In our efforts to help Aspirants this season, we got Professor Munish Thakur, Admissions Chairperson - XLRI on InsideIIM for a LIVE Chat. Here is the transcript of the chat.
Last Date to apply for XAT is
November 30th, 2014. Apply
here
Ravi Kiran Sir, I would like to know the individual weight age given to XAT, work-ex, GD, PI in XLRI final admission?
Prof. Munish Thakur 65 – XAT, 5 – Work-ex, 10 – GD, 10 - PI + essay + GK + academics
Ravi Kiran Sir, I work as a faculty at a local training institute. They don’t have pay slips as they pay me by cash. But they agreed to give work ex certificate. Is it sufficient in case I get shortlisted for GD/PI at XLRI?Sir, since you told proof of salary drawn in must I don’t have pay slips, but I mentioned that in work experience field in XAT form. What should I do now? I already worked for Accenture for 19 months and I have pay slips from that organization but not from present organization. Please advice
Prof. Munish Thakur Some proof of salary drawn is must. We would accept your Accenture experience.
Ravi Kiran Sir, what parameters do you look for a candidate in Interview process to decide his admission?
Prof. Munish Thakur Above 95%ile...but those who get in finally are mostly 98 plus.
Ravi Kiran Sir, can u tell me the least percentile range of students got admitted to XLRI general category?
Prof. Munish Thakur 95 but 99% of them would be 97%+
Ravi Kiran Sir, for general awareness should we focus on static GK or current GK or business awareness. Which one would have major share in GK paper?
Prof. Munish Thakur Both static and dynamic.
Ravi Kiran Sir, I am a volunteer in a couple of NGO's. Is it worth mentioning it in XLRI form if I get shortlisted for GD/PI?
Prof. Munish Thakur Please mention.
Ravi Kiran Many persons with excellent XAT scores still couldn’t convert XLRI calls in spite of decent weight age given to XAT? What could have worked against them?
Prof. Munish Thakur Over-confidence or bad interview
Vishal Garg Sir, can we expect this seasons XAT to be a speed test on lines of CAT’14?
Prof. Munish Thakur Not really we do not focus on speed.
Vishal Garg Sir after how many years of work-ex, it doesn't matter anymore, and can its value fall also if duration is more than this optimum?
Prof. Munish Thakur Optimum work-ex for BM/HRM is 2-3 years.
Vishal Garg Sir, do elite colleges students like IITs have psychological (on interviewers end) upper hand in PI or negative since MBA colleges seem to be striving away from mass engineering intake?
Prof. Munish Thakur IIT do not have any upper hand, it depends on performance on the day.
Vishal Garg Sir if I be honest in PI and it gets revealed that IIMs were my first choice but I dint fair well in them so I m here, will it go against me?
Prof. Munish Thakur No XLRI has nothing to do with CAT
Vishal Garg Sir what is the weight age of grad score in merit list for getting a call?
Prof. Munish Thakur 5%
Vishal Garg Sir, does having work-ex in consultancy give an edge over work-ex in IT?
Prof. Munish Thakur No but consultants can sometimes give better answers
Vishal Garg Sir what whom would you rate more in a PI honesty or excellence?
Prof. Munish Thakur Honesty because we believe honesty leads to excellence in the long run
Vishal Garg Sir in verbal ability does XAT tests direct vocabulary more than any other exam?
Prof. Munish Thakur No
Shishir Agarwal Sir, CAT being comparatively easy in 2014 as compared to previous years, what do we expect out of XAT 2015?
Prof. Munish Thakur It would be more of accuracy test.
Abhipsa Mishra What is the percentage of fresher’s (people with zero work-ex) taking admission in XLRI? Does XLRI prefer people with work-experience over freshers?
Prof. Munish Thakur We don’t differentiate between freshers and work-ex, except giving some extra marks for work-ex (out of five).
Abhipsa Mishra what are the usual sectional cutoffs for Decision Making of the people who finally make it to XLRI?
Prof. Munish Thakur 94+
Abhipsa Mishra My academics are as follows - Xth : 94.71% , XIIth : 85.33%, and B.tech (currently in my final year) : CGPA 8.22 (till 6th sem)
Prof. Munish Thakur Good academics.
Abhipsa Mishra Any final handy tips for XAT 2015?
Prof. Munish Thakur 1. Consider XAT different from CAT 2. Relax and apply your mind 3. Do not over-prepare
Anant Utkarsh Hello Sir! Does GK affect the overall percentile? Does it have a cut-off as well?
Prof. Munish Thakur GK is used in the final score and not at the time of call for interview.
Anant Utkarsh Do all XLRI has sectional cut-offs?
Prof. Munish Thakur In XLRI, we do have individual cut offs. They are in range of 85-92% in different sections.
Abhishek Singh Sir, what do you look in a candidate in GD/PI?
Prof. Munish Thakur S/he should be confident about things s/he has done + driven by values.
Abhishek Singh Sir, does college really matters I am from Punjabi University?
Prof. Munish Thakur No, the college does not matter. We have students from ordinary college as well as from IITs.
Rohit Gupta Sir, I am Prime Ministers Development fellow has been recruited by Ministry of Rural development and working with Collectors of Naxal affected areas for streamlining the various centrally sponsored programmes. We are paid Stipend of 75000 per month? Will it be counted as work experience?
Prof. Munish Thakur Yes.
Rohit Gupta Sir, weight age of academics (10th, 12th and grad).
Prof. Munish Thakur 5%
Sneha Mohanty Sir, I am working in our family business now. I have put that as my work ex. Will it be considered or not? I can get the experience letter and everything.
Prof. Munish Thakur No, however I would look into your case at the time of interview and decide
Anil Kumar Sir is there any preference for non technical guy?
Prof. Munish Thakur No, preference for non-techie though we would like little more techies in our batches.
Swamy Kokkiligadda Sir I am 2013 pass out not having any relevant work-ex. If I get a reasonable percentile do I have a chance?
Prof. Munish Thakur It is difficult but if you have good XAT and GD you can get in.
Swamy Kokkiligadda Sir is there any category wise cutt-offs for XLRI?
Prof. Munish Thakur Not really.
Swamy Kokkiligadda Sir my friend completed B.tech in 2012 but passed out in 2013 February. He doesn’t have any relevant work ex because in these two years he made trials for cricketing career but he gave up now and want to pursue management studies he didn’t take CAT and wants to appear for XAT what do u suggest sir he had Xth-76, X-11-86, B.tech 62.3 he asked me what should I suggest he is good at Maths and English.
Prof. Munish Thakur he can take XAT we would love to have cricketer in XLRI.
Last Date to apply for XAT is
November 30th, 2014. Apply
here
Rohan Kaul Sir, my question is that I been hearing this from many people if "one isn't having good academics records its extremely tough to get in XLRI. I am having average records stated as X-73,, X|| -62 and B.tech 58 ( but in final semester I scored 91 and stood third) do you think past will haunt me to get in XLRI.
Prof. Munish Thakur it is difficult because of competition and not because of policy from XLRI.
Rohan Kaul Good XAT mean I need to get more than 99 percentile then only XLRI will consider my case?
Prof. Munish Thakur Not 99 but 98 or 97.5 plus.
Rohan Kaul Sir I graduated in 2014 (actually it would have been Sept 2013 but because of 3 backlog it was extended to next year) but I was working since may 2013 so XLRI will take into account my work ex from 2013 or after may 2014. If we go by may 2013 then I would hold 22 months of work ex n kind of advantage during interview.
Prof. Munish Thakur From 2014.
Raghu Menon Sir, Can I mention international research internships as experience?
Prof. Munish Thakur No.
Raghu Menon Sir, The Internship was for a period of 8 Months. I have proof for the same. Is it a valid experience? I ask because I had quite an interesting profile which I would like to highlight.
Prof. Munish Thakur Then we would have to look into details to decide at the time of interview.
Raghu Menon Sir, how do we mention extra-curricular or co-curricular achievements? In a resume at the time of Interview verified?
Prof. Munish Thakur At the time of interview bring all your certificates.
Raghu Menon Sir what about domain hoppers? I have worked as a researcher, then as a Project Associate at an IIT and now as a manager in an aerospace company. Would The Interview panel see a lack of commitment or would then see a varied knowledge base?
Prof. Munish Thakur No.
Raghu Menon Should you write a proper and professional essay? or an Artistic essay? is there a right way to write an XAT essay?
Prof. Munish Thakur Professional.
Raghu Menon CAT website had a Mock CAT. XAT website could have uploaded a Mock XAT. I know CAT did it to familiarize students to the online test format, but XAT can use it to familiarize students to the structure of XAT.
Prof. Munish Thakur We can do it thinking that it is same as CAT.
Praveenkumar Vps Sir, does XLRI provide any scholarship other than the external scholarship?
Prof. Munish Thakur Yes, we do provide.
Divya Yadav Sir, I do have work experience but that was in WIPRO BPO and BARCLAYS BPO will that be considered.
Prof. Munish Thakur Yes, but it may be given as much weight age as other experience.
Hardik Sanghavi Sir, should we apply to XLRI also apart from XAT before 30th Nov?
Prof. Munish Thakur Yes.
Cat Aspirant Sir, rationale behind having such a difficult paper in the same time frame as IIFT when you can have an easy paper?
Prof. Munish Thakur You can expect easier paper compared to previous XAT papers.
Cat Aspirant Sir, are multiple answers correct in the questions of Decision Making?
Prof. Munish Thakur Absolutely yes.
Cat Aspirant Sir, does XLRI want people from business families who want to go back to family business?
Prof. Munish Thakur We want good students they may come from any background
Shaikh Tariq Mobin Sir what is the CGPA conversion criteria for XLRI?
Prof. Munish Thakur No conversion same as in your certificate.
Shaikh Tariq Mobin Sir in XAT form it is asking for the %age score but we get a CGPA on a scale of 10. So what should we fill? I am enrolled in an Integrated B.Tech and M.Tech course and my completion date for Bachelors as well as post graduate is same and we also do not have different CGPA for B.Tech and M.Tech. So what should I do?
Prof. Munish Thakur Mention your overall CGPA in the percentage column.
Shaikh Tariq Mobin Do post graduate students have any benefit in selection process?
Prof. Munish Thakur No.
Rohit Gupta my previous organisation used to pay me by cheques how can I bring pay slip as proof ,but I have relieving letter from my last organisation will it do ?
Prof. Munish Thakur Yes.
Mohamed Rameez Sir I am doing my M-Tech in Clinical Engineering at IIT Madras. Will it be a problem in the interviews that I am interested to pursue an MBA after completing my M-tech? Do acadenics and extra-curricular carry weight age in interview? I have 88% in 10th,12th and 8.3 CGPA in B-Tech and M-Tech.
Prof. Munish Thakur Not really.
Ashutosh Hirulkar In decision making questions is it explicitly mentioned that more that one option can be correct?
Prof. Munish Thakur Only one is correct. It is always mentioned.
Harieswar Reddy Sir, I would like to know if the XAT pattern will change this year?
Prof. Munish Thakur No paper would be slightly easy compared to last year.
Harieswar Reddy Sir, what is the number of seats XLRI offers for its exchange programme
Prof. Munish Thakur 30-40.
Divya Yadav Also, sir I have filled the form only for general management in XLRI. Can I also fill for HR also now?
Prof. Munish Thakur Yes, you can do that
(Last Date to apply for XAT is
November 30th, 2014. Apply
here)
Rahul S Nair Sir will work exp between 5-6 years be counted as detrimental factor during interview?
Prof. Munish Thakur Not really.
Rahul S Nair I am asking because 5-6 years is considered on higher side for Indian MBA and I don’t find anyone with that exp in XL( by going through last year profile given on website) ?
Prof. Munish Thakur You are right but we would reject you purely on that basis we want good students the experience is not that important
Hardik Sanghavi Sir, how many seats are on offer for a General Management course in XLRI, Jamshedpur?
Prof. Munish Thakur 120
Sahith Reddy Sir, my Academics X-92.16,Xii-92.2 and b.tech(pursuing final year)-69. does my low acads in B.Tech minimize my chance in fetching me a call from XLRI( if I score 98+ percentile)?
Prof. Munish Thakur Not much . If you can convince the panel.
Rohan Kaul As CAT always have fav topics in QUANT from which they always ask question. Does XAT too ask questions from topics which comes more often?
Prof. Munish Thakur We try and maintain the balance but sometimes we may not be able to do the justice.
Gautham S Sir, any advice on how to go about general awareness preparation both for the exam and interview?
Prof. Munish Thakur Score more than 6 marks
Kathan Bhatt I have done my schooling from Xavier’s Loyola. Will there be any advantage for students who were part of one of the Xavier’s institution?
Prof. Munish Thakur No
Last note from Prof. Munish Thakur
Pleasure talking to you all! Wish you good luck for XAT and other examinations!
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Last Date to apply for XAT is
November 30th, 2014. Apply
here
Reach out to Team InsideIIM to know more about our partners this season XLRI, MICA, MISB Bocconi, MYRA School of Business, Great Lakes, TAPMI. We are available
here
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