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IIM Admission Interview 2022: Deepanshu Yadav shares his admission and PI experience at IIM Ahmedabad
Edited By Himanshu Shekhar | Updated on Oct 26, 2022 12:41 PM IST | #CAT
IIM Admission Interview 2022-24 - It is a prominent saying that- success comes to those, who are busy looking for it. Deepanshu Yadav is one of those for whom this is fairly applicable. Deepanshu, an MBA aspirant, not only worked hard to become a CAT 2021 topper but also made it to one of the elite management schools of India, IIM Ahmedabad.
He got MBA admission interview calls from top MBA colleges in India such as IIM Calcutta, Lucknow, Kozhikode, Shillong, FMS & NITIE. Deepanshu shares his IIM interview experience, skills required to land up in India's best MBA college, questions asked in IIM admission personal interviews, CAT exam preparation, and more with Careers360 for their IIM admission interview series.
Careers360- Congratulations on getting admission at IIM Ahmedabad! How do you feel?
Deepanshu- Thank you. I’m elated and excited for the upcoming 2 years of learning in an environment that I believe is very unique, in terms of being a crazy mix of challenging and fun.
Careers360- What is the selection procedure at IIM Ahmedabad?
Deepanshu- IIM Ahmedabad shortlists students for AWT (Analytical Writing Test) and Personal Interviews on the basis of a composite score they calculate by combining CAT score, 10th/12th/grad score/work-ex, and points for diversity.
The shortlisted candidates have to fill and send the application form to IIMA, post which we get the schedule for AWT & PI.
In AWTs, we are provided an argument/case to analyze and write an essay based on our analysis detailing answers to the questions they provide.
After AWTs is the Personal Interview.
Careers360- Please elaborate your overall IIM admission interview experience at IIM Ahmedabad?
Deepanshu- It was a smooth process overall, quite different than other B-schools. I was called in for AWT and the online Interview which was to happen from a video conferencing center. So, it wasn’t entirely an online process, however, I did not face any difficulties throughout.
Careers360- Which other B-Schools’ selection procedure did you appear for? How was your MBA admission experience in other institutes vis a vis the institute you have converted to?
Deepanshu- I had calls from IIM Calcutta, IIM Lucknow, IIM Kozhikode, IIM Shillong, CAP, FMS & NITIE. I appeared for all of the interviews apart from CAP, due to clashing dates. Apart from FMS, all of the other colleges went for online Interviews.
I was able to convert all the calls. Comparing other interviews to the one with IIM A, my interview with other colleges was short (10-15 mins) while the IIMA interview went on for close to 45 mins.
Careers360- What was your AWT and IIM PI topic, and how did you prepare? Did you find it easy or difficult to write/ think about it?
Deepanshu- My AWT topic was fairly interesting. It was a cartoon by RK Laxman themed around censorship at homes.
I structured my analysis around the questions asked. I started by detailing what the cartoon portrayed and then mentioned the argument it posed. I continued with the analysis of the argument’s assumptions and concluded with what more data would help to strengthen the argument. I did face a little difficulty as the analysis of a cartoon/ picture wasn’t the one that I had prepared for.
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Careers360- Did you get external help or join a coaching school to prepare for IIM admission interview and AWT? When did you start your preparations for it?
Deepanshu- Yes, I joined Career Launcher’s PDP Personalised program. It started around January right after the results came and was focused on PI mostly. During that time I was working towards improving my awareness of the GK, work domain, personal domain, etc.
I delved into the preparation of AWTs after I got a call from IIM Ahmedabad.
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Careers360- Do you think that AWT and PI require some separate preparation apart from what you mentioned?
Deepanshu- I believe both AWTs and PIs require a bit of practice, so as to refine the thought process and build confidence. Mock Interviews for PI helped me a lot in terms of getting used to the process and AWT practice gave a structure to my essays.
In terms of knowledge, I believe it’s more or less the same.
Careers360- Please share the AWT and PI topics that you were asked during the IIM admission interview rounds?
Deepanshu- My AWT topic was a cartoon drawn by RK Laxman which posed an argument that Censorship begins at home, but the censor himself is excluded.
In PI I was asked questions based on my profile. Some of them were on sustainability, climate change, dramatics, poetry, my work experience, future goals, and mathematical problem on functions & differentiation.
Careers360- Are there ways to handle a situation when one has no answer to a question during an IIM interview?
Deepanshu- Yes, there is, and it’s fairly common to not know the answer to a fact-based question that isn’t related to one’s field, or maybe they read it but couldn’t recall.
In such a case one can say that they don’t know the answer or they can politely ask the interviewer if they would like them to guess the answer to the question.
Careers360- How must one approach an AWT and PI topic? Could you share some Dos and Don’ts for the same?
Deepanshu- For AWTs, it’s essential to understand the process of analyzing an argument. So, one can start by reading arguments and develop an understanding of the facts, assumptions, inferences, and causal relations it has. After that, it’s mostly the practice of strengthening and weakening an argument and assessing ways to improve the argument.
For PIs, the topics are mostly around what you mention in the form so it’s important to be thorough with them and the fields they might be related to. For eg: I mentioned that I was into dramatics and in my IIMA interview I was questioned about the National School of Dramatics, my favorite dramatists, their recent work, etc.
For AWTs, I’d say the practice is essential, and don’t take it casually.
For PI, Do read the daily news, it helps a lot, and Don’t feel that you must know answers to all the questions. It’s really okay to not know an answer, keep your composure and smile.
Careers360- Is there a particular kind of time management strategy that should be added to the candidate’s skillset? Will it help in writing a complete structured AWT and Personal Interview?
Deepanshu- I believe there’s enough time to write a 300 words essay, most people even finished it before time.
So, it’s more about practicing it so that you’re familiar with the process and have a well-defined approach or a well-prepared answer to the questions asked.
Careers360- How did you feel when you faced the interviewers during the PI? Please share a few details like the size of your panel and your overall IIM MBA experience.
Deepanshu- I was told that IIMA interviews are a bit cryptic, in a way that you will not be able to gauge your performance. Mine wasn’t any different.
I was a bit nervous as I entered the conference room. It was a panel of 2 professors and the interview was more of a conversation rather than a set of question answers.
I wasn’t able to answer a few questions based on current affairs and was grilled a bit on my approach to problem-solving. Overall, it was a fairly pleasant experience, I was allowed to put my case and take guesses at questions I didn’t know the answer to.
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Careers360- Which MBA admission interview turned out to be the best one? Enlighten us about the finest one according to you.
Deepanshu- In my opinion, it was at the FMS. It was an offline Interview, with 2 female panelists. FMS has short interviews of around 10 mins, mine lasted around 13 mins. It had an extempore (Topic: Farm laws) and questions on Why MBA, my work ex, hobbies.
I was given multiple scenarios and was asked how an organization would solve the problems; how would I take decisions if posed with a dilemma.
As almost all the questions were woven around my profile, I was able to answer all of them confidently.
Careers360- What about the MBA interview questions which you found difficult to answer? How did you reply to those?
Deepanshu- The questions to which I was absolutely clueless I would tell the panel that I’m sorry I don’t know the answer to the question.
If I felt that I do know something or that I can logically arrive at an answer I asked the faculty if they would allow me to take time and take a guess.
Careers360- So, in those situations, was the panel easy or harsh on you? What should one do when s/he has no answer?
Deepanshu- Most panels would move on to a different question or allow me to take a guess. It happened only once that a panelist told me to not take a guess and said I should’ve known this.
As an interviewee one can maintain composure and let it go with a smile and succumb to the pressure.
Careers360: What were the most fascinating questions you were asked? Please share your answers too.
Deepanshu: In all of the interviews I believe there were one or two unexpected questions.
In IIMA, I was asked about my interests to which I replied dramatics. Based on it I was asked the following questions-
P1: So you’re interested in dramatics, who is the director of NSD.
Me: I’m sorry sir, I don’t know who is the director currently. I do know that Mr. Paresh Rawal is the current chairperson, I’ll definitely look this up after the interview.
P1: Who is your favorite product of NSD
Me: Sir I do like performances by Mr. Naseeruddin Shah
P1: What was the last movie of his you watched?
Me: Sir, I recently got the chance to watch Bazar.
P1: That’s an old film, in which year was it released?
Me: Yes Sir, I don’t exactly remember the year but it was in the 80s.
P1: It’s the same one in which the actress sells a washing powder?
Me: No sir, I guess that’s Chashme Baddoor of Farooq sheik.
P1: Yes! Yes!
Both the panelist smiled a bit and moved on to another topic.
Careers360- How different is an IIM interview from a non-IIM yet top B-School interview? Are there major differences? (If you have appeared for IIMs)
Deepanshu- I did not find much difference in the interviews. In both cases, questions are largely based on the application form and details we provide. A few on the current happenings and background. One such difference if at all could be that in IIM interviews I was asked maths questions, while in non-IIM interviews I wasn’t. Rest I didn’t feel much difference in any way.
Careers360- How did you go about the preparations for IIM admission PI? Did you search or look up some questions or practice mock PIs?
Deepanshu: I enrolled in the PDP program and prepared accordingly. I made sure to write down answers to common profile-based questions and practiced them.
Also, I made sure to read the news daily and be well versed in current affairs. I used to talk to my friends and would ask them about their interview experiences, and possible interview questions and would prepare answers for the same.
I read the excerpts of interviews shared in telegram groups so as to get insight into the kind of questions being asked. One of the most important pillars of my prep was the mock PI. They provided me with a lot of confidence and put me to ease before actual interviews.
Careers360- And finally, what are the aspects or qualities that the interview board looks for in a candidate?
Deepanshu- I cannot say for sure that I know what exactly the panel is looking for but I’m sure of a few aspects that are tested. Ability to logically structure your thoughts and articulate them, your ability to hold your composure in a pressure situation, your knowledge and curiosity about things that are related to you, and your conduct during the interview.
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Hello,
Admission to the National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE), Hyderabad, with a CAT 2024 percentile of 77 may not be easy. MANAGE usually has strict admission standards, and even though the cut-off percentile may differ every year, depending upon the number of applicants and overall performance, general cut-offs for institutes like MANAGE are usually more than 77, especially for the most popular programs.
MANAGE, however, takes into account multiple factors while making the selections, including CAT score, academic record, work experience, and performance in personal interviews. So, having good academic credentials or having relevant work experience may even help you get selected.
You should refer to the authentic MANAGE website or current updates for cut-off trends of your course and attempt to apply to as many institutes as possible to expand your choices.
You can also check CAT college predictor for accurate info: https://bschool.careers360.com/cat-college-predictor
Deepti Singh 29 November,2024
Yes, the CUSAT CAT exam is held online. It is what is called a computer-based test, where candidates respond to questions on the computer screen.
It covers Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics topics. The questions are multiple choice.
For information regarding the most accurate details and up-to-date information available on CUSAT CAT, including format, eligibility criteria, and important dates, visit the official website for Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) or refer to the official notification released by the university.
https://www.careers360.com/exams/cusat-cat
Samprikta Mondal 25 November,2024
Hello aspirant,
As the score is accepted by 21 IIMs, other prestigious B-schools, and 1,300 MBA colleges in India, CAT 2025, a business aptitude test that evaluates candidates on quantitative aptitude, data interpretation, logical reasoning, verbal ability, and reading comprehension, will most likely take place on November 30, 2025, with an official announcement making the announcement by July 30, 2025.
For more information, you can visit our site through the following link:
https://bschool.careers360.com/articles/cat-2025
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Hope it helps you
Sajal Trivedi 22 November,2024
The student cannot join the postgraduate MA program directly in the second year of the MA after completing the MBA.
Universities generally expect students to begin the first year of a masters' program even though they had qualifications at the level of a bachelor's degree. The university's curriculum along with the courses are planned to give an in-depth knowledge of the subjects.
But you could opt for:
Postgraduate Studies:
Research Career: In case research interests you, then you can pursue a Ph.D. in your specific interest.
Specialized Master's Programs: Find any specific master's course that supports the career goal.
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Make a professional certification in CFA, CA, or FRM to enhance the professional skills and better opportunities in the career field.
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In the end, it would depend on what you would like and what you are particularly interested in. It will be better if you take a suggestion from your academic advisor or career counselor.
Samprikta Mondal 13 November,2024
Hello Pratik,
If your family income exceeds 8 LPA, it will affect your eligibility for the NC-OBC category under the CAT reservation rules. The NC-OBC category requires that the family income should be below 8 LPA to qualify. If you anticipate that your income will exceed this threshold, you should update your status and notify the CAT authorities .
Here's what you can do:
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Email the CAT authorities : Inform them about the potential change in your income status and request to be considered under the General category, if applicable. You should do this before the examination or any further processing, as your eligibility for the OBC category depends on the income criteria.
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Documents and Proof : Make sure you have a valid OBC certificate and any relevant documentation regarding your family income, in case they require verification. Also, be aware that if your income exceeds 8 LPA, you might need to apply under the General category, as the OBC-NC reservation is no longer applicable.
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General Category Consideration : If your application is accepted as General, you will be evaluated based on the General category criteria, including cutoffs and ranking.
To summarize, notifying the CAT authorities is the correct approach to avoid discrepancies later, and if your income is above the threshold, you will be treated as a General candidate for the admissions process.
For more details about CAT exam you can check out an article by Careers360 whose link is given below:
Link: https://bschool.careers360.com/exams/cat
I hope this answer helps you. If you have more queries then feel free to share your questions with us we will be happy to assist you.
Thank you and wishing you all the best for your bright future.
kumardurgesh1802 08 November,2024
Popular CAT Questions
Directions for question :
M/s Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, one of the top four audit and accounting firms in the world with headquarters at London, UK, and with an operational presence in 153 countries, hires Management Trainees (MT) from all the premier management institutes of India thrice every year, in the months of January, May and September.
Each new group of Management Trainees (MT) have to go through a four month rigorous training schedule, after which they have to pass through a test consisting of a written assessment and a case-analysis. The top hundred ranked Management Trainees (MT) based on the performance in the test are confirmed as Management Executives (ME). The rest are given the opportunity of undergoing the training for four months one more time along with the next batch of Management Trainees (MT) and then passing through the subsequent test consisting of the written assessment and case-analysis. The Management Trainee (MT) who fails to get confirmed as a Management Executive (ME) the second time is fired.
The scatter-graph below depicts the number of Management Trainees (MT) at Deloitte taking the tests from January 2020 till May 2022, and the vis-à-vis hired Management Trainees (MT) at Deloitte who were fired :
It is also known that for the month of September 2019 at Deloitte, 96 hired Management Trainees (MT) failed to be confirmed as a Management Executive (ME) the first time, and that 36 hired Management Trainees (MT) were fired.
Question :
In which test did the minimum number of Management Trainees (MT) get confirmed as a Management Executive (ME) in the second attempt ?
Option: 1
September 2020
Option: 2
May 2021
Option: 3
January 2021
Option: 4
January 2022
Directions for question:
The bar-graph given below shows the foreign exchange reserves of Nepal (in million Rupees) from 2014 to 2021. Answer the following questions based on the graph :
Question:
What was the percentage increase (rounded to the nearest integer, if deemed necessary) in the foreign exchange reserves in 2020 over 2016 ?
Option: 1 None
Option: 2 None
Option: 3 None
Option: 4 None
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