IIM Kozhikode WAT-Resume-PI Experience 2019

 WAT Topic: India's demography - dividend or liability?

Resume: Write about an incidence where your friends (team/subordinates) didn't agree with your decision. How did you handle the situation? 

Panel 4 – Seq 3

Two panellists, both male. Let’s call them P1 (M), P2 (M).

Duration: 15-20 minutes

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I entered the room and greeted them for a very good afternoon. They nodded and asked me to sit and asked for my file to see my certificates.

P1 (M): Hello Nilay, where do you exactly belong to?

Me: Yes sir, I was born in Bihar but was brought up in Delhi and so I completed my schooling in Delhi too.

P1 (M): You studied in SMVDU in J&K. How?

Me: (I told him about IIT-JEE MAINS, how my college was listed among the Central Government Funded Institutions and how I got a seat there to pursue undergraduate studies)

P1 (M): So SMVDU is in Katra, right?

Me: (I explained to him how my college is situated in a valley between Jammu and Katra. Therefore Reasi, not Katra)

P1 (M): Which places you have been there?

Me: I have never been to Kashmir valley but yes I have visited Katra, Patnitop and Nathatop.

P1 (M): Name any five districts of J&K?

Me: Kathua, Sambha, Reasi, Jammu and Udhampur.

P1 (M): How many total districts are there in J&K?

Me: Sorry sir, I don't know the exact number of districts there but if you want I can name a few more.

P1 (M): No, that's completely fine. Tell me who is the current Chief Minister of J&K?

Me: There is no CM there as of now. J&K is under President's Rule as PDP and BJP broke their alliance.

P1 (M): Who is the current Governor of J&K?

Me: Satya Pal Malik

P1 (M): What is President's Rule?

Me: (I explained it)

P1 (M): When does President's rule is imposed over a state?

Me: (I listed some conditions and cited the example of New Delhi when our current Cheif Minister Arvind Kejriwal resigns after 50 days of forming the government.)

P1 (M): So does President sit in the state? If yes, how would he control affairs if more than one state is under President's rule?

Me: No sir, He sits at the Center but controls the affairs concerning with the states under his rule and is supposed to pass any laws required to be imposed in these states.

P1 (M): Who is the Head of Executive of a state under President's rule?

Me: MISS 1: I said it's the President: (I later checked that it is always Governor.)

P1 (M): How is President of India elected?

Me: Miss 2: I said that the President is elected indirectly by the people of India. The Prime Minister and Rajya Sabha elect the President. (This is half of the election process)

P2 (M): So Nilay you are a fresher, right?

Me: Yes Sir!

P2 (M): Why didn't you take up a job?

Me: (I asked him to allow me to explain this and I started) Sir, I didn't sit in the placement process

P2 (M): Why?

Me: Sir, during the last year of my undergraduate studies I was working for an immigration firm.

P2 (M): Your college allowed that?

Me: Yes sir, as that work started with an internship which contributed to my Colloquium and later it was also my Major Project

P2 (M): Then?

Me: After completion of my undergraduate studies I was offered a position at Hyderabad but that would have required me to learn new skills. Also, I was highly motivated to do an MBA so, I decided to pursue my preparations for CAT.

P2 (M): So you want to do an easy job because you said you had to learn new things there?

Me: MISS 3: No sir, that was not the fact. I have been a Web Developer and the position required skills to develop an AI which is not my expertise. I would have to start back again from square zero and building an AI package takes years sometimes. Therefore, I decided to go with an MBA first as that was my preference first.  (I think I could have given a more convincing answer)

P2 (M): What was your graduation major?

Me: Computer Science & Engineering

P2 (M): Write a few Sorting Algorithms.

Me: I started writing a few when he stopped me at #4.

P2 (M): Four is okay, Now write the time complexities of all four.

Me: I wrote for all of them.

P2 (M): Which one is best and why?

Me: I said the choice of best algorithm depends on the input size as space complexity also comes in play. I tried to draw a parallel between Quick Sort and Merge Sort.

P2 (M): Which time complexity does 'O' represent?

Me: Worst-case Sir!

P2 (M): What is the difference between 'O' and 'o'?

Me: MISS 4: I was not aware of the exact difference and its mathematical significance and so decided to give it a thought.

I said "O is strict worst-case complexity but o is not" and  I admitted that I was not good with algorithms during my undergraduate studies. 

P2 (M): That would be all Nilay, Best of Luck. (with a smile)

I thanked them and left quietly.

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VERDICT: Converted

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Watch the reenactment video of my interview experience made by InsideIIM.com