,
your father. everyone was 3rd or 4th yr.
Me: Gave an example.
P3: One more reason, fast.
P2: But this is about punctuality, tell me something about his Me: Because we were able to clear all the technical inspection
moral values. tests of our car, in the first round itself.
Me: Again gave an example.
P3: One more.

60
Me: Said.
P3: One more.
Me: Said.
P3: Now rank all the 4 points in order.
Me: Done and the rapid fire ended.
P1: Anurag, is there anything you want to ask?
Me: Sir, I have met some XLRI alumnus, I could see they are
very humble, what is the one quality that you feel, XLRI gives
to its students and it remains with them all their life?
61
P1: I am not an alumni, I never studied here, pointed to P3
and said, he has studied here, ask him.
P3: Yes we are all very humble and the one trait is, our quest
for excellence, you can read the book “Good to great”.
P2: Anurag, what do you think, how was your interview?
Me: Mam, I feel happy, I was able to speak all what I had in
mind and I am happy.
They all said thank you and that’s it. I feel, My XAT score
might drag my chances down.
Flip for next Interview

62
@saiteja038 XLRI HRM Interview
GD Topic: Educated managers or Natural managers.

X Score: 85.33% We were asked to discuss on this for 45 minutes with pros and
cons. The group came to an agreement before hand to make it
XII Score: 91.15%
a constructive GD. It turned out to be worse than fish market.
B.Tech: 8.32 CGPA Everyone is cutting in and points getting repeated. Lot many
XAT: 97.9%ile cross talks going on for minutes. Eventually one of the worst
GDs I ever performed. Chipped in twice and was able to con-
GK Score: 41
vince the group with my points. Others were also redundant
points from my side.

Do you think Personal Interview: I would like to convey this with 4 persons

Engineers should do
P1, P2 (the people who conducted interview). P1 and P2 are
very senior faculty with serious faces.

MBA? P1: What are you actually trying to convey in the video?
Me: Sir, I am actually trying to be a bit creative and wanted to
convey the message what I see in a day.

P2: Is it what you see only in a day?

Me: No sir. There are other notions too. Explained one notion
I thought off then.

P1: Why do you want to do this course now?

(Inner Voice: This is indirect why MBA question, come up

63
with the best prepared one.)
Me: Sir, I believe every work is good and (immediately got
interrupted).
P1: Then why don’t you stay in TCS?
Me: Sir, I never dreamt of being a project manager or team
lead for a software project.
P1: See, you are making two controversial statements at once.
You said all kind of work is good and now you don’t want to do
some kind of work.
M: (Poker face) Sir, I believe dreams carry us forward and I am
here for what I dreamt.
P1: If you don’t like what you are doing then you did you do
B.Tech?
Me: Sir, I never said I hated B.Tech, I am a very good engi-
neering and my marks say the same.
(In a very loud voice) See, Don’t you
get what I say? (Hitting the desk with
his hand) Inner voice: Bhaag ja beta.
P1: Do you think engineers should do MBA?
Me: Yes sir. As per me. (Got interrupted)
P1: Why do you think so?
Me: Sir, we will get the analytical skills. (Got interrupted)
P1: Even B.Com students will be good at that.
Me: Sir, we will also get the communication skills.
P1: Even B.Ed students will get that.
M: (I am thinking that this interview is done, come up with
something good) To be frank no B.Tech student will study
right from day 1 sir. Though he studies at the last minute, he
know where to look at the moment and comes out of flying
colors.
P1: That’s the leisure of the course you have. Is that even a
skill?
Me: No sir, B.Tech course isn’t leisure as we write. (Got inter-
rupted)
P2: If this is the way you are going to be, you are not fit for
XLRI. As the course will be too heavy and we need someone
who works really hard.
Me: Sir, I work hard sir. There are…(Got interrupted)
P1: See, again you are making controversial statements. You
just said B.Tech students doesn’t work at all.
Me: Sir, I doesn’t mean that sir. What I mean to say is…(In-
terrupted)
P1: You are changing your words again.
Me: No sir. What I said is a generic statement Sir. There will be
a stream of subjects where we love the course and go on with
reading sir. There will be subjects which we hate and we won’t
study them unless there is a need sir. Moreover the statement I
made is for 60 to 70% of the case sir.
P1: So you don’t fall into that 70%?
Me: Yes sir, I worked hard for my degree. Apart from that I
took GATE exam to know if I am a good engineer or not sir. I
qualified in it and got AIR 2000. I got admission for M.Tech
from few colleges also. My parents, relatives and friends com-
pelled me to go with my M.Tech but I didn’t go because I
never dreamt for it. Then I joined TCS and went ahead with
my CAT and XAT trails sir.
P1: Ok,ay I am done with it. Sir, do you have something to
ask?
P2: What are the subjects you love in your B.Tech?
Me: Network Analysis, Digital Logic Design sir.
P2: Tell me one subject for semester that you love till your fi-
nal semester?
Me: Told till 5th semester but cannot recollect after that. Said
I cannot remember anymore.
P2: If you don’t even remember this, what will you do at XLRI?
Thinking to myself: (You are gone my son. Now do that testing
back at TCS for 1 more year.)
P2: In which project are you working?
Me: CPP (Connectivity Packet Platform)
P2: When will the project end?
Me: Never sir. It is a telecom project and in the market…(Got
interrupted)
P2: A project should have an end date. Otherwise it’s not
called a project.
Me: Sir, In my case as per market requirement…(Interrupted)
P2: (In a very loud voice) See, Don’t you get what I say? (Hit-
ting the desk with his hand)
Inner voice: Bhaag ja beta
Me: Sir, there will be many features in the market…( Got in-
terrupted)
P2: Okay, leave it. Did you execute some feature in your proj-
ect?
64
Me: Yes sir, it’s called IPSEC.
P2: Tell me about that?
Me: Sir, we need security for the packets that are routed in the
network…(Got interrupted)
P2: What cables you used?
Me: ATM cable and IP cable.
P2: If you have to choose one among them, how will you do?
Me: Started speaking technically, he said he needs a generic
answer. Sir we keep in mind the time, money and efforts. Being
a software engineer efforts is not a redundant parameter. So we
went with time and money and chose ATM cable. At a later
stage we recognized we also need an IP cable and decided to
go with both of them.
P2: Good. So you don’t consider the feature to select them.
Me: Sir, this itself is a feature and the purpose of cables is to
just carry the packets.
P1: We see that you also applied for BM. If you convert both,
which one will you chose?
Me: Sir, I will choose HRM.
P1: So Shall I write that you are not interested in BM?
Me: No Sir, what I mean is…(Got interrupted)
P1: See, you are again making different statements.
Me: Sir, I still stand by my word. But…(Got interrupted)
65
P2: I don’t mind if you sit, stand or sleep on your word.
Me: (This is check mate) I would like you to write that “he is
more interested in HRM than BM”.
P1: So, I will be writing it here and it will literally screw your
chances.
Me: Not a problem sir.
P2: Ok we are done. You may leave. If you want to take a choc-
olate while leaving, help yourself.
Me: Took a chocolate and woke up. Both P1 and P2 are look-
ing at me. I asked “Sir, did I fumble anywhere? The interview
ended too quick while others were taking too long”.
P1: You will get it when the results are out?
P2: Answer any question that you could have done better.
Me: Sir, I am also a farewell SPOC in my project. I deal with
more than 200 people every week and make them donate for
the farewell events.
P1: How much you collect for a farewell?
Me: Sir, around 5000.
P1, P2: Ok we are done. You may leave.
Me: Thank you sir.
Ending note: The interview lasted for 20 mins. No questions
from the questionnaire.
Flip for next Interview

66
@apoorva XLRI HRM Interview
GD Topic: Does focus on outcome kill productivity.

random Started the discussion, gave a structure to the GD. Pitched in

with 3 points, ranked the arguments, gave a summary. I believe
it’s a decent GD performance.
X Score: 90%
XII Score: 94% PI: Only 2 interviewers in the panel. Both male.
B.Tech: 77%
P1: (As soon as I entered the room) You have a very good per-
XAT: 96.842%ile centage in 12th. (94 - AP state board)
GK Score: 68.111 Me: I said yes.
Work-Ex: 3.5 Years
P1: So tell me about education system in AP.
Me: AP’s education system focusses on quantitative skills. We

How do you apply develop good skills in Maths, Physics etc. But there is a flaw,
we don’t have many practical sessions to give us exposure.

Artificial Intelligence P1: You didn’t have labs in your schooling.

Me: We have labs in +2, but not till 10th standard.
to HR?
P1: Compare the work profile of the 2 organisation you have
worked in.
Me: Told about my work profiles.

P1: Give me the most challenging work you have done till

67
now.
Me: Gave a situation, where I delivered a script for a telecom
network element’s upgrade. I told that I didn’t have scripting
knowledge till then, but still managed to deliver the script and
customer was very satisfied.
We are born with inherent nature of
multitasking, we are not taught about
it, but we develop it naturally.
No further questions from P1. In the meanwhile P2 looked at
my file.
P2: Tell me about artificial intelligence.
Me: (I believe this question was raised because of a research
paper of mine in cognitive networks) We humans have cogni-
tive ability which separates us from machines. If we also apply
the same learning ability to machines, that is called AI.
P2: What is your opinion on cloning.
Me: If cloning is done on animals, there may not be in any
harm in it. But if you try to do the same for human beings, it
may have some negative consequences. As human tendency,
we generally tend to misuse new technology.
P2: If we clone good lawyers, surgeons and positive people
the whole world will be prospered. No violence, nothing bad
would happen (Smiles).
Me: Sir, that would be a utopian world.
P2: (Laughs), So do you say cloning is bad.
Me: I don’t say cloning is bad, what I say is that you cannot
take things as black and white, human nature has grey areas in
it. So as longs as it is not misused, it is definitely good.
P2: How do apply artificial intelligence to HR.
Me: (I was not sure about the answer, but told something) If
AI could be applied to tasks like HR Audits and other quan-
titative tasks, HR managers would be relieved of those quan-
titative tasks and they could focus on some qualitative tasks.
P2: (Gave confused expression) What is your hobby?
Me: I said Yoga.
P2: Tell me two positive aspects of yoga.
Me: Told
P2: Tell me about your multitasking skills concretely.
Me: As a woman, we are born with inherent nature of multi-
tasking, we are not taught about it but we develop it naturally.
We balance our household and careers perfectly.
P2: Name some famous women in HR in India.
Me: ( I couldn’t recollect) Instead of going blank, I told about
CHRO in my organisation and also told about her good qual-
ities.
P2: Ok you may leave now.
Me: Thank you.
68
 This page is actually a mirror.
Stand on one leg in direct sunlight to see it.

69
 MDI GDPI
EXPERIENCES

70
@axe93 MDI Gurgaon Interview
GD/WAT: Is remixing in music a good trend?

10th Score: 88% WAT: It went well.

12th Score: 89%
GD: Good. (contributed 5-6 good points in favour of tasteful
Btech CSE: 9.25 CGPA remixing)
OA : 94.91
PI: Panel had 2 males. ( P1 middle aged and P2 young)
VA: 86.40
LR: 95.69 P1: Aur batao…
QA: 93.83 Me: Told about myself, work experience, graduation and
Work-Ex: 29 months till Dec 2016 as a schooling, hobbies, music and how I could relate to the GD
topic.
Networking Consultant
P1: Haan yaar, I was upset to hear everyone supporting remix-
ing. (Gave some negative examples of remixing)
Marketing guy, Sales Me: Supported my stand in favor of tasteful remixing.

guy & Product R&D P1: Alright. There is a Marketing guy, sales guy and product
R&D engineer. Who is the most important? Saare important
engineer. Who is the mat bolna.
Me: Commented on the significance of each and concluded
most important? that the Marketing guy being most important in my opinion
as market research will help the rest to begin working on the
product and eventually sell.

71
P1 to P2: Ab aapki baari. Me: Answered.

(P2 was silent till now and probably looking at my form sheet.) P2: Now make these jugs 3L and 5L.
Me: (Asked for some time to think around 30 seconds) An-
P2: Take this paper and pencil and draw 4 points that are equi- swered.
distant to each other.
Me: (Thought for a couple of seconds) I cannot think of any P1, P2 (smiling), P2 to P1: Anything else, sir?
such that can drawn.
P1: No. I am done. Do you have any questions for us?
P2: Are you thinking in 2D? Me: Asked 2 questions. 1 around student clubs and the other
Me: Yes. around industrial guest lectures.

P2: Now think in 3D. P1: Thanks, you can leave.

Me: Answered, triangular base pyramid.
Thought the GD/WAT/PI went well. Not sure whether my
P2: You have 2 jugs, 2L and 5L. How will you measure 4 L. percentile is good enough though.

72
@prateek117 MDI Gurgaon Interview
WAT/GD Topic: Should funds be diverted towards primary
and secondary education rather than opening new IITs and
CAT OA Score: 99.50 IIMs?
10th Score: 93%
Not satisfied with my WAT. GD was okay but spoke less.
12th Score: 85%
Undergrad Major: 79% PI: 2 panelists, 1 male and 1 female. I was the 2nd last candi-
date. Interview lasted for 5 minutes.
Work-Ex: 16 Months
M: What is this VNIT? Is it VIT branch?

You spoke in GD Me: No Sir. It is NIT Nagpur aka Visvesvaraya National Insti-
tute of Technology Nagpur.

about reservation. Is M: Tell me about your work?

Me: Told.
it good or bad?
M: What is ISO?
Me: I dealt with maintenance not quality.

F: Who was Deming?

Me: I don’t know. (They were not happy)

F: Why did you switch your job? Why leave Reliance?

Me: Told.

73
So you are saying that it should be done away with for a family
if it has enjoyed it for two generations?
F: Is Reliance an ethical company?
Me: Yes.
F: What loophole did JIO use?
Me: They are in the beta testing phase. (I don’t know if it is
correct)
F: About B.R. Ambedkar?
Me: Father of constitution, upliftment of lower castes, bud-
dhism.
F: Why was he chosen to draft the constitution?
Me: Spoke about his qualifications. They were not satisfied.
F: You spoke in GD about reservation. Is it good or bad?
Me: It is a good policy but it is working against itself. 2 gen-
erations need reservation to enter the creamy layer, after this,
they take advantage of reservation thus depriving those who
actually need it.
F: So you are saying that it should be done away with for a
family if it has enjoyed it for two generations?
Me: There is a social stigma associated with castes. The third
generation will be born in good conditions, parents working
in public sector or graduated from premier institutes who are
very well capable to spend money on the education of their
children. Reservation is a bonus for them which will propel
them out of this stigma. But I would not support its continu-
ation after the third generation for those who have availed it
for 3 generations.
F: Percentile and Calls?
Me: IIM K, IIM I, IIM S.
F: IIM L kyu nai aaya? Academics kharab honge. (M started
checking my form) hmmm…you can leave now.
74
@prashantm MDI Gurgaon Interview
WAT: Indians work better as individuals than in teams.

1994 GD Topic: Same as WAT. Everyone was against the motion.

Pitched in 4-5 times with some relevant points.

10th Score: 93.1% PI: Male (~45 years and ~38 years). I was 9th to be inter-
12th Score: 94.4% viewed. (Second last)
Btech Mechanical Engg: 9.18 CGPA
P1: So, Prashant, Introduce yourself.
OA: 97.76 Me: Told about my work experience, family background and
VA: 98.88 graduation.
LRDI: 95.69
P2: I can’t find your academic scores in your form?
QA: 88.86 Me: It was not printed probably. (Then told them myself )
Work-Ex: 4 months, Sector: R&D,
Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. P1: Are tum toh padhne wale aadmi ho bhai…Acha toh tum
fir is saal toh promotion nahi le paaoge company me…
Me: Sir why?

What do you think of P1: Because you will leave your company and go to MDI.

flying cars? Me: Obviously Sir, for MDI I’ll leave my job.

Then asked some questions about industry and competitors of

M&M which I answered.

75
Because he is a man having charisma enough to woo traditional
industries like commercial vehicles.
P2: What do you think of flying cars? Me: My best bet would be Irrfan Khan.
Me: As of now its not that safe.
P1: Why so?
P1: So you are saying it is more unsafe than a drunk uber driv- Me: Because he is man who relates to character like Ajay in
er? most efficient and serious manner.
Me: No sir, drunk driver is a case 1/100. Plus I am worried
about technical reasons then they grilled for about 2 minutes P2: What is premium trucking used for?
on same topic. Me: Answered but could not convince them. Grilled on same
question for about 3-4 minutes.
P1: Why did Mahindra choose Ajay Devgan for ad?
Me: Because he is a man having charisma enough to woo tra- P1: So thank you Prashant.
ditional industries like commercial vehicles.
In my views WAT: 6/10, GD: 6/10 and Interview: 6/10.
P2: Who do you think could substitute him?

76
@arpitashu
singh
Location: Pai Viceroy Hotel
CAT Score: 96.22
So you know about
driverless cars?
77
MDI Gurgaon Interview
WAT: Nuclear war cannot be won and should not be fought.
Decent WAT and GD. Pitched in multiple times with facts
and World history.
PI: 2 panelists, F1 and M1.
M1: You did Mechanical Engineering, How did you land up
in an Insurance job?
Me: I was frank and told him that first I got into Accenture
(mass recruiter) and then when I got an offer from AIG, I
gauged the market and assessed the potential of this field.
M1 kept quiet for about 2 seconds.
Me: Started again with the government initiatives in this sec-
tor. New companies coming in this sector and how the FDI
limit has been increased from 26% to 49%. Told few points
about GIC as well.
M1: Asked something related to my profile.
Me: Told.
F1: Okay, so you remember something from Engineering or
shall we not ask that?
So, if any country launches a satellite and after few years the
debris lands up in some other country, how will this be tackled?
Me: Mam, it’s been long (3+ yrs) but I’ll try my best to answer
questions.
F1: Laws of thermodynamics?
Me: Told. Explained First Law…(Interrupted in between)
F1: Any equation you remember?
Me: Continuity Equation, Bernoulli’s Equation.
F1: Write on this sheet.
Me: Started writing, Completed Continuity. (Got interrupted)
F1: So, how can you relate this equation to Insurance field?
Me: (Dumbfaced) Mam, Tthis won’t be directly applicable but
we have Surplus ratio equation as Surplus Ratio = Net written
Premium/Capital. Told about this and explained this.
F1: Okay, so you know about driverless cars?
Me: Yes mam, and told about recent approval to test those in
Delhi.
F1: So, how will that impact insurance industry?
Me: Mam, that comes under General Insurance…(F1 cuts in
between)
F1: But how will third party insurance will happen in that
case?
Me: Told that too many litigations will be seen in this light
and as in the case of driverless cars, we can’t put the blame on
any particular individual, so it would be very hard to assess that
and ultimately manufacturer company has to feel the brunt of
the claims.
M1: So, if any country launches a satellite and after few years
the debris lands up in some other country, how will this be
tackled?
Me: Blabbered something more about ownership and claims.
M1: So Why MBA?
Me: Told.
M1: Why you are insisting on Reinsurance brokerage? (Men-
tioned it in the answer)
Me: Sir, I work in the Reinsurance brokerage sector. Explained
how it is different from Insurance and Reinsurance.
M1: So, it is more of Actuarial Science?
Me: No Sir, Explained the difference between Actuarial sci-
ence and my profile.
F1: Okay, CAT Percentile? What other calls?
Me: Mam 96.22, New IIMs, IIT D, XLRI HRM which I’ll
be skipping.
M1, F1: Okay, Thanks
Me: Thanks mam, Thanks sir.
Overall, I was able to answer the questions but they did not
look so interested (may be because I was 8th in the panel).
78
@Chetan_ MDI Gurgaon Interview
WAT: Jallikattu - Should the ban continue?

Dubey GD Topic: Average GD. everybody was in the favour. Not

much of a discussion.

CAT: 94.76%ile Personal Interview: Two panelists

VA: 93.5%ile
P1: How are you Chetan?
LRDI: 77.9%ile
Me: Fine sir.
QA: 96.8%ile
P1: So how many questions did you ask from your predeces-
sors, the ones who came in before you?
In castor oil, what is Me: None sir.

commodity derivative? P1: Why? Are you scared?

Me: No sir. I am not scared. I just don’t discuss because every
individual has his own personality and every individual gives
the answer according to their own perception. So no point in
asking, when I have to face it all by myself.

P1: From which part of India do you belong?

Me: North India Sir.

P1: Can you tell me how many states are there in North East?
Me: 7 known as 7 sisters.

79
Sir except the oil, the portion that is remained, is a good
fertilizer. It is called DOC. It is of two types, namely normal
and high proirity. It is used as per the yields required.
P1: Name them. I asked you two questions. Number of states
and name. Don’t worry, I’ll help you out.
Me: Names 4. He names 4.
P1: So which of these is not the part of 7 sisters?
Me: Sikkim.
P1: Good. It’s simple. So what is your work experience?
Me: 7 months including January.
P1: Where are you now?
Me: I am currently based as a GET in Bundi under the rota-
tional program of Adani.
P1: Tell me more.
Me: Sir, Adani has a 9 month rotational program in which I
am relocated to new place after every 3 months. At first I was
sent as a GET to Meda Adraj, in Ahmedabad, then after three
months, to Mangalore and now in Bundi, Rajasthan.
P1: What is the difference in each three?
Me: Yes sir, I was coming to that, in Meda Adraj I learnt about
the non-edible section of the oil business which mainly dealt
with castor oil. In Mangalore, I looked after and learnt about
the edible oil i.e. palm oil and sun flower oil. And in Bundi I
am looking after electrical maintenance as it my core.
P1: So in castor oil, what is commodity derivative?
Me: Sir except the oil, the portion that is remained, is a good
fertilizer. It is called DOC. It is of two types, namely normal
and high priority. It is used as per the yields required.
P2: What is the full form of DOC?
Me: It has no scientific name. Just de-oiled cake.
P1: What do you understand by commodity derivative?
Me: According to me, it must be something that is produced
apart from the main product of the company.
P1: No, that’s not right. You have 4 years of experience, don’t
you? (Looking at my profile)
Me: No sir. Only 7 months.
P1: Ohh, then you won’t be able to answer it. So your back-
ground is electrical?
Me: Yes sir.
P1: I have this thing messed up in my mind. When I go to buy
an appliance like AC. Should I say electrical gadget or elec-
tronics?
Me: Sir I’ll start with the definition. Anything that uses elec-
trical components like resistors, capacitors, etc are electrical
gadgets and those which use sensors, PLCs, diodes are elec-
tronics.
P1: I know this thing. How can I distinguish between the two?
What is AC or a fan?
Me: Sir fan is an electrical device. It runs on a single phase
induction motor with capacitive start. AC is a combination
of both. The power that it consumes comes from distribution
transformer that is electrical and sensors and switches involved
in it are electronics.
P1: But what is the difference?
Me: Sir electronics deal with power of very less voltage like 5
volts and sometimes millivolts. Electrical deals with very high
power.
P1: Okay agreed. One is power other is?
Me: Sir sensors, made out of fast switching circuits since they
use less power like thyristors and all.
P1: See you are limiting yourself to one gadget. In fan also, if
I change the regulator number, the speed will change, just like
I press button to change the temperature in AC. There must
some intelligence to it.
Me: No sir, there are no sensors.
P1: (Cutting in between) Arrey leave it. This can go on and on.
You gave me one point. I am not convinced on further. How
many states are there in India?
Me: 30.
P1: Which is the latest one?
Me: Telangana.
P1: What is its capital?
Me: I am confused sir. I don’t know.
P1: Hyderabad.
Me: Sir I was confused that’s why I didn’t say anything.
P1 (to P2): You want to ask anything?
80
P2: Ever heard of Amravati?
Me: No sir.
P2: What will you do after going out?
Me: I’ll check about Amravati.
P1: You are interested in HR too. Why not BM?
81
Me: Sir I am not eligible. It requires 2 years work experience.
P1: Okay. Great. Have a nice day.
Me: May I leave now?
P2: Yes you may. Have a nice day.
Me: Thank you sir. You too have a nice day Sir.
Flip for next Interview

82
@prateek MDI Gurgaon Interview
GD and WAT: There is no right way to do wrong things.

baurai GD was fine, pitched in multiple times. No fish market, every-

body got chance to speak.

10th Score: 94% I was 1st in 2nd Panel (1 Male, 1 Female).

12th Score: 89%
F: So how are you doing?
B. Tech: 72%
Me: I am good ma’am, hope you are feeling the same.
CAT OA: 97.92%ile
Work-Ex: 24 Months F: Role as TNP coordinator?
Me: Told them.

Tell us about F: Now since you have experience of 2 years, what do you
think you would have done more at that time?

Antyodya Express? Me: Told them about various internships and trainings I could
have conducted more, backed up by saying that we are still
doing same for our college as alumni.

F: Role of mentor?
Me: Told.

F: Suddenly asked me about Antyodya express?

Me: I told them about Antyodya Yojna (my bad), she listened
everything then corrected by saying it is a train (4th march

83
news). I said I am not able to recall, I will check.
F: Why TCS in news??
Me: Told them about Mistry fiasco, share buyback.
M: Gave one cost estimation problem by giving function.
Me: Solved, did silly calculation mistake but corrected it once
he approved method.
M: Figure in which 4 equidistant point are there.
Me: Regular tetrahedron, explained. (Thanks to some inter-
view question asked before)
M: Why Virat Kohli, Steve Smith “DRS controversy”? Why
ICC didn’t take action?
Me: Told about there looking to pavilion, then ICC took in
spirit of game, no official complain launched...at the end we
saw a spectacular match so no need to push further.
That’s it, 10-14 minutes maximum. No, why MDI, no other
call, no why PGP HRM.
They were completing process so fast, within 40 minutes, 4
people were done.
84
@Ankan_Kesh MDI Gurgaon Interview
WAT/GD: Are MNC’s superior to Indian companies?

CAT 2015: 92.18%ile It went okay. Spoke a couple of times.

CAT 2016: 99.56%ile
PI Experience: 2 panelist. One male. One lady.

What advice would P: So you are from durgapur? Where does your father work?
Where is he now?
Me: Answered all questions.
you give to Sikka?
P: You are from computer science background?
Me: Yes Sir.

P: So what do you know well?

Me: Sir software engineering and OS.

P: What is software?
Me: Told about SDLC, cost estimation, testing.

P: What are the various tests?

Me: Told.

P: What is iterative model?

Me: Told.

85
“So what if someone changes the source code? What will
happen then? Anyone can do that?”
P: How can you make the software when a customer keeps
adding functionalities?
Me: Talked for about 5 minutes.
P: Suppose you work for Infosys. What advice would you give
to Sikka?
Me: Advice about?
P: You know about the US thing right?
Me: The visa issue? Told about the visa. And what can I do.
(Was interrupted twice saying that stop thinking like a man-
ager. You can do that once you enter a B-School. Tell me from
a software engineer’s perspective.)
Told. Was not convincing.
P: What do you know from OS?
Me: Here I fumbled a bit after the Sikka question.
P: Take your time. Do you want water?
Me: No sir I am okay. Told about scheduling, critical section,
Unix and Linux.
P: What is the difference between Unix and Linux?
Me: Told.
P: Why do we need open source code?
Me: Told.
P: If it is an open source code. Everyone can change it right?
Me: Sir we can download the source code and then we do our
changes. Examples: Ubuntu, Redhat.
P: So what if someone changes the source code? What will
happen then? Anyone can do that?
Me: Sir in that case we have a set of moderators who look after
the source code and any unwanted changes can be removed.
P: Okay we are done.
No why MBA. No percentile and calls.
86
@glory0507 MDI Gurgaon Interview
WAT: Nuclear war cannot be won and should not be fought.

Location: Pai Viceroy Hotel Wrote a decent essay but definitely not my best performance.
CAT: 99.71%ile
GD Experience: Started the GD, pitched in twice in between
and participated in the conclusion. Although not my best per-

What will you do if formance but still an improvement on my past GD’s.

you were director of

PI: 2 panelists, 1 female (P1) and 1 male (P2). I enter, greet
and sit.

the nuclear plant? P1: So what happened in GD? You started but then you went
into hibernation and then came back after 5 minutes.
Me: Mam, I started the GD and gave direction, it was a group
discussion and it was important to listen to the views of other
as well. I even concluded the GD.

P1: You mentioned something about Chernobyl, what that a

nuclear war?
Me: At that point one of the candidates mentioned something
about how nuclear war can affect the population, I talked about
Chernobyl to drive home that point by showing how a small
incident has led to that city being unoccupied for decades. Just
imagine what a full-fledged war could do.

87
P1: What is the difference between efficiency and effective- P2: Head?
ness? Me: Blunder (Told I read about Narayan Murthy which is as
Me: Efficiency is how we get the biggest pie from the limited wrong as it gets)
resources. Blabbered something about effectiveness, they did
not seem convinced. Spoke again that effectiveness is when the P2: Who is he?
original purpose is fulfilled. Me: Founder of Infosys.

P1: Why are they building Nuclear reactor in Japan even P2: Other founders?
though it is in seismic zone? Me: Sorry Sir, can’t recall.
Me: (Duck faced) Because it is the need of the hour, to meet
energy requirements and move away from conventional energy P2: Where do you work?
sources. Me: Tesco.

P1: What will you do if you were director of the plant? P2: Is it the operation center for Tesco the retailer.
Me: I will start with risk analysis. Me: Yes.

P2: What do you do?

I work for Tesco worldwide, Tesco is Me: I work for Tesco worldwide, Tesco is as of now legacy,
as of now legacy, we are working for we are working for bringing it up to date. We are moving to
react and SPA’s which is the latest in technology. (Some minor
bringing it up to date. discussion) Some discussion about E-commerce and Tesco’s
strategy.
P1: All that is done, now what will you do, what’s your priori-
ty? Plant or people? P2: Is Tesco operational in India?
Me: The nuclear reactor is there to fulfil energy needs, if people Me: Yes sir, in association with Tata. Under 51% FDI in multi
would not be there what will we do with the energy. So my brand retail. Eg. Star Bazaars.
priority will be the people.
P2: Is Walmart present in India?
P1 passed the baton to P2. Me: Sir, I am sure about Walmart labs and I also recall reading
about Walmart’s investment in fruit markets in North India,
P2: So what is ASCI? so yes.
Me: (Dumb faced) Sir I do not know.
P1: So which college are you from?
P2: You are engineer and you do not know ASCI (he spelled is M: MVIT.
ASCI)? Writes it down.
Me: Sir are you talking about ASCII? P1: Is it NIT?
Me: Laughing inside, no mam it’s regional.
P2: Yes.
Me: Told him the full form and what it is. P1: You took a drop.
Me: Yes mam.
P2: Any other standard?
Me: Unicode. P1: Who is Visvesvaraya?
Me: Told everything I knew (Engineer, Bharat Ratna, KSR
P2: Some EBCDIC? dam, Hyderabad drainage system, engineers day, Dewan of
Me: I do not know. Mysore)

P2: Which organization looks after IT companies? P1: Other famous scientists?
Me: NASSCOM. Me: CV Raman, Ramanujan (hehe), Sorry man can’t recall
more.
P2: Full form?
M: Told. Thank you. You may go now.

88
@utsav. MDI Gurgaon Interview
WAT: Problems unite us and religion divides us.

sengupta
I completed at around 10 minutes mark since there was a 150
word limit but saw everyone was writing long essays anyway, so
added a few points later by marking “*” in the middle .

X: 87.11 GD didn’t go too well; it was a civil discussion but I could only
XII: 86.57 pitch in 3 times, once with a counterargument and twice with
extension of points already made.
B.Tech (CS): 9.04 CGPA
CAT: 98.18%ile Interview: Two panelists, an aged, experienced professor (P1)
Work Ex: Infosys (30 months) and a middle aged lady (P2).

I P1: So, tell me about yourself.

What is BAAN? Me: Told about my schooling, college and work experience,
the kind of work I do. (I work for Infosys for the Ministry of
Corporate Affairs (MCA) for their e-filing system).

P1: So, is there any proactive measure on the MCA to prevent

the scams like what happened with Satyam etc.?
Me: Told that at least one whistleblower has to come forward
and complain, MCA has mechanisms to take note of com-
plaints seriously, told them about various front end services for
complaints, how complaints are processed in back office.

P1: (Interrupted me) So you work in SAP technology, tell me

89
full form of SAP. Me: Told.
Me: Told.
P1: Is there a competitive standard to it?
P1: What is BAAN? Me: Yes Sir, Unicode standard.
(I couldn’t get this initially. I thought he was talking about
Autobahn, but actually he was asking abt the ERP systems P1: What is the difference?
company.) Me: Told.
Me: Sir, are you talking about Autobahn?
P1: What is NASSCOM? What is its full form? What do
P1: What is Autobahn? they do?
Me: Told. Me: Told.

P1: Why are they in the news recently?
Me: (I had no idea) Told there have been a spate of accidents
recently and the German government is thinking of revoking
no-speed limit criteria.
P1: What is the difference between B. Tech on CS and B.
Tech in IT?
Me: Explained somewhat roughly with examples of some sub-
jects. (At this point I was nervous as I had mentioned subjects
like automata which I had not studied since 4 years)
P1: How many bytes in a kilobyte?
Me: 1024.
P1: Why 1024?
Me: Explained with the help of switch on-off , 10 switches 2
states etc. (In hindsight, I think it would have been better to
explain with bits, 0s and 1s)
P1: What is ASCII?
P1: Who is the chairman of NASSCOM?
Me: Sorry sir, but I’m not aware.
P1: Can you tell me one famous ex-chairman?
Me: Narayana Murthy (Wild guess, proved to be a lucky right
one later).
P2: What are your strengths and weaknesses?
Me: Told.
P2: What is your CAT percentile?
Me: Told.
P2: What other calls do you have?
Me: Told.
Overall a very relaxed affair, didn’t last more than 15 minutess.
I thought I could have answered a couple of questions better,
but as usual it was the GD which I feel would take me down.

90
@sankeerth MDI Gurgaon Interview
WAT Topic: Certainty of Justice can curb crime more effec-

bondugula
tively than severity of punishment.

(I was clueless in the beginning but managed to give write a

CAT OA%ile: 98.95, V - 99.3, DI/LR - 98.7,
QA - 92.13
10th Score: 84.57% (ICSE)
12th Score: 93.3% (AP BIE)
Undergrad: 7.24 CGPA, BITS - Pilani.
Work-Ex: 19 Months
Sector: BI & A Consultancy
What is Fermat’s
brief intro and a small example to prove my stance)
We had a 15 minutes WAT followed by a 15 minutes GD. GD
didn’t go that well, we didn’t introduce the topic well nor did
we conclude well in the 15 minutes allotted to us.
PI Details: 2 Male Panelists, one in his 50’s [P1] another in
his early 40’s [P2] (going by the looks, of course looks could
be deceptive).
P1: Lets have a rapid fire, who is Rajat Gupta?
Me: Answered, mentioned he was in the news for his “Insider
Trading” charges.

Theorem? P1: When I ask the next question, assume the previous ques-
tion has ended. What is Insider Trading?
Me: Answered.

P1: Mallya is a lot in the news, for some defaulting chargers.

Me: (Interrupted in the middle) For being a Wilful Defaulter.

91
P1: What are the consequences of being a wilful defaulter?
Me: Told.
P1: (Saw my certificates and asked) So you did a certification
in Commercial Banking in India, What did you learn in that?
Me: RBI as Regulatory body etc etc.
P1: What are NPA’s?
Me: Explained.
Interview was going well till now. The panel thought I was
getting too comfortable probably, they moved on to my tran-
scripts. I did a dual degree from BITs Pilani, he exclaimed,
people usually do MBA after B.E, you did a M.Sc after B.E.
Me: (Started explaining, why I took choose a dual degree)
P1 cuts me in the middle and asks “What are you answering
that for? Did I ask you anything, if you answer anything you
want I will assume you are like RG.
Me: I told “I was reasoning why I took a M.Sc after B.E.”
P1: If you want to talk whatever you want you are free to talk ,
you have 10 minutes I will listen to you and the interview will
get over, upto you.
Me: Sorry sir, I was explaining why I took an M.Sc.
P1: You don’t have to be. So you did M.Sc in Mathematics,
what topics did you have.
Me: Topology, Algebra, Real Analysis, Functional Analysis.
P1: (Cuts me in the middle) What is Fermats Theorem.
Me: Sorry sir, I can’t recollect.
P1: Okay, what did you learn in Topology?
Me: Learnt about Real Spaces and calculating different mea-
sures in Real Spaces.
P1: He took my case here, he asked what imaginary spaces,
asked me to explain?
Me: I told they can be represented with an equation, but I can’t
think of any real life example.
P1: What are Prime Numbers, sorry, everyone knows what
they are, tell me its applications in Computer Science.
Me: Not sure sir, I can’t recollect its applications.
P1: What is Boolean Algebra?
Me: Boolean is binary values, like a 0 or 1, but I can’t recollect
what Boolean algebra exactly is.
So you are an analyst, why do they
take 95% confidence level in analytics,
why not any other value?
P1: Okay, why do they use Binary system, why not any other
system.
Me: Explained.
Had a discussion about GD and my “hand movement” in the
GD, this discussion happened for a full 2 minutes (they were 2
very stressful minutes).
P2: So you are an analyst, why do they take 95% confidence
level in analytics, why not any other value?
Me: Told I don’t know that as I do the BI part and not the BA
part. A discussion on what is the difference between BI and
BA happened for 1 minute.
P2: You may go.
The interview ended abruptly after 10 minutes. It started off
well, but went out of my hands once the panel brought in my
Math subjects.
I don’t know what the panel felt about this, but I came out
with a smile.
Hope can see light even in the darkest of hours, and I will
continue to be hopeful.
92
@madhur MDI Gurgaon Interview
GD and WAT: Should agricultural subsidies be there?

katyal WAT: Supported agricultural subsidies as it is helping the

farmers with land less than 5 hectares (the lower strata) farmer
get good quality products at lower prices helping him finan-
10th Score: 93.1% cially. Also such farmers have huge credit against their names,
12th Score: 90.4% and subsidies through government channels helps in elimi-
nating the middle man and the huge interest rates associated
B. Tech: 75.66%
with the same (middleman way of getting loans). So, finan-
CAT: 95.41%ile cial liberty. Good quality products (seeds, fertilizers, electricity
etc) results in produce of high quality at lower price, which
means availability of high quality produce at lower prices than
So what are your as compared to when the farmer would have had to shell out
a lot more for the same quality (can mean low quality produce
views on Jallikattu? if prices are kept lower without subsidies). Being an agri based
economy it makes sense.

GD: Spoke the same points and pitched a few negatives such
as upper strata farmers availing the benefits they clearly should
not be entitled to. Felt WAT and GD went decent enough. I
felt I emerged among the better members of that GD.

PI: Two ma’am’s (one was 35 to 40ish and the other one was
on the older side).

93
Q1: To unsettle me, they said that in my voice there is a certain
kind of rhythm/mechanical singing voice?
Me: I will take care of it.
Q2: Delved straight into my hobby reading. So, I said Orwell
is my favourite author and his books which I have read. So,
what did you like about Animal Farm?
Me: Told how in early days autocracy seems “the answer” as
things are smooth, but later on how power in few hands is
dystopia in the making.
Since we have asked so much about
reading, tell us one thing we might
not be aware of.
Q3: So what are your views on Jalikattu?
Me: Told my views (will not write the exact details since it
may offend some people). I was told a lot more about the in-
digenous bull and why it can be the other way round. These
questions were asked by ma’am in her 30s and the other ma’am
was constantly looking at my grades but didn’t ask anything
about my academics. Now she started asking.
Q4: What do you make of your undergraduation college?
Me: Said the unique perspectives about it apart from the ac-
ademics.
At this point they were all smiling and offered me the dread-
ed “biscuits/chips”. They both said we have asked enough but
suddenly the senior panelist started asking again about my
hobby that is reading.
Told them about books of Marquez I read but didn’t fully un-
derstand (one hundred years of solitude due to its immense
depth).
Q5: I had mentioned about Fitzgerald’s “The great Gatsby”.
She said I did not find anything worthwhile in that. What was
it that you liked?
Me: How lonely can it be at the top. Despite being surrounded
in a rotten crowd, Gatsby was worth the whole bunch put to-
gether. How the aristocracy had a murky side and so on.
Now they started asking me about the newspaper I read. But
somehow it got shifted to the fake news helping Trump win. I
explained one needs to vet his reading sources before reading.
Told her how Trump and Brexit is not mere racism but neglect
along with (you can find a lot of anecdotes on quora and the
left leaning media is not the end to all answers). She told me
about the way journalism works. I was naive at times (I am 21,
who is not) and they were intrigued by my thoughts (it seems),
but found a bit of rawness.
Q6: Since we have asked so much about reading, tell us one
thing we might not be aware of (newspaper/book or some-
thing like that)?
Me: Spoke about ProPublica (investigative journalism). They
were not aware about it and I told them about it.
94
@ravjot92 MDI Gurgaon Interview
WAT: Is India ready for digitisation from cyber security view-
point to become a cashless economy?
10th Score: 93.67%
I think the GD went well and had put across good points in
12th Score: 91.6%
the discussion.
B. Tech: 75.10%
CAT Percentile: 96.23 Interview: I was 7th in my panel and had already heard stories
of how our panelists were slightly grilling on knowledge.
VA: 98.88%
LRDI: 83.54 As I entered P1 was in his seat, P2 was outside.
QA: 90.54
Work-Ex: 21 months P1: So you are from ECE. You were in Telecomm Testing.
Talk about the marketing strategy of Reliance Jio infocomm.
Me: Sir by introducing free tariff plans initially, they have

So you could get gained a lot of subscribers that were earlier using mostly Air-
tel, but their service is not upto the mark because of lack of

married then?
Interoperability towers (for which present telecomm operators
are responsible). So most people are using JIO as an alternate
sim. Though, many people who had not been using 4G earlier
have subscribed because of JIO.

P1: So you say Jio has absorbed Airtel’s subscribers?

Me: No sir. Most people are using Jio as an alternate sim.

P1: Name an expensive product you have bought?

95
Me: Sir regarding telecomm or?
P1: Any product which you have bought.
Me: Sir Lakme youth infinity cream (I am a girl). It costs Rs
700 for 300mg.
P1: Now what if this cream is available for Rs 300. Will you
buy it?
Me: Sir by Lakme or some other company? Because Lakme is
a reputed brand.
P1: Some new company say.
Me: I wouldn’t want to take chances with my skin with a new
brand sir.
Sir I think it was SC only as HC had
granted bail to Jaya and Sasikala after
spending one month in jail.
P1: Now what if Lakme starts selling it for Rs 300.
Me: Sir even then I would think that probably this product is
not doing well among masses so they had to slash prices.
P1: What are your future plans?
Me: Sir a few years from now I wanna be in a position to lead.
P1: So you could get married then?
Me: (Smiled) I meant sir leading a business firm. That’s why I
have applied for the general mgmt program. So I can learn all
aspects of a business such as marketing, finance etc.
P1: Which specialisation would you want to go for?
Me: Sir first I will learn about all specialisations in my 1st year
and then opt one on basis of how I am doing in those subjects.
(At this point they were trying to make me chose a special-
isation but I didn’t because I knew it would invite Technical
questions.)
P2: Have you prepared for this interview?
Me: Yes sir.
P2: What have you prepared?
Me: Sir current affairs, academics etc.
P2: What’s share buyback? It was in news recently.
Me: Yes sir. TCS and Cognizant have bought back their shares.
(Told definition of share buyback.)
P2: Why would a company buyback it’s shares?
Me: Sir shareholder sentiment was low because of Brexit,
Donald Trump which had hit IT sector in order to maintain
consumer sentiment.
(He was about to cross question me and then suddenly
switched)
P2: Who are shareholders of Unilever?
Me: Sir dunno.
P2: But this contradicts your statement that you have pre-
pared for this interview.
Me: Sir probably it’s something that I have not looked up. I
know somethings, some I don’t.
P2: Which Unilever product you use?
Me: Hindustan Uniliver product would be Dettol. (Incorrect,
its Reckitt Beckinser’s.)
P2: What have you read in current affairs?
Me: Tamil Nadu politics. Legislative assembly elections.
P2: Why didn’t they make Sasikala CM?
Me: Sir she had a disproportionate assets case against her.
P2: Who decided that?
Me: SC.
P2: No, it was not SC.
Me: Sir I think it was SC only as HC had granted bail to Jaya
and Sasikala after spending one month in jail.
P2: SC has awarded the jail sentence! Who decides the CM
of a state?
Me: The political party that we chose to power. (Not exact an-
swer, Legislative members decide through a vote, P1 even gave
me a hint but I dint’t catch it.)
P2: Why are we even discussing politics in a B school inter-
view?
Me: Sir because politics affects businesses.
P2: Give such an example.
Me: Sir I wouldn’t take names. But when an Ayurvedic FMCG
wanted to introduce it’s products in market, existing noodle
brand was embroiled in a controversy.
P2: But that was not a political decision
(Was about to give justification, the P1 said interview is over
you can leave.)
Overall, my interview was lengthier than others in my panel.
At least 20-25 minutess. But not sure if this is positive or neg-
ative.
96
@ritwiz MDI Gurgaon Interview
WAT Topic: India needs to focus more on Social Sector than

shukla92
on Defence sector. (10 minutes to write) Then GD for 15 mins
on the same topic.

My Take: Was second to enter in the GD. Gave a balanced

10th Score: 84%
12th Score: 82.80%
B. Tech Score: 76.50%
CAT OA: 97.29%ile
QA: 93.45, VA: 97.07, LRDI: 94.43
Work-Ex: 23 Months (TCS)
viewpoint between both defence & social sector. Why India’s
defence budget is justified. Told why social sector also needs to
be improved. Gave examples of latest health schemes. financial
inclusion schemes. Agriculture welfare schemes etc. It was as
a good GD. It was not a fish market but one with good points
by every candidate.
Interview: P1 (Lady in 40s), P2 (HOD of Strategy) Sir in 50s.

How do you rate P1: What does your name means and how does it relates to
you?

Ratan Tata?
Me: Told. (Meanwhile P2 was looking at some documents and
noting down something…possibly was evaluating my WAT.)

P1: Where are you working?

Me: Told working at TCS. Explained about my role and work
profile…explained how it contributes to my client.

P1: How do you think Indian IT sector has a role in Indian

economy. How it contributes to its growth?

97
Me: Explained about how IT sector is a major contributor to
dollar inflows and how India is leading in services sector.
P1: What is the share of IT sector in Indian Economy?
Me: Close to 60%, not sure though.
P1: Do you think that Government needs IT?
Me: Yes, explained how TCS transformed entire Passport
Seva, how it is managing Home Ministry IT department and
how we are moving towards a digital India.
Okay, I will now take you to a different
area. Tell me whom between Rama
and Krishna inspire you more?
P1: Candidates prior to you were telling that World Economy
is not doing good and as a result Indian Economy is also not
doing well.
Me: Gave examples on how they are unrelated on some points
eg. Oil crisis is hampering economy of OPEC but is good for
India since we import 80% of oil demand.
P1: Explain how china devaluation is affecting Indian Auto-
mobile Industry.
Me: Gave example of Tata motors that China is a big market
for Tata motors and how a slowdown is affecting its business.
P1: What is India’s GDP and what is any other economy
growth measure?
Me: Gave answers for GDP question but told not sure about
the other measures.
P1: (Smiled) Okay, I will now take you to a different area. Tell
me whom between Rama and Krishna inspire you more?
Me: (Thought for 5 seconds) I admire Krishna more because
of him being witty and diplomatic yet down to earth.
P1: (Laughed) That’s why you are being diplomatic.
Me: No mam, I am not being diplomatic. Only trying to be
straight forward and truthful.
P1: Okay, now sir will ask.
P2: (Was listening to every answer and alas, finally left my
docs) So, when was TCS established & for what?
Me: 1968 & for punch cards for Tesco. Then he started asking
me about losses Tata motors, TESCO, TELCO is incurring. I
know about TCS business and why it is not doing good since
past quarters but not aware of these companies.
P2: How do you rate Ratan Tata?
Me: Told he is one of the great leaders I admire.
P2: Why?
Me: Explained.
P2: How he has started from being a shop floor worker at Tata
Steel and how turned around tata business. What is Tata’s
turnover.
Me: Told.
P2: (After thinking) But I have researched about Ratan Tata.
After he became Chairman. Every tata company went into
losses. Gave examples of Tata Steel.
Me: Tried to defend by telling how he has turned a loss mak-
ing jaguar company into a profitable one. How acquisitions of
Tetley and Jaguar by Tata have worked good.
P2: What is the share of Jaguar in Tata motors sale?
Me: Not sure. But told that considering purchasing power of
Indian household, it could be 10% to 20% only.
P2: Yeah…but many other Tata companies were in losses.
Me: Told that I do not only judge a business just by profit
nd loss but Ratan Tata apart from this has made a significant
change in Indian lives.
P2: Then you should probably join Ramdev.
Me: Sir, even he is heading a fastest growing FMCG right
now.
Both laughed…
P2: Yeah…so how Ratan Tata has changed lives?
Me: Nano is one example, which made commute of lower
middle income indian much safer.
P1: (Suddenly) How much has the accident rate decreased af-
ter nano in India?
Me: Sorry mam, I do not have figures on that but this is what
I assume.
P2: (Laughing) Okay, we had enough, thank you.
Me: (Smiling) Is that all Sir? Anything else?
P1: (Smiling) No, that’s all, thanks.
Me: Thank you.
Was not a typical traditional interview. Was not asked about
myself and why MBA. But tried to respond well to the off the
track question.
98
@pahalvinay MDI Gurgaon Interview
WAT Details: Time given for WAT was 15 minutes but as
per me they stopped us short of the given period topic and
CAT OA: 98.48%ile other relevant details: Privacy intrusion caused due to social
networking applications. Started with a real life scenario (short
Section 1: 98.55
story) but could not complete the concluding paragraph.
Section 2: 98.22
Section 3: 91.91 GD Details: Privacy intrusion caused due to social networking
applications. GD was smooth. Everyone pitched in. I spoke
10th Score: 81.7%
3 times (kaam hi tha yar), no fish market! GD maybe went
12th Score: 88.8% on for more than 15 minutes (intended time period) as power
Undergrad Major:B.TECH (CS) 72.3% went out a few times but people never stopped speaking.

Other Salient Details: A person lead in the GD very well.

So you are a very Thanks to him that I could speak. Otherwise would have been
left waiting for my turn. After the GD, one of the professors

good listener! said that they may call us in random manner and not according
to our serial number in the panel. I was 8th in the panel but 1st
one to be called in for the interview.

PI Details: Time ka andaza nhi hai, maybe 10 minutes (max)

ya phir 8 minutes!

Panel Members Intro: Two male professors aged between 40

to 50. One spoke throughout the interview, the other spoke
sometimes in between. (Maine jo bat kar rhe the unpe hi fo-

99
cus kia zyada, dono professors ke saath eye contact na ho pata
humse).
Let us call the talkative professor (PT) and the other professor
(PQ). As we were waiting outside the PI room, PQ calls out
my name. (100W ki smile ke saath yes sir, he said, “Is there
anyone else with the same name.” Greeted both of them. They
told me to have a seat.
PT: So Vinay you spoke very less in the GD.
Me: Yes Sir, I had repetitive points and I was waiting for my
turn. Actually sir I am not a very good speaker. (haad kardi
maine)
Sir the actual reason is that I am from
Gurgaon and I would like to remain
in Gurgaon.
PQ: So you are a very good listener. (Smile thi ya mazak uda
rhe the.)
Me: (Confidently) Yes sir.
PT: So you have not scored very good marks in 10, 12 and
graduation.
Me: No sir, I don’t think they are bad at all. Okay, 12 percent-
age is the highlight but rest is also good.
PT: Yes, 12 % stands out. Why MDI?
Me: Sir the actual reason is that I am from Gurgaon and I
would like to remain in Gurgaon. Another reason may be that
an alumni of MDI told me about Mr. Sanjay Bakshi and his
exchange program with Warren Buffet.This happens to be a
big deal in finance and although I have very limited knowledge
in the domain I would be very grateful if I could learn from
him.
PT: But you can learn from the internet as well.
Me: Yes sir, you can search online. But I told you the actual
reason sir.
PT: No issues. It is alright. Had it been IIM A?
Me: Sir obviously IIM A.
PT: So have you gone through the MDI Website.
Me: Yes sir.
PT: So when was MDI established?
Me: Told.
PT: PGPM?
Me: Told.
Asked some other stuff about MDI.
PT: So how do you rank an institute.
Me: Sir I do not believe the ranking given online. I try to talk
to the alumni and then make a decision.
PT: Give me a scientific approach.
Me: Told about various parameters such as ROI, location and
then said that final rankings could be different for different
people according to the respective weightage given to each pa-
rameter. (He had asked me to determine the final ranking.)
PT: What is the difference between TFT and CRT.
Me: (Phas gya) Sir TFT is an old technology.
PT: Old means?
Me: Sir it was introduced earlier than CRT. TFT has a big
back while CRT is much smaller in size.
PT: Pointing to a pointer. TFT or CRT?
Me: CRT sir.
PQ: Do you know the full form of TFT.
Me: No sir, in 4 years of engineering I have not been taught
anything close to what you are asking.
PT: No issues. What is cloud computing?
Me: (Ye pata hona chaeya tha) Saving data on internet…drop-
box…(kuch be bol rha tha) told them I did not know and that
it has not been taught.
PQ: Which college?
Me: SRM University.
PQ: Which campus, where is it located?
Me: Sir Ghaziabad, located on Delhi-Meerut highway.
PQ: So you have completed graduation?
Me: No sir, I am still completing it.
PT: He is still in college. Do you have a job offer?
Me: No sir, I did not go for placements. I only focused on
MBA.
PT: No issues. (He took the WAT paper from PQ) So you
have written about privacy intrusion.Where is the topic ex-
plained?
Me: Justified my stand. (In the first paragraph only…no cross
questions…he talked about it a little more)
PT: What are your hobbies?
Me: Football, reading.
100
PQ: (Suddenly) You don’t write? (WAT se shayad laga ke cre- PT: Okay wait, have you had any interviews?
ative hun.) Me: Yes sir, New IIMs.
Me: No sir.
PT: Where was it?
PT: Okay, what is your cat percentile. Me: Hotel JP Siddharth, New Delhi (Shayad memory check
Me: Sir 98.48. ho rhi thi).

PT: Calls? PT: Okay, you can go.

Me: New IIMs, IIM-S, MDI. Me: Getting up, thanked both the professors.

PT: Okay, you can go. PT told me call someone from outside. PQ said no no, we will
Me: Puzzled (itni jaldi). call on our own.

101
Flip for next Interview

102
@shaddy14 MDI Gurgaon Interview
WAT and GD Topic: Freedom of Expression doesn’t mean
that one can make Insensitive Remarks.

So you work in the IT Decent GD spoke about 5 times, GD became chaotic at the
end when the panelist told us to summarize. I proposed that

industry, could you we could speak in turns so that everyone can listen to each
other and we did the same.

tell me about SMAC? PI: 2 panelists, both females playing good cop, bad cop game
i.e one acts sweetly while the other one was hell bent on break-
ing your confidence.

P1: Rate Your GD Performance.

Me: Told.

P1: So you work in IT Industry could you tell me about

SMAC?
Me: Ma’am SMAC is the latest focus of this Industry…blah
blah started explaining what exactly happens in each individ-
ual technology.

P1: (Cuts in between my technical Lecture) Okay. You don’t

need to describe it in detail. Tell me what happens to the tra-
ditional Data Warehouse mechanisms when they will switch
to Cloud?

103
Me: Told how only Processing and Data storage will be done
on the cloud and UI will not get affected much…blah blah!
P1: Okay, suppose you have to convince an organization to
switch to Cloud what all measures will you take.
Me: Told. (That we need to first settle on architecture that
must be implemented, consultants and developers should have
thorough knowledge of Industry and its Data Points.)
P1: What will you do in terms of skill set of the developer?
Me: Will Train existing Resources for new technologies, new
recruits must be experienced on this Technology.
Ma’am I wasn’t cutting anyone, I
only spoke when the discussed
ideas became repetitive.
P1: What is Web 2.0?
Me: Told.
P1 to P2: Aap pooch lijiye mera ho gaya.
P2: What makes a good Leader?
Me: A good leader is one who understand his/her people and
his/her business and expectations from him.
P2: Give an Example.
Me: Long discussion on US Election on how Donald Trump
doesn’t understand the liberal spirit of America…how he is
winning in the bible belt but will fail once the more liberal
states pitch in.
P2: Do you really think Donald Trump is not able to connect
with American people?
Me: Told how only a few conservative votes will fall in his lap,
the trend in American elections, recently move towards more
liberal practices.
P2: How do you think Hillary is performing?
Me: Told how she is able to connect with Black and Minority
votes which is what Bernie Sanders is lagging. At one point of
time addressed Hillary as “He”. (Since I was comparing Bernie
mentally all this while…got confused.) They Pointed it out.
Then I apologized. They smiled and I continued.
P2: Do you think leader should be a good listener?
Me : Yes, Ma’am I do believe that.
P2: So why weren’t you trying to listen to others during GD?
Me: Ma’am I was listening to others, I can summarize all the
points discussed in GD if you want.
P2: Then why were you cutting others?
Me: (Thinking, I didn’t cut anyone we both started speaking at
the same time and the other person just stopped in between)
Ma’am I wasn’t cutting anyone, I only spoke when the dis-
cussed ideas became repetitive.
P2: No, I am not blaming you for anything.
Me: Ma’am I only spoke when I had something new to say and
I thought that we were losing the direction of GD.
P2: Okay, leave it, what profile you want post MBA?
Me: Would like to go in Consultant or Ops Profile (don’t know
why I said Ops, never wanted to opt for Ops).
P2: Do You know anything about Supply Chain Manage-
ment?
Me: Ma’am can’t claim to have deep knowledge about it but
have a basic idea.
(Told the basic definition of SCM.)
P2: Are you reading something on the same.
Me: Ma’am right now i am just collecting information through
web since I don’t have enough idea about good books for the
same.
P1 & P2: Okay, you can go now.
(While I was leaving) Tell us what other calls you have and
percentile?
Me: Told , Thanked them and left.
Whole Interview was very short, hardly 10 minutes, I have no
idea about my performance, they kept a poker face throughout
the interview.
104
 Have any doodle ideas?

105
 IIM GDPI
EXPERIENCES

106
@kittumenon1
Date: 15th Feb, 2017, 8:30am
Location: Bangalore
Do you think your dad
will listen to you?
107
IIM Ahmedabad Interview
We were asked to sit in a big hall, and as our attendance was
taken, we were given our panel number and also the sequence
number in that panel. We were asked to sit accordingly. We
had to submit photocopies of our documents, as per the in-
vitation letter. The first guy would check the copies and put
them together and the second guy would verify the original
documents. There was no formal order in which we were called
up, rather, the people with lower sequences were preferred and
they were called informally.
When the time came for WAT, we were sent to our respective
panels and made to sit around a table. We were given the ques-
tion on a piece of paper and we had 30 minutess to write an
essay on one side of an A4 sheet. No extra sheets were given
and we could make use of the question paper and the other
side of the answer sheet to organize our thoughts.
WAT Topic: An extract from a memorandum asking foreign
nationals not to invest in India as the land being taken away
from poor people.
Analyse the argument. Explain the reasons stated. What are
the assumptions on which it is based. Why is the argument
weak. What other facts can further support the claim?
I wrote some bullcrap. After the WAT, we were asked to wait
for out interviews as per our sequence number.
Interview Experience: Two professors on the panel, one was
around 40 (P1) and the other was around 50 (P2). P1 was
in casuals and P2 was in formals. P1 invited me in, and as I
walked towards the desk, P2 asked me to sit. I greeted them
and asked, “How are you doing Sir!” Both of them were taken
aback at first and then smiled and answered my question.
P1: So where are you based now?
Me: Currently in Kollam, Kerala. I’m currently running my
family business.
P2: Tell me about your business.
Me: Spoke to them in detail.
Do you really think we will give you
time to breathe, let alone run your
business from IIM A.
P2: So what do you aim to achieve from an MBA?
Me: Blah Blah…Dad isn’t MBA, so I want MBA to further
understand and expand the business.
P1: So you are telling me that you can learn what took your
dad 40 years of experience in 2 years? I think you are overrat-
ing the MBA program.
P2: Agreed, I’m not happy with this angle, try again.
Me: (I’m screwed) Sir, I’m not saying that, rather I mean I’ll
get different perspectives on business from interacting with
students and fellow professors. (Slip of the tongue)
P1: Fellow Professors! (Starts LOLing)
Me: Apologies sir, I meant professors and fellow students, was
a slip of the tongue. (Smiles the most honest apologetic smile
I could manage.)
P2: Honest mistake, no worries.
P1 and P2 start to question me in detail on my business, and
ask me about different situations that arose and how I reacted.
P1: So tell me, apart from running your business and working
with Goldman Sachs, what else do you do?
Me: Told them about CabAmigo, a platform for vehicle shar-
ing that a few friends and I have been working on. (more ques-
tions about this)
P1: So if you get into IIMA, then who will take care of your
business?
Me: Well Sir, I have put in various systems in place…
P2: (Doesn’t let me finish) Acha, so systems to allow you to
monitor remotely?
P1 and P2 in unison: “DO YOU REALLY THINK WE
WILL GIVE YOU TIME TO BREATHE, LET ALONE
RUN YOUR BUSINESS FROM IIM A”. (In a loud funny
way mocking me)
Me: Sir, I am aware of that! (Smiling honestly). What I was
going to say is that I have these systems in place and should
I get into IIM A, I will have a month or two during which I
intend on training my staff and my father.
P1: (Interrupting me again) Do you think your dad will listen
to you? With his 40 years of experience and your 9 months?
Me: Sir, now he will! (Grinning with confidence)
(P1 and P2 start laughing and appreciate the comment.)
Me: Actually, I am not planning on training them to run the
business, but rather train them on how to use my systems to
make their life easy!
P2: Fair enough.
P1: (Killer Question) Okay, so can I assume that when (I
loved his choice of words!) you get into IIM A, you won’t sit
for placements and will go back to your business?
Me: Yes sir, I will return to my business.
P1 and P2 give me a smile with the “Liar, I know you want the
placements” look.
Me: (Smiling as much as I can) Sir, to be bluntly honest, this
is a heart over head decision. I don’t have much of a social life
in Kollam and I love working in a Corporate environment and
life in a metro. So my heart wants me to move out of Kollam,
but my mind wants me to go back and work with my dad and
scale to new heights.
P1: (Laughs) Fair enough, that’s actually a very good and safe
answer. Okay, you may leave. Please do take a candy!
I thank them and as I reach for a candy.
P2: Did you distribute these as well?
Me: No sir, not candyman, but we did have a chewing gum
called BigG or something. We had it for a while when I was
in 7th standard. We had to let it go since it wasn’t doing too
good. I remember my sister and I working hard for two years
to finish our dead stock!
108
@rakesh2806
Date: 30th Jan, 2017
Venue: IIM A, KLMDC, Annexe
Don’t try to be over-
smart, they will kill you!
109
IIM Ahmedabad Interview
I reached one hour earlier at the venue. They made us sit in the
conference hall for a while. There were 2 professors coordinat-
ing there and giving us instructions.
At 1:15 they divided us in panels - 8 students in each forming
a total of 6 panels. I was in the first one and fourth in queue.
They gave us a documents checklist form in which we were
to tick the required documents and attach alongwith originals
and photo copies of the documents or certificates if any.
At 1:30 PM another professor arrived and took each panel to
their respective panel rooms where 3 other profs were waiting
there for AWT. We were not allowed to carry anything except
for a pen and the blue form (which you received through cou-
rier) in the panel room.
In the panel room: One of the professor instructed about the
AWT. 30 minutes were allotted and 3 sheets were provided.
One contained the question, other was a rough sheet and last
was the answer sheet on which you had to enter your details
on the front and write the essay on the back. There was no
writing allowed on the question sheet or the front page of the
answer sheet.
My topic for AWT was (as far as I can remember, all 48 stu-
dents got the same topic so revision from them would be ap-
preciated). It contained an argument and further questions
were given.
“I like smoking. No one can make me quit smoking because
someone says so or advertises about its harmful effects. Any-
way the woman’s desires are not valued much in the society.
Every activity a woman makes is put under close magnifying
glasses. I want to smoke till my body gives up. The pungent
smell and taste of the cigarette has become my favorite.
So tell me (in some harsh voice) why
should I be impressed claiming you
as a world record holder in most
people dunking cookies at a time.
Question: Analyse the argument. What do you think was
the line of reasoning used that made the writer arrive at the
statement one is making. Identify the assumptions and sup-
plement with facts.
After AWT we were asked to wait in the queue. I was anyway
fourth so returned to the conference hall where the two profs
were verifying our documents one by one by calling names in
order. (After my documents verification I proceeded to wait
for my turn. You were not allowed to carry anything inside the
interview hall.)
Now the story starts - After the third finished I knocked the
door and asked to come in. They said to wait for a few minutes
and they will call for me. After some time, one of the prof came
and invited me in “You were too excited to enter for the inter-
view. Come on in.” I was really embarrassed and got nervous
since they were calling one by one and I didn’t know that and I
had to make a fool of myself by going on by myself and knock-
ing on the door without giving any time after third finished.
There were 3 interviewers sitting inside the panel room, a
mid-aged fat one on the left (L), a middle aged smiling one
who gave us AWT instructions in the middle (M) and the old
grumpy one who called me from outside on the right (R). R
asked me take a chocolate from the bowl kept on the table for
the same purpose.
M: So, tell me Rakesh, you don’t consider mining as engineer-
ing branch?
Me: I do consider mining as engineering branch. Why, what
happened. (He was looking at my interview form, so I guessed
some mistake was made by me in the application form.)
M: You have mentioned others as your discipline?
Me: Sir, basically Mining was not mentioned in the list of
branches when I was applying for CAT so had to check others
and then mention Mining Engineering as my branch.
M: And you have also mentioned other as your university?
Me: Sir, NIT Raipur was also not mentioned in the CAT ap-
plication so I had no option then choose others.
M: Okay.
R: (Gazing at my blue form) So tell me (in some harsh voice)
why should I be impressed claiming you as a world record
holder in most people dunking cookies at a time.
(I realized that intentionally since I had no any outstanding
national extra-curricular but I participated in Guinness World
records for most people dunking cookies at a time in IIT Bom-
bay organized by Oreo in 2013 and we were able to make a
new world record of 1796 people dunking cookies at the same
time, I had mentioned that one in my blue form.)
Me: (Realizing my grave mistake) Sir, basically it was a mass
participation event by oreo where…(interrupted in between)
R: No, no, did you listen to my question, tell me why should I
be impressed?
Me: Yes Sir, I did understand your question and I think you
should be impressed because first of all it’s Guinness book of
world records and it reflects certain skill set which one needs
to possess to make it to world record…(again interrupted in
between)
R: What do you consider as a world record. For a world record
to be made there, what should be its criteria?
Me: Sir, first of all it should be unique that is it should not have
been done before and secondly it involves peak performance
and you have to be particularly focused to achieve any kind of
world record.
R: So, tell me here why should I be impressed.
Me: Sir, It involved group ability which reflects my skill to
work with a diverse group of people and leadership skill.
R: Leadership, how?
Me: Sir, I volunteered and motivated my group to join this
particular event at IIT-B who were keen on going to some
other events.
R: Okay, I do agree it consists of group working ability but
leadership, no.
(I was sweating at this time but thanked that this was over.
Particular grilling on such small issue made me nervous. Soon,
110
I realized that I was only looking to the old prof all the time
and was unable to make eye contact during all this time. So I
controlled myself and started making eye contact with all of
them.)
M: Any project you are doing, Rakesh?
Me: Yes Sir, currently I am working on Digital terrain model-
ling using DGPS.
M: What? we don’t understand any jargons, clearly explain.
Me: (I was like shit) Sir, basically we are generating a model
of terrain digitally using differential global positioning system.
What we do is take all the points…(and so I explained my
project work)
(I was somewhat now relaxed that this part went fine without
any grilling.)
Bleeding red, I recalled of the thing
which I mentioned was some incident
in Bangladesh.
M: So, have you sat for campus placements?
Me: No Sir, I have not yet. I am waiting for Coal India Ltd. (I
realized, shit why did I just tell that.)
M: So, MBA or Coal India?
Me: Sir, obviously MBA.
M: Apart from MBA?
Me: No sir, I haven’t gave any thought. (Again why, god why?)
M: So any interests or hobbies?
Me: Sir, I like to solve puzzles like Sudoku, Rubik’s cube. I love
playing guitar and I read books in my free time.
R: The guitar string, it is made up of what material?
Me: Sir, it’s basically made up of nylon. Nylon strings are used
in guitar.
M: But it is made of metal, I think?
Me: Sir, there are several kinds of guitar; the classical acoustic
guitar is made of nylon string and other guitars like electrical
and jazz guitar strings are made up of metal. (I did not realized
it at that time, since I was blank and the professor was trying
to feed his words into my mouth. FYI, The guitar strings are
made of alloy of bronze and copper.)
R: Ohh, so how does this string made of metal works?
Me: (I was haphazard at this time and could not answer it
well) Sir, the plucking causes the metal string to change its fre-
111
quency and vibration and this frequency is picked up by mag-
netic sensors on the guitar and are converted to sound using
amplifier.
(It was not as smooth as I am typing here, I really blundered it
this time and took 2-3 times to clear to them, so I started on
my own to ease the situation)
Me: Sir, I basically play rumba which is a kind of flamenco
style. It consists of 16 beats which is really nice to ears.
R: What do you mean by flamenco?
Me: (Again, I was like why am I always digging my own grave)
Sir, flamenco is a Spanish word.
R: What is the meaning of this word?
Me: (Sighing) Sir, as of now I couldn’t recall the meaning of
flamenco word, but I am sure it’s a Spanish word.
R: Any favourite artist which inspired you to adopt this style?
Me: (Again, I was blank) Sorry sir, I could not recollect any
name (adding to the fire) but there was a Pakistani boy who
studied in MIT and I watched his video over youtube and he
really inspired me to play like that. (now I do remember, his
name was Amin Toofani.)
R: (Making a grumpy face) So I guess that your memory is not
your best thing (and he notes something down on his sheet, I
was really nervous now, on the verge of stammering).
M: Okay, coming to the essay, you wrote about inter-cast mar-
riages, how do you think this is relevant to the topic. Had you
gone through the question carefully. Did you understood it?
Me: (Bleeding red, I recalled of the thing which I mentioned
was some incident in Bangladesh) Yes sir, basically what I
meant was inter-religion marriages which make women help-
less and there was an incident in Bangladesh in which the
woman was muslim and her husband was a hindu and he wrote
some blog related to anti-islam and he was brutally killed on
the street for that.
M: So how that incident is significant over here?
Me: Sir, what I meant to say was that there are many incidents
in our country which makes women helpless and leave them
victims, other cases including “Nirbhaya”. I do believe that In-
dia is still a male dominant society but we are evolving and
the argument really was set in a negative context. This doesn’t
mean the end of life, this world is beautiful and she should
give herself another chance rather than smoking cigarettes and
ending up her life.
M: Okay…(sees around to other professors maybe so as to
cross question but none do)
M: Okay, Thank You Rakesh, you may go now, you may take
cake or chocolate in front of you.
Me: No sir, I have already taken. Thanks a lot sir…(and I leave
the interview hall pushing the chair back in its place, and my
movement to outside was really not good. After all I was grilled
on each topic except for my project part.)
The third professor on the left didn’t ask any question any of
time and was only staring at me and smiling. Maybe, he was
judging my behavior under stress or noting my body language,
I don’t know. So this was how it went, hope to read some of
yours.
Tips for candidates whose interviews are scheduled later:
1. Don’t try to be over-smart they will kill you.
2. Prepare yourself well like your hobbies and interests and
internship/project if fresher. (I was so obsessed with CA, I
read the economist editions of over two months and CSR but
were of no use. Since, they are gonna only ask you about your
background. So don’t waste much of your remaining time on
current affairs, there is a very little chance they gonna ask you
apart from your field. Well do prepare about current happen-
ings in your field. Since, I was a mining engineer and I think
they may not have much knowledge about it so they didn’t
bother in my case.)
3. Try to remain calm in case if they stress you. (It was my first
so I messed it up.)
Thank you! And all the best.
112
@mak007
Date: 31st January, 8.30 AM
Venue: The Orchid Hotel, Mumbai
IIM Ahmedabad Interview
WAT Topic: “Car for All” company which sells entry level cars
is thinking about acquiring a luxury brand. “Car for All” com-
pany is very excited about it but they fear that their association
with low cost car brand will turn down the customers.
Analyse. (300 words, about 15 minutes)

Don’t enter the Personal Interview: There were 2 professors in the panel. Both

interview room unless

were in their late 50s. I was the last person to be interviewed.
My turn came around 12. I was sitting outside the panel room
and when person before me came out, I waited half a mint be-
called. fore opening the gate. Both were laughing and talking to each
other and when I said, “May I come in sir.” one of them look
at me and his face went cold, let’s call him “A” and he said wait
outside, we will call you. I thought shit this is not a good start.
I should have waited for some more time. After a minute “A”
opened the door and said, “Please come in.” in a very friendly
manner. Other professor asked me to sit down let’s call him B.

B: You are Mak.

Me: Yes Sir.

A: So Mak tell me about yourself ?

Me: Sir my name is Mak. I have lived in North East Bihar MP
Maharashtra and I did my graduation from NIT Calicut and

113
now I am working in Rajasthan. I have lived…(he completed
my sentence.)
A: Lived all over the India, very good.
Me: Yes sir. Now, I am working in Neyveli Lignite corporation
Limited, Navratna PSU as…(B interrupted me)
B: Neyveli lignite should be at Neyveli what it is doing in Ra-
jasthan.
Me: Yes Sir, our main plants are at Neyveli, Tamilnadu only.
This is a very recent project. Actually this project was con-
ceived in 1986. many companies before us have tried to set up
the plant but they have failed due to various reasons. In 2004,
Neyveli Lignite was forced in a way by the coal ministry to
take up this project and it was commissioned in 2012.
Well he has worked for … (I think he
got confused by my reply…he was
searching for words. I came to his
rescue and completed his sentence)
A: How does the quality of Lignite…( I don’t remember what
he said after that)
Me: Sir the Boiler is like a shoe and the fuel Lignite is like a
leg. you can design a boiler for any kind of fuel. Our lignite’s
ash content vary from 8 to 25 percent. So instead of PF boiler
we have CFBC boiler (I took a momentary pause thinking he
would ask what CFBC is but he did not so I continued to ex-
plain it anyway) that is Circulating Fluidised Bed combustion.
Sir, CFBC boiler is very good for fuel with varying Calorific
value and ash content and also for low grade fuel.
B: What is the cost of producing one unit?
Me: (I knew it in MW should have told that…but took a guess
) Sir between 1 and 2 Rs.
B: There is lot of difference between 1 and 2.
Me: Yes Sir.
A: Ok, tell me your hobbies?
Me: Sir reading, playing badminton, skipping rope. (Again I
took a momentary pause...)
B: How long you do skipping?
Me: 30 to 60 minutes.
B: Continuously or you take break or something?
Me: Continuously, off course if you trip than. I always do half
an hour skipping before playing badminton. It a low intensity
exercise but burns more calories. it’s a good warm up exercise
B: Mak, I have seen some ropes having a counter on the han-
dle. how does that work? (I knew but it was not coming out.)
Me: Sir, there is a projection on the disk, for every round it
clicks one.
(Made some gestures in the air. I think B was not pleased with
the answer.)
B: How much turns you do 2000?
Me: Sir more than that. sir I use speed rope, it does not have
that counter, I don’t count actually. I use it as a meditation. You
have to focus a lot while skipping, or else you will trip so…(
again he cut me short)
B: Is it a low intensity or high intensity workout?
Me: Low intensity sir.
B: Okay, recenty Kailash Satyarthi was in news?
Me: Yes Sir, he and Malala Yousafzai won the Nobel Peace
prize.
B: Do you think it was fair to club them together?
Me: Why not sir.
B: Well he has worked for…(I think he got confused by my
reply…he was searching for words. I came to his rescue and
completed his sentence)
Me: 25-30 year in child related work.
B: Yes, do you think it was fair.
Me: Why not sir. Malala was shot just because she wanted to
have an education. Sir she even risked her life for that. It’s a
brave act and she is just a child. (I think he was convinced with
answer.)
B: How much it cost per MW for Nuclear power?
Me: Sir BHEL charges 2.6 crore per MW for Thermal power
plant, for nuclear it would be more than that.
B: Ohh it costs more!
Me: Yes Sir. The construction cost would be high as it has a
very strong structure with concrete and steel covering. It’s so
strong that it can even withstand an impact of a jumbo jet.
B: What is this Obama Modi nuclear thing going on?
Me: After India did the nuclear test in 1998. America stopped
giving any high tech to India and also stopped others. In 2005
Bush and Manmohan Singh negotiated the nuclear deal and
it was signed in 2008. Actually this deal is an enable. As India
is not part of 4 group, the Nuclear supplier group which con-
trol the transfer of nuclear fuel and nuclear related dual use
technology, Australia Group - which control Chemical and bi-
ological weapon related technology, Wassenaar Arrangement
114
- which regulate the transfer of conventional weapons and duel
use good and technology that is military and civilian use. and
the fourth one I don’t remember sir.
B: It’s all right.
Me: The real benefit of this deal is that we will be part of these
groups and by that we will get advance technologies which
were denied earlier and the most important benefit is that
we can import uranium from more countries. Actually what
we have done is that we have divided out nuclear plant into
civilian and military. Civilian plants will under International
Atomic Energy Agency. So we can use this imported uranium
into civilian plants and use domestically produced uranium for
military purpose without any oversight and afterwards in the
fast breeder reactors.
B: Okay, recently what has happened?
Me: In the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010 there
is provision by which the compensation would be given by the
government and the operator, which is actually a PSU and the
operator can sue the supplier if the accident was caused due to
equipment failure supplied by them. Since they can be sued
for infinite amount, supplier are unwilling to come to India.
Now, they have created an insurance fund of 1500 crore half of
115
which will be contributed by supplier and other half by opera-
tor. From this fund compensation will be given to the victims.
B: Are you sure the victims cannot sue the suppliers?
Me: In a way.
B: In a way…(he nodded and then looked at A)
A: Okay Mak, that will be all. Take a toffee.
Me: Thank you, Sir.
B: All the best for your rest of the interviews.
(He said it in a very personal way or rather in a concerned way,
don’t know what to make of it.)
Me: Thank you, Sir.
As I was on my way out, I knew they were looking at me. So, I
moved very calmly and confidently. while walking I buttoned
both buttons of the suit then slowly opening the door and
went out without looking back.
I think it was a 15-20 minutes interview. Cheers!!!
Flip for next Interview

116
@mileend IIM Ahmedabad Interview
Number of Panelists: 2 males (both were cool), the same pan-

thakur
elists who conducted our AWT.

AWT: A critical/analytical reasoning exercise.

Mechanical Engineer
Work-Ex: 6 Months in JSW steel and
thereafter doing part time job for a year)
Topic was related to the failure of teachers training program.
I’ve written a decent essay.
So here goes my PI experience: One of the interviewers calls
my name and goes outside.

Tell me something Me: Good afternoon sir!

about a hero from

P1: So, you are from Raigad. Tell me something about a hero
from Raigad.
Me: Talked about Nana Patekar.
Raigad.
P1: (Laughing) So, don’t you consider Shivaji?
Me: Yes, I do sir. But I thought you asked me about a living
one.

P1: Ohh, for your generation film stars are the heroes. No?
(P2 enters and smiles)
Me: (Suddenly realised that I was not loud enough. Gained
confidence. Loud enough) Actually sir, I love Nana Patekar for
whatever he is doing these days. That’s why I told his name so

117
hurriedly.
P1: What are your views on current education system? Relate
to your AWT topic.
Me: Explained what progress I’ve seen in recent years. Also
tried to relate the changes that I’ve observed in primary educa-
tion, as my father is a primary teacher.
P2: So, what’s RTE?
Me: Very brief answer.
P2: Age limit?
Me: Told.
OMG, P1 is yawning, disappointing,
Hey, but why am I paying heed to
him? He is a human being. Chill…
P1: Are you sure? Is it 14 or 15? Or 16?
Me: No, it’s 14, sir.
P1: Do you know the lower limit for RTE.
Me: It’s 5, I guess.
P1: 5 or 6?
Me: I’m not sure, but I joined primary school when I was 5.
P2: You are an odd case then.
P1: So you’ve studied mechanical engineering. What were
your favourite subjects?
Me: Refrigeration & Air Conditioning. (They are still looking
at me, maybe expecting more subjects) Thermodynamics.
P1: Tell me first law of thermodynamics and its applications.
Me: (Are you kidding me?) Explained very smoothly.
P1: Tell us where does it fail?
Me: (After thinking for a while) I don’t remember.
P2: Why mechanical?
Me: Tried to relate it.
P2: I’m not satisfied. Give a sound reason for this. See, elec-
tronics engineering deals with electrons and hence the name.
What’s with your branch?
Me: Could not provide a good answer.
P1: You’ve studied 4 years of enginnering and you don’t know
that? Strange…
P2: How would you justify the reason for leaving your last job?
(Reason: job profile)
Me: Talked about how I was getting civil engineering work,
the harsh environment and the exhaustion it caused. I was
working in a steel plant, which causes too much pollution.
P2: So how can you survive in Ahmedabad? We have 2 months
when the temperature is close to 48 degrees.
Me: By harsh environment, I meant harsh work environment.
I could not find enough time to prepare for CAT. And my ver-
bal was very very poor. I realised that I need to work really very
hard for that, and it was not possible if I stick to JSW. And I
was offered a part time job, which could have provided me the
extra hours for verbal preparation.
P2: What kind of job role do you expect from IIM A?
Me: Uttered something stupid.
P1: What are your hobbies?
Me: I like to listen to Bollywood music. I have an interest in
classical music too, and I’ve been learning it since last few years.
(no cross questioning)
(OMG, P1 is yawning…disappointing…hey, but why am I
paying heed to him? He is a human being. Chill…)
P2: Do you read newspapers? Which?
Me: The Hindu. And I’ve started reading headlines of the
Economic Times. (Why the hell I said that?)
P2: Who is the editor of the Hindu?
Me: (I’d read about him. Why my memory is not helping me?)
I’m not able to recollect his name. (Sad face)
P2: He was in the news recently because of some controversy.
Do you know about that?
Me: Took their permission to guess about that controversy.
Talked about somebody steeping down from a post, then how
readers expressed their disapproval etc. This was totally irrel-
evant.
P2: What you just talked about was related to a journal and
not The Hindu.
Me: Okay. I told you that I’m not sure.
(P1 and P2 look at each other, discuss something and now
both are smiling at me.)
P1: Okay Milind, take that toffee and you are free to go.
118
@abhay0076 IIM Ahmedabad Interview
P1: So you’re from agri biotechnology?
A: No Sir, only biotechnology. Btech in Biotechnology.
Date: 31st January
P1: Whats the difference?
Venue: KLMDC, IIMA
A: I explained the difference.
Time: 8:30 am
P1: What is DNA?
A: Explained.
“Have a toffee and P1: What is the controversy regarding biotechnology?
leave,” said the A: Explained.

panelists with a poker P1: How do we transfer genes?

A: Explained.
face. P2: Do you read newspapers?
A: Not regularly Sir. Headlines only.

P2: Do you know the current oil prices?

A: Yes. $27-$30 per barrel.

P2: Why aren’t they increasing the price?

A: I explained the reason to them.

P2: Why is Flipkart called so?

119
A: Wasn’t sure of this answer. I made a guess and told them
that I’m only guessing.
P2: Will Flipkart sustain?
A: I explained my opinion.
P2: Why are they switching to app?
A: Explained the reason to them.
P2: What is your view on intolerance?
A: Told them my opinion.
P2: Who won the noble prize in chemistry?
A: Sorry Sir, I don’t know.
Then they asked me to solve a maths problem. I said, sorry Sir,
but I studied maths years ago.
P2: Do you know about the cloned sheep?
A: I told them the past, present and future of cloned sheep.
Finally they said, “Thank you! Please have a toffee and you can
leave.” I took a toffee and left. Their face was so neutral that
I couldn’t judge anything. They didn’t ask a single HR type
question.
120
@gerromaniac IIM Calcutta Interview
WAT: Something about freedom of press and no corruption in
media being vital to a successful democracy. Straight forward
10th Score: 94.2% topic, with valid recent examples of events, so I’m guessing ev-
eryone would’ve done a decent job here.
12th Score: 93.2%
B.E. (Chemical Engg): 7.92 CGPA PI: 1 Female (30s), 2 Male (one in 50s, other one in mid 30s).
Work-Ex: 19 Months at Oracle Applica-
I was the last one in my slot. I guess they were probably bored
tions.
of all the regular questions (and answers) by then, because
CAT 2015: 99.75%ile none of the expected questions came my way. I walked in, and
asked to be seated.

Can you give us an M1: Why are you asking? The chair is for you to sit, who else?
(Laughs at his own joke, then proceeds to tell me how this was
example of a rhetorical an example of a rhetorical question).

question? M2: Can you give us an example of a rhetorical question?

Me: Explain a similar scenario involving a glass of water which
is obviously meant for drinking, in much the same way as the
chair was obviously meant to be sat upon.

M1: Hmm, you sound confident but I’m not sure about your
example.
Me: Said that it might not exactly be a rhetorical statement,
however this was the best I could come up with on the fly.

121
M2: (Who was meanwhile going through the form, and no
doubt asks this question since he notices that college is in
Goa) Why is Uber not operating in Goa?
Me: Explained about how the taxi union has influence there
etc.
M2: Granted, but can you think of a more obvious reason?
Me: (Realising what he is hinting at) Talked about how de-
mand is not that high in Goa, in proportion to its large area,
since it’s a state and not a city. Explained how cab aggregators
work and why the model would fail in Goa. (M1, M2 seem
satisfied with this.)
F steps in at this point, and it becomes clear that she was the
one tasked with asking the quintessential IIM C interview
maths question.
This back-and-forth went on for a
while, until I finally gave up and made
a “fine, ask whatever you want” face.
F: (Going through my transcript) Hmm, seems like you did
courses on Operations Research and Optimization in college.
Me: (Shit).
F: Do you remember what topics you studied?
Me: Mentioned a few random things like Linear program-
ming, Shortest path algorithms, network models etc.
F: (Face lights up) Great! So you will be able to answer ques-
tions on those!
Me: (With an equally wide smile) No ma’am.
F: Okay what about integration?
Me: No.
F: Differentiation?
Me: No.
F: Matrices?
Me: No.
This back and forth went on for a while, until I finally gave up
and made a “fine, ask whatever you want” face. She finally set-
tled on probability. Luckily had already encountered a question
similar to the one she asked (a conditional probability ques-
tion), so was able to solve.
M2: Recently there was news about a case in the SC involving
your college (BITS Pilani) and their right to award degrees
outside the main campus. (I am from BITS Goa.)
M1: Suppose SC passes a ruling in favour of UGC, and your
degree becomes invalid. Then we can’t give you admission.
What will you do?
Me: Said that first of all, any such ruling would not be ret-
rospective, it would take into account that people who have
already graduated, their degrees would remain valid.
M2: Chalo, what if I say that even that is not considered, and
your degree is actually made invalid. Obviously this is unfair.
Now who will you sue? IIMs, BITS Pilani, or UGC?
Me: Sir I can’t make a judgement call on a legal issue without
having all the facts. In case what you said actually happens, I
would need all details about the ruling of the SC, and only
then can I decide legal course of action.
M1: So you are saying that you’re a cautious sort of person?
Me: Said that rather that calling it cautiousness, I just like to
have all the information I can get before making a decision, es-
pecially in a situation like this. Would not like to assign blame
to one party without all the facts.
F, M1, M2 look at each other.
M2: Thanks Rohan, we are done. Any questions?
Me: Asked about the football culture at IIM C, since I love
playing.
M2: Explains a bit about how some people do play, etc. Ends
up calling Futsal something totally different, and I have to
hold back a smirk.
M1: Don’t worry, you won’t get any time to play football there.
Me: Sir, I will try my best to make some time for it.
Thanked them and left. All this was a little over 10 minutes.
And nothing at all from my profile, academics, work experi-
ence, or career goals.
122
@uditvd
10th Score: 93.84%
12th Score : 89.33%
Graduation : 7.37 CGPA (Mech)
CAT 15: 99.71
Tell me how will you
get a GF in 7 days?
123
IIM Calcutta Interview
WAT: Earlier people didn’t used to fear migrators, now they
see them with a suspicion and migration is raising fears among
locals.
PI: 3 professors, one was in 35s, two in 50s.
(When I entered, 2 of them went to the washroom.)
P1: What did others tell you? Did they discuss questions out-
side?
Me: Yes sir.
P1: So what did they say?
Me: Sir, not much just, some qs on educational background,
hobbies, and current affairs that’s all.
P1: Okay, let’s do something different with you.
Me: Okay sir.
P1: Tell me what is it that you are most passionate about.
Me: Sir, I love photography very much and I am fond of trek-
king.
P1: Stared at me for 3-4 seconds.
(At this point, I thought he/others will ask some cross ques-
tions so I was getting ready, but nothing.)
P1: So you are what? An Engineer?
Me: Yes Sir, Mechanical Engineer.
P1: Oh, we have this all time favourite question for the Me-
chanical Engineering, tell me what is a differential?
Me: Explained, what is differential why it is needed and blah
blah, seemed convinced.
P1: Do trains have differential?
Me: No, explained how trains achieve different RPMs for
wheels.
(P2 enters the room and takes the seat)
You think old is gold, but its not like
that, will you choose an older lady
over a younger one.
P2: Engineer?
Me: Yes, Mechanical.
P2: Explain what is differential.
Me: (W**)!! Again explained it in 2-3 lines.
P2: No tell me how it works.
Me: Asked for notepad drew gear arrangement for diff, and
explained how it works, how torque is distributed and blah
blah…(Seemed convinced).
P1: Okay, tell me what will happen if we keep a fridge in an
isolated room and open the door.
Me: Beating around the bush at first, cannot cool a place by
exchanging heat with only one source, then said temperature
will remain constant as evaporation and condenser will negate
each other.
P1: Are you sure.
Me: Evaporation and condenser will negate the effect but be-
cause of electrical resistance and efficiency of fridge some heat
will be generated that will lead to increase in temperature.
P1: Slight means how much? By how much will it increase ?
Me: I^2RT, will give heating by electrical resistance and equate
it with MC (T2-T1), you’ll get the temp difference.
P1: Okay. (Seemed satisfied)
P2: Tell me some social issues in Maharashtra (I am from Ma-
harashtra).
Me: Blabbered about not remembering social issue, then said
farmers suicide.
P2: Isn’t that economical issue?
Me: It’s more like a socio-economical issue.
P2: Okay, explain.
Me: Explained, Marathwada, rain shadow region, why
droughts, crops they take there, what previous govt did, what
current govt is doing, what should be done etc.
P2: Okay, (not very convinced).
P1: Joined any coaching?
Me: Just for the test series.
P1: Then how did you prepare for interviews and GDs .
Me: Said I read newspaper regularly since I was in 6th-7th,
so current affairs was not problem. Told about alignment and
presentation.
P1: What other calls?
Me: Except A & B others.
P1: Why C?
Me: Sir, I have graduated from oldest engineering college in
state (actually 3rd oldest in Asia). I want to pursue my PG
from oldest MBA college in India.
P1: Blabbered something like, you think old is gold, but its
not like that, will you choose an older lady over a younger one
blah blah…do you have a GF?
Me: No, Sir, I am a Mechanical Engineer.
P1: Tell me how will you get a GF in 7 days, tell me the ap-
proach.
Me: (This was too much) blah blah blah…mutual friend…
common dinner/movie.
P1: You still are in brick mortar era, where FB, twitter in this?
Me: I think interaction in person is mportant.
P1: Have you seen Amar Akbar Anthony ? (Started asking do
you remember how Amitabh and bla bla).
Me: Interrupting him, No Sir, I haven’t seen the movie.
P2 to P1, he hasn’t seen the movie.
P1: Okay, what was last movie you saw?
Me: Bajirao Mastani.
P1: What do you think of the controversy?
Me: It was a love story just as Jodha Akbar, neither of the mov-
124
ies represented complete life of the leaders, we should take it as
a love story, nothing more.
P1: Okay.
All three: Do you have anything to ask us?
Me: Heard about IIM C starting boat club and kayaking.
P1 and P2: It is already there.
P3: Yes, but we just bought some boats with association of…
125
Me: West Bengal Kayaking and Canoeing Association, I have
read about that and I look forward to joining that if I get an
admission.
All 3: Yes, we have decided to become more than academics,
IIM C earlier meant only academics blah blah…anything else.
Me: No sir.
All 3: Thank you then.
Me: Thank you!
Flip for next Interview

126
@shubham IIM Calcutta Interview
WAT: Easy availability of loans has increased the consumer-

ranka92
ism of materialistic society. This is affecting the morale of the
youth, in longer terms. What are your views on this? I wrote
something like this: India has paved the way to the increase
in demand of goods and services amongst the citizens of the
country. Bank loans are readily available, which is increasing
Can you tell me the the liquid money in counmer’s hand and hence the demand
and consumption increases.
executives of this file? Pros: Good for e-commerce giants, that they are able to grow
and compete with the global market, so Indian economy is
increasing because of the revenue generated by them. Also,
the resources are easily accessible to the youth, which can help
them to complete the task within a time.

Cons: Due to easy loan availability, and non-productive con-

sumption of the resources, the current debt to equity ratio is
increasing and has already reached to 0.52 which is bad for the
Indian economy. Resources are not getting optimally utilised.
The extra liquid money has instead increased the amount of
black money, and illegal betting. Youth is getting lazy day by
day. That is why we can see the difference in the health and the
kind of consumption of resources in today’s generation and our
forefathers.

127
In a country like India, which is remembered for its culture,
history and tradition, morale values matter more than every-
thing. Movements like startup scheme are a good starts in the
direction of developing the nation, so they should be used in
a positive way and the kind of startups should be such that it
adds up value to the prevailing system. Awareness need to be
created for the same. Hence, technology is good for the society
but at the same time, we must ensure that we do not become
slave to technology.
(I know, it could have been better.)
Interview Panel D-1 (3 male panelist, Morning Slot)
P1: Shubham, so I see you brought executive file. Can you tell
me the executives of this file?
Me: Sir, the file contains my CAT scorecard, application form,
the certificates for my academic and extra curricular marksheet
and marksheets. In way, it defines who I am today and what
have I been till now.
Developed a web application which
uses the concept of probability and
collaborative filtering to predict the
future disease a patient can have.
P1: So, tell us who are you?
Me: Sir, I am Shubham, from Udaipur, Rajasthan. I graduated
from IIT Gandhinagar in electrical engineering back in 2013.
During my final year, I went to US for a research internship.
Then, I worked with Cognizant for 2.5 years. Now, I am with
Delhivery since last 4 months. My hobbies are to play table
tennis, do mathematics problems and puzzles and guide my
juniors in their career preparation like IIT-JEE examinations
(I wanted them to go to Maths).
P2: (a young techy guy) So, you are interested in Mathematics.
Which area of the subject?
Me: Umm…Sir, everything.
P2: Okay, so you have 3 circles. How many common tangents
can you draw to them?
Me: Sir, you mean direct common tangents?
P2: You can assume that.
Me: Maximum 2 if they are planar. Else, it can even have 0,
1. So, anything from 0 to 2. Explained them by making the
figures.
P2: What if they are non-planar?
Me: Still, the same. (Now, I think it should be infinite, in case
of non-planar.)
P2: You have 2 n*n matrices. When you multiply them. How
many multiplications are actually happening?
Me: The final matrix will also be of n*n. Now, for each element,
we have multiplication because first row of first matrix gets
multipled by first column of first matrix to give first element of
my output matrix. So, n^2 times.
(But, it should be n^3 I think now. Since every element will
also have n implicit multiplications.)
P2: Can you try to think of a converging sequence, which is
converging but the corresponding sequence is diverging.
Me: 1/n. Since as n tends to infinity it tends to 0, but 1+1/2+...
-->infinity. It can be proved by comparing this series with 1+
1/2 + (1/4+1/4) + (1/8+1/8+1/8+1/8)+...
P2: By the way, what is the rank of Rajasthan in terms of area?
Me: Sir, one. It is the largest in terms of area.
P2: And second?
Me: (A wild guess, while trying to visualize the map tongue
emoticon) Maharashtra. (Maharashtra is third in actual, a
slightly less than MP.)
P1: So, if I did not hear you wrong, you did a foreign intern-
ship. Where was it?
Me: Yeah sir, at University of Notre Dame.
P1: What did you do there?
Me: Developed a web application which uses the concept of
probability and collaborative filtering to predict the future dis-
ease a patient can have, given his past disease’s history coded
in ICD-10.
P1: So, did you roam anywhere around?
Me: Sir, not much. But, I had been to Six Flags.
P1: Ohh, that’s the roller coaster ride. (Smiling)
Me: Yeah sir. (Smiling)
P1: Anywhere else you have been to in or outside India?
Me: Not exactly sir. (I could sense he has some question on
geography coming up in his mind, which I am not good at.)
P1: So, can I say you do not like travelling much?
Me: Sir, I have not explored much of the places. But as you can
see, I am from Rajasthan, graduated in Gujarat, interned at US,
worked at Kolkata and currently at Gurgaon.
P1: (Smiling) But that’s for the job purpose. Anyways, what
difference did you find in the US’s university and IIT Gand-
128
hinagar’s educational system?
Me: Sir, since our batch was the second batch of the college.
We actually got the chance to pick up the things from its roots
and then establish them. We had the freedom to go and explore
anything we wish to. There were only 3 core branches, but still
I managed to get an internship in CS. So, it is very versatile in
the college. But then at university, I was assigned a project on
which a PhD student was already working. I was not much
asked baout my choice. The topic was also fixed. So, this is one
difference. Rest, people are very much friendly there. The city
is very clean with no traffic and pollution .
Anyways, these days people say that
e-commerce is not having a bright
future. It runs only on giving lucrative
offers and discounts.
P3: So, what is your role at Delhivery?
Me: Sir, my job is to interact with the floor’s staff at fulfillment
centres and get to know the problems they are facing in the
process of picking, packing, shipping. And then, using these
requirements, we build the apps and softwares for them.
P3: But isn’t this irrelevant to your work at Cognizant. From a
company like that why Delhivery ?
Me: Not exactly sir. I was working ine commerce sector even
at Cognizant. Now, an ecom has 2 sectors: OMS and WMS.
I had worked for 2.5 years in OMS. So, wanted to further ex-
plore the ecom sector. Hence, joined the WMS department at
Delhivery.
P3: But then, you already have the skills and are working in
the area where our people after graduating works.
Me: No sir. I want to learn management and I have an inclina-
tion towards MBA in Finance. My long term goal is to start a
venture of my own.
P3: (Interrupting) But, to start a company, you do not need an
MBA. Infact, we guys do not even teach you that. See, Dhiru
129
Bhai Ambani. He is not an MBA.
Me: Yeah, that’s true sir. But then again, my management will
help me gain the structured knowledge, learn about the busi-
ness model, and how to sustain in the competitive markets.
P3: But that you can even do without an MBA.
Me: Sir, to make any company successful, the underlying prin-
ciple is to minimize risk and maximise the revenue. And, an
MBA in Finance will help me get that feeling.
P1, P3: See but you already know that principle.
Me: But, I will also be competing amongst the best minds of
the country, so we can then share the skillset and I may get the
useful resources for my future goal. And infact sir, the COO
of my company, Bhavesh is also an MBA in Fin from IIM C.
P1: Anyways, these days people say that e-commerce is not
having a bright future. It runs only on giving lucrative offers
and discounts on the things. And once, discounts are gone,
the company will fall off.
Me: But this is just the one side of the story. While this is true
that our e-commerce giants are currently incurring losses, like
Flipkart, Snapdeal, but in the longer run say 5-10 years down
the line, these will grow. These will develop that credibility and
reliability for the ecom to work even without discounts. Say,
for example: Uber, OLA, and TFS. TFS is a relatively new
brand and is giving so many discount coupons these days. We
do use them, but now if a girl wants to travel in night, or I want
to reach to some place urgently say in next 1 hour, I’ll prefer
Uber over others. that is because the services have developed
the credibility amongst the customers by now.
P3: Okay. Any other call you have?
Me: Sir, IIM K, S, I.
P3: Not Ahmedabad?
Me: Sir, my sectionals in Verbal were not that great, though
the overall was. So…
P3: Okay Shubham, That’s all from our side…
Flip for next Interview

130
@vishal IIM Kozhikode Interview
GD/WAT Topic: Private sector promotes employability

tibadewal
whereas public sector promotes employment. Had a decent
GD and WAT.

Interview: Two panelists. M1 and M2.

10th Score: 99.55%
12th Score: 90.6% M1: Vishal you are a loser? (laughingly)
Me: Sorry Sir, but why do you think so?
Graduation: 76.75%
M1: You support Arsenal. It hardly wins any trophy.

Right now don’t go to Me: Sir my favourite team doesn’t has to the best team in the
world. I love the way Arsenal plays and I respect their philos-

jail, go for MBA!

ophy of building team instead of buying success. And sir with
your logic teams like Sunderland, Stoke City should have no
supporter.

M1. But still you are a loser. You should support Chelsea. It’s
my favourite team.
Me: Agreed that Chelsea is a great team yet it finished way
below Arsenal in the past season. (M2 Smiles)

M1: Okay, what’s your favorite movie? (I had mentioned it as

my hobby)
Me: Braveheart and I told them about its plot.

131
So you like Braveheart, with that logic you should support
independence of Kashmir?
M1: So you like Braveheart, with that logic you should sup-
port independence of Kashmir?
Me: (We had a long discussion about this.) He mentioned
about how about 1.2 lakhs of Kashmiris have been killed since
1987. I said we should try to create an awareness among our
people about these atrocities and try to reach a consensus on
this issue. He said that it’s a noble view but don’t say that in
public. You can be jailed for this. I replied that being a citizen
of India it’s my responsibility to create an awareness among
our people and I am willing to go to jail for this.
He said “Right now don’t go to jail, go for MBA” till the in-
terview was going fine.
Then M2 started asking questions related to my grad subjects.
I wasn’t able to answer some of them. He asked few questions
about general awareness, I answered some of them.
M1: Vishal, how much would you rate yourself in this inter-
view?
Me: Sir, I would give myself a 6.
M1: Why? I would have given you a 8. You talked about Kash-
mir, Braveheart, Arsenal.
Me: Yes sir, but I wasn’t able to answer some basic general
awareness questions, which I should have answered.
M1: Okay, we would give you a 6 (Smilingly). Thank you! You
can leave now.
132
@sabya1590
Date: 18 Feb, 2016, Afternoon Slot
Venue: Hotel Janpath, Delhi
Actually, I am currently
student in IIM Ranchi
pursuing MBA…
133
IIM Kozhikode Interview
WAT Topic: Is Terrorism something because of religion or
deprivation? Or is it some people with vested interests want to
leverage their personal benefits out of it?
15 mins WAT followed by 15 mins GD on same topic.
Wrote decently with instances of ISIS & Boko Haram…Was
able to convey my viewpoints in the GD and people supported
me.
PI (Duration: 10 mins): There were 2 persons (P1 in mid 40s,
P2 in mid 30s)
I was the last candidate in the panel but requested the Profes-
sor verifying the documents to shift my slot so that I can catch
my flight. Entered the room wishing Good Afternoon to both
the Panelists.
P1: Who allowed you to shift?
Me: Sir, the Professor verifying the documents.
P1: Okay. Have a seat.
P2: Give me your original certificates.
P1: Tell me something about yourself.
Me: Spoke about my graduation college and thereafter my job
responsibilities for 2 minutes.
P1: You have done Marketing / Sales support / After:sales
support / Promotion / Forecasting / Inventory Management
/ Pricing etc…You are a superhero!
Me: Actually we didn’t have separate Marketing & Product
Management department so, I had to cover the functions of
both.
So Sabyasachi, we see that you have
left L&T in 2014. What have you been
doing for the past 2 years?
P1: You have rendered brilliant service to L&T. Tell me a situ-
ation where you have showed your negotiation skills.
Me: Told a situation wherein I converted an order for L&T.
P1: Nice!
P2: So Sabyasachi, we see that you have left L&T in 2014.
What have you been doing for the past 2 years?
Me: Sir, I was associated with an NGO and also preparing for
CAT.
P2: 2 years to prepare for CAT?
Me: Sir, actually I am currently student in IIM Ranchi pursu-
ing MBA.
P2: What? Then why do you want to join here?
Me: Because, I feel it’s a better opportunity and also being a
20 year old institute, IIM K has already established its brand
image in the industry. IIM Ranchi only being a 5 year old in-
stitute will take time to reach its level. The vast alumni base
along with rich peer knowledge here will definitely help me to
achieve my goal.
P2: In which company do you want to work for?
Me: Sir I want to be in the Consulting domain. I want to work
for the Big 4.
P1: What is your CGPA in IIM Ranchi?
Me: Told.
P1: Okay. Nice talking to you.
Me: Thank you sir.
(After hearing IIM Ranchi, they were simply in the mood that
this guy is wasting our time…Totally devastated)
Probable Verdict: Royal Rejection.
134
@Akshay2410 IIM Kozhikode Interview
GD/WAT Topic: Every problem comes with gifts in its hands.

Date: 08.30 AM, 7th March, 2016 Pretty straightforward. Wrote a page (that’s all you get) and
GD was peaceful (unlike MDI) and everyone carried on the
Location: New Kenilworth, Kolkata
predecessor’s point.

Does supporting PI: Two men. M1 and M2. Both male, mid 40s. Panel 1.
Prologue: Just before entering for GD/WAT, I wished M2,

Barcelona make you

“Good Morning”. He smiled probably thinking, “I know what
you are trying to do.” I was first in my panel. (Again)

Anti-National? M2: Akshay, Does that suit belong to you? Isn’t the blazer a
little short?
Me: Sir, I had my first interview on 3rd Feb, had to buy straight
out of the store. No time to get it stitched.

M2: What’s your height?

Me: 6’ 2.5”.

M2: Nice. So why are you here?

Me: (Wondering what to say, I realized it’s just a Why MBA
question) Told the prepped answer.

M2: (Smiling) Heard it several times. Chuck it. Which club

do you follow?

135
Me: FC Barcelona, Sir.
M2: What is the history of political rivalry between FCB and
Real Madrid?
Me: Told about Francesco Franco, atrocities in Catalonia, Nou
Camp Bombings, Catalan population being pro-democracy
and how people found it easier to support a club to show their
protest against Real Madrid which was always considered
King’s club.
M2: What do people of Catalonia and Basque want? (Yeah,
now I was really sure he was a football fan too.)
Me: They have cultural differences with the rest of Spain as
they have different language and a different preference in pol-
itics.
485 mercy pleas have been rejected
by the president, most of them are
Muslims and Dalits. What does that
tell you?
M2: So Real Madrid kind of represented Pro-Fascist faction
while Barcelona represented democracy, right?
Me: Yes sir, at that time they did. It’s not that heated up any-
more.
M2: So if a Football club were to open in Kashmir and anoth-
er one in the rest of the country, which one will you follow?
(Smiling)
Me: (Realizing where he was leading me, smiled back) if nei-
ther is in UP, and have equivalent players, I will support the
one with better philosophy.
M2: Akshay, don’t be diplomatic. Which one?
Me: Sir how can I say, before watching them play.
M2: You support Barcelona and their ideology, right?
Me: Yes sir. I support their footballing philosophy. Barcelo-
na is pinnacle of Tiki Taka while Real Madrid is pinnacle of
quick and sharp counter attacks. I started supporting because
of Ronaldinho.
M2: But he left.
Me: Messi is there.
M2: He will leave too.
Me: Then there will be Neymar.
M2: He will leave too someday. Will you stop supporting
then? (Smiled)
Me: No I will not.
M2: Exactly. Coming to original question, Kashmir or the
other one?
Me: Still can’t tell without seeing them play.
M2: What if Messi played in Kashmir club?
Me: Then, yes sir.
M2: Wouldn’t that make you an anti-national?
Me: (Thinking s@#t just got real) No sir, I don’t think so.
M2: What is an Anti-National?
Me: (Disclaimer first) According to me, Anyone whose inter-
ests hurts country’s interests directly or indirectly.
M2: Is Vijay Mallaya an Anti-National?
Me: (Realizing I have to stick with my definition) Not out-
right but slightly yes.
M2: Why not? He defrauded banks, wants to run from the
country.
Me: He should be given fair chance to explain and repay.
M2: Then why didn’t Afzal guru get a chance?
Me: It was an attack on parliament and Union of India which
is Treason while former is merely Bank Fraud.
M2: So hang Afzal Guru but give Mallya a chance? Many
people call Afzal Guru a martyr.
Me: He was not a martyr. 50% he was innocent, 50% he was
guilty. If innocent, he was a victim else if guilty, he was a ter-
rorist. I don’t see why he is a martyr.
M2: (Smiling) So, why not hang Mallya?
Me: He has also done so much for country, gave jobs to so
many people. Nobody died. He should get it.
M2: 3 suicides happened taking his name on the note. Abet-
ting a suicide is a crime, yes?
Me: Yes it is but needs to be proven comprehensively.
M2: If someone goes out and kills 50 dalits, is he an anti-na-
tional? (He smiled. Was really enjoying this.)
Me: He should be given Capital Punishment for this crime
but he is not an anti-national. He might be a xenophobe or
having countless other phobias that people have.
M2: 485 mercy pleas have been rejected by the president most
of them are Muslims and Dalits. What does that tell you?
Me: I don’t consider myself an expert in Mining Engineering
let alone Judicial system. If Mr. President thinks it’s correct, I
think so too.
M2: You are again being diplomatic. I am not going to report
136
you. What does it tell?
Me: I don’t know sir. Maybe our system has loopholes that can
be used.
M2: So you agree, our judiciary system is bad?
Me: No sir. It’s the shortcoming of the underlying principle.
“Innocent unless proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt”. For
someone rich and powerful, it’s easy to create reasonable doubt.
Even in US if jury doesn’t find you unanimously guilty, you are
acquitted and walk free. (Thanks to Suits)
M1: What do you do?
Me: Told the job and title.
M1: What do you do?
Me: (Kicking myself ) Told the job description.
M1: Mention one change that you brought in safety at your
workplace?
Me: (Finally) Told.
M2: (Interjects) Tell me about your family.
Me: told about Mom, brother and my Father’s death.
M2: What calls have you got?
Me: All except ABC, MDI, SP, NITIE etc.
137
M2: What’s you preference order? L then K?
Me: No sir L=K. Perhaps I will choose K over L because don’t
feel so good in UP after Dad’s death.
M2: Why are you blaming the state?
Me: I am not blaming the state. Just that it haunts me having
spent so much time there with Dad. I think I will be more
efficient at K.
M2: Ask your mother. She will disagree. Okay Akshay, last
one, and this is tough one. If US invades Iraq, should people
of US be blamed for the death and destruction?
Me: Sir indirectly, yes as they elected that regime. Directly no,
as they had no part in decision making.
M2: Any question for us?
Me: Sir, for foreign exchange, college considers only IIM acads
or all the academics?
M2: You came to Kozhikode, and ask me the same question
again. It was nice meeting you.
Me: Thank you sir. Have a good day sirs. Sorry for the long
post. Tried to handle it as good as I can. Kept smiling and
replying the best I could.
Flip for next Interview

138
@Akshay46 IIM Kozhikode Interview
WAT/GD Topic: Do B-Schools take a step toward or back for
entrepreneurship? (Don’t remember the exact title.)
Date: 29 Feb, 2016, 1:30 PM
WAT was immediately followed by GD. It went decent. Ev-
Location: Hyderabad
eryone got a chance to speak a little.

Why Singapore has PI: Two member panel. Denoting by P1 (age 40 to 50, appear-
ing strict) and P2 (35 around, was calm) After I greeted and

capital named
sat. P1 went outside to return the Pen of previous candidate.
P2 started digging into my file. (P1 came back after a minute.)

Singapore only? P1: Are you done with your intro?

Boring people! P2: No, we were waiting for you.

P1: Okay, introduce yourself.

Me: Started as prepared. Told them about my graduation, how
I conducted social, cultural events, technical workshops blah
blah. About my work at XYZ etc. and my hobbies.

P1: Why do you go and visit places? (one of my hobbies)

Me: Said, it gives me joy and so (cut in between).

P1: But why?

Me: I feel it connects me with the people, makes me aware of

139
different culture, socities and values.
P1: Which place did you visit latest?
Me:Told.
P1: And the place before that.
Me: Told. Said, sometimes it gives me an experience.
Me: Told about NABARD and Mudra (provides loan to rural
banks).
P2: Full form of NABARD.
Me: (Thought for a while) I don’t know sir. (P2: NABARD
stands for National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Develop-
ment.)

P1: Do you remember anything from your engineering? P2: Any scheme recently launched?
Me: Yes sir! I do, I love EDC i.e. electronics design & circuits Me: Krishi…sinchai…(cut)
& digital circuits which are the base of electronics.
P2: Yes yes. (smile)
P1: Tell me the difference between Analog and digital signal.
Draw signals on paper. (Now P1 started rapid fire!)
Me: Drew some figures. Told the basic difference. How ana-
log is a continuously varying signal and how not a digital one. P1: What is the capital of Japan?
How it is represented. How digital one in more efficient for Me: Took 3-4 seconds to understand his question.
operations.
P1: Of China?
Me: It’s Beijing.
On paper, it is the drought
condition. But I believe the reality P1: Malaysia?
is something else since I have been Me: It’s Kuala Lumpur.

grown up seeing these conditions. P1: Singapore?

P1: But you have drawn a beautiful analog signal, why don’t
we use such beautiful signals? (Yeah! Now come and play with
me!)
Me: Told how it is beneficiary to use digital ones over the an-
alogs. (P1 didn’t look convinced with my answers. I could have
added a couple of more points there. But could not.)
Now P2 started.
P2: You are from Vidarbha right. Why is it so infamous? For
what reason?
Me: Sir, it is mainly Infamous for the suicides cases of farm-
ers. From the land I belong to and the neighborhood districts,
more than 2000 farmers have ended their life in past 2-3 years.
P2: What are its root cause?
Me: On paper, it is the drought condition. But I believe the
reality is something else since I have been grown up seeing
these conditions. They don’t have enough infrastructure facility,
lacking research, no encouragements from government to look
for some other crops than only Cotton which is highly depen-
dent on weather condition etc etc.
(P1 was as if had decided not to smile for entire life! and P2
was nodding.)
P2: Do you know banks dedicated for Agri?
Me: It’s Singapore.
P1: Why Singapore has capital named Singapore only? Bor-
ing people!
Me: I am not sure its exact reason but it was not a country
before etc.
P2: Really, which country’s part was it before?
Me: If I am not wrong it merged with Malaysia in 60s and
parted away again since it had some trade issues and cultural
conflicts.
P2 nodded again.
P1: (Striking his pen) What’s the full form of ISIS?
Me: It’s Islamic State for…
P1: Okay we are done!
P2: I am also done. You may leave.
I stood up adjusting chair back to its position. (P1: Ummm
rehne do waley expressions.) Toffee was there but not offered.
(I really wanted) While leaving, both asked, which other IIM
calls you have?
Me: Told. Thanked again and left.

140
@indrasisroy94 IIM Kozhikode Interview
Interview Panel: Two Professors - P1 and P2

10th Score: 94% P1: Tell me which department are you in?
Me: I am in electronics and communications department sir.
12th Score: 89%
B. Tech Score: 87% P1: What is the difference between electronics and commu-
CAT 2016: 99.4%ile nications?
Me: Answered.
Two research publications
P1: In communications difference between 3G and 4G?

What is the difference Name some communications companies.

Me: I mentioned Airtel, Reliance, Ericsson, Alcatel, AT&T.

between a Leader and a P1: Who acquired Alcatel?

Me: I couldn’t answer.
Boss?
P1: Okay, tell me how communications companies in India
technically work.
Me: I explained about LTE and volte by reliance and Voda-
fone. 3G partnership project by Vodafone and reliance and
airtel.

P1: What is India’s GDP? How make in India project is being

implemented by such telecom companies. Examples.
Me: I answered. Some cross questions as to why. Where. How.

141
Is team spirit a quality? In the GD were you a leader? You cut
some people in the GD, do you think you were a leader?
If Chinese companies then how make in India? Explained
about snapdragon 650 processor for Indian subcontinent. Less
costs due to exemption from import duties.
P1: Do you have a gf ? Someone you share your dreams with?
Me: Had a laugh when I mentioned many. Then explained
about girls as friends being girlfriends and went on to say that
I do have someone special in my life too.
P2: Why MBA as a fresher? Why not gather experience?
Me: Answered about research papers I had published and want
to apply the approach learnt in research activities in my MBA
studies to broaden my horizon and have a holistic knowledge
of managing a company along with managing technology.
(Some cross questions why and examples from life to explain.)
P2: What are the qualities of a manager?
Me: Answered.
P2: Is team spirit a quality? What is the difference between
leader and boss? In the GD were you a leader? You cut some
people in the GD, do you think you were a leader?
Me: I answered to the cross questions as I was trying to be a
leader but I tried my best as a group participant to give points
to be discussed. I did have mistakes and I am still learning.
So I think this GD will be a learning process for me to better
myself.
(Asked about other calls. Mentioned IIM S and new IIMs)
Crossed that S stands for Srimaur too. I mentioned yes. Both
the S. Srimaur and Shillong.
142
@abhinavsaini
10th Score: 87.4%
12th Score: 93%
B.Tech Score: (Chemical) 78.48%
Work-Ex: 6 Months
CAT 2016: 99.46%ile
What is basic strategy
you follow in Squash?
143
IIM Kozhikode Interview
GD/WAT Topic: Future Wars will be fought over Air and
Water instead of Economic Wealth and Patriotism.
Fish Market GD. Decent WAT.
P1 and P2 both professors. P1 is Dean of Academics at IIM K.
P2: Come in Abhinav (I wish Good Afternoon). Good After-
noon. Please sit down.
P2: So you are working in Bank of America? What is your job
description?
Me: Server Management basically.
P1: Which architecture are your servers on?
Me: We have around 6 servers. The ones we work on are on
IBM iSeries.
P2: Are they new? Haven’t heard of them?
Me: No sir. In fact they are quite old. They were released in
1998. Also we are in process of shifting them to newer tech-
nologies like MISP.
P2: So you mean to say BoA faces issues with legacy systems?
Me: Yes Sir. In fact most the large MNC banks which are old
are facing this problem.
P2 (Nods): So tell me which is bigger bank? Citi or BoA?
Me: It depends. In terms of Assets under Management BofA
is larger, in fact the second largest after JP Morgan (UBS is
first and BofA second actually but he didn’t point out) (about
$2 trillion). In terms of how widespread the bank is, number of
employees Citi is larger.
P1: Okay. So what are the main focus areas for BoA?
Me: Uum…Investment Banking, Mortgage, Private Banking.
So suppose I am at the “T” and you
are retrieving the ball. What shots
can you play which will ensure that I
can’t get back to this zone?
P2: What was the role of BoA in the 2008 fiasco?
Me: Told about how Credit Cards were issued without histo-
ry check. Loan defaults. Had to pay $10 billion debt. Bought
Merrill Lynch.
P2: (Nods) So Chemical Engineering first then BoA? Doesn’t
match up. Would you say you wasted your engineering degree?
Me: No I wouldn’t say I wasted my degree. In Engineering
you get to learn a lot of skills which are helpful in any field
you go. You gain an ability to comprehend complex matter in
short span of time, time management among others. Overall
the experience helps.
P2: So why MBA then?
Me: An MBA seems to me the best logical step to further my
career. When I observed the kind of decisions my manager
(who is an MBA) makes and the kind of work I do, I realized
my work is still one dimensional in nature. I need that leap
which would take me to the next level. I have always been good
with my technical knowledge. What I require are people skills
and a holistic knowledge as to how a business works. An MBA
hence seems the next logical step.
P2: But don’t you think it is better to continue with your job
instead of doing an MBA?
Me: I am not sure whether I want to work in the IT industry
in future and MBA at this point would give me ample oppor-
tunities to learn about different fields and maybe settle for one.
(P1 is meanwhile dozing off the whole interview and occa-
sionally looking at the documents)
P1: So you have travelled a lot?
Me: Yes sir over 19 cities.
P1: You must be good with Geography?
P1: Where does Kaveri river originate?
Me: Uhh Tamil Nadu and goes to Karnataka.
P1: Are you sure?
Me: Not sure sir sorry.
P2: Okay, so you played Squash during your college years?
Me: Yes I represented college twice winning Gold once and
Bronze the other time.
P2: Okay so tell me what is basic strategy you follow in
Squash? What drives the game?
Me: (Figured out he is player) Told about the importance of
center of court. The “T” zone it’s called. Players try to stay in
this zone as much as they can so that they can move around
the court effectively.
P2: (Agrees) So suppose I am at the “T” and you are retrieving
the ball. What shots can you play which will ensure that I can’t
get back to this zone?
Me: I try to answer but he says you are not understanding
the ques. I tell him to repeat again. Generally you can play
shots from which you can’t attack. Like the drop shot which
is played just above the tin mark. The player has to reach out
and he only shot possible is a defensive lob from which you
can again attack making it difficult for him to get in a position.
(P2 smiles and agrees) Although sir this is just one way.
P2: Tell us about any famous Squash players?
Me: Ramy Ashour, El Shorbagy, Jahangir Khan, Janser Khan.
P2: Anyone from India?
Me: Sir I don’t remember. Sorry.
P2: Haha he is not doing well anyway. So what is the statistical
achievement of Jahangir Khan?
Me: Told. 555 consecutive winning streak.
P2: Okay, Abhinav that will be all. Thank you.
Me: Thank you Sir.
144
@junaid7taj
10th Score: 99%
12th Score: 89.4%
CAT Score: 99.53 Percentile
Joining politics in the
future?
145
IIM Indore Interview
WAT was on the need to include more humanities subjects in
college to make students more employable and not just focus
on technical education/pure sciences. (I guess my handwriting
is pretty bad and I also ended up exceeding the word limit.)
Interview was a rapid fire round but lasted just about 11 min-
utes instead of the usual 20 minutes for all students in my pan-
el who went before me. I was able to answer almost all the GK/
Current affairs/politics based questions.
Q1. Introduce yourself ?
Me: Apart from the usual stuff, talked about my interests in
politics and international politics.
Q2. How come politics?
Q3. You see yourself joining politics in the future?
Q4. Name a female banker in India who has joined politics?
Q5. Name a cabinet minister in India who has studied from
LSE?
Me: Couldn’t answer.
Q6. Name politicians in India who’ve studied in top univer-
sities abroad.
Me: Named around 5-6.
Q7. Why did you do so terribly in your sixth semester? (Had
got a 5 pointer in my sixth semester, had scored between 7.5
and 8 in all of my other semesters.)
Q8. You think joining engineering was a mistake and you
should have stayed in Shaheed Sukhdev College Of Business
Studies? (My previous college which I left to join B. Tech, had
mentioned that in my previous response.)
Me: Talked about how joining engineering was not a mistake,
but not studying well in college definitely was one and the fact
that I took full responsibility for my failures/poor marks.
Will you be able to handle the
pressure and acads of IIM? Because
it requires a lot of hardwork!
Q9. Which is the company which has recently profited be-
cause of a policy decision by the Indian government. Name
its CEO.
Me: By mistake, I said Vijay Krishna Menon instead of Vijay
Shekhar Sharma.
Q10. Name one of its competitors.
Q11.Who is the cabinet minister who has studied from IIT
Bombay? What was his previous designation?
Q12. Who is the current CM of Goa?
Q13. Tell us about Goa elections.
Me: Explained well about the 4 fronts. They seemed impressed
about this specific answer.
Q14. Will you be able to handle the pressure and acads of
IIM? Because it requires a lot of hardwork!
Me: Told him about how my college marks were a big source
of shame to me, that I had faced tough questions in all my
job interviews and elsewhere and that I desperately needed to
redeem myself and that was possible only by studying well.
Didn’t seem that convinced.
Q15. Draw graph of 1+(tanx)^2?
Me: Couldn’t do.
Q16. Give equation of hyperbola?
Me: Couldn’t answer.
Q17. Gave me two maxima minima questions which I an-
swered correctly.
Q18. What are data structures?
Me: Couldn’t answer.
Q19. Give two types of data structures?
Me: Answered.
Q20. Who is the secretary of state of USA?
Me: Couldn’t answer but mentioned that he is the CEO of
Exxon Mobiles.
Q21. What is the opposition to him all about?
Me: Talked about conflict of interest due to business invest-
ments in Russia.
Q22. Name a female banker who till recently was the head
of a bank and was the first Indian woman to do ‘something’ ?
(Was a vague question but understood they were talking about
Naina Lal Kidwai.)
Q23. What is the full form of HSBC?
Q24. Name other female bankers in India?
Me: Talked about Chanda Kochchar, Shikha Sharma.
(They said name more but I couldn’t name more, on coming
out, later realised they wanted me to mention SBI Chairman.)
Oh, And I suddenly recalled the name of The US Secretary
Of State. Told them the answer. They said, okay okay, that’s all.
You can Leave!
I guess, they seemed a bit uninterested in me because of my
poor college academics, my IIM Indore interview was im-
portant for me because my admission in the New IIMs also
depended on it. They didn’t even ask any questions from my
curriculum, probably because they thought it was of no use
anyways. I guess, I won’t make it this year.
146
@arun_a_ IIM Indore Interview
WAT Topic: Subjects such as humanities aren’t given attention

menon
as science takes the limelight. However companies look for a
broad base education in their employees. How can universities
devise courses to make students more employable?

Date: 14th of February Time: 30 minutes. I gave points regarding multi-disciplinary

Venue: Hotel Monarch Luxur, Bangalore
What is GST | Gap in GK?
courses, interaction between working professionals and stu-
dents during their course, internships and quizzes that should
be made mandatory to promote awareness. I also stressed on
some subjects such as principles of management and human-
ities that should also be incorporated in the curriculum.

Personal Interview: There were 3 panelists. I asked if I may en-

ter the room. When I started to wish them a good afternoon,
one of them asked me to take a seat.

P1:So Arun, what are you currently pursuing?

Me: Answered. (I wondered if this was an introduction qn or a
straight to the point one. I settled on the latter.)

P1: So you are a fresher. Why not get some work experience
and then do MBA. Why do you want to do a MBA?
Me: (Heart beating fast! Sh**!) Answered that I like quant
and wanted to study the business part of how an organization
works as I had little knowledge about that. I also mentioned

147
that I looked under the pedagogy of the b schools and sub-
jects such as quantitative methods for demand forecasting and
managerial economics caught my interest. (Calmed down a bit
after the fast heartbeat.)
P2: But those are only 2 subjects out of 27?
Me: Answered that I liked quant and that was my strength. I
also mentioned that I didn’t want to waste an opportunity in
joining a reputed B-School like Indore. I stated that I wanted
to know the business side of a company as I had some techni-
cal knowledge and that it’ll help me later when I work.
If you throw that pencil at that clock
on the wall, what is the probability
that it will hit it?
P1: So your strength is quant? We will test you on that.
Me: Gave a creepy smile.
P2: What is probability? What is a determinant? What is a
Bayes’ theorem and how do you write a set which is composed
of null sets?
Me: Answered. (Wrote some on a piece of paper.)
P2: Hmm…if you throw that pencil at that clock on the wall,
what is the probability that it will hit it?
Me: (Thought for some time) Sir, I think the probability is the
ratio of area of the clock (circle) to that of the wall on which
it was hanging.
P2: So the probability is same for you and me? How do you
mathematically prove that?
Me: (Fumbled a bit) Sir the ratio should also be multiplied
by the accuracy of the person who is throwing it. (Which can
be found by doing the same experiment 5 or any number of
times and then the finding the probability, which will give the
accuracy of the person.)
P3: What is the meant by destructive and non-destructive
testing?
Me: Sir I took an elective as non-destructive testing. So I’ll
explain that first.
P3: (Smiling) That is why we are asking.
Me: Answered the question.
P3: What is Young’s modulus of elasticity?
Me: Answered.
P3: Are you sure it is stress by strain? Not the other way
around?
Me: No sir, I am sure.
P3: Is stress a destructive testing or a non-destructive one?
Me: Destructive as there is damage to the specimen. (Ex-
plained about how a stress test is conducted using the stress
vs strain graph and mentioned the fatigue and yield stresses.)
P1: What are the processes that a bill goes through in the par-
liament?
Me: Answered and said it requires two-thirds majority for it to
be passed and then, only the President’s signature is required
for it to be an Act.
P1: What if it doesn’t get two-thirds? What are the two hous-
es of parliament and what if one house opposes the bill and
the other house doesn’t?
Me: Answered the second question and said that I was not
sure with my answer on the first question.
P1: What is GST and what will it replace?
Me: Answered and mention the 14% criteria.
P3: Do you know any famous Menon since you are from the
Menon family?
Me: (Flabbergasted) Sir I know only one, who is my grandfa-
ther. He is an IAS officer, sir.
P3: What is his name?
Me: Answered.
P3: Ever heard of Krishnan Menon?
Me: (Didn’t know a basic GK qusetion) Sir, I don’t know sir.
P3: Hmm…We have a gap in GK.
Me: Return of the creepy smile.
P1: Okay you can go.
Me: Thank you, sir.
Interview lasted around 20 to 25 minutes. Well it was okay, I
guess. Apart from that Krishnan Menon question, the other
questions were answerable. Fingers crossed.
148
@fauxnom.
apodo
Venue: Hotel Monarch Luxur, Bangalore
Date and Time: 12th February, 2.00 pm
Profile: General, Non Engineer, Female
10th Score: 95.00% (CBSE)
12th Score: 97.20% (CBSE)
Grad Score: 71.85% (B.Com)
CAT: OA 97.99, QA 95.56, VA 97.71
The journey from a CA
to an MBA
149
IIM Lucknow Interview
GD Topic: Nothing is right, nothing is wrong, everybody has
a different opinion.
WAT Topic: 15 minutes. Decent attempt. Started with a lot
of ideas and gave 2 or 3 examples. I could not conclude that
well, but overall it was fine. (Maybe I took a slightly moralistic
stance.)
GD Experience: 10 minutes. Again a fairly decent attempt. I
was the 4th or 5th to speak, did not have a first mover advan-
tage, but I was very clear and loud, pitched in around 4 times,
and had a decent air time (maybe around 2 minutes overall).
Managed to give examples and modify flow of the GD when
everyone was just giving in random ideas in the first 2 min-
utes. Only negatives were that I cut in once when someone
was talking, and that nobody in our panel kept track of time
and concluded.
I had to wait for around 1 hour before I could to be called for
interview. I was of the assumption that the engineering crowd
would be hostile and the wait would be awkward but it turned
out totally different. I even met 1 person whom I had known
from PG. I also seemed to be the only non engineer in the
crowd of engineers.
Finally I was called in. Panellists were the same people who
moderated WAT and GD.
Panellist 1: Middle-aged professor
Panellist 2: Very young professor who was a lady.
P1: Please come in. (Immediately afterwards got busy on his
cell phone for the next 2 or 3 minutes.)
Me: (I smile, I approach the desk, hand over my documents,
start telling P2 which is what and she tells me, they’ll check it
out, no problem)
Let me tell you, in all IIM’s, especially
in IIM Lucknow, the course structure
is very rigorous. It is going to be a
another 2 years of slog.
P2: So, good afternoon. Let me just go through your profile
sheet. (goes through) Oh so doing CA, no you’ve finished CA.
Nice. Madras, Madras, Madras. Oh so you have lived in Ma-
dras your whole life? Not much moving out eh?
Me: Yes mam, born and brought up in Madras. However, I am
looking forward to moving out now.
P2: Oh why so?
Me: Well, looking for independence, new experiences, new
friends, new learning What better way than a B-School?
P2: (Smiles) So what are you doing now?
Me: I am working with a Financial Services start up which
provides non-structured CFO services to various other start
ups. We cater to all their accounting, financial, compliance, val-
uation, projection and various other needs.
P2: (Worried, checks my form) Why have you not claimed
this as work experience?
Me: I joined around a month back, mam, and at that time,
when I filled my form, I was actually not a part of the firm.
P2: A month back (thinks a bit, seems okay). So, University of
Madras, you had to go and come to college everyday?
Me: Mam, I pursued CA right after completing school, and
my degree is a distance education degree.
P2: (Checks the documents again) Oh, that’s right. So your
institute (of CA’s) has been nominated for Swacch Bharath
Abhiyaan.
Me: Yes mam, recently we have.
P2: What is your institute going to do about it?
Me: I am not aware what decision our executive body would
take, but there should be a communication from our central
office to regional offices soon.
P2: ICAI seems to be a very closed decision making body. So
many rules, principles, regulations.
Me: Yes mam, we have a code of conduct.
P2: Is it? Okay, tell me 3 points from your Code of Conduct.
Me: I start telling her, she cuts me when I am onto the 2nd
point.
P2: So this truth and fairness of Financial Statements, how do
you ensure that?
Me: (My experience of working with Delloite had prepared
me for this answer.) I start telling her right from planning to
individual FS line item verification and gave her an example
from the Revenue of a Manufacturing sector.
(She cuts in and asked me about how I can you ensure correct-
ness of revenue with a messed up service sector?)
I spoke to her about Service Agreements, Milestone Billing,
Time Booking, Rate Contracts etc. all of which help us cal-
culate and cross check Revenue. So I did not get to finish my
answer, but I did justice to all those diverting questions she
asked.)
P2: Tell me about Window Dressing, is it a reality?
Me: (My profession had been insulted in my previous inter-
views. So I was ready with a defensive answer.) Mam, it is a
reality, a very sad reality. It is unfortunate how such instances
can give my profession a bad name. But I have grown up in
an atmosphere of very ethical CA (my dad, my uncle, younger
brother who is currently pursuing) and I believe morally sound
CA’s far outnumber the dishonest ones. The future of the pro-
fession is very bright.
P2: So why don’t you stick to CA, you have already worked so
hard for CA qualification. And let me tell you, in all IIM’s,
especially in IIM Lucknow, the course structure is very rig-
orous. It is going to be a another 2 years of slog. Why MBA?
Me: My strengths are such that they would be brought out the
best in a managerial role…
P2: (Cuts in) Hey, give me an honest answer
Me: I see myself in the top management of a company. I see
myself making strategic decisions. During my articleship in
Deloitte, I had a good chance to study and understand the
implications of so many business decisions.
P2: Ahhhhh, so that attracted you to MBA?
Me: Yes mam.
150
P2: But your father must be having a firm. He does not want
you to take care of his firm, is it?
Me: Yes he has a firm, but in the recent year, he has scaled
down greatly and is now focusing a lot on teaching.
P2: (Seemed pleased) It is nice to see so many CA’s taking up
teaching. Even my neighbor is a CA, and I see so many stu-
dents come and go.
Me: Yes mam, there is high demand for quality CA classes.
P2: Good, good, I guess that would be all, unless sir has any-
thing to ask?
P1: So, when did you finish CA?
Me: Finished my Final in May 2014, and finished my article-
ship in August 2014.
P1: Okay, so what are your hobbies?
Me: In school I was involved in a lot of Debating, Public
Speaking, Creative Writing, Social Service. But my habit of
reading has stuck with me through till the very end. The last
book I read was a biography of Jacqueline Kennedy.
151
P1: Oh very nice. What did you learn from it?
Me: Well it was a very inspiring read. She broke all norms of
her times, of US high society. She had a full time job. Initially
as the busy wife of 2 very busy men John F Kennedy and Aris-
totle Onassis, both of whom she lost tragically, and afterwards,
she took on a full time job.
P1 and P2 look at each other: Okay, then, that will be all.
P1: (Smiles) It was a pleasure meeting you.
P2: (Smiles) Wish you all the best. (I move forward and offer
my hand to both of them. I shake hands and smile.)
P2: Collect your documents now.
As I collect my documents, my hands brushed the toffee bowl.
P1: (Grins at me) Please take a toffee.
Me: (I grin back) Thank you. Should I call in the next person?
P1: Oh no, I’ll take care of that.
Me: Bye, nice meeting you.
Flip for next Interview

152
@gets2017 IIM Lucknow Interview
WAT Topic: National Anthem be played in Cinema halls?

10th Score: 87.5% Two interviewers in the panel, one maybe 30 years old, and
other 50-60 years old.
12th Score: 82.01%
Graduation: 64.7%., EEE from NIT Bhopal P1: Asked me to tell about myself.
OA: 91.94 Me: Answered. They asked me to answer loudly since I was not
audible to them. (Which I did)
VA: 84.83
DI: 96.01 P2: Went through my file and asked me the reason for low
QA: 84.69 grades in college.
Work-Ex: 42 Months Me: Answered.

P1: So you have learnt economics and principles of manage-

A very strange interview
ment at college. Asked me questions from those. (Asked me
what are the principles of management and few other ques-
tions on the same.)
Me: Answered confidently (I brushed up on this topic the day
before the interview.)

P2: Asked me question related to switch gear. (The only core

question)
Me: I said I don’t know.

P1: Told me to name an artist from Kerala.

153
Asked me to contact the public relation cell of IIM Lucknow
and get name of few books related to economics.
Me: Raja Ravi Varma.
P1: Name one of his work.
Me: Shakuntala.
P2: Name any painting of his which is placed at the Mysore
palace.
Me: I don’t know.
P1: How do you rate your communication skills? (Not sure if
they were satisfied)
Me: I said I am trying to improve on the same.
P2: Asked me to contact the public relation cell of IIM Luc-
know and get name of few books related to economics. (Don’t
know why?)
Me: I asked which books and they told me the PR cell will let
me know.
P1: We are done, you can leave, all the best!
Me: Thank you sir.
A very strange interview. Hardly 10-15 minutes, no work ex-
perience related questions and not much core related questions.
I was the last one to be called in my set and people before me
were grilled for around 30-45 minutes.
I am confused, since this was my only old IIM call and I would
not be able to attend CAP interview.
Will this affect my admission to any new or baby IIMs (not
keeping any hopes for IIM L), as I am not sure if I performed
well at the interview.
154
@himanshuk15 IIM Shillong Interview
WAT Topic: Players should be careful about purple patches.

Date: 1/2/2016 PI Panel: M (Male Professor - in his 30’s), F (Female Pro-

fessor - in her 30’s). I was the last person in the panel to be
Slot: Morning, 8:45 AM
interviewed (my PI started at around 12:30 PM).

Tell me how pencil is F: Tell me something about yourself that you haven’t men-
tioned in the form.
Me: (Since I didn’t have more than 12 months of work-ex
made? by the time form was filled, I didn’t mention it in the form)
Started with my work experience, working in consulting, with
a pharma client, told more about my roles, my day to day work.

F: Tell me any recent analysis that you did?

Me: Told.

M: So you are a mechanical engineer, don’t you miss engineer-

ing? How are you using mechanical engineering in your work?
Me: Told that yes I am not using the technical part of it, but
apart from my technical learning, engineering taught me a lot
other things (analytical skills, problem solving skills and all the
clichéd fundas) that I find very useful in my work.

M: Tell me any 2 favourite subjects?

Me: IC Engine and Heat Transfer.

155
Tell me why is everyone against Kejriwal these days? Why BJP,
Modi, Jaitely are against Kejriwal?
M: (I am assuming he was a mech engg as well) Ohh Heat
Transfer, tell me what is LMTD.
Me: (Thinking why the hell did I say HT) Sir, it is some tem-
perature difference, later on remembered it to be logarithmic
mean temperature difference.
M: Why is it logarithmic? Why not linear?
Me: Gave some funda that rate of heat transfer holds some
kind of exponential relationship with Temperature difference.
Not convinced!
M: Assume you are a consultant, I am a pencil manufactur-
ing company. Tell me how pencil is made, and assume that I
am mech engineering and use all mechanical jargon that you
should use and don’t explain it in layman terms.
Me: (Trying to remember the manufacturing processes course
that made me sleep in the class) Could not recollect more than
drilling, grinding etc. Was unable to answer well here.
M: Tell me about northeastern states?
Me: Seven sisters?
M: Yeah name them?
Me: Told.
M: Is Sikkim a northeastern state as well? Do you think Sik-
kim enjoys the funds allotted for northeastern states?
Me: I am not 100% sure but I think yes it forms a part of
North Eastern states.
M: Tell me why is everyone against Kejriwal these days? Why
BJP, Modi, Jaitely are against Kejriwal?
Me: Told that he was not supposed to fall into mainstream
politics, how he is recently doing such things like politics on
caste (citing some examples from Rohit Vermula’s case).
M: Why is there a conflict between Jaitley and Kejriwal?
Me: Told about DDCA Scam, several cross questions fol-
lowed, was able to answer most of them.
M: What do you do in your leisure time?
Me: Told about hobbies, sports etc.
F: You got a scholarship for your engineering from GOI, don’t
you think that’s a cheating on them that you are not giving it
back and are working with some consulting firm?
Me: Told that I got scholarship from GOI, not some technical
department, even after consulting or even after my MBA, I’ll
be giving it back to the country and contributing to the GDP
of the nation.
M and F: Thank you very much! Have candies.
Me: Thank you! took two and came out.
156
 For a creativity boost, stare at this page for 20 minutes.

157
NEW IIMs GDPI
EXPERIENCES

158
@glory0507 IIM CAP Interview
Venue: The process took place at hotel Monarch Luxor. In-
terviews for IIM A and IIM K were happening on some oth-
CAT: 99.71%ile er floors and I felt like going there and asking what was my
fault. But then I remembered my 12th marks and proceeded to
10th Score: 92%
where the cap interviews were being held.
12th Score: 72%
Graduation: 69% Process: It was a two-step process. First, a written ability test
and second a personal interview.
Work-Ex: 18 Months
WAT Topic: Rise of obesity in urban India and its causes, ef-

Are people cursing us? fects and solutions.

Brief: Started with defining the problem, followed it up with

possible causes (sleep patterns, lack of fitness awareness, fast
food culture), threw some light on solutions and concluded
with a few lines of motivation like, “we must act for a healthier
India and we must act now. If we fail to act, we lose out on the
advantage of demographic dividend on which we are banking
heavily to carry India’s growth story forward.”

PI: All the people who had gone without me had been asked
some questions either on academics or current affairs. Howev-
er, I had a totally different experience.

Panelists: 3 Male (P1, P2, P3)

159
As I enter:
P2: So tell me what is the mood outside, what are they talking
about. What feedback did you receive from the previous in-
terviewees?
Me: Sir, the initial reactions have suggested that the interviews
are focused on academics and current affairs.
P3: It’s so late, are people cursing us?
Me: No, those waiting are anxious but none have cursed.
P2: What inspires you?
Me: Start talking about how I am a self-motivated individual.
Tells me that this is the last question
and what would I do I am not able to
get through this year?
P2: Cuts in between, tells me that he is tired and he has had a
long day. Asks me to give an enterprising and honest answer.
Me: I tell him that one has various sources for motivation. I
am very much inclined towards you tube videos and various
success stories. Reiterate my point about finding motivation
within myself.
P2: You did not hear the question, I asked who motivates you?
Me: I talk about Virat Kohli, and how his daily routine has
helped him succeed. How his energy is infectious and how
much professionalism he has brought into his life. Seems con-
vinced.
P1 steps in: So what are your hobbies?
Me: Talk about my hobbies, singing, blogging, teaching.
P1: Asks what I have done to give back to society?
Me: Tells about CSR, charity and an event I organized where
2000 eyes were pledged.
P3: Seems to have knowledge about it asks which hospital was
it associated it with.
Me: Told.
P1: So why are you marks low (read 72%) in 12th? you have
done well in ICSE (read 92) considered tough and not so well
in CBSE.
Me: I told that the marks are deceptive and that it was a marked
improvement on my performance in class 11th. (Laughs all
around). I then move on to tell him that why I felt I scored low.
Seems satisfied to an extent.
P1: Asks why I want to do an MBA?
Me: Told the revised answer. Talk further about how it is
something that is planned and not just out of thin air. I talk
about my preferred specialization. I further add about the ver-
ified certification I did from university of British Columbia in
marketing.
P2: Asks the name of the professors who took the course. And
the center which gave the course (the university has two cen-
ters)?
Me: Told.
P2: Asks me 4 P’s of marketing.
Me: Told.
P2: Asks me to explain them with respect to MCD.
Me: Told.
P2: Tells that only 2 are correct and asks me to read more
about the other two.
Me: I tell him that I am learning and that I am a novice bound
to improve. Assure him that I will do the same. (Upon check-
ing I saw what I told was correct.)
P1: Tells me that this is the last question and what would I do
I am not able to get through this year?
Me: Tell him that although I still have a job, I would be sur-
prised if I do not make it this year considering the amount of
hard work I have put in.
P1: Asks me my CAT percentile.
Me: Tells 99.71 with sectionals 98+.
P1: Jokingly tells where I missed 2 questions?
Me: Told, also went on to say that did 2 really silly mistakes. (I
think this was a mistake should not have said anything.)
Also told that although I have made few mistakes in the past, I
have done some real good work be it CAT or my professional
life. Also told that a lot of sweat and blood has gone into the
preparations and me sitting in front of them was a testament
to that and it would be a dream realized if I am able to make
it to the double I’s.
All three of them shake hands and tell it was nice talking to
you. I thank them and wish them a good day.
PS: Had prepared a lot of current affairs and academics but
the interview did not touch those areas and was more like a
general conversation and hence my scepticism. Do not know
what to make of it.
160
@chinmay IIM CAP Interview
WAT Topic: Despite Bollywood movies being women centric,

gunthey
do you think the role of women has changed in society?

Decent WAT, not above average though. Ab aati h PI ki baari.

I was last in my group. Panel of 2 males.
Date: 1st March, Forenoon shift
Location: Delhi (Started with saying good morning)

P1: Good morning, how are you feeling?

Ever heard of LAL, BAL Me: Fine, Sir.

and PAL? P1: I am asking you this because you are last in your panel.
How do you feel about that?
Me: I have a neutral perspective regarding the same. I don’t
think being the last one matters.

P1: So you must have gained a lot of knowledge sitting out-

side, asking your fellow members about what we are asking in
the interview.
Me: I was curious and hence I did ask. But I believe that ques-
tions vary from person to person due to varying profiles, so
these are of no help.

P2 takes the complete folder from my hand. Ab kahaani

mazedaar banegi…

161
P1: Looks at my residential address and asks…Shastri nagar…
who is this Shastri?
Me: Don’t know Sir.
P1: I will help you. He is so famous and have so many colonies
named after him…let me give you a hint. Ever heard of LAL,
BAL, PAL? Try to make out the names.
Me: Lal bahadur Shastri, Bal Gangadhar Tilak…
P1: Try the third one too…try to remember.
Me: Sorry Sir, not able to.
P2: LAL is not Lala Lajpat Rai? Are you sure?
So, what was the policy by which the
Goa people got Indian citizenship
after Portuguese left?
P1: So, okay. Tell me the names of people who were hanged
along with Bhagat Singh?
Me: Not able to recall, but know that Chandrashekar Azad
committed suicide.
P1: When? Before or after Bhagat Singh’s execution?
Me: Before.
P1: What was his real name?
Me: Don’t know.
P2: So you did internships at various places. Tell me about
them.
Me: Told. (One was carried out at solid state physics lab, Del-
hi.)
P2: Name few famous personalities in Solid State Physics.
Me: Sir, my background was nanotech, so don’t know.
P2: What’s difference between order and degree?
Me: Told.
P1 & P2 both laughed at me saying you are saying degree is
order and order is degree!
P2: What is this brain mapping techniques? (Subject tha)
Me: Gave a few examples like CT, MRI etc.
P2: What is fuzzy logic in artificial intelligence? (Subject tha)
Me: Don’t know. But I know the monkey banana prob. Told
them about it.
P2: Your extra curricular?
Me: Football.
P1: Asked 2 or 3 ques which I answered correctly.
P1: Where is Cristiano Ronaldo from? Relation to India?
M: Portugal. He had an alleged affair with Bipasha Basu.
P1: I was asking about Portugal and India connection.
Me: They ruled a part of India (Goa) in the past.
P1: So, what was the policy by which the Goa people got Indi-
an citizenship after Portuguese left?
Me: No idea sir.
P1: Okay. Tell me a current affair topic, I will ask you question
on that.
Me: No preference as such. Have the basic idea of all ongoing
events.
P1: Name one.
Me: Infosys saga told.
P1: Name of Narayan Murthys son?
Me: Don’t know.
P1: Who wrote the Rashtrageet of India?
Me: Rabindranath Tagore. ( I know wrong hai.)
P1 and P2 grilled me on this. Explained the diff between
Rashtrageet and Rashtragaan.
P1: You have such low academics. Calls kaise aa gaye tumko
new IIMs se? Category k ho kya?
Me: Sir, minimum 60 is required. Utna mera hai. General cat-
egory haia meri.
P1: Preference of new IIMs? Other calls?
Me: Told.
P1: FMS se call kaise aa gya. Shocking. Kya join kroge fir
FMS ya new IIM?
Me: FMS academics based call nhi karte. In all honesty, first
priority FMS and then IIM Ranchi.
P1: Okay. Thanks. You may go.
To conclude, humaari acche se maar li gayi aaj. Jaatey jaatey
bhi humko mock kiya gaya. Definitely stress interview tha. Ab
new IIMs se officialy naata bhi toot gaya. MDI and FMS k liye
bahut hee shandaar morale breaker tha ye. Shayad hi convert
ho paaye koi B-School is baar.
All the best to everyone else!
162
@devesh10 IIM CAP Interview
WAT: Mahatma Gandhi said “Non-violence is the greatest
force at the disposal of mankind. It is mightier than the might-
iest weapon of destruction.” How does this fit in today’s world?
What are trade unions? PI: 3 panelists (All male)

P1: Tell me something about yourself.

Me: Started to speak. (Interrupted)

P1: Tell me something interesting about yourself.

Me: Talked about my projects, one of them involved some-
thing to do with brain.

P2: Tell me about the brain project.

Me: Told.

P2: What were your favourite subjects in your undergrad?

Me: Told. (OOPS)

P2: Some questions on what is OOPS and how is it used?

Me: Told.

P2: What have you studied related to Management in the un-

dergrad?
Me: Industrial Management.

163
P2: What are trade unions? Name some of them working in Me: Gave some answer blah blah
India?
Me: Don’t know. (P3 played quickfire GK)

P2: You seem to have a sketchy knowledge. If I say this, will P3: Governor of Punjab? Governor of Haryana? Currency of
it be true? Indonesia? Some questions on Niti Ayog.
Me: On some subjects, but on some I am strong too. Me: Answered some of them.

P2: What are your strongest subjects? P1: Future Plans?

Me: Software Engg, Programming. (Some questions on soft- Me: Told.
ware engineering, answered.)
Thanks. You may go.
P2: Why MBA? You seem to be a good CS engineer?

164
@cpandya23 IIM CAP Interview
WAT Topic: “Today’s age is the age of man”. Describe impacts
of mankind on environment, atmosphere and wildlife through
Venue: Mumbai various examples. Wrote a decent essay with some examples
and recent actions.
Date: 21 Februaury
Slot: 12:30 pm (However it was delayed (Guys while preparing for WAT please ensure the time limit
by 1.5 hours) you set is of 15 minutes because I and many other guys in my
panel felt that the introduction of WAT topic and instructions
time are included in 20 minutes.)
What did you learn PI: 2 interviewers 1 female and 1 male. (I was last in my panel)

from Freakonomics? M: So Mehintan, what you were doing for the last 1.5 hrs?
Me: Actually this is not the first time I have been the last in my
panel, so I am accustomed to the process.

M: What do you think the reason behind that?

Me: I don’t think there would be any specific reason behind
that. (Wanted to tell more about what I was doing but he
started asking next question.)

M: Tell me about yourself.

Me: Told.

F: Some relevant questions on my hobbies. (I have mentioned

165
cricket.)
Me: Answered. F: What is the recent book you read?
Me: Freakonomics.
M: Asked about final year project.
Me: Told. F: That’s the book launched like 5 years ago why are you read-
ing it now?
Me: I have been inclined towards finance since the last 1.5
What is the recent international years. (M cut me off in between)
event that can impact the IT industry?
M: What did you learn from Freakonomics?
(Working for an IT firm) Me: Told. (Gave 2-3 examples)

F: Looking at the certificates where are your extracurricular M: Expressionless.

certificates? Dikhana nahi hai?
Me: I have put them in different folder did not want to make F: What is the recent international event that can impact the
a congested file. IT industry (Working for an IT firm)
Me: Told about stringent H1B visa norms.
(Gave her some extracurricular certificates she was not im-
pressed.) M: I think we are done. Thank you.

F: Seems like you have not done much activities in your
school/college time.
Me: I have done activities but I don’t have certificates for that.
(Told about organizing tournaments in college and show some
certificates of participation in company sports event.)
Since I was last no toffies to biscuits.
Overall average performance, could have told more about ex-
tracurricular activities but didn’t have certificates to back that.

166
@anonymous IIM CAP Interview
WAT: More than 50% of people who study medicine are
women. Yet, only 17% of them practice medicine. What do
10th Score: 72% you think about this disparity? How will you redress this issue?
Wrote something. couldn’t think much.
12th Score: 68%
Graduation: 66% I’m the 1st one to be interviewed. There were 2 professors both
CAT: 85.12 (NCOBC) of them are 40+ . Let one be P1 and other be P2.
VA: 76.05
P1: Looks jovial.
DI: 77.73 P2: Not strict but kinda silent. Probably watching my man-
QA: 90.06 nerism
Work-Ex: 7 Months Me: Clueless

(GRE/GMAT/SAT instructor - Quant) P1 called me in greeted them and he asked me to take a seat.

P1: How do you think MBA will influence your personal life?
You opted for Me: Answered why MBA.

Engineering on your P1: (Interrupted in between) I asked you in your personal life.
Me: Coming to that sir, explained.

own or someone P1: What are the colors in our National Flag?

pushed you into this? Me: Answered.

P1: Significance?

167
Me: Saffron: Hindus, White: Peace and Green: Muslims. So Me: Answered and explained.
peace between Hindus and Muslims. (Based on random idi-
otic FB post) P1: Tell me something that is not there in your personal form.
Me: I am Dhanushan.
P1: Is that so? (In a mocking tone)
Me: Sir, white represents peace. Green is for prosperity. P1: That is there in the form.
Me: (Smiled sheepishly) Told about my interest in breeding
P1: Much better than Hindu Muslim thing. Saffron? and raising fresh water ornamental fishes. And what I do.
Me: Sorry Sir couldn’t recollect.
P1: So you cross breed?
P2: Color of the Asoka chakra? Me: No Sir, line breeding.
Me: Blue.
P1: What is the difference?
Me: Explained.
Did you study biology in your school
days? I wanna ask you this question P2: Why is it necessary?
Me: Explained.
because you breed fishes.
P2: What is a trait?
P2: Significance? Me: Explained.
Me: Sorry sir couldn’t recollect.
P1: What else you do?
P2: What is this XXX in your personal form (NAME OF MY Me: Cook.
COMPANY)
Me: Explained. P1: Those fishes?
Me: No Sir, not them. They are ornamental.
P2: So you teach math?
Me: Yes. P1: How is the fishing industry in your place?
Me: Explained. (I knew a bit because my cousin is running a
P2: Answer this question. When a number is increased by 5 it fish farm.)
should be divisible by some x, y, z numbers. Couldn’t remem-
ber the numbers. Gimme 1 such number. P1: Did you study biology in your school days? I wanna ask
Me: (Y such a question? After all we cracked CAT, so we will you this question because you breed fishes.
be doing it for sure) Still answered and explained. Me: Yes Sir.

P2: What is the probability that there will be 53 Sundays in a P1: What is the difference between dominant and recessive
leap year? traits?
Me: Answered & explained. Me: Explained. (As much as I could recollect.)

P1: Are you interested in sports? P1: So what do you do in your college other than studying?
Me: Not much Sir. Me: Told about being a treasurer in my department.

P1: Do you know how a round robin tournament and knock P1: Some questions about my role and how I conducted
out tournament works? events?
Me: Yes. Me: Explained.

P1: Say there were 128 teams in a knock out tournament. Are
required to recognize the winner?
(I started writing 64, 32 in my scratch paper.)
P1: This is fine. But this is the shrewd way of doing this ques-
tion. Try to answer without using maths.
P1: So after all those fishing and events. No wonder your
marks are low. I don’t wanna ask any question from your grad-
uation.
(I secretly felt happy, guess he had read my thoughts)
P1: You opted for engineering on your own? Or someone

168
pushed you into this? (Keeping about Oscars in mind. Don’t wanna put myself into
Me: (Badly want to say yes, but still refrain myself from doing trouble)
so) It’s not like someone pushed me into it. I was young then
so after getting suggestions from people I know I opted for it. P1: Tamil?
Me: Yes.
P1: Favourite subject?
Me: Semiconductor devices. P1: No problem, every 1 has their opinion. Give me 2 current
affairs?
P1: Let it be…When you are doing MBA, you need have a Me: JNU and JAT agitation.
proper track of current affairs and will you be able to manage
that? After all you didn’t even know what is the significance of P1: Anything common between these 2 issues?
color saffron in our flag? Me: Both are threat to our nation.
Me: Sir, I have been reading news, being active in quora, I do
see encapsulated videos. And I started developing interest in it. P1: When I fuelled my car and roamed aimlessly. Even this is
a threat because I’m wasting the resources. Tell me something
P1: Your favourite domain? Like politics, business, econom- else?
ics, cinema, sports? Me: Told that it has some political motive and give my views
Me: Politics Sir. on it.

P1: What about cinemas and sports? Ain’t interested in that? P1: Thank you. You can leave now.
Me: I like cinemas too. But I watch mostly regional movies. Me: Thank You.

169
Flip for next Interview

170
@tamban IIM CAP Interview
WAT Topic: Distance equals disaffection.

Wrote about both schools of thought i.e. Absence makes the

You are a debater. heart grow fonder and out of sight, out of mind. One friend
got “Not everyone has the same fun under the Sun.”

Debate this! I was the second one to be interviewed. The girl who was inter-
viewed before me literally stumbled out of the interview room.
I personally thought she looked like an Alice who had been
booted out of wonderland.

I greeted the panel and handed them my file. They asked me

to sit.

P1: You say your weakness is that you are too frank. What’s
that all about?
Me: Talked about how sometimes being diplomatic helps and
that I haven’t yet honed that skill. (Even if by some miracle of
God, I had missed saying this, they would have known so by
the end of the interview.)

P2: (He’s definitely taken exception to the word diplomatic. I

am cringing at my own foolishness.) Isn’t speaking your mind
a good thing?
Me: I say that is can be when one considers the circumstances.

171
However, if the given frankness hurts the sentiments of others
without doing anything for their benefit, one should keep shut.
In matters of ethics, one shouldn’t show such hesitation and
definitely speak up.
P1: Okay, what do you think of new IIMs? Be undiplomatic.
Me: Gave the most undiplomatic answer known to mankind
considering that IIMS is relatively new itself. Talked about
how it is a bad move. Skimmed over the though of brand di-
lution and how we should abuse and use the IIM brand only
after appropriately arming the new IIMs with good faculty
and infrastructure.
Given the balance sheet of two
companies, how will you ascertain
which is better positioned?
P2: You talked about education. What is primary, secondary,
and tertiary education?
Me: Told.
P2: What can be done to improve the education system?
Me: We should move on from ‘right to education’ to ‘giving the
right education’. Talked about student:teacher ratio and educa-
tional content. Quoted some stats for good measure. Brought
in a thought experiment as well.
P2: You studied international business. Tell me the difference
between World Bank and IMF.
Me: Mixed up both their definitions. But said it with such
cheerful aplomb that even the interviewer got confused!
P1: Okay, what news have you been reading?
Me: Devaluation of Yuan, Falling Oil Prices, Rohit Vemula’s
unfortunate death.
P2: Do you think he was a Dalit?
Me: Sir, according to SC’s ruling, if a person identifies with
the caste of his mother, and bears the brunt of such a caste, and
faces all the obstacles of the said caste, she/he can be called a
Dalit. Based on this, he is a Dalit. In his suicide note he even
talks about the fatality of his birth.
(By this time, P1 has lost interest and is grading the WAT of
the candidates. I am slightly hurt by his inconsideration but I
guess he has a long day ahead of him.)
P2: Given the balance sheet of two companies, how will you
ascertain which is better positioned?
Me: I would look at the accounting ratios.
P2: If I give the same information to some other person, what
would he say? Would your views differ?
Me: Sir, it would depend on what we seek from this perusal. If
I am looking for investment.
P2: You both are looking at the ratios.
Me: Sir, then since the formulas for the ratios are fixed, we will
not differ in our calculations. For example.
P2: (Interrupted) State three problems that Delhi faces.
Me: Collapsing under the weight of its infrastructure. Improp-
er drainage system. People’s apathy and littering. Also, pollu-
tion.
P2: Isn’t that what every urban city faces? Anything specific
to Delhi?
Me: MCD problem of fund allocation, I guess. I am unsure of
what that is though.
P2: What’s an emerging market economy?
Me: Told. (At this point I do wonder how one can make eye
contact with a panelist who has his eyes downcast!)
P2: Is China a developed economy?
Me: It isn’t.
P2: Why?
Me: Sir, it is a developing economy. The per capita income is
still low.
P2: That’s low is the US too. Is US also not developed?
Me: (Thinking whether US’s per capita income really is low?)
Sir, it definitely is. However, China is too dependent on man-
ufacturing.
P2: Service sector contributes 70% to India’s GDP. So, are we
developed? You are a debater. Debate this.
Me: (I knew he was running around in circles and trying to
put words in my mouth) Sir, the thing is, for a country to be
truly developed, it shouldn’t depend on just one sector. All of
its sectors should healthily contribute towards development.
P2: What are your hobbies?
Me: Told.
P2 (Who else) Okay. Thanks. Take a candy. Shut the door af-
ter yourself.
Me: Thanks.
I forget to shut the door. P2 is already halfway out of his seat
and looks pissed off when I remember to run back and shut
the door.
172
@destinys IIM CAP Interview
WAT Topic: Why youngsters don’t take part in politics active-

child
ly. How can they take part, suggest some points.

I was the first one to be called for interview, so when P1 came

Venue: Jay Pee Siddarth, Rajendra
Palace,New Delhi
Slot: 12:30 PM, 03/03/2016
outside to call, I was again not around, was drinking water, I
politely said him I am coming from around 30 metres.
Interview: Just when I entered. (Smiling)
P1: Tell me, are you always this much casual?

Are you always this Me: No sir. I don’t take things literally. I was sweating because
I had to run a bit to reach as I was running late.

much casual? P1: Why so?

Me: Sir because of this Jat Quota stir, today some transporta-
tion problem was there on GT Road . Even shops were closed
at my place. Couldn’t make photocopies too.

P2: Is everything alright? Road ab thik toh hai. Chalu toh hai
na (He was worried, I guess he had to go home)?
Me: Yes sir all fine now I guess.

P1: What is your take on demands on Jat quota?

Me: Rata rataya gyan. How uneducated third persons are do-
ing things in the name of quota and stuff.

173
P2: How do you rate your college XYZ, is it the best in Hary-
ana?
Me: No sir, not the best. There is NIT kurukshetra after that
It can be counted.
P2: Were there any casualties?
Me: Told.
P1: Any work-ex ? (Told) Still working? (No sir, left in July)
Why?
Me: Actually sir I am central excise & customs inspector now.
About to join in a month.
Still yaar you can do executive MBA
from any other good college side by
side. Itni hurry kya hai?
P2 : Are. Then why are you coming here ? Kitna package hai ?
(Sir round 7.5 Lakhs including the perks) 50k se upar hi hoga
na. Kyu aa rhe ho yahan.
Me: Sir for me, at this learning stage of my life, education
comes first, jobs I can do at any point of time of life, but if I
get education here now I can apply that knowledge to my life
including 2 additional years.
P2: Still yaar you can do executive MBA from any other good
college side by side. Itni hurry kya hai?
Me: No sir, the quality of full time MBA from IIMs is un-
matched and I am still young I have time to do FT MBA,
Moreover I can do Job after 2 years too, I can crack exam two
years later too, I have caliber.
P1: Hmm still I would recommend you the other.
P2: Why should we take you?
Me: Sir I come from a diverse background, I am a chemical
engineer with work-ex in IT then would be working as ex-
cise inspector, I can easily mix with people and can be a great
peer with background of diversity. I am very quick learner have
been adapting myself to situations since childhood.
P1: Opens second semester marksheet. Okay, tell me what
you read in Process Engineering Economics.
Me: Waited for 4 seconds then told that read different situa-
tion based projects to come to yields and essentials of differ-
ent processes to come to different cost analytic conclusions (I
didn’t know what I read btech was dabba).
P2: Okay, write some methods, take this notepad. Take this
pen (I interrupted and said sir I have my own pen).
Me: Mann toh kar rha tha notepad pe battaq and jhopdi bna
dun. Then thought inko ghanta pta hoga, lekin ye bhi nh pta
tha likhu kya. Koi method kabhi padha ho to likhu. Actual-
ly sir there is nothing to be written. It was like. Suppose you
(pointing to P1) and I are making benzene. There are three
ways to make it depending on the location and availability of
resources and the given conditions, cost analysis is done and
quality wise decision is made as per requirement.
P1: So there was no such method?
Me : Nothing as such I remember.
P1: Okay do you remember there was a news few years back
some XYZ guy made a fridge from clay which worked abso-
lutely fine.
Me: No idea sir but he must have used some isolated system.
Then said must be like a MATKA.
P1: Yes he put water above and below the clay.
Me: Yes sir then the temp would have become constant and
vegetables would remain at constant temperature. (Convinced)
Everyone smiling.
P1: Last question, which IIM would you prefer?
Me: All are same, Ranchi is good, Udaipur is good, Rohtak I
might have to ponder about.
P1: Why? Vo infact sabse paas hai?
Me: Sir I have seen the situation with my bare eyes. Who
knows there might be a strike again. And they are targeting
things which affect gov the most.
P1: Why would it happen again?
Me: Sir, this is not settled everyone of us knows that, With this
hooliganism, Jats will never be given quota as it will give rise
to other castes in different states too as doing crime to meet
some not so justified demand, our system can be unjust but not
blind. And with that it is bound to happen again!
(Was about to leave)
P1: One more question. Any extracurricular activity?
Me: Chess, Tennis in Infosys.
P1: Anything National or Olympiad or sports?
Me: (Thinking bhai pass to mushqil se hue hain gali mei kutte
bhi nhi jante kahan se national) No sir I play cricket every day
to keep body sound. That’s all.
174
@phantom666 IIM Trichy (CAP) Interview
I liked the interview. Interviewers were very friendly and jo-
vial. As you’ll see I answered less than half that too many were
incorrect. But somehow I feel okay. Any feedback is welcome.
Name a country with P: Hi how’re you?

more than one capital? Me: I’m fine sir.

P: Tell me about yourself.

Me: Tells about school, college, achievements. (Cuts in be-
tween)

P: You say you’re in the radio club? What did you do?
Me: Organised shows, spoke about college issues like mess
food, hostels etc and also played songs.

P: So you were like the leader of Protestants in college?

Me: No sir. (Laughs)

P: Gives a time vs distance graph. Asks to explain. (Difficult)

Me: Don’t know sir.

(Among themselves): See our education system such good

marks doesn’t know this. (Laughs)

P: Define limit and right hand left hand limit. Writes some

175
complex equation. Explain. P: Do you know Nelson Meandela?
Me: Don’t know Sir. Me: Yes sir, he was the president of South Africa.

P: Why not metallurgy, why MBA? P: What is he known as?

Me: More responsibilities, challenges compared to core jobs. Me: South African Gandhi?
Core jobs only in plants not in cities.
P: Name some other people known as “gandhi”?
P: But Ranchi, Udaipur, Kashipur not big cities. Me: Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan. (Frontier Gandhi)
Me: Sir it’s better to study 2 years in a small town than to work
30 years in a plant. P: And?
Me: ( Jokingly) Rahul Gandhi.
You said you like football. Which team
P: (Laughs) How is he related to Mahatma?
does Martin Luther King play for? Me: Don’t know sir.

P: Names 20 people in high posts without MBA. How do you P: What else do you like?
explain this? Me: I like football and cooking.
Me: Sir they are extraordinary exceptions. MBA is irreplace-
able. Even now when an investor invests in a company they P: You like cocaine? What?
count the number of PPM employees. Me: Sir cooking.

P: But to your gen MBA is a joke. Explain. P: So do you know a song called cocaine? Who sang it?
Me: Sir, I still feel MBA is a very prestigious degree and can- Me: Eric Clapton.
not be done away with.
P: So what do you cook?
P: What is integration? Me: Chinese and Indian. I also make good Hyderabadi Biry-
Me: Area under curve ani.

P: Draw a curve, integrate. P: What is the capital of Cambodia?

Me: Integration of f(x) dx. Me: Laos?

P: What is f(x)? P: So you mean to say the capital of a country is another coun-
Me: Function of x. try?
Me: I don’t know sir.
P: What is a function?
Me: There are many types of functions. Even, addition, multi- P: So do you want to be a leader or a manager?
plication… Me: Manager.

P: Haha, Addition? Okay leave it. Name a country with more P: Why not leader?
than one capital. Me: Sir, I feel leadership is innate.
Me: Australia?
P: So you don’t have leadership skills?
P: What? Me: Sir I do, but I’ll be a bad leader. But with the right guid-
Me: Would like to change my answer to South Africa. ance, I can be a great manager.

P: So, South Africa is the capital of Australia? P: What is the full form of B.tech?
Me: No sir the answer to the previous question is South Africa. Me: Bachelor in technology.

P: You said you like football. Which team does Martin Luther
King play for?
Me: Sir Martin luther King was an American politician who
led the movement for rights of black people.
P: Is it not bachelor of technology?
Me: I don’t know sir.
P: So you’re not a bachelor “of ” technology? Checks certifica-
tion. (Didn’t have a certificate had a bronze medal)

176
P: Why bronze? Now the best part.
Me: Because I came third sir.
P: So leaders and terrorists. They’re the same na? So tell me are
P: What is there in bronze? leaders terrorists or terrorists leaders?
Me: Copper and zinc? Me: Sir its very subjective.

P: Is it not tin? P: No no, look at Bin Laden excellent manager he’s a terrorist
Me: I’m not sure sir. na? So tell me are leaders terrorists or terrorists leaders?
Me: Sir it’s just one example cannot be generalised.
P: Why bronze and not brass?
Me: Bronze is more corrosion resistant has better machinabil- P: No todays company ka managers they send goons and all?
ity etc etc. So tell me are leaders terrorists or terrorists leaders?
Me: Sir there are terrorists, there are leaders in between there’s
P: What is atomic number of Copper? an intersection.
Me: Sir, I don’t know molecular weightt is 63.5.
P: Draws a venn diagram of leaders and terrorists. What is
P: Atomic number? this called?
Me: I don’t know sir. Me: Venn diagram.

P: What is the symbol of tin? P: Pointing to intersection of Leaders and Terrorists. You
Me: Sn. mean to say this?
Me: Yes sir.
P: Full form?
Me: Stannum. P: What is this?
Me: L intersection T.
P: Why tin is stannum?
Me: It’s the Latin name. P: Okay that’ll be all. You may go. Thank you.
Me: Thanks each one individually. Leaves.

177
Flip for next Interview

178
 Sign here, for no apparent reason.

179
NMIMS GDPI
EXPERIENCES

180
@abhishek NMIMS MBA Core Interview
GD Topic: In the wake of growing pollution in the country’s

bruno
Interview Date: 5th Feb, 1 PM
NMAT Score: 232
Don’t you think you
capital, how would you rate the ODD EVEN implementation
and the inconvenience caused? Chalk out a plan to improve
this strategy by including measures which may help curb down
the problem in hand.
Review: Since, it was a very debatable topic with everyone
boiling to voice out their view, the GD very soon lost its vigour
(although, I won’t call it a fish market). The good part was that
somehow we managed to arrive on the consensus. But before
the final plan could get completely chalked out, the panel de-

should go for M.Tech clared. “Time’s Over.’

instead of MBA? I managed to start the discussion by referring to the similar

plans that had been made in the past ( Julius Ceaser being the
first to implement it during 4th Century BC followed by the
recent examples of Paris and Beijing) and the long term im-
pact they had on the society and the environ of those places.

I pitched in a few more times with decent points. But most of

the time I was paying attention to the points made by others. I
knew that I had done my job. And was aiming to keep it calm
and simple.

PI Review: 3 Panelist, Left, a man in his 50s (L); Middle, a

181
lady in 30s (M) and Right, a lady in late 40s (R).
Me: Greetings Panel.
All three of them smiled in return nodding their head.
M: (Who was doing some paper work gave me a nod and
asked me to take my seat) So tell me about yourself in short.
Me: Myself (name)…from (hometown). After the completion
of my graduation in Computer Engineering, I worked for (IT
company’s name) as a Software Test Engineering for Data
warehouse Projects. I have done a white paper in “topic name”
which was successfully published in an international journal
(journal’s name). Apart from this, I have a keen interest in mo-
tor cycle trips. I have done a solo trip from Bangalore to Lada-
kh covering over 5 km on my two wheels.
L: Did you do this white paper while you were in college?
Me: No sir. I worked on it while I was working with my com-
pany.
Whats the most important lesson
that you derived from this trip which
you will bring to the class?
L: So, how was this topic related to the area of your work?
Me: (My topic was based on Opinion Mining for which I had
made a web application. It involved the concept of NLP and
data mining.) I explained him how my job being a test engi-
neering and data analytics revolved around handling data and
realising its importance in nowadays with the concepts of Big
Data and SMAC coming up so big. Moreover, while I was
going through a white paper in which the author had tried to
predict the mood of the shares just by analysing meaningful
tweet (such is the power of social media), I got an insight of
delving deep into the topic.
R: So what methodology did you use?
Me: Explained.
R: Is it just theoretical research or have you worked on some
stats also?
Me: It is a web application wherein I used Netbeans as the
platform. I have done my statistical research on the reviews for
banks like Axis, HDFC and few others.
R: What kind of parser did you use?
Me: Stanford parser. (Explained)
R: Why Stanford parser, why not bag of words?
Me: Explained her the reason which revolved around the typi-
cal dependencies provided by the Stanford parser.
(She seemed content)
M: You are doing good in your IT field, dont’ you think you
should go for M.Tech instead of MBA. (Why MBA?)
Me: Explained how being a test engineering helped me in in-
teracting with the clients…understanding the business scenar-
ios and it was this aspect of my work which I loved the most.
So MBA became an obvious choice of bridging this gap.
M: Dealing with clients for a business scenario is different,
and clinching or sealing the deal is completely a different sce-
nario. How will you survive it?
Me: Explained how when I was the vice chairperson of the
fest, sponsorship fell in my bucket…how I lured the compa-
nies which had never sponsored for us before…my strategies
of negotiations…and how after the fest I sent a CD to those
companies who had turned us down, capturing the good mo-
ments of the fest in…how the sponsor companies were ben-
efited.
M: Do you read newspaper on a daily basis if yes then when
do you do it?
Me: I prefer The Indian Express and go through it during my
leisure hours.
M: Tell me one recent news about your company?
Me: Told, how my company filed a request for going for IPO
few days back and recently it was approved for 2000 crore by
SEBI.
M: What do you know about CSR and how is your company
performing it?
Me: Explained CSR. Explained that last year my company had
invested Rs 76 crore equivalent to near about 1.44% of it. Told
about other initiatives taken by them and how they consider it
more of ISR (Individual social responsibility) than CSR.
L: Tell me about your bike trip. (4-5 back to back questions
from all three of them.)
Me: I started…they intervened and asked specific questions on
my trip itinerary which one could answer only if someone had
actually made it…which route did you take manali-leh ofrsri-
nagar-leh and why, starting and end point for a biker (zozi la
and baralacha la), talked about the tunnel that is being built on
that route, its connectivity and stuffs.
M: Whats the most important lesson that you derived from
this trip which you will bring to the class?
Me: I thought for a while, recalled few lines, the most difficult
part is to start. Once we start something, we realize that we
are smart enough to figure out things on the go. It is not that
182
intimidating as it appears.
L: So why did you leave your company on 22nd December?
Me: My last client was supposed to visit us and me having
a good rapport with them was asked to accompany them for
coming 15 days which would relocate me to Bangalore for
this tenure. However, I was having my XAT exam on 3rd Jan,
183
which I couldn’t afford to miss. So I had to choose between
my job and the exam and I having made my mind to go for
the MBA this year, I stuck with my later choice and decided
to take this risk.
L: So did you get a call from XLRI?
Me: Yes Sir!
Flip for next Interview

184
@sidd_shah NMIMS MBA Core Interview
GD Topic: An antiques collector has a very important artifact

1992
which is believed to be bringing good luck to a tribe in the
Amazon. But there is no scientific proof. If you are the collec-
tor, would you give the artifact back to the tribe?

Interview Date: 6th Feb, Morning Slot. Review: 12 candidates to a group. I was 10th. But the seating
NMAT Score: 210 arrangement was such that I was able to look at everyone and
was not at a corner. GD progressed smoothly. Everyone got
a chance to speak. Everyone started with “He should give it
Why MBA? You Should back” vs “He shouldn’t give it back”. I was the first one to weigh
pros and cons and verbally explain my thought process to the
do CFA Instead! panel and group. A number of people were looking at the pan-
el while saying their points. Whereas the norm is to look at
everyone in the group. I looked at every single person while
giving the points. I started speaking after the first 3 minutes as
everyone who were eager to speak, finished and there was a lull.
I seized the opportunity and spoke for a good 2 minutes. An-
other thing I did was to listen intently by looking at the person
speaking and giving facial and verbal confirmations like “hmm,
yes, exactly” and smiling when a valid point was made and/or
when anybody supported my statements and even when they
contradicted my statements. On every valid point, I would jot
down what was me and took note of what was me and what
was left. This helped me streamline what I had to say instead of
just rambling on random statements. In the middle, say about

185
8 minutes into the GD, I gave a new point which was kind
of an inference from a statement. And that was my star line
as the GD got a new point to ponder over. I would definitely
count that as a brownie point. Towards the end, everyone got a
chance to conclude and was the second to last person to speak
and I, given everyone believes what we have discussed, we can
conclude xxxxxx.
Special Points for GD: Smile. Smile when the panel arrives.
Smile when they look at you. Say thank you when they give you
the GD paper. Do not attack anybody, you will get a chance
to speak. Say valid points. Look at the group while speaking.
You are discussing the case with the, not with the panel. Listen
intently. Listening helps not to repeat important points which
have already been me once or twice. Be original. Say original
points and give original inferences. The GD is meant for you
to display your analytical, people, vocab and public speaking
skills. Being polite gives brownie points too.
PI Review: I entered the room after knocking and asking per-
mission. I was told to sit. I only remember a few questions as
there was a barrage of questions from go time.
Panel of 3: M1 55+, F1 55+, F2 45+.
F2: (On my internship) Is this a family concern from which
you have done your internship?
Me: Not immediate family, its my Mama’s firm. It’s an NBFC
registered with RBI.
F1: What is Mama called in English?
Me: Uncle.
F1: What uncle?
Me: Maternal Uncle.
Bureaucracy and bribery will be
everywhere. What makes you think
doing an MBA will take you away
from all this?
F2: Walk me through what you did after graduation.
Me: Explained, first studying for MBA entrances. Didn’t get
through. So uncle offered an internship as I was a finance stu-
dent. Did internship for 8 months. Then started an import-ex-
port firm. (All eyebrows raised). So then explained what all I
did in the company. Why shut down. Reasons: Bureaucracy
and bribery.
F2: Bureaucracy and bribery will be everywhere. What makes
you think doing an MBA will take you away from all this?
Me: No it won’t. But I won’t compromise on ethics and moral
even if it means shutting down a profitable business.
F2: What do you think about the current prices of dal in In-
dia? All the price rise?
Me: I think it is because of hoarding. In 2009 it was around
60/kg and now it’s shot upto 150/kg. Input costs have not risen
so much. Fuel has risen about 20%. So its the middlemen and
hoarders that are responsible.
I am doing CFA. I want to do MBA
because it will teach me the skills
needed in an organization.
F2: Do you think dal can be hoarded for so long? How long
can it be stored before rats infest.
Me: Our regular basmati rice are aged for 2-3 years before
consumption. So yes, dal can be stored too. You need proper
medication/box units to prevent insects and rats.
F1: So walk me through what next.
Me: I shut the business and started pursuing finance full time.
Learned technical analysis of stock markets, started a consul-
tancy where I advice clients on stock buying/selling. And I
completed FRM from US.
This is when M1 came in, who until now was out of the pro-
cess.
M1: Oh! so you completed FRM. You are certified?
Me: No just finished exams in consecutive attempts, not yet
certified so can’t call myself an FRM. Just cleared FRM Ex-
ams.
M1: Tell me what is negative duration? (Didn’t remember and
tried to say in my own words.)
Me: Told something about negative interest rates.
M1: What is it related to.
Me: Fixed income, bonds or fixed income funds.
F2: So why MBA? You should do CFA instead.
Me: I am doing CFA. I want to do MBA because it will teach
me the skills needed in an organization. It will help me relearn
basics and its like a finishing school for business skills. This is
where I can hone my existing skills and acquire new ones from
the diversity. The diversity is another factor. Our group has 3
IT people, 4 Civil engineers, 3 doing CA and me. This type of
diversity is what attracts me towards an MBA as it will help
me gets skills and knowledge from all of these people. Net-
working, relearning and diversity.
186
F2: So about your consultancy, how does it work?
Me: I focus on technical analysis. So at end of day, I do my
research and email to clients wit a buy, sell, hold, target and
stoploss figures who then trade accordingly.
F2: Do you trade?
Me: No, I only provide advice, clients trade in their own ac-
counts. But I do trade in my own account.
(Then was asked about trading)
Me: Trades can be punched in microseconds. Some more talk
on trading.
F2: Elaborate on technical analysis.
Me: I specialize in trend following, dow theory, trendlines and
RSI.
M2: What is bollinger band?
Me: It is like standard deviation. A volatility indicator. It’s not
standard deviation. I explained I dont know how its derived.
But it is a volatility indicator, explained how its drawn, etc.
M2: Do you know stochastics, MACD, SAR, parabolics?
Me: I do not know them.
M2: How do you follow trends then?
Me: I use dow theory, and trend lines. He was not happy with
trend lines.
187
I had to explain chart types like bar, candlesticks, line etc. Ex-
plained how trend lines are drawn. But they didn’t understand.
So I offered to draw on the whiteboard and show, but they
refused.
F2: You are talking about technical analysis. Explain the pro-
cess.
Me: I think technical work best in short term to medium term.
Not so much in long term.
F2: What is short term?
Me: Anywhere from 5 minutes to 3 months.
In all F1 only asked me the English word for Mama.
F2 did most of the talking about my CV.
M1 must have been a finance professor because all he was con-
cerned with were technicalities in finance.
In spite of the stress interview setting, I composed myself.
Used body language wherever possible. Looked at everyone
while explaining. Smiled when I didnt know an answer (twice).
No umms and aahs. Because every question was factual and
related to life after graduation, all answers were ones without
abstract reasons.
Overall decent PI in my opinion.
Flip for next Interview

188
@malvica NMIMS MBA Core Interview
Interview Panel: Old man 1 (M1), Lady (L), Old man 2(M2).

bhandari I entered the room, the lady smiled and the panel asked me to
sit. L and M2 started together, asking me why my name isn’t
spelled as Malvika, as in why is it ‘CA’?
Interview Date: 9th Feb, 2016
Score: 210 I told them why.

L: For how long has it been like this?

Not just an interview, Me: I told them.

a discussion beyond L: Has it been useful?

Me: I said I can’t really say.

academics Meanwhile, M1 was constantly talking about Kalidas and

Malvika. Tried my best to pay attention to both.

L: Favourite subjects?
Me: HRM and Marketing, I like Organisational Behaviour
as well.

L: Name a very well known Marketing Guru?

Me: Philip Kotler.

L : Tell us the Ps of marketing.

189
So Malvica, with CA and not KA, what would you bring to the
class? Why should we select you over others?
Me: Told.
L: What is the fifth P as per Philip Kotler?
Me: Told her I didn’t know.
L: What is HRM and some departments?
Me: Told.
M1: Why do most of the people like OB?
Me: Told him how it’s about psychology and getting to know
others and stuff.
M2: Why do we say “we” in an organisation, instead of “I”?
Give us three reasons.
Me: Started with focus on organisation, got constantly inter-
rupted. Talked about not promoting your own motives. M1
argued how the organisation’s good will lead to our own good,
so it’s selfish anyway. Tried arguing that it’s not necessary, there
have been cases where there has been some greater good but
no personal benefit. He argued some more. Asked me if I have
been placed, I said I haven’t. He said it’s okay. L asked M2 to
ask.
M2: Why didn’t you go for CA, CFA or ICWA, everyone else
goes for it.
Me: I said that’s precisely why I didn’t want to do it.
M2: So you want to be different?
Me: I said no, I just didn’t want to do it and the more people
talked about it, the stronger my decision was.
M2: Why not?
Me: I didn’t have an interest in it, so I wouldn’t have been able
to do justice with it.
He started talking about how my academics have been great
and I could have easily pulled it off I explained him that’s not
how it works (didn’t say this obviously).
M2: So Malvica, with CA and not KA, what would you bring
to the class? Why should we select you over others?
Me: I said because I’m different, you said that yourself. I guess
they got annoyed and asked for some other reason. Tried giv-
ing a sane reason.
M1 started talking in between again saying maybe the capital
factor I couldn’t understand and thought he was referring to
the human capital, with me being a girl and all. And he clari-
fied that he meant the country’s capital (I’m from Delhi) and
I said I don’t really think so, Mumbai is the business capital
anyway. And that was it.
While I was leaving, M1 asked me if I’m going back that day,
I said no Sir tomorrow. So he said okay, enjoy.
190
@hunk942 NMIMS MBA Core Interview
WAT Topic: Teacher Training Programme in India has not
been effective in India. No effective teachers are being pro-
Date: 6th Feb, 2016 duced through Training Programme. It is better to stop all
these Training Programme and save public money to build
Venue: The Orchid, Vile Parle, Mumbai
Toilets and infrastructures in Schools. Analyze and argument.

What is Happiness Interview Panel: Professor 1 (Anirban Das), Professor 2.

P2: So, Anup you are a production engineer, how production

Index? engineering is different from mechanical engineering?
Me: Told. ( There are few papers that are more managerial that
we studied in 7th and 8th Semester.)

P2: No, I am not asking about papers, but as an overall role

they play?
Me: Mostly Production Engineers are handling role that
mostly relates directly to production like production supervisor
or even in PPC their role comes. Like in my company mostly
these roles were given to a Production Engineer.

P2: Okay, so you were in PPC?

Me: No Sir, I was in L&D, working as Training Manager.

P2: Okay, what you were doing?

Me: Explained them in detail about how time, motion study

191
was used in training to reduce skill conversion time.
P2: Wait? What is that skill conversion?
Me: Sir, it is time taken to convert a trainee into operator
(Conversion of Skill level).
P2: Okay , can you tell me what are the types of yarn?
Me: Sir, it depends on count (i.e. Thickness of fibre is called
count). Varies from 1 to 100. (Can varie more)
P2: Okay, can you tell me how variability in yarn can be dealt
with variability in production?
Me: Stuck. (Blank)
P2: Did you understand my question…?
Me: Sir, can you repeat that.
So, do you think so many engineers
are not getting job. There should
be some training for professors of
engineering colleges?
P2: Ok,ay tell me what are variabilities in yarn that comes?
Me: Sir, only the thickness and initially some mixing comes
into play other than this if you are taking dyeing into account
. It was not done in our plant.
P2: Laughingly, okay dyring was not done there?
Me: No, sir only yarn manufacturing.
P2: What about Arvind mills? Look towards P1 laughingly.
Me: Sir, I don’t have any idea about Arvind mills but they are
also in textile and Vardhman is the major leader in yarn indus-
try. (Later I came to know Arvind is in Ahmedabad.)
P2: Asked one more question related to what parameter to
look into Fully automated plant? (Don’t remember exactly)
Me: Answered, but was corrected by P2.
P1: So Anup you have written that you are looking for some
data to agree with author ? (Referring to WAT )
Me: Yes, sir as I think without proper data , we are mere giving
opinions.
P1: But what you will do with that data, they are mere chunk
of numbers?
Me: Sir, we all can share our opinions and views in day to day
life but taking such decision of stopping training programmes
without any sound data analysis is vague.
P1: What data are you looking for?
Me: Sir, I would say what are the % of students getting failed
in schools % of teachers passed/failed through these training
programmes.
P1: But still how data can help you in making decision?
Me: Sir , I would like to add one point that recently a data was
released by aspiring mind showing unemployability among
80% of engineer. This figure of 80% make us think that prob-
lem is grave and engineers are not getting job. If the same fig-
ure would have been 10% or 5% , we don’t bother much. Data
is helpful in understanding different scenario.
P1: Tried to question again but P2 came into play…
P2: So, do you think so many engineers are not getting job.
There should be some training for professors of engineering
colleges?
Me: Definitely, sir…There is a need for that. (Confidently)
P2: (Smiles) Why you think so?
Me: Sir, the education is not job oriented there, even lot of
my peers after getting job faced lot of problems in their job as
they felt what they are learning now, should have been done in
college itself. I, myself faced lot of problem in learning excel as
most of my work was related to data and I was not good with
that.
P2: (Going out of the track) But most of the parliamentarians
are given training but yet it is dysfunctional?
Me: Sir, I think two opposing parties would never like to agree
on to same views.
P2: You are also giving opinion now. How can you say that?
Me: Sir, we can look for data in this case also.
P2: Okay, what data you will look?
Me: What number of bills were passed and not passed.
P2: (Seems satisfied) Okay, data of republican and democrat
will be helpful in this?
Me: Yes , it can be.
P2: Okay, Anup you were working in L&T. Can happiness be
taught?
Me : Sir, it can be but mostly comes from inside.
P1: Which is the happiest country in world?
Me: Switzerland.
P2: Okay, what is happiness index?
Me: Sir, not sure about it.
P2: So did you guess?
192
Me: I studied about it somewhere and about its measurement
but was not aware about index.
P1: Which neighbouring country of India follows this index?
Me: P1 gave hint , then I guessed Bhutan.
P2: I can see you published a paper in international Journal.
What was that?
Me: Told.
P2: Okay, there is one more paper that you presented individ-
ually in some International Seminar. Where it was held?
Me: Sir, it was held in Goa.
P2: What was it all about?
Me: Sir, this Seminar was on Emerging Trends of Entrepre-
neurship and I presented a paper on Trends of direct selling
Business and its impact.
P2: So you did some research on to that?
Me: Yes, sir.
P1: So, you read newspaper?
Me: Sir, not a regular reader but I follow financial market reg-
193
ularly as I want to pursue a career in finance.
P1: Okay, tell me about Jan Dhan Yojana?
Me: Told.
P1: Don’t you think opening so many account is a problem?
Me: Definitely Sir. If I go to SBI they would take atleast 2 days
to open my account may be more than that also. So opening
crores of account in short span of time is definitely a problem.
P2: Smiling as I answered.
P1: So, Anup last question…How much forex reserve India
has?
Me: (Arey yaar bas yahi nhi aata) Sir, not sure about reserve
but I know GDP is $2 trilliion.
P1: Starts Laughing…I was going to ask this question but
acha hua nhi pucha otherwise you would have answered. Not
a problem take a guess.
Me: Sir…$40 billion…I know about world’s forex is some-
what $80 trillion, not sure about India’s.
P1 & P2: Okay, Anup you can leave.
Flip for next Interview

194
 Write your next million dollar idea here.

195
 IITs GDPI
EXPERIENCES

196
@glory0507
10th Score: 93%
12th Score: 72%
Graduation: 69%
CAT: 99.71%ile
Work-Ex: 18 Months
What is the relation
between the length of
a guitar’s string and its
amplitude?
197
VGSOM, IIT Kharagpur Interview
So this was my last interview for the season and since it was an
IIT it was bound to be a little different from the others.
The process was a two step process, first a written ability test
followed by a PI.
WAT Topic: Should doctors be allowed to strike. Wrote a very
detailed essay but could not conclude in the desired manner
because of lack of space.
PI: The panel had 3 people. 2 female professors and 1 male
alumnus.
F1: Please introduce yourself.
Me: Introduced myself. Had mentioned singing as one of my
hobbies
F1: What is the relation between the length of a guitar’s string
and its amplitude?
Me: I do not play guitar, uttered some gibberish.
F1: Can you explain on paper?
Me: No, I do not recall.
M: Discussed my essay.
Me: Answered as per my beliefs and he looked satisfies. Me: Dumb and dead.

M: Something about my CSR and community service. F2: 4 things you would do if you were CM?
Me: Explained. Me: Security, leverage technology, focus on employment and
expedited action against criminals, ensure friendly police force
F2: Can I ask you maths? so that people are able to approach the police without fear.
Me: Yes.
F1: Do you have any questions?
F2: What is standard deviation? Me: IIT’s are known to be ops heavy, what is the scene when it
Me: Answered. comes to other specializations?

F2: Find it for a data set. M: Answered something, I nodded.

Me: Solved the set and found the SD.
Greet and get out.
F2: Why is variance squared?

198
@prasoon IIT Roorkee Interview
GD (10 Marks): Violent TV shows are responsible for vio-

m19
lence in the society. Was able to pitch in twice only. Was a total
fish market. People were adamant with their views. No one was
ready to let other speak.

10th Score: 87.40% PI (20 Marks): 3 member panel, all males (P1, P2, P3).
12th Score: 78.40%
Asked for permission to get into the hall, went towards the
UG Score: 76.20%
panel, they asked me to have a seat just as I was about to reach
CAT Percentile: 94.94 there. Greeted them Good Morning, took my seat, and said
General Engineer (Electrical Engineering) Thank you.

P2 started telling me about my Acads and Schools from the

You found a person bio-data he was having.

lying on a highway in an P1: What is Asansol known for?

Me: It’s known for Railways and Steel Plants.
accident. What Will You P1: Pleased elaborate.

do? Me: Explained in detail.

P2: No work-ex?
A: No, sir.

P1: What is your view on implementation of bullet train in

199
India?
A: It’s fruitful for the country.
P1: How it will benefit the society?
A: Time will reduce. Services will be easily transferred. Econ-
omy will boost.
P3: In which country does the bullet train is used for move-
ment of goods?
A: Sorry sir, no such country. (I had mentioned that goods can
be transferred with bullet trains too in my previous answer.
Accepted that it was incorrect.)
P1: It should be implemented or not?
A: It should be. It’s the need of the time and economy will
boost too. (Didn’t had much to say over it. It was thrown on me
all of a sudden, maybe stress test.)
P1: How much will be the cost of implementation and by what
time it will be implemented?
A: Cost will be very high as the whole network would need
rehauling. I said in 20 years.
P3: How common people can afford it?
A: If it’s implemented throughout, people will have no option
but to use it. And government will be giving subsidies as it’s
earning more through freight.
P3 discussed a bit about freight movement, like a teacher. I
nodded and agreed with him. P2 who was mostly sitting quite
and was going through my bio-data till now started with his
questions.
P2: Where is CPRI located?
A: Bangalore.
P2: What was your paper?
A: Explained it.
P2: Why DC series motor shouldn’t be started on no load?
A: Explained all the points.
P2: Which motor is used in locomotive engines?
A: DC series motor.
P2: How AC is converted to DC?
A. Converter and Cycloconverter. (I forgot to mention rectifier.
He was expecting it, prompted me too. But I couldn’t recall.)
At this point, P3 asked, “How does a motor starts?” But P2
asked him to let me answer this question first.
P2: Principle of Cycloconverter.
A: Explained. (Stammered a bit here, was not sure at all if I
was correct, but they didn’t grilled further on that.)
P2: You passed out in 2016, what did you do after passing out
your UG?
A: Was preparing for CAT, sir.
P2: What is Snell’s law?
A: Explained. (I used the word medium instead of media. P3
pointed out that. I accepted my mistake.)
P3: Situation test. You found a person lying on a highway in
an accident. What will you do?
A: Talked about first aid basics, CPR. Will call for medical
help and police assistance.
P3: What numbers will you call?
A: 100. (P3 asked 100 for ambulance?) I said no sir, 108 for
ambulance.
At this time, P1 and P2 were discussing something.
P2: Draw normal distribution curve.
A: Drew and explained. Explained the deviation and sigma
standard too. Forgot to label the axes though. My bad!
P3: How much accuracy 3 sigma and 1 sigma have?
A: 3 sigma I said 98.4. P3 corrected me that it’s 99.4. 1 sigma
I said 68.
P2: What does sigma standard mean? Where it is used?
A: Discussed about accuracy and defects in huge lots of pro-
ductions and quality control and supply chains.
P3: What’s the accuracy in 6 sigma?
A: 3 defects in 1 million samples.
P1 said, thank you, you may go now. Have a candy! Took a
candy, said thank you to them, moved out of the hall. The PI
lasted for around 15 minutes. No generic questions, no behav-
ioral questions.
200
@glory0507 IIT Madras Interview
GD: The GD was more a task where we had to come up with
a conclusion (necessarily).
10th Score: 93%
Topic: Given the Maggi noodle incident, should brand en-
12th Score: 72%
dorsers be held responsible for their actions?
Graduation: 69%
CAT: 99.71%ile This was easily my best performance in a group task this sea-
son. Was able to contribute in tangible ways, brought real life
Work-Ex: 18 Months
examples at multiple times and concluded the task. (I would
like to mention that a certification I did in marketing really

Why should we select helped me.)

PS: The performance is subjective and the panelists can very

you? well disagree with me.

PI: Two females, P1 and P2.

P1: So where are you from?

Me: Patna, Bihar.

P1: What field did you do your graduation?

Me: Engineering.

P1 looks at P2 and passes a smile.

201
P1: Job profile and stream? Me: Told, convinced. (In my mind, because I will be the high-
Me: CSE, Software engineer est percentiler to study at IIT M in the last 4 years.)

(P1 to P2) Mam aap hee lo, laughing. P1: Why MBA?
Me: Told.
P2: What’s your favorite subject?
Me: Data structures. P1: Apart from job what do you do, what do you bring?
Me: Told how I am putting my time to good use, about the
P2: Define? certification I did from UBC (Partner school of IIT M for stu-
Me: Told. dent exchange) and how in the GD I brought lot of real time
examples and quality to the discussion. Convinced.

Marks are not bad, my university P1: Anything else, are you aware of recent happenings?
anything around 70 is gold. However, Me: Yes, I am informed about all current happenings.
there was room to improve. P1: Views on trump.
Me: Must be applauded, doing his best to fulfil all the promis-
P2: Name a few. es he made during his campaign.
Me: Told.
P1: You blog, are your views this aggressive there as well.
P2: Favorite? Me: No, there I try to bring a more detailed and holistic view
Me: Linked list but current profile use array frequently. of things.

P2: Types of sorting? Student comes in and asks to finish fast.

Me: Told. (Fumbled once and explained binary search but re-
covered and explained the sorting process.)
P2: Sort an array.
Me: Wrote down the algorithm and sorted the array.
P2: How do you decide which sorting to use for this problem.
Me: Considering complexity, size of input etc.
P2: Asked about my certification and whether it is paid.
Me: Replied.
P1: Why marks are low in grad?
Me: Marks are not bad, my university anything around 70%
is gold. However, there was room to improve and I could have
done better. Will try to focus more on academics.

P2: What is complexity?
Me: Told.
P1: Why should we select you, tell about two incidents your
managerial skills were on display in your work profile.
P1: I would love to talk more, but they are asking to finish fast,
so thank you.
Me: No problems, hopefully we can talk a lot more in the class.
(Sheepish smile)

202
 Itna paisa mei itna hi milega.

203
MISCELLANEOUS
GDPI
EXPERIENCES

204
@aritra.93 IMT Interview
I reached at 12:10 PM and got into the hall. There was a clip
going on in the projector, when 4 seniors introduced us to
them. Then there was a series of friendly talks from them re-
Do you know what garding the colleges, the campus culture and other stuff. In the
mean time they also offered us to shoot any questions at them

Schrodinger’s Paradox is? (as if somebody was going to do so). Having been confirmed
(and satisfied) that no body has got any query the game finally
begun.

So we were to write 5 points either for or against (no diplo-

matic points, strictly for or against only as instructed by dear
seniors!) the statement “Business ethics: only in utopia”. We
were given 30 minutes for this. After the writing there was a
10 minutes coffee break (yeah free coffee!).

Now began the second round (GD). We were given tags

sticked to our shirts and groups of 5 people were made (who
were you number 3 in the second group?). Of course I was in
the second group! We were guided to the room where it was
to take place. We were provided with a standard tool kit. We
were supposed to make stuff with it. The instructions came. We
were to make a design for efficient passenger handling in an
airport. We are supposed to implement some new technique
or concepts. I have never been to an airport! Just know what
I saw in Discovery! Maybe they could have done better with

205
something more mainstream. How about railway station or
bus stop? Anybody? Well I just suggested how about unifying
the baggage and passenger screening. Other than this I was
mostly silent. The rest of the participants were brilliant. They
managed to make it. Thanks number 3.
Now coming to the PI phase now. I was the second to go in.
The first participant went in and here outside my mouth was
drying up! So candidate 1 is out now. They will call me in now.
Called me in. Two profs, male and female. Male in 40’s and
female in late 50’s. Greeted them. Was told to take seat.
Female prof: So you are from…?
Me: Yes maam.
Female prof: Comes before…?
Me: No maam. It actually comes after. Around 60 kms from
there!
Female prof: I was born and brought up there. (Not in my
town! But where my town is 60 kms from!)
Me: Maam it’s great to know that.
Male prof: What you studied in undergrad level. You men-
tioned ‘others’.
Me: Sir I did BSc physics.
Male prof: It was there in the options.
Me: Sir I think the option was not there.
Male prof: Shows me another form where it says BSc.
Me: Sir may be I overlooked.
Male prof: Who is the CM of Jharkhand?
Me: Told.
Are you sure? That equals 1/6th pop-
ulation of the country?
Male prof: There were talks on something going on in
Jharkhand.
Me: Yes sir. An investor’s summit is going on to attract invest-
ments.
Male prof: Who is the brand ambassador?
Me: Told.
Male prof: Was that a good idea? How about making Ratan
Tata the ambassador instead?
Me: Yes sir. I don’t think it to be a good idea as well.
Male prof: Why the govt might have done this?
Me: Sir Dhoni struks a chord with the youth population and
otherwise in Jharkhand. This might have sent a message that
so many things are happening and might fetch points to the
govt. We people just see what is happening at the moment.
And making Dhoni made just that purpose serve. For effec-
tive business you need land, friendly laws, electricity and other
infrastructures first. Clearly these things were not done first.
Male prof: What will be the expected investment in the state?
Me: Sir as I know there is no solid commitment on part of the
industry. However the chief minister expects 5 lakhs direct and
indirect jobs because of investments.
There were talks on something going
on in Jharkhand.
Male prof: What’s the population of our country?
Me: Around 120 cr.
Male prof: What is the population of Jharkhand?
Me: Sir 20 cr!
Male prof: Are you sure? That equals 1/6th population of the
country?
Me: Sir I guess the NE states are scarcely populated so I think
it is right. (Actual population of Jharkhand is 4 cr!)
Male prof: What is quantum mech?
Me: Told.
Young prof: Do you know Planck’s constant?
Me: Yes sir. It’s a constant denoted by k!
Young prof: What physical quantity it represents?
Me: Thinking…Sir can I take some time.
Young prof: Yes…
Male prof: Intervening…Do you know what Schrodinger’s
paradox is?
Me: Sir I have not heard it before. Now comes the maam.
Female prof: You did physics hons. What should I ask you?
Do you read books?
Me: Maam even though I rarely read books. I will not be in
category of readers though!
Female prof: Do you know Stephen Hawking?
Me: Yes maam.
Female prof: You read any book by him?
Me: Yes maam! I read Brief history of time!
206
Female prof: You see any similarity between the book and In- Female prof: Does the fifth dimension has got to do some-
terstellar movie? thing with time?
Me: Maam I haven’t watched that movie. Me: Bla bla bla…So yes I think it is somewhat related to time.

Female prof: Do you know parallel universe? You may go now. (Again who were you number 3?)
Me: Told.

207
Flip for next Interview

208
@DinaIsha XIME Bangalore (2015-2017) Interview
I’d already given my GDPIs at TAPMI’s BFSI (The interview
went well, but TAMPI told me I needed more work experience
10th Score: 85.50% and they weren’t very excited about the gap) and GLIM (I
would later convert GLIM, but reject it for XIME).
12th Score: 85%
Graduation: 84.50% I had done some research about XIME, more specifically about
CAT: 76%ile the course curriculum and the faculty. I was quite satisfied by
the range of subjects offered and the quality of the faculty. The
XAT: 84%ile
attraction of the international tour also helped. (I would later
MAT: 95%ile go on to do a Student Exchange Program at Audencia Busi-
Work-Ex: 12 Months in The Royal Bank of ness School in France instead.)
Scotland
Document Verification

Teaching is a boring job… Document Verification happens on the venue immediately

before the GDs begin. Standard procedure. All problems you

but teachers like you have regarding your documents will be sorted out. Very few
people were sent out due to discrepancies in the documents,

have been doing it for such as scoring 49% in UG or similar stuff. So, make sure you
have none.

decades! Group Discussion

I was supposed to give my GDPI at Chennai, but there was

a miscommunication. I was asked to attend the Bangalore

209
GDPI sessions instead. A group for GDPI usually consists
of 7-8 people. (Although in last years’ admission process, they
had to have 12-15 people in some places due to the high num-
ber of applications, so be informed.)
The panel for my GDPI consisted of President sir himself
(XLRI, Harvard Passout), CPR sir (IIMA Passout, Retired
IFS Officer) and Vedamanickam sir (Former Director of
XIME, Former Production Head at HAL, IIT-B, NIT-T
Passout).
The topic given was “Capitalism vs Socialism: What’s the best
for a Modern World?” or something similar.
We were given a few minutes to think and note down our
points. When the discussion
started, it was (obviously) like
a fish market. Everyone either Towards the end of the interview, Private Sector banks in India”
favored Capitalism or Social- President sir asked “You have a bright and a few off topic ones were
ism. When I got my chance,
future in poetry. Why join MBA?”
I was the first one to say ‘A
mixed economy model is the
best way to go.’ I went on to add some more points in favor of
my arguement. Many others agreed with me and the discus-
sion turned in that direction. So you could say that was a sort
of success. Thinking outside the box, especially in a high stress Towards the end of the interview, President sir asked “You
situation, always looks good on you. In the end, we were asked
to summarize individually. Be careful not to add a new stream
of thought in a summary. Summary strictly means a summary
of what people said, not what you wanted to say but didn’t.
Remembering and ordering all the points in a logical manner
should be the best thing to do.
Personal Interview
Same panel for Personal Interview, although President sir took
most of the interview. Others simply asked a few questions or
commented on my replies here and there.
What needs to undersood is that, the interviewer has little to
no idea about you. So they will obviously start with what they
know - your application. If you’re lucky, they may start with
your hometown or your parents’ professions. If you’re not so
lucky, and if someone is an expert in your UG subjects/projects
(Mostly there will be someone), they will bombard you with
questions right off the bat.
In any case, be prepared for everything in your application. You
should be able to answer any question that can possibly lead
out of your application form. Following this, there will may be
a few questions on Current Affair. At least as far as President
sir is concerned, Current Affairs is very important. Consult
websites like day to day GK or Mrunal Patel’s website before
the GDPI if you don’t have the habit of regularly reading the
newspaper ( Just FYI - I didn’t, but I wouldn’t suggest that you
take any chances).
Since I had work experience in a bank, I was asked a lot of GK
questions on banks: “When were banks nationalized in India?”
“What is the role of a bank in
society?” “Name any 5 famous
“Is Socialism a success in the
East?” and “Can China replace
USA as the next super power?”.
They’re not only assessing your general knowledge here, but
your communication skill as well.
have a bright future in poetry. Why join MBA?” I told him
“Poetry is my passion, but I also have a passion to learn a lot,
especially in the area of Finance and Banking.” He said “But
don’t you think banking is boring?” (He was really just kid-
ding). I could have just laughed and let it go, but I had to be a
smartass. I replied “I was asked the same question at TAPMI.
But it all depends on perspectives. To me, teaching is a boring
job. But teachers like you have been doing it for decades.” (Not
in a serious tone, I was kidding too.)
There was a brief silence and the other two panel members
looked at me like I was remorse (at that point, I had no idea
that he was the President, or else I would have been less
tongue-in-cheek). Then President laughed.
That was the end of it. I was offered Bangalore campus later
and I took it. The rest is history.
210
@ndutt2323 IIFT Interview
I had had just three hours of sleep the previous night, so I was
sleeping until someone started announcing general informa-
10th Score: 93% tion about the WAT.
12th Score: 91%
WAT Topic: “India’s Role in South Asia: The Way Forward.”
B.Tech (IIT (ISM) Dhanbad): 7.58 (70.8
after conversion) I took too much time to think, was halfway through the con-
cluding line when an invigilator took the sheet away. Overall a
IIFT: 99.96%ile
satisfactory performance.

You need to sell yourself GD Topic: Mistry-Tata tussle.

We were divided into groups of 11 each, one student was ab-

sent in our group. During the one minute time given, I spoke
for about 40 seconds. At least three people spoke wonderfully
with facts, figures and logical arguments.

When the floor was open for discussion, I was perhaps sixth
or seventh to speak. The discussion was interesting and quite
peaceful. I could, however, speak only twice. The surprise came
when the moderators announced that the GD was over. I
couldn’t keep track of time and thought that we were only 5-10
minutes into it. It was my first GD ever and I didn’t even feel
that I was attending one. No stress. No nervousness. It was like
a friendly conversation.

211
Personal Interview: There were three professors. All perhaps
50 plus. I said good evening after entering but they probably
didn’t notice as they were going through some documents.
P: Please take a seat.
Me: Thank you Sir.
P (All of them were smiling): Nitesh, right? So Nitesh, you are
from an IIT.
Me: Yes Sir.
P: So how does it feel like to be an IITian?
Me: Great Sir.
See, it’s not about the entrance exam.
Everybody here has worked hard for
the entrance exam.
P: Why great? What difference does it make from ISM? ISM
is also an established name.
Me: There is a major difference Sir. IIT is a brand name. ISM
was made an IIT only last year. Before then when I told peo-
ple, mainly my neighbours or relatives that I study in ISM,
they had no clue what it was.
P: (Quite shocked) What? A 100 year old institution and they
didn’t know about it?
Me: Yes Sir. Nobody knew.
P: But the same problem will be there when you come to IIFT.
Some people will say that it is Indian Institute of Fashion
Technology. How would you deal with them?
Me: Yes Sir. They say that even now. Whenever I tell anyone
that I am appearing for IIFT exam or interview, they are like,
“Why do you want to study fashion technology after engineer-
ing?” But the main thing is that the people who need to know,
people who matter, they know what it is.
P: But how will you convince your locality about IIFT?
Me: I don’t need to. People who matter, they know; and those
who don’t know, they don’t matter.
P: So you are proud of being an IITian?
Me: Yes Sir, a little bit.
P: A little bit…Okay, so let’s discuss your marks. They are fall-
ing at an increasing rate. Come here. (Hands me a notebook)
Draw the graph of your 10th, 12th, and graduation marks.
Graph which has an increasing rate of decrease.
Me: Sir, it will be an exponential graph like this. (Drew it with-
in a second of taking the notebook)
P: Okay, and how will the graph of something having constant
rate of decrease look like?
Me: Drew a straight line with negative slope immediately.
P: Now draw the graph of a rectangular hyperbola.
Me: (Drawn) It will be something like that.
P: Your graph is correct. Can you tell the equation? (I don’t
know how, but they somehow seemed to know that I’ve been
placed as a Maths faculty.)
Me: I don’t remember exactly. I remember faintly from my JEE
preparation days, there were two variables a & b, so it was some
relation between them.
P (Trying to make remember): Y square equal to…
Me: Sir I can’t remember.
P: Okay my final question, why should IIFT take you? (I had
done zero preparation for the interviews, here the fun begins.)
Me: (With an innocent face) Sir I will try to bring the best out
of me during my stay here.
P: (They had perhaps never heard such a simple reply) No! you
need to sell yourself. Tell us how would IIFT benefit if you get
a seat here.
Me: Sir I have worked hard for the entrance exam. And I will
strive to perform at my best during my stay here.
P: See, it’s not about the entrance exam. Everybody here has
worked hard for the entrance exam. You are a fresher with no
work experience. So why should we take you and not others?
On one hand, there is IBM and on the other hand there is
(some company), so why is one better and not the other? You
have one minute to answer.
Me: ( Just looking at their faces, thinking nothing.)
P: Okay, have you made any friends here, when you were wait-
ing? Tell me a name.
Me: Yes Sir, Sumonto Mukherjee. (The guy whose interview
was just before mine.)
P: Good, so why should we take you and not him?
Me: Sir he has some work experience, so he is better than me
in this area. He may be better than me in other areas too. I
haven’t evaluated him…Only you have assessed both of us on
different parameters. You have much more knowledge and ex-
perience than me, so you know this better than I do. I cannot
compare myself with him. I can only speak for myself and I
promise that I will perform to the best of my abilities.
P: Very good, you have mentioned in the form that you like
discussions related to psychology and economics.
Me: Yes sir, I mainly like behavioural psychology. I am inter-
212
ested in fallacies and cognitive errors. I read books and blogs
related to these areas. For example, books like Thinking Fast
and Slow, The Art of Thinking Clearly etc.
P: And economics…
Me: In economics too, I am interested in choices and mistakes
people make. I like things which might appear weird and irrel-
evant at the surface but are important economically, for exam-
ple incidents mentioned in the book Freakonomics…
P: So why do you want to enter finance? (Had mentioned this
in the form)
Me: Sir, frankly I don’t have deep knowledge about finance. I
became interested in it only during the last year or so.
P (Interrupting me): So why do you want to pursue finance
specifically?
Me: Sir I am fascinated by finance. I like how money works.
Money rules our lives. It is also the most important part of a
business.
P: Why not B.Com or CA then?
Me: Mentioned I am taking CFA this year.
P: From B.Tech to CFA.
Another P: And CFA to MBA.
P: “Donald Trump’s rise to the President of USA…” Is this
sentence correct? (Had mentioned this in the form). He was
elected by people, how did he rise?
Me: I meant the rise of protectionism in USA along with him.
Also, Trump started from bottom, he had no experience in pol-
itics. (Gestured with hand how here to here.)
P: But he is still a businessman.
Me: Yes sir he is still a businessman.
P: Do you support Trump?
Me: Sir from the Indian, or the world’s point of view…
P: No from Trump’s point of view, is he doing the right thing?
Me: From that point of view, I completely support. He is
an elected representative and he is merely fulfilling what he
promised. He is acting in his nation’s best interests and I think
there’s nothing wrong with it.
P: What will happen to the economy?
Me: The world economy will have a negative effect. It will spi-
213
ral downwards.
P: So now he is banning immigrants, what will happen to the
US economy? Will price of things increase or decrease there?
Me: Sir, prices will go down.
P: Prices will go down?
Me: Yes sir, in my opinion American Companies have to pay
more to the immigrants. An average Chinese or Indian im-
migrant is more skilled than an average American. So they
have to pay more to the immigrant workers to compensate for
their skill. So, if they are forced to hire the local talent, cost of
companies will reduce.
(No indication of whether it was right or wrong)
P: Okay, So Nitesh you are from Haryana?
Me: Yes sir.
P: And you have travelled all the way to Kolkata, So what are
the rivers that you had to cross?
Me: Sir I actually stay in Dhanbad.
P: I mean kabhi to aaye hoge Haryana se Dhanbad tak.
Me: Yes sir, Ganga and Yamuna.
P: So do Ganga and Jamuna meet at some point?
Me: Yes sir, somewhere in UP.
P: City?
Me: (Trying to remember) Lucknow perhaps.
P: And where does Ganga originate from?
M: From Uttrakhand, Badrinath perhaps (I don’t know how I
forgot these two trivial things, remembered as soon as I came
out of the room.)
P: And where does it terminate?
Me: Bay of Bengal.
P: Can you name any river which terminates in Arbian Sea?
Me: Tapti, Narmada, Kaveri.
P: Thank you. That will be all.
All the three professors were very friendly, they were smiling
most of the time. Even though I coudn’t answer some ques-
tions, I came out of the venue with a pleasant feeling.
Flip for next Interview

214
@glory0507 XIMB Interview
WAT Topic: Smart phones - Pain killer or Pain.

10th Score: 93% Very generic topic, lot of common points between the aspi-
rants (as per the discussion).
12th Score: 72%
Graduation: 69% PI: 3 panelists, 2 in their 60’s and 1 in early 40’s (also acting as
CAT: 99.71%ile the coordinator). P1 calls me in.
Work-Ex: 18 Months
P1: Can you please give me your photo id?
Me: Gave him my passport.

He must have gone to P1: Looks at the photo and tells me you have changed so
much, did you go to mars?
the moon!
P2: No, his name is Aditya Chandrayan so he must have gone
to the moon. Haha, very funny.

P2: So tell me, what was the name of the probe to mars?
Me: Mangalyaan.

P2: Introduce yourself.

Me: Rehearsed introduction.

P2: Cuts me, you told that you are a web developer, but your
profile says you are software engineer. What’s the difference?

215
Me: Told, satisfied.
P2: What do you do, web pages, web services or websites?
Me: Both websites and web services.
P2: How do you measure efficiency and performance?
Me: Told.
You have applied for both BM and
HRM, which one do you want to
pursue?
P2: What is reliability, availability, robustness?
Me: Told all apart from robustness.
P2: What is difference between verification and validation?
Me: Told.
P2 to P3, Sir yours.
P3: So you are from Patna?
Me: Yes.
P3: Who is your deputy CM?
Me: With a sheepish smile, Tejaswi Yadav. (I smile, they smile)
P3: Any specific reason for smiling?
Me: Sir he has been a reason for much ridicule.
P3: Why do you think Bihar is backward?
Me: Told, discussed.
P3: What do you think about NDA alliance?
Me: Told about tangible improvements.
P3: Do you know about Bimaru states?
Me: No sir, can’t recollect. (Went about telling me the names
of the states.)
P3: Which school?
Me: Don Bosco.
P3: Can you name the organization behind the school?
Me: Uttered something about Saint John Bosco.
P3: Tells something about Salesians fathers. Which country
are they from?
Me: Sir I do not know, but my teachers travel a lot to England.
P3: No, they are from Italy, but its ok, it does not matter.
Me: Yes sir I recalled, they follow preventive method of edu-
cation.
P3: Nods.
P1: You have applied for both BM and HRM, which one do
you want to pursue?
Me: Told about BM, and about lack of interest in HRM.
P1: What all calls and their preference.
Me: Told.
216
@PagalMBA JBIMS Mumbai Interview
GD Topic:

JBIMS Time : 27th May, 2017 1)Women empowerment leads to social development.
2)Should be National Banks be privatised.
MHCET Score: 97(96.1%ile)
Topic 1 was choosen and there were 3 members in panelI

Why you want to Leave spoke 4-5 times and was second to start. Overall GD was good
and everyone was and there was with no fish market. Infact at
tyms it seems no one would speak now. 2-3 people didn’t spoke
your current job? much and were asked by panelist to speak.

PI: Two male members P1 in 50’s and P2 in 60’s.

P2: What is your weakness?

Me: Answered.

P2: But this is good thing.

Me: I explained again and it seems he was satisfied with an-
swer.

P2: Why you want to leave your current job.

Me: Told not interested in tech stuff (obviously directly nahi
bola). And wanted to explore career options.

P2: How you can be sure that after MBA you would be inter-

217
ested in your job.
Me: I organized various fest in my college and went for mar-
keting to grip on sponsors and also did something similar in
my company and this makes me interest.
P1 after a long time pitches in with same questions like Why
MBA? but in different format.
You seem to use facebook a lot. These
all comments looks good in facebook
but not in real life.
P1: Is it necessary to do MBA? There are people who haven’t
done MBA but are running there own business.
Me: I wanted to understand principles involved and want to
have hands-on knowledge and practical learning.
P1: He gives a situation between company A and B. A is los-
ing share with respect to B. Tell me tactics to rectify this?
Me: A lot depends on product and quality and external factors.
Need to understand my operational cost, logistics involved etc.
(P2 chips in…)
P2: You seem to use facebook a lot. These all comments looks
good in facebook but not in real life.
P2: Name first PM of India.
Me: Dr. Rajendra prasad.
P2: (Shocked) Are you sure.
Me: No sorry, it was Jawaharlal Nehru.
P2: Who was his follower?
Me: Said he had 2 successive terms.
P2: But someone would have followed him?
Me: Sorry Sir. (On this he said make a guess.)
P1: What is your marks in CET?
Me: Told.
P1: I’m done with him.
P2: I’m also done. All the best for your future, that’s it.
I was screwed a lot in PI. I missed some questions here in as I
was asked many questions from my answers itself.
218
@saahilrathi JBIMS Mumbai Interview
GD Topic: Foreign Universities should be allowed in India.

Date: 28/05/12 Contributed 4 to 5 times, It became more of a fish market, but

I kept my calm and when cut by somebody, kept quiet.
Venue: JBIMS, Mumbai
Grad: B.tech in Ceramic Engineering PI Panel: 2 panelists. P1 was smart old fellow, very lively,
MHCET Score: 128/99.79%ile around 60s. P2 was serious and strict guy, in late 50s.

P1: (Showing me his teeth) Dude, this is a ceramic tooth, I got

Why are the petrol prices it replaced. Tell me its price.
Me: Grinning (after his weird tooth show), around 8k to 10k.

rising? P1: Excellent, but my doctor is charging 25k for this stuff.
(Again showed me his yellow tooth)
Me: Maybe, but that is too much. I made the example of the
Tidia bone in leg which costs around 70k to 100k, so I don’t
know the exact price but with this reference a tooth may well
do in 10k.

P2 to P1: May be he is charging for the work involved. (Both

laugh)

P1: So, your name is nice.

Me: Grinning. (Don’t know why I was laughing this much.)

219
P1: What is your CET score.
Me: (Thought as if they were asking my CG score) 7.75.
P1: What.
P2: No no, what is your CET score.
Me: 128 and 99.79%ile.
So, tell me what is happening in India,
what is the environment in India?
P1, P2: Excellent, very nice, probably you can make it to
JBIMS…Nice.
Me: Yes, I can have a seat here.
P1 to P2: Ask him something. (As if he was done with me.)
P2: So, tell me what is happening in India, what is the envi-
ronment in India?
Me: Told him about the current scene and some other things.
P2: Why are the petrol prices rising?
Me: Told.
P2: If dollar is rising against the rupee, then what happens and
who makes profit.
Me: Told him, it is both profitable and loss like for different
people.
P2: Where do you see India in 10 years from now?
Me: Blah…Blah…Blah.
P2: Can India get there, considering their present scene?
Me: Yes.
P2: Thank You.
P1: Thank you. Any questions?
Me: Asked them something about their auditorium and com-
pared it to one in my UG and capacity problems.
P1 and P2: Laughed and answered.
Short but strange interview. Just lasted for 6 to 7 minutes.

220
@sankeerth
bondugula
10th Score: 84.57 (ICSE)
12th Score: 93.3 (AP BIE)
Undergrad Major: 7.24, BITS - Pilani
CAT Score: 98.95%ile
V: 99.3, DI/LR: 98.7, QA: 92.13
Work-Ex: 19 Months
Sector: BI & A Consultancy
Venue: Pai Viceroy Hotel, Bangalore
Hope can see light even
in the darkest of hours!
221
WAT Topic: Certainty of Justice can curb crime more effec-
tively than severity of punishment.
(I was clueless in the beginning but managed to give write a
brief intro and a small example to prove my stance.)
We had a 15 minute WAT followed by a 15 minute GD. GD
didn’t go that well, we didn’t introduce the topic well nor did
we conclude well in the 15 minutes allotted to us.
PI Details: 2 Male Panelists, one in his 50’s (P1) another in
his early 40’s (P2). (Going by the looks, of course looks could
be deceptive.)
P1: Lets have a rapid fire, who is Rajat Gupta?
Me: Answered, mentioned he was in the news for his “Insider
Trading” charges.
P1: When I ask the next question, assume the previous ques-
tion has ended. What is Insider Trading?
Me: Answered.
P1: Mallya is a lot in the news, for some defaulting chargers…
Me: (Inturrepted in the middle)…For being a willful defaulter.
P1: What are the consequences of being a willful defaulter.
Me: Told.
P1: (Saw my certificate and asked) So you did a certification
in Commercial Banking in India, What did you learn in that?
Me: RBI as Regulatory body etc.
P1: What are NPA’s.
Me: Explained.
If you want to talk whatever you
want you are free to talk, you have
10 minutes I will listen to you and
the interview will get over, upto you.
Interview was going well till now.. The panel thought I was
getting too comfortable probably, they moved on to my tran-
scripts. I did a dual degree from BITS Pilani, he exclaimed,
people usually do MBA after B.E, you did a M.Sc after B.E.
Me: (Started explaining, why I took choose a dual degree)... P1
cuts me in the middle and asks “What are you answering that
for?, Did I ask you anything, If you answer any thing you want
I will assume you are like RG.”
Me: I told “I was reasoning why I took a M.Sc after B.E…”
P1: If you want to talk whatever you want you are free to talk,
you have 10 minutes I will listen to you and the interview will
get over, upto you.
Me: Sorry sir, I was explaining why I took an M.Sc
P1: You don’t have to be. So you did M.Sc in Mathematics,
what topics did you have.
Me: Topology, Algebra, Real Analysis, Functional Analysis…
P1: (Cuts me in the middle) What is Fermat’s Theorem.
Me: Sorry sir, I can’t recollect.
P1: Okay, what did you learn in Topology?
Me: Learnt about Real Spaces and calculating different mea-
sures in Real Spaces.
P1: He took my case here, he asked what are imaginary spaces,
asked me to explain.
Me: I told they can be represented with an equation, but I can’t
think of any real life example.
P1: What are Prime Numbers, sorry, everyone knows what
they are, tell me its applications in Computer Science.
Me: Not sure sir, I can’t recollect its applications.
P1: What is Boolean Algebra?
Me: Boolean is binary values, like a 0 or 1, but…I can’t recol-
lect what Boolean algebra exactly is.
P1: Okay, why do they use Binary system, why not any other
system.
Me: Explained.
Had a discussion about GD and my “hand movement” in the
GD, this discussion happened for a full 2 minutes (they were 2
very stressful minutes).
P2: So you are an analyst, why do they take 95% confidence
level in analytics, why not any other value?
Me: Told I don’t know that as I do the BI part and not the BA
part. A discussion on what is the difference between BI and
BA happened for 1 minute.
P2: You may go.
The interview ended abruptly after 10 minutes. It started off
well, but went out of my hands once the panel brought in my
Math subjects. I don’t know what the panel felt about this, but
I came out with a smile. Hope can see light even in the darkest
of hours, and I will continue to be hopeful.
222
@pagaltodi
Number of Panelists: 2

P1: So you have been doing nothing (referring to my drop)

Date: 07/02/2016
Venue: Mumbai
Background: Commerce. Fresher. Took a
drop to prepare for CAT.
and now CAT and interview processes are also almost com-
plete. What is your plan now?
Me: MBA sir.
P1: Even if you get in a C grade college? Are you sure you want
to do an MBA from MBA college.
Me: Sir that should not happen.

How many movies do P1: So how am I supposed to take this?

you watch in a week? P2: What’s your plan B?

Me: I’ll join my father’s business.

P1: Okay, so you are from a family business. What is the busi-
ness?
Me: Told them about it.

P1: What subjects you studied in your B.Com.

Me: Told 3 subjects.

P1: So you studied a lot (sarcasm). Tell me the analogy be-

tween this hotel and accountancy.
Me: Can you repeat the question sir.

223
P1: (Repeated the question but I didn’t get the question) I P2: Are NGOs covered in RTI.
mean what are the similarities or dissimilarities between ho- Me: Ahh I don’t know.
tel and accounts. Or there is nothing and what the hell I am
talking. P2: What you like to do in free time.
Me: Tried to make some guess. Me: Movies sir.

P1: Okay this question is very difficult for you.
(P2 then asked 4-5 questions by breaking question starting
from basics. I kept trying. P1 was at the end when after all
their efforts when I didn’t get the analogy between hotel and
accountancy.)
Today Dhoni got out on 0. Conclusion
is he is a bad player. I gave an example.
Is this sufficient evidence.
P1: Okay. You cannot connect the dots. Shake your brain. (In
our AWT. An argument was given by the author that NGOs
should not get the funding.)
P2: That’s all?
Me: I have started reading. New hobby.
P2: How many movies you watch in a week.
Me: Haven’t seen many recently sir. Last I saw on Saturday.
P2: Which movie.
Me: The Bucket List.
P2: Give me 3 reasons that will inspire me to watch this movie.
Me: Firstly, JN and MF did really good acting (P2 shakes his
head is disapproval) and secondly, it will inspire you to make
a bucket list.
P1 & P2: We don’t know what a bucket list is.
Me: Sir Bucket list is things you want to do.

P2: What evidence should be provided. P1 laughs and says: This is a good answer (mockingly and sar-
Me: There should be some examples of NGOs. castically).

P2: Are some examples sufficient. P2: What other movies?

Me: I hesitated and said yes. Me: Airlift.

P2: Okay. Today Dhoni got out on 0. Conclusion is he is a bad P1: What happens in the movie?
player. I gave an example. Is this sufficient evidence. Me: Told the plot.
Me: No sir.
P2: Why Saddam invaded.
P2: What evidence will you give then? ME: Oil sir (I guessed). Then they asked on why he did it.
Me: Maybe a city’s data. Countered my oil answer but I couldn’t answer.

P2: How many NGOs are there in Mumbai. P1: So you just watch movies but are not interested in know-
Me: 3000. ing their history?
A: Sir sometimes I do but…
P2: How will you get data of 3000 NGOs.
Me: Sir, RTI. P2: Okay, take a toffee and go.
Me: Thank you sir.

224
@Pramod_
WAT Topic: Media and corruption…along those lines. Very
generic

Inguva
Interview Panel: 3 males, late 30’s to early 40’s. Call them Left
(L), Right (R) and Center (C).

Me: Good evening Sir. smiled at everyone.

CAT Score: 99.90%ile
Work-Ex: 3.5 Years C: (All laughing) Evening? Already? Are you hungry?
UG Score: 7.1 Me: No sir, just a little late to say good morning. wanted to
cheer up the mood. So…
Date: 9th March
Venue: Bangalore C: Where are you from? What do you do?
Me: Told where I was from and I work as “yyy” in an early
stage hedge fund “zzz”.
Solve a puzzle for me.
R: What does early stage hedge fund mean?
You are on an island Me. Technically we don’t have enough minimum capital to call
ourselves a hedge fund but we follow LS strategy, which is a
with… popular Hedge Fund.

C: Give us stock tips. Can I call you every night asking for
some?
Me: Yes sir, always welcome.

R: You pick stocks? Not your company?

225
Me: I do sir, we are two people at firm. My boss can’t track all Me. Yes sir, it has something to do with people.
industries. I track some and pick stocks from them.
C: Don’t be vague. I want specifics.
R: Where should I invest now? Me. As a kid I remember reading that “demos” stands for peo-
Me: Discretionary consumers sir. ple and dividend is something that benefits everyone. So I
think it means it anything that benefits..
C: Specifics?
Me: Named a couple of firms. C: Does India have demographic dividend?
Me: Yes sir.
C: Will I make money?
Me: These are the tips I gave at our firm also sir. I believe you C: How is it different from say Europe?
will. Me: There are different parts to it - Age is one of them. Our
population is much younger. For example our people age close
to 35 on average, where as if you take Japan for example people
When efficiencies are attained, it are much older.
means people go out of work right?
C: So what does it mean? Young population?
Where do they go then? Me: More labor.

C: (Interrupting me) So you are a finance guy? Why not IT? C: Is it good?
Me: Why be everybody sir? This is what I like. Me: Of course it is. Supply of labor is essential to…

C: So you hate software? C: (Interrupting me) How do you get them work? What is the
Me: I write codes for my work sir, but I don’t want to be in the major occupation?
IT industry. Plus I’m an electrical engineer. IT is not relevant Me: India sir?
to what I studied.
C: Anywhere in the world?
C: Your application says you were in an oil company before. Me: In India it is agriculture sir, we have close to 60% popu-
Why did you leave? lation working in agriculture. So young people choose to work
Me: I like this work sir. there naturally.

C: Do you enjoy this? Stock picking? C: Why are you not doing it?
Me: Yes sir, I do. Me: Smiles.

C: Honestly? R: You mean people “choose” to work there?

Me: Honestly. Me: Yes sir but I didn’t say it’s a willful choice.

(C smiles) C: What is there to do in agriculture?

Me: A lot of things sir, we still depend on monsoons. Farm
R: What is efficient market hypothesis? tilling is manual in most places. Mechanisation can happen
Me: Explained it. and efficiencies can be achieved.

C: I am a layman, explain it to me?
Me: Okay sir…blah…blah…
R: So you mean to say that there is no way one can make mon-
ey without being a Rajaratnam.
Me: I didn’t mean that sir but…blah…blah…
R: (Interrupting me) So you know who he is?
Me: Yes sir, jailed for insider trading etc…
C: When efficiencies are attained, it means people go out of
work right? Where do they go then?
Me: Manufacturing Sir.
C: Exactly. Thats the word I have been trying to get out of
your mouth.
Me: Sir, instead of Indian demographic if you asked about Eu-
rope or the US, I would have said that without blinking. Thats
the focus of our government also sir.

C: Did you hear about “demographic dividend”? C: What is?

226
Me: To increase share of MFG from 17 to 25% of GDP.
R: You say 35, 60, 25…you know these numbers?
Me: I believe they are right sir.
C: By the way, just because you left manufacturing job and are
in financial services doesn’t mean everyone has to leave manu-
facturing and find a job there.
So you have your CFA, you are already
in the industry and you are from
(looks at my application) IIT Madras?
What do you want now? Why MBA?
C: Okay, did you hear of land acquisition?
Me: Yes sir.
C: So who do these industries take land from?
Me: Farmland sir.
C: What do these agriculture employees do then?
Me: Sir, I remember reading somewhere that 90% of indian
farmers own less than 10% of land. They mostly work as farm
labor. They will get jobs in industry but then major loss is to
the rich that own hectares of land.
R: Are you saying its fragmented?
Me: Highly sir.
(R looks me in the eye for a couple of seconds.)
C: How did you learn finance? Did you do a course or some-
thing?
Me: Sir I passed all levels of CFA exam.
C: So you have your CFA, you are already in the industry and
you are from (looks at my application) IIT Madras? What do
you want now? Why MBA?
Me: Sir all that may be true but I want to be part of a super
strong network like IIM C’s. Thats the biggest reason. It helps
227
me grow in career. Also, my business knowledge through CFA
or by my work is related to finance. If you see my application, I
mentioned that I want to start my own company in the future.
So, I need lessons on strategy and behavorial sciences etc. That
is another reason why I want MBA particularly from IIM C.
L: (For the first time) Have you heard of a firm called Bridge
water associates?
Me: Yes sir, its one of the top hedge funds in the world.
L: What do you know about it?
Me: Founded by Ray Dalio, their strategy called All weather
portfolio is ultra popular.
L: Okay.
C: Okay. Solve a puzzle for me. You are on island with two
types of people namely Sane and Insane. Again they may be
liars or truthtellers. Some conditions. Find out which one is
liar.
Me. Used paper and said something.
C: Show me your work.
C: I dont understand your writing,
Me: Forget it sir…explained the solution.
L: Thats one possibility. What about others?
Me: Thats the only case sir.
C smiles…Consults others and says thats all
I said thank you and was about to get out.
C says take that toffee. You must be hungry and says good
evening loudly.
I said the same and walked out. I was frickin hungry. It must be
a 20-25 minutes interview in total. Felt good overall. My only
interview. So can’t draw comparisons either.
Flip for next Interview

228
@gaurav
WAT Topic: Galileo and Pythagoras should be respected more
than Shakespeare and Mozart because they impact civilization
as it is today. We had to give logical points against this argu-

swaroop
ment. Kind of a tricky topic where it was difficult to squeeze
more than 2-3 points out of the context.

There were 2 people. 1 of them was focused on the academics

Date: Feb 13th, 1:30 PM based and job based stuff. The other one was about general
10th Score: 94% stuff, GK, hobbies and general stuff.
12th Score: 93%
Q: What do you do at GS?
UG: Electronics and Instrumentation from
Me: Gave a brief description of my team, overall work. My
BITS Pilani: CGPA 9.0 team generates and delivers reports. I work on delivery part.
Working @ GS Tech They didn’t seem satisfied. They try to go into details about the
reports and I gave a few details and clarified that I worked on
the delivery part and have a basic idea of the reports. Asked a
Start your engines couple of counter questions. I clarified that my role was totally
tech (developing web apps, UI etc).

beforehand & get your Q: Give an example. Paint a picture of how the user sees it.

foot on the accelerator… Me: Told him. He then said “So, it’s a tech role”. And I said
yes! Seemed satisfied.

Q: Why MBA?
Me: I like finance and wanted to switch into it. Hence MBA.

Q: But you didn’t open and read the reports. (Had me there.

229
Had to get out of this.)
Me: Gave some explanation and said that I want to get into
sell side / buy side / IB analyst kind of role. Said I was inspired
by ‘Confessions of a Wall Street Analyst’ and also did 3 cours-
es. (Economics, Security Anslysis & Portfolio Management,
Econometrics.)
Q: What did you learn in Econometrics?
Me: Mentioned something about curve fittings etc.
mentation is used to control processes.
Q: In this building where is A8 used.
Me: It’s not used in electrical supply. Used in AC though.
(Hoping for a question on AC.)
Q: Okay tell me where it’s used in building wiring.
Me: Said something about current control and how system is
tripped when it goes above a certain amperage.

Q: What were the 2 things you learned from Econometric, Q: What is ampere?
The crux i.e. Me: Charge flowing per second. Continued on current control.
Me: Probability distributions etc.
Q: To fuse banate ho Instrumentation mein?
Me: No sir, that would be a very trivial thing. But you told me
I’m a brown belt in karate and learned explain where A8 is used in electrical supply to the building.
it for 8 years and that I was passionate
Q: Okay explain some example where it’s used.
about it. Me: Had mentioned that my dad was a civil engineer. So went
ahead with an example of using strain gauge to measure strain
Q: Can you draw a normal distribution? in beams. Explained properly with diagrams.
Me: Drew a normal distribution on x-y axis and drew a line
for mean. (One thing to keep in mind is to explain everything in very
basic terms. Extremely basic. I guess they want to understand
Q: What is that line? how well you can explain.)
Me: Mean.
Q: Koi extra curriculars nahi hain?
Q: Are you sure? A: Told him that I’m a brown belt in karate and learned it for 8
Me: Yes. years and that I was passionate about it. But then high school
happened. Seemed satisfied.
Q: What are those 2 lines?
Me: X-Y axis. Q: Okay so I see you’re from Jharkhand.
Me: Said I’m from Bihar. Gave them some background about
Q: What is the value of origin? my grandfather and Ranchi etc. Pretty much small talk. More
Me: Would need details like SD etc. details.

Q: Okay estimate all that. Q: Asked about CMs and Deputy CMs, also about Hyder-
Me: Went the +-1 SD = 68% +-2 SD = 95% route. abad and Telangana etc.
Me: Knew some questions. Didn’t know about others. I hope I
Q: When does it touch the X axis? didn’t appear unaware of issues.
Me: Never. (Seemed satisfied. Moved on to the Bachelors.)
Q: Went to hobbies. Talked about the last book I’d read?
Q: So what was your bachelors? Me: Told them about tipping point which was the last one I
Me: E&I. read and it was damn interesting. It got them interested too.

Q: What is instrumentation? Discussed this for some time and when I was done, I was asked
Me: Gave them process control, instrumentation kind of defi- to take a ‘candy’ and leave.
nition. Also gave them heat exchanger example of how instru-

230
@ammenayak
WAT Topic: Companies prefer students with a broad based
education. How can universities reduce the gap between cur-
ricula and what industries require? 300 words and 30 minutes
(There was also the word humanities somewhere in there.)

Why do IP addresses PI: It was truly a very testing interview. I couldn’t wait to get
out of there. I don’t think you should worry about that as it
start with 192? started pretty bad for me.

P1: (Before I could get comfortable on the seat) So what com-

pany did you get placed in.
Me: Told. (A semiconductor company)

P1: Okay, so what are the recent processors they have made.
What’s the difference?
Me: (I wanted to bury myself ) Told stuff which I’m sure wasn’t
what the interviewer wanted to hear. And then it was a down-
ward spiral.

P1: Processor, processor…

Me: (Bright smile) But irrelevant answers.

P1: Okay, now I’m going to ask you about computer networks.
Do you like it?
Me: (Cringe) I don’t like it much sir but please go ahead.

And the questions he asked:

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Why do IP addresses start with 192…?
What’s a subnet mask?
What are the types of IP classes?
And some more along the same lines.
And then when it was P2. I took an audible sigh of relief.
P2: Why MBA? You already have a good job.
Me: Tackled it smoothly.
I’m not sure if it even counts, as there
were only three cups for the three
interviewers.
P2: So you always lived in Bangalore. Tell me about where the
legislative assemblies convene.
Me: (I swear you could have heard crickets in the background.
He could have been speaking in French) Umm…I don’t know
Sir.
P2: Okay, who is the Chief Secretary?
Me: (This part is really funny. Belongs in the Blonde jokes cat-
egory. Oh Earth eat me up.) So my answer was, what post do
you mean Sir?
P2: (Laughing) There is only one Chief Secretary for state.
Me: I was like what about Sasikala? Isn’t she some kind of
secretary?
P2: (Laughing some more, probably wiped tears) No…(Ex-
plained the difference)
He asked a few personal questions. But my nerves at that point
was tightly strung. Then it was P3. My entire body was itching
to get out of the place.
P3 started with a few personal questions. And later asked me:
What is e? Draw the e^x curve. Where is it used? What can
you intuitively glean from it? Write relation between e, i and
pi.
Me: This was something I could answer finally and then some-
where in between he asked me if I wanted some coffee. I said
no thank you. I’m not sure if it even counts, as there were only
three cups for the three interviewers. I also answered in the
negative when he asked me if I had any questions. I had pre-
pared one but my spirit was looking the other way.
And the climax:
P3: What other IIM calls have you got?
Me: Told him.
P3, P2 and P1: Best of luck for your next interview. (And that
my dear folks is THE END.)
Gave a big smile and left. Overall I felt like I wasn’t prepared
enough though the questions were bordering on common:-
sense. Another thing is that they never allowed me to divert
the interview towards my stronghold which was sad but I real-
ly hope this helps you gals and guys prepare better.
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@vijaykm
PI Panel: 3 panelists. 2 professors (ladies), 1 Alumnus (guy).

WAT Topic: Why indigenous products couldn’t compete with

international brands in consumer market.

You would have joined PI: Welcome Vijay. So you have worked more than all the pre-
vious candidates (23 months!). Tell us something about your
coaching in TIME right? work experience and why you are different from rest of all B.E.
candidates.
Me: Told about my job nature which involves lot of travelling,
my adaptability of working in north being born and brought
up in Madurai.

Q: So what was your key learning from it? Elaborate with an

example.
Me: My first project in Bawal, Haryana. It was a big project
with 18 machines. Planning the schedule along with customer
everyday and executing it accordingly. Communicating what
work I want clearly to my sub ordinates to be completed on a
particular day.

Q: So you had people who were reporting to you for certain

period of time? How was that experience?
Me: It was not easy initially as most of them were elder to me..
then once I mingled well with them I managed better. But we
won’t have the entire team for the full duration of installation.
Like out of 8 people, 4 will be sent after 1 month and so on.

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So things like when to send them back and if I send them
back and after that if I need more people then how to manage.
Things like these were difficult to decide. But I learnt them
with experience.
Q: You said you are working in Titan. Titan makes watch-
es and jewellery right? What is this business you are talking
about?
Me: You are right mam. Titan started this division for supply-
ing machines to its own watches factory. Later in 2007 they
started this as separate business and started selling machines
for outside customers. We sell machines for tier-1, tier-2 auto-
mobile manufacturers and electrical component manufacturers
as well like ABB, Schneider.
What you felt
Q: Who are the major players
in this business and what is the Haryana or north for first time, how Q: One final question, you are
USP of titan? were the people over there?
Me: Bosch, GE are the major
ones. Titan has its own manufacturing setup for mechanical
parts. So Titan’s major USP is its costing.
Q: What you felt when you visited Haryana or north for first
time, how were the people over there?
Me: Stuttered a bit…talking about mode of transport there
and all. But they wanted to know about life style of people
there. Then I said about people being more religiously divided
there. Very common to see saffron and green colour flags on
roof of households which is not the case in south.
Q: There would be lot of local manufacturers who have cost-
ing as their USP. So apart from that based on what else titan is P: Okay, Vijay thank you and all the best!
getting their orders?
Me: Spoke about value added services and technical expertise.
We do marking, vision system and lot of test rigs. Also titan is
into medical industry as well. Assembly line for syringes etc.
this expertise helps in getting new orders.
Q: Why do you feel everyone should travel more? Benefits of
it.
Me: (I didn’t interpret it properly and started telling my own
experience. They stopped and asked tell in general for every-
one.) I spoke about how important is knowing about new peo-
ple, new culture what they are good at, by which you can know
how good you are. What are your strengths and weaknesses.
Also travel is very refreshing
when you visited for your spirit.
not working for past 6 months.
What are you doing all these
days?
Me: I faced few shortcomings in my last job which I didn’t
want to repeat when I work next time. I went to gym, did yoga
etc. and joined an NGO where I was working earlier.
Q: Then you didn’t enroll for CAT coaching? You would have
joined coaching in TIME right? (Started laughing, I told ya
that too) So how did that help you?
Me: Our medium of communication in office is tamil and to
customers too I speak in hindi. So my language skills got di-
minished and coaching helped me in building the vocabulary.
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