Period - July 2013
Venue - Career Launcher, SRM University
The instructor was briefing the students on the top B schools present in India and the various written exams for them. That was the first time I heard of IIFT. A point that briefly registered in my mind were the 3 people he named who had gotten into IIFT after enrolling at the particular training/coaching centre. All of them, he claimed, had received offers above 18 LPA in their final placements. The name, IIFT, was consigned to a corner of my brain to be visited later.
A year later, after analysing placement reports, IIFT became one of the foremost among my target institutes. In the coaching institute, we were made to solve the previous years’ IIFT papers in 2 hour slots in order to give us a feel of the actual paper. The significance of this only became apparent after the actual exam.
Fast forward to 23
rd November 2014. The day of the written examination dawned. I had forgotten to bring along my watch. The centre was a government women’s college and of course no clocks. Luckily, the guy next to me agreed to keep his watch between us on the writing table.
One of the reading comprehensions detailed the rise and fall of the English soccer club ‘Wigan Athletic’ and the role of their manager, Roberto Martinez. Another featured some decorated war general and his exploits. I stuck to my gameplan and was more or less satisfied after the paper.
IIFT was the first among premier B-schools to declare their results, in December. Being less internet savvy than the average person, I got to know the same through some friends. Then came the less flashy part involving scouring over news articles and researching FDI, Make in India and alike.
Likewise, IIFT was also one of the earliest among other B-schools to conduct its GD-PI process. On the morning of 2
nd February, 2015. I realized that I was one of the very few who had neglected to wear a blazer to the process. And boy, did the other candidates look intimidating, in their black suits discussing foreign policy and what not. I seriously felt like a kid among grown-ups, chiding myself for not having prepared better.
The best thing about the GD were the 2 minutes that IIFT gave the candidates to express their thoughts and opinion before opening the discussion to floor. Speaking my bit without interruption calmed my nerves and relaxed me overall which meant that my interview went well enough.
Finally, after weeks of anticipation, the 3
rd week of March brought the results and the feeling of elation which accompanies a sense of achievement. I had secured admission to Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (I.I.F.T.). It gave me the belief that I had at least taken the first step to set my career on the right track. As we are on the threshold between first and second year of MBA, I reflect upon the past 1 year with a sense of achievement, immense learning and having spent great time and created positive memories.
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About the author:
Kolkata Knight Riders and Manchester United fanatic
Batman and Game of Thrones fan
Like reading action thrillers and mythology