Aditya Birla Group is one of those names which is well known to every Indian. Everyone has heard these lines sometime in their childhood that "tata- birla ki aulad nhin ho". I am a big fashion enthusiast. Aditya Birla's fashion line forever 21, Allen Solly and Van Heusan have changed my life a lot. I love to wear these brands, whether it is a party wear or I am going for an Interview. So, the story is about the time when I was in my college and being into an institute of national importance we do need to adhere to the culture they had maintained for so long. So, as per the tradition, we all are required to wear business formals for our induction. It was hard to find a suitable business formal in the area where I live so I went to the city and was not able to find any suit as per my need. I was feeling very bad and then suddenly I saw the showroom of Allen Solly and was able to get a suit in due time. That suit is still with me to date and I wore during the CAP process and was able to ace the interview. That suit and that Allen Solly showroom from Aditya Birla Group is there in my heart and will be in my heart for the time I'm here.
So, my story begins in 2014 when I completed my engineering degree. I was jobless and there were no contacts, nothing to apply for. There I decided to start preparing for CAT as I was very good at maths (vulnerable in English, but I thought it's just a language and came gradually, though I was wrong in this as well). So, I went to Delhi, leaving my beloved place to bear scorching weather to crack CAT and to prove that I am worthy of something.
I started preparing and as the CAT day was proceeding gradually, I feel like lesser the days the lesser I knew. Still, I was excited. In full confidence that I can crack the CAT easily. And then finally I gave CAT and the result was not in my favor. But don't think I was depressed. I motivated myself that it was my first attempt and I was unaware of what CAT is.
I came back to Palampur and started preparing again. But this time scenario was different at home. Though my parents are highly supportive but at the same time, they behave like typical Indian girl's parents to whom they wanted to get settle down as soon as possible. Every other day there was the talk of getting me married but I wanted to study. And because of this continuous nagging, I wasn't able to concentrate on my studies. It was the month of July 2015 when one day I couldn't help myself and registered on Naukri.com. And luckily within a week, I got a call from 3 HRs. My first interview was on my birthday, I cracked the conference and got a job in my very first interview. They were offering me 20K per month along with accommodation, where my peers were working with an average salary of 10k and that too without accommodation. I don't want to work at that time but I don't want to marry as well. I still remember, instead of being happy, tears start flowing through my eyes. The road was diverted and I was aware of the fact that I had to cover a long journey this time.
I joined my company within a week and realized on a very first day that I am the only girl working among a male-dominated staff. My parents dropped me and visited my company. They were not at all happy as it was a spinning plant where the temperature has to be maintained at 42 to 44 degrees Celsius. They offered me to leave the job at very moment, but I don't know it's my quality or behavior, that I never step back once I choose a path.
The schedule was hectic, sometimes I have to work for more than 12 hours. And on the top of that Office politics was another thing which I had to survive. The work was less but the stress was at par. But still, my Dream was alive within me which gave me the light of hope that one-day things would be different. But CAT is different, it needs passion to crack but passion won't help much if u can't devote time for studies. So I gave CAT twice during my work experience and ended with a very low percentile subsequently. In March 2017, I finally decided to quit my job and start preparing for CAT wholeheartedly. But coming back to Palampur and self-study from home was not a solution again, the reason is mentioned above. The condition was like I wanted to follow my dream but I don't have any place to live where I can study without being nagged. But as someone has rightly said when one door closes another opens for you only you need to search a little. And there came in the picture, NIT Hamirpur. My father wants me to do an MBA, so I cleared the selection round of NIT and finally got admitted there. There, classes were up to 2 pm. So as soon as I got free from class I started preparing for CAT. I tried my best to make a balance between different studies but still, it was another challenge for me as it was my last chance to crack the CAT. So finally the D-Day arrived and along with that arrived my final examination date sheet. On Sunday 26, Nov afternoon shift, was my CAT which was in Chandigarh (a 7-hour journey from Hamirpur) and the next day I had a statistic exam in the morning slot followed by 2 more exams on consecutive days. Being in an exhaustive journey on a hilly terrain I somehow manage in VR and DI section but messed up my Quants section.
The result was announced and finally, I got a call for CAP round. Now, it was all upon me that how well I perform in WAT-PI round. And as usual it was not an easy task for me to bell the CAT. So, just a week before my interview I got typhoid. I wasn't able to walk and I had to travel to Delhi from Palampur. But as we know that success without hardship is not as memorable as it is after facing it. My turn was 2nd last, and I was called up at 6:30 pm. Till that time my body starts shivering with fever and severe headache. I still don't know how I managed that day. It is well said, that, "Night is Darkest Before Dawn". So that was my last test life was taking to land me into an IIM. I finally got a conversion mail from IIM Rohtak. I also receive emails from all other new IIM's as well.
