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25 February, 2025

10 minutes Read

XLRI PI Experiences 2025: GD-WAT Topics & Personal Interview Transcripts

XLRI PI Experiences 2025 are here! In this blog, we have combined XLRI-HRM and BM's recent Personal Interview Experiences, Group Discussions, and WAT topics. The GD and WAT are conducted on the same topic, with the WAT following the GD. For downloadable PI transcript materials click here. Stay tuned to this space, we will keep updating the topics as and when they become available.

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XLRI 2025: GD and WAT HRM Topics

Should Employees have the right to decline work-related calls post-work hours?
Should Gig workers be given the same rights as full-time employees?
Will technology and AI make traditional management obsolete?
Employee unions are detrimental to organizational well-being.
Organizations that pay more extract more from an employee.
Failure is more of a roadblock than a stepping stone in entrepreneurship.
The only solution to work-life balance is less pay
Are freshers a good fit for HR?

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XLRI 2025 GD and WAT BM Topics

Diversity efforts in an organization are more of a compliance checkbox than a genuine commitment.
Businesses should not care about Sustainability but Profit
Startups can not compete with large organizations.
Should companies engage in social activities?
Automation is killing more jobs than creating them
Data Privacy is more of a business commodity than a fundamental right.
Mergers and acquisitions are based on ego rather than business strategy.

(for reference on the above topics read here - InsideIIM’s GK Blogs)

XLRI PI Experiences 2025

Transcript- 1

XLRI BM Mumbai 21/2 afternoon slot

Profile GEF 9/8/8 mech engineering with ~2 years workex

XAT %ile 99.9

Mine was the last interview of the day.

Panelists M1, M2, F1

F1: so you had a very long wait. What did you do to pass the time?

M2: you worked at the company, why did you leave that? Why did you leave the startup? What happened to the startup after you left?

F1: if you are working and your boss is stubborn and not accepting your ideas, how would you approach it?

M1: in your SOP you have written about digital transformation, can you give an example of that?

I gave an example related to my work

M1: what impact did it have? Did it have a positive impact?

F1: in your previous company, what measures were taken to be sustainable? Is it possible to do it long term? Will there be demand when the price increases because of the sustainable methods implemented? Have you heard of greenwashing? Does it happen in today's world?

M2: ok we don't have any more questions, take something before you leave (there were cookies and cashews and toffees)

Transcript 2

XLRI HRM- Mumbai, 21/2, afternoon slot

GD- Gig workers deserve the same benefits as full time employees

3 panelists- M1, M2, M3

I was the second last for the day.

- so you're an architect? what kind of subjects do you have?

- are you working somewhere right now?

- what kind of projects are you working on?

- where is this firm based? why are their projects focused in this city?

- why hrm after architecture? there's no link at all. (tried to defend but they were not convinced)

- when is your bm interview? which one do you prefer, bm or hrm? (tried to answer diplomatically)

- no no, completely conversationally, tell me which one you're more keen on. (told bm)

- good. i appreciate the honesty. you mentioned a conflict here in your internship. tell us more about it.

- would you say you're a passive person?

- do you think this conflict happened because you were both girls?

- describe the coworker in 3 words.

- if you had to design a green building, how would you do it?

- you talked about sustainable materials- name a few.

- does sustainable architecture increase the cost of construction significantly?

- if it's not a significant increase, what's stopping more people from doing it?

- why does a layman not use solar panels in their homes?

- you were a student at this college, right? what is their admission process like?

Done. Lasted 15 minutes, super chill (That may have been because I said I leaned towards BM though). A few people before me had very long and harsh grilling interviews. M3 didn't ask any questions.

Transcript-3

XLRI BM

23rd Feb, Afternoon Slot, Delhi.

Profile: 9/9/8, Bachelor's in Urban Design, Freelance research work post-graduation in May 2024. XAT: 99.72

Panel 1, 2nd in my Panel (8 people in each panel)

GD Topic: Brands tend to be politically correct at the cost of the business.

WAT on the same topic post-GD for 10 mins

3 Male Panelists (The two professors were marketing professors, found out later)

M1 Got my profile wrong initially and started asking out of someone else's profile. After he got it right,

M1: So what are the problems with green buildings in India

Started explaining, the high upfront cost of capital, and lack of awareness about passive design, then I mentioned that incentives by the center and state are not regularised, not the same.

M1: So which state gives maximum incentives and which gives minimum?

Answered that I wasn't sure about that.

M1: So what is the validity of your claim then?

Answered that I was sorry, I might have worded it wrong

M1: Yes, you should've mentioned that there is no mechanism from the center

Said yes, I'm sorry that is what I meant

M1: So if someone has to get a green building certification, how do they go about it?

Answered in detail about IGBC, GRIHA, LEED, identifying building typology, cost of registration, then feasibility, due diligence visit etc.

M1: Okay you have written you worked on research about Low Emission Zones, what are the institutional and financial gaps that you've mentioned, and how to solve them?

Answered in detail based on my thesis research

There were 2 to 3 more questions around the green building certification thing (part of my research work), but I can't recall clearly, but the intention was basically to try and stress me out, which I handled okay

M1: Okay, what are some unintended negative consequences of sustainable urban development

Took a minute, started answering, and said 2-3 points, he said post-construction and not before construction

I couldn't think of anything in particular but mentioned that it could take away funds from other more important projects and could lead to gentrification.He didn't seem very satisfied and then passed it on.

M2: You have mentioned Tier 1, 2 and 3 cities in one of your answers, where are you from? Which tier city is that and what is the classification?

Was answering based on population classification, but he asked again and again and I also got a little confused about it in between. In the end told him that I remembered this, but couldn't recall the exact numbers for Tier 3

Then suddenly, out of the blue,

M2: Do you know the types of teeth?

Didn't understand what he was saying, asked again

M2: Your parents are dental surgeons right, so do you know the types of teeth?

I said yes, and told him

M2: Good you know. So have you done any research projects?

Yes, the Thesis project on Low Emission Zones

M2: So how do you go about a research project? How do you start research?

Started answering, and establishing problem statements, research questions, methods, methodology

M2: So how do you establish the research question?

Started saying something about identifying the problem

M2: How are you identifying?

Based on data analysis, and rea of interest, started talking about my particular thesis, air quality research, and analysis

M2 started to cross questioning again and again on that, how do you establish, what do you do, tried to stress me out I think, I got a little stressed too but handled it a little bit

M2: So what exactly did you do in your research? Tell truthfully

I was like??? but anyway, started explaining it in detail, then he didn't ask more about that, thankfully

M2: So what do you like to do in your free time?

Answered that I dance, have learnt Kathak and enjoy painting and sketching

M2: So have you given any stage performances?

Told him that I had performed in school and college multiple times

M2: In which year in college did you participate?

Told that I was heading the dance club and participated in the fest every year

M3: Just one question, what kind of painting do you like to do?

Told him that I paint landscapes

M3: Oh interesting, so do you use oil pastels?

Told him that no, I use oil paint on canvas

M3: Oh that's great. That's all from our side. Have a great day, and enjoy the tea and coffee.

Overall, they were not friendly at all, not smiling and were just generally annoyed about something.

Tried to stress me out, and couldn't handle it properly in some situations, but handled it okay in some.

Went on for around 20-22 minutes

No TMAY, acads, Why BM, Why XLRI, nothing about that.

Also Read:

Transcript 4

TRANSCRIPT :

PGDRM HRM , B1 , DELHI

9/9/8 profile, GEM, 2.5 years work ex, 1.5 years Gap, XAT: 99.84

3 panelist , 2 M , 1 F

P1:

Introduce yourself
you left your job in 2023, for any particular reason?
Questions about Workex and my role (5-6 questions around the same lines based on my answer)

P2:

What particular field you are particularly interested in HRM

I mentioned compensation and benefits but gave something about every other role as well

You in your gd mentioned Compensation can not be the only parameter. Do you want to change your stance now
⁠Why do you think companies offer different packages for different college( This was in my SOP)
⁠If a company gives you flexible working hours, but less pay will you accept it?
⁠What does Gen Z think of a work-life balance
⁠What do you think is a social status? What is the idea of a luxury life style for you?

P3:

Tell me some of the HR policies in your company.
Tell me something that you find good and something you find bad in these policies.
What could have HR done to better your experience(about the bad part)

There were a few other cross-questions as well based on my answer. I was candidate 2 but went 1st because the candidate was in the washroom. So the first impression was good for me as they mentioned ki you are already adjusting and thats very good.

The interview was chill, and very conversational but a bit grilling on the work ex part.

For more PI transcripts and downloadable content for WATPI check- InsideIIM’s PI Transcripts Bank