IIM Bangalore PGP Interview Experience
Venue: IIM Bangalore, Bannerghatta Road, Bangalore
Date and Time : 12 Feb 2019, 02:00 PM
CAT18 Score : 99.88 (Sectionals 97.5+)
Class 10 = 91.xx
Class 12 = 86.xx
Engineering : 82.xx
Work Experience : 30 completed months as Software Engineer
Document Verification started exactly at 01:00 PM and I reached just on time.
WAT Topic : Rote learning is getting replaced by Modern collaborative methods.Compare the merits of both and write a short note.
WAT was for 30 minutes with 250 words as the limit. A big A4 sized sheet was provided and we could write only on one side. The other side was for rough work. We were given first 10 mins to think and 20 mins to write.
WAT timings : 14:00-14:35
WAT prep : 3/5
WAT performance : 3/5 (It was Okay, could have written more but the space provided was very less.)
I was sixth in the panel. All of us had 25 mins interviews with break of 2-5 mins in between.
There were 3 panelists, one male professor who was about 55 years old, one female professor of about 45 years of age and one alumni who was about 50 years old.
I was not asked for the documents which I was carrying and kept those in my lap for the entire duration.
Q1: At Dell, what do you do?
And : My team works on a product which collects health information of device and predict failures, saving critical data for organizations and individuals due to system and software crashes. I have won xyz awards and initiated abc transformations at office.
Q2: The product which you make covers or you support other manufacturers also?
Ans: Only dell and the companies which we have acquired. No one outside.
Named a few companies which we acquired. Told their products. How we together are a bigger group and face challenges from competitors. Somewhere mentioned razor-and-blade sales strategy. I don't know why and how.
Q3: when was it launched ??
Ans: For enterprises, 5 years back. For clients, 3 years back.
Q4. What does a product manager do? Why do we need them?
And : Requirement analysis to delivery, explain each step. They seemed satisfied.
Q5: When we were students, we had Computer Science and and now you guys study Computer Science Engineering.What's the difference?
Ans : Fumbled a bit, they asked me to retry. I told them it's about the application part. Earlier, CS was more theoretical. Now application based. They asked me to guess when did we witness this difference by educational institutes. I said, since most product companies started coming to India in early 2000s, hence this chance would be about 15 years old. They simply nodded and said nothing.
Q6: Why don't we have enough products by Indian software companies?
Ans : Lack of enough talent. (They said, we are IIMs. We provide vision and talent)
I said, lack of subsidies and help from govt as in case of China (they stopped me in between and said don't bring govt in between). Then I said, I don't know.
They kept asking me to think more.
I said, Indians do not have market to develop those products for. With new wave of internet with Jio,, most people can now access Internet. That was not the case earlier.
They told it's wrong. I finally said sorry and they decided to move on finally.(Checked online, this was touching the actual reason)
We discussed this for 5+ minutes, they were not willing to accept my answers at any cost. I finally said "Sorry, I can't answer this." They decided to move on. (I was crying on the inside while this was happening.)
Q7. What do you think about moving from traditional IT to cloud technologies?
Ans : Told that we are going this at office.
Q8: Which all industries need product managers?
Ans: Tech, Non-Tech manufacturing like Maruti Suzuki, consulting companies also hire product guys. Most CEOs are basically product owners and basically most product managers go on to become CEO.
Q9. Why do you think IIMB would help you become a product manager.
Ans : Named an elective subject, the prof who teaches and slight contents. They asked something about it, I replied. They were impressed since I knew the name of prof.
Q10. Size of IT industry and who are leaders in service domain?
Ans : Told the size of IT and names of top players
Q11. So you are from Bangalore?
Ans : Been here for 2.5 years, before that engineering in Dehradun, and lived in UP all my life before that.
They commented that how Dehradun and Bangalore have been ruined in last 20 years. I was not asked anything on this, they discussed amongst themselves. I just kept nodding.
Q12. How do Google Plus do? Did you like it as a product?
Ans : Chose 3 parameters and compared. I told them Google will shut it down soon. They told me google has already done that. I asked if support is available? They said they don't know. After reaching home, I realized that I screwed up one parameter. Rest 2 were fine.
Q13: What are your hobbies apart from Dell?
Ans : Cooking and playing cricket. I also told trekking but they cut me in between.
Q14: What do you cook?
Ans: North Indian food. Basic stuff.
Q15: Tell me the steps of your favorite dish?
Ans: Told them the steps to make Veg Pulao. I also told them that it is quite famous among my friends and I prepare it every Sunday for dinner. They said, it's not called pulao. I told them that it tastes nice and we are okay with it and I'm not sure what else is pulav. I somehow missed adding spices and salt (Thought of this after coming out of the interview room).
Q16: Do you play cricket with Tennis ball or Leather ball?
Ans: Both.(Took sometime to reply)
Q17: Do you think we should keep MSD in team for 2019 WC? Why not Rishabh Pant?
Ans: As a player, both are almost similar now. But Dhoni has a unique cricketing mind. A prime example : Last over of 2007 T20 WC when Joginder Sharma was given last over to bowl against Pakistan.
Panelists : Thanks Mayur. That's it. Do you have any question for us?
Mayur : No. Thanks all. :)
Duration : 23-26 minutes.
Interview Prep :4/5
Interview performance : 0.5/5 (Screwed up badly in the middle. I started shaking when I could not handle a few questions in between, but kept trying to maintain eye contact. 5 mins after the start of interview, I realized I should make hand gestures too.)
Note : There were a lot of small cross questioning and I tried to handle to the best of my will, but failed miserably in a few small questions, hence creating a non-positive impact overall on the panelists. I was done with my interview by 5:25 pm and then met 3 friends there. Finally departed from the lovely campus at 7:30 pm.
Update :
Verdict : Straight convert, will be joining.
Venue: IIM Bangalore, Bannerghatta Road, Bangalore
Date and Time : 12 Feb 2019, 02:00 PM
CAT18 Score : 99.88 (Sectionals 97.5+)
Class 10 = 91.xx
Class 12 = 86.xx
Engineering : 82.xx
Work Experience : 30 completed months as Software Engineer
Document Verification started exactly at 01:00 PM and I reached just on time.
WAT Topic : Rote learning is getting replaced by Modern collaborative methods.Compare the merits of both and write a short note.
WAT was for 30 minutes with 250 words as the limit. A big A4 sized sheet was provided and we could write only on one side. The other side was for rough work. We were given first 10 mins to think and 20 mins to write.
WAT timings : 14:00-14:35
WAT prep : 3/5
WAT performance : 3/5 (It was Okay, could have written more but the space provided was very less.)
I was sixth in the panel. All of us had 25 mins interviews with break of 2-5 mins in between.
There were 3 panelists, one male professor who was about 55 years old, one female professor of about 45 years of age and one alumni who was about 50 years old.
I was not asked for the documents which I was carrying and kept those in my lap for the entire duration.
Q1: At Dell, what do you do?
And : My team works on a product which collects health information of device and predict failures, saving critical data for organizations and individuals due to system and software crashes. I have won xyz awards and initiated abc transformations at office.
Q2: The product which you make covers or you support other manufacturers also?
Ans: Only dell and the companies which we have acquired. No one outside.
Named a few companies which we acquired. Told their products. How we together are a bigger group and face challenges from competitors. Somewhere mentioned razor-and-blade sales strategy. I don't know why and how.
Q3: when was it launched ??
Ans: For enterprises, 5 years back. For clients, 3 years back.
Q4. What does a product manager do? Why do we need them?
And : Requirement analysis to delivery, explain each step. They seemed satisfied.
Q5: When we were students, we had Computer Science and and now you guys study Computer Science Engineering.What's the difference?
Ans : Fumbled a bit, they asked me to retry. I told them it's about the application part. Earlier, CS was more theoretical. Now application based. They asked me to guess when did we witness this difference by educational institutes. I said, since most product companies started coming to India in early 2000s, hence this chance would be about 15 years old. They simply nodded and said nothing.
Q6: Why don't we have enough products by Indian software companies?
Ans : Lack of enough talent. (They said, we are IIMs. We provide vision and talent)
I said, lack of subsidies and help from govt as in case of China (they stopped me in between and said don't bring govt in between). Then I said, I don't know.
They kept asking me to think more.
I said, Indians do not have market to develop those products for. With new wave of internet with Jio,, most people can now access Internet. That was not the case earlier.
They told it's wrong. I finally said sorry and they decided to move on finally.(Checked online, this was touching the actual reason)
We discussed this for 5+ minutes, they were not willing to accept my answers at any cost. I finally said "Sorry, I can't answer this." They decided to move on. (I was crying on the inside while this was happening.)
Q7. What do you think about moving from traditional IT to cloud technologies?
Ans : Told that we are going this at office.
Q8: Which all industries need product managers?
Ans: Tech, Non-Tech manufacturing like Maruti Suzuki, consulting companies also hire product guys. Most CEOs are basically product owners and basically most product managers go on to become CEO.
Q9. Why do you think IIMB would help you become a product manager.
Ans : Named an elective subject, the prof who teaches and slight contents. They asked something about it, I replied. They were impressed since I knew the name of prof.
Q10. Size of IT industry and who are leaders in service domain?
Ans : Told the size of IT and names of top players
Q11. So you are from Bangalore?
Ans : Been here for 2.5 years, before that engineering in Dehradun, and lived in UP all my life before that.
They commented that how Dehradun and Bangalore have been ruined in last 20 years. I was not asked anything on this, they discussed amongst themselves. I just kept nodding.
Q12. How do Google Plus do? Did you like it as a product?
Ans : Chose 3 parameters and compared. I told them Google will shut it down soon. They told me google has already done that. I asked if support is available? They said they don't know. After reaching home, I realized that I screwed up one parameter. Rest 2 were fine.
Q13: What are your hobbies apart from Dell?
Ans : Cooking and playing cricket. I also told trekking but they cut me in between.
Q14: What do you cook?
Ans: North Indian food. Basic stuff.
Q15: Tell me the steps of your favorite dish?
Ans: Told them the steps to make Veg Pulao. I also told them that it is quite famous among my friends and I prepare it every Sunday for dinner. They said, it's not called pulao. I told them that it tastes nice and we are okay with it and I'm not sure what else is pulav. I somehow missed adding spices and salt (Thought of this after coming out of the interview room).
Q16: Do you play cricket with Tennis ball or Leather ball?
Ans: Both.(Took sometime to reply)
Q17: Do you think we should keep MSD in team for 2019 WC? Why not Rishabh Pant?
Ans: As a player, both are almost similar now. But Dhoni has a unique cricketing mind. A prime example : Last over of 2007 T20 WC when Joginder Sharma was given last over to bowl against Pakistan.
Panelists : Thanks Mayur. That's it. Do you have any question for us?
Mayur : No. Thanks all. :)
Duration : 23-26 minutes.
Interview Prep :4/5
Interview performance : 0.5/5 (Screwed up badly in the middle. I started shaking when I could not handle a few questions in between, but kept trying to maintain eye contact. 5 mins after the start of interview, I realized I should make hand gestures too.)
Note : There were a lot of small cross questioning and I tried to handle to the best of my will, but failed miserably in a few small questions, hence creating a non-positive impact overall on the panelists. I was done with my interview by 5:25 pm and then met 3 friends there. Finally departed from the lovely campus at 7:30 pm.
Update :
Verdict : Straight convert, will be joining.
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