On March 3, I attended a personal interview at SJMSOM, IIT Bombay. I would like to start by mentioning that this was among the most structured and chilled-out interview experiences I have had.
About 2 weeks ago, we were assigned a buddy in case we had any doubts regarding the interviews, admissions, or any general queries that we might have for SJMSOM. And a couple of days before the interview, we were given instructions for the platform that we would be using during our interview. I heard of that platform from my friend who gave his interview last year, but I did not think of it to be that wholesome experience. And just a day before the interview, we were given a link to test the Gather Platform at night. To make myself a little more relaxed, I went out to test the platform experience. It was a totally fun platform. I met a couple of people and had a chat about their profiles. Along with this, we also got our panel, slot, and group buddy information. My slot timing was from 8 AM to 1 PM. I joined the platform, and soon our group buddy gave out the order in which our panel would be proceeding with the interview. We had 10 members in the group, and I was the fifth one to go for an interview. The interview procedure was significantly different from what I had seen at other B-schools. While waiting for my turn, I spoke with other candidates and admission team members to learn more about their interview experiences, making the total interview experience extremely comparable to the real thing. Aside from that, there were games and entertainment available on the Gather platform for enjoyment.
When my turn came, there were 3-panel members, all-male, and they were all kind. The first question which I was asked was about all the other interview calls I have, then from there, it went on to my profile, then work experience related, then some current affairs, then my interests, and some questions on startup culture. Within 15 minutes, my interview was done. I would rate this neither as my best nor my worst. It was a good interview, covering all aspects of my profile.
Overall, I would say that the PI process at SJMSOM was unique and a chilling experience for me.