IIM CALCUTA GD/PI EXPERIENCE QUESTIONNAIRE

PERSONAL DETAILS:
Name: Suneet Kumar
Education: B.Tech Electrical Engineering
IIT Kharagpur
Kharagpur.
Year of passing out: May 2005.
WORK EXPERIENCE:
Duration of Total work experience: nil
Company last worked for: N.A.
Position: N.A.
CAT PERCENTILES:
Overall: 99.99
Verbal: 97.15
Quantitative: 99.85
DI/Reasoning: 100.00
IIM C calls: PGDM/PGDCM/BOTH
Final calls: B, C, L, I, K
GD/PI venue: IIM Calcutta
GROUP DISCUSSION:
Topic of the GD: Do we need Governors?
No. of participants in the GD: 8-10
Time Limit and any other instructions: 12-15 minutes.
Whether asked to summarize the GD: Asked for special comments from anyone (if any) at the end
Whether a written summary of the GD was asked: No
THE GD EXPERIENCE: (please provide at least 5 lines of description)
The topic was quite expected as there were controversies over the actions of governors in three states
Bihar, Jharkhand, and Goa. Those actions made headlines that week/fortnight and we werent really
surprised at the topic. There were two professors in our panel, and one alumnus from IIMC. We were
sitting around a square table unlike other GDs where we had a semicircular arrangement.
GD was very peaceful and people were left without any major points to contribute after the first 7-8
minutes. From there, it was just how to pass the time. Everyone tried to speak for a few times and give

others opportunity to speak as well. There was no fish-market kind of scene in the whole GD and it was
very quiet one. People cited examples from the past where governors had done something good, why we
have them in the first place, and other such things.
How would you rate the Chaos level in the GD (on a scale of 1-10, 1 being most peaceful 10 being most
chaotic): 2/10.
Any observations on mistakes you committed in the GD: I didnt speak much on the topic as there
werent many novel points to be spoken. People were citing examples from the recent developments which
everyone knew and I didnt feel like saying them. But some people did and it may have contributed to
their GD marks.
Any observations of what you could have done better in the GD: After a year, I believe that it does not
matter what you know but what others think you know. So, anything you dont say there is taken as if you
dont know about it. If you think anything is relevant to the topic, however trivial, just speak it before
anyone else does. Its not about giving the solution to the problem, but about scoring some marks in those
15-20 minutes.
Any tips for GD preparation: Be aware of the recent developments in politics and finance. Follow a
newspaper daily for at least 2 months from now on till the actual GD. Also, its better to organize yourself
in groups of 7-8 for practicing GDs. Also, keep changing the group composition as it gets very informal
once you know the group members really well.
Also, you need not arrive at a conclusion in the GD. You can both be for and against the topic citing
reasons and rationale for both. They just want to check your understanding and communication skills,
nothing else.
PERSONAL INTERVIEW:
No of interviewers in the Panel: 3
List of the questions asked and your responses:
(Intro questions/academics based questions/work experience based/general awareness/personal questions)
The interview started off with the standard opening question Tell me something about yourself.
One of the professors was from my institute (IIT Kharagpur), so he asked a few things about the recent
developments there. Then the other professor asked me about my favorite subjects in engineering. He
asked me list five of them and asked the reasons why I liked them.
Then I was some questions on my family, particularly my brother and sister. Then they asked me about my
hobbies and quizzed me on that (reading novels). I was asked about my favorite novel and asked to
summarize it. Then they asked me why I liked it.
They also asked me some fundas about Free Trade agreements of India with other countries, ASEAN,
SAARC and SAFTA.
Any observations on mistakes you committed in the PI: I wasnt prepared for questions on my hobbies
and the novel summary that I was asked to give was perhaps the worst part of my interview.

Any observations of what you could have done better in the PI: I could have been better prepared on my
hobby especially on my favorite novel. Also, the interview wasnt much technical and it was more of
simple interaction. I could have been better prepared with personal questions like tell me about yourself
and why MBA.
Any tips for Personal Interview preparation:
Prepare on atleast 3 subjects from your academic background. You may be asked to list the subjects
you like and also to explain why you like them. Needless to say, you may be grilled on the in depth
funda on those subjects if anyone in the panel happens to be from the same background.
Be prepared with questions related to your family as well as hobbies. Prepare to speak on your
hobby for atleast fifteen minutes.
Try to read newspapers daily and follow atleast one business magazine.
Prepare on personal questions.