If someone had told me a year ago that I’d be joining XLRI Jamshedpur’s HRM batch of 2025-27 straight out of undergrad and at just 20 years old, I probably would’ve smiled politely and moved on. Not because I didn’t want it — but because back then, it felt far removed from where I was. I was in the final year of my Economics degree at VIPS, involved in multiple college societies, buried in coursework, and still figuring out whether I even stood a chance in these highly competitive management entrances.
But somewhere between late-night brainstorming sessions for events and early morning lectures, the thought kept coming back: I wanted to build a career rooted in people, systems, and impact. Human Resource Management started making sense — not just as a career option but as something I could genuinely see myself thriving in. And when I read more about XLRI and what its HRM program stood for, it became a quiet, persistent goal.
I didn’t take a gap year. I didn’t join a big-name coaching institute. I prepared alongside college, carving out time between other responsibilities. The process wasn’t perfect. I had good days when mocks would reflect improvement and bad ones where everything felt stagnant. But I stuck to it. I kept refining my strategy, leaned on resources that worked for me, and stayed rooted in my strengths — especially in Verbal and Reasoning. I still remember the boost of confidence I felt after the XAT result — a 95.76 percentile in the VA & LR section felt like a milestone, proof that I had built something strong.
Academics and prep were just one part of the journey. What shaped me equally was the work I was doing outside the classroom. Whether it was handling design and promotions for Arthvidya, the economic society at VIPS or collaborating with other team members to run large-scale events, or coordinating logistics for thousands of attendees at our cultural fest — I learned how to manage chaos, work with people, and build something from scratch. At TEDx, I was part of a lean team responsible for managing sponsor deliverables and ensuring everything ran smoothly. I didn’t realize it at the time, but every event, every meeting, every crisis we fixed — it was training in leadership, communication, and clarity under pressure. It was HR in action, before I even had the label for it.
Of course, there were doubts. There were moments when I wondered if I was stretching myself too thin, if I was aiming too high, or if all this effort would amount to anything. Seeing friends apply again, hearing people say “first attempt is for experience” — it planted seeds of uncertainty. But I also knew the work I had put in, and I owed it to myself to see it through with conviction.
When I got the final call from XLRI, it was surreal. For a long moment, I just stared at the screen — then quietly smiled. No big celebration, just a quiet sense of peace. Because this wasn’t just about getting in. It was about backing myself, about staying the course when it would’ve been easier to let go.
If I’ve learned anything through this journey, it’s this: you don’t need perfect conditions. You need consistency. You need to be honest about your strengths and your gaps. You need to show up, even on the days when nothing seems to be working. And you need to believe that it’s possible — not because you’re extraordinary, but because effort, when directed well, almost always finds a way to pay off.
I’m still just beginning. But to anyone wondering if it’s too early, too ambitious, or too uncertain — I hope my story reminds you that you don’t have to wait for permission. You just have to start.
