Toppers' Tips for GD-PI-WAT

7/25/2019 Toppers' Tips for GD-PI-WAT

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/toppers-tips-for-gd-pi-wat 1/30



2

Copyright © 2013 Careers360 http://www.bschool.careers360.com/

INTRODUCTION

By now many of you would have got calls from the IIMs for the GD-PI-WAT round, some

may be expecting it, while others may be hoping for a call from some reputed Non-IIM

institutes as well. At this moment, you may be wondering what to study and how to tackle

the GD-PI-WAT to find your path to your dream B-School!!

Now do you know...

You may be asked to sing a song on a particular classical raga!!!

You may get into an argument over which football club is the best!!!

You may get to write a C++ code if you are a computer engineer!!!

Filled with many such interesting but informative insights, we have compiled a list of

advisory articles and a collection of toppers’ interviews so that you get the complete

information in a nutshell.

http://bschool.careers360.com/pathfinder/cat?utm_source=ebook&utm_medium=webs&utm_campaign=pfndr






3


PI-WAT Experience at IIMs

Prakriti Sharma who secured admission to IIM Kozhikode, shares her experiences on the

second stage of admission process that included WAT (Written Ability Test) and Personal

Interview (PI). She is a Graduate in Economics from Lady Shri Ram College, New Delhi.

The CAT topper elaborates on the WAT-PI factors which influenced her selection at IIM

Kozhikode. Prakriti advises aspirants to be thorough with everything that they write on their

CV for the Personal Interview stage.

Personal Interview (PI) experience:

Careers360: How many members were there in your interview board?Prakriti Sharma: There were two members in my interview board.

Careers360: How was the interview structured? What was the percentage of questions

asked on your academic background, professional experience, and generic issues?

Prakriti Sharma: There were a few basic questions from academics and a brief discussion

about my work experience, however, the interview primarily revolved around my extra-

curricular activities and interests.

Careers360: What was the toughest area for you to answer?

Prakriti Sharma: Most of the technical questions asked to me were pretty basic and other

questions were about me so I found it easy to tackle questions

Careers360: What was the toughest moment during your PI?

Prakriti Sharma: There was one question with regard to use of percentiles in professional

spaces but I admitted that I was unsure about my answer and they skipped it and moved on.

Careers360: What were the key factors which you think influenced your selection at PI

stage?

http://www.bschool.careers360.com/articles/gd-pi-wat-how-cat-topper-prakriti-sharma-cracked-iim-wat-pi



4


Prakriti Sharma: I think it is extremely important to be thorough with everything that is

written on CV. It is alright to not be able to answer some questions with regard to current

affairs and academics but the inability to answer questions about oneself is unpardonable.

Careers360: What is your advice to aspirants for Personal Interview?Prakriti Sharma: I would advise aspirants to keep their cool, think on their feet and just be

themselves

Careers360: How did you prepare for your PI? When and how an aspirant should seriously

start preparing for PI?

Prakriti Sharma: I started preparing for PI after the CAT results came out. I made an effort

to ensure that I was well aware of current affairs and tried to develop opinion about

pertinent issues. I would advice aspirants to start preparing for PI as early as possible

because the ambit of questions that can be asked is huge.

Written Ability Test (WAT) Experience:

Careers360: What was your topic for WAT? How did you write on the topic (please share

key highlights)

Prakriti Sharma: My topic for WAT was ‘all government without the consent of the

governed is the very definition of slavery’. I wrote about the importance of democracy and

talked about the 13th

amendment brought by Lincoln. I talked of the Indian context as well

and tried to touch upon as many different angles as possible.

Careers360: What was the allotted time and how quickly you completed your writing on the

topic during the test?

Prakriti Sharma: The time allotted was 45 minutes and I completed my WAT in around 30

minutes.

Careers360: What was your approach on WAT?

Prakriti Sharma: I first wrote down a rough structure and points and then proceed to

develop on those ideas.

Careers360: How did you prepare for your WAT?

Prakriti Sharma: I practiced a few essay topics shared online by fellow aspirants.



5


Akshay Jayaprakasan who secured admission to IIM Kozhikode, shares his Personal

Interview and WAT experience and preparation strategy for the same. The topper, who

participated in PI and WAT for admission to IIM Indore, also speaks on his Writing AbilityTest (WAT) and key highlights of GD-PI experience at other IIM also. Akshay says that key

areas which influenced his selection included right body language, communication skills, and

good sense of humor during the interview. He says that his interview remained stress-free

even as he faced the interview with positive attitude. Akshay also shares his experience of PI

and WAT at IIM Indore where he was caught on the wrong foot in a particular area.

Personal Interview Experience

Careers360: How many members were there in your interview board at IIM Kozhikode?

Akshay Jayaprakasan: There were three members in my interview board.


asked from your academic background, professional experience, interest/hobby, and

generic issues?

Akshay Jayaprakasan: My interview started with the customary question, “Tell me about

yourself”. Later it moved to my work, extracurricular interests, general and political

awareness and my opinion on some current issues in India.

Careers360: What was the toughest area for you to answer? Please share some questionsasked which you found difficult? How did you tackle those questions?

Akshay Jayaprakasan: I can’t identify a tough area in the interview as such. If you are

thorough with your work ex domain, current affairs, points mentioned in CV and academics,

you will not face much of a problem in the interview.


Akshay Jayaprakasan: My interview was pretty relaxed. There was a point where I wasn’t

able to answer a current affairs question which I felt I should’ve known. Luckily however,

the next question that came, I was able to answer in detail which made up for this lax I

guess.

http://www.bschool.careers360.com/articles/gd-pi-wat-how-akshay-jayaprakasan-secured-admission-iim-kozhikode





7


Akshay Jayaprakasan: My WAT topic was a very abstract one. It said, “The solution to a

problem is a problem itself”. Initially I was devoid of any thoughts. I was waiting for a spark

to pop up. I thought about the various issues about which I had read in the recent times and

corruption popped up in my mind.

I started writing about corruption and the Lokpal Bill by the government as a possible

solution to it. I drew a contrast between the Jan Lokpal and the Governments version of

Lokpal bringing in as many facts as possible. I concluded by saying if the right solution to a

problem is sought then it will lead to solving not just the problem at hand, but also many

interlinked problems.

Careers360: What was the allotted time for WAT and how quickly you completed your

writing on the topic during the test?

Akshay Jayaprakasan: The allotted time for WAT was 45 minutes, I however completed thesame 2 minutes before the bell rang.


Akshay Jayaprakasan: I framed a clear structure in mind of how my flow of thoughts would

be before putting pen on paper. That helped in conveying the idea in the best possible way.


Akshay Jayaprakasan: My preparation for WAT was limited to reading current affairs.

However, in cases that such abstract topics are received, the best way to go about it is to

find some analogy to some topic that you know well about. That was how I approached it.



8


A B. Tech graduate from NIT Trichy, Deeksha was a fresher when she appeared for WAT-PI

round at IIM Kozhikode in 2013. Sharing success tips with MBA aspirants, she says that

candidates must be ready with explanations and justifications for what they mention in theirCV. One has to take many mock interviews for the PI apart from reading the newspapers

thoroughly, advises Deeksha.

Personal Interview (PI) experience:

Careers360: How many members were there in your interview board?

Deeksha S: There were three members in my interview board.

Careers360: How was the interview structured?

Deeksha S: The interview started with questions about me and then further questions wereasked based on my answers. One question was asked based on my academic background

followed by two or three questions based on my response. One question was asked based

on my interests (after seeing my certificates). The board also asked two or three current

affairs questions.


Deeksha S: The interview was pretty simple if you were thorough with your current affairs

and the facts mentioned in your CV.

Careers360: What was the toughest moment during your PI?Deeksha S: I would not say there was any particularly tough moment. It was not a stressful

interview. The interviewers were relaxed and made me also feel comfortable. My interview

lasted for 15 minutes.


stage?

Deeksha S: I feel each person in the interview board looks into different abilities of a

candidate. That being the case, it might be impossible for me to pin point exactly what I said

or how I behaved, had appealed to them. Generally, one should be prepared with current

affairs and business topics thoroughly and able to explain and justify CV details.

http://www.bschool.careers360.com/articles/gd-pi-wat-how-cat-topper-deeksha-s-cracked-wat-pi-round-enter-iim-kozhikode



9


Careers360: Did you appear for any other PI exercise at other top B-schools? Please share a

few experience (where you went wrong).

Deeksha S: I appeared for IIM-I interview also. They focused majorly on my academic

background- Chemical engineering, which I believe I did not satisfactorily answer.



Deeksha S: I took many mock interviews for my PI apart from reading the newspaper

thoroughly. I started preparing for my PI three weeks before my interview

Written Ability Test (WAT) Experience:

Careers360: What was your topic for WAT? How did you write on the topic? Please share

key highlights.Deeksha S: My topic for WAT was “a single rose can be a garden, a single friend my world”. I

approached the topic by first explaining what I understood by the topic and then taking a

side. I was FOR the topic and gave relevant examples regarding the same.

Careers360: What was the allotted time and how quickly you completed your writing on the

topic during the test?

Deeksha S: Allotted time was 45 minutes and I used up the entire time to write and proof

read my answer.


Deeksha S: My approach was to put across any relevant points I had in my mind for the

given topic after structuring my thoughts.


Deeksha S: IIM-K had a mentorship program where the students had shared the list of

topics they were given when they wrote their WAT. I choose a few topics and wrote essays

on them which I later gave to seniors and professionals to get their opinion. I believe the key

is practice which prepares you to structure your thoughts fast and putting them across

clearly.



10


PI-WAT Experience at new IIMs

Jayesh completed B.E. in Electronics and Communication Engineering from GujaratTechnological University. The fresher engineering graduate had 99.12 percentile in CAT

2012.

Sharing success tips with MBA aspirants, he says that your answers on justification of your

goals during interview can make or break your chance into a good B-school. He also

narrates how the interviewers made him feel comfortable during the interview.

Personal Interview (PI) Experience:

Careers360: How many members were there in your interview board?Jayesh Ruchandani: There were three members in my interview panel.

Careers360: How was your interview structured?

Jayesh Ruchandani: The questions asked during the interview focused mainly on my goal

clarity. Some of the questions asked on goal clarity were:

i. Why you want to do an MBA?

ii. Why not take up a job, gain some experience and then do an MBA? (This question

was asked since I am a fresher)

iii.

You have performed so well in engineering. Why not go for M.Tech or M.S.?iv. What specialization (Marketing/ finance/ HR/ Operations) are you planning to do in

MBA?

v. What are your plans after MBA?


Jayesh Ruchandani: As such, I did not face any difficulty in answering any question.


stage?

Jayesh Ruchandani: I think my goal clarity was influential in my selection in the PI stage.

http://www.bschool.careers360.com/articles/gd-pi-wat-how-cat-topper-jayesh-ruchandani-cracked-wat-pi-round-enter-new-iim



11


Careers360: What is your advice to aspirants for Personal Interview?

Jayesh Ruchandani: My advice to aspirants is to clearly think about themselves and their

goals and “be yourself” during the interview. I would suggest aspirants to prepare for

interview by writing down the answers for all the possible common questions such as“Introduce yourself” and “Strengths and Weaknesses” etc.

Careers360: Did you appear for any other PI exercise at other top B-schools? Please share

a few experience (where you went wrong).

Jayesh Ruchandani: During my interview for SJMSOM, IIT Bombay, I was not able to

convincingly Justify why I was directly going for MBA without having work-experience first.

Careers360: How did you prepare for your PI?Jayesh Ruchandani: I thoroughly prepared for questions such as, “Why MBA?”, “Which B-

School I would prefer if I got selected”, “How MBA would help in my career?” I read major

English Dailies and magazines such as Business World, India Today, Outlook and Frontline to

stay in touch with all major current affairs in business, politics and sports. I also went

through my resume and prepared for the possible questions that could be asked based on

my resume.

Careers360: Any interesting moment from your PI which you would like to share with

MBA aspirants?

Jayesh Ruchandani: I was noticeably feeling excited as well as nervous at the same time.

Seeing this, one of the panelists asked me:

Panelist: How are you feeling right now?

Me: I am feeling normal?

Panelist: Just normal or good?

Me: Now, I am feeling good

Panelist: Good or very good?

Me: I am feeling very good!

Upon this, all the members laughed. This lightened the atmosphere.

Writing Ability Test (WAT) experience

Careers360: What was your topic for WAT? How did you write on the topic?

Jayesh Ruchandani: My topic on WAT: “Road traffic has been a growing nuisance in urban

and metro cities. What solutions would you suggest on individual level to tackle the

problem?”

In WAT, I wrote about the problem of heavy traffic in cities, understanding of the problem

and causes, followed by the solutions and impact of each.



12


Careers360: What was the allotted time and how quickly you completed your writing on

the topic during the test?

Jayesh Ruchandani: Total allotted time for WAT was 25 minutes. I was able to complete my

writing on the topic in around 20 minutes. I spent the remaining time in proofreading andcorrections.


Jayesh Ruchandani: I spent around 13 minutes towards thinking and structuring the points

and utilized remaining time in writing the essay.


Jayesh Ruchandani: I regularly read editorials from newspapers (Hindu and TOI) and

magazines. Material provided by my coaching class for preparation of WAT/ PI was also

helpful.



13


Akshat Modi who scored 98.72 percentile and secured admission to IIM Rohtak, shares his

Personal Interview experience and preparation strategy for the same. The topper, whoparticipated in PI and WAT under Combined Admission Process for admission to new IIMs,

also speaks on his Writing Ability Test (WAT) and key highlights of GD-PI experience at other

B-schools. He also shares moments when the interview was filled with stress and he had a

stand-off with the interviewer.



Akshat Modi: Two(both male)



generic issues?

Akshat Modi: The interview was structured in a logical flow and covered almost all the

areas. It started with the usual “Tell me about yourself”.

From my answer, they picked the fact that I was a mining engineer from IIT and from that

point the interview turned into more of a viva. Both the interviewers did not seem friendly

in the manner they talked to me. They started by asking questions from my internships

during my undergraduate. They gave me the feeling of a strict professor taking a viva. With

each question I answered, they raised the level of difficulty of the questions till I failed to

answer a question on academics (both internship and core academics). After that, the

question shifted to “Why MBA?” Listening to my answer which was mainly focused on

entrepreneurship and carrying forward my father’s business and transforming it to make it a

national company, they asked me why I chose mining engineering. After that, the questions

were focused on my father’s business and my involvement in it. Then again they asked me

about my hobbies, from which they picked up football and asked a couple of questions on

http://www.bschool.careers360.com/articles/gd-pi-wat-how-i-converted-my-call-from-iim



14


my favorite football team i.e. FC Barcelona. Finally they asked a couple of questions on

recent issues and then my interview ended.

Careers360: What was the toughest area for you to answer? Please share some questions

asked which you found difficult? How did you tackle those questions?Akshat Modi: The toughest area for me to answer was based on my academics. With my

each answer they raised the difficulty level. From general mining questions to specific case

questions, they asked me everything. I tried to answer the questions as specifically as I

could. They cross-questioned many of my answers. One of them was from the industry and

so the only concern running through my mind was not to let anything wrong slip from my

mouth that could be held against me. I had to keep my cool as they tried to put me under

stress. They asked me case specific questions too and details about the mining machinery

and where it is used. I did not expect them to ask such deep questions and so it was the

toughest area for me to answer. Also, chances of having a mining engineer in the panel is

very less and that in my knowledge not many people encountered such questions for their

MBA interviews.


Akshat Modi: The toughest moment in my PI was when there was a standoff between me

and one of my interviewers. He asked me about the machinery specifications in the mine

where I did my summer training and although I did not remember the exact details of each

machine, I gave him the answer to the major machines used and their specifications. He

then challenged my answer blatantly and told I was wrong. I stuck to my point. But, even he

was adamant and told me that he had been to that place and he has seen the specifications.It was very tough for me because I had to give the right answer without offending him. I

think he was trying to check my confidence level.


stage?

Akshat Modi: I think that the composure I maintained in my interview and the fact that I

was very clear and lucid in my answers influenced my selection at PI stage.

Careers360: What is your advice to aspirants for Personal Interview?Akshat Modi: I would advise the aspirants to be thorough with their academics as well as

current affairs. One should remain calm even in times of stress and stick to one’s stand if

he/she believes in it.

Careers360: Did you appear for any other PI exercise at other top B-schools? Please share a

few experiences (where you went wrong).

Akshat Modi: Yes, I appeared for the interview of SPJIMR and FMS too. SPJIMR has a unique

interview process in the way they have 2 group interviews and both have eliminations. I can

never forget my first group interview. Also, while filling the form of SPJIMR they ask for the

specialization I wanted to opt for. I had chosen Finance in that. My first group interview had



15


5 candidates (including me) with three of us opting for finance and two others for

Operations. The lowest work-experience was fresher (me and one other guy from St. Xaviers

Calcutta) and highest had a work-experience of four and a half years. The panel had 3

members (two interviewers, and one SPJIMR student who took notes of the interview). As

soon as we entered the interview room, the madam asked as to why we looked tensed. I

took the opportunity to say that we are not tensed but a little nervous. With this answer, all

the eyes rested upon me. Then she asked as to why I was nervous. I replied that since that

was my first group interview ever so I did not know what to expect from it. Her reply

flabbergasted me. She said “Ok, let’s do a thing. We are mute spectators, you take the

interview.” I had never expected this to happen but I kept my cool and for the next 10 -15

minutes I took the interview of others. The panel was very impressed with my confidence

and I was chosen along with the other two Operations guys for the next round. The second

interview had 7 members but the questions were directed to each one of us in order and no

question was thrown open to the group. Thus each one of us faced the panel directly for 10-15 minutes each. I faltered when I was asked questions about some of the famous alumni

from my college and that made all the difference.

FMS interviews are very short and the questions they ask are based on either your GD, or

your extempore or regarding the answer the previous candidate gave to the panel. My

interview went pretty decent and I scored a very good score on that (FMS releases the

scores after the interviews). But, since FMS gives 70% weightage to your CAT score and I

was on the lower side as compared to other candidates, I ended up in the waiting list.



Akshat Modi: To prepare for my PI, first of all I made a list of questions asked in the

interview which one easily gets on the internet. I collected a comprehensive list of questions

asked in MBA interviews, and prepared bullet point answers for them. I also gave many

mock interviews in TIME where the experts grilled me. I and my friends in college who were

MBA aspirants also made a group that regularly did GDs and took each other’s PIs. The final

placement season in my college had also exposed me to a lot of interviews and thus, I had a

good interview experience. I believe an aspirant should start preparing for the interview

well in advance and from my experience in different interviews, interviewers ask differentquestions and you never know what you may encounter. Since, I also went till the final

interview of ISB YLP program, I had started preparing for interviews as early as September

which helped me a lot. Ideally, I believe one should start at least 2 months before the

interview.

Writing Ability Test (WAT) experience

Careers360: What was your topic for WAT? How did you write on the topic?

Akshat Modi: The topic of my WAT was “Since there have been talks on formation of

Telangana, analyze on the socio-economic impact on the newly formed states in India.”



16


I broadly classified the three newly formed states of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and

Uttarakhand on their relative sizes and respective parent state divide and then mentioned

that since I myself hailed from Ranchi, Jharkhand I would focus only on Jharkhand and its

transformation vis-à-vis socio-economic condition before and after its inception as a

separate state.

I then explained the social and economic changes that I had witnessed in the area since last

15 years and how it has changed the lifestyle and behavior of people, and what is the hope

it has given.

I supported my arguments with specific examples and finally concluded my viewpoint.

Careers360: What was the allotted time and how quickly you completed your writing on thetopic during the test?

Akshat Modi: The allotted time was 30 minutes and I took the entire available time.


Akshat Modi: My approach on WAT was to clearly communicate my viewpoint on the given

topic and to try and make the reader interested in reading it. I defined a proper structure in

the beginning and gave the proper roadmap as to what I wanted to convey. Usage of simple

language and short sentences was something I focused upon.


Akshat Modi: WAT carries a huge weightage on one’s selection into an IIM and so I decided

to prepare well for it (especially once I got a call for the process). After getting the call I

made it a habit to write at least 5 articles per week. I defined my goals in terms of week and

not day because I knew some of my prior commitments would prevent me from doing so

and I had no intention of not adhering to the rules I make. After I wrote an article I would

mail that article to 3 of my very close, able friends belonging to different domains

(engineering, arts, and medicine). Also, I used to mail one article to my mentor from TIME

and another to the mentor assigned by the IIMs. Their inputs always helped me and I always

tried to incorporate their inputs into further articles. I strictly adhered to the clock with clearfocus on first 5 minutes for thinking and last 5 minutes for conclusion. Continuous reading of

articles in the newspaper and online was a must to maintain and improve the quality of the

write-up. Also, I believe it is always advisable to support your arguments with facts and I

tried to do the same and newspaper reading came in handy there.



17


A B.Tech in Electronics and Communication with over 4 years of experience, Bhaghat G

shares his WAT-PI experience in this interview with Careers360. He says his interview

majorly revolved around his work and goals owing to his long work experience. In thisinterview, he advices aspirants to be prepared with generic questions such as ‘why MBA’

and ‘how MBA relates to your goals’.


Bhaghat G: There were 3 members in my interview board.



generic issues?

Bhaghat G: As I have five years of work experience, I faced only one technical question,remotely related to my academics. Rest of the interview revolved around my work –

experience, my small entrepreneurial stint (10 months before joining IIM Kashipur), my

extra-curricular activities and my future plans etc.

While 40 per cent of the questions were from my work experience, 20 per cent were from

my extra-curricular activity and 10 per cent from my academic background. A few questions

were also asked on my future plans and how can I relate my MBA to it.


Bhaghat G: With a long work experience (in education sector), I found it difficult to justifymy career switch after MBA. They actually tried to grill me on these set of questions. Here is

a sample:

Interview board questions: MBA can’t give you what you want (to my answer about my long

term goal…being an entrepreneur). Then why do you want to go for it?

My answer: I tried being an entrepreneur. But I faced difficulties. That is one reason I want

to do my MBA. But I want to pursue my goal after gaining enough experience in business

world. Even for that, I need an MBA…(I was not sure whether they were happy with my

answer from their facial expressions).

http://www.bschool.careers360.com/articles/gd-pi-wat-how-cat-topper-bhaghat-g-cracked-wat-pi-enter-iim



18



Bhaghat G: There was not any particular tough moment. But after listening to my

explanation for my MBA, they said they didn’t believe what I said. I didn’t know how to

react…I tried justifying again, but they repeated the same.


stage?

Bhaghat G: I was cool throughout the interview. I avoided a couple of traps by simply

smiling where I didn’t had something useful to say. I answered which I thought was correct. I

practiced little bit before interview. So, the tone was natural.


Bhaghat G: My sincere advice is prepare for the interview at least like we study for the

exams (1 night before). But importantly, think about your career goal (especially if you havework experience). They might grill you with repeated questions (which, if not in interview,

we might not be willing to answer). But answer patiently. In the interview or at least while

preparing for the interview, it is very important to believe what you think and speak is

correct.

Careers360: Did you appear for any other PI exercise at other top B-schools?

Bhaghat G: No, I applied for only IIMs


start preparing for PI?Bhaghat G: I started thinking about the general questions right after I got the call for the

interview. I tried to sink in what I felt correct (about my past and my reason to do MBA).


MBA aspirants?

Bhaghat G: I enjoyed the interview, so did the panel members as they smiled to few of my

light humours. I think the better you feel during the interview the better it goes.

Writing Ability Test (WAT) Experience:

Careers360: What was your topic for WAT?

Bhaghat G: Some general topic. I don’t remember what it was. But definitely not a great one

(in the sense that one can answer it without preparation)

Careers360: What was the allotted time and how quickly you completed your writing on

the topic during the test?

Bhaghat G: A total of 20 minutes was allotted for WAT. I completed it in 19 minutes. I spent

around 5 minutes for thinking and making rough points and the rest for writing.



19



Bhaghat G: I was very clear what I wanted to write before writing. I thought Instead of

writing a lot, it is better to write what makes sense. Also, structure is important. So, I wrote

small points at the beginning in rough, framed them in my mind and finally wrote it in shorttime.


Bhaghat G: I used to read news papers regularly, questions asked in other IIM interviews,

experiences of other aspirants (who gave interviews the same year or year before). I also

practiced writing in 20 minutes by taking some random topic. I think this helped me a lot as I

had lost touch with writing after B-Tech. I strongly suggest the same for everyone.



20


GD-PI Experience at reputed Non-IIMs

Royston Menezes who cracked FMS- Delhi GD-PI to secure admission to the top B-school,shares key highlights of his GD-PI experience at FMS Delhi. An engineer with 2 years of work

experience, Royston also shares GD-PI preparation tips with the MBA aspirants.

Elaborating on the factors which influenced his selection at FMS Delhi, he says his discussion

ability coupled with his inputs in the form of key points would have played the deciding

factors.

Group Discussion (GD) experience

Careers360: How was your overall Group Discussion (GD) experience?

Royston Menezes: My overall GD Experience was good. We had a healthy discussion with

minimal fish market scenario.

Careers360: What was the role of moderator/observer?

Royston Menezes: The moderator gave us the topic and was a silent observer then

onwards. Only in the end he asked few people to summarise.

Careers360: How big was your group size and what was your topic for GD?

Royston Menezes: There were 15 members in my group discussion. The topic for GD was:

‘Political Class is responsible for current state of India’.

Careers360: What was your approach/logic towards the topic?

Royston Menezes: My approach was to look at all the dimensions of the topic. Thereafter,

to analyze each issue at length and listing out how the political system was responsible for

it.

Careers360: How did you defend your logic during the discussion?

Royston Menezes: I defended my logic by quoting relevant authors, newspapers,

philosophies.

http://www.bschool.careers360.com/articles/gd-pi-wat-how-cat-topper-royston-menezes-cracked-fms-delhi-gd-pi



21


Careers360: How many person from your group were finally selected or offered

admission?

Royston Menezes: One

Careers360: How long did your GD last?Royston Menezes: My GD lasted for 15 minutes. Addition 1 minute was given to summarize

the CV.

Careers360: Did your GD reach any conclusion? If yes, please share.

Royston Menezes: Yes, our GD reached a conclusion that indeed the Political Class is

responsible

Careers360: How did you prepare for your GD? When and how an aspirant should

seriously start preparing for GD?

Royston Menezes: I took help from newspapers, television debates etc. More practice ofGDs on varied topics helps to gain confidence.

Careers360: What were the key factors which you think influenced your selection at GD

stage?

Royston Menezes: I believe my structure of discussion and ability to moderate the group,

coupled with my inputs in the form of key points would have been the deciding factor.



Royston Menezes: There were 3 members in my interview board.

Careers360: How was the interview structured?

Royston Menezes: The interview started off with an extempore. Thereafter, questions on

the extempore and my education and work experience.


Royston Menezes: The toughest area was my academics as I had lost touch. The

interviewers went deep into CS Engineering.


Royston Menezes: The toughest moment was when the interviewer asked about C++ and I

hardly knew about the question.


stage?

Royston Menezes: My confidence, diction and honesty.




22


Royston Menezes: I would advice candidates to stay confident and sleep well the night

before the interview date. Believe in yourself.


start preparing for PI?Royston Menezes: I took help from TIME Bangalore which guided my preparation by listing

down areas of my strength and weaknesses, and guiding the overall improvement process.

An aspirant should read papers to enhance his General Knowledge throughout CAT prep,

But, for the overall PI practice, December is a good time to start.


MBA aspirants?

Royston Menezes: The interview panel knew about my hometown and asked me questions

on that.



23


Mayank Taparia who secured admission to MDI Gurgaon, shares his experiences on the

second stage of admission process that included Group Discussion (GD) and Personal

Interview (PI). A Graduated in Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering from

University of Mumbai, Mayank carried a work experience of 20 months as Software

Engineer when he appeared for GD-PI at MDI Gurgaon.

The CAT topper elaborates on the GD-PI factors which influenced his selection at MDI

Gurgaon and shares his GD-PI preparation tips. He also shares an embarrassing moment

during his PI when he was asked to sing a song on a particular raga which he had mentioned

during questioning on his hobbies.

Group Discussion (GD) Experience

Careers360: How was your CAT performance?

Mayank Taparia: My overall CAT percentile was 99.35 with 99.65 in section I and 93.46 in

section II.

Careers360: How was your overall GD experience?

Mayank Taparia: The overall process was really smooth. There was no fish market and

everyone got enough time to raise forward their points.

Careers360: What was the role of moderator/observer?

Mayank Taparia: The moderator/observer just gave us the topic to discuss and said we’ll get

around 10-12 minutes to discuss, with a 1 minute in beginning to gather our thoughts. We

were asked to summarize in the end.

Careers360: How big was your group size and what was your topic for GD?

Mayank Taparia: The group size was seven for my GD. The topic was “Political parties or

voters; who are more responsible for criminalization of politics in India”.

Careers360: What was your approach towards the topic?

Mayank Taparia: I had read a lot about politics and knew what points I wanted to raise. I

gave a couple of examples from recent happenings. I had my view that both Political Parties

http://www.bschool.careers360.com/articles/gd-pi-wat-how-cat-topper-mayank-taparia-cracked-mdi-gurgaon-gd-pi



24


and Voters in some way were responsible for the criminalization of politics and had points

that supported this view.


Mayank Taparia: My logic was based on the fact that the voters are the one who electpolitical parties into power. Secondly, there are people who don’t vote or vote without

knowledge which eventually result in wrong parties coming in power. Also, the false

promises made by politicians was a concern, Where in the genuine voters are taken for a

ride and the promises are not kept subsequently.

Careers360: What was the strong logic from the group members that were raised against

your approach on the topic?

Mayank Taparia: The group was pretty much in unison with regard to the topic and there

wasn’t any disagreement as such.

Careers360: How long did your GD last?

Mayank Taparia: The GD lasted for around 12 minutes.

Careers360: Did your GD reach any conclusion? If yes, please share.

Mayank Taparia: Yes, the group members had the common consensus that both are

responsible for criminalization of politics and ways how this could be improved were

discussed.

Careers360: How did you prepare for your GD? When and how an aspirant should seriously

start preparing for GD?

Mayank Taparia: I started my GD preparation seriously only after the CAT results. I used to

read the newspapers and articles from various websites and magazines. I also prepared

from the preparatory material provided by coaching classes. I had also enrolled for GD

preparation in coaching classes, which helped me learn how to gather my thoughts and

communicate them in a actual GD atmosphere.

But, an aspirant shouldn’t wait for results to be out to begin the preparat ion. Preparation

for GD should begin at this very moment, because the earlier we start, the better. There

are two vital criteria one should keep in mind while preparing for GD.

1.

Knowledge: It is very essential. Knowing about current affairs helps one accumulate

points that can be put forward in GD. It would also help the aspirant come up with points to

chip in when the GD is not going in right direction or when there is no different aspect to GD

that can be provided.

2. Communication: Just knowing the topic won’t help in a good performance. The

importance of GD is communicating what you know. So listening and putting across the

points in an understandable manner is equally important.


stage?



25


Mayank Taparia: Good communication and relevant points with examples was the key

influencing factor, in my opinion, that help me influence the selection.

Careers360: Did you appear for any other GD exercise at other top B-schools? Please share a

few experience.Mayank Taparia: Yes, I had appeared for other GD processes. The issue I faced in other GDs

were:

1. Not aware of Topic given: I wasn’t fully aware of the topic given to me in some of GD I

had given,

Because of which I wasn’t able to come up with any relevant points in the GD.

2. Fish Market: I had an experience when I knew about the topic but I wasn’t able to

communicate. The topic was relatively easy, so everyone wanted to participate in the

discussion. This created a fish market and I wasn’t able to put across some good points.

Personal Interview (PI) Experience


Mayank Taparia: The panel consisted of 2 professors.



generic issues?

Mayank Taparia: The interview began with the clichéd questions on “Why MBA?” “Why

MBA after Engineering?” and how will the career path go. The interview mostly had

questions related to my interests and hobbies and what I expect to learn from MBA.


Mayank Taparia: The toughest area to answer during my interview was the initial part,

where the professors tried to confuse me regarding the reasoning I had for pursuing MBA

and had a lot of cross questions on the same.

Questions asked:

1. First Electronics, then IT, then MBA and then Marketing, why are you changing so many

fields?

2. Why do you want to do MBA?

3. How will you learn from professors when we are sitting here?

4.

How will you be able to learn from seniors and peers as they would always be busy in

their studies and their own work?

5. What research did you do to come at conclusion that you can learn?

6. Is surfing through internet and asking seniors a research?

I had finally answered confidently that Yes, it is research at some level and the questioning

on this part was stopped.




26


Mayank Taparia: The toughest moment during my PI was when I was cross questioned for

my reason to do MBA. This is supposed to be the most obvious question in an interview and

I was worried that I am not able to answer it properly.

Careers360: What were the key factors which you think influenced your selection at PIstage?

Mayank Taparia: I was confident in the end for the answers I had given and apart from the

starting part, I didn’t get stuck at any questions and could answer questions asked related to

my hobbies and interests properly.


Mayank Taparia: Be confident. Prepare the generally asked questions properly and be

honest about your opinions. Be aware of your surroundings and what’s going in the world

and in India. Have your own opinions formed and be confident and firm on your stand

taken. Learn to drive your interview to your areas you are strong in and make sure you knowwell about yourself, key interests and other relevant details mentioned in the form. Never

ever lie in an interview as the professors are really smart and will get to know in a moment

and will cross question you a lot until they find some discrepancies.

Careers360: Did you appear for any other PI exercise at other top B-schools?

Mayank Taparia: Yes, I had appeared for other interviews. There were many mistakes I had

done. Lack of knowledge in some interviews was the major issue. Sometimes I lacked

confidence which was mainly because I wasn’t prepared well and haven’t read enough,

including current affairs for the initial interviews.



Mayank Taparia: I had joined coaching classes for PI, which I admit was really useful.

Getting the first hand experience of what you are about to face is always good. I used to

read, but I started that really late, because of which I was unaware of many things in the

earlier few interviews.

My advice would be start preparing the common questions that can be asked related to

current affairs, personal questions, work experience questions and academics based

questions as early as possible.

Careers360: Any interesting moment from your PI which you would like to share with MBA

aspirants?

Mayank Taparia: I had mentioned that I had learnt harmonium and had given exams for the

same in my school days. I was asked to name any raga which I had learnt. I mentioned a

name that I had prepared, but then the professor asked me to sing any song in that raga. I

had totally unexpected this and had to convince them that I couldn’t remember any song

that I can sing in that raga.

So, be thoroughly prepared with whatever you mention or say during the interview as you

never know what kind of questions can be asked.



27


Nitin Tibrewal who cracked FMS- Delhi GD-PI to secure admission to the coveted B-school,

shares his experiences on the second stage of admission process with MBA aspirants.

An NIT Durgapur graduate, Nitin is currently pursuing his MBA at FMS- Delhi. The fresher

also received final admission offer from MDI Gurgaon.

The topper who appeared for the second stage of selection process at SPJIMR also, speaks

on key highlights of GD-PI experience at other B-schools as well and shares GD-PI

preparation tips. He elaborates on the factors which influenced his selection at FMS Delhi.

He also shares how the interview board hurled question based on the profile of another

candidate and how he responded to the challenge before politely correcting them on their

mistake.

Group Discussion (GD) Experience

Careers360: How was your overall GD experience?

NitinTibrewal: It was an amazing experience. I gave a structure to the GD. The group

coordination was good. We reached a consensus. I was delighted to be a part of the success

of the GD.

Careers360: How did your GD start?

NitinTibrewal: First, a moderator provided us with the topic and then left the discussion to

start on our own after 5 minutes. Thereafter, post the discussion, he asked one of us tovolunteer and summarize the discussion.

Careers360: How big was your group size what was your GD topic?

Nitin Tibrewal: There were 15 members in our group. The topic was: ‘The increasing

complexity of life today is creating more problems than it is solving’.

Careers360: What was your approach to the topic during GD?

NitinTibrewal: My approach was to look at all perspectives from where complexities would

be analyzed: technological advancements, political independence, cultural freedom, social

outlook, legal, economic issues and other issues. Thereafter, to analyze each issue at length,

http://www.bschool.careers360.com/articles/gd-pi-wat-how-nitin-tibrewal-cracked-fms-delhi-gd-pi



28


listing out the problems and solutions provided by each area and finally, to conclude about

the topic and our views.


NitinTibrewal: The group largely supported my points. But some of the members brought inthe other side of the same coin and tried to weigh them up against my points to determine

if the complexities are indeed creating or solving problems.

I defended my logic by quoting relevant authors on their perspectives and supporting them

with relevant facts. But largely, my idea was to back it up with strong logic and my

perspective on it.

Careers360: How many people from your group were finally selected or offered

admission?

NitinTibrewal: Only One.

NitinTibrewal: Careers360: How long did your GD last?

NitinTibrewal: My group discussion lasted for 15 minutes and 1 minute was given to us to

summarize our discussions.

Careers360: Did your GD reach any conclusion?

NitinTibrewal: Yes, our GD reached a conclusion that indeed the complexities are creating

more problems than they are solving, and the approach needs to be changed in order to use

the complexities to solve the problems.

Careers360: How did you prepare for your GD? When and how an aspirant should

seriously start preparing for GD?

NitinTibrewal: I took help from TCC Management Systems, Kolkata, which guided my

preparation by listing down areas of my strength and weaknesses, and guiding the overall

improvement process. I believe an aspirant should start brushing up his General Knowledge

as soon as possible. But, for the overall GD practice, January (once the results are out) is a

good time to start. The preparation should start with your analysis of strengths and

weaknesses, followed by planning on how to improve and/or tackle them. Finally, practicing

as many GDs as possible on varied topics to gain confidence is very important.


stage?

NitinTibrewal: My structure of thoughts and moderating act in the group, coupled with my

inputs in the form of key points helped me score.

Careers360: Did you appear for any other GD exercise at other top B-schools? Share a few

experience.

NitinTibrewal: Other GDs were fine as well. I tried to gave a structure to the discussion and

tried to moderate. But in some GDs, it became a fish market and it was difficult to moderate

and put our inputs.



29


Personal Interview (PI) Experience


NitinTibrewal: There were three members in my interview board.


asked from your academic background, professional experience, interest, and generic

issues?

NitinTibrewal: The interview started off with an extempore. Thereafter, questions on the

extempore and family business. There was almost no question from the academic or

professional background. Only 1 question on hobby was asked.


NitinTibrewal: The toughest area was questions on my family business. They went deep intoenquiring about the same. I tackled them quite calmly answering almost every question

honestly.


NitinTibrewal: The toughest moment was when the interviewer confused me with another

candidate and asked me questions on my background (actually his background, considering

me to be him). I tackled them quite calmly. Finally I cleared the confusion.


stage?

NitinTibrewal: My calmness, confidence and honesty.


NitinTibrewal: Stay confident and calm. Be pleasant and happy. The first question mostly

influences your chances of success.

Careers360: Did you appear for any other PI exercise at other top B-schools? Please

share a few experiences (where you went wrong).

NitinTibrewal: I went through the Group Interview at SP Jain, where I was grilled on my

hobbies, particularly reading. What went wrong was myself getting a little stressed. Then at

MDI, I was again grilled on my hobbies. This time I answered calmly and got selected as well.



NitinTibrewal: The preparation should start with your analysis of strengths and weaknesses,

followed by planning on how to improve and/or tackle them. Finally, appearing at as many

mock interviews as possible is important to gain confidence and exposure to various

situations.


MBA aspirants?



NitinTibrewal: The panel was also a football enthusiast like me. The members discussed

quite a lot with me and spent around 20 minutes arguing over football. In the end, we both

laughed off at the playing style of different clubs.

Careers360 wishes you Good Luck for the upcoming GD-PI-WAT!!!

We hope next year your interview features in this E-book!!!

Documents

Toppers' Tips for GD-PI-WAT