I had written about my IIMK PGP Personal Interview experience on Quora. Reproducing the same over here.
It could be especially helpful for those who are non-engineers appearing for IIM interview. I was a law student when I appeared for the same. I am a PGP 2017-19 graduate from IIMA.
CAT 2016 percentile: 98.07 (VARC/DILR/QA - 94.3/98.2/96.5)
Background: X - 91.67%(CBSE), XII - 86%(ISC). Final year undergraduate student at Dr Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University, Lucknow.
Venue: New Kenilworth Hotel, Kolkata
Date: 27/02/2017. (Afternoon slot)
Round I: The first round was a WAT-GD round. A topic was assigned to us and we were allotted 15 minutes each for the WAT and the GD, which was on the same topic. I don't remember the topic exactly but it was something on the lines of environment protection and the need to save human species/Earth.
Round II: This was the personal interview round. I was the second last person to go for the PI, so it took a lot of time. However, when it came to my turn, the PI was comparatively shorter. The panel had a senior lady P1 on the right and another male professor(?) P2 on the left. [R - Rajat].
*sentences inside “[]” are my thoughts/not part of conversation.
** Trying to recollect from the best of my memory.
P2 comes out and calls me in. I get in, wish them and take my seat. Both of them go through my form for half a minute or so.
P1: So Rajat, you are from law background. Why do you want to do an MBA? How is this combination relevant and from how did you gather the inspiration to pursue this.
R: Made my points as to why MBA. Told her about the actual application of the law plus management combination. I gave her examples of foreign universities running a JD+MBA course and how they are overly subscribed.
P1: That sounds okay to us, but can you actually tell us about people who have done this and have been doing well.
R: Told her about 2–3 people who have done well in management after law as undergrad. I apologised for not knowing more. Instead, I mentioned about some lawyers, who also have a management degree, and have gone right to the very top of the profession. I also mention about a few 5 year law grads who are in/have graduated from top B schools and are doing reasonably well in their initial career.
[some more discussions follow and then they snap the topic]
P1: Moving ahead Rajat, tell us about the few current legal issues.
R: I began with mentioning about Justice Karnan issue which had just began to escalate. (I had discussed briefly about the same with a college senior the previous night, who was working as a lawyer in the Calcutta HC).
P2: Tell us something else, which has been in the newspaper of late.
R: I mention about the ongoing telecom disputes in TRAI/TDSAT, where there were claims and counter-claims involving Jio.
P1: Tell us about the dispute in some detail.
R: I explain to the panel about the entire manner, in whatever depth I knew. Analysed it point by point and gave my conclusion, which actually tilted in favour of Jio giving out their offers.
P1: So you are actually saying that Jio has done the right thing by using the telecom war tactic? What they have done is very bad for every other companies.
R: I tell her as to how I would not label it as a war, but a market disrupting strategy. I get interrupted at that second…
P1: So you are saying it is not a war? Almost every other analysis or article calls it a war?
R: Yes ma’am, they indeed do. However, I would like to beg to differ from their approach and go with my initial argument that Jio has served the industry well. Yes, it is a death signal to smaller struggling telecom companies and most of them wont survive in their current forms, unless they go through mergers and all. However, now since Jio has announced free services till 31st March, almost every other company, including BSNL, Airtel, Vodafone etc have come up with comparative tariff schemes. If they could afford it now, they could have done it before as well. I feel, they had kind of cartelised the market. Jio broke that with its disruptive schemes. I have been using an Airtel number loyally for the last 7 years. However, their internet pack was an extortion technique before Jio came to scene. I would have to put a Rs 200 pack to use a month worth 1 GB 2G data. After Jio announced their schemes, suddenly Airtel is also offering us identical plans. Besides, we are analysing the market only from the Service Provider perspective. I think we need to do it from the consumer perspective as well. When I see villagers in remote location, with no previous connection to even 2G net, using 4G to watch movies on a licensed Jio app, I have no qualms in saying that Jio has served the industry well.
[P1 and P2 give each other a look for some seconds and then they look me]
Ma’am, sir, I would like to clarify that I dont work with Jio and have no direct or remote association with them.
[The three of us then break into a small laugh]
P1: Very well Rajat, tell us something more about the legal dispute in telecom sector?
R: Ma’am, that’s all I know about this dispute.
P1: Not this, something else which is also making news.
[I think for some 5–7 seconds]
R: Sorry ma’am, I cannot recollect anything at this moment.
P1: Do you know about VOIP?
[I suddenly feel extremely stupid for missing out on VOIP]
R: Yes ma’am, indeed. I am sorry for totally skipping it. I tell the panel everything I could recollect.
P1: Okay Rajat, so if this is considered to be a smaller issue, what is the umbrella issue?
R: I guess it could be associated with Net Neutrality.
P1: Very well, give us a few other examples of net neutrality in different context.
R: I give her two more examples. The panel seems convinced.
P2: Coming back to the start, tell us a few sectors in management where being a lawyer would be to your advantage.
R: Sir, things like regulatory compliance, financial market guidelines, industrial and labour laws, these are all things which I have covered and I would be at a better position to make a decision with this background information.
P2: Okay Rajat, what all calls do you have?
R: Sir, with the privilege to academic diversity, besides IIMK, I only have IIMA and IIMS amongst the older IIMs.
P2: So, how was your IIMA interview?
R: Sir, I believe it was a decent interview experience.
P1: Okay Rajat, we are done from our side. It has been a long day. Take toffees and all the best.
R: Indeed ma’am, it has been more long for you people since this is the second shift you’ve been evaluating. Thank you ma’am. Thank you sir.
Verdict: Convert.
All calls: IIMA, IIMK, IIMS, IIFT, MDI, SPJIMR, TISS-HR
Coverts: All except IIFT.
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