IIM-B: Bang Three

So, the bang finally happened and it happened in a manner so as to prove the old adage notion yet again. The notion that whatever you read or study for the interviews, every single bit of that would eventually turn into utter waste. Out of the blue questions are always there to be shot at you.

This time the interview was on 14^th March at IHC, New Delhi. It was scheduled at 1400 hours, and the reporting time was 1300 hours.  Reaching the venue was followed by a long search for the actual spot where Interviews were being conducted. The IHC was so vast in size (1 million acre) and with no directional arrows or whatsoever provided within the premises, it took quite some time to land the actual destination. Moreover, some big weird seminar was also being held inside. The worst part was the fact that all the candidates were made to sit for verification in an area where lunch of a particular section of people was going on. People were eating delicious food and all the candidates were sitting and just smelling it. It seemed a big embarrassing joke going on. Nonetheless, verification happened followed by the division of candidates into 3 panels. I came in Panel-2 and was allotted No. 4!

Soon we were called inside a room for the essay writing. My panel included 8 people – all present. Out of these 8, a guy was from IIT-K, two guys from NITs, 2 girls from SRCC and 3 more people I don’t know. I happened to be one of the only two freshers in that batch. Everyone else had some wok ex in their kitties.

Essay topic: "The celebration of days in some way or the other like Mothers’ day, Fathers’ day, etc. is nothing but a means to unleash consumerism."

We were allotted 10 minutes to think and organize our thoughts on a rough sheet of paper. And, further 20 minutes for writing the essay. The topic seemed easy to almost everyone, and almost everyone came out happily.

Very soon they started calling people inside on the basis of numbers allotted for the Interviews. My number this time luckily came after just waiting for an hour or so.

I was called in at 03:30 pm by one of the panelist (I’d call him M, as he was sitting in the middle). There were other two panelists sitting inside – smiling L (who was continuously staring and smiling at his laptop) on the left and silent R (also staring at his laptop) on the right.

So this is a brief account of whatever happened. Read on!

As soon as I entered the room I greeted all of them.

L:  Okay Abhishek! Have a seat.

Me: Thank you, Sir.

L:  [Sill staring at his lapiop] What would you like to name your daughter?

Me: [Whaaaat ?] I’d like to name her Abhilasha as I love this name. Moreover this also happens to be the name of my sister, so yes. This name I’d prefer.

L:  But, here you have written Aradhaya in your form?

Me: [Whaaaat is this joke all about?]  Where in my form? I don’t think I mentioned any such thing anywhere.

M suddenly chips in by telling L that Aradhaya is Abhishek Bacchan’s daughter. He also tells L that what he is reading is not the form, but a news headline. L is convinced. [I was still trying to figure out the weirdness going on]

M:  You were the Head Boy of your School? How and why?

Me:  [Rattled off highlighting my academics, good and disciplined behavior and teachers liking me]

M:  That means you were the nicest guy in school?

Me:  I won’t consider myself to be the nicest guy at school, but according to the teachers and their criteria of selection, I think I was considered so.

M:  Okay, do you follow cricket?  

Me: [Should I say yes, and expect hoard of questions] No sir, I don’t follow it. However, I am little aware of it.

P2:  Fine. You must be knowing about Dravid and Ganguly. Dravid was always a nice guy and all but he never was a great captain. Ganguly was just the opposite. You seem to be just like Dravid – a nice person but I think you can never be a great leader.

Me: Contradicted him by citing certain examples. Told him various initiatives I took at school, especially related to Wildlife.

While I was answering, M and L were smiling for only-God-knows what reason.

M:  You like Wildlife a lot. Is it?

Me:  Yes Sir. I do.

M:  Tell me the number of tigers remaining in India?

Me:  [Number?] I cannot tell the exact number, but their population is tremendously declining.

L:  No! I want the exact number?

Me:  I cannot make any guess, Sir.

L:  How can you calculate their existing number?

Me:  Umm .. Based on the National Parks in the country, and their presence.

L and M again start smiling for only-God-knows what reason.

L:  Where is their number the largest?

Me: [For God’s sake: STOP talking tigers!] No idea where, but their presence is large in Bangalore and even in Uttarakhand.

L:  Which national park is in Uttarakhand?

Me: Told about Jim Corbett National Park

L:  Who was Jim Corbett?

Me:  Told in detail

L started laughing contemptuously for only-God-knows what reason

L:  Jim Corbett was a ‘Man-Eater’? Who told you?

Me: [Whaat?] No Sir, I didn’t say Jim Corbett was a Man-Eater. He was the slayer of tigers which were known as the Man-eaters.

L & M [in unison]: No. You just said.

Me:  I am sorry. That might have been a mistake.

M: Why do you think should we take you? How are you different from every other candidate we are interviewing?

Me:  Rattled off something related good academics, good extracurrics, et. al.

M: Whomsoever gets a call from Bangalore and is sitting outside is good in all this? Why only you?

Me:  I have displayed consistency … [interrupts]

M:  Every second person we have been interviewing is consistent.

Me:  Speechless for a second, but rephrased my statement again. He seemed satiated.

M: We cannot ask anything about your Work-ex because you don’t have any. Why MBA now?

Me: Told mentioning “….effectively and efficiently…” in my sentence to which I was interrupted

L: Define ‘effectiveness’ and ‘efficiency’.

Me:  Arbit bakar

L:  Differentiate between efficiency and productivity. According to your definition both of these should be same. Are they?

Me: Arbit Gyaan

L:  Tell me something for which efficiency can be calculated and not productivity?

Me: [Stuttering] Efficiency and productivity .. umm ..

L: [Repeats his question] I wont repeat it the third time.

Me: Cited certain examples. He seemed conviced.

So finally R, who was continuously staring at his laptop and intermittingly at me, spoke.

R:  Some question on the present energy scenario of world and globe.

Me: Rattled off. Was cross questioned in between. Answered them effectively, to which L said, “This is all newspaper stuff.” To this I wondered, from where else can one know of the latest happening. Imagine? Dream?

While I was answering to one of the question on Nuclear crisis, I was interrupted by M abruptly.

M: Thank you, Abhishek! You may leave now.

Me: [At least let me complete my sentence] Fine, Sir. Thank you!

Subsequently, I came out bewildered at such an abrupt ending, abrupt beginning, shortness (15 minutes), crispness, shocking nature of the Interview. No current affairs. No academics. No project. No internship. Nothing was asked. I wonder what would they even judge me on! Weirdest Interview of them all.

Anyway, three down. I next, which I might skip. If that is so, this happens to be my last bow as far as my Interview experiences were concerned!  

P.S: I penned down this post siting in the waiting room of New Delhi Railway Station waiting for the train scheduled at 2355 hours while on my way back to R.  

IIM-K: Kill Two

After a two day gap and feeling kozy kozy, I was ready for the Kozhikode Kill.

My interview was on 18^th Feb at Hotel Vikram, New Delhi. It was scheduled at 1330 hours, and this time breaking all previous records I reached the venue well … I reached the venue three hours in advance.

 

To my disgust, there was no proper seating arrangement provided for the students and the ones accompanying them. Most of the people were either standing or were glued firmly to their seats so that others don’t snatch them. Unlike Shillong, there were no refreshments, no tea, no water. It was all so agonizing!

Killing three hours this time sounded an uphill task. Chit-chatting seemed impossible because the only students present were of the morning batch and were busy with their interviews. Consequently I thought a wise option would be to read newspapers. I read 4 newspapers, each thrice. Subsequently, a little talk with an Aunty sitting close by followed which did put to death those idle hours.

As soon as the clock struck 1300 hours I went inside a big hall where document verification was being done. The WAT (Written Ability Test) started at 1345 hours. We were handed a 5 page sheet to write an essay.

WAT topic: "There are not seven wonders in the eyes of a child. There are seven million."

We were allotted 45 minutes to write. An easy topic to write on, as I’ve always loved these kind of abstract topics. Wrote decent enough in roughly three pages. After exact 45 minutes we were divided into 4 panels and were told our numbers. I came in panel 2 and my number was bloody 09!

The panel 2 was interviewing the candidates on second floor. I went there at 1630 hours. At that time, number 06 was being interviewed. Everything was audible from the outside of the room. The whole conversation could be overheard from the outside. I came to the conclusion that the panel was asking general questions. Sitting beside me outside was an IIT Delhi girl who told me that she was placed in BCG to which I wondered who prefers K over BCG? Even she corroborated the fact by hinting just for the sake of it! She was soon called inside.  Her interview went on for like 20-25 minutes. The next to go was a person aged 29 with 5 year work-ex. After another 20 minutes, I was called inside.

I was called in at 05:05 pm by one of the panelist, Dr.Kousik Guhathakurta  (I’d call him P1). The other panelist seating inside was Dr. Anandakutan B. Unnithan  (I’d call him P2). 

So this is a brief account of whatever happened. Read on!

As soon as I entered the room I greeted both of them.

P2:  Please be seated and give me your verified documents.

Me: Thank you, Sir. [Hands over all the documents]

P2:  [While checking my grades and scorecards] So, are you doing good in IIT Roorkee?

Me: Yes sir. [smiles]

P2:  Tell me what you are pursuing?

Me:  Sir, I am a final year student of Chemical engineering.

P2:  Where do you come from?

Me:  Told

P2:  Tell me about Dehradun.

Me:  Told

P2:  Any news about it. [Suddenly remembering] Oh, yes. Elections! How was it?

Me:  Told

P2:  Who do you think would win?

Me:  Sir, there is a stiff competition between BJP and Congress. Any party can thrash the other. God knows who would do it this time.

P2:  Whom do you support? What’s your analysis?

Me:  Gyaan

P2:  What are the problems faced by the people of Uttarakhand?

Me: Arbit bakar

P2:  Like?

Me:  Gyaan with examples here and there

P2:  How does Uttarakhand government generate revenue?

Me:  Told 

P2:  Is Uttarakhand an earthquake prone area?
Me: Yes, it is. However, I don't know which zone it lies in.

Now P1 chips in.

P1:  Are you placed?

Me:  Yes, sir!

P1:  Where?

Me:  Sir, Reliance Industries Limited.

P2:  Wow! Good. That is a wonderful company for Chemical engineers.

Me:  [With a smug gleam of felicitation] Yes Sir! It is. [I don’t know why, and there was no need for it. But I exaggerated it.] Actually, I did an internship there, and was offered a Pre Placement Offer.

Now, the real disaster snowballed. Read on ..

P1: [Unmoved by the second half of my answer] Tell me what is dead heat?

Me:  [Shocked] I don’t think Sir I’ve ever heard of this term.

P1: Okay, so tell me about Second law of thermodynamics?

Me:  [Stunned again. Knew it, but wasn’t able to remember] It is actually something related to entropy. [Also, out of nowhere linked it with H=U +pV  Started explaining him this expression which was not required at all!]
 
P1:  Leave this. What would happen to entropy?

Me:  I don’t know, Sir. [But, told him the definition of entropy]

P1:  What do we mean when we say entropy is increasing?

Me:  It means disorder is increasing.

P1: What if it keeps on increasing and increasing and increasing? Would it be good or bad?

Me:  Logically speaking, if chaos and disorder is increasing around us, it is bad- really bad for the society and mankind.

P1: Ah! Come on, I am not asking about ‘Social Entropy’. I am asking about thermodynamic entropy.

Me:  Umm .. No clue, Sir.

P1: [Rephrasing his question. Now slowly.] What would happen if the entropy of the world and universe keeps on increasing?

Me:  I don’t think I can relate entropy to real life, Sir. [Became totally dumb, and felt like one]

P1:  What do you like about Chemical Engineering? I mean, what is your favorite subject?

Me:  In Chemical engineering, I love heat transfer as a subject. [Knew more horrific questions would be shot now]

P1: [Laughs]Yes, heat transfer. [Looks at P1] I knew it. I was coming to it.

P1:  Can heat be transferred via induction?

Me: [Crap! Holy Crap! Bowled again.] Heat is transferred from a hot object to cold object, Sir. However, I don’t know what induction means. I know about EMI (Electromagnetic Induction), but I’ve never heard of this term in heat transfer. Should I tell about EMI? [Didn’t even know this one properly]

P1:  Hmm?

Me:  Managed to put forth something on EMI. Wasn’t satisfactory at all!

I’d like to thank P2 who comes in with the rescue this time.

P2:  What do you like to do apart from studies?

Me:  Sir, I’ve been actively involved with … [interrupted]

P2:  No, I mean your hobby?

Me:  I like writing blog.

P1: [With a grin] Do you write on pagalguy.com?

Me: [Bewildered] No Sir. I maintain a personal blog of mine.

P2:  What do you write about?

Me:  I share my personal experiences.

P2:  Is your blog popular?

Me: No Sir. Not a popular one.

P2:  How many hits do you get on it?

Me:  Not much, Sir. I don’t like sharing my blog url and posts with people. I write it so that after 10-15 years, when I read it I can recall all these wonderful experiences. I don’t like to keep track of number of counts. However, the last blog post I wrote  about my IIM-S Interview experience saw many hits – roughly 200-300 hits in a single day.

P2: But, you told you don’t like sharing your posts.

Me:  This post I had shared on a forum on pagalguy.com so that my experiences could be helpful to the forthcoming batches.

P2:  What would you write about today’s experience?

Me:  I’d like to write whatever happened or is happening with me today.

P2:  What would you write about me? How would you address me as?

Me:  Sir, firstly I’ll try to search out your names from IIM-K website. The problem with IIM-S interview was that I couldn’t find out their names from the website, as the faculty profile pages didn’t have their photographs .So, I addressed them as … [interrupts]

P2:  How many Interviewers were there?

Me:  Three in my panel.

P2:  Was one of them very old? Like me? [smiles]

Me:  Yes. One of them was old. Not like you, Sir. You are young. He must’ve been 60+.

P2:  What about others?

Me:  Told about them and their ages

P2: Okay, so we hope you write about today also.

Me:  Sure Sir!

P2: Okay, so that’s it from our side. Do you have anything to ask?

Me: Not anything in particular Sir, but one thing. How is Kozhikode as a place like?

P2:  It is a wonderful place. It is on a hill top. When you’ll join it, you won’t miss your state Uttarakhand. The scenic beauty and everything is like Uttarakhand.

Me: Climate might be pleasant, I guess. Like, Uttarakhand sees a lot of fluctuations in the climate. We have very cold winters and very warm summers.

P2:  Yes. That you won’t have here. The climate remains pleasant throughout. Temperature remains almost constant throughout.

Me:  Okay, Sir. [smiles]

I stood up from my chair. Preparing to go out.

P2: [Scans me from top to bottom] Oh, but why don’t you have a boutonnière? Everything else is so gentleman-ish with you. Raymond [?] suit. Formal attire. Everything looks good, but that 5 rupee pen should be replaced with a boutonnière. This 5 rupee pen looks horrible.

Me:  Yes Sir. I would. However, earlier I had a costlier pen here. [Grins] But, that broke yesterday, so I kept it.

P2:  Yes. Something good should be put here. Not this cheap pen. Fine?

Me:  Okay, Sir. I’ll definitely do that. [smiles]

P1:  Do you have any Interview now?

Me:  Yes Sir. I have my Bangalore Interview on 14^th March now. [smiles]

P1 & P2:  All the best for that.

Me:  Thank you, Sir. [smiles]

Thus, I came out. 

Two down. Big Bang, next!

IIM-S: Strike One

So the fray all started with the first Interview for the Seventh IIM of its kind: Shillong. 

My interview was on 15^th Feb at Hotel Mantras, New Delhi.  My interview was scheduled at 1400 hours, and I reached the venue 2 hours well in advance.

When I reached the venue, I was guided towards the Basement of the Hotel near the Swimming Pool. With 2 hours to kill, I thought a wise option would to be drink as much coffee/tea (provided), eat as much biscuits and engage as much as I could in some random chit-chatting with fellows around. Simultaneously, I cross-checked my Interview form and files once again. Very soon, I came across a friend from IIT Roorkee. When two fellows from the same institute meet, all it leads to is pure bakar. Nothing more. Nothing less.

I also came across a girl from Reliance Industries Limited, the company I got placed in and got some insights into the work culture of the company. I was told soothing things about Reliance from her, like Reliance is a cool place to work at with no work load.  In times of tension, little things like these can provide you much-needed solace.

Hardly had the clock stuck 1345 hours when a young man aged 30-35 came and took our attendance. After a couple of minutes more, they finally called 8 people for Case Study-GD inside a room on the second floor.

As soon as we entered the room, there were 8 chairs each with a number plate and we were told to sit in a specific seat. I was allotted seat number 6. Panel consisted of three members with an old person (aged more than 60) and two not so young (aged 45-50). One of the panelist listed certain guidelines and told that we have a case study in front of us and we have 10 mins to analyze and write about it and then 15 mins to discuss.

Case Study Topic: The case dealt with the Air India facing a financial crunch because of loads of its outstanding bills from the Government of India. Some mammoth hypothetical data was given and as a Minister of Civil Aviation, we were asked an opinion on whether private jet carriers should be compared with Air India in terms of profitability and facilities. Is this comparison really justified or not?

I got ample of time to put forth my viewpoints. After 10 minutes, one of the panelist told time is up and we need to start our discussion. To my surprise, for the first 1^1/2 minute no one spoke. There was pin-drop silence around. I could have initiated the discussion, but why be a bond? Thanks to a guy on my right, who started the GD putting forth his gyaan on the case.  Then a guy on the extreme right carried forth. I was the third one to put forward my point. I think I made decent attempts, and got sufficient time to speak. There wasn’t a fish market in our GD.  Finally we ended the discussion when the panelists asked us to cut the crap out!  We were subsequently told that we would be interviewed according to the numbers allotted. That meant, I would be the 6^th person to be interviewed.

GD was over by 2:30PM and my interview was expected to start after 2 hours. Meanwhile, I was busy wandering like an idiot and selling "All The best" biscuits outside the interview room.  

I was called in at 4:30 pm by one of the panelist (He was wearing specs, so I’d call him S). There were other two interviewers seated inside. An old man (I’d call him D) and another not-so young man (I’d call him Y). 

So this is a brief account of whatever happened. Read on!

S:  Abhishek Bangr-ea-niya. Please come in.

Me: [For God’s sake it is Bangrania] Thank you, Sir. And, a very good afternoon to you Sir.

S:  Please be seated and hand me over your file.

While he started flipping over my certis/marksheets/scorecards, etc, etc. Mr. D chipped in.

D: So you are from which college? And, which year?

Me:  [Isn’t all this already written there? I mean everywhere.] Sir, IIT Roorkee. I’m a final year student of Chemical Engineering.

D:  Tell me about your college.

Me:  Told. Even told it has got a wonderful history, and it is a wonderful place to be in. 

D: [Puzzled at my response] So you think IIT Roorkee is better than all other IITs?

Me: Told each IIT is unique, and some gyaan on how and why.

D: Shouldn’t we convert all colleges in India into IITs?

Me:  Cannot. And, should not. Some bakar on why.

D: Why are we not considering making Benaras Hindu University into an IIT?

Me: Got confused with the name. Was told he meant IT-BHU. Knowing it, told some arbit bakar.

Then Mr. Y chipped in with something random all of a sudden.

Y: What is the climing of your state like?

Me: [Shocked] Climing? I don’t know Sir what that means.

Y: You don’t know the climate of your state?

Me: Climate, Sir. Yes. Okay. Pleasant it is. I love it, Sir. I love the North India, especially Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.

Y: How would you rate Uttarakhand as a State? Development-wise?

Me: Gyaan

Y: Any recent news about your state? How is the Government like?

Me: Told. Arbit bakar.

Y: Where do you live?

Me: Dehradun, Sir.

Y: Does this Dehradun lie in Uttarakhand? Or UP?

Me: [What?] It is the capital of Uttarakhand, Sir. It was a part of UP till 2001.

Y: Has Dehradun seen massive improvement after the formation of a new state?

Me: Gyaan

Y: Where is Uttarakhand lagging on national level and why?

Me: Told.

Y: What are the Sources of income for your State?

Me: Told.

Y: You told Tehri dam. Tell me the current scenario of this dam.

Me: Told.

Y: How would you help Uttarakhand youth in getting employment opportunities?

Me: Gyaan.

Y: I read somewhere that Dehradun is becoming very populated and even polluted these days. Why?

Me: Sir, many people are migrating from other cities in view of better opportunities. As a result, there is a large human influx and consequently these problems. 

I was happy with the fact that no technical questions were being asked when suddenly Mr. S chipped in, who earlier had been continuously staring at me.

S: Okay, Abhishek. You had a subject on Process Dynamics and Control in your 6^th Semester. Could you throw some light on this subject?

Me: Told something. Couldn’t define it properly. Was stuck. He also didn’t seem satisfied with my answer.

S: No, I ain’t getting it. Tell me again and explain it to me by drawing whatever you are saying.

Me: Told some weird definition. Drew a CSTR with a control valve. Told him the kinds of Control Valves and how it functions. Somehow managed to draw the Control Valve diagram correctly after cutting it once and redrawing it.

S: Okay, then there is another subject you studied. This is Process Equipment Design. Tell me how and what all considerations are kept in mind while designing any equipment?

Me: Chem fundaes told.

S: Design any equipment of your choice explaining everything in detail.

Me: Thought for a second. Wasn't remembering anything, unless something stuck  me. I thought of drawing the diagram of Coke drum (the one on which I did my Intern at RIL). Coke drum is my forte. Hehe

S: Tell me the metallurgy details of this Coke Drum.

Me: Sir, Metallurgy details as in?

S: What kind of material is used in it and why?

Me: Told different layers with the innermost being Stainless Steel.

S: If I use Mild Steel, what would happen?

Me: Metallurgy? I am not a Metallurgical engg, Sir! Still, some gyaan

S: You are wrong!

Me: [I thought I was correct] Okay, I am sorry Sir.

S: What is the importance of Organization & Management in a Chemical Engineer’s life?

Me: Gyaan

Hardly had I completed my answer when Mr. D jumped in with a completely offbeat question.

D: Do you like taking or giving bribes?

Me: No, Sir. As a man of principles, I’d never do such a thing.

D: As a manager of a hypothetical company, if you don’t become a part of it, your company would incur a huge loss and your employees would go broke. According to me, you should take it, else you’ll come on roads financially ruined.

Me: Thought for a second, and replied with a stern NO. Accompanied by some gyaan.

D: Tell you what, this way you’ll ruin your company, your employees and yourself. Think!?

Me: Didn’t understand whether he was asking me a question or was telling me the answer. I just smiled and nodded stupidly.

S: Abhishek, you have a PPO from Reliance Industries Limited, which is an awesome company. Why do you want to waste two precious years of your life in Shillong doing MBA? Go and join that company. You’ll learn a lot.

Me: [Waste?]Sir, I want to know the business side …… [interrupted]

S: Abhishek, don’t give me clichéd answers.

Me: Rephrased and told. He seemed satisfied.

D: Tell me what will we teach you at Shillong?

Me: Umm… I think Finance, Accounts, and all that  ...

D: [Chuckles] What do you mean by “all that”? Tell me did you check it or not?

Me: Sorry Sir, I didn’t.

D: Are all IIMs same?

Me: I think, Sir.

D: Why would you like to join us?

Me: Shillong Gyaan

All this while, Mr. Y kept on writing something hiding his notebook. I wonder what?

S: Okay, Abhishek. That’s it. You may leave now. And, yes take a toffee.

D: All the best!

Me: Thank you, Sir!

Y: Which IIM interview do you have next?

Me: K, Sir.

Y: Okay, all the best!

Me: Thanks a lot, Sir.

I wanted to pick one toffee, but caught hold of three and ended up with two.

So, that was it. Good 25-30 minute Interview.

One Down! K, next.