Had my 3rd interview and the MAT today.
Had the email (w/o any timing) arrive in my inbox on the 22nd. I was in Mumbai, but had opted for Calcutta as the centre in the application, as it used to be my parents' address till even a few weeks ago. Now, I was in Mumbai, with the call on 25th and getting intimated on the 22nd (it was ~6.30 pm when I checked my mail)
I had a tkt for Calcutta starting 25th tho' in order to attend my univ. reunion on the 28th. Luckily I managed to get a tkt done that evening itself and started for Cal on 23rd. Landed this morning, got into my house, did a bit of cleaning and dashed to the centre (which thankfully was ~10 minutes from my house) w/o any breakfast!!
Till today had been no response to my mail and repeated calls for the time of the interview!!
Anyway- made to the centre at 9- a swam of ~ 30 candidates were waiting in a room, while the faculty were ambling into the building.
The process was being handled by several students and one prof. (who was in my 2nd round panel).
One of the students came up with a registration list and after hearing me, immediately declared "u're here to take the MAT" and segregated with a bunch of 3 other guys, with similar situations. After some time, we were told the order in which we'd need to appear.I was 3rd in the order, and around 10:05 I was called into a room where 2 elderly gentlemen were sitting. They were too old to be faculty and I guessed they might be on the trustees/governing boards...no intro-s were allowed both ways. Later I learnt that one of them was a Brigadier. Big deal!
Questions were:
1. Give a real-life example (regarding a point I made in my family values essay)
Some Qs regarding my job from which the example was drawn.
2. Enquiry into why I quit my job. Commented that it was unthinkable in his times- so is it so easy to quit and get a job nowadays? I was hard pressed to make him understand what "24X7" means! He also kept speaking of my experience lessened by 1 year! Senility or what!
3. The worst decision you've made in your life and why. (They did not buy- it could be my next one - XAT style but forced me to come out with an example
)
4. How was your CAT? What's your percentile? Why do you think you had problems in QA (after I spoke of it), considering that u r an engineer and engrs are supposed to be good in ....
5. There's a general perception that honest people are not allowed their way as managers in an organization. What do u feel about it/ ur opinion?
You may leave now.
On I went to the MAT. A speed test or what!
A total of 50 questions with 1 line answers for 30 minutes. A self appraisal on what ur elders, friends, colleagues, superiors and u think of urself- 6 Qs with 3/4 line answers in 15 minutes, a 10 min. round where u r required to fill up ur grades/ percentages/extracurricular and sports achievements in tabular form and write on ur most significant personal and professional achievements till date.
Was lagging in time; then increased my speed to be just about able to complete it in 55 mins. Donno if the handwriting would be legible or what
That's it for now. It's more humid here in Cal than in Mumbai. Taking baths and keeping my cool
All the best to all of u (and myself) for the next round or rounds....
Keep posting in ur experiences in this confusing sequence!
Cheers
maloy
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