Hello fam,
Welcome back. Today I'm back with the most useful blog for MBA aspirants. My GD-PI- WAT experiences from various B-schools(IIMs) of India. Hope this helps.
Also sharing a perspective of what to include in answering a few particular questions.
*IIM Mumbai:*
Interview experience at IIM Mumbai was pleasant. The panel, with full smiles, began by asking me to tell about myself. They were particularly interested in my internship and final year project, followed by questions about my job role, key performance indicators of my clients, and the challenges I faced at work. They concluded by asking if I had any questions for them.
1. *Tell me about yourself:* Open-ended question to understand the candidate's background and experiences.
2. *Explain your internship and final year project:* Specific questions to delve into the candidate's practical experiences and academic projects.
3. *What is your job role?* Understanding the candidate's current or previous role and responsibilities.
4. *What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) of your clients?* Probing into the candidate's understanding of client management and performance metrics.
5. *What challenges have you faced in your work?* Exploring the candidate's problem-solving abilities and adaptability in challenging situations.
6. *Do you have any questions for us?* Giving the candidate an opportunity to inquire about the institute or clarify any doubts.
*IIM Indore:*
At IIM Indore, the interview started with a brief introduction followed by questions about the first Indian to win a Grammy, Bollywood debut song, ports of Mangalore, mountain ranges, ACID property, SQL vs NoSQL, geopolitical context, recent missile launches, and why I took a gap year.
1. *Introduction:* General introduction question to initiate the conversation.
2. *Who was the first Indian to win a Grammy?* Testing the candidate's general knowledge.
3. *Can you name his debut Bollywood song?* Continuing to assess the candidate's knowledge about Indian music.
4. *Name the ports of Mangalore:* Evaluating the candidate's awareness of Indian geography and trade.
5. *Explain ACID property and differences between SQL and NoSQL:* Assessing the candidate's understanding of database management concepts.
6. *What are the recent missile launches in India?* Testing the candidate's knowledge of current affairs.
7. *Why did you take a gap year?* Understanding the reasons behind the candidate's career choices and decisions.
*Extempore:*
For the extempore session, the topic was "Future of India is digital," where I had to share my thoughts.
*IIM Bangalore (PGPBA):*
During the WAT, I discussed whether green entrepreneurship is limited in scope or if big industries will be forced to reinvent themselves. The interview covered topics like my work experience, SOP, interest in cycles, political and business news, regression analysis, and differences between PGPBA and PGP curriculum.
1. *Discuss the scope of green entrepreneurship:* Inviting the candidate to present and discuss their views on a specific topic.
2. *Why did you choose Shimoga for your project?* Exploring the candidate's project choices and motivations.
3. *Can you explain your work experience role in detail?* Understanding the candidate's professional background and responsibilities.
4. *What are the key elements of your Statement of Purpose (SOP)?* Evaluating the candidate's clarity of purpose and communication skills.
5. *How do you perceive the market for high-cost bicycles?* Probing into the candidate's understanding of market dynamics and consumer behavior.
6. *What significant political and business news do you follow?* Assessing the candidate's awareness of current events and industry trends.
*IIM Kozhikode:*
The interview at IIM Kozhikode included questions about my hometown, differences between national parks and sanctuaries, work experience, clients handled, big tech companies, service sector contribution to GDP, sustainable development goals, and the Triple Bottom Line concept.
1. *Where are you from?* Basic introductory question to establish rapport.
2. *Differences between national parks and sanctuaries:* Testing the candidate's knowledge of environmental conservation concepts.
3. *What big tech companies do you know in India and globally?* Assessing the candidate's awareness of the tech industry.
4. *Which sector does software come under in terms of GDP contribution?* Evaluating the candidate's understanding of economic sectors.
5. *Can you explain the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?* Testing the candidate's knowledge of global development initiatives.
6. *What is the Triple Bottom Line concept?* Assessing the candidate's familiarity with sustainability principles in business.
*MDI:*
At MDI, the interview began with a general question about myself, followed by inquiries about the panel's reaction outside and whether I preferred an easy or tough interview. The discussion then moved to my engineering background, work experience, automation potential of my job, client interactions, future aspirations post-MBA, satisfaction with current role, and finally, if I had any questions.
1. *Who are you?* General opening question to start the interview.
2. *How was the panel's reaction outside?* Testing the candidate's observation skills and ability to gauge social cues.
3. *Do you prefer an easy or tough interview, considering the wait?* Understanding the candidate's interview preferences.
4. *Why did you choose engineering but not work in that sector?* Exploring the candidate's career choices and motivations.
5. *Can your job be automated?* Assessing the candidate's awareness of automation trends and implications.
6. *What key points do you consider when interacting with clients?* Evaluating the candidate's client management skills and strategies.
7. *What are your future aspirations post-MBA?* Understanding the candidate's career goals and ambitions.
8. *Are you satisfied with your current role?* Probing into the candidate's job satisfaction and career trajectory.
9. *Do you have any questions for us?* Providing the candidate with an opportunity to seek clarifications or learn more about the institute.
*Group Discussion:*
The group discussion topic was "Can money buy happiness?"
*IIM Shillong:*
The interview at IIM Shillong started with an extempore session on a topic called "Out of the blue moon." Following that, questions were asked about my work experience, transportation management in India, reasons for countries backing out from China, cyber security, IMF bailout from Pakistan, mesh topology, schemes for backward classes, and the motivation behind pursuing an MBA.
1. *Explain your work experience:* Opening question to understand the candidate's professional background.
2. *How do you perceive transportation management in India?* Assessing the candidate's views on a pertinent societal issue.
3. *Why are other countries distancing themselves from China?* Testing the candidate's understanding of geopolitical dynamics.
4. *How can cyber security be improved?* Evaluating the candidate's knowledge of cybersecurity measures.
5. *Why is the IMF bailing out from Pakistan?* Assessing the candidate's awareness of global economic issues.
6. *Can you explain mesh topology?* Testing the candidate's understanding of networking concepts.
7. *What schemes do you know for backward classes in India?* Evaluating the candidate's awareness of government initiatives.
8. *Why do you want to pursue an MBA?* Understanding the candidate's motivations for higher education.
*Cap Call (Baby and New IIMs):*
In this interview, I was questioned about my background, work experience, favorite subject, normalization, microservices, data warehouse, agile scrum master, current affairs like the impact of Pakistan elections and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, and whether I had any questions for them.
1. *Tell us about yourself:* General opening question to initiate the conversation.
2. *Can you explain your work experience in detail?* Understanding the candidate's professional background and responsibilities.
3. *What is your favorite subject and why?* Assessing the candidate's academic interests and reasoning abilities.
4. *Can you explain types of normalization?* Testing the candidate's understanding of database management concepts.
5. *What do you know about microservices and data warehouses?* Assessing the candidate's knowledge of modern IT architectures.
6. *Can you discuss the impact of Pakistan elections on India?* Evaluating the candidate's awareness of regional geopolitics.
7. *Is the Russia-Ukraine war still ongoing? Why or why not?* Testing the candidate's knowledge of global conflicts and current events.
8. *Do you have any questions for us?* Providing the candidate with an opportunity to inquire about the institute or clarify any doubts.
*IIM Lucknow:*
The interview at IIM Lucknow, conducted by two males, began with questions about my city and my parents' occupations. It then moved on to discussions about my final year project, job role, challenges with clients, future plans post-MBA, reasons for choosing MBA over MTech, the difference between BE and BTech, coaching for interviews, and ended with a light-hearted question about my preference for toffees.
1. *Which city are you from and what do your parents do?* Basic introductory question to establish rapport.
2. *Can you explain your final year project in detail?* Understanding the candidate's academic project and research work.
3. *What is your job role, when did you join, and what challenges have you faced?* Exploring the candidate's professional background and experiences.
4. *Do you have any calls from other institutes, and will you join Lucknow considering the distance?* Understanding the candidate's preferences and decision-making process.
5. *Why did you choose MBA over MTech?* Exploring the candidate's career aspirations and motivations.
6. *What is the difference between BE and BTech?* Testing the candidate's knowledge of academic degrees.
7. *Did you take any coaching for the interview?* Understanding the candidate's preparation methods and resources.
8. *Would you like a toffee?* Ending the interview on a light-hearted note.
Hope you learnt what could be asked. Prepare well and excel.
Until next time.
Sarvamshreekrishnarpanamasthu.
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