Interview Date: 24th March, 2019.
Interview Location: IIT Kharagpur Extension Centre, Salt lake, Kolkata.
Profile: Computer Science Engineer, 2.5 years work ex at TCS.
I had my interview scheduled in the morning slot. The reporting time was 8:00 AM. I reached there by 7:30. We were taken to the conference room in the 1st floor of the building. After the attendance, they distributed tags to all aspirants. This was followed by a video prepared by the admissions committee. We also interacted with an alumni of VGSoM. After this, we were divided into 4 panels, with 14 members in each panel. We were taken to different rooms for the WAT.
The WAT Topic was
“Should training in paramilitary forces for 2 years be made compulsory for all citizens?” We were given 15 minutes to write about the topic. Although there was no word limit, we were given 3/4th of an A4 size paper to write.
I was the 2nd last member in my panel. So, after a long wait of around 2 hours, I proceeded for my interview. There were 2 male panelists (P1 and P2).
P1: Tell me something about yourself.
Me: Answered my well prepared answer.
P1: So you teach students? How many students ? Which class ?
Me: Presently, 3 students of classes 3 and 4.
P2: So, how do you explain them the concept of division ?
Me: Told about how I would ask them to divide a single bar of a Kit-Kat among themselves. Thereafter, I would go into the mathematical terminologies. Also explained them how we can have a supposedly 10cm of Kit-Kat divided among three students, and the remaining 1 cm is actually the remainder.
P2: Ok, tell me how would you teach them the concept of fractions.
Me: Told about how I would ask them to fill 3 glasses of water from a bottle and then ask them how much part of water from the bottle each one would have.
P2: Ok, tell me how would you teach them the concept of multiplication.
Me: Told about how I would give them 2 sweets each and ask them to find the total number of sweets I need to have to make this distribution. Also, told them the concept of repetitive addition and how multiplication would help us calculate the value if the number of students were 50 instead of three. Thereafter, I would teach them multiplication tables.
P2: Now, this one for you. Calculate the binary equivalent of 345.
Me: Calculated.
P2: In which direction do you write the 1’s and 0’s?
Me: From the bottom to the top, sir.
P2: What is the significance of 1’s and 0’s?
Me: Told them a bit about digital signals. P2 asked me to explain in voltage terms. Explained.
P1: Ok, calculate the value of log 100 (to the base 2).
Me: Calculated.
P1: Have you changed the bases?
Me: Yes, sir and showed them how I approached this problem.
P2: Ok, tell me something about cloud.
Me: Answered a bit about cloud computing and explained some of its advantages.
P2: You use Facebook. Where is the data stored?
Me: Answered.
P1: Some general knowledge. How many CMs of states have become PM of the nation ?
Me: Sir, Narendra Modi.
P1: Yes, some more. Start counting. (They started laughing)
Me: I don’t know, sir.
P2: Ok, we are done. Thank you.
Me: Thank you, sir.