After reaching resthouse and taking the much needed rest we got to the "work"..preparing ourselves for the awaited show off!! and so started the process ..getting formals out of the packaging, having the suits ready, knotting the tie, polishing shoes..and then the more serious stuff like completing the form and arranging the certificates. Next day waking up at 5:30 for an 9:00 interview was something i must have done for the first time. Reached the venue well before time and were called at 9 for the GD session. Had a discussion on a case problem presented to us.The case dealt with a company known for bringing innovative products in market. The recents launches of the company have been a failure and hence a solution was sought for the deadlock between various wings of management. Then was the turn of the Interviews. The order of presentation being random allowed existance of anxious wait which in my case was further complemented by the fact that I was the third last person to be called. The wait in the speciall room alloted was quite enlightening both intellectually and personally. All sort of knowledge based questions floated around covering the diversity of fields from politics , economics to art and design. Fortunately there was someone or the other to give in an answer for most of them. Further the presence of IITians in majority allowed for all sort of useless gossip "bakar(to say technically)" to find its way. Finally came the call (yeah my panel were calling candidates on a landline providede by the hotel). The interview overall radiated an sense of eager interviewee and bored interviewer. Started with my intern at IIT Bombay in signal processing. The prof seemed to be a bit into filters and I had to face some unheard of words(jargons) of audio(my guess) filters. Then came the lady prof with her inquisitiveness about Europe. Reached there by my significant incident she started by asking me to explain that and then further covered basics of what I can say as "a senior advising someone on a foreign intern." finally at the end I was offered to pick a couple of toffees from the bowl and was permitted to leave. And out came me guessing whether the chocolate was a consolation gift or an statement of congratulations(given the fact that they were offered selectively) !!!!
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Then I had a break of a day before my kozhikode interview and so took the time off to rest. The eve of second interview again witnessed some hasty or nasty preparations going on but with diluted vigour. The existing protocol prevailed and things were brought in place.Am presenting this part of the season in more of a direct speecha s I remember most of it (hopefully!).A group discussion was conducted at the starting. The whole group was devided into two panels.We had a group of 10 people and the topic of discussion were health facilites for poors and further various oppressions they have to deal with. It was a good discussion on a whole where everyone who wished to speak got a chance. I guess I performed preety well with chipping in for 4-5 times. I hope I guess it right !! The GD got over without a proper conclusion but i think this is inevitable when theres' an IIM seat at stake.
Then started the dreaded PIs. they called in according to the order in which we were called for the dscussion. I was fourth in order. All stories of stress interviews, professors laughing on answers and other tactics were are hovering all around. However as interviews progressed these were being subdued..atleast for our panel. A technical oriented grilling was what I was hoping when I entered more so when there was a systems prof there in the room. As I entered I found one of the prof was away and the only left there threw -- Introduce yourself !! Sir, My name is..I hail from..and blah blah goes on..-- Then he picks my grad marksheet and asked me about my favourite subject..Now that was something i guessed would be...Said Communication, specially mobile communication. He then asked me to explain how communication takes place between two end mobile sets. knew the process and hence explained. Then came to exact method in technical term for gsm..Sir, TDMA is used for the purpose. Modulation scheme ?? Frequency modulation sir. Then again some Hows and Whys. Answered most of those and then finally we came to repeating what I already had said. So change of topic. mean while the second professor had appeared on the scene, Started with my website on envormental club ..its contents.. Answered most questions except about a word that came from nowhere and had no idea. If you are made the the chairman of the pollution control board then what steps would you start with... talked about public transport..metro etc..and then about irregular traffic management..switching engines off during traffic jams.(hope i mad some sence there) Then a twister..PI going international...Who is president of Afganistan ? Sir Hamid Karzai..Forgot to precede with Mr. .. Is he an Indian ?? Sir he has roots in India but am unaware of actual relation. What is capital of Burma ?? I dont know sir. Bhutan ?? Sorry sir. now he realised lack of international geography in my knowledge base so came back to India. How many North-Eastern States are there? sir, 7. Can you name them..now I was ready with the names. blurted them. Ok Tarun, what was the first question you were asked. Sir I was asked to introduce myself. Apart that. Sir about my favourite subject. Are you sure ? Yes Sir. Ok Tarun thank you. It was nice talking to you. Thank you sir. Thus ended the second of seven GD/PIs that CAT 2008 has entitled me to appear for. Next was the salivating Banglore.
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Again a morning slot..started right on time..called for a gd..and ya just for info..there is only a single panel of two profs..8 guys in all...had a discussion on whether foreign companies be allowed to establish centers in india.got 10 mins to read the caselet and jot down points. than a vocal discussion followed where i chipped in 5-6 times with 2-3 good points..at the end we were asked to wait outside and were called for interview in order as we were called for discussion. Guys went and came out..and unlike all other interviews(I & K) noone seemed to be any helpful to guess what was going on inside. The max they could say was a bit of probab and no idea after that. This was enough to frighten in itself...and yeah this time i crossed the indore boundary..was the last guy in the row..and hence again a wait till 1 o clock to be grilled. finally came the moment..was called in and then started the dreaded intraction with the two highly intellectual beings for the moment...introduce yourself..the prepared one..ambition in life...blah blah..why to go for an mba now..fundas...coaching for mba..further fundas...if not then where did you pick all these stereotype answers..??..no idea...no funde..sir i m true in what I say...so where have you been placed? sir so and so company..hm and what is you work profile going to be..sir software development...so is it anything related to your graduation..no sir..so you wasted all your time..answered with recession fundas.lack of companies...now the other guys taking charge..SO tarun you have done a course on probability.Yes Sir in fourth sem...so what were you taught there..answered..so how do you define random process..random variable..?? ..some arbit stuff was my reply..then what is area under a pdf.?? sir 1. okay..something about ur hobbies..and then finally the relief..do you wish to tell us something..No sir..(I just want to runn outta here and take some air..:D) Thus ended the seemingly long grilling session and my third interview...god knows if it was a stress interview or were they really pissed off by my stereopes and fair isaac. god help.. going back today by the evening flight. Got to catch up on a lot of stuff back..Yearbook, BTP , and then the midsems lined up...
