IIMK

Hey guyz... here goes my IIM-K GDPI Experience-

Name- Salman S Ali

State - Kerala
Class X - 80.2% CBSE
Class XII - 80.6% CBSE
B.Tech - 78.75 First Rank, Calicut Unvty

CAT 2006 -
Total - 98.55
DI - 99.93
VA - 92.96
QA - 81.3

Calls - IIM-K alone

GDPI Date - 3rd Feb, 2007

Time - 9A.M.
Panel - 2

---------------------------
G.D

THE G.D was about Capitalism for about 10min.s

From the word start GO, i put up the fire, and bluffed up some introduction by the
means of the article given. I literally had it all for myself as i was able to
control/lead the group in whichever direction i did wish for. Something like a half-
nosed being a king among the flat-nosed. I was the pick of six.
And ofcourse, they(panel) should also decide.

(Self evaluation. 8.5/10)

P.I

I was lucky to have my interview slot 2nd (the best position, and i dont even mind it
being first)
the panel where two professors, later i learnt out, one from strategic department(the
cheerful prof as like me)(P1), and another quants. (P2)

entrance, gud morn. , sitting n those stuffs...

P1- you look very smart (i was the lone to have it dressed it full, coat n suits)
Me- thank you sir
P1- but why do u put up this dress, its really very hot here???
Me- oh! i am used to it sir
P1- how?
Me- i do run a consultancy in the edu. sector, and as often we do it for seminars n
other prog.s (had some brief about my company)
P1- well, if otherwise tell us about urslf

Me- bla bla bla, graduated w ith first rank, afterwards took up job at so n so
company, then with so n so company, where i learned some managerial skills,
interrupts... (i was about to come to my biz, where i think i am the king, but
unfortunately couldn't)
P1- well, how do u think u acquired managerial skills
Me- sir, i was part of project implementations such as TEQIP, ISO cert... and i even
represented college/principal on imp. meetings.
P1- u mean ISO, whats the full of that
Me- International Standardisation of Organizations
P1- Repeat, are u sure...
Me- smiles, (not sure)...
P1- alrigth, what u actually did with ISO Comment: 1.One should know all
these kind of abbr or don’t say . If
Me- we setup a plan, works to that, review that, gets feedbacks, bla bla bla.... you say this then they are bound to
P1- well, what are the parameters of ISO 9001, and ISO 14001 ask for detail

Me- Sir, ISO 9001 works with.... (confused)

P1- i do ask the parameters, just something to value with...
Me- confused...
P1- just as i wanna value you, there should be some parameters, isnt it...
Me- Exactly, Sir...
P1- hmm.. whats that...
Me- sorry, sir i can't...
P1- alright, nods to P2 to ask questions
P2- well, u did work as an R&D at so n so company, what actually did u contribute
to the company
Me- Sir, mine work was to design products as per the requirement of the company.
P2- in what sense
Me- bla bla bla (actual work done...)
P2- (some questions more about the products of the company)
Me- answers (near to perfection) (in between i mentions the word probability)
P2- what do u know about stastics
Me- sir, i studied in class XII and a bit during my engg. days Comment: Look n stay positive in
these kind of situation
P2- u did mention something about probability, i shall ask a question in that... (goes
on with the question, and gives me a paper to calculate)
Me- (i did reach near to the answer, where one careless error happens) i said the
answer, it was wrong.
P2- he took the paper, and went on to derive the answer
Me- (i was pleading), sir one small mistake i made, can i correct (he was not
listening)
P2- this is that (his answer was partially wrong- in the sense he worked out for
replacing/nonreplacing)
Me- once i got the paper, i corrected my mistake, and he acknowledges it to be
correct.
P1-(intervenes), which is ur favourite subject on instrumentation
Me-Bla Bla Bla Comment: One should be strong in at
least three strong subjects . Practical
P1- One practical example examples are very important.
Me- answers, (when description was asked, i took the paper, drew some diagrams,
explains)
P2- that increases the cost
Me- (i provided some remedial measures, good)
P2- Again deep into academics
Me- (wondering, good GOD, why dont they give me a chance about my work-ex or
business)
i am in trouble now...
somehow manages to put it across, althought partially correct he didn't accept it.
P1- your answers are vague....(i think its some stressing)
Me- smiles (hopefully if he is stressing me, i didnt fell to the trap..) God knows what
that he really meant it or not
P1- you are simply into some biz that have nothing to do with your academics,
then why did u spent all those years at the engg. college Comment: This is FAQ
Me- Sir, i had developed some technical and personality skills
P1- is it for personality development you are there (more stressing.. maybe he's
being strategic), i really doesn't know whether he meant it literally
Me- smiles (not succumbs to any stressing, i was cheerful throughout, so was P1) Comment: Should have defended
P1- then, why in the fast chance you did go for engg. n tech studies
Me- Sir, i had no choice, at that age i was compelled to take so, as my....
P1- parents have urged to (he completes the sentences) laughs...
P1 P2- thank you Comment: Did not end with positive
note
Me- (wondering... as i was expecting my stronghold, my workex or biz, i never did
get a chance, except the intro..)
P1P2- thank you (again, nods that its all over)
Me- well, thank you sirs... (as cheerful as always leaves...)

(self evaluation 7/10)

Overall Performance:

15.5/20 slightly above average (not outstanding, as i wanted and expected to be

myself)
now it depends on the relative perfomance (earlier i had a notion that i will get
through straighaway) Comment: Blunder

my sincere advice to all fellowmates: please go back to your fundas: academics,

academics and academics, nothing else...

Interview Experience 2

My Profile:

B.Tech in EE ( 8.02/10)
XII --> 88.2%
X --> 90.6%
Work ex. --> Working for 18months counting Jan 2007, Texas Instruments.
Decent extra-curricular activities:
CAT --> 99.59%ile overall ( Q --> 98.4%ile,D --> 99.05%ile , VA --> 97%ile)

Venue: Monarch Hotel, Bangalore.

************************************************** ************************************
GD: As far as I can remember the topic to be :

The Topic was about infrastructural development that the country needs.Projects
like water resources, road development and sewage water treatment are needed for
the country's industrial development.

The major stumbing factor to this is the inadequate supply of land

************************************************** *******************************
Interview :

P1 --> interviewer 1 : old chap, benign personality

P2 --> interviewer 2 : younger than P1 , asks a lot of questions.Operations Research
prof.
M --> me.
P1 : Let us check your certificates .
M : Of course sir( hands them the file)
P2: ( Some query on the grades on my grade-sheet)
M : Explains that. Comment: Be polite and
cheerful
P1: Have you got calls from any other IIM's?
M : Yes Sir, I got calls from the other five IIM's too.
P1: So you have got two patents?
M: Yes Sir,my team has filed two patents during the course of our work.( Give him
the explanation).
P2: So do you get any monetary benefit out of this
M: (Start with the company policy that all intellectual property belongs to the
company blah blah... and I will get some money out of this)
P1: So Arup, please tell us something about yourself,like your education , family
background...
M: ( blah blah blah)-interrupted by P1 --
P2: Can you state the law of electromagnetic induction?
M : Tells the definition, ( i forgot about the changing field)
P2: So if you have a DC current carrying conductor, will you have induction?
M : No Sir, you need to have a changing electric field, or a changing voltage.
P2: So you should tell that na?
M: Can I rephrase my answer?
P2: Please do.
M: (Tell the complete definition)
P2: Explain how its applied to transformers.
M: I explain the whole funda to him, and write down the equations too.
P2: How does the no. of turns figure out in this?
M : Explains something, and then tell him I do not remember it exactly.
P2: How does a motor work?
M: Explain it , again drawing diagram etc...
P2: Can you tell me how an inductor motor work?
M: Sir, Single phase or three-phase?
P2: First, lets see the single phase.
M: Ok, again back to the sheet, draw diagram and explain how the cursed thing
works, am explaining to him the most crucial thing about the starter circuit,--
interrupted by P2--
P2: Ok, so how does a three phase inductor motor work?
M: Again draw the diagram , explain him the funda of rotating magnetic field
created due to the 3-phase supply etc etc... ad nauseum...
P2: How does the magnetic field get directed this way?
M: Tell him the resultant vector addition of the magnetic fields point here.And then
say I cannot explain it fully, since I studied this 3 years back.
P2: Take a pentagon, if you connect all the vertices , how many polygons would you
get?
M: I take the sheet, draw the figure and then tell him I could count the number of
polygons ...
P2: So can you give me a generic formula for a n-sided polygon?
M : No Sir, I cannot.
P1: Can you give me the relation to get laplace transform?
M: Writes down the equation.
P2: ( nods in P1's direction , seems like "handing over the baton ritual")
P1: So Arup, you are from calcutta , tell us what you would do to improve calcutta's
cultural and economic status?
M: Sir, as far as I know, Calcutta is culturally very strong, with strong music and
theatre circles.
P1: So , what about the economic condition?
M: Tell him stuff about infrastructure , for eg: roads.. problem of a large migrant
population and no jobs due to no private industries.. also no proper transport,
something like a delhi metro would help.
P1: But cal already has a metro..
M: But its not enough, very short coverage, something like a delhi is better.
P1: Why no industries?
M: Strong labor unions, govermental supprt etc.
P1: But even the European countries have unions, are you saying there should be no
unions?
M: No Sir, I think unions should be there, but in WB the support of the political
fraternity has given them a militant edge , they resort to strikes etc, and obviously
any private company will not want this.Also, the rise of naxalites in the 1970-s has
hampered the growth further..
P1: So do other states that suffer from naxals have any link with this?
M: ( launch into the rise of naxals... starting from naxalbari....), also new orgs like
KLO have come up, the govt needs to ensure the law and order situation is normal
for private investment.
P1: So you work in Texas Instruments , its an american company , have you heard of
this quote "all my bro......< cant remember >"
M: No sir( smile )
P1: NO?... ( then they both say its swami vivekanand... blah... and where he gave it n
all)
M: Sir, I was not aware of this.
P2: So have you studied any operation research course?
M: No Sir( was very glad that I didnt ,... he WAS an OR prof)
P2: What about courses in algorithms ?
M: No Sir, My core subjects were basically about circuits..
P2: Ohhhh( "some sorta realisation dawns upon him" look)
P2: Hmm... Have you heard about Jhumpa Lahiri?
M: Yes Sir, I know she is an author, but thats about it.
P2: So can you name some books written by her?
M: No Sir, I cannot.
P2,P1: Thank you Arup,
M: Thank you sir, have a good day.

That was the interview ... other people told me it was about 20 minutes in length.
**************************************************
************************************************
The GD comprised of nine people i think, one guy opted out.

It was around 50-50 acads + some personal opinions about issues like WB etc etc...
The ones about Jhumpa Lahiri and Swami Vivekananda were complete "kick in the
nuts" questions , other than that, I think I managed to answer most of the questions.

The atmosphere was cordial, no stress , no "good guy - bad guy" roleplay by the
panel, other people in my group had varied experiences, some guys were asked
about only acads, some work related stuff, some guy hobbies!!!freshers were
obviously asked about

any feedback or comments are welcome.

Really dont know what to make of it as of now, now back to preparing for L on the
8th..

The first IIM Intv of the season... there were 30 ppl divided into 3 panels.. dunno abt
others but everyone was present in mine... (Mine was Panel 3)

the process started in an absolute hurry.. before one could realise the GD had started
and finished also...

A small write up about 'Infrastructure development" whose last line was ...

"The biggest stumbling block in infrastructire development is the availability of

adequate land"
So the entire discussion kept revolving around this..
A real fish-market.. everybody trying to speak at the same time... lasted for hardly 8-
9 mins.. just not a good discussion...

Then the intvs.. I was 7th in line.. pretty long agonising wait...

around 11:40 the show starts..

2 ppl ... P1 and P2
P1: can I have your file?
(P2 is reading my form)
P2: Tell us something about yourself.
Me: Blah Blah...
P1: where's ur degree certi?
P1: did u see guru?
Me: No sir.
P1: u shud have.. its relevant to you.( I am from a Reliance College)
Me: I know sir but I havent watched it.
P1: what do u think? is it dhirubhai's story?
Me: My friends say it is so...
( Then a lot of talk abt my college. around 2 mins on that)
P2: tell me something about ur company.
Me: Blah Blah...
P1: I did not know ur company is into hardware..
Me: just started a few yrs back
P1: How much does ur division contribute to ur company's revenues?
Me: Told him.
P1: what do u know abt "economic survey"?
Me: bata diya
P1: Indian IT companies seem to be doing aal kind of work. MNCs focus only on
specialised things.
Me: inital phase. would move up the value chain with time once the clients start
having confidence in us.
P1: IT's contri to GDP?
Me: 10%(Messed up big time here.. told the wrong figure and he started laughing)
P1: India's GDP?
Me: told both.. nominal as well as PPP
P2: u have mentioned 'blah blah' as ur strength. pl elaborate.
Me. tallked abt certain experience from my college as well as from work.
(Both nod to each other and ask me to leave)

so this is the story of the day.. luckily wasnt asked on acads... lot of ppl there were
being screwed on that...

hoping for the best!!

good luck to everybody else..

Hey guys,

Work-ex : 19 months
Cat score : 98.33%

GD topic : Infrastruture woes in India. talked about lack of road, water treatment
and all. Went on to say that farmers should be given equity stake. And the lack of
adequate land available.

2 min to think. Went OK. Lot of crap discussed but missed out as to how
development would eventually help the farmers. Ended after about 10 min. They
asked us to stop.

My performance was OK. Pitched in a couple of times and was heard.

Now comes the sad part. INTERVIEW. Two proff... One techie (TP) and one hr (HP)

Here it goes:

HP : Tell us about yourself

ME : blah blah blah
TP : So you were a member of n/w society... What is param?

ME : I don't know (What a start!!!!!!!!!)

TP : It's the first super comp developed in India.
ME : Ohhhhhhhh
TP : What is multi-threading,multi-tasking and their diff?
ME : Explained
TP : How would you get a multi-threaded application?
ME : Would consider it in design phase
TP : What about processor level? How would you obtain threaded application
making it processor independent ie. portable?
ME : Blurted a lot of crap... but then gave up

Now HP takes over

HP : Can you justify your weakness?
ME : blah blah blah
HP : (Not convinced)
ME : Some more blah blah blah

Again TP takes over

TP : Mobile comm... Heard of <XYZ> DoCoMo? [Don't remember what <XYZ> was]
ME : Heard about DoCoMo. No idea about the other one
TP : Heard about 4G?
ME : Yes, talked about China's pilot 4G project
TP : Diff b/w 3G and 4G?
ME : Told speed.. Compared
TP : What else?

ME : No idea
TP : What is WAP?
ME : Wireless Application Protocol. Used to connect wireless devices. eg. WiFi
TP : Anything else you know about WAP ?
ME : No idea again.

Again HP..
HP : You have done theatre? What have you done?
ME : blah blah blah
HP : How is street play different from stage play?
ME : Sets, lighting, social releveance and all
TP : Ok, 1 last question, i want to connect my campus thru a n/w, which wud u
suggest - WiFi or Optical?
ME : Mobility : WiFi
Speed : Optical
TP : Can you tell exact speed of both?

ME : No idea again.

*************************************************

That was my experience!!!!!

And for all those who have their inter-views please prepare technical technical and
technical...

Bye!
hi ppl..
now is my chance 2 post on this thread!!

Name- Ashish Abraham

State - Tamil nadu
Class X - 88.17(ICSE)
Class XII - 93(TN state board)
Degree/Else- 71.8(NIT Trichy final year)

CAT 2006 -
Total - 99.41%
DI - 99.80
VA - 93.90
QA - 95.27

Calls - CLIK

GDPI Date - 5th feb

Time - 2 pm
Panel - 2

There were 3 panels with 10 members in each.. i was in panel 2. one was absent. so
only 9 of us were there.

The gd topic was some XYZ board(sorry i forgot d name) has formed some ABC
committee to regulate the advertisements.. this is cos many ads are very misleading
especially those on healthcare, etc. etc..(don remember).

In the initial 10 seconds, no one wanted 2 start! Then PG piyushs started.. Every now
and then 3 or 4 will start talking but soon people let 1 guy talk.(the moderators did
not intervene). Not many points were discussed. I chipped in only 2 or 3 times. The
problem was i entered the discussion pretty late.

We were asked to keep our data form and the GD sheet on the chair and leave the
hall. No summary or concluding to be done..

i was 4th 2 b called 4 the interview.. panel 1 and 3 got some probability and statistics
questions... Gaussian curve.. Laplace transformations..

Now i had written analytical skills as my strength. i was pretty tensed as 2 wat was
in STORE for me..

the guys before me had interview for 15 min each.

ok now let me explain the interview i had..

me..
tech(who virtually asked all d questions) and
hr(who was busy lookin at my certificates and.. my body lang i guess!!)

me: excuse me.. may i come in..

both: yes
[i took my seat handing over my file to the hr guy]
tech: (laughing..) ashish u hav written MBA wil give u better career prospects in the
IT industry. how is that possible???
me: well sir it wil help me get into the managerial line..
tech:so u want to specialize in IT only?
me: i am a computer engg and i feel i wil b able 2 use what i hav learnt.
tech: so u r not looking at other specializations like marketing..
me: finance and systems are 2 options i am looking at. i will b able 2 make up my
mind in first year.. (now he was happy i guess..)
tech: so u r in final year?
me: yes sir..
hr: what you have got so many D grades? in file systems, ...
me: sir grading is relative in my college.
tech: how many students are there in ur class
me: 49
tech: so wat does D grade mean?
me: somewhere between 30-35.
tech: out of 49??
me: yes sir but it is just in those subjects in which i have got D.
tech: so overall where do you stand in your class?
me: around ..

tech: oh..so what are the subjects you have in your final year?
me: Advanced DBMS , industrial economics(i was praying that he does not ask
questions from this..) , high speed networks and distributed OS.
tech: advanced DBMS..hmmm.. wat is data warehouse?
me: sir, data warehouse contains huge amounts of data which can be analysed to
improve the sales..
tech: analysis? but isn't that called data mining?
me: no sir, it is a part of data warehousing only!
tech: is a data warehouse volatile or non volatile?
me: a data warehouse contains huge amounts of information sir. so it cannot be
volatile..
tech: so what do u say? volatile or non volatile?
me: non volatile
tech: are you sure?
me: yes sir.
tech: did u study abt data warehouse in college?
me: no sir, but i have done a project on data warehousing.
tech: they say wen data warehouse is used and wen normal transaction DBMS is
used is subject oriented. what do u say?
me: yes sir.. it depends on the purpose. normal transaction DBMS is used for normal
queries. Now take the example of a school database where the number of records
maynot be more than 5000. We can use queries to get info on a particular student.
Data warehouse is used in enterprises where millions of records are stored and
analysis of the data is useful to improve the business..
tech: ok.. so do u know OLAP.. OLTP..
me: OLTP is OnLine Transaction Processing. It is the normal update, delete , insert
operations performed on a database. OLAP is OnLine Analytical Processing. It is
used for analysing the huge amounts of data present.
tech: so data warehousin is only for old data?
me: no sir. it contains a lot of old data.. mayb of the last 10 years. but it is
continuously updated and it can take the updated data into consideration too.

tech:are u doin that project now?

me: no sir, i have already done that project. Now i have been selected by HP to do
my final semester project with them.
tech: so where did you do in your data warehouse project?
me: i did that project in Wesgrow International, Chennai which is a Microsoft
Certified Partner. They had developed software for ROMS stores. So i used their
data to do the project. it had about 1 lakh records. hence it was good.
tech:and how many fields were there? (aiming 2 nail me i guess!)
me: (no idea..) around 10.. (it must hav been close to 20!!)
tech: wat were the fields?
me: (good that i mentioned only 10!) sir, it was item id, batch id, category id, price,
service tax, sales tax, discount...
tech: so was that data from one source?
me: no sir, the shop had five outlets. so we collected data from each of the outlets.
tech:so it was jus queries? no analysis as such?
me: no sir, it was not just queries. i developed about 8 cubes to analyse the data.
tech: what tool did you use?
me: i used SQL Server 2005 Analysis services.
tech h ok.. so wat could u conclude..
me: we could compare the sales of the 5 outlets. also we could see that certain outlets
had surplus of items and certain other outlets had shortage of those items. So a
logical conclusion was to transfer them(wat a difficult conclusion!!).

tech: oh ok.. so do u kno software development models

me: sir..
tech: software development models.. any two..
me: waterfall model..
tech: ok then..
me: hmm.. sir iteration??
tech: ok.. wat is the difference between a waterfall model and a spiral model?
me: (shall v get back 2 datawarehousing plz!!) well sir.. in spiral model, the product
is continouly validated and checked.. the process is in d form of a loop. in waterfall
model it is a 4-step process where each step is done one after the other and then
maintenance alone can be done!!
tech:so waterfall model is a waste?
me: no sir.. it depends on the purpose..
tech: ok.. wen is waterfall used?
me: (plzzz change d topic!!) sir, waterfall can be used in any normal project like an
outsourced project for example (whatever!!) where the team here can build the
product and send it. the team abroad can use it directly without any need 2 go back
and validate!!

tech: (looking at the hr guy.. givin him the nod to ask me questions..)
hr guy: (smiled at me..)
me: (smiled back at him!!)
hr: y r u so tensed?
me: (i just smiled back!!)
tech: how do u think the interview went?
me: i think it went fine!
hr: how wil u improve india's condition?
me: (?? what exactly does he mean??) sir a lot can b done.. but being a student.. the
first thing that can b improved is our college education. i feel there is not much
industry interface..
hr: so wat can b done?
me: sir, now in my college we are being funded by World Bank under TEQIP. HP
and IBM have plans to start labs in our campus. Now that is a step in the right
direction. We get to know abt what is being used in the industry..
tech: but what can u do about it as a single person?
me: sir.. if i get into the managerial line i can encourage companies to visit colleges
and start labs!!
tech: ok ashish thank u.. all the best..
me: thank u sirs..
looking back at my interview i can only think of Data warehousing! lol..

a very friendly panel.. i was still so tensed!! guess i could not handle the big
moment.. not much chances of clearing this i guess..

ur feedback is welcome.. n someone with gud knowledge in data warehousing plz

tel me if i was right!!

he characters and events depicted below are fictitious. Any similarity to actual
persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Act I Scene 1

Fearing traffic jams, riots or other disturbances i reached early. Place is bang
opposite rex and just above barista... Met up with a couple of doods and gauged the
general atmosphere.

Scene 2

We were made to sit in a small room with one portion of the roof sloping down,
against which i banged my head more times than i would like. We were seperated
into three panels and made to sit in some particular order.

Enter the WaiterInTheSuit. He calls out the names of people according to panels,
and they assemble inside the particular rooms. Two panelists (GOL = guy on the left
and GOR = Guy on the Right)

Act II Scene 1

The GD topic was about setting up a Consumer Protection Authority.... the topic
was just a statement. Nothing indicative of any specific track we were expected to
discuss on.

Time was 2+10 mins... and so after 2 mins, the panel fires the starting pistol
After an awkward 10 sec silence, i started.... Gave the most barebone structure
before being interrupted/saved by Dood1 (Me being dood6). It was one of the more
amicable Gd`s i have been in, and i think the group dynamics were postive. Dood5
got a lil agressive, but there never was a fish market. People got fair amount of
airtime and no one came out too desperate.

The GD went nowhere in particular and came to a grinding halt when GOR
rappidly tapped his pencil against the desk. With instructions to leave the Form and
the GD instruction sheet on the chairs, we were asked to proceed outside. We left
like a gaggle of ducks, slightly confused, slightly bemosed, overall pretty pleased
with ourselves.

Scene 2:

Back into the room with the sloping roof. Dood1 barely takes a seat before being
called in. General mood was of that in a coffe shop, early morning. People of hte
same panel were flocked together and generally discussing, intelligently, things
such as laplace and fourier and poisson and gaussian things. As and when peeps
finished the interviews, they came back and gave us a little feedback, we clapped
and then they left. We missed them.
Average interviews were 20-30 mins...

Then came the tea and coffee, and in the meantime, the WaiterInTheSuit was calling
peeps one by one. On being offered tea i refused and requested for a cup of gelusil,
the waiter pretended not to hear me. I was fifth in line. And after dood4 came out,
i stood up and started pacing about to get myself geared up.

Act III Scene 1

The WaiterInTheSuit called my name. I stood up and walked into the room and was
faced with GOR and GOL smiling at me. WaiterInTheSuit meantimes sealed the
only way out. I was asked to sit down, and i thought it was best to politely comply.

GOR started going through my file and out tumbled my mark sheets.... glancing
away in embarrasment, GOR probably looked at my university name. And asked
me...

GOR: Where is VTU?

Me: Sir, in Belgaum.
GOR: Good good, how far is belgaum from here ?
ME: Sir, I am not sure but around 250 kms (It is actually 500+ kms)
GOR: In which direction?
Me: Sir I have never been there and i am not aware of that.
GOR: You have been in karnataka for hte past 5 years, tell me a little about
Karnatka.
Me: Starts extolling the virtues of bangalore...
GOR: Karnatka is not only about bangalore..
Me: Extempore on the wonder that is karnataka. Talked one line about the natural
beauty, and 1 about the IT boom. Ran out of steam.
GOL takes over the folder and flips through.
GOR: Something about my branch etc then a general question on Operation
Research. What is OR
Me: Realised in a split second that i should have burnt the marksheet with the
subject on it. Took pre emptive action and before the situation deteriorated told the
panel about how i was not very good at it.
GOR: Laughs and says why are you withdrawing so early.
ME: Smiling like an ass... Sir , not withdrawing,... Told something about managaing
my internship alongside with studies etc...
GOL: so u did an internship in ABc ?? Alongwith college ?
ME: Yes sir, after college hours,... everyday
GOR: Tell me about your job...
ME: Something somehting.... it was hard to get... lateral entry...
GOR: Surprised.... How did you get lateral job as a fresher ?
Me: Explained the years of intricate planning it took to get in there...
GOR: Question on my job... what specific work i do.
ME: Explained.
GOL: Hobbies... potography.... what camera do you have...
ME: Sir sony h5 something something
GOL: why not an SLR...
ME: Sir it was expensive and requires regular investment etc...
GOL and GOR laugh... Read out my gross monthly salary and say you can buy one
a month...
Me: Sir, i was not in a position then to spend that kind of money and the camera i
had was a good learners tool...
GOL convinced, asks me of some of the functions.... manual focus,... shutter speed,
aperture etc...
GOL: You see those cool photos of water drops? how do i take them ?
ME: Sir, the splashing ones??
GOL: yes yes...
ME: Sir, wide aperture ... very high shutter speed...
GOL: how high ?
ME: Sir around 1/2000 secs....
GOL: Thats all ?
ME: Yes sir, that should suffice...
GOL: Do you like to cook?
ME: yes sir, i enjoy that something somethin...
GOL: lotsa questions... what kinda cusine,.... gimme some tips which i wont find in
cookboooks... etc...
GOL: some stress about being weak in all areas and doing too many things
together...
Me: Sir tried to strike a balance and i think i did a decent job...
GOL: What about your company`s M&A activities? Do you think they add value ?
or do they just ass 100-150 mil $ to the bottomline?
Me: good gyan.... beneficial all around...
next ten mins we discuss the M&a activities of my employer...
Then GOL nods to GOR.
GOR: Thank you sir.
ME: Thank YOU sirs.

Me exit.

Scene 2.

Walked out... greeted like a hero... told them whatever transpired in big words...
general morale boosting statements for FatPoet and dood next to him... Walked off...

The end....

PS: If you wanna comment on how i did, send it to /dev/null

Hi all,

Had my IIM K GD/PI on 5th Feb 9:00 AM at Monarch Hotel,Bangalore. Here is my

experience. I was in panel 1. (The same group as alibaba)

My profile:
B Tech(Hons.) in Agricultural and Food Engineering from IIT Kgp 2006 passout.
X- 77%
XII- 71% (Both state board)

Industrial project at AMUL in “Six Sigma” (You’ll know why this was important )
Awarded Best B Tech project in my final yr.

Extra Currics:
President, department in final yr
And few other positions of responsibility

Hobbies (Again proved to be very imp): Astrophysics, cosmology

Work Ex: 7 months in software industry

CAT 06:
Over all 99.36 %ile . Calls LIK + AL(ABM)

GD
It was a small paragraph on land acquisition ,infrastructural development that the
country needs.Projects like water resources, road development and sewage water
treatment are needed for the country's industrial development.

Was a small GD as time allotted was only 2+10 mins.

Had a okayish GD. Entered thrice with ideas related to SEZs and root cause for
reluctance of farmers to give away their lands.

I was the 5th guy for the interview. There were two panelists.

P1 Old guy. Very friendly and peaceful.

P2 Relatively young guy. Too much acads oriented. Operations research prof.
Me Poor me
IS My Inner Self
P1: We will check your certificates first.

I handed my file to him. He started scanning thru my certis.

(IS nervous and shaking)

P1: Hmmmm…so you received the best B Tech project (BTP)award in your deptt.
(IS: Yeah Yeah Yeah !! )
Me: Yes Sir

P1: And you were also the deptt president.

(IS: Yeah Yeah Yeah !!)
Me: Yes sir

P1: You know I am also from IIT Kgp. 87 passout. At our times they didn’t hv this
award.
(IS: Yo Kgp)
Me: Sir they offer this award to deptt’s best BTP and also to institute’s best BTP.

P1: You also did a good work at AMUL in six sigma. That’s good.

P2 was just smiling at me the whole time. Both looked impressed at this point.
("at this point")

P1: Ok, tell us something about urself.

Me: blah blah blah

P1: So vaibhav, define six sigma

Me: Six sigma is quality management technique…blah. Minimize variations in the
process…blah.

P1: You said something about normal curve. Wht is it?

Me: probability distribution …blah blah.

P1: What is Cpk Index?

(IS: What the hell is that?)
Me: I don’t know sir.

P1: CP index?
(IS: )
Me: Don’t know sir.

P1(slightly aggressively): You have done a project in six sigma and you don’t know
about Cpk and Cp index.
P2: (In between) …and got a “very good” grade also.
Me: (Silent)

P1: (handed me a blank sheet) write the equation of normal curve.

(IS: Oh no)
Me: (wrote half of the equation ) sorry sir I forgot the other half.

P1: Draw a normal curve.

Me: did that.
P1: what is this? (indicating x-axis in the curve)
Me: Sir parameter for which we are calculating the variation. It is asymptotic to the
normal curve and….
P1 (cutting me in betn): the normal curve is asymptotic to the line.

(IS: Totally confused)

P1: Tell me what parameters determine the nature of normal curve.
Me(nervously): told

P2: Can we apply six sigma for determining the quality of IIMK students?
Me(after thinking for arnd 10 secs): Yes sir we can but then I need to know the
number of IIM K students who are not up to the IIM standards and number of
students who were rejected but were upto the level because these will be counted as
defects.

P2 was nodding his head and looked satisfied

(IS: Little relaxed after initial disaster)

P1: Do you know statistics?

Me: (Looked like a dangerous question so played safe). Sir I studied that way back
in my XIIth.
P1: Asked something about mean,mode, median etc.
Me: Told him.
P1: What the hump in this normal curve (pointing to the figure) signify?
(IS: Leave normal curve for Gods sake)
Me: Sir it shows the number for maximum probability.
P1: It is probability density.
(IS: S**t)
Me: Yes sir.

P1: What is partial differential equation?

Me: Told.
P1: Tell me something about D*** PDE. (Dunno what kindda PDE that was)
Me: Sorry sir I dunno.

P1: Asked me some method for calculating standard deviation for normal curve and
some mathematical formula after writing some variables on my sheet.
(IS: Bhai Normal Curve chor de)
Me: Told him something but he was not satisfied. ( )

P1: Do you know probability?

(IS: Cool, finally he shifted his focus from normal curve)
Me: Yes sir.
P1 gave me some problem. I solved it but with a small mistake.
P1: Explain.
Me: Explained.
P1: I didn’t ask you this. My question was….
(IS: Nervous )
Me started thinking but P1 asked me to give the sheet back after 15 secs

P1: Do you know Laplace Transform?

Me: No Sir.

P1: Can you write the equation for spring mass system with damping.
(IS: Yeh kahan se aa gaya bhai. Did you misread my deptt as mechanical?)
Me: wrote some equation trying to recall it from my 1st yr but missed some part
(obviously)
P1: What do these terms mean.
Me: Explained all but one term which I wrongly wrote as dx rather than dt. Silly
mistake.
(IS: what was that dx??...thinking)

P1: (Looked fed up with my wrong answers) Tell me something about your job.
Me: Told.
P1: Asked me to explain few technical terms which I used in describing my job.
Me: Told.

For the whole time P2 was smiling at me. Finally he decided to enter.

P2: What do u think about all this controversy going on with linking of rivers?
Me: Explained properly by giving example of Gujrat’s CM Mr. Narendra Modi
bringing Narmada to Gujrat and utilizing it properly etc etc
P2: But what do you think about these protests by environmentalists ?
Me: I think they are wrong…blah blah. Said something about short term losses and
long term benefits.

P2: What do you think about current IT boom? Who should be given credit for this;
Govt or private companies?
Me: Told him. Supported the companies.
P2: Why companies? Govt spent so much on you and you are saying companies.
Me: Supported my answer. Both looked satisfied.

P2: What do you know about Calicut.

Me: Told him something about beauty etc.
P1: Do you know anything about history and about old dynasties of calicut.
(IS: 10vi kaksha ke baad se aaj tak history nahi padhi)
Me: No sir.

P1: Tell me something about Mohd. Yunus.

Me: (Taking a breath for answering)
P1: (trying to give me hint) He is from Bangladesh and….
Me: (Interrupted him fearing that he may speak out the whole answer) yes sir and
he is the chairman of grameen vikas bank etc etc. and won the nobel prize.
P1: In which field?
Me: Economics
(IS: Kya bol raha hai bhai)
P1 : Economics !!
Me: No Sir. Peace prize.
P2: So astrophysics is your hobby….
(IS: O hell yeah)
P2: Name some physicist who won a nobel prize.
Me: Stephen Hawking.
P1: He didn’t win a nobel prize. did he?
P2( before I cud say anything): Give me some Indian scientist.
Me (nearly instantly): Chandrashekhar.
(IS: Finally some feel good questions for me)

Contd... CONTINUED....
P2: What is a black hole?
(IS: Mazaa aa gaya)
Me: Spoke for about 2 mins on space time curvature. How gravity distorts this
curvature and how black hole distorts this. Singularity . etc etc
P2: What if I jump into a black hole? Will I come out from any other part of the
universe?
(IS: Hmmmm he knows about it. Its a trap)
Me: Yes sir it’s a probability. One of the unstable solutions of Schrödinger equation
gives possibility of worm holes….blah blah for 2 mins.
P1: You said something about unstable solution. What do you mean by unstable.
Me: Explained.

P1: Thank You.

Me: Thank you sir.

No questions on deptt subjects and extra curricular. Committed many suicides in the
interview. I think chances for K are slim. Anyways, L interview is round the corner.
Will have to work hard for it. That’s it puys.
My advice: Brush up your first year fundas regardless of your deptt. And expect
very deep questions from the areas on which you’ve worked in the past.
This is my experience

Date:5th Feb 9.am

Profile:
IITM,B.Tech Mech Engg,7 months ex in two companies
C.G 8.2/10
Class12 94.8
Class10 91.2
CAt %ile: 99.18
VA:98.5
Di:97.8x
QA:95.8x

Calls:ABCKI

As explained by other posters, 27 people divided among 3 panels.I was in the 3rd.

GD topic: Article on Infrastructure(as described by somebody above)

GD: Inauspicious start, realized that I had forgotten to take my pen and hence
borrowed one from the panel(this after the article was passed on to us)....pen dint
write well initally and had to scratch around the paper b4 i could actually start
reading the topic and note down points....around 40-50 secs wasted in all of

this

As for the GD itself,was a total fish market(after the first 5 mins or so), 4-5 ppl
talking at the same time,cross talking between 2-3 junta and what not.....entered a bit
late,made one decent point...most of my other points were lost in the noise....the
discussion itself was nowhere close to structured...after 10 mins, ppl were more or
less harping on the same points..the discussion probably got over in 17-18 mins(defy
seemed a few mins less than 20 mins) when the moderators asked us to conclude.

Overall comments : Should have done better, GD is defy my stronger point as

compared to PI, so should have chipped in with more points for sure, paid the price
for entering a bit late....i guess its always better to enter as early as possible, helps in
a fish market type situation , and also when the topic is one where there there arent
too many points

PI: Panel 3, supposed to have been the more peaceful of teh three panels
Two ppl were there in the panel, i'm calling them P1 and P2

P1: Tell me about yourself

Answered
P2: So you a complete Chennaite,studied in chennai, working in chennai?
Said yes
P1:Never stayed out of chennai
Said worked in four months in xxx company in Blore
P1: Ran away from blore in four months itself ?
Said location was not an issue but due to other factors
P2: Then why changed companies?Said yyy is a small company, why moved
there?...asked whether i wanted to "make an impact" in a small firm(with a wry
smile on his face).... i had written about my short/medium term ambition as being a
contributor to the success story of a firm or something to that effect in the form
Said that wasnt exactly the reason but bcoz i wanted an exposure to fin

NExt few questions were mainly asked by P2 and was on the nature of my work(
which mainly involves VBA coding)....asked stuff like whether your companies has
some models(fin) and all, i said something like these are provided by client, and so
he asked stuff like so you do only stuff like making charts,presentations etc, i said
that wasn't the case, but that work is requirement dependent,on the client,tried
giving an example, dint do a great job in explaining it though and at the end of it he
seemed a bit unconvinced

Had wirtten about following current affairs, so P2 then asked what is the "current
news" you are following or something to that effect?(again with a bit of a wry smile
on his face)......i said the cauvery verdict is expected today, so P1 joked about
whether I was afraid whether I could et back safely to chennai, P2 then asked me to
explain the issue in detail,answerd it decently well, though i should have addded
more facts( read the newspaper in the morning and it even had a timeline,so shud
have done better)

P2: Question on strengths, had written team wormk as one of my strengths...so he

asked how
Ans; told abt some team competition
P2: so what did you learn from it? what sort of teamwork etc?
Gave reasonably convincing ans ( I hope!)

P2: He then asked abt what social work I do?

Ans:Told was part of NSS in 1st year in coll
P2:Asked what work I did?
Answered
P2: Said they like their students to do some social work, so asked me to give the one
social work which would interest me most
Ans: Said something like "one which is able to make a change to a lot many ppl's
life" (damn it,I could have defy given a better ans to this!)
P2: So explain some problem which is affectig rural india?
Gave a vague answer to this

P1: Assume probability that you get into each of the five IIMs(from which I have
calls) is 0.2, what is the probability that you dont get any of them? (was he hinting at
something? )
Ans: (0. ^5
P1: Asked Bayes theorem
Ans: Tried deriving it from the def of P(A/B),and assuming B is union of m.exlusive
events B1,B2...Bn but unfortunately dint give the exact form of the theorem at the
end.
P1: When do you exactly use Bayes thoerem( In hindsight I realized he was
gudiding me to the final form,but not when he asked me this question)

Ans: Gave some ans based on what I had finally derived instead

Overall comments: Decent intvw,much better than what I had feared, no questions
on core mech engg subjects( in which I am not very good at), should have dfy answd
bayes thm(math being my strengtth). occasionally stuttered a bit while answering,
dint come out that fluently, shoiuld improve that before the big3 next month
Guys,

Had my GD/PI in Bangalore @2:00 PM.Met Anarchy and Buggz.

My Profile:

10th -- 87.1
12th -- 83.5
Engg -- 64.7

Work Ex: 68 months in Sales and Marketing

CAT Score: 99.71 ptile

They divided people into three groups , 10 each. One dude thought K is not worth
and didnt turnup. So, 9 were left. Anacrchy, Buggzz and Me in the same group.

Topic: I dont remember it word to word. But it is some 1 paragraph writeup on

Buearocracy ( spelling ) and its failures.
We were given 2 min to think and 12 mins to discuss.

I started the GD and gave a decent beginning. Spoke some 3-4 times in total.It was a
bit lound in the middle but eveyone got chance to speak except one chappie who
struggled a bit.

I was the first to be called for the i/v.

There were two Profs one is asking general questions and the other tech and
academics.Letz call them Gen and Tech.

Tech: Please take your seat and give me your certis.

Moi: Thank you sir, here are the certis.
Tech gets lost in my certis
Gen: What is your toughest sales call.
Moi: blah blah blah...spoke for almost 1 min
Gen: Microsoft is considered a parasite by the world. What is your opinion on that?
Moi: blah blah blah
Gen: Vedas and Upanisads ( my hobby )
Moi: Smile
Gen: Relate them to Management
Moi: gave him some gyaan on how upanisads teach us management
Gen: You work in Bangalore?
Moi: Yes, sir
Gen:What are the infra problems in Bangalore ( man this guy is good. Asking me
things I know of)
Moi: Listed all the problems
Gen: What do you think is the way to solve them
Moi:Gave him a plan ( I m sure every bangalorean has a plan)

Hands over the form to Tech and reclines his chair and closes eyes.( just afte lunch
you know )

Tech: Have you studied OR?

Moi: No, sir
Tech: Have you studied Maths in your engg?
Moi: Yes, sir
Tech: What were the subjects covered?
Moi: Partial differentiation,Integration, differential equations
Tech: what is Koo of a Vettaaaaaaa ?
Moi: Pardon, Sir
Tech: Koo of a vetaaaaaaa
Moi: Do you mean "curl of a vector"?
Tech: Yes, ( smiles,this boy understand my english... )
Moi: I dont remember what exactly it is, sir. I studied in 1st year of engg( 1998 ,
man I am old)
Tech: Can you tell me what is a Laplace Transform?
Moi: I know the name but dont remember what exactly it is.
( what the heck....it is almost 6 yrs since I completed my engg. Why cant you ask me
abt my work ex )
Tech: What is fourier series?
Moi: I dont remember, sir. But we used to use them in Signal Processing.
Tech: asked me a qustion on partial differentiaiton. (I dont remember what it is.)
Tech: There is a travelling sales man who needs to go to N towns and he can visit
each of them only once.In how many ways can he visit all the towns and come back.
Moi: N!
Tech: no, (N-1)!, it is like a circle( hehehehe...grins at me)
Moi: Sir, but there are N+1 total points
Tech: You studied in xxxxxxx college, who is the college named after?
Moi: ( this guy got some sense) blah blah blah
Tech: Tell me something more about this person?
Moi: ( happy) tells him abt the guy.
Tech: looks at Gen, he is still sleeping.Do you want to ask him anything.
Gen wakes up and says No.

Both wish me all the best and I say Thank you, sirs.
I evaluate my performance as average. some 5-6/10.

But, I dont know what are their assesing parameters.But, I think they should be
doing beter than this. I didnt get a feeling that I was in the middle of IIM i/v.I think
bye bye IIMK for me.

Edited after final result:

Here I am waitlisted with wailist no : 124.

I think I was not very convincing for some questions and many dont knows for
academic questions was a negative point.
hi..
had my first GD PI of the season (and ever).. n I am trying to write down everything
which I can remember...

first of all... my profile

10th: ICSE 85.67

12th ISC 86.2
Btech in Chemical Engg from NITT: 7.28/10
working in IBM since August

GD:
It was an article study.. Something to do with Bureaucracy screwin up the country
and how they are not accountable and how the mangerial funda would be better in
which speed and efficiency couls be measured..

We were given 2 minutes to think and 12 minutes to discuss... 30 ppl three panels..
10 in each.. one absent... and almost a fish market..
I spoke 4-5 times.. nowhere the most dominant dude (buzzeg would be that dude)
but I brought up an example, introduced the managerial funda, introduced the non
accountability funda etc etc.. Everyone tried speaking some things and pretty well
succeeded in the endeavour

Interview:
3rd dude to go in.. I see a dude in a Kurta (DK) and a dude in huge specs (HS)
me... A

A: may I come in sir

DK nods, A enters, HS asks A to sit
DK: So what chemicals is INdia known for
A:
DK: come on think about it a bit
A: I have heard of medicines coming out of India but I do not know the name of any
chemical discovered by Indians..
DK: ok, what is calicut known for
A:
DK: What did you learn when u were the head of the Campus Placement Course
Committee
A: As the head of the committee (which teaches 3rd years for the placement season),
I had to get in touch with the various companies coming in the college as well as
teach the juniors... so the things I learnt were
1) What are the companies looking for when theya re coming to the campus and
how to interact with them.
2)How to make the juniors understand it in a way which makes learning fun.
DK: How did you do that
A: by including them in the QA probs I set blah blah
DK (seems satisfied): Are you being over confident now (I have written this as a
weakness )
A:no sir
DK: How would u know
A: blah blah blah
DK: sry that is wrong.. correct is..blah blah
A:yes sir
DK:now tell me
A: gave an example farting abt IIT exam and all.. seemed satisfied
DK to HS.. you wanna ask something???
HS: What are your job responsibilities??
A: told
HS: what are your hobbies
A: reading comics and playing computer games
DK: which ones do u read???
A: Calvin and Hobbes, X-men, JLA
DK: what sets CnH apart from other comics???
A: 1)Imaginary character
2)no merchandise coming out officially

HS: what is the boyle's law (am a chemical engg)

A: told
HS: what is the combined gas eqn?
A: told
HS: what is the value of the constant in the equation
A: nR (n-no of moles R-gas constant)
HS: what is Cp-Cv
A: R
HS: derive it
A: I am sorry sir, I forgot
HS: How many courses in maths have you taken
A: 4
HS: operations research??
A: no
(he gives me a lot of options but I answer in the negative, then he asks me abt diff
eqn)
HS: what is the diff eqn of teh following figure
A: done ( , I was totally amazed)
HS:Is there any equation possible that there are 2 unknowns and you get a unique
soln from that equation??
A: no (too bad on my part should have known this one... all of you find it out)

HS: Do you read novels?

A: A bit
HS: what re you reading now
A: eleven Minutes by Paulo Coelho
HS: what is it about?
A: told
Here is my IIMK experience
Venue:Monach Hotel,Bangalore
Date:6th Feb 2007 9:00 AM
Cat 2006:
Overall:99.68
Work ex:5 months as on dec 2006

Total of 3 panels with 10 people in each group.

GD TOPIC:
Was an article based GD with the topic related to PSUs and ways of improving
them.And the article concluded with a possible solution of divesting them.
Was a really good discussion with everyone getting a chance to speak.Not at all
chaotic and everyone seemed to have a feel good factor about it in the end.
I made some 4-5 entries in the GD and was reasonably satisfied with my effort.

PI:
Was the first in my group to have the interview
2 panelists P1 and P2
Me (M)
Entered and wished both of them
P1:so u r from Chennai isit?
M:Yes sir
P1:u work for systech solutions ?wat do u do there?
M:general answer abt the company and what my role is.then spoke abt the project
assigned to me.
P1:wat is business intelligence?What is datawarehousing?(job related)
Answered that
P2: okay u have mentioned that u want to pursue a carrer as a sports journalist?have
u written any articles so far?(I had written this as an alternate career option)
M:yes sir,had written a few during the 2003 world cup.
P2:Asked a question on politics(I had mentioned it as an interest in my form)
P1: okay tell me what u learnt in Total Quality Management?
M:gave an answered but they were not convinced.was actually taken off guard by
this question.i had not concentrated on preparing for this subject for the interview.
P1:u have heard of Deming>?
M:yes sir,told him abt the Deming 14 point philosophy
P2:Prahalad,ur marks suggest to me that u have been a bright student…then y
didn’t u get into IIT?did u write the JEE?
M:yes sir,I wrote it couldn’t get thru.its something I repent even today and I guess I
shud have worked much harder then.Guess I lacked the mental maturity then.
P2:in IIMK v have started a social programme to make an upliftment of the society.If
u were in the team what wud u do?
M:gave a long answer to this one.and on the importance of basic education.
They seemed quite happy with the anser
P1:u have mentioned ur weakness as”impatience to meet deadlines”?what have u
done to improve in this area?
M:again,gave a long answer,and what steps I have taken to get over it.
P1:some more questions on my work ex and whom I report to
M:handled them well.
P1:so u had any trouble reaching the hotel because of the turbulence outside?
M:No sir,I am staying close by.so no problems.
P1 and P2 : okay that’s it,all the best.
M:thank you sirs

Well that was it.quite a peaceful interview.

But for the questions on Total quality management guess I did a fairly good job.the
interview lasted for 15-20 mins.
Originally Posted by anarchy

GD:
It was an article study.. Something to do with Bureaucracy screwin up the country and how
they are not accountable and how the mangerial funda would be better in which speed and
efficiency couls be measured..

We were given 2 minutes to think and 12 minutes to discuss... 30 ppl three panels.. 10 in
each.. one absent... and almost a fish market..
I spoke 4-5 times.. nowhere the most dominant dude (buzzeg would be that dude) but I
brought up an example, introduced the managerial funda, introduced the non accountability
funda etc etc.. Everyone tried speaking some things and pretty well succeeded in the
endeavour
same group as anarchy's, was a fun group, my opinion bout the GD, very very
unstructured - the topic was such that we could talk for a hour if given an
opportunity. plus the article had 8-9 key words, each of which could be argued on..
the bottomline.. every1 spoke.. but it was a pitching match.. as in who can make the
most no. of points in the least time.. same reason why depth was lacking.. well
anyways cant blame the grp.. the topic was such and the time was limited.. cannot
rate my performance as i dunno what i said

On to the PI

was called in fifth

these are the questions i remember

P1: (b4 i could fully enter the room) why are u here?
M: started mumbling something as i walked (dunno if anyone has tried answerin
while walkin), looked at the chair P2 said sit promptly sat.. and avoided lookin at
P1..

P2: So u are a CA, hav u completed it?

M: yessar

P2: then u must hav studied statistics

M: (Gayi bhens pani mey) during foundation sar (4 years back)

P2: ok tell me whats the mean of a discrete probability distribution

M: I dunno the meaning of what u said – look at P1 for support, he says something..
u must hav studied it long back.. then says however u haven’t answered my
question.. why MBA? I answered.. he is like so u wanna add another degree (I felt
like protesting at that statement) gave sum more reasons
P2: takes a piece of paper and writes some sigma notations and stuff and asks the
same question, what is the mean.. I tell him mean basically is sum of terms/no of
terms and if its prob then its summation of PxVariable.. and its called Expected
Value.. Finally!!!! Phew!!

P2: Write it down..

M: sar I dunno how to write these sigma things..
P1 try try
M write Sigma PiXi and give it back

P2: tell us bout urself

M: tells (I worked with my dad for 10 months after my CA grad) he asks me a few
Q’s bout that.. I answer

P2: differentiate xSinx

M: grudgingly do it

P2: intergrate sinmx

M: (feel like protesting – I took commerce coz I hated sin cos and tan) tell him I
dunno

P2: writes an equation asks to find max or min value

M: do some differentiation, and find the value
P2: is it max or min,
M: say min and give a non standard answer why it is, P1 looks satisfied

P2: whats EOQ

M: give theoretical answer (since practically I have never used it in my life)
P2: what are the conditions under which EOQ is satisfied
M: I know a few but not sure don’t wanna trip on a technical things.. I say don’t
remember

P2: whats Standard Deviation

M: start explaning

P1: U are in equity research U must be regularly using all these

M: no sar I hav never used any statistics in my work
P1: gets offended, what work do u do then
M: fundamental research
P1: don’t u look at any numbers, how do u interpret them
M: I do, I look at historical numbers but numbers are not everything, historical
numbers mite give u mean but the mean mite not work in real life.. P2 grunts
P1: explain clearly what work u do?
M: start explaning, and get interrupted at every other word that is general parlance
in my work but not accepted by the interviewer… eg fundamental, market,
commodity, competition, historical.. he tells me don’t saythese words, tell me what
do u do.. (its like asking a history professor what do u do, he says teach.. u ask him
what is teach, u read outta book? Coz u haven’t created history.. or u don’t write
history? So what do u do?)

P1: keeps hammering

M: Keep explaning work

P1: why did u discontinue college

M: I did my CA along wit graduation and was an intern at PwC.
P1: that was full time?
M: yeah, for 2 years, most of the times 7 days a week

P1: (doesnot seem interested in PwC and the work I did there)
P1: there is some discrepancy in ur certificates
M: sorry?
P1: ur work ex with ur family firm is 10 months, but the letter is dated in the 8th
month
M: sar the letter doesn’t say I quit, when I took the letter for someother purpose last
year, I was still wit my firm, and I quit only when I joined the next job
P1: how do we know when u quit?
M: (I had no answer to that- wanted to tell him why not ask me bout my job and
satisfy urself if I worked at all) but keep mum

P1: what kind of fund u work for

M: tell him
P1: what is the nature of work
M: tell him
P1: talk bout some specific work
M: start talking in detail
P1: what do u look for in a company?
M: tell him in detail
P1: explain a live case
M: explain (dunt understand what they are lookin for, since no questions are
followup, its like they don’t understand what I am talking)
P1: ok if I give u a company how will u analyze?
M:explain (goes on for some time)
(note all the questions were with the data angle, the stats angle which they never
left, I fail to understand why. Nothing else seemed to interest them. even in the
whole job thing, P2 seemed unsatisfied, it was like he was german and i was french)
Suddenly they say, ok thanks, and all the best
I return the compliments and leave

Observations
No Questions faintly related to commerce other than EOQ

Why maths? Diffrentiation, Intergration, Maxima Minima? I think I did that in 11th.
(do the professors bother to ask only things they know??) And I have worked for
almost 5 years in finance after that

No Questions on my experience in audits, I have worked on large listed companies

that too in many diverse industries, I told them the diversity part in the interview,
they did not bother to ask

If the work I did was not something they were interested in, atleast they could hav
asked other things a commerce grad could know, like taxes, budget, economics,
finance, accounts etc.. nothing faintly resembling that..

As I said b4, I really dunno what they got out of me.

I sure would like to protest on the 'Adding another degree part' the rest of my
opinions i'll reserve.

edit
sumwher in the middle
P1 : what is the social problem chennai is facing?
M: social?? think for a while, tell him, dunno if it is directly a social problem but
untill 2 years back chennai had acute water shortage, and that had social
repercussions..
P1: looks, what else
M:shrug ma shoulders
P1: u mean chennai has no problems at all
M: nah saar, i thought u were askin unique and distinct problems, of course we hav
all the curses of a metropolis, overpopulation, poverty, crime, pollution and all the
stuff..
p1: no reaction
Had my interview today afternoon..
My profile
X-80.33
X11-92.6
Engg-79(ece)
CAT-99.54
Calls –LIK

Around 2.05 we were divided into different panels. I was in panel 2. there were 9
people. Around 2.15 GD started. We were given a piece of paper , and the topic was
something related to Dalits. Like after 60 years of independence still dalits are not
part of mainstream society…
We had a nice discussion, and it was me who initiated the gd. Came in three four
times later . It was a very good GD .

Then interviews started .. I was the seventh to be interviewed in my panel..

There were two profs P1 and P2 and Me (M)

P1- So U r from Gitam ?

M-yes sir
Mean while P2 was checking my certis
P1- So u have done ur engg in Electronics and communi . ?
M-yes sir.
P1- So what do you do at job?
M- Explained in detail.. was asked some questions on my job.. explained them
clearly.
Now suddenly p2 chips in
P2- Wat is the opinion about us outside?
M- sir they were telling that the panel was very cordial and no stress.
P2- (laughing) what do u mean by stress?
M- sir ..( me too laughing)
P2- So acad questions…..( bachhe ki jaan loge kya)
P2- What is the latest technology in chip designing?
M-don’t know
P1- what do u know about information theory coding ( looking at my mark sheet)
M- ( cant remember anything from that subject) sir……. Information…
P1- what is entropy?
M- It is the measure of the rise in temperature of the earth surface( why did I say
that )
P1,P2- laughing
M- clueless .. ( he was asking entropy related to Information theory and coding)
P2- What have learnt in engg. Eco management ?
M- types of organizations, inflation(why did I say t hat?)
P1- Inflation?? What is inflation?
M-told
P1- So do u think rise in price of this bisleri bottle will lead to inflation?
M- Sir no sir
P1- then wat?:
M- totally confused( Actually I have fair amount of knowledge on inflation.. but god
knows why I was not able to answer properly)
P1- Wat else have u studied in Engg eco management?
M- Types of organizations
P1-What are the different types of organizations?
M-told

In the mean time p2 gives me some 8 pieces of paper .. cut in different shapes
M-( wat is happening)
P2- Make any object with these pieces?
M –( kya baath kar rahe hain sir?????)
P2- Ok .make a dog?
M- I make a dog ..( My interpretation)
But two pieces of paper were remaining..
P2- Use all the pieces..
M- Thought for a while .. I had put only two legs for a dog ..so inserted two more
legs….
P1,P2- laugh again.. I too join them
P2 – Now make a 5?
M- made.
P1- so u have represented ur college in cricket ?
M- yes sir.
P1-Wat are u a batsman or a bowler?
M- me a batting allrounder sir.
Again P1,P2 Laughing
P1- we know allrounder ..wat do u mean by batting allrounder?
M- sir I am mainly a batsman but I can also bowl(part time)
P1- Which position do u bat?
M-4 sir
P1- which position do u bowl?
M-3 sir
P1- which all colleges participated in this event?
M- told
P1- which place did ur team finish in the competition?
M- sir we lost in semi final
P1- Was it because of you? ( laughs)
M-no sir
P1- which type of a bowler r u?
M- swing bowler sir.
P1- What is the difference between spin and swing bowling?
M-explained in detail.
P1-What is swing bowling?
M-told
P1- What is reverse swing ?
M- told them in detail. I also talked about the differences between normal swing and
reverse swing. Also talked about bernoulis principle. Also told that simon jones
,andy flintoff and waqar younis etc are experts in Reverse swing bowling.

P1- did u try bowling reverse swing?

M- yes sir .. but was not successful.
P1,P2,Me( laughs all around)
P1- what is your father?
M- told
P1,P2 look at each other ok sashank all the best.
M- thank u sir
I get up from my sit suddenly P2 asks..
P2- what all calls do u have?
M- LIK sir
P2- what is ur order of preference?
M- LKI sir.
Again laughs (P!,P2)

So that’s it . It was a very cordial interview. I was laughing most of the time. But
goofed up big time on acad related questions. So any comments invited . So seniors
wat do u all say??
hi All,
Had my K interview on the 6th along with Tintin&Snowy (Prahald was in the same
batch but in a diff panel)

3.5 yrs exp in IT

B.E : EEE

GD: PSUs
A very formal discussion. No Chaos

PI:
I1: Tell abt urself:
Me :Told them
I1: Abt ur job profile:
Me: Told them

I1: What is the traveller's problem?

Me : In which context sir?
I1 : general
Me : sir I don't know what u r referring to .. by any chance are u referring to
travelling sales man problem( Why the hell did I ask this???)?
I1: Actually No. But now that u have brought it up, tell me about it
Me : Explained whatever i knew stressing on the fact tht i am not a csc guy and my
job profile doesnot need this
I1: Give me a proper definition for it
Me : Sorry sir.. This is all I know abt it
I1: Few more qs in Data Structures, Complexities, upper bound, worst case, ..lots
more here which i don't remember
Me : feeble attempts at answering and gave up and said not very sure.
I1: What is an irrational no?
Me : expalined
Over to I2:
I2: Tell me abt the Cauvery issue
Me : told
I2: Your views for a solution of the issue
Me : told
I2: Can u show prrof of ur work ex
Me : showed them

Thank u..
All in all, a mediocre performance esp in PI .

Hoping for some luck now

IIM K GD/PI

Date: 6th Feb

Time : 9 AM
Venue: Monarch Hotel, Bangalore.

Total no. of candidates: 30

Almost all of them were present.

They divided us into 3 panels. I was in the second panel.

My profile:

Class 10: 84% (CBSE)

Class 12: 81.5% (CBSE)
B.E. : 71.2 (Electrical Engg from REC durgapur)
CAT: 99.72%ile
Work Ex: 56 months in IT company

Group Discussion:

It was an article. The topic was on PSU. Something like, we should try to increase
the efficiency of PSUs. Incase, we fail, they should be disinvested.

Total 10 people were there in the GD. from PG, MadGuyFrankestein was in my
group. The seating arrangement was U-shaped. No table in front of us. I was sitting
in the 7th position from right.

Two panel members were there ... one south indian wearing Jeans (J) and one
bengali (B).

We were given 2 mins to think and then 12 mins for the GD. After around 2 mins,
they asked us to start. The first two guys gave the summary of what was written in
the article. I was the third person to speak. i started with comparison between
private and public enterprises. then others chipped in. overall the discussion was
okay. No chaos. but after 7-8 mins we started repeating the earlier points. Finally
after around 11-12 mins, we are asked to stop. No summary was asked.
We were told to submit the sheet containing the article and the application form.

The interview started in another 10 mins.

I was the 7th person to be interviewed.

J opened the door and asked me to come inside. B asked for my mark sheets.

J: So Rishi how do you think was your performance in the GD?

M(me): Sir, I have done well, but there was some scope for improvement.

J: so how do you rate yourself among the 10 candidates?

M: sir, the rank or rating?

J (a bit irritated): rank

M: I will say, 3rd.

J: so who do you think were the other two ppl who have done better than you.
M: there were a couple of people in my right, like the person who was sitting in the
4th position (MadGuyFrankestein ) and the person who was sitting in the 1 or 2
position, i don't remember the exact position.

J: and who has done the worst according to you?

M: Sir i think everyone else has done well.

J: No, be specific. I am telling you to evaluate. Tell me the person who you think has
done the worst.
M: (repeating the same answer)

J: No, be specific
M: Sir, I think there were a couple of ppl, who didn't contribute as much as others.

J: okay Rishi ... does you father gets angry

M: (what the hell is this ) No sir, he seldom gets angry.

J: suppose your father gets very angry, what will you do?
M: again confused . sir will try to soothe his anger by giving him some thing he
likes very much.

J: what will you do when your boss gets angry

M: (bichara mera boss, he has never got angry in the last 4.5 years ) sir i will listen
to whatever he says (anyway boss is always right )

J: what do you do when you get angry

M: (bouncer) i vent out my anger by shouting
J: what will you do when somebody tells something bad about you to your boss.
M: i will ask that guy what is the bad thing in me that he has told, then if it's really
something missing from my side then i will try to rectify myself.

J: that person will simply refuse to say that he has told something about you to your
boss
M: Then i will ask my boss what is that bad thing in me ... and will try to rectify
myself.

J: what do you do if you get irritated with someone

M: I wont speak to him/her for sometime

J: what is oracle's contribution to indian society?

M: sir, they train ppl and make them skilled ... also they contribute to india's GDP.

J: but aren't they getting cheap labour and huge profit?

M: yes sir, but they are contributing to india's gdp also

J: ok ... over to B ....

B: so rishi, what is an electro motive force

M: (blabbered some bull$hit stuff)

J: do you know what you are saying? . tell me what he asked?

M: what is emf

J: and what did you say

M:

B: tell me the differential equation in an RLC circuit.

M: gave some stupid equation .

B: no this is not correct.

M: sorry sir, I don’t remember the differential equation for the capacitance.

B: tell me can we make capacitor with non metallic plates?

M: no sir

B: then what is paper capacitor

M: donno sir

B: do you know probability and statistics

M: I know a bit of probability
B: (asked me a simple question on probability)
M: gave the solution

B: yes this is correct. Now tell me what is the assumption you made.
M (not a single assumption came to my mind ) Sir, I think no assumption was
made

B:

Then B asked me a couple of more very easy questions (didn’t remember exactly

what were they). Couldn’t answer a single of them .

B: ok rishi, thank you

M: thank you sir

J: where is your salary certificate.

B: I have checked it’s there.

J: okay rishi thanks

M: thank you sir

That’s all … not sure how was it, the ending was not good. They say “All’s well that
ends well” … hope that is not the case here …

Keeping my fingers crossed …

Next destination: IIM L on 16th Feb

My IIMK GD/PI experience:

Date: Feb 7, 2007

Venue: Bangalore
My details:
Overall Score: 99.06
DI: 98.25
VA: 97.70
QA: 95.45

B.Tech. from NIT Trichy (ECE) with CGPA 8.50

Class XII: 91.17%

Class X: 91.33%

Work Ex: 18 months in IT

GD:
Quote:
Topic on Dalits and how their position among other minorities is unique... they have
been discriminated against... how to improve their conditions...
Nine ppl in the panel... cos one was absent... peaceful GD...
Lasted ten minutes...
Didnt speak a complete sentence... really screwed up...
PI:
Two chaps doing the interviewing... let's call them K1 and K2...

K1: So you are from Goa?

Me: Yes Sir.
K1: How long have you lived there?
Me: Blah blah...
K1: So you wre chairman of the college Literary Society?
Me: Yes Sir.
K1: What activities were you involved in?
Me: Blah blah...

K1 Starts reading from the form and looking at me for verification... I keep saying
"Yes, Sir"...

K1: So what does your company do?

Me: Blah blah...
K1: So you worked on implementing CMMi in your company?
Me: Yes Sir.
K1: How many ppl were working under you?
Me: One.
K1: (laughs)
Me: Sir there are just 25 ppl in my company... there were only 7 when I joined...
K1: OK. So what is CMMi?
Me: Blah blah for some 5 minutes...
K1: (gives the form to K2)

K2: Why are your grades fluctuating?

Me: Sir there is a constant trade off betn extra curriculars and acads... (I show him
that the semesters I have low grades in were the ones with max extra currics for me)
K2: Explain the FB and RB of a PN junction diode... (It doesnt get easier than this)
Me: Blah blah...
K2: What is an LED? How does it work?
Me: Blah blah...
K2: Explain the principle of LASER.
Me: Blah blah...
K2: Draw the graph of e^cos(x).
Me: (I draw the graph...)
K2: Is it periodic?
Me: Yes Sir.
K2: What is the period?
Me: Blah blah...
K2: Very well. So you read sci-fi?
Me: Yes Sir.
K2: Do you read detective novels?
Me: Yes Sir.
K2: Can you name some Agatha Christie novels?
Me: Blah blah... (I name some ten)

K1: (suddenly pitches in) How will the Cauvery verdict affect the economy of
Trichy? (I'd studied in Trichy)
Me: Blah blah...
K1: Did you do any community service in Trichy?
Me: I was a member of CRY... also done some volunteer service for Rotary club in
Goa...
K1: Very well... Thanks.
Me: Sir, you havent seen my certs...
K2: (sees the certs carefully and in detail) Thank you.
Me: Thank you Sir. (I leave)
IIM K GD/PI

Date: 7th Feb

Time : 9 AM
Venue: Monarch Hotel, Bangalore.

Total no. of candidates: 30

2 of them were absent.

They divided us into 3 panels. I was in the panel three. Division is based on the
order in which they read out your names after you report. ( First 10 panel 1, second
10 panel 2 and last 10 in panel 3)

My profile:

Class 10: 89.83% (SSC, Hyderabad)

Class 12: 92.1% (BIE, Hyderabad)
B.E. : 77.24 (BE MEchanical, Chaitanya Bharathi Institue of Technology , Osmania
University, Hyderabad)

CAT: 99.35%ile
Work Ex: 15 months in IT company
From Dec 1 in my family Business.

Group Discussion:

They made us sit in the order in which we were called.

It was an article. The topic was on the social and economic situation of muslims.
What can be done to improve it types.

Total 10 people were there in the GD. The seating arrangement was U-shaped. No
table in front of us. I was sitting in the 10th position from right.
1 person was absent from our panel.

Two panel members were there ... one who asks general Questions (G) and the other
acads-centric guy(A).

We were given 2 mins to think and then 10 mins for the GD. After around 2 mins,
they asked us to start. The overall the discussion was more like each of trying to put
across his or her point. As a result after 7-8 mins we started repeating the earlier
points. after 10 mins, we are asked to stop. No summary was asked.
We were told to submit the sheet containing the article and the application form.

The interview started in another 10 mins.

I was the last person to be interviewed.

G opened the door and asked me to come inside.

The moment I took my seat (G) asked what my Family Business is?
me : Told about it. This lasted about 8 mins. Where we discussed about Social
resposnsibility and other things.

Afterwards G asked about college festivals etc.

Till now (A) talked only once that too to ask for my File.

A took over from G ( By then he has gone through my certificates )

A: When did you write NTSE?

me : 10th

A: Do you have Statistics related subject?

me : No

A : What about Operations research. ?

me : yes sir

A: What is assignement problem?

me: gave some vauge answer. Then he gave the definition.

After that he went to questions on Maths. Almost all the questions were on
probablilty, cat level questions. This is one area I never attempted even during Cat
so all the questions went for a toss. Some Six questions all no's.

My throat went dry after 15 mins, So I asked for water. They had a glass on the
adjacent table, whcih I was asked to take.

Now the questions went to Number systesm.

A : Def. of E
me : No

A : irrational number
me: gave the definiton.

A: is e irrational
me : yes

A: why?
me: because non recurring digits etc...

A: is root 2 irrational?
me: yes

A: why?
me: same answer as e.

A:who told you the numbers do not recur?

me: We go with assumptions otherwise it we can't work type:

A; no there is a simple proof for that.

me : oh.

A: You have 4 calls

me: no sir 5

A; some question again on probability.

End of maths.

and G took over

G: What sports do u like?

me: Football and swimming

G: Fav. footballers
me: Christiano Ronaldo, Kaka and Crespo. and gave the reason as to why.

G: Incident of Christiano Ronaldo

me: world cup with wayne rooney.

now G looks at A and they both said thank you.

End.
Overall Academics went for a toss. rest all was good. loads of new friends. We all
had a nice time.

All the best for the rest of you. Be prepared for questions to get repeated.

cheers
Rahul
I am Ajith
had my interview on 6th in blore ...

MY cat percentile 99.86

work ex -1.5 years
Btech -65%
NITC

I am not feeling like writing it again .. i will copy and paste it from ma blog

That was a soft dismissal!

How many times have we heard the same on TV, yeah umpteen number of times! , I
felt the same after my IIMK interview.
GD was based on a passage, which was neither interesting nor debatable in my
point of view, it was about bureaucracy and we saw perfect consensus!. No way
near the fish market scenario, gd went in pretty cool and civilized manner.
Everybody spoke and I was no exception, nothing brilliant, I will rank me 4th
among the lot.

Then there was a short break, I was the 2nd one to be called inside, first one was
asked about assembly line and so forth, so I knew it was not gonna be easy for me.
With thousands of thoughts in my mind I enter the battle field.

I didn't forget to ask for permission this time, and my posture was perfect. There
were two daemons guarding the gates of IIMK one was with moustache and the one
without, Lemme call em DM and DWOM respectively and I will be the prince who
wants to enter the castle of IIMK.

DM (with a sense of urgency signalling the prince to sit down) : May I have a look at
your Diary of war history?. ( I have filled the 2 page history with why I want to enter
the castle and how am I gonna get my princess.. my skill set so on and so forth)

Prince ( giving the Folder of Royal certificates which included the ones which made
him a six point someone) : Here it is , Sir

DWOM : Which kingdom are you from young prince!

Prince : God's own kingdom

DWOM : You wrote chennai here!

Prince ( Seeing the DM making his move studying the folder of certificates and
concentrating on Academics) : err ... I work with CTS in Chennai

DWOM : And you are from a tribal Country

Prince ( with a sense of satisfaction!) : yes I am from a village ( he has written his
biggest achievement was gaining the access to the gates of IIMK and getting quizzed
by Daemons being from a village)

DM ( with a larger sense of satisfaction , kinda looked like I got my kill!!!!) : so u

studied industrial management

Prince: I did!

DM: Can you tell me something about it?

Prince : Hmmm No .. That was long ago before the birth of Jesus Christ so it would
not be wise for me to comment on that.

DM : who taught the subject for you ( with a look on his face suggesting atleast this
kiddo!)

Prince (trying hard to remember) : Hmmm ... Hmmm

DM : was it SreedharaCharya or Danishacharya

Prince ( thinking "oops, he knows the dammm acharyas from the royal academy") :
The one who wears bhasma on his head ( although he knew the acharya the only
thing he could remember is his double name which read "Bhasmasura!")

DM: is it Mr. Sudarshanacharya

Prince (conceding!) : yeah It is him , I am sorry about it .

DM : Tell me Something about Supply Chain Management

Prince who is tired and uninterested in a fight tries to answer something which
never convinces DM

DM: are you tensed or sth ... I will give u 30 secs think and answer.. I allot u 2 mins
for ur extempore on SCM

Prince tries and finishes whatever he can say in 30 sec

DM : that was only 15 secs .. have u seen the movie Guru

Prince : ummm .. No

DM explains the situation to DWOM which prince never understood

DM ( with a determination that I will make this dumbo speak) : Could you please
tell me about sth that you would like in 2 mins

Prince : can I have 30 secs to think

DWOM : Take your own time

Prince who could not take a decision searches for the optimal choice

DWOM : You can speak about your blog

Prince who has already zeroed in on another idea gets confused!

Prince: Can I talk about something else

DWOM : Sure! .. That was a suggestion

Prince goes on to talk about a book he read only for the purpose of telling it to
daemons blabs it to the Daemons. The title goes "making globalization work' by
Joseph E Stiglitz

DWOM is impressed with Prince's effort and asks further about the Author, which is
answered by prince.

DM is not convinced and want to kill the prince completely and asks him about
Datawarehousing etc etc .. for which prince has a better idea and answers.

In the end, the fight ends in a draw, prince unconscious and not sure about his
future. Prince gets into a deep sleep which he would end in April and then he will
get to know how things went.

Till then,
Take care

Ajit
Hi,
Had my K on 8th Feb, Mornarch hotel, Bangalroe

GD : abuot Singur project. West bengal needs to balance between indusrialisation

and agriculture
2 mins to think and 10 mins to discuss
Decent GD overall, 9 ppl (1 absent) and everybody had airtime
I pitched in some 5-6 times

Interview
M(me) P1(interviewer 1) P2(interviewer 2)
M : walked in only one prof persent... said good morning
P1 : asks for certs and scans them
P2 joins in

P2 : So what did you do in BITS?

M : studies
P2 : (laughs) i know that what else?
M : me enjoyed, met ppl bla bla...
P2: asks about grades and why they were better in 4th year
M: bla bla...
P2: asks about work, and what I did durin internship
M : work for SAP, intership...
P2: so where r u from
M : chennai
P2 : asks about rajnikanth and his movies (the fun part of the interview)

over to P1 for acads grill now

P1 : what is time complexity of an algrithm?
M : explained....
P1 : I need to find the min number from n numbers... give an algo
M : told him
P1 : I want a more efficient one... (min was O(n) )
M : sort in O(log n) and pick the forst one
P1 : no i dont want to sort...
M : tried and finally said dunno
P1 : what is shortest path?
M : told about graphs and shortest path using Djiskstra's algo
P1: what is Linear prog model...
M : explained
P1: too generic... asks me to frame LPP for shortest path problem...
M : after 10secs blurted dunno again
P1 : how ia compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) calculated?
M : offered an explanation but P1 not satisfied
P1 : how many calls
M:5
P1 : If probablity of u getting a call is p.. what is the probablity that get atleast one of
the 5 calls
M : answered
Then some ques on class strength and my possible rank and why I am below
average etc...

What say puys? any comments welcome

Cheers,
Guru
IIMK GD/PI

date : 7th feb

place : monarch hotel, blore
time : 9am

gd :

something on muslim minorities and how they dont participate in the development
of the country.
very very peaceful gd, with everyone getting an opportunity to talk. but i personally
did pretty badly. came in only 2-3 times and not with particularly great points.
dunno y. relatively easy topic also.

pi : was 8th on the list, but one person was absent, so went in 7th. 2 guys on the
panel...
p1 - middle aged mallu prof
p2 - slightly older prof with glasses

p2 - so archana, tell me something abt ur family background n educational

background.
me - told him
p1 - so u used to work at infosys n then u shifted to another company? what does
this new company do?
me - told him abt the company n my role
p1 - so this is a start-up company? y did u shift from such a big company like infosys
to a start-up? u've been in chennai throughout...so the reason couldn't've been
location also...
me - gave some crap abt having more responsibilities, challenges n opportunity to
grow here. also told him abt this company being product based, as opposed to
service based infy.
p1 - dont u think for a service oriented country like india there isnt much scope for
growth in a product setup?
me - jus abt to answer but was interrupted
p1 - so ur company is into legacy modernisation? do u think languages like cobol
will be around for much longer? is the market booming for mainframes or is it
dying?
me - told him abt how it would be expensive for applications that are already on
mainframes to shift out. and also abt how mainframes have several advantages like
security n stuff.
p1 - but look at google. its such a big company and they dont have a single
mainframe.
me - i agree the front end (cics) is not used as much these days n is being replaced by
newer technologies but the back-end is here to stay for a while(atleast thats wot i
think/thought)
p1 - ok. u're from tamilnadu right? there's a popular belief that the standard of
education is detereorating there due to the number of engg colls. do u agree?
me - yes i do, to an extent. due to the large number of colls, the quality tends to get
diluted. there are a handful of good colls. doing a B.E in any coll other than these
may not exactly have much value.
p1 - u're from SRM engg coll. would u include it in the handful?
me - yes definitely(although i absolutely detest my coll! ). with respect to the
faculty, placements etc, my coll is considered among the top five in the city.
p1 - is it a deemed univ?
me - now it is. but i passed out wen it was still under anna univ.
p2 (finally makes an entry into the scene) - ur client at infosys was jcpenney? so u
were in the retail domain?
me - yes
p2 - what is the cap on FDI for retail?
me - 20something %, dont remember exactly(was debating in my head between 22 n
26)
p2 - is it poss for jcpenney to come n set shop in india?

me - walmart is coming( )
p2 - but are they coming directly?
me - opened my mouth to blabber, but was luckily interrupted
p2 - tell me a lil bit abt FDI and FII
me - gave lecture with whatever i knew
p2 - ok. so would u say FDI was better of FII?
me - i think FDI
p2 - y do u think so?(damn these follow-up questions!)
me - told him about the plusses of FDI. as an afterthought added the negatives also,
lest they ask me more.
p2 - what abt FII?
me - my knowledge on FII is not very deep( = i have absolutely no clue! should've
mentioned paraphrasing as one of my strengths )
p1(again) - so what did u think abt ur performance in the gd?
me - i was not satisfied. i could've done much better
p1 - y, what happened then?
me -
p1 - ok, if i were to give u 2 mins now, would u like to add something?
me - (caught off-guard) now??? i havent thought abt it since then. so whatever i said
would pretty much be a summary of what was said earlier (suicide!!!!)
p2(back to his apparent fav topic) - so do u think if i have an overall cap on FDI in
india, it would do?
me - no, if at all, it should be done on a sector to sector basis cos each sector differs
from the other.
p1 - wen and how did u come to blore from chennai?
me - i flew in, last night
p2 - oh u came by air deccan?
me - no, kingfisher
p1 & p2 (signal to each other) - thank u archana
me(they took the certi file from me in the beginning but didnt look at a single certi.
all he did was turn the pages while looking at me n nodding) - we were asked to
bring copies of the certificates. should i give them to u now?
p1 - are u applying through a reservation category?
me - no, general
p1 - than it wont be necessary
me - thank u
-----------------------------------------------------------------

no acads! at all!!!!
but i dont have a very good feeling abt the interview. although it was very very
pleasant n i said the danger words 'i dont know' only once. i think they'd pre-
decided abt my case after my gd disaster.

comments welcome...
8th Feb, Hotel Monarch, Bangalore
2:00 pm

My profile

CAT - 99.15
BTech EE, IIT B
Working for arnd 19 months at Samsung India S/W Operations

I was in panel 3....there was no table in front during GD...was a lil awkward....but
there was a table during the interview

GD - something related to SEZ and rehabilitation...very cordial grp....eveybody

spoke....but by the end we had run out of points...i spoke arnd 5 time ...aur ek baar
to bolta raha...kisi ne kaata hi nahin....fir khud se chup hona pada ...i guess main
kuch to communist types ideologies de raha tha GD mein...aisa mujhe kyun lagta
hai yeh tumhe interview ke end mein pata chalega...

PI - was the 6th to walk in

Q - so how is samsung to work ?

A - very good...good work...cutting edge tech...good compensation etc...product
company...blah blah

Q - so u are happy and still u want to leave it early ?

A - PM knows abt marketing, finance, demand etc...main bhi seekhna chahta
hoon...isliye mba ...blah blah

Q - so in how many years u will become PM ?

A - dunno...may be 3-4 years after passing out

Q - so this cpi of 7.xx ..how is it ?

A - average sir...basically didnt do well in first sem ...i had dropped a year for JEE
(use tension ho gayi ki maine drop maaara tha ) ...so after getting selected got

happy and didnt study (kya bakwas hai )

Q - so what is this "shaktipat diksha" ( this i had mentioned in the form...something

related to meditation )
A - sir transfer of energy...kundalini...chakra...upnishada ...blah blah
Q - so is this related to some religion ?
A - no sir ...just plain meditation...no religion....hindus as well as muslims are
therewho follow...

Q - some sect u follow...like hare rama hare krishana ?

A - no sir...its just that it started from lord dattatreya ....baiscally lord shiva....but not
religious

Q - i mean from where did u learn...ur guru ?

A - yes sir....

Q - so u eat meat ?
A - sir there is no restriction...but it is said that as and when u grow to higher
stage...u will automatically leave non veg, booze etc

Q - so u jump while u meditate ?

A - no sir...it all depends upon ur sanskars...and how the energy want to work...also
on which stage u are in...aur thode fatte

Q - so what all benifits are there ?

A - sir apart from the spiritual benifits...meditation is helpful in concentration, stress
relief etc

Q - u have heard abt the statement "religion is like an opium for the masses"...by
marx ?

A - no sir

Q - who was marx ??

A - siiiirrrrr a philosopher... ...sorry a sociologist

Q - but u have passed a course in sociology ..

A - yes sir...i read abt marx as the one who gave the concept of communism and
weber as the one who related society to religion

Q - name a communist who has been at a very high post in the past ?
A - (totally blank) sir i know abt prakash karat...

Q - no no they are young.....some senior person ?

A - no siirrr dont remember...( ...itne sare log hai...kuch nahin to mao ya stalin
hi bol deta ( )
ok u may leave...( what the hell ?? aur kuch to poocho yaar...itna sara padha hai
maine...have overseas exp.....EE ka engineer hoon.....kuch to poocho...bhaga rahe ho
kya ?)
me - thank u sir

overall 15-17 minutes....quite happy with whatever i said....there was more of

knowledge transfer from me to them ... rather than the other way....didnt feel like
an IIM interview....no relevant questions

Hello Guys,

I had my IIMK GD PI today. My experience is given below.

Date: 8th Feb

Time: 9:00 AM
Venue: Monarch Hotel, Bangalore.

My Profile:

Work Experience - 27 months ( 12 months in CTS and 15 months in SAP)

CAT Percentile - 99.76
10th - 84.6
12th - 91.6
BE - 89.2 aggregate - ECE

I reached the venue fairly early inspite of getting up late . Was chatting with a
few people there. Then around nine o clock they announced which panels we
belonged to. Out of 30 guys 3 absent and each panel contained 9 ppl. I was No:7 in
panel 3.

GD Experience -

We asked to enter the room and get seated according to the numbers given to us. It
was a U shaped arrangement, I had the privelege of sitting directly opposite to the
Panel.

The topic was on Singur riots how WB chief minister has assured that the land that
was acquired was not arable. The article ended up talking abt balance between
industrialization and agriculture and modern infrastructure.We were asked to think
for 2 mins on the topic and discuss for 10-12 mins.
All of us had a decent GD with everyone chipping in with points. I came in 4-5
times. Overall it was a peaceful GD. We cud have discussed more points but I guess
we did decent.

PI Experience -

I was 6th to be called in. Meanwhile bfore the interview which was around 11:45 all
the guys were coming out and we were hearing their experiences. One panel had an
OR prof and he was asking OR questions. There was no pattern in the questions
asked.

So here it goes, I would refer the people as P1, P2 and Me.

I just knock once and enter, I was immediately stopped and asked to wait outiside
till they call. So much for a good start.

Then after a minute or so they asked me to come in.

Me - Good morning Sir (nodding at both) and got seated. P2 took Certificates and P1
was having my Data form.
P1 - So you have presented inernational papers what did ya do ?
Me - Blah blah blah...
P1 - So same paper in all 4 conferences ??
Me - No sir I had certain modifications and comments incorporated from previous
conferences.
P1 - So you have done these papers alone ?
Me - No Sir I have coauthored them with my professor.
P1 - Then how come in your form you form you have mentioned that you have
presented them so isnt it a dishonest statement ( Whoo Bingo!! The boy is alive)
Me - Sir it was a mistake sir, I didnt intend to be dishonest sir. (This is not over)
P1 - So you have mentioned in the form that you have organized a conference in
College so were you the top guy ?
Me - No Sir one of the top guys.
P1 - So shudnt u have mentioned that we have organized rather than you have (Are
Bachhe ki jaan loge kya ?)
Me - Yes Sir I should have said that I am sorry (Fighting hard to keep my
composure)
P1 - So you have filed a patent so how many of you were invlved in it.
Me - Sir 3 of us.
P1 - So u shud have said that we have filed a patent and you have. How many such
dishonest statments are there in your form.
Me - Sir it was a honest misake sir totally unintended (Yaar stress pe decide Kar liya
kya ?Why me ???)
P1 - So tell me the insances where u have been creative (I have mentioned this as one
of my strengths).
Me - Blah blah... (All this while P2 is just watching me )
P1 - So give me a creative solution so that IT companies will invest in Calicut.
Me - Blah Blah...
P1 - (Suddenly out of the blue) What do you want to do with your life ??
Me - (Kinda rattled at this question, thought for a few seconds) Sir as I have
mentioned in the form I want become XYZ.
P1 - See in these times you never know whether you will be alive tomorrow or not,
So what do you want to do with your life ??
Me - Sir I donot live life as if this is my last day, I believe in a better tomorow and
plan for that.
P1 - So you are finding fault with those guys who live life that way ?
Me - No sir, Its their way of living life and this is mine.
P1 - You sound as if those people are hedonistic.
Me - No sir I dint mean that for example if I knew that I were going to die tomorrow
there will be certain things which I wud want to do which I would have delayed
otherwise lie donating my eyes , Kidney etc.
Continued..

P2 - Dont you think most of the ERP implementatios are failing ?

Me - Sir I donot think so sir cos there are totally 36,800 installations of SAP running
world wide. But at times the instalations fail cos proper cost benefit analysis not
being done or implementation not being upto the mark which will lead to entire
investment going waste
P2 - So you were involved with SAPPORT SAPs NGO so what were your activities ?
Me - Blah blah
P2 - Dont you think these IT comanies use NGOs as a marketing tool rather than
helping people ?
Me - Blah blah.
P2 - So you have fun everyweekend meeting the kids , is it like a zoo where you see
animals ? (Are yaar chodo yaar )
Me - Blah blah..

P1 and P2 looks at each other and say that I may go, I thank them and I leave.

I donno what to make out of it, there were traces of stress here and there but over all
I felt I did decent. No questions on Acads it was a relief but there was not a single
question where I could have answered donno.

Anyway lets see what happens and hope for the best.

Avi
Hey

Bangalore,Hotel Monarch,1:25 PM

I walk into the hotel on Brigade road,seeing all the people around me on the road
roaming around me merrily and maybe just looking at me and thinkin what the hell
is this person doing roaming here,in the middle of the day wearinf formals and a tie
on the most happening road of the city!!!

So i quickly get away from those probing eyes and quickly make my way ito the
hotel,thankfully which wasnt far from the entrance of the road.

Once i am inside,find about 25-30 people all made to sit in a room of the size of 15 x
10 feets!!!Its getting real hot,tension's building and people talking all sort of gyan,so i
decide to keep quite not to show my ignorance

At 10 minutes past 2 they finally decide to have mercy on us poor souls getting fried
in that oven and decide to send us to different rooms for GD.MY group was panel 3
and had about 10 people.Topic was the one mentioned above:SEZ and
effects,discussion went fine.I entered abt 3-4 times in 10 mins and think made some
relevant point different from others.So GD was good i felt.

Then the wait for interview.I was 4th in number.So till my number came,there were
loads of discussions on EMF,fourier etc going on in the room.At one point,the entire
room full of engineers was trying to recall what a choke did for a tube light!!!what a
sorry state of affairs for the country

Then came my turn,had to wait as the profs wanted to take a break and rightly
so.They had had a long day!!And as soon as i went in,the firing began.No looseners
like "about you" or "why mba".Some questions about my job etc which i think i
answered well.

And then came the bouncer"my views on e-waste"!!!discussed a lot on this and i
dont whether at the end of it i could satisfy them or not coz i took a very pro-
environment and at times anti-business stance!!

This was followed by the yorkers-acads based ques.The only defensive stroke i
know was to play with a straight bat( i dont know sir )...mumbled few things,dont
know what all i said roght or wrong.In the end,they were left smiling at me and
wished me best of luck and said,thats it.

What do u say seniors and fellow PGs!!!Wha are the chances?

BTW my profile

8 months work-ex
99.96 percentile
BLACKI
IIM K GD/PI

Date: 7th Feb

Time : 9 AM
Venue: Monarch Hotel, Bangalore.

My profile:

Class 10: 87
Class 12: 88
B.E. : 8.6 / 10 (IIT Bombay)

CAT: 99.44%ile
Work Ex: 18 months in Core Sector - Engg & Construction

Group Discussion:

It was an article on the social and economic situation of muslims. What can be done
to improve it types.

I was the 3rd person to be interviewed.

P1, P2 and me)

P1 was standing at the door. Smiled at me and called me inside

P1: Looking at me ...so Abhinav u are working in ***. Finally some one not from
IT...so does your job involve a lot of travelling?
Me: Yes some amount of travelling ...gave couple of examples...also got to explain
job stuff
P2: U have such a good job profile...why do u wan to do a mgmt degree....
Me: (agar itna hi accha hain to le lo naa)....same old answer...formal training in all
disciplines will help me ++
P2: But cant u get the same training in your job like training programme..
Me: explain limitations
P2: But have you given suggestion to your bosses?
Me: Yes, but unfortunately requisite broad level training programmes are not
present...also mention about recent training undertaken and also exec-mba
program...and how they dont align to my taste
P1 P2 agree
P1: Your job must be requiring lot of teamwork...what is team size? and what
qualities required for team to succeed?
Me: explained...
P1: Give me instance when team member didnt agree with you...gave you a tough
time...
Me: explained...giving an example
P1: OK, Abhinav How is ur boss?
Me: (Yeh kaisa sawaal hain bhai?)...asked him what he was looking for specifically
P1: What are ur boss strength and weakness
Me: (Bhai main to abtak khud ke strength weakness yaad kiya tha...yeh mera boss ka
puch rahan hain!!!)....gave some phatte...but did well
P1: So do u admire your boss?
Me: To a certain extent yes...

Going fine till now...then P2 starts...

P2: See I am seeing that u hv done a course on "Probability and Stats in ur final
yr"..what was taught?
Me: (Recalling)...bol diya
P2: Ok then tell me the variance formula of the prob dist function ...writes on sheet
of paper..
Me: Sir i dont recall the thing for a distributed function. shall i write the same for
discrete
P2: Ok go ahead...
I did something and then P2 says "No that is not correct"
P2: How amny calls hv u got (5)...What is prob that u will get call from atleast one
insti...
Me: Explained something but not the answer...(:P)
P2: Ok what is relation ship between stress and moment
Me: sir do you mean shear stress?
p2: Yes sorry shear stres...
Me: Explained...(While doing this i missed out the Area Compnent "A"...realized it
after leaving the room)
P2: Ok since u are going project planning...what is the critical path...
Me: I gave a decent enuf definition ...(P2 again says "No that is not
correct"....perhaps he was looking for a more text book definition)

P1 takes over
P1: Does your firm get into any csr activities
Me:explained
P1: hv u got involved in them
Me: Not yet...
P1: Ok thanks abhinav
P2: You can take your files..
Me: Thankk you sir

After coming out i feel except for the probability part with P2 it went fine->except
for the nemesis of probability....i will be better prepared for that in the next
interview..
had my gd/pi today at blore

cat- 98.84
exp- 30 months

gd topic was about labour unions and how they effect a companysperformance.
management was also somewhere in the passage.. cant remember poor memory

gd was fine everyone got an opportunity to chip in. 1 was absent from our batch.
i chipped in 4-5 times and gave some good points. happy with my performance.
(dunno abt the profs)

pi went for abt 15 mins.

q do u visit pagalguy
a yes

q what have they written about us

a gave a half hearted answer

q be specific any questions

a told some q read from the forum

q where a re you from

a delhi but bla bla bla...

q is your dad in marketing

a yes

q any comments on mindtree ipo

a told

q it came in todays newspaper

a oh didnt knew

q u have a ashram ni shimla. whats it all about.

a bla bla bla.... (almost a min)

q whats your contrbution

a bla bla bla.... (almost a min)

q you are also part of CSR in your company

a yes bla bla bla and more bla bla bla....

q you have written about leadership skills

a have led teams and bla bla bla.....

by now i was dead tired speaking but was happy about that q on acads
then prof2 came in and.....

q what is quality
a bla bla bla and more bla and some more bla .. whew kuch jyada hi bol diya

q what is time complexity algorithms

a sir maaf kar do main kya paap kiya hai

q you know statistics

a yes in 12

q a q on probability
a gave wrong answer. but tried my level best.

q what is e
a some answer

q draw graphs
a drew all of them. took my time. values put karke. finally got all of them correct.

q do you read fiction

a no sir

q thank you
a thank you

so guys all general q answered. acads 75 % answered. gd went welll.

only 1 worry percentile might be a problem in selection. moreover i found that all
candidates were equally good. so dunno whats the selection criteria. overall a good
experience, luckily both the profs were cool and no stress at all.

comments welcomed.

regards
ankit
Okie Folks....Here goes my date with IIM K....

Feb 9th, 9:00 a.m. we are all sitting in a cramped room waiting for the proceedings to
start....We are distributed in to 3 panels....<snip> <snip>

Panel - 2

The GD topic is something regarding how Labour unioins and Management should
work togather for mutual benifits, strikes and bandhs dont help anybody....

Seated in a semi-sircle with no table...

Had a decent discussion, every body got a chance to chip-in....no major fights.....A
couple of gud examples of GM and Diamler Chrysler etc.....

Me chipped in second (gave some basic structure...) and then entered @ regular
intervals.....pretty satisfied with ma performance...

Had the eighth number for PI......Was sick of waiting by the time ma call came....

Players -

The studious looking prof - SP

The charismatic prof - CP
moi - Me
moi name - JD

Me - Gud afternoon....
SP - Come JD, sitdown....Let me have a look at your certificates...
Me - sure sir...

CP - So JD tell me what sort of social activities do you indulge in...?? (Had

mentioned it in ma data form..)
Me - MindTree's social initiatives...blah blah...., Spastic society....blah blah.....

CP - okay, do you know of any missionaries of charity in West Bengal (I am a

bengali)
Me - Mother teresa's missionaries of charity....blah blah....

CP - okay tell me something about ur job resposibilities...

Me - (Oh yeah...oh yeah... )....Blah blah blah....

CP - JD, you have said u are leading a team. Can u tell me of one incident when
there was a conflict in your team and how you resolved it....??...
Me - There was a this lady who wasmn't really happy abt the sort of work she was
gettin....Gud at work...but concerned abt her learnings at work....I created
opportunities for her to work and learn....She was happy....moi happy....[ ]

CP - So u effectively did <xyz>

Me - Yeah sir, in a way yes....
CP - smiles and nods....

Over to SP

SP - JD can u tell me how do u calculate unilateral Laplace transform of a function..

Me - ....Sir I have some idea of where we use Laplace transforms, ( drew a
diagram and illustrated....)...but dont remember how we calculate them....

SP - Can u tell me something abt Fourier series....

Me - ....aasmaan se gire khajoor pe atke..!!!!..Sir basically we use Fourier
for....blah blah....

SP - Hummmm...(Not convinced)

SP - Okie JD tell me the working of an Induction motor....

Me - Oh yeah....Yeh to kal hi padha tha.... ......Sir SCIM, WRIM....Ns, Nr... Torque
slip charecteristics.....
SP - Okay okay, that shud be gud enuf.....

SP - Can u draw the graph for function f(x)....also tell me where do u use it...
Me - Cud draw the graph.....but cud not explain the use.....

SP - Tell me JD, how do u relate your learnings in Electrical Engineering to your

work. The two are totally disparate....
Me - Sir, Egineering is abt blah blah....(Funde baazi.... )....Normally every
Engineering situation can be broken down into a problem and available alternatives,
each with pros and cons....We try to achieve the most optimum result..... .....
SP - Hummm...Nods....

SP - Okay, Thank you JD....

CP - smiles....
Me - Thanks you sir.... ....

My understanding......Went off well....but nothing concrete enuf to come to

conclusions.... Was a lil general.....Let's wait n see.....Hope this helps the other puys
readin this stuff.....Feedbacks and comments are welcome.....

ATB to the remaining puys....

Cheerz,
Date 9th feb time: 2 pm…
My profile….B.Tech Civil Engg
Work ex 6 months..

My gd/pi experiences….
GD topic: something like in today’s world people are forgetting spiritual knowledge
and ignoring the followings of spirituality which is the cause of conflicts….

Everybody was shocked having such a topic…no one (including me ) had an idea
regarding spirituality…gd went okay types…points getting repeated and everybody
waiting for the other person to cut (yeah u read it correctly…no one ready to
speak…so a very very peaceful gd )

PI: I was 7th out of 8 people so had a long and a painful wait…people coming and
telling their experiences….finally my turn came….

There were 2 profs 1 cool prof (P1) and other nerd prof (P2) and me….

P1: so you have said u have done some courses in management…what all u did?
Me: told all the courses done a brief of what all learnt….(I was ready for more
questions on the subjects but none)

P1: okay…so u have done some internships…tell me what all u did…

Me:…blah blah blah…( I guess he was satisfied) he asked some questions and I
guess I answered them….

Now after having done the starting rituals he handed over to the nerd prof…

P2: so have learnt operations research..

Me: no sir
P2: so have done any courses related to statistics…
Me: no sir nothing specific but statistics was a part of one of the course
P2: in ur internship u did some experiments do did u use any statistics…
Me: no sir not much but just used mean nd stuff….(yeah again a no)
P2: what is standard deviation….write its expression…
Me: told it and also wrote the equation
(forgot the summation sign…so P2 pointed out…Also he gave some fundae
regarding population and sample std deviation)…

P2: what is the probability that when u toss a coin 10 times u wud atleast get 5
heads.
Me: started off correctly but went wrong somewhere bcoz he said the answer is
wrong…
P2: what is greater arithmetic mean or geometric mean
Me: was a bit confused after a bit of thinking told AM…
P2: prove it
Me: proved it peacefully…

Again transferred to P1

P1: so where did u exhibit ur strength…

Me: blah…blah…blah….

P1: okay thanks a lot….

No acads, not much workex…..nothing in specific asked…was totally confused what

they tested in the interview….
Junta any comments?
Date: 7th Feb
Time : 2 PM
Venue: Monarch Hotel, Bangalore.

My profile:

Class 10: 85
Class 12: 93
B.TECH. : 76% Chemical Engg

CAT: 99.18%le
Work Ex: 5 months

GD was on the situation of Dalits and how the same can be improved
Think i performed quiet decently made 3 points at equal intervals

PI - Panel II....Very friendly panelists.... P1 and P2 ... i was the first to be interviewed
from our batch
after the formal greeting ....
P1: So what do you do?
M: am teaching German
P1: Where?
M: Max Mueller Bhavan
P1: Where did you learn German?
M: Max Mueller Bhavan sir
P1: So how long have you been learning German?
M: since 3 years sir
P1: tell me something murari u have done chemical engineering and now teaching
German... why do you want to do an MBA?
M: ...... blah blah.....
P2: i agree you will get pretty good opportunities with all these lanugages and a
management degree but tell me what kind of role do you think you will play in an
organization where you can use all the lanugages you;ve learnt and the
management degree you will pursue?
M: .....again blah blah the possible roles....
P2: you told us you've been working as a freelancer for over 30 months with the
Europeans why don;t you tell us what differences do you find between the
Germans, Italians, Spaniards and the French...
M: .......Told em about Germans, Italians and Spaniards from my experience also
added a disclaimer to it saying that these are characteristics of ppl i;ve worked with
and not to be generalized... told em can;t say much bout French cause haven;t
worked with em..
P1: So what did you study in Total Quality Management?
M: ... listed a few topics that i could recollect....
P1: What is benchmarking?
M: answered with an example
P1: Do you think benchmarking can be used when it comes to individuals of
different nationalities? for ex: can you benchmark yourself against a German?
M: said yes and cited what characteristic of the Germans can be benchmarked...
P2: What did you study in Environmental Engineering?
M: Listed a few topics... but he didn;t seem all that interested
P2: What about Ethics? wat did you study in Ethics?
M:Utilitarianism, Kohlberg;s Theorey, case studies
P2:remember any case Studies?
M: The Bhopal gas tragedy,...being a Chemical engg.. special attention to it
P2: So what went wrong?
M:....told em and said negligence was one of the main reasons
P2: Is negligence unethical?
M: especially when there is a huge responsibilty and it costs so many lives making
you responsible for the death of many
P2: so wat is the fuel used for Jet propulsion??
M: some blah
P2: i think you are talkin bout the liquid fuel
M: yes sir
P2: can you name the solid fuel
M: i don;t know
P2: which chemical is used to coat the outer surface of spacecrafts to protect it
against the high pressure and abrasion when it enters the earth's surface?
M: ..........i just said i don;t know and went on to explain wat might happen if tat
particular chem is not used,,,
P2: What do you remember from your Workshop?
M: the training ?
P2: No the first year workshop
M: Carpentry, filing, fitting, lap-joints...
P2: why do you use different tools for carpentry and fitting?
M: hardness... surface wear of tools
P2:What are the different finishing methods?
M: thought for a while couldn;t recollect the names though
P2: Strike while the iron is hot... how true is tat? explain!
M: blah blah...
P2: know the honeycomb model?
M: <couldn;t recollect>
P2&P1: Thank you!
M: Thank yo
well started pretty ok but when it came to acads i couldn;t answer much.. as is the
case normally guess gotta work more on acads..
Date: 12 Feb
Time: 0900 Hrs
Location: Mumbai
Occasion: IIM-K GD/PI
Twist: Sudden downpour in Mumbai, causing wet clothes.

0930 Hrs
GD: 8 guys/ 2 absent.
Moderators: 2 Profs
Topic:
<something like> Government should not enter into companies, at best govern by
policies. Even for Infrastructure projects like Road etc private players to be roped in.

Since we were only 8, everyone got a chance to speak. It did turn into Fish Market at
times, but it was manageable.

My Performance: Came out 2-3 times with valid points and only me speaking, was
caught in the Fish Market for majority of the time.

Verdict: 7/10

1010 hrs
Was the 2nd guy to go in for d interview
Profs: One was definitely a Fin Prof (FP). He asked Q most of the times.
Other had a more ambiguous role. (AR)
Impression of the Panel: Cool and Supporting.
Me: AG

FP: AG, you are very special.

AG: <Bulb><Bulb> <was it a compliment?> <oh> I describe about my strengths.
FP: So, working for ** Company? Wat does it make? Describe.
FP: Who owns the company?
FP: Where is the company Located?
FP: So why engineering? why not IT? Did you have a choice for IT
AG: <dude! everybody has a choice, atleast for IT>
AG: <hmmmm... appetizers, huh>

FP: So, u a mechanical Engineer?

FP: So, tell me about boilers!
FP: Why does boiler<steam> pipelines have bends?
FP: What are rupture discs?
FP: What happens when Vacuum is applied to pressure vessels.
FP: What is the mode of failure, kindly draw.
FP: what kind of support do you give to the steam pipeline?
FP: What are Real Options?
AG: <bulb>
FP: What do you mean by Shared Pests Control?
AG: <bulb>

AR Chips in
AR: So, u have written that this skill you acquired in your job. Tell me how.
<I had written I have acquired 'Team Management Skills' duh, dumb!!>
AG: Sir, it was more of a realization of strength.
AR: Elaborate.
AG: Elaborated with good examples. Told my story, incorporating the answer of the
'most significant achievement' in the story.
AR seems satisfied.
Goes into coma again.

FP: So, have you studied any Finance Course?

AG: <NO, NO, dont read my marksheet, dont see that subject>
<doomed>
Yes sir, Risk Management and Derivatives!
FP: What do you know about **** model <complex name>
AG: Sir, I dont remeber models by names, kindly give specific situation.
FP: OK, OK: how do you choose a portfolio?
AG: he he, I know that, alpha beta gamma
FP: So what is beta
AG: Told
FP: How do you calculate beta
AG: Sir, Forgotten
FP: No, no, try from the basics.
AG: OK. <I try something, get some formula>
FP: how do you measure it for a year
AG: <bulb>
FP: Co-Variance??
AG: Ah, yes, oh no, forgot, it's been two years.
FP: So, you have done projects, Capital Expenditure Projects?
AG: Yes
FP: what are the financial parameters those are considered for Capex proposals
AG: Told from the basics
FP: No, I am looking for a more specific answer.
<he acknowledges that my basics are in place>
<then with his help I arrive at the precise answer>

AR wakes up again
AR: So, u are interested in doing this ** (I had mentioned in my alternate career
paths)
AG: yes sir <he is falling into the trap, yippee>
AR Drills me for 5 min on that sector, I answer this very well giving proper and
recent statistical figures.
Seems satisfied.

AR sez: Thankyou u can go!

My Performance: Very good. I dint use the 'I don't know' tool on basics. Only when
some arbitrary terms were thrown at me.

Verdict: 8-9/10.

1040 hrs
Done with one, rest 4 remaining. Feel Good Factor.

Very cool panel. Very understanding. FP guy is really cool and helpful. AR guy is
too into his dream world that he doesnt bother you at all. <I guess he must be a HR
guy>

So, wat say?

My Profile:
X: 87
XII: 87
Grad: 75
CAT: 96.6
Workex: 2 years

The day began on a gloomy note, with overcast skies. And as the day progressed, it
only got better and better. Here's how. First of all, it started raining while i was
commuting in the local train. By the time i reached Dadar, heavens had opened up
for good. I reached the place as wet as a fish.
On the flip side, even the panel got delayed and hence, gave me enough time to
make myself presentable. There were in all 26 people, 9 in my group. GD was based
on an article on how India lacks good leaders. Very abstract, The GD lasted some 12-
13 minutes. It was quite peaceful, most of us got a chance to speak. Though I felt it
lacked in content.
After the GD, we were asked to submit the form. And then, the same panel took out
interview. It was a panel of two, cool old guy (COG) and the i-will-get-you
chap(IWGU).
They opened the door and called me in :
IWGU(looking at a form) : SO MR.Viral...(WHAT!)...
ME: Sir, thats not my form you are looking at...
IWGU(turning to COG)?: where's his form?
COG: yahi pe kahi hoga..
They both start rummaging through their wares..meanwhile,
COG: Vamsee, I could see that U wanted to say more in the GD. lets have a 2 min
presentation on the topic from you...
Me(caught totally unprepared for it): Yes sir...& I start blabbering...
Meanwhile they both keep searching around. WHenever I paused to get their
attention, they would say "Please continue Vamsee" and get back to what they were
doing. I shrugged, and finished my monologue...
COG(already given up on my form): Maybe someone before you has taken your
form by mistake.
IWGU: So Vamsee, whats ur profile like? Do you have work ex?
me: Yes Sir....6 months...
COG: WHen did IBM come to India?
me: 1970s...Indira Gandhi & story.
IWGU: SO you are fresh out of college. You an engg?
me: Yes(Nightmare begins)...
IWGU: What branch?
me: Mech
(their eyes light up)
Both looking at each other, in chorus): Even I am a mech engg!
(I knew i was doomed)
IWGU( With the most dreaded question in the history of GD/PIs): So Vamsee, what
were your fav subjects?
me: hmmm...refrigeration.I was silent for a while, not wanting to name another
subject. But they kept waiting for me to name one more...
"Theory of Machines" I blurted, not able to think of any other.
IWGU: What is relative humidity?
(I Hesitated)
IWGU: It was your fav subject na...
Me: managed to come out with the right answer.
IWGU got back to searching for his most potent weapon, my form.
COG takes over.
COG: So Vamsee, where are you from...
me: give my travelogue...
COG: In northern parts ot the country, in winter, our lips get cracked. Why does this
happen?
I answered.
WHat is ASRAE?
I knew that!
Which books did you refer to while studying?
me I didnt remember any, so tried this) Sir our syllabus was desinged in such a
way that we had to study from eclectic sources, mostly internet.
COG: You dont remember any at all?
me: (after thinking for a while) R.S.Khurmi ( I remember this person had written a
book on almost every subject in mech)
COG: What is knocking?
me: funda session in progress.
COG: Vamsee I want to buy a car, should i go for a petrol or a diesel one?
me: FOr personal use, i would suggest a petrol one..
COG: Why?
me: blah blah...less noise.
IWGU (Taking a break from his quest) : Is there a noiseless refrigeration system
also?
me I read this last night) Vapour absorption system...etc etc
IWGU: What is this problem with ozone layer?
me: monolouge...
COG: What are your future plans?
me:&^%
COG: Specialization in MBA?
me(at my diplomatic best): not decided yet.
COG:How much is the FDI coming in India?
me: I didnt remember the figure...Sorry sir.
COG: Which is more? FDI coming in or going out?
me: coming in...
COG: both are almost same now...
me: Sir if you dont consider the recent acquisitions, I am sure incoming is more.
Both smile.
COG: WHat is diff between FDI & FII?
me: ans
COG: Ever heard of green field investment?
me: Sorry sir, never heard.
COG: Vamsee, name one famous businessman who was a mechanical engg?
me: I can't think of any right now...
COG(smiling): May be Vamsee...
me(Even bigger smile): Not as of today sir, maybe in future. You would be a better
example sir...
COG has a hearty laugh. IWGU gives up on his search, finally.
COG:Thanks you Vamsee...
IWGU: Vamsee, I will give you another form in a short while. Can you please fill it
up again
me(Dreading the though, but still smiling) ; Sure sir. Have a good day.
I got another form after half an hour, and It took me one full hour to send the form. I
had to be careful to write the same answers as in the earlier one, in case they find the
other one. I go back to give them the form, and they apologise for the inconvinience
caused to me. I was gracious enough to smile.Finally finished the whole process by 2
and a hard day comes to end...
Had my GD/PI in Mumbai today 2:00 pm batch, panel 1

My profile: BTech (Mech)

4 years work-ex: 2 years marketing, 2 years market research
CAT: 99.05

GD topic: How CSR is important today, company should give back to society..

Good discussion - about 12 minutes... everyone spoke, lots of examples, was heading
towards a fishmarket at times, but we managed to control it.
I started but fumbled a bit, came in two more times...on the whole I think i did
average.

PI: was the second last one in panel 1...long, agonising and stressful wait...

Two people in the panel cool Guy (CG) and technical guy (TG)

TG: U have waited for a long time...what have u heard from others about the
interview? u are our source of feedback...
ME: I heard that theres a lot of stress on acads

TG: Stress on acads or people getting stressed by acads?

ME: (smile) Both!

TG: Any specific questions that have been asked?

ME: Sir, I only asked about the overall scenario of what is being asked, did not try to
find out about specific questions since I wanted to keep an open mind...

TG: Ok then, what area should we ask you on?

ME: Work ex

TG: No no, u have mentioned that the interview is stressing on acads, so tell me a
subject from acads?
(Dug my own grave!)
ME: Thermodynamics

TG: explain the working of a power plant

ME: started explaining...

TG: no, dont speak in general.... talk from an engineering point of view...start by
telling us about working of a turbine

ME: Sir, Gas turbine works on Rankine Cycle, tried drawing the cycle but fumbled...
TG: continue...
ME: Blade...rotating shaft..cyclic magnetic field...electricity produced.. (was
fumbling all the while, dont know why!)

Some more questions getting deeper into the turbine , and me fumbling all the
while..

TG: Tell us some other subject which u can answer without having to fumble..

ME: (Gulp!) Sir, automobiles...

TG: When u apply the handbrake and drive, the wheel gets hot, why?

ME: Sir, friction...

TG: explain, what happens from the time u apply the accelerator

ME: Sir, fuel-air mixture....

TG: No no, not all that.. only with respect to the handbrake problem...

ME: Sir, force on wheel in one direction, resistance from handbrake..some blah blah..

TG: This is only what i was asking but u had started with something else...not
answering propoerly... Tell me how good are u in quantitative ability?

ME: (Oh damn! kept silent for few seconds..)

TG: Do u know differentiation?

ME: Sir, it has been a long time, i'm not sure how much i remember...

TG: (Gave a pitiful look)

ME: But i can try

TG: (spared the differentiation part) What else in quant?

ME: (couldn't think of anything!) Sir, a little bit of statistics

TG: Little bit?

ME: Sir, i've been working in Market research...some statistical knowledge required,
so i'm in touch...

TG: How long in MR?

ME: Sir, 2 years?

TG: But engg was 4 years, full two years more than ur MR exp...how can u
remember this and forget engg?

CG: (Spoke for the first time) Ok, regarding ur market research if the govt. wants to
conduct a study to find out the impact of VAT on prices, how will u approach it?

TG: (interrups, speaking to CG): Sir he has to answer this applying intergration
techniques

ME (Gulp! Bacche ki jaan loge? Yaar already prove ho chuka hai ki I dont remember
any engg maths...aage bhi to badho!)

CG: No, no intergration etc, general approach to MR..

ME: (relief!) Blah blah...gave decent answers to some probing questions

CG: The Maharashtra Govt. wants to modernise mumbai by removing all the
slums...is it right? ur views?

ME: blah blah...gave a decent answer, (CG seemed satisfied...but TG was waiting for
his turn to bury me again)

TG: Which other calls?

ME: Sir, as for IIM's this is the only call

TG: Then u should have prepared properly!

ME: Sir, I've tried...

TG: Then Y couldn't u answer academics properly?....what happened, busy with

work?

ME: Sir, I tried my best in the limited time out from work, but I couldn't not go
through everything, especially what u've asked..
TG: Thank you

All in all, I guess the interview was a total screw up!!

Hardly anything about my work ex...I wonder if the've read my form completely -
itni mehnat se aur acche se bhara tha! Didn't even ask Y MBA etc..

Most probably the end of the IIM dream for me!

12th Feb
2 pm
Panel same as Aamir

BE Elex
7 months in IT

GD: Industries should incorporate CSR as primary goal. When they take over
natural resources, they should share profit with the locals

Remarks: Everyone had an average performance. 3-4 ppl starting at most times, but
everyone got airtime

PI

Q. Introduce yourself
A. Told

Q. Which book have you read last

A. Novel

Q. which other book

A. Book on politics abt indira gandhi

Q. Any other book, about a social issue?

A. Named, said the book talks about centralization vs decentralization, secularism
vs communalism

Q. Which is better - decentralization or centralization

A. 5 min discussion

Q. Talk about how liberalization helped the IT industry

A. Another 3-4 minute discussion

Q. Which subject in engineering should I ask you about?

A. DSP

Acad Q:
What is a signal, how are waves transmitted? - AM,FM and explanation, what are
antennas? (gave decent but not crisp answers)

Q. What was the name of the recent Mars mission?

A. I said Discovery without thinking...its Pathfinder
Q. How does the Pathfinder communicate with earth?
A. explained

Q. How does the Pathfinder know where to locate satellites orbiting the earth?

A. Dont know

Q. What should I ask you on Maths?

A. Calculus

Q. Write integration function!

A. Wrote general eq of integration

Q. What is the difference between continuous & discrete-time integration?

A. Said discrete time is for integrating discontinuous functions in a piecewise
fashion. even wrote the equation when asked (Huge mistake! - realized myself that
its just summation and nothing more!)

Q. So you founded the ___ club. How did you get publicity for it?
A. Talked about it for a minute

OK, Thank you! And I was done!

Did well overall. A couple of bloopers in acads where I should have stopped to
think and said that I dont know.
13th Feb - 9 AM
BE Comps 2005 Paasout .
Work Exp - 17 months till March 01 2007
Cat 2006 - 98.99

GD
Article, of 2 sentences - something abt universities offering specialization courses,
coz today's globalised economy needs skilled workforce. Some mention of how
faculty and studets can move arnd between universities ( like exchange prog. .. i
think )

10 mins only to discuss - all 10 ppl had turned up ...

Hardly got air time, came in twice with avg points ...
it turned into a fish market after 5 mins ....
overall feeling - sad discussion .... my perf .. 6/10 ( thoda marks listening, body
language ko de diye .. warna <=5 dena padta )

PI - was 7th in the grp, and unfortunately, our panel dint mind taking their time ...
the first person was interviewd for 40 mins
Both prof's were mech engg ( mostly, coz mech engg all had a nice time inside .. )
1 - Southie , 2 - Bong ( OR/maths/acads prof ), Msp - Revant ( most stupid puy )

So, the debacle strted ..... I walk in ...

2- Revant, which coll r u from ?

Msp - Sir .....
2 - U havent written ur coll name in ur form ...

Msp - ... sir .. .... i write it hastily ...

2 - ok , ur certificates ....
Msp - hand over ....

1 - ok Revant, introduce urslef ...

Msp - sir , ..... keep it very short , say 20 secs ..
1 - waiting for more ...
Msp - continues ... 20 secs more .....
1 - ok , so revant, wot wd u do to reduce the prblems in urban cities, u can see so
much congestion ....
Msp - some soln ..... on how root cause is influx on ppl in cities for employment ...
how to curb, solns .. rural areas .. blah ...
1- ok but wot abt, graduates. U wot go to rural areas to work ...
Msp - sir, SEZ, Mega Cities, Planned townships ... etc ... blah ....
1- smiled, convinced .. nods .... ( msp is , chalo good strt )
1 - sir, ---> 2 ko handover

2 - Now , define algorithm

Msp - defined ...

Now strts the worst part ... 5 mins we discussed abt/bet/inside/outside the
definition of algorithms ...

2-> tries to make me understands, this is my question ...

Msp - sir with wot ever i cd interpret ... this is answer ....

2 - , yeh ladka kya bol raha hai ....

Msp - yeh sir kya puch raha hai .....

2- Sorting algos ...

Msp - said ...
2 - Worst case complexity of best sorting algo ...
Msp - n log n
2 - derive
Msp - ....

2 - .. ye baccha kitna mand hai ....

Msp - tries, with example ....
2 - NO NO, dont take specific example ... general ...
Msp - cant write, tries to explain by speaking .. sir .. if we .... then we .... now we ...

2 - , yeh ladka kya bol raha hai .....

2 - No No, there is a very Elegant Nice proof for this .... tum kya bol rahe ho ...
Msp - ...

2 - ok, so u have learn OR ?

Msp - , no sir ....
2 - OK probability ...
Msp - .. lag gayi ....
2 - Sum diya ....
Msp - , tried to solve ....
2 - shakes head .. WRONG ... yeh ladka kitna mand hai ..
Msp - tries again ...
2 - WRONG !! .... yeh ladka bahut zyaada mand hai ....
2 - sir aaphi pucho isko ...
1 - No sir .. ( i cant take mand answers ... nikalo is bacche ko )
2 - OK Thank You Revant ...
Msp - .. yeh prof 2 kya puch raha thaa .... .. chod ..
Thank You sir ...

and im out ........ of the room tht is ....

Results main dekhenge kya hota hai .....
Waise PI Rating ( 5/10 ) ( thoda marks body language, thinking ability .. .. and

of course, smart looks )

No Work Exp, No Extra Curr, No Y MBA ...

In fact in hindsight, i cd have been appearing for a job int., there wd be no diff, or for
tht matter, for a position as a lecturer
1 thing was for sure - Prof 2 dint know zip abt computers ..
the prob in bet with the algorithms, im sure occured b coz, he was going into maths
and me into the comps aspect of it .... anyway .. jane do .. hui gawa ...

ATB to all
13th Feb.
1400 hrs
Monarch Hotel

9 people in the group

GD Topic: Snippet that read something like...

APJ has come up with a 3 point formula... Stringent enforcement of laws... curb
corruption which is the greatest malady... education at grassroot levels...
Pretty loud GD. Could get in arnd 4 times with 3 original points -- Said the
suggestion box funda (which we discussed in one of the mock GDs... where ashish
had quoted "Nayak" the movie )... Brought in media and substantiated with
Priyadarshini Mattoo, NDTV... then ofcourse as the third speaker in the group,
outlined the context in which the snippet could have occured, brought in vision
2020... discussed IAS officers, buerocrats, accountability, transparency,
unwillingness of youth to get into services... all thanks to the PG MOCK GD
SESSIONS AT KORMANGALA... moderated by ANARCHY...

Interview

2 people, one mallu, the stats and information security guy (TP) and one bong lady
(HR)

HR: Tell me abt yourself

Me: Engg. by profession, working for HP. PSG Coll. of Tech. Electronics and
Communication. Chess club co-ordinator and HP chess captain, member of coll. and
company cricket team.
HR: Hobbies?
Me: Sports - Cricket and Chess, Quizzing
HR: Whats de second one? [I was happy thinking that I might get a few GK qns...]
Me: Aah.. ok ... [li'l disinterested]
HR: What is Ashutosh as a person?
Me: High energy, lively guy... get along easily with people, and people like to have
me around.
HR: This is something that everyone says...
Me: Well... I have received the most number of farewell parties at HP so that
proves that people love to have me around
HR:
TP:
[me substantiates, how people invite me to parties evry weekend]
TP: How long have you been with HP?
Me: 20 months
TP: Tell me abt your work at HP
Me: Says... IT service management, server hardware and stuff
TP: When HP acquired compaq, did u get some Compaq servers to take care of?
Me: Yes, a few. The acquisition was aimed at shooting up the sales of desktop and
lappys and was supposed to propel HP beyond IBM. This did not happen as
projected and Carley was asked to resign as a result?
TP: Was there anyother reason for her stepping down.
Me: I had not joined HP at that time, this is the official version. I wouldn't know if
there were other reasons.
TP: What is the latest laptop that HP has come up with?
Me: dv1615, 1616, pavillion series
TP: HP or IBM?
Me: IBM - no more. Thinkpad is a lenovo product now. HP it would be - superior
graphics card, wonderful for gaming
TP: Ha ha ha,,, we dont play games at our institutes
Me: Not only that, good duo core processsor, monitor resolution, industry standard
specifications, comes with a lot of accessories
TP: Same with Thinkpad
Me: Thinkpad's red mouse at the centre of the keyboard is inoperable, lot of stress
on the index finger... so bad from ergonomics point of view
TP: But there is an alternate mouse
Me: HP has wonderful support enggineers working round de clock to resolve any
issues relating to lappys, after sale service is very good.
TP: Hmm
HR: Hmm
Me: HP is the current market leader with $91.7 bn against IBM's $ 91.4. So marks to
HP
TP: What are the subjects that you learnt in your final year.
Me; [ Aah doob gaye yaar! ab kya hoga... I dint remember a single 7th sem subject]
Me: Sir, in the 8 th semester we had only project work in our curri... and was
thinking abt some 7 th sem subject when TP saved me...
TP: [cuts in] aah project... how many people
Me: 4 of us
TP: What was it about?
Me: Designing a firewall using Linux... selective blocking of undesirable sites... and
further explanation...
TP: What are the limitations on a firewall?
Me: No firewall can be perfect without "packet sniffing" feature imbibed in it. Since.
packet sniffing is against India IT laws, that will be a flaw that firewalls will have to
live with.
TP: Where are you from?
Me: Basically, Orissa
TP: Suppose I want to travel from Orissa to Calicut, how many states will I have to
cross?
Me: 2 [andhra, TN]... asssuming lowest costs of travel
TP: Have you studied Mathematics
Me: aah! ab aaega mazaa... YEsssssssssS
TP: Gaussian Curve
Me: bell shaped
TP: expression?
Me: e^ something... I dont remember that something...
TP: What are the parameters of the Gaussian curve?
Me: Skewness...
TP: Cuts, parameters?
Me: Sorry sir, I am unable to recollect what parameter refers to...
TP: Mean...
Me: ah... mean, median, mode
TP: Define
Me: Mean - simple average, sum of datapoints by number of data points
TP: median
Me: arrange a distribution in ascending or descending... middle value is median
TP: Mode
Me: Maximum frequency of occurence
TP: Repeats "max. freq. of occ." very satisfied...
TP: Discrete random variable?
Me: Mapping a non numerical outcome of an experiment to a numerical domain. eg.
Head and tail can be represented as 1 and 0.
TP: I have a temperature measurement... what will be the random variable
Me: In this case to have a discrete random variable, we will have to take ranges...
like 0-10 as 0, 10-20 as 1 and so on...
TP: Will temperature be discrete?
Me: No... temperature will require a continuous random variable
TP: Sure
Me: 100 %
TP: How will u calc the area under a probablility distribution?
Me: Not quite sure sir... vaguely remember using a table... E, E+- sigma, E+-
2sigma...
TP: have u learnt integration?
Me: yes sir... if u are looking for the integral formula for the area, it wud be integral
f(x)dx, within the reqd. limits.
TP: So why are we given a probability distribution?
Me: Aah... it will be one sir
TP:Sure?
Me: 100 %
TP: give me a copy of your work ex proof...
Me: Gives
TP/HR - Thank you
Me: Thank you

-- Billy
Here goes the Dexter's first interview

Date: 12th Feb 2:00 p.m

Exp : 43 months IT exp
GraDexter :BE Trikal NIT Surat 03

Mumbai guys, no taxi guy will know about

Hospitality Management Applied Training Centre (HMATC)
Veer Savarkar Marg,
Dadar (W)
u can ask the taxi guy to take you to IHM Catering College
IHM and HMATC are in the same campus.

total 30 people are divided into 3 bathces all have same GD topic, I was in Panel 2
GD topic
"Industries should share some part of their profit with the local communities,
becaues they are using their natual resources "

pretty decent one, all of us contributed except one or two people.

Interview
Dexter (me ) : good evening, good evening to interview panel there are two profs.
(it started at 5:20 p.m)
I m the 9th guy in the list of 10
Panel : sho me ur certificates
Dexter :handed over my file to him
Panel : so u r from Sardar patel NIT
Dexter :yes sir, sardar vallabhbhai NIT (in my mind i was praying, please dont ask
me abt trikal)
Panel : who is he
Dexter: our first finance minister (he is our first Home minister)
Panel : laughs
Dexter :i too laughed along with them
Panel : what's his nick name
Dexter :I guess it is 'Iron Man'
Panel : are you sure
Dexter :doubtfully, yes sir
Panel : one panel confirmed and asked why he was called so?
Dexter :may be he take very rigid decisions, and he dont compromise ...
Panel : laughs n r u sure
Dexter :dont know sir, i he is a good follower of Gandhiji
Panel : ok tell me about Surat
Dexter :Suart is having so many textile and diamond industries
Panel : y so many diamond industries there
Dexter :I guess, Gujarati people get raw material from Israel and they will do the
cutting and diamond trading
( want them to drag to Israel, but of nut much use)
Panel : why so
Dexter :i spoke to so many Gujaratis' in Israel and they said so
Panel : so you have been to Israel
Dexter :yes sir
Panel : does surat have diamond mines
Dexter :no sir
Panel : did Israel
Dexter :yes sir (laughs)
Panel : r u sure
Dexter :yes sir
Panel : they y is Surat not is Ahmedabad
Dexter :dont know
Panel : what other, oh textiles
Dexter :yes sir , surat and Ahmedabad both contains so many textile industries
Panel : how are they doing
Dexter :i think good
Panel : r u sure
Dexter :no sir, dont know
Panel : you never tried to explore surat?
Dexter :we tried but no idea abt industries
Panel : soem office related question
Dexter : answered pretty well
Panel : some CSR thing
Dexter :explained well
Panel : about leadership
Dexter :explained well ( in a swing all HR questions are fours and sixers )
Panel : do u know abt center limit theorem
Dexter :no idea
Panel : did u heard abt that
Dexter :i forgot that
Panel : did u heard abt binomail distribution
Dexter :i heard that sir
Panel : can u explain me by taking equation
Dexter :no sir
Panel : u might have forgotten all things
Panel : when did u completed ur garduation
Dexter :2003 sir
Panel : so u might have forgotten everything
Dexter :things are seems to maiden overs , by collecting whole courage i said i am
good at probability
(probability, i guess one panel member likes it)
Panel : how many calls
Dexter :5 sir
Panel : which one is missing
Dexter :B sir
Panel : lets take probability of conversion a call is 0.3, can it be possible
Dexter :yes sir all calls can have a different probability even
Panel : so tell me the probability of converting not more than 3
Dexter :i tool the paper tried various things
Panel : both are laughing
Dexter :Binomail thing striked in my mind (bingo)
Dexter :started writing (0.3 +0.7)^5
Panel : that is 1^5 = 1 no need to expand
Dexter :sir please let me complete
Panel :both laughed and told me continue
Dexter :after 2 mins me succeeded
Panel : i want in 5c4 and 5c5 terms
Dexter :i wrote 1 - ...... (correct answer), and with confidence i said both are correct
ones
Panel : he started laughing at my confidence, and said will they add up to one
(5c4,5c5 and rest)
Dexter :yes sir, both are mutually exclusive events ( this is a huge six )
Panel : laughs
Panel : you can go now
Dexter :do i need to submit my xerox copies
Panel : no need, do you want to apply for reservation
Dexter :no sir

according to me, its good one no one will be able to answer 100%

All the best to the rest of the guys

hmmm...so the journey begins for me...
IIMK interview
Date - 13/Feb/2007
Venue - Mumbai
Time 2 PM
panel 2

Cat percentile - 99.59

Xth - 80.2%(U.P. Board)
XIIth - 77%(U.P. Board)
B.Tech. - 76.4%

work ex - 30 months

GD topic was sometin on corruption on president's three pronged suggestion to

curtail that...we were 9 persons there in the group...(1 was absent) 2 min to think
then 12 minutes of GD. the group started well but in the middle lacked some
direction...but then came back on track...somewhat in the middle a bit fishy but
overall controlled...I came in 4 times out of which 3 were original points and one I
extended on someone elses point....I made good points (one about removing
middleman, use of technology for transparency, fundamental reasons behind
human behavior to incentives and the reason behind corruption) I dont want to rate
myself but I am satisfied to an extent

now come the fun part...I was last to be interviewed and I had to wait for almost 4
and a half hours and believe me the weight was tiring...not only did it unsettle me it
also toook the charm out of my face
anyway there were these two profs....one southie and another bong guys, I identified
him when he called my name....Omit
so I call them SP(southie prof) and BP(bong prof) and UT(yours truly)

I entered finally in the class room at 7 PM(it was lovely weather outside and I was
playing baskey with the local guys out there...had nothing else to do...no one was
tehre apart from me)
BP - hand me your certi files
UT - obliged
SP - ok amit tell me bout urself (clearly he was tired enough so wanted me to talk...)
UT - started with the most routine story...blah blah and what is this...all at a sudden
SP decided that he has to smile at me....and here out of the blues he started smiliing
at me...I obliged him again and smiled back at him
SP - so you first worked in a service based company now you working in
product...what is the difference you felt
UT - glob (process different, schedulig, management functions)
SP - so what is the reason INdia is good in services not in products
UT - some more glob on R&D facilities amounts of risk involved
SP - what are the main risk factors in product based company
UT - told him bout risk issues, piracy threat, IPR issues
Note - all the while BP was looking into the file and whenever I tried looking at him
he was shy and here now he also started smiling....I was wondering what;s wrong
with me
SP - so what would u prefer service based or product
UT - glob (as a fresher, learning opportunities at Service based vs proprietry
framework at product based, specialisation, functionaL expertise...blah blah)
SP passed the batton to BP...
BP - so ur major was IT...whats Information
UT - told with example of information content(a man biting a dog contains more
info as it is rarer)
BP - have u studied stat
UT - 5 years back
BP - one sum on prob
UT - told him the funda and also that I might get wrong in the formulas and I did

BP - anyway....plot the graph of e^sinx

UT - plotted and explained the basic...though did one mistake somewhere and BP
was not convinced..
BP - ok you have a series, 1,2....n n being an even integer....find alll the permutations
of n/2th place being occupied by n/2th number..
UT - started with 2 numbers then gradually increased it and solved it to n-1! then
proved there with mathematical induction too
BP - smiled
BP - ok write binary of 25
UT - eeee badshah...took 1 second
BP looked at SP SP at BP....wondered something and then
ok Amit thank you
I was like what....I waited for so much time and that;s it...anyway I got up...and
suddenly the graph of e^sinx struck me and I asked them can I plot the graph again
he was like ok
I did that...BP was convinced...asked them if I need to give the xerox of certis he said
no
came back...checked it lasted 21 minutes...I don know what to make out of this
interview...it was so late and everybody was so tired that I dont know what they
judged about me...though I am satisfied with myself....I am happy that I dint goofed
up...rest is in the hands of HE
So first IIM interview of my life is over. How did it go….seriously…. I have no

idea!!!!

But this is what happened…

Profile:
Cat : 99.2 percentile
Electronics and telecom engineer..
2 yrs work ex sales and marketing (Non IT)

Around 27 ppl assembled in Assembled in a room at dadar catering college… 3

panels.. candidates divided and led to resp. rooms…

Starts at 9:15

GD: 9 people… Topic was something about Advent of Politics in campuses of

Universities and campuses.. and how political parties are interfering in Campuses…
2 minutes to read.. 12 min to speak…

The room was so cold.. 2 AC’s blunting cold air like there was no tomorrow… all of
us were waiting for discussion to start so things get heated up…Pretty decent
discussion… entered 4 times… everyone spoke…I think my points were also pretty
decent…

Same panel for PI… 3rd one to go in... 2 people will call them Quant Prof (QP) and
Non Quant Prof(NQP)… Moi is Issshhhtudent (S)

NQP: Please come in …..

S: Good Morning Sir (1 each)
QP: Give me ur certificates….
S: Obliges
NQP: So S, Tell us something about urself
S: (Thanks God Prepared, -mas: Thought gud chance of leading the interview,
however they didnt come back to wat i said)….blah blah about my strengths, my
personality traits, how they have helped me….
NQP: So you want to do Marketing, tell me something about government
marketing.
S: Blah blah about India Shining.. Told not debating if it was correct or not, but good
campaign atleast for urban areas…
NQP: So do u think govt shud market or communicate
S: I told them about how municipalty hoardings carry messages in a way even
literate ppl cant decipher… Hence it is needed for social education and mass appeal..
NQP: Example??
S: Sir it was an NGO, but good campaign..The Balbir Pasha Aids
campaign…explained blah blah
NQP: How about marketing About Govt Policies…eg Power reforms.. the
controversial ones…
S: Told abt may help consumers understang govt’ intentions blah blah…
NQP: How about marketing why decrease fiscal deficit…
S: Told in this that the debates shud happen in legislatures thru democracy route..
mass marketing may not help…

(Thought interview was gud till now …but QP gets in)

QP: So why did ur leave ur job..

S: Blah blah, did this after that blah blah
QP: Ok, plot this… he have me a function with absolute values n all…
S: trying.. got 3-4 points… no idea how to join them, sir not sure how to join the
points..
QP: Ok whats e
S: Eulers constant, value >2
QP: Origin of e
S: stumped , says log e = 1
QP: ha ha, log 1000 is also 1 if base is 1000…
S: A confident don’t know…
QP: Its rational?
S: No irrational
QP:Whats a rational number
S: Told
QP: Then he went on asking about derivatives, limits… basic expressions
S: Could answer only 1-2… Little tension but face pe smile
QP: Asked me some term from computer engg. (y???)
S: Sir I have not heard of that term...

NQP: (Thank God): IT companies have talent shortage and engineers are
unemployed.. why
S: Spoke about unemployables, rural college, bad faculty , low confidence etc..
NQP: Nodding(S thinks: Thank God)
NQP: Gimme some solutions to remove that
S: Blah Blah…

NQP, QP: Thanks….

S: Sir copies of certificates are not needed.
QP: No thanks
S: Thank u sirs

Went on for 25-30 minutes… infact everyone in our gd grp had tht much..but no
questions on GSM CDMA, Digital electronics, marketing basics…QUANT QUANT
QUANT … didn’t do well here…

Chalo lets see… next stop IIMA Day after.. first day first show…

All da best to others

OK...first and foremost...my sincere apologies for posting so late...but actually I also
have my midsem exam going on...thats why the delay....

Here's my IIMK GD PI experience...

Date: 12 February, 2:00 p.m. (Same batch as zanzyaphod, different panel)

Venue: Mumbai

PROFILE:

Acads:
X: 87.46%
XII: 90.33%
UG: 74.8% till third year (currently in my final year of engg.)

Work-Ex: None
NIL/Sector - Number of Years - Country

CAT %iles:
DI 99.55
Quant 100.00
Verbal 95.33
Aggregate 99.97

GD:
Topic: It was an article, something like: “Industries should take up corporate
responsibilities more seriously. Whenever an industry uses natural resources from
any regional, the profits should be shared with people from local community for
development.”
Number of Ppl present: 10
Time: 12-15 minutes
Discussion: Decent, peaceful GD, no fish-market type….started with how
companies need to give something back to society if they r using a part of the
resources….people talked about SEZ, CSRs…how profit sharing cud involve
providing employment, training, setting up hospitals…newer regions wud want
such companies to come to them after they observe such things..
My contribution: Tried to come in earlier, but was cut 2-3 times…Managed one
point as to how employing local individuals wud also benefit the company since thr
wud b some geographical features of the region that the company need not
necessarily be aware of…The locals cud then be of help...
Overall…below average
Other Details: No one was asked to summarize….We had been told that it wud be a
12 minute GD, and we would be told when to start and when to stop. We were
given papers with articles printed on them, and were asked to use those if required.
At the end of the GD, we were asked to leave our sheets there itself.

PI:
No. of panel members: 2 –
Panel Members Intro: One with spects (S) and one without spects (WS)

Questions:
WS: So, u r from ICT…is it the same as UDCT?
Me: Yes Sir
WS: UDCT is such a reputed college for Chem. Engg. Then why do u want to go into
management?
Me: Not enuf interest in chem. engg. to do research…..
WS: Why do u think u r not disillusioned abt management too, then?
Me: My qualities, enjoy this field, well-informed decision…
WS: What do you think are the qualities of a manager?
Me: told…mentioned decision-making…
S: Have u been at any decision-making position till now?
Me: Yes Sir…mentioned… (worked as finance head for college event)
S: So ur work was based only on last year’s data that u had? (based on previous
answer)
Me: No sir, since we are slowly increasing the scale, factors like estimation etc.
involved.
WS: What subjects do u hav in ur current semester?
Me: Home Paper..
WS: What is Home Paper?
Me: Told..also told other subjects, including Industrial management..
WS: What do u hav in industrial management?
Me: Diff types – Operations management, Quality management, etc. Different steps
– Planning,…
WS: Have u heard of Six Sigma?
Me: Yes Sir.
WS: Can u tel me what it is?
Me: told a bit..and said we hav been only introduced about it…not covered in
detail…
S: Have u done any community service work in College?
Me: No sir..
S: Is thr ne student body looking after community service?
Me: Sir, actually, as far as I am aware, a part of the grants that our college gets, are
allotted to community service; but thr is no separate students’ body looking after
this.
S: So don’t u hav nething like an NSS?
Me: No sir…
WS looks at S..Then..
Both: Thank u
Me: Thank u Sir….(left)
Overall: OK…no strengths, weaknesses, hobbies, accomplishments, etc….
Misc: WS went through the original certificates once.
Did not take attested copies
No one from our panel/batch had a stressful or a very pleasant experience at
interviews...All of them had a sort of "feel gud" that nothing went really bad!!
Chilled out panel...

That's it!!
Puys....Ur suggestions/opinions r welcome!!
I had my IIM-K interview for the 2007-09 batch yesterday. The venue was Catering
College (IHM), mumbai. It was a pain locating the institute bcoz on the call letter it
was mentioned as Hospitality Management Applied Training Centre, which no
cabbie new. Managed to sneak in the venue just in time. You can imagine my panic
by the fact that not wanting to take any risk, i changed into formals in my cab
Precisely at 2 the process started. Around 25 of us (out of the 30 called) were
assembled in the room when one by one 3 professors walked in and took 10 ppl
each. I was with the 2nd Prof who were Panel 3.

GD
We were handed slips of paper with 4 lines of print on it. On it was a statement by
our President APJ Abdul Kalam about Corruption being a major deterrent for India
and the need for radical transformations, social movement and strict measures to be
taken against it. In short, the GD topic was- "Corruption in India". One smart guy
started the discussion and very soon around 5 of us (out of 8 were pitching in). The
ensuing discussion was not a very mature one, each one of us were essentially trying
to put in in individual points, so it was not a "group" thing. But thankfully there
wasn't too much of a fishmarket. I put in 3 examples- Engr. Dubey (working on the
Golden Quadrilateral Project) who was murdered when his complaint to the PMO
was leaked to the media, ENRON and DAEWOO.

Interview
I was the 3rd candidate to be intrviewed. The 2 before me had had some 20 minutes
of talk time each.
P-Panel

P:Gunjan, tell us something about yourself.

Me. Blah Blah.

P: My we ask you how many calls do you have?

Me: 5 IIM Calls including IIM kozhikode

P: May we ask you your CAT Percentile?

Me: Sure, it was 99.65

P: Where is your college located?

Me: Katraj, Pune

P: What is a SuperComputer
Me: CDAC-Pune Param Supercomputer

P:Event organised in college

Me: Blah Blah Blah
P: Events organised in my company(Cognizant Technology Solutions)
Me: Blah Blah <one cross question which i explained>

P: Social Service?
Me: Told them about my stint with an NGO.

P: About work in my Company.

Me: Blah Blah

P: What do you know about Calicut?

Me: Blah blah

P: Thank you Gunjan.

Me: Thank You Sir.

Short and sweet interview. It lasted perhaps 12-15 min.

Hello !

Finally, D-day arrives !

Profile : 80+ in 10th / 12th,

70 in engg ( pune univ )
7 months in a large automobile company
11 months in my own firm

CAT score : 99.31, with sectionals of 96.68 ( data ), 96.31 ( verbal ). 98.88 ( quant )

Date : 14th Feb

Slot : 2 pm
Venue : Mumbai

GD :

Topic : Panchayati Raj should be promoted in india. village committees should be

given power to develop infra, education etc in their villages.

The best GD I have ever been in, including all mocks. Very very peaceful, everyone
had a chance to speak. the issue was discussed pretty decently. i gave structure to
the discussion a couple of times, which others followed. came up at regular intervals
with decent points. wasnt the best speaker or the one with the most airtime, but was
decent.

Interview :

Was the 6th person to be interviewed. was 7th actually, but one fella turned up after
the gd, he was told to attend everything tom.

there were 2 panelists, the HR guy ( H ) and the acads guy ( A ). and of course I.

H : You are looking very good. ( was one of the few to wear a blazer )
I : Thank you Sir. Good Afternoon ( didnt get a chance it to say it before anything
else )
H : GA.
H : Please pull out the chair, and sit at a distance from the table, and keep your file
on the table.
I : Ok ( Huh ?? )
H : Tell us about yourself ( this was asked to EVERYBODY in our group ).
I : blah blah.... started my own firm in blah blah...
H : Your own firm ? ( checks form ). You are the Director ?
I : Yes sir, with 6 others.
H : What are you into ?
I : blah blah
H : Turnover ?
I : Blah
H : But your salary is quite low compared to your turnover...
( A quietly pushes a blank piece of paper in front of me..... I was like no acads, no
acads... please )
I : blah blah about different divisions.... my division not doing as well...
H : ok.... whats the name of your firm ?
I : blah...
H : what does pvt. ltd. mean ?
I : ( expected Q ) blah blah and blah... looked happy
A : lets talk about mechanical engg. ( Nooooooooooooooooooo ). whats your fav
subject in mech?
I : Non-conventional energy sources.
A ( looked a bit irritated ) : No, some core subject...
I : mumbled something about it being an elective in the final year...
A : tell...
I ( resignedly ) : machine design and thermo.... i mean mostly machine design..
A : How do you design a machine ?
I:
A : What's a machine ? ( before i could answer, started pointing towards different
things in the room ). Is this a machine ( an AC ). pointing to the fan - is that a
machine?
I : Yes.
A : Tell me how you would design a machine, its functions, etc. take any of these
machines.
I : started with a fan. it makes air move in the downward direction...
A : you havent designed it yet and are talking about its functions...
I : Sorry sir... There's a shaft, below which is the motor...
A : talk about the motor..
I : The motor converts elec energy into mech one..
A : Dont evade Qs. How does it do it ?

I ( stressed out now ) :

A ( gives up.... ) You have forgotten everything from your acads...
I : Yes sir, a bit....
A : Not a bit, everything...
I : err, yes sir...
H : How does an aeroplane stay afloat ?
I : due to the shape and angle of the wings, air is pushed down during forward
motion. due to the reaction force, the plane stays afloat. ( hope thats correct .... )
H ( looks satisfied ) : and a rocket ?
I : its kind of similar, only in a rocket, the thrust is due to the exhausted gases.
H : Then why doesnt a fan move up ? ( did I come across as THAT dumb ?? )
I ( 'huh' look on my face ) : Sir, there is a shaft above which is connected to the wall,
and physically prevents any vertical motion....
H : ( looks satisfied ) Ok. ( A has probably given up on me, and is going through my
file. goes through my certis and stops and peers at cut-outs of my articles in the
Hindu, as if to say, whats this doing here.... then moves on to my photographic
portfolio... had taken it in a separate file.... and flips through it with a
booooooooooooored look )
H: What rank were you in your college ? as in in your class..
I : In my final year, in the top 5-6 ( Pune unive considers only final year scores for
B.E scores )
H : Out of a class of 60 to 80 ?
I : yes ( was sure that A found that VERY hard to believe ! )
H : I think this 11 months is this firm of yours have made you completely forget
your acads...
I : ( quiet.... kya bolne ka..... )
H : What did you do in XYZ ?( i worked in XYZ before starting my own firm ) Were
you on the shop floor ?
I : No sir, I was a trainee. We were moved around to different plants and had to
understand the various processes involved.
H : Oh, ok, ya, trainee.... Why didnt you stay in XYZ for longer ?
I : My partners and I felt that it was a great time to enter the ***** market, and we
had experience in it before...
H : ok, ya, you've said here that you are interested in the business side of things....
H : Why MBA ? then looks at the stuff in the form and nods his head and says Ok...
H : You want to be in marketing ? ( had written a lot about marketing, branind and
stuff )
I : I am interested in it. I will decide after the first year.
H : have you heard of any ancient strategists / economists ?
I : ( missed the word ancient ) : Amartya Sen...
H : laughs... He's ancient ?
I : Sorry sir, I missed that.
H : You've heard of Kautilya ?

I : No Sir
H : You havent heard of kautilya ? ( both laugh )
I : No sir
A : Chanakya ?
I : Heard of him... dont know much
A : What was he ?
I : No clue
A : he was a strategist.
I : Ok....
H starts going through my form, while A is busy filling up my scores in various
parameters....
H : whats this wildlife census thing ?
I : I worked with the forest dept for the census of the Indian Giant Squirrel in
Bhimashankar Sanctuary...
H : What is this animal ?
I : blah blah about it....
H : How is it done ?
I : blah blah about squirrel behaviour, census done by counting nests, each squirrel
builds on an average 6 nests..
H : 6 ?? wow !
I : yes sir..
A : what are flying squirrels ?
I : blah blah
A : Where are they found ?
I : forests of central india, sanctuaries like tadoba, melghat....
H : how large are the giant squirrels ? larger than the normal ones..
I : pretty large... larger than a cat..
H : Ok.... there's an animal which is of that size.... long... fights with snakes..
I : its a mongoose
H : do they also build nests /
I : No sir, its a ground dwelling mammal...
H : Hmm.... there's a sanctuary on the border of Kerala and TN / karnataka. which
one is it ?
I : I am not sure... I'll take a guess...... bandipur ?
H : correct...
H looks at A, with a done? look.. A is probably relieved to let me go...
H : Ok, thank you, best of luck ! please close the door when you go out.
I : Yes Sir. Thank you.

interview time : 15-20 mins. standard for all 3 panels.

dont know what to say.............. sucked in acads for sure....

happy that it didnt go very badly.... and that i wasnt very nervous...

the general consensus was that it was a very chilled out panel. acads guy always had
a serious look on his face... a bit unnerving...
what do you guys think ??

A coming up next, on 18th.... no acads please........ too much to expect for A,

though....

cheers,
Harshad
had it on 12th...
GD bout corporate social responsibility...10 people
went okish..we were short on pointsas a grp..

was the last one to be interviewed...

two panelists

Q: so sankalp temme sumthin bout u..

A: blaaaaaaaaah

Q: so long wait for u..wht did u find out thru ur frnds..??(i have been asked this in
every PI so far..:P)
A: fumbled a bit..(pata nahi kyon..:/)

Q: so did u join any coaching for CAT..(hv also been asked this every time.. )
A: yes..said general things...said tht the mock GD's help to an extent..

Q: wotcha gonna do if u get rs 1 crore (hehehehehe)

A: said sumthin bout judicious spending...will try to reap lng term benefits
of it...

Q: so whr r u frm originally..

A:answered...

Q: wht does ur dad do

A: told

Q: nitish accuses lalu of stealing his glory..he did the wrk in railways nd lalu gettin
credit..wht do u say..(hey bhagwaan..:/)
A: said some arbit things bout how both are responsible to some extent..(had no
factual knowledge...but i guess they werent lookin for any..)

Q: gave the example of how qutab minar built by two people..but named after only
one..
A: said sumthin to the lines of history written by survivors...

Q: do u knw of any mangment gurus..

A: told

Q: ne indian mngmnt gurus..

A lanat hai koi yaad nahi ayaa.. ) told the name of arindam chaudhary..only tht i
called him arindam bhattachatya..:P ..(messed this one..)
Q: asked y cant dabba guys be mngmnt gurus..
A: (batti jali..)agreed..said hw learning can be soaked frm ne whr..

tht was it..10-12 mins..

very relaxed...so cant say hw it went..

VERDICT : selected
My first ever B-school interview over.
Location:
Dadar, Mumbai

My profile:
99.67%ile
B.Tech in Information & Communication Tech
8 months exp in IT services

The group discussion was something on why the country is lacking quality leaders
(something about lack of ethics & selflessness etc) especially ones with a mass
unified following. I decided to open the GD something which ive never done b4,
and i realized the reason then. GD tended to be a fishmarket at times...we discussed
qualities of leaders with a host of examples, political, corporate and cricket
(ganguly). i dont think i can judge the performance of the group as a whole. i'd rate
mine as below avg as i only came in 2-3 times in a GD where everyone had
something to say.

I was the second guy for the interview. the person b4 me came out and then the
panel and me played a lil waiting game...I won a panelist had to come out and
invite me in. He held the door open for me, and sat down, while I muttered "good
morning" to each of them. Panelist #1 =Moustached Mallu (M), and 2nd was Spects
(S). I'm Archon (A)

M: Introduce yourself (before I sat down). Gimme your papers.

A: some glob about my background. (S just keeps staring as if he can see right thru
me).
M: You joined your co. at the end of May. For two days u've written May as starting
month ??

A: I've mentioned the actual completed months below it.

M: You tell me what is the point of writing May when you worked for 2 days in
May?
A: Sir I can chng that if you want.
M: And why have you not written # of months (I had written "till date ( ") worked.
A: Sir I've mentioned it there
M: It says clearly that you have to write the no of months! Cut this off and write
this!!
A: Sir I will write it now. (I cut off "till date", and for some stupid reason make the
8, a 9)
M: You've completed 9 months??
A: Sir i've written it as below (as on Mar 07)
M: Does it say that? (Gives up and hands over the baton to S, who finds something
intensely curious about the shape of my eyeballs)
S: Please continue
A: watda..ok. (some glob about my strength)
S: (had enough) Draw the graph of e^sin |x|
A: Duh.. ...I'll need some time sir.
S: Ok but make it fast
A: (drew a completely wrong graph)
S: What is the value of this at x=0????
A: Sorry sir...(redraws graph)..sir it will vary between e and 1/e
S: (Really?) u havent drawn it for negative x?
A: Sir it is a mirror image
S: Is it periodic?
A: Yes sir. if i transform it on x-axis it will keep repeating.
S: What is e?
A: natural log (give value and some formula from limits and series expansion)
S: k tell me abt your work
A: blah
S nods to M
M: What is this ICT? (i'd written short form in the engg branch)
A: say it.
M: Write it (gives me "wat a dumbass!" look)
I write it and hand it back.
M: so tell me something i can ask you from this?
A: sir you can ask me abt my final proj
M: (not interested) tell me a subject frm this comm.
after some wrangling i finally tell them about my project and its background which
they dont understand or dont give a damn abt.
M: (wat glob! look) tell me how mobile comm is being used thr (in the proj)
A:
M: this is electronics proj, ur line is communication? whatda?
A: sir actually this is a software simulation
M: communication, communication,communication, communication (he didnt
actually say this but this is what it sounded like!)
I start to protest that ive specialized in CS/IT, and that I only did basic courses in
comm.
M: ok tell me wat i can ask you in acads?
A: sir, u can ask me about algos...
M: wat! no algos tell me comm courses!! u've done ICT!!
A: duh...maybe some basics
M: No basics. u tell me what course should i ask abt
I nod my head in resignation.
M: (Asks something)
A: (about:blank)
M: ok tell me somehting about problems in communication?
A: (think a little while) uhhhhh...there is a huge infrastructure req for laying cables
M: problems frm an engineering pt of view
A: think a little...spout some glob about lots of users in limited spectrum, and
unutilized optical bandwidth.
In between cross questioning i said "see" to M by mistake.
M writes something, and S stares at it as if the paper is alive.
S: You know Mahatma Gandhi has written books?
A: I know that hes written an autobiography...i think its called "interpretations of
truth" or something. (its "my experiments with truth"...me and my big mouth)
S: Does your thinking make it true?
A: No sir...sir it was about his personal experiences
S: Hv you read it?
A: (Oh no you don't...defensive stroke) sir only the first few chapters. i cannot
recollect the name though.
S: should'nt you have said this earlier?
A: yes sir, i shouldve.
S: ("I'm staring at you and there isnt sh*t you can do abt it" look)
S: why do you keep repeating what we say? (was doing it unconsciously like a robot

)
A: uhhh....
M: k u can go.
(S keeps staring with that some look described above)
I assemble papers...
A: Sir will you need the photocopies?
M: (Eh? u think u r selected?) no.
S just keeps staring till im almost out o' the door. someone teach him how to blink !

meanwhile i assemble papers, leave some, take some and get the hell out after
muttering thank yous.

Morals of the story:

1. don't make em stand & wait and call you in
2. You might win the battles but they're runnin the war!
3. you oughtta know what you know and you have to know it for sure and blab it
confidently.
4. to be contd.

i guess its bye bye god's own campus. hope 2 improve in L

My First interview is over yesterday 15/02

Venue: Dadar, HMATC (Mumbai)

Cat % 99.87
X% 86.6 (CBSE)
XII 80.8% (West Bengal Board)
Dual Degree (Aerosapce Engg) IIT Kgp:- 8.3 (cgpa)

PANEL II: (Evereybody in our plan seemed to have >= 5 calls)

GD Topic (something like this): Retrenching should be done. It actually helps the
governement to create more jobs in the long run. There should be some clause that
the employees who are retrenched should be given salary for 6 months.

Very Peaceful GD. There were 8 people, and all of us got chance to speak, and speak
a lot. I crept in 4 times. But personally felt I could have done better.
I would rate myself 6/10.

PI:
Once again far more peaceful than I had imagined. There were two profs. One
young prof (Y) and the other old (O).

O: So your name is SOUMYA, What does that mean ?? Is it that you are a very calm
sort of person??
M: Told some Crap.

Y: Oho SOUMYA JYOTI BASU!!! Are you anyway related to JYOTI BASU.
M: No Sir. In fact that is the only thing that matches between us though not
completely.
O: So whom do you prefer?? Buddhadev or Jyoti Basu?
M: Sir Buddhadev...
O & Y: Why?
M: Crap...

O & Y: Why don't you tell us something about yourself:

M: (Crammed Answer) Just Offloaded

O: So Soumyajyoti you are an Aerospace Engg...Can you tell me how does an

aircraft take turn?
M : Told
Y: Where is the RUdder located??
M: (Hey common even a class X student can answer you that )..Told
Y: How does the Aircraft go up and down??
M: Told (Y cuts in between)
Y: But I had heard that it is the nose of the aircraft that pulls it up.
M : (Bhai mere galat panga le rahe ho) Explained that the body of the aircraft has
got hardly anything to do with flying. And explained the phenomenon.
Y: Okk then tell me what is a gyroscope.
M: (Arre Bap) Sir I don't remember everything about it. THe only thing that I
remember it has got something to do with two different rotational motion about two
different axes occuring simultaneously.
Y: Okk
O: So Soumya can you tell me about an aircraft that India is trying to build than can
avoid RADAR detection.
Y:Sir are talking about trying to build indigenously??
O: Yes..
M: Sir I am not aware of any such development.
O: Does such aircrafts exist??
M: Yes Sir...(Gave a few examples)
O: It is being build in collaboration with Russia. (Smiles)
M: Sorry Sir .(Smile)
Y: Do You know Kalpana Chawla used to dream about flying in space. And one day
she did that. Do you have any such dream.
M: Sir: I don't have any dream of flying in space.
Y: You are an aerosapce Engg.
M: (Told some crammed answer once again) that Aero engg is not only about flying
it involves lot of COmputational Mathematics. And it is this part that I Love.
O: SO you must be dreaming something. Can younarrate one such dream .
M : ( May be they wanted me to narrate some dream regardng being a Manager, I
didn't want to get into this sort of a conversation).. Sir actually dreams are aplenty.
And I can't single them out.

O: So are you into a SW company? What does your company do?

M: Sir it is more of a mechanical simulation service provider company. And for that
it provides a software . This software is made based on the concepts of
COmputational Fluid Dynamics.
Y: Okk CFD
M: Yes Sir.
O: So What Do you exactly do?
M : Told
Y: See CFD is a pretty boring subject for a layman. It involves huge equations. I
mean how do you cope with it. Do you find it interesting??

M: (Trying to Trap HUH ) .... Sir I agree that CFD involving only the equations
is boring..then told BLAH BLAH...how much I like Computatinal Mathematics)
Y : (Tells something I could not understand why)......Soumyajyoti ..If you join the
PGP course in IIM K..you will find lots of courses on Computational Mathematics,
which I am sure you are going to Like.

Y: Now Soumyajyoti you seem to be very strong on your core things. But how much
do you rate yourself on current affairs. Are you keeping track of things.
M: (Didn't want to rate...Kept the answer confined to the last sentence )..Yes Sir
Y: Who is the IIT KGP alumni in limelight??
M: Told...added some crap.
Y: Anyother Alumni you know about.
M: Told about VInod GUpta.
O: But I though Vinod GUpta was from IIT Powai..
M: Told

Then Y and O started talking between themselves on Vinod gupta and Sanjay ** of
IIT Bombay.

Y: Have you heards about Khosla?

M: ( I did not heard about this Khosla) No Sir.
O : Okk No Probleam.

O: Tell me ....What is the effect of Fluid Dynamics research on BIo-Medical Engg.

M: (Got confused about genetic engg & Bio- Medical Engg ...O Corrects me)..Told
something that seemed to convince them.
O: So how is Kharagpur? Any noted landmark??
M: (Arre Kuch to matured sawal pucho)
Y: Is it still the longest platform.
M: I don't know if it has recently changed. But the Bold letter words still hang on the
platform.
O: Is Kharagpur a polluted Town??
M: No Sir absolutely not.
O: But I think I read about it somewhere...
M: SIr I am not sure...
O: Can you name some polluted places in INdia.
M: Came up with SURAT and HOWRAH ( MY hometown)
O: Yes Yes Howrah has to be polluted with so much traffic and so many industries.
O: Is the Ganga Polluted in Calcutta??
M: Told... Added some crap on the chemicals discharged from the factories along
that belt..And how it is killing the micro-organisms ...etc etc..
O: Have you heard about Suspended Particulate Matter??
M: Told
Y: How can you stop them.
M: Adding some filter at the exhaust.
Y: What Kind of filter ? Water??
M: (Had absolutely no idea on filters) May be water . It depends on the chemical
composition of the SPM. If it is soluble in water even water can be the filter. (Don't
know if that was a good answer)

Accordig to the custom they look into each others eyes.

Y: Okk Soumya You can go now. Before that can you show us your certificates.
M: (Tried to hand over all of them. )
Y: No Only the experience Certificate.
M: Okk Sir ...

Y puts his hand forward for hand shake....I don't know whether that was for a bye
bye..

O: Thank You Soumya. Now please close the door after you go out.
M: Yes SIr

SO this is the whole saga. Pretty confusing though. The whole process seemed too
peaceful. I am really confused.
----Scene Two of Six ----

Venue: Monarch Hotel (Panel 3)

Time: 9:00 am
Date: 17th feb

Background:
10 86.5% (AP State)
12 87.1% (AP State)
BE Mechanical 86.5 % (MS Ramaiah , Bangalore)

Work EX - 43 month exp in IT support for I-Banks

Cat: 99.84

GD Article - About Govt should not involve in the business rather facilitate it
...PSU disinvestment....etc etc

Peaceful GD...Came in around 6-7 times arnd 3 times new points and rest adding up
stuff. Every one chipped in ... Overall - More than satisfied

PI (Around 15 mins)

I was the fifth one to be interviewed.

There were 2 profs P1 and P2. and ME (M)

P1 escorts me in... P2 is already looking at my form.

P1 - Can I have your certificates

Me - Gives them .

P2- Please tell us something about yourselves?

Me - Told him for one min.

P1-You work at XXX and your designation is Sr Member Tech ? Is it a managemnet

position?
Me - Told him it is equivalent to Sr Software engg. and told him some things about
my work and company.

P2-Asks me some more details abt my company

Me-Told him
P1-(Browsing my marks card) .... So you had a subject called ..
Me - (Which one is he going to pick)

P1 - Industrial management in your engg course. What did you study in it?
Me - (Did I have it??? Collectng thoughts) - Told him we read about Sales , Break
even point(lucky me) , some principles of balance sheet , management principles
MBO and MBE
(Was just Hoping that he does not get deeper into MBO and MBE)

P1 - What is break even point?

Me -- (Great sigh of relief) ... Told him... happily

P1 - Formula or how is it calculated?

Me - Explained him and wrote a equation

P1 - I have 3 projects on hand. How will you choose which one do you want go
ahead with
Me - Listed what all factors I would be considering ... etc

P1 looks at P2 -

P1 continues to have a look at my certificates

P2 - So Naveen you have written func specs , involved in development, testing etc
etc....
All the phases?
Me - Yes sir ... explained him that we are a small team and hence have the
opportunity to get involved at all phases

P2 - What happens during a project from start to end?

Me - Explained from Business proposal ... to Business requirements .... Tech
specing... Development ...

P2 interrupts me and

P2 - What is a business rule and business requirement?

Me - Told about both of them

P2 - What is teh difference between two

Me - Explained him in detail

P2 - What is business requiremnt translated to tech module

Me - explained him
P2 - Can you explain with example
Me - Took an example of how I go about supporting a new IPO
(A good discussion on this one many qs and ans)

P2 - You are into development ? What do you do there?

Me - Explained him told him that we write some SPs and C files

P2 - What all factors do you take care of while writing SPs

Me - Told him performance ... LOC etc etc

P2 - What is Physical data and logical data

Me- Told him that physical or static data is the supplied data and logical data is
calculated or dependant on the physical data

Some discussion on this one

P2 - What is difference between physical and logical model?

Me - Telling some thing .. was really not sure ... (Suddenly heard a sound .....)
P2 - Thank you. Please call the next candidate
P1 -hands over the file
Me - Thank you sir
Here's my IIMK experience
Background
Xth (CBSE) - 85
XIIth (CBSE) - 85.4
B.Tech (EEE, NIT Trichy) - 7.23
20 months in the IT field

CAT percentiles
Overall - 99.26
DI - 97.82
VA - 97.14
QA - 97.44

Venue: Monarch Hotel, Bangalore

Time/Date: 2:00 pm/17th Feb

I went home after my L interview. Changed into a fresh shirt and tie . Reached the
venue half an hour before the start. Waited in a cramped room which had no
ventilation.

GD – An experience which I would love to forget

Topic: A three line para on industries and how corporate responsibility should be
one of their primary goals. (There was something more which I can’t remember
now)
The GD (11 ppl in it) was a fish market. People kept harping on a few basic points. I
barely got to enter. All in all a disaster

Interview
I was the last to enter (since I had postponed my interview to the afternoon)

A (Mr. Unnithan)
R (Mr. Ramesh)
B (Baby)

I am just listing out the various questions and statements (made by the profs) which
I remember. were asked.

-Why have you pasted an old photo? You look much younger, a schoolboy in person

- Tell me about yourself?

- Where in Kerala?
- What’s Nellayi famous for?
- Who’s kaalan Nellayi?
- You don’t know who’s kaalan?
- Do you know Arabic? (this is after I told them that I studied in the Gulf)
- What happened in the GD? (I told him it was utter chaos and that my points would
be lost so I was saving up my energy for the PI )
- But that’s bad rite?
- Which is better AC/DC?
- Do AC get rectified to DC in home appliances?
- What’s used in a refrigerator?
- What’s used in a television?
- What phase is used in this room?
- What voltage is used at power stations?
- Is it high voltage-low intensity or vice versa?
- Give an example of synchronous motor?
- What’s Joule?
- What’s Watt?
- How will you measure it?
- Have you heard about thermal, nuclear, hydel power stations?
- Is the power supplied high?
- Does the power comprise of high voltage or high current?
- Your tie knot is the best I have seen the whole day . What's the name of the
knot??
- Nice watch
- What do you do to keep getting so many scratches (this is after I told them that the
watch ain’t anything great. Lots of scratches )
- Do you keep track of the events happening in the business world?
- A lot of takeovers took place recently. Name a few?
- What’s SLR? (Hobby: Photography)
- What camera do you have?
- Why are you using your roommate’s camera? (I told them I am saving for a
camera)
- What do you do with all the money you get?
- What do you read? (Hobby-After I told them I spent most of my money on books)
- Isn’t that a sex book? (After I told them what I was currently reading The Piano
Teacher by Elfriede Jelinek)
- Don’t read such erotic stuff. Get married. That’s better (BTW the book is not
porno. It’s by a Nobel Prize winning author )
- Why IIMK?
- Oh so you want to do only social service in IIMK (After I told him about the Social
Service Club)
- Oh so that would help you with your photography (After I told him about the
beautiful campus)
- So do you know anyone in IIMK?
- Oh who all do you know? (I told them I know a few through pagalguy. And trust
me I am sure these two sirs do go through PG once in a while)
- Oh you know only the screen names (After I told them that I don’t know anyone
personally)
- So you will blog about this interview after you go back?
- How would you describe this panel? (Burst into raptures when I said jolly )
- What’s your percentile?
- How many calls? So if you get all 5 which one will you take?
- All the best and brush up on your acads (That statement was a very sincere one,
too sincere that I felt it was more of a rejection )

They never bothered asking me for my certificates. The file was on my lap during
the entire 25 mins or so. The ppl outside were wondering why I was took so long
All in all it was ultimate masti. Lots of smiles and laughter. And also lots of 'I don't
knows' especially to the acad related questions

I was completely at ease and smiling. Hopefully the final result will turn out to be
good

Mridul
Hey ppl..

Me done with my first GD/PI... iim K.

Gd: was an atrical based GD...

Was sumthngb bout ....advent of politics into school n collages...

Ws a decent gd...!! No fish market...

Me ws the 2nd to speak..!! spoke bout 4 the iit guys who started a
policatl grp.. lok paritran..!

Thn bout the movie yuva.....

To clean the system.. get into the system fundea..!! ws gud..

Ws asked to leave the sheet b4 goin.. I din write a word on tht

sheet... jus underline kiya.. verewalani chuste...full barikesaru sheet
meedha..

Interview..

I was the first to be interviewed...

2 panel members.... P1,P2..

Me: hello sir...

P1: hello.. so u Chaitanya....tell me bout urself...

Me: im Chaitanya... 4m hyd.. cone my schooling bvbp in hyf.. graduated

in btech mech 4m iit roorkee in 2005... since then was wd Infosys.. as
a softw engine..
I fulfill the role of a software engineer thr..! I work 4 a client
called the boeing company.... We automate a part of the sales operation
of the company..!!

My career aspirations is to gv a buss perspective to my technical

knowledge so as to contribute to my organization 4m a position of greater
significance..!!

My hobbies include.. badminton.. cricket.. I represented noth my

school n collegae in badminton.. n won awards....

P1: tell me sumthngb out ur family background...

Me: dad.. name.. ver he wrks n stuff.. mom.. was a bank employee
voluntree retirement.. bro don his final yr eng...

P1: (p2 all the while ws with my certificated): so u wrk wd infosys..

howz ur company doin..

Me: my company is doing gud sir... its estimated growth 4 the last
quarter ws 43% and the achived growth 46% so its doin gud..

P1: ok.. wat ver the revenues last Q..

Me: 2.23bill $ sir..

P1: n the shre value..

Me: around 2200...

P1: did u luk into the balance sheet of ur company..

Me :yes sir..

P1: only the balance sheet or the annula report..?

Me: the entire annula report sir..

P1: gud.. so wat all did u c thr..

Me: the fact file, profit sheet, balance sheet, financial statement..
predictions for the nex Q...advices 4m the financial advisore.. word 4m
the CEo..
P1:gud.. ( luks at P2)

P2: hes done a certification in financial management..

Me: (amazed)... sir at Infosys>??>

P2: nbo in ur collage

P1: u must hv done a course in ur collage

Me: yes sir

P1: so wat did u learn..wats a balance..

Me: sir it was a long time..!! don't really rem..

P1: gv us a vague idea..the terms involved..

Me: liabilities.. assets..

P2: Infosys has a brand rt.. is tht an asset..??

Me: yes sir.. an intangible asset..(God knows wat does tht mean)

P2: ok so u are a config controller.. wa do u do..in ur project

Me; sir apart 4m coding design...Im responsible to draft the CM plan

along wd my PM.. structure sumthng called VSS(visual source safe) to
maintain the proj related configurable items...

P2: wat do u design..

Me: we get the riquirment 4m the client.. we maintain it in VSS n a xl

called RTM... sum of the team emenber start wd the flow dioagram.. 560
sequence dia which we called, 560 being the boeing terminology...

P2: so wat is this design called...

Me: sequence diagram...

P2: nethng else..

Me: a high level design..

P2: ne other word..??

Me: as far a s I know its called the high level design sir...

P2: ok ys it called the highlevel design..?

Me: it gives a very broad overview.. include the main functionality of

the project..

P2: wast a low level ten..

Me: it concentrates on individual functionalites.. we prepare utps for

that...so that we cn gv it to the teter who ever it is.. n he cn test
it.. without knowing bout the requirments.,.

P2: how do u ensure that the requirments of the clients are met..

Me: we maintain sumtng called RTM requirement traceability Matrix...

where in we maintaina the requirments... then the design docs..
correspodin to tht requirement.. n then the utps.. utp reports.. n then the
code..

P1: so wast the size of the matrix...

Me: as ours is an iteration wise project.. we get CRs every

iteration.. the customer requests..

N dep[ending on tht we have 5 * no of CRs...

P1: so how gud are u at mathes..

M3: decent sir..

P1: did u learn stats..

Me: no sir.. no stats as such..

P1: homanyh sems did u study maths

Me: 3 sir
P1; so u shud hv stats..wat bout prob..

Me: yes sir..

P1: os if I picked up a family.. n I know they hv 2 children.. n I kow

tht 1 is aboy.. wts the prob of the other..

Me: ( ponders)... ½ sir..

P1: sure..

Me: eehhhh yes sir ½ ( in a low tone)

P1: ok.. so wat if I say tht the first un is defntly a boy..wats the
prob of the 2nd..

Me: ½ sir..

P1: sure..

Me yes sir..

P2: whoz the cheif of HAL

Me: ( I expected this log b4.. mein wrking of an aviation client.. n

HAL being in bang..,)

AK baweja sri...

P2: ok krishna... luks at P1..

P!; u cn go..!!

Me : thanx sir..

I hd a gud feel after the interview..

But juz pessimistic bout if mine being the first interview.. unka warm
up toh nahi tha..!! n stuff.f.!! tech kuch poocha hi nahi..!!
Here goes my GD/PI experience.

Date: February 17, 2007

Time: 02:00 PM
Venue: The Monarch Hotel, Bangalore

Process started at around 02:10....I was the 6th guy in my batch, so got to sit at the
center, facing the panelists.
No table, just chairs and no pad to write as well..
Our batch had 11 people, instead of the usual 10. (same batch as Baby aka Mridul )
GD Topic: Corporate Social Responsibilty. It was printed on a piece of paper....
10 minutes, 11 people - perfect recipe for a fish market - got to chip in a few times (4
times) and made a mistake of drawing upon a personal experience with my
company once (was it a mistake??)...kept quiet whenever it was a fish market....
Overall, couldn't rate anyone's performance.....no good points came out...kept
revolving around some obvious points......some people were simply throwing in
more questions (like a debate!!!)....I donno what the panelists inferred or rated.....

then came PI
Panelists:
Anandakuttan B Unnithan IIMK - Faculty - Anandakuttan B Unnithan
K. K. Ramesh IIMK - Faculty - K.K. Ramesh
I will call them A and R, me as S
I was standing outside the room, when R came out (heading towards the rest room I
suppose) and asked me to get in (after verifying my name)
A and S inside....10 seconds silence
A: What is the meaning of Saravanan?
S: explained....(another name of Lord Murugan, explained the origin of this name)
A: How many mothers for Him?
S: no actual mother, as He was born off Lord Shiva's third eye....6 Karthiga gals
brought him up....
A: Only 6??
S: I think you are asking about Lord Shiva's wife Parvathi....She is considered as part
of Shiva, so ..... (interrupted)
A: ok....but who else??
S (thinking........thinking.......)
A: What about Ganga?

S: oh..sorry ..I missed Her...

A: what are ur hobbies?
S: told...explained....
A: why switch to management from software?
S: started explaining, spoke for 20-30 seconds, interrupted....
A: let me know something about yourself...
S: started with my graduation....B.Tech in EEE.....(interrupted)
A: how does an induction motor work?
S: (caught!!!!)It works on the principle of induction...(interrupted)
A: What is principle of induction?
S: u mean Faraday's law of electromagnetic induction?
A: yes
S: explained...
A: what about his left hand and right hand rule?
S: Left hand and right hand rule were put forth by Fleming.....
A: ok...explain....
S: (I started placing my fingers at right angles and started explaining....)
A: burst out into laughter, then told ok...ok....
A: what are the other types of motors?
S: told...
A: On what motor does an electric train run?

S: (remembered as DC in some corner of my mind, but told AC )

A: AC??? not DC???
S: sorry Sir, I forgot....don't remember....
A: why can't electricity be transmitted through air as signals like cell phone signals?
S: explained with some concept like electrons, conductors...(A not satisfied, even I
was not satisfied )
Then thought for sometime (looked down, seriously thinking)..told: sorry..I am not
sure....but that is a good angle of thought....it never occured to me so far...
(A smiles...)
R enters and A leaves...(S: what is this?? why only one at a time??))
R: tell me about yourself...
S: started with graduation..told about my rank ...(interrupted)
R: so, what are u doing in a computer field having got such a good rank in EEE?
S: (was prepared for it)...answered
R: asked about Tamilnadu entrance, my rank in it, was rank 500 not good enough....
S: answered...
R: (sort of satisfied)expand ur company name
S: did
R: what is ur co's annual revenue?
S: told...also told the Fortune rank (141)
(A comes back)
R: so, you got two promotions so far??
S: yes.....one was a role change and the other was a responsibility change
(R and A in their mind, what crap????)
R: tell me about a situation where ur team member was not co-operative...
S: told...spoke for 1.5 minutes.....
R: what are ur hobbies?
S: told..explained (around 1 minute)
R and A: Thank You...
R: All the Best.
S: Thank You, Thank You
When I stood up, they looked at my certificate folder and A was excited. Hey, we
never looked into it...give it here
Gave it..the he asked where I have placed my experience certificate. Almost grabbed
the folder from him, searched for some 15 seconds (tension..tension...) and showed
him.
Told thank you....
When I was about to leave, A asked my percentile and I asked whether they need
any xerox copies....A told that they need it only in some cases of confusion....
S: Thank You....

Lasted for around 15-20 minutes....so how was it?? any comments??
Guys sorry for posting my experience so late had my interview on 17th in Bangalore
this month.

My backround is computer science currently working in a software company for 18

months

GD Topic:

Something related to privatisation

It went like Navratna's are not doing well also other PSUs are doing bad so
evrything must be privatised.
GD was kind of peacefull but sometimes people were becoming a bit more aggresive
and shouting.

PI :
went inside and was getting screwed from the moment i entered.
I wrote playing Cricket as my hobby. so interview went that way questions were:
which position do u bat at?
who is the best batsman at that position?
what all things must be there in a batsman?
how about pitch conditions?
tell me about swing nd reverse swing bowling
which is ur fav programming language?
gaya kaam se.....................
i said Java
and my demise started from this moment....
asked questions about the kind of language it is?
(compiled or interpreted)
and got some more questions on that.
comparision of it with c++
questions abt GD
someone in gd mentioned that 20% population in IT is contributing 60% towards
GD
which are the other sectors?
then talks came at the diff between luxury and comfort?
and lastly between materialism and spiritualism?
some more quest on this....

Overall got screwed big time......

Sorry guys cant remember the entire things there were a lot of cross questions but i
forgot many..

My interviewers were:
Mr. K. K. Ramesh
Mr. Anandakuttan B Unnithan
branch : EC
CGPA : 9.6

X+2 = 86.8
xth = 86.5

Cat :
Quant :95.69
Verbal :95.82
DI :99.87

Total : 99.6
Calls : ABCLKI with SP jain

Interview date : 26 Feb at imi delhi at 9 am

Get started:
As soon as I reached there at quarter to nine,my name and panel were announced(So
be there on time)
and pretty suddenly Gd was started.
Topic: "ninth schedule and supreme court ruling"
discussion was not so fruitful lacking in content and fish market like situation
sometime too ,i entered 4/5 times so enough participation though not satisfied with
content i have delivered

Interview:
I was the first one to be interview by the panel.Just imagine my surprise because out
of my name starting with "v" i have never received the opputunity of being called
first to do sth and t has to occured at this time!!!
panel consists of two person,one male teacher(M) other one female(F) and me (V)

Interview start :
M: introduce urself
V: Takes some time but cut in between
M:Whats your fav subject
V:Sir you can ask me Qs on ANYTHG(i WAS REAdy for all)
M:but if i ask you and you wont be able to answer then it wont look nice
V igital ,Microprocessor,communication
M:Ok tell me working of any digital equipmnet which u can explin
V:Sir Mram,voip,rams...
M:I said equipment
V:sir i can explin application but not the equipment working ??(I tred to recall but
just couldnt find anythg.after that it just came out like flood:sir like oven,washing
m/c, and other s
M:explian washing m/c
V:start with microcontroller and explined motor,speed control,electromagnetic
induction etc

F:tell me the application of management example you find in your reading(novels)?

V:told
F:do you believe that mnc are exploiting us?
V:said no but creates oppurtunities,development,working cheaply is our strength
.....
F Look at my file)you have studed humanm values and ethics,what have u
studied?
V:told general dea ,sad that was a NC and we dont academically give serious
thoughts to Nc but know and have a general dea abt topicx as such and tried to
explin

some more discussion type qs ansd no career goal and why mba
so advice for IIMK : prepare two/three subjects with examples from real world
,dont worry abt academics and give more preference and attention to GD than PI as
think everybody's pi are going in a very positive mood and cool environment.

But yes i do feel that i may some advaqntage being first as it looks like warming up
for interview panel as they hardly questioned me for 17/18 minutes and no stress
whatsoever

"IMP:get your proof of work experaince ready thats a strict requirement"

i am looking for feedbacks and queries
hope t would be of some use and help to those preparing
Detailed Account of GD/PI: -

Panel 2: Lady Prof - LP, Male Prof - MP, Me

Total 10 person
8 Engineers (All Male) 2 Non-Engineers (1 Male 1 Female)
2 were my batchmates. That made it 3 of us from the same insti.
6 ppl with some amount of Work-Ex. 2 freshers.

GD - 2 minutes to think and 10 minutes for discussion.

1. GD about Globalization (3-4 lines regarding Globalization is not only integrating

economies it has led to cultural and social exchange. However the flow of ideas and
information is strictly regulated.)

Some1 started with World is Flat Example. Then ppl started giving the examples of
their companies. Revolved around the exchange of money for 3-4 minutes. Then
went towards social exchange. I diverted group's attention towards exchange of
ideas and information and the strict regulations in place in those fields. Ended
abruptly with some1 remarking it has benefited all the countries. I intercepting with
Not All..

Less than a minutes' airtime. Below Average Performance.

2. PI - I was the 3rd one to be interviewed. The interview went for 13-14 minutes.
The 2 interviews before me were also of similar duration.

Me: Good Afternoon Sir (and took the seat).

MP Asked for the file and I give it to him.

LP was going through my data form.

MP (very soft voice): So u did ur grad from

Me: IIT Roorkee Sir

MP: Fresher
Me: No Sir, I a working in ... sir.

MP - Starts staring at me.

Me: (I could not stand. Start blurting) I worked in ... projects ... accounts in ....

MP - Tell me about Sun Microsystems (my Client)

Me: It incurred losses last year. Revenues $10 billion.

MP: Why?
Me: Competition very tough in Server Markets. Java is an open source thingie and
does not contribute to the revenues.

MP: Who are its competitors?

Me: Microsoft, and some other Linux server based companies.

MP: Which are those companies?

Me: I do not remember the names.

MP: What is 6 Sigma?

Me: Measurement driven methodology to improve quality in the processes.

MP: What is Sigma?

Me: Standard Deviation.

MP: Take a paper and write down its formula.

Me: Wrote

MP: Should we take N as the Denominator or N-1?

Me: Does not matter for large values of n.

MP: Do not answer tangentially.

Me: I have seen both values being used but N-1 is preferred.

MP: Why?
Me: Maybe because it is a larger value. And a larger value means better measure.

MP: What are the degrees of freedom?

Me: I remember something but can't recollect exactly.

MP (Starts staring at me. I did not give any response.)

MP (looks at LP and indicates that she can take on.)

LP: Subodh, Is this what they teach you at your college? Or your company?
Me: Sorry.

LP: You wish only a single person. I mean did u only care about the males or is it
what they have taught you.
MP starts laughing..
Me: (a sheepish smile) Ma'm it was unintentional. It happened that way.

LP: Okay Subodh, What are the problems that are encompassing our country?
Me: Inflation,...(thinks for a few moment) Communalism,... (thinks for a few
moment again) Fiscal Deficit

MP: What is fiscal deficit?

Me: Explains difference between Expenditure and Revenues. Receipts etc.

MP: What is budget deficit?

Me: The difference betweeb Expenditure and Revenues in the budget. (Smiles).

MP: (Smiles too) So what is it exactly?

Me: I am not sure but may be it has sth to do with current deficit. The difference
between current deficit and fiscal one is that ..

MP (Intercepts me with a wide smile): There you go again... What is the difference
between Budget Deficit and Fiscal deficit?
Me: I think the Budget Deficit is the proposed deficit for the next fiscal and Fiscal
Deficit is the actual deficit in the last fiscal.. (Smiles)

LP (taking over again): Why should we take you?

Me: I have strong Quant and Analytical Skils.

MP: Prove it. (Give me a paper and asks me to prove my Quant skills are superior).
Me: I did not had any structured Quant course in the College but I will just try to
demonstrate my know how of Stats with which I am well acquainted.
(Starts drawing some graphs)

MP (Intercepts again): Only Quant.

Me: I told you I did not have any structured Quant courses.

MP: Do not make tall claims when u cannot back them with substantial claims.
Me: Actually I meant Analytical Skills.

MP (Wide Smile): So u r retracting from ur statement.

Me (Silly Smile): Actually I meant CAT level Quant. Anyways I will learn about
those courses once I join IIMK.

MP laughs..

LP: U have written u share ur birthday with ... How is that helpful?
Me: It is always good to know about yourself and when you share something with
famous personalities.

LP: It is not going to help us in anyway..

Me: Shrugs..

LP and MP exchange my file and form.

LP: Okay what did u study in Indian Novels in English?

Me: Guide by RK Narayan, Voices in the City by Anita Desai and Roots and
Shadows by Shashi Deshpande.

LP: What management lessons can u derive from Guide?

Me: Starts thinking (Clock stopeed at 5 seconds).

LP: You have got a C (grade) in Management and still you want to do an MBA.
MP Laughs
Me: Well that was mainly due to personal reasons. My performance not only in that
subject but in all the subjects during that semester was poor.

LP: Okay, what all did you study in Management?

Me: Balance Sheets, Quality Standards like ISO, Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, and
some Basic Management Concepts.

LP and MP (Stare at me): (After a Pause) Anything else.

Me: Not anything else that I remember.

LP: Subodh. Does the country need more managers or more engineers.
Me: I think both.. Spoke for abt a minute saying the need is of more skilled
professionals.

LP: U think or are u sure.

Me: I am sure.

LP: Okay Subodh, Thanks

I stood up and get ready to leave..

MP: Take ur file. U seem to be in a hurry.

Me: Oh...

That is it. My suggestions:

1. Preparation is not going to help. Try to take a general overview of things however.
2. Do not be overly flashy. Try to be as much formal in your responses and else.
Profs are serious fellows and won't take it lightly.
3. Remember small things like Wishing both the panel members and other similar
stuff.
4. Do not give tell tale body language signals..
ll of us would like to believe that there is some method behind it. But no one knows
how far that is true. Of course there are parameters that are used for evaluation. But
even those fixed parameters are bound to vary depending on the panel. I am
not saying that there is a predetermined bias. But what I mean is the panel to has a
range of experiences and backgrounds which would have conditioned them in
different ways. On matters which are completely white or black, it would be easy to
judge. But as we all know, this is rarely the case. I am not saying that the panel is not
competent, so please do not take my words out of context. But I really feel the
second round is more about a good day than the first.
And more so this year. I know people with less %ile and %age in school, college, less
worex., getting a call from B and K. Whereas they didnt think I was good enough.
And I am not even handicapped, so forget about the media taking my side if I
choose to make use of RTI.

PS: sorry for cluttering this thread with my unwanted mutterings.

-Mufasa Resurrected
Had mu gd/pi 2'day in new delhi

Class X - 93.3
Class XII - 81.2
Degree/Else- BSc. 74.4
Experience - 33 mnths

CAT 2006 -
Total - 98.32
DI - 96.03
VA - 96.86
QA - 94.5

GDPI Date - 01-03-07

Time - 0900
Panel - 1

GD:
indian education has moved away from our values and effect of british ed. still
exist....something like that. It was a 4-5 line summary of the situation
had 2 min to thnk and 13 to spk

good grp and quality matter put up only that we couldn't summarize in the end
....no hulla gulla!!

PI:
i was the 3rd to be interviewed 25 mins.
p1-Tell abt urself (he had my info form while p2 was going thru certificates)
g- said all that came 2 my mind for abt 2 min then stopped
p2-what does yor company do?
g-told
p2-who are its competetors in india?
g-told
p2-why do you think your company is not being challenged by indian companies?
g- gave a few fundas but they didn't seem to buy it
p1-why do u want to do an mba now? ur salary is good and probably it will be
lesser after an mba? why still mba?
g- apna well rehearsed gaana gaaya
p2-what is fourier series?

g- (aye yeh kahaan se aaya) i don't remember sir

p1-there will be a lot of maths will u be able to cope up?
g- (arrey aap le lo fir math ko bhi dekh lengey sir!!!) yes sir
p2-why do you think there are so many accidentts where the ship sinks?
g- told something
p2&p1- ok u may leave

And guys try not to be late even by 1 min....2 ppl in my grp had to wait till afternoon
just b'coz they were there at 0901 hrs.
Place: New Delhi
Time: 2 PM
Class X: 90.8%
Class XII: 80.0%

B.Tech. (IT) from IP Univ. - 72%

19 months in IT

CAT 2006
DI: 98.25
VA: 98.74
QA: 96.96
OA: 99.47

I had my IIMK gd/interview today.

GD started dot on time... so make it a point to reach well before.
One person from the morning batch reached a minute late, and was made to wait till
the afternoon batch.

10 people in the GD... all engineers

2 mins for thinking, 13 mins for discussion.
Topic - CSR being the best way; social empowerment of marginal population; not
just charitable act.

The GD degenerated into a fish market, with everyone speaking at the same time, no
one ready to listen.
I think we were stopped before time.
My performance - decent, whenever I got a chance.

I was the 3rd person to be interviewed.

2 profs, Sadoo Prof (SP) and Buddha Prof (BP)

SP: said something incomprehensible

Me: (Whatttt???)
SP: Introduce yourself
Me: Blah blah blah. While I was speaking, SP was reading my form, while BP was
looking at my file, closely examing my marksheets (bachao!). They didn't look at me
even once while I was speaking, though my gaze alternated between the two...
trying to draw attention. But they were intent on showing disinterest.
When I was finished, there was silence, me waiting for the barrage. But they
continued scrutinizing my form/file.
Finally, I asked, Do you want me to add something in particular?
BP: Anything you want to say
Me: No sir, thats all. I'm finished
BP: Did you join any coaching institute?
Me: Yes sir, a test series for CAT preparation
BP: Any coaching for GD? (He asked this question to everyone, considering our
"brilliant performance in the GD)
Me: Yes Sir
BP: Which one?
Me: IMS
BP: What did they teach you?
Me: blah blah blah
BP: What happened here?
Me: Sir I accept it wasn't an ideal scenario, but there were quite a few points floating
in the discussion that were relevant to the topic
BP: What is the task in a GD?
Me: Analyse, discuss the issue and if possible, reach a conclusion
BP: How can you reach a conclusion in 15 mins?
Me: (You... what did i just say, IF POSSIBLE) Sir, yes it is improbable that we reach a
conclusion given the time constraint, but the main task is to analyse and discuss.
BP: Do you think this happened here? (I knew he would stress me out on this, but I
am smiling while he is asking me)
Me: Repeat the same thing
BP: What did they teach you there? How do you speak?
Me: Speaking, articulation, pick up from others, contribute, in the end everyone
should contribute and everything should add up
BP: No group dynamics?
Me: Yes sir, listening skills also involved... etc
BP: (Ab aaya na line pe) So that means listening as well as saying?
Me: Yes sir.
By now, he has tried to stress me out on the group's performance. I took care to
defend the group, though not being over-defensive nor be aplogetic about the whole
thing
BP: Asks something about work
Me: blah blah blah
BP: So is your training over?
Me: (??? WTF ???) I am working in... blah blah... I thought he is talking
about internship
BP: Looking at your monthly salary.. Is it ok wrt the industry average?
Me: Yes sir, it is benchmarked against the industry. Given my job and experience, I
feel satisfied with what I get.

SP takes over... He is sadoo from the start... No emotions, just a serious look on the
face, never seems satisfied.
SP: So you work in HCL... What do you do?
Me: blah blah blah
SP: PeopleSoft is an ERP... right?
Me: Yes sir
SP: Which is the biggest vendor?
Me: SAP... speak about SAP being the first company... head start, enjoys largest
market share. But Oracle, with a large number of acquisitions recently, is fast
catching up.
SP: SCM?
Me: SAP is the best for SCM... provides rich functionality
SP: Have you heard of i2?
Me: No sir, I don't know about it?

Back to BP

BP: What are your hobbies?

Me: Keeping abreast with current affairs etc...
BP: Compare the Railway and Union Budgets
Me: Sir are there any specific parameters you want me to compare it on?
BP: Say anything (I will be hardly listening anyway... or I'll pretend not to atleast)
Me: I start off with an extempore on Rail budget...
After I had blabbered a bit,
SP: You are telling us the features. Laloo Prasad Yadav took 2 hours to deliver the
speech. You'll take 4 hours. Compare the two budgets.
Me: Sir, it would not be possible to compare the two budgets. Rail budget deals
with just one organization, Union budget deals with entire country... macro view...
lots of other variables... social structure, healthcare etc. Investments in these sectors
increased in Union budget. (Heyyy BP, did I see you nod? I can't believe my eyes.
BP actually gave an impression that he listened and even slightly approved of what I
said... or was he plain bluffing?)
SP: Tell me which is good/bad?
Me: (maaf karo bhaiya, yeh good or bad kya hota hai) Repeat the same thing... could
have added more here.
SP: (abruptly) Ok thats all, you can go.
Me: Thank you sirs
Me: Sir, should I send the next candidate in? (don't know what made me ask that
question)
SP: No, ask him to wait (poining) here. We'll call him.
Me: (Righto!!! Enjoy dudes.)

All questions thrown at me were open-ended. I was NOT cross-questioned at all.

They gave me a disinterested look all the time. After the interview, it felt as if they
expected a lot more. But now, that I think of it, it was more like stressing me out, by
just giving me airtime, not interrupting at all. (Saale bol le jo bolna hai... i dont care a
**** about what you are speaking of anyway)
But haan... mazaa aaya, was smiling midway, thinking it might be contagious... But
alas!

Whatever...
Delhi
9 AM 5th March
GD: 9th Schedule and the supreme court ruling(surprisingly repeated)

ok gd.
Cool panel
P1: Youngie, smiley guy
P2:Oldie
Me: Moi,the lovable fool

Enter, good morning sires,, stuff take a seat

Y: So u r a doctor. Dr.*****
Me: Smiles

Y: SO Y MANAGEMENT??
Me: BAKA BAK
Y: how many doctors per thousand pop in india??
Me: 1 per 1600
Y: and china
Me: answered
Y: and dev countries??
Me: Answered
Y:So who contribiutes to the society more doctors or managers??
Me: some blah blah
Y: Doesnt the country need more doctors??
Me: Bla Blah..
Y: u appear to be beating round the bush..
Me: Smiles..
Y: If u set up a corporate hospital,ur clientele shall be an essentially affluent one, so
u r after the money??
Me: about csr and abt all corp hospitals who get concessional land need to treat 20
per. patiients free
Y: Lets hope u stick to that and not join some HLL or Coca Cola... laughs
Me: actually laughs
Y:to O,the reason he wants to do an mba is cos he eants to earn more
money..laughs..
Moi: actually laughs with him.. the situation was funny.
O: have u heard of Dr. Venkatesh??
Me: sir,no.
Y: So do u know maths?
Me: yes sir the basics
Y: so whats GCD??
Moi: sir i donn know( i heard GCT)
Y: WHAT?? U DON KNOW GCD???
MOI: OK sir i know gcd.
A simple prob about gcd and lcm followed.
Y: So if u are given two jars one of 3 litre and one of 5 litre and a tap how will u give
me 5 litres??
Moi: Bungled up the problem as it wasnt very clearly phrased( I could never
ubderstand that he meant a jar witha capacity of 3 l,, i understood it to be a jar of
unknown capacity and having three litres in it)
Y: so u say u have strong analytic skills.
Me: sir i couldnt solve this particular one. SMILE
O: Ok will u be able to handle quant, there is a lot of quant in MBA?
Me: yessssssssss. i got 99 in math in Xth(1996) and was awarded the cbse
scholarship.
O: but that was way back.
Me: sir that proves that i have the basic ability and i only need to brush up and build
on that. plus i have 4 more months and i will build on that before i join it somewhere
Y: tell me something abt indian business scenario
Me: Indian Economy growing at 9.2 per last quarter
Y: what does that mean
Me: GDP the definition
Y: so is that growth rate grosss of inflation or net of inflation
Moi, the idiot: GROSS
Y: oh,, so whats the inflatio at present.
Me: 6.03 per of 2 wks back
Y: So whats the actual growth rate?/ smiles
Me: sir ... that was net not gross..
O: how do u determine the price of a commodity?
Me: sir by the demand supply situation
O: asks me abt demand supply graph asked to plot it
Me: does it with help from the prof( but reasonable considering my non math
background)
y: bye the way who is the health minister of india
Me; Mr. Ambumani Ramadoss
Y: which party??
Me: Sir.......... Dmk
Y: DMK??
Me: I am not sure
Proffs:Thank u best of luck
Me: thank u sirs.
Me at the door: Shall i send the next one in sir?
Y: no, let him wait...
Thats it.
2 down one to go
6th March, 2 PM, IMI New Delhi

There were around 25-30 people, divided into 3 groups, I was in panel 1. There were
a couple of people from my CL Gurgaon center and we'd been in GDs before so I
should add that I felt a little comfortable because of that.

There were 10 people in my group, a chit of paper was given to each with a small
paragraph

'Indian bureaucracy and procedures are hampering growth of Indian industry. L.N. Mittal
and Ratan Tata had to go out of the country to establish industries of a true global scale.
Why doesn't the Indian environment provide the kind of support the industry needs? This
question needs deep introspection.'
Something like this. Not sure of the exact lines we were given.

I started off by saying how we could discuss this topic on various parameters such
as - political, societal, economic, financial etc. Saying this though didn't really prove
useful I guess because people started discussing discussing random topics anyways.
I came in a few times with some good data such as Budget '07, SEZs, comparison of
India and China etc. On the whole I was very satisfied with the GD. Felt my
apprehension going, confidence returning and was now looking forward to the
interview

I was the fourth person to be interviewed and was expecting a barrage of technical
questions since I have only an 8 month experience and a few questions on Budget '07
too because I had brought in a few points from it in the GD.

There were two panelists - an old male prof(M) and a youngish lady prof (F).

M - Tell us something about yourself

Me - blah blah
F - so u work in the consumer goods vertical, what is CPI?
me - half right answer
F - WPI?
me - told her I was not sure but was still going to give a definition as I understood it
then.
F - What are Consumer Goods?
me - told her something, but missed out on a few items in that class of goods
F - whats your Rh factor?
me - huh?
F- you have organised a blood donation camp and you don't know that?
I remembered I had done that in college. Told her I didn't find out Rh factor, instead
organized the camp
F - How do you organize a blood donation camp?
me - blah

F - you have done a course on human values and ethics. what did you learn?
me - (it was a non credit subject, didn't remember shit!) said a few things, couldnt
answer beyond that.

F - a few more questions on usefulness of ethics in business, how the film Guru
could be relevant by showing the required business ethics or rather the lack of them.
me - blah

G - questions on my company - profit margin, locations, employee strength, market

share, why my salary is low (its not and I still don't know why he said that), my
work in my vertical, competitor companies.
me - answered all of them

G - another expected question on academic marks(marks could have been better...

).
me - I had prepared for that and I had some good non academic achievements to
talk about, my campus job was one of the better ones, but somehow just didn't
handle this one as well as I could have. Only thing I said was that I realize my
mistake by not having focussed more on marks instead of extra-curriculars and will
rectify this in future and that I am conceptually strong, nothing else. I still don't
know why.

That was the interview. NOTHING TECHNICAL!!! And I was waiting for
something technical!!

My interviews too go well usually but just don't know what happened then! Besides
the marks question, I am not satisfied with a few other areas too but most regrettable
was the marks question which I should/could have handled a LOT better, but not
worried about it now. I guess whatever has to happen will happen...

Overall - a good to really good GD and average PI.

Anyone's comments (specially on - if the PI was as bad as I think it was) are

welcome!...
Here goes my K interview... know that I am really late... had blogged the same... but
a pg friend of mine just informed me that I should post them here too... so here it
goes...

By around 9:10, one member from each panel came and told us our Panel No.'s... I
was in Panel No. 2... After around 5 mins we were all rushed into our respective
rooms... and voila the GD had started before you could catch your breath... we were
given an article for the GD... the article was something like this "Politics is not above
education. But sadly students are getting involved in Politics and Campus Politics is
leading to violence on the whole."... We got 2 mins to think... and 10 mins to
discuss... personally felt that it was too short a time for such a sensitive and
opinionated issue... the GD turned out to be a real fishmarket... the only solace was
that I was the first speaker... two people in my GD were especially aggressive... tried
bringing the GD to order a few times... but to no avail...

After this was the wait for the interview... I was 6th in line... talked to a lot of people
and also got running feedbacks on each and every interview as ans when each
person came out... came to know that Satakshi was late for the GD... bad luck... there
were around 4 people missing...

Soon enough it was my turn at the altar... I went in... wished the faculty... they asked
me for the file... there were 2 faculty members in my panel... namely no. 1 and no.2...

No.1 : Tell me something about yourself...

Me : started with my well rehearsed speech... but covered almost everything and
had the certificates to prove all of my points...

No. 1 : What do you think is the technical reason for the telecom boom...
Me : Spoke about the liberalization of the economy... and how no. of wireless users
had increased... and also about how the reach had increased...

No.1 : What are the current STD call rates in India...

Me : Sir ranging from Rs 3.65 to Re 1...

No.1 : Is there a rural urban divide...

Me : Yes Sir...

No.1 : What are the reasons for the same...

Me : Sir lack of education, lack of infrastructure, lack of stress by the government
etc... worded it in detail...

Baton passed from No.1 to No.2...

No. 2 : Ok you are from EnTC...
Me : Yes Sir

No.2 : Could you explain whats a PN junction diode to me in simple terms...

Me : Explained it starting from the basics...

No. 2 : What is doping... What are bonds... what is atomic no....

Me : Answered all of them satisfactorily... albeit took my time...

No.2 : What is e...

Me : Explained...

No.2 : What is e raise to i theta...

Me : Explained but he was pressing me further on it...

Now No.2 passed the baton back to No.1...

No.1 : You talked in your GD about Kerala... what do you know about it...
Me : Told him that it was a bad influence... and quoted the example of my brother....

No.1 : Do you know about Parallel Colleges...

Me : Yes Sir...

No.1 : What are they.... are they good or bad...

Me : Explained and was somewhat convincing... No.1 seemed satisfied...

No.1 : Since you are from an Army background... what do you think about the
atrocities by the Army in J&K...
Me : Talked about them not being acceptable... also told them that its the
responsibility of the leader... and also about the harsh conditions in the valley...

They asked me about my admit card showed them the same from my bag...

They said thanks and asked me to leave as I was leaving showed them my
magazine... wished them good day and left...

In all a nice interview but the GD could have been better...