18th march 2021
I was fortunate to be shortlisted for the SJMSOM, IIT Bombay interview call, and a little more than nervous to present myself in one of the premier institutes of not only the nation but the world, I searched all over the net, poked many seniors to get all insights that I could but realized it was different for everyone so just prepared myself and hoped for the best.
Covid led to online interviews for almost all the business schools this year, the process started early morning around 8:30 am, as it is an IIT there was more to the whole process, including a portal where we and the coordinators interacted through virtual avatars, and virtual campus tour (since we don’t know when will get the opportunity to actually be there) and we were divided based on our engineering stream (In IIT Bombay minimum four years of graduation is necessary to apply for MBA), and then one by one we were called for document verification and then interviews.
The panel consisted of a professor from the chemical engineering department (my engineering stream), a management professor from SJMSOM, and an alumnus of the institute.
All of them were quite supportive and patient with me, asked me about myself and a mix of academics, work experience, and personal questions to know my subject knowledge and maybe to analyze what kind of a person am I and would be a good fit, I felt heard even when I knew I was just blabbering with confidence, I was cross-questioned several times but lucky not to be drilled. The interview lasted around twenty minutes and the whole process a couple of hours after which I told to log out.
After the interview, I realized it is you, who directs everything and the panel rarely asks anything other than what you present.
It took some time with the results and the waitlist movement but it was worth the wait when I received the mail that I have been selected for the upcoming batch and I am thrilled to be part of the institute and the amazing journey ahead.