IIM CALCUTA GD/PI EXPERIENCE QUESTIONNAIRE

PERSONAL DETAILS:
Name: Srikar Adavi
Education: B.E Mechanical Engineering
Muffakham jah college of Engineering
Osmania University
Hyderabad.
Year of passing out: May 2004.
WORK EXPERIENCE:
Duration of Total work experience: 8 months
Company last worked for: T.I.M.E private ltd.
Position: Part time job as Material Developer and Faculty.
CAT PERCENTILES:
Overall: 99.85
Verbal: 99.83
Quantitative: 95.4
DI/Reasoning: 99.3
IIM C calls: PGDM/PGDCM/BOTH
Final calls:B,C,L,I,K
GD/PI venue: IIM Bangalore.
GROUP DISCUSSION:
Topic of the GD: There are no facts, only interpretations.
No. of participants in the GD: 8-10
Time Limit and any other instructions: 12-15 minutes.
Whether asked to summarize the GD: Dont remember
Whether a written summary of the GD was asked: Dont remember.
THE GD EXPERIENCE: (please provide at least 5 lines of description)
The topic being philosophical, it was subject to a huge variety of interpretations. One of the guys started
off with some thing about Advaita Philosophy and the teachings of Siddhartha. Each of us brought in
examples from different areas to speak for or against the topic. I brought in the philosophy of the movie
Matrix, and some ideas of the philosopher Descartes. Some one else brought in the Iraq war and issues
with western media. Most of us agreed with the topic and discussion was totally based on examples.

How would you rate the Chaos level in the GD (on a scale of 1-10, 1 being most peaceful 10 being most
chaotic): 3/10.
Any observations on mistakes you committed in the GD: I was talking of various characters in the movie
Matrix and didnt realize that the professors in the panel as well as some group members would not have
followed that movie so keenly as to understand what I was talking about. So moral is that its your job to
make sure, others understand what you are saying.
Any observations of what you could have done better in the GD:
Any tips for GD preparation: It pays to be well read. Read up slightly philosophical or personality
development books like that of Richard Bach and John Maxwell.
Be prepared for abstract topics, just in case.
PERSONAL INTERVIEW:
No of interviewers in the Panel: 3
List of the questions asked and your responses:
(Intro questions/acad based questions/work experience based/general awareness/personal questions)
The interview started off with the standard opening question Tell me about yourself. The panel was
interested in the unique name of my college and some discussion on that. Later on they asked me about my
academic record and asked me if I was happy with it and the reasons for it. One question was about my
rank in the Entrance examination for Engineering, and about why I couldnt do better in that. I told them
that I used to get tensed up during competitive exams. I also added that it was a thing of past and my CAT
performance confirms that.
One of the panel members asked me about the movie Matrix and the book Zen and the art of Motorcycle
maintenance which I mentioned in my GD. He went on to quiz me on some other philosophical works
which I had no clue of. Told the panel that I had limited knowledge in that area and they left it at that.
They then moved on to my academics. I was asked me to choose any favorite subject in Mechanical
engineering and I choose applied thermodynamics. Questions were about the principle of a Carnot engine
with diagram, difference between an engine and a turbine, difference between a reciprocating compressor
and a reciprocating engine etc. the panel was making sure through out that I was comfortable. They
skipped some questions and moved on, when they felt I was struggling with those.
Overall it was a pretty comfortable interview. No stress questions
Any observations on mistakes you committed in the PI:
Any observations of what you could have done better in the PI:
Any tips for Personal Interview preparation:
Pick out your favorite subjects in engineering/graduation and prepare them well. Concentrate on how you
explain the techy concepts to the panel in a simplified/ illustrative manner. For example, if you are a
comp sci engineer, think of how you would explain a techie funda like Data encryption to your kid brother
at home. You can check of howstuffworks.com to practice this.