My IIM C interview
This is an entry from Archish Srinivasan’s diary, a second year PGDM student at IIM Calcutta. We bring you his ball-by-ball account in order for you to get a more personal feel of an interview experience. Needless to say, he indeed “made it” after this interview 
My IIM experience
I gave my IIM-C interview today and it was a fabulous experience. Even though I am not sure whether I’ll get selected or not, but the experience and the interview (which was really fun) was really enjoyable and I wish all my interviews in future go the same way (and I wish I do convert at least some of them).
The Group discussion started with a case study. It was about a tin company which was relatively new. It seems they got this amazing offer from a foreign client who is very strict about the quality and the delivery time of the product amidst very tough international competition. It turns out that they are not able to produce the required quantity in the stipulated time and even the quality is not good enough. So their Marketing Manager comes up with this strange idea (this is where the fun starts). It seems there was a clause in the contract that if there were some “unavoidable circumstances” or as the case study called it “an act of God”, then the company may be excused for not delivering the product on time. So the Marketing Manager comes up with this really novel and bizarre idea to artificially create such a situation. He, like, poisons the employee food, and plants a bomb near the factory (just a metaphor!) and does some other totally ridiculous stuff but more importantly gets away with it. So the company is saved from the ridicule of not making it in time. And the Marketing Manager is praised and given a raise.
Discuss the pros and cons of the Manager’s actions or suggest any other method.
I was the third or fourth person to enter the discussion. I started by defending the Manager. (I had to do it, there was no other chance to get into the discussion as the discussion started with a mild fish market). But later we all concluded that this was a very short sighted approach and I came to the conclusion that the company required a leader who could have motivated the workers to complete the backlog and in case he fails then should promptly apologize to the customer instead of doing the ridiculous things that he actually did. I must have entered the GD 4-5 times. I kept track of the time. I was maybe a bit aggressive but none of my fellow participants seemed to feel so. I would say it was overall a good performance by the group since the situation was warm and more importantly we reached a conclusion. (I also played a part in controlling the situation from getting out of hand). One major negative on my part was that I did glance at the panel more than I probably should have during the GD. I hope this doesn’t affect my chances.
Then the best part…. the interview.
There were three of them on the panel.
P1: was the friendliest and was very warm during the whole interview. More of a dreamer than an academician. Fortunately he did most of the talking. (It turns out that he was one of the most popular Profs in IIM C!)
P2 : was the academician amongst them. He was quiet initially but asked me a few questions from acads.
P3: was the quietest. He hardly spoke but when he did, we did have fun.
(Just as I entered)
P1:(smiles all around) Archish, we were really intrigued by your name. What does it mean?
Me: Sir, it is a Sanskrit word, rather a combination of two Sanskrit words “archana“+”eeshwar“..So loosely translated it is “the one who is prayed to by all” (they pondered over it for a while)…. I think a better translation is in hindi “jiski saari archana karein” (they seemed more satisfied now).
P2: And the S in the end is for?
me: Srinivasan
P1: Are you from South India? Which part?
me: Tamil nadu but I am 2nd generation Delhite so I guess I am more of a Delhite
P1: But what is your mother tongue?
me: Tamil.
P1: Ok. What do u think of your GD?
Me (smiling, as I was expecting this): Sir, it was a very interesting topic. I started with the view that what the company did was right but after a while I realized that my friends were right. The solution provided by the manager was too short sighted and ….
P1 (smiling): Come on, I believe that an interview should be more like a discussion. Let’s have an honest discussion here. You are trying to be too diplomatic. Honestly tell me, why did you start the way you did? Don’t worry, I would make this off-the record if you want.
me: (smiling more): Yes sir. I knew that I had more chances of entering the discussion if I started with a different view from that of the group. And then after a while I decided that I would go along with the group as it was the …(All smiles)
P1: Yes, fair enough. But you know what, I liked your first stance better. I believe that what the company did was right. Would you say now that what the company did was right?
me (I realized that he probably wanted to show me that I was not steady in my decisions): No sir. I am a rational person but I also try to be honest with myself. So I did change my stance in the GD but I believe that the way the company handled the situation was just not right.
P1: Fine. Do u have any interests or hobbies?
me : Sir, I play the violin and am trained in the Carnatic style of music. ( Thus I spoke a bit about carnatic music)
A bit of a pause followed here.
me: I also watch movies (long pause)…Â and I listen to old Hindi songs..
P1 (interrupting me): Did you say old Hindi songs?
me: Yes sir.
P1( all smiles): Do you realize that we are three old people here? And you want to discuss old Hindi songs with us. Remember, you are outnumbered here.
me (smiling): Sure sir. It would be my pleasure.
P1: Do you know O.P.Nayyar?
me (Do I know O.P.Nayyar? Asking me to spell my name would have been a tougher question): Yes, he started his career with Kaneez in 1956 and passed away recently. I think that would be in January this year. His “Baabuji dheere chalna” is one of my favourite songs, but turns out it was inspired from an English song (P3 didn’t know this and was a bit surprised. A smile appeared on the corners of P1’s mouth. “Yes.” he mumbled)
P1: Name any 5 movies in which he gave music, and a song from each movie.
me (Ahhh! I was so happy.): Kashmir ki kali – yeh chand sa roshan chehra
Aar-Paar – baabuji dheere chalna
(pause ) Mere sanam- pukarta chala hoon mein…
P1: No no no,that song was from Phir tumhari yaad aayi.
me: No sir, I am 100% sure that this song is from Mere sanam. It was picturised on Biswajeet and had Asha Parekh as the leading lady. In fact “Jaaiye aap kahan jaayenge” was another song of this very movie.
P3: Yes, he is right.
P1(convinced): Yes, I may have been mistaken. Please continue.
me: I don’t remember the movie of the song “Kajra mohabbat wala”
P1 (smiling triumphantly): It was Kismet.
me (he was right this time): Yes, it was Kismet. ( pause ) And oh yes… Naya Daur, and the song from the movie was…( I tried hard to remember)
P1: Milne ki phariyaad.
me: No sir, another song, a more famous one.
P1 (probably pressuring me) : I think you are trying to say “Milne ki phariyaad“.
me: No sir. Aha! “Yeh desh hai veer jawano ka!“.(in my excitement I actually sung it)
The panel had a hearty laugh.
P1: You are right. This is the more famous song.
And thus we became pals. We discussed the bygone days when music used to be of a far superior quality. I did provide some insight into this discussion.
P1 : Ok your next test. Name 5 films of Shammi Kapoor and a song from each film.
me ( It felt like I was with my friends in hostel): Hmm. Jaanwar – Yahoo.
P1: Aha! No, come on, that was Junglee.
me (smiling sheepishly): Yes, I admit. I got a bit excited there. You are right. It is Junglee- yahoo
Prince – badan pe sitarein, Rajkumar- aaja aayi bahaar, Kashmir ki kali – yeh chaand sa roshan
and…. (I tried hard to remember)
P1: Let me give you a clue. Translate “third something” into Hindi.
me: Aha.. Teesri manzil- Oh hasina.
P1 (all smiles): Yes!
me (triumphantly): In fact, it was that rare film of Shammi Kapoor in which R.D. Burman gave music, unlike all the others in which Shankar-Jaikishen provided the music, on Shammi Kapoor’s insistence.
P1: Yes, You are right. Name the first movie in which Puncham da gave music.
me (enjoying the game very much): Wasn’t it the Teesri manzil?
P3 (who probably felt left out of the fun): No No. I think it was Aradhana.
P1(smiling): No, it was Chote nawab.
( No it was not. As I realize now, P3 was right. Aradhana was the first movie in which Puncham da worked independently of S.D.Burman who was in a coma during the filming of the movie)
P1: Ok, your next question. Which was the last film in which Geeta Dutt sang?
me: I don’t know.
P3: It must be an old song.
P1: No, it was released in 1971.
P3: Really!
P1:Yes. It was Anubhav.
me and P3 together: Ahh, Anubhav.
P1: Yes, by Basu Bhattachrya.
P1 suggested a website to me where I could find more old Hindi songs and P3 told us how we can download them illegally. We had a hearty laugh.
P1: Boy, that was fun! Okay, on to more serious stuff now. Do you have any other interests? History, geography, politics?
me: Sir, I am interested in ancient Indian history.I have recently read a book by Romila Thapar.
P1: Introduction to history -1?
me (smiling): No that’s the NCERT text book. Apart from that I have read a book by her called “Discovering India”.
P1 : Have you heard of (some obscure name)?
me: No.
P1: I thought since you have read Romila Thapar, you may have heard of him.
me: No sir I have not. I’ll try to find out more about him.
P1: How many vedas are there?
me: Four.
P1: Name them.
me: Rig, yajur, sam and athrva.
P1 (to P2 and P3): He’s right. (I felt so proud.)
Now P2 started to speak for the first time.
P2: Which branch of engineering are you in?
me: Sir, I’m in Production and Industrial engineering.
P2: Why haven’t you mentioned this in your form? (showed me the form)
me: Oh! I’m sorry sir. I probably missed it. I’ll fill it in now.
P2 (smiling): Be more careful. Okay,so production engineering. Tell me what is JIT.
me (Yes, this was my lucky day.): I told him all about JIT, where it was founded, why, and gave him an analogy of a boat on sea. (I saw from the corner of my eye that P1 really admired my analogy)
P2:You missed out maximisation of profit but its all right. Do you know about 6-sigma? Who started it?
me : Sir I don’t know the name of the person but the first company to start it was Motorola.
P2 : Its all right. Go on.
me(it’s getting better and better): I told him all about 6-sigma, how its a misconception and it is actually 4.5 sigma, 3.4 defects per million, the dabbawalas of Mumbai were probably the only organization in India with a 6-sigma, criticism etc.
P1,P2,P3 (satisfied): Yes. (nodding their heads).
P2: What is Fordism?
me: I don’t know sir. I know that Toyota was inspired by Ford.
P2 (interrupting me): No, not Toyotaism, tell me about Fordism.
me: Sir, I don’t know.
P2: All right. Try to find out about it.
me : Definitely sir.
All : You can leave now.
P1 (I had stood up) : How many calls do you have from the IIMs?
me: Just this one sir.
P1: Just IIM-C? (surprised) What was your overall percentile?
me: 99.16%. I had 94.78 in DI,99.16 in English and 96.45 in Quant.
P1: Why do you have a lower percentile in quant?
me: I started with quant, found it easy and decided to do English and come back to math.
P1 (interrupting): And you didn’t find time, right?
me(smiling): Yes sir.
P1: All right, you may leave. Thank you.
Archish S.
*edited by Chandrima Das
January 20th, 2009 at 6:03 am
While this is most certainly one way an interview can go (assuming you always remain in control), please remember that at no point in time can you not know your basic stuff. Even Archish here was quizzed on his engg stuff. So please, ensure that you get your fundae right. I don’t think the panel would look too favourably on someone who doesn’t know his acad background or makes tall claims about other stuff.
Just something every interviewee should know.
January 21st, 2009 at 2:31 am
Dream interview indeed!
January 21st, 2009 at 8:13 am
Preceded by 14 failed job-interview attempts. In fact had given an interview on Mar 12th for FMS, result came on Mar 13th : Not selected. IIM C interview on Mar 14th.
~You never know what turns life may take.
January 26th, 2009 at 5:46 am
That was a really interesting interview
Got a lot to learn from it
Thanks for sharing archish
I hope more seniors share their interview and gd experiences here
March 7th, 2010 at 12:22 pm
It was very useful information for iimc call getters….
Thanks for the posts