Hello everyone, this is Ankita Mandal. I am a B. tech graduate and currently pursuing MBA core at DMS, IIT(ISM) Dhanbad. All of us had different dreams at different stages in our life. When we are in school, preparing for our 10th grade, our goals are to select the streams of our choice. After 12th our goals change, to selecting a good course for the desired career path. Being a science student, my choice was Engineering. I decided to go for higher studies after engineering during my B. Tech days itself. I had two options join an M. tech programme through GATE or joining an MBA programme through CAT. I was more inclined towards a career in Management; hence I went with the MBA programme. I was in my final year of college, and I was sure I wouldn’t be able to crack CAT in my first attempt. Nevertheless, I decided to give CAT 2021 a shot. I thought it as a practice test and promised myself that I would do better next year within which my B. Tech would also be completed. Keeping this in mind, I started preparing for CAT 2021 along with my placements. In November 2021 I wrote CAT and at the same time I got placed in Cognizant, TCS and Wipro. I was pretty sure I was going to go for a job and hopefully, prepare for CAT 2022 along with it. Surprisingly, I got a good percentile in CAT with which I was eligible to apply to various IIMs and IITs. I was determined to not do MBA from a private college so, I skipped those applications. Most MBA aspirants would know that to get into colleges, there are two more steps after CAT. One is WAT (Writing Ability Test) and the other is a Personal Interview. Some institutes conduct group discussions as well. Due to COVID, most of the institutes I applied to limit the process to a personal interview. As I have given interviews for my placement previously and having aced them all, I was confident about my personal interviews. Prior to my application to IIT Dhanbad, I received calls from few IIMs. Their admission process was a great experience and it helped me in my interview to IIT Dhanbad. IIT Dhanbad personal interview came after. In the interview, first I was asked to show my CAT score card, my 10th and 12th mark sheet and final semester mark sheet of engineering. The panellists started off by asking me some general questions and some situational questions. Thankfully, I could answer them all with confidence. Finally, they asked me about selections from any other institutions, to which I talked to them about a call from IIM Rohtak. Then, the panellists asked me, what if you convert to IIM Rohtak and IIT Dhanbad?
My answer was,” As an Engineering Student, studying at an IIT is my dream, it would be an incredible opportunity to experience the way of life at an IIT, also it is nearer to my hometown of Asansol which 60 km away from Dhanbad, fees are affordable, placements are satisfying, and it is an IIT.” After the interview, I had a feeling that I would be selected and after a month I got a positive response. I converted my dream institute. Now as a part of DMS, IIT Dhanbad, I can say that the entire process was worth it. As I am writing this article, I have been a part of the Department of Management Studies for a month and I must say, I made the right choice coming here.