This interview is for the course: (BM or HRM)
HRMOther calls: (other XL calls, other institute calls) XL-BM (Dont even have the courage to write the experience as was raped and would like to forget it as a nightmare), SPJain(Reject after Immersion)
XAT percentile: 97.14
Interview Centre: New Delhi
Educational Profile X: 87.6
XII: 85.4
Undergrad Major - GPA/%age: 76.2
Any other professional certification or course undertaken: NA
Work profile (if applicable) Number of months : 32
Sector/Industry : IT
Special achievements at work : Yes, but not asked/told in interviews :nono:
Other differentiating factors (anything great that you have done in life, that's out of the ordinary) :
Regarding GD/Group ExerciseGD/GE Topic:
(only if you had a GD/GE) GDP Growth and Farmer Suicide - The Real StoryNumber of participants: 8 Present, 4 Absent
Duration: 2 Minutes to Think, 12 Minutes to Discuss and 1 Minute to Conclude
Brief snapshot of discussion: Initiated the GD and spoke a lot with 7-8 quality entries. People were speaking at the same time so it was a bit chaotic. Either I was the best speaker or would have been considered as aggressive and hence the worst.(Read on and you would know why I am saying so) A couple of people were very quiet and a couple of them were speaking a lot.
About the panelPanelists Intro: P1 - Mrs Smitu Malhotra
P2 - T Bandyopadhyay
P3 -M G Joman
Me - Me, the Murgaa
Some words about the panel and its general behavior/conduct: Very chilled out panel, although they grilled me but no stress.
PI Questions: Was 1st to be called in
P2 - Sign on this sheet.
Me - Obliged
P2 - You had BM Call?
Me - Yes
P2 - When was the interview?
Me - 21st
P2 - So, what is your area of work in office?
Me - SAP XXXX...
P2 - What? (I repeat) Oh SAP.
Me - Yes sir but it should not be pronounced like that! (I hope he knew German mein Gaali hoti hai)
P2 - What is the full form of SAP?
Me - System Analysis and Products
P2 - Who is the client?
Me - Told
P2 - So, explain what you do
Me - Start explaining
P2- (cuts me) what is your team size
Me - Told
P2 - What is the break up, the hierarchy?
Me- Told
(P2 confused me a bit)
P2 - You are a Computer Engineer (takes the file from P3 and looks at the subjects). You remember Digital Signal Processing?
Me - No
P2 - Oh you had General Fitness also.must have got a A+ in that!!!
(Smiles all around) :grin:
Me - Can't say, but yes would have done well
P2 - What does a Compiler do?
Me - Told.
P2 - Which subject do you remember?
Me - (After a pause) Software Engineering
P2 - OSI Model layersName a few
Me - Physical, Application, Presentation.
P2 - So which is at the top?
Me - Presentation
P2 - Are you sure?
Me - Yes Sir (Ans is Application)
Also, there is Data Link Layer
There are 7 layers in total. Should I try to remember more?
P2 - No, you named 3 so that is fine (Seems satisfied and signals he is done. He was asking me questions as if he was doing a formality..in a very light mood)
(P3 takes over and grilling starts)
P3 - What was the topic of the Group Discussion?
Me - Told
P3 - Do you think everyone got an opportunity to speak in the GD?
Me - Yes sir, everyone got an opportunity but some people did not capitalize on their opportunities
P3 - Why did No 8 not speak?
Me - Sir, can't say but he did say Project Aadhar once..So he had an opportunity, an idea but did not capitalize.
P3 - Do you think it is good that a physically strong person beats up a physically weak person? (Must be referring to me. I was taken aback and shocked)
Me - Err.sir what?
(P2 jumps in)
P2- Did you not understand the question?
Me - Sir, if you are talking about the GD then I don't think the physical appearance matters unless you are physically obstructing someone. So it is not a question of physical strength.
P3 - Name few ways of "Obstruction" in a GD (Seems bit irritated)
Me - First is if people continue speaking at the same time like they were in this GDP3 Cuts me
P3 - Okay, so why do you think people did not speak? (Kitni baar poochoge sir)
Me - They didbut problem was that they were speaking at the same timehad opportunities
P3 - Do you think Farmers had opportunities?
Me - Yes
P3 tries to confuse me a bit
Me - Sir, are you asking about opportunities available to Farmers or people in GD??
P3 (grinning) - I am asking both at the same time!!what is the difference?? (Haan bada acha question poocha..holo aap khush)
Me - Farmers are illiterate, don't know how to use the opportunities, and don't have knowledge. But in GD people know what to expect and are prepared before they come.:grin:
P2 - Did you give others a chance to speak (asks in a very low voice)
Me - Tried to maintain a balance..Sir honestly speaking (Sheepish smileBacchhe ki jaaan loge kya abb. In the GD I had stopped twice and given others a chance
)
P2- Who was the best according to you in the GD, leaving yourself?
Me - The guy sitting on my left
P1 - He was quiet the whole discussion
Me - No not him
P1 - You mean the diagonally left. The guy who was speaking a lot??
Me - Yes, the 5th Guy.
P2 - Was he allowing others to speak? (Aapko ye banda culprit lag raha that toh mujhe kyu ye sab bola!)
Me - He was a mixed bag. At times he was listening, but most of the times he was speaking
P3 - So, you really liked the topic it seems (Wah Wah abb aaya mazaa):biggrin:
Me - Yes! , Actually I really like watching the political discussions on the news channels and this topic comes up regularly in different ways.
(Rapid Fire starts)
P3 - Who is the Petroleum Minister?
Me - S Jaipal Reddy
P3 - Railway Minister?
Me - Mukul Roy (P3 seems bit surprised with the quick replies)
P3 - His deputy? (Achaa Sirji meri maaroge abb aap !)
Me - You mean MoSI don't know:nono:
P3 - Home Minister?
Me - P Chidambram
P3 - MoS?
Me - Don't Know
P3 - Minister who is responsible for electricity?
Me- You mean Power Minister.dont know
Actually I knew the others as they had been in news recently, but he hasn't been.So
(Smiles all around)
P3 - Then you must know the Defense Minister
Me - Yes! AK Antony (Sitter hai Uncle)
(Smiles all around)
P3 - MoS ?
Me - Don't Know (Should have tried to remember Pallam Raju as he was in news that day)
P3 - Name the 3 Service Chiefs
Me - Army it is Gen VK MalikAir Force it is.(Cut)
P2 - Malik??? (kya bakwaas kar rahe ho bhai)
Me - Oh sorry sir, he is Gen VK Singh. Gen VP Malik was there earlier at the time of the Kargil War
P3 - Okay carry on
Me - Army: Gen VK Singh
Air Force: Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne
Navy: Admiral Nirmal Verma, but I am not sure about him.
(P3 Signals that he is done and P1 takes over)
P1 - Tell me about Project Aadhar. Who started it?
Me - Started by Unique Identification Authority of India headed by Nandan Nilekani of Infosys, A Govt. of India initiative. Do you want me to speak more?
P1 - No, tell me about E-Choupal. Who started it? (Had given the example of E-Choupal in the GD)
Me - ITC
P1 - What is E-Choupal?
Me - Explained
P1 - In which states has it been implemented?
Me - As I had said earlier, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, must have been in West Bengal. (WB mein nai hua actually)
P1 - Why would ITC launch such a thing? What is the use to them?
Me - CSR ke fundae..Brand value of company increases..shows them as a socially responsible company and their products are related
P1 - Say you are a manager and company is running in lossess..would you cut CSR?
Me - I would see if there is too much money going into it, then would cut
P1 - How would you judge?
Me- Mam, say for E-Choupal I would see if there is too much money being put into Infrastructure
P1 - Do you know the number of villages in India?
Me - Don't Know (Papa ne bataya tha interview se pehle, par bachche kaha sunte hain -640k)
P1 - What is the infrastructure required?
Me- Computers
P1 - What is required for that?
Me - Electricity
P1 - No nowhat else for computers
Me - Optical Fibres
(May be she was looking for Satellites or Kiosks or ACs.)
P1 - Okay leave that. What is ITC famous for?
Me - CigarettesClassic
P1 - What is it made of? (Ye kyu Poocha!)
Me - Tobacco
P2 - Which is the most consumed cigarette in India?
Me - I am not able to remember the name. My Team Lead smokes that brand!! (It is Gold Flake I think)
(P2 Smiles a bit)
P1 - So, apart from CSR what is the use to ITC of E-Choupal?
Me - Ashirwad AattaThey buy directly from farmers. No middle men. Win-Win Situation for both farmers and the company.
P1 - What is it made of? (Mazaak kar rahe ho kya)
Me - Wheat:biggrin:
P1 - Other products of ITC?
Me - Vivel Soap
P1 - Name more (Kitne poochoge..abb bas bhi karo)
Me- Aggarbattis and Dhoops !!
(She might have been looking for Wills Lifestyle!)
P1 - Okay. In a scenario where you need a deal done and need to pay a bribe to govt officials, will you pay the bribe?
Me - Mam, I would never pay the bribe (Full Emotions)
P1 - You will not get the contract and it is critical for the company
Me - I will tell my senior and take him into confidence and complain against the person who asked for the bribe
P1 - Your senior says pay the bribe!
Me - I will go to his senior (Chhodungaa Nahi!)
Also, I will go to the senior of the govt official
P1- No one will listen to you in Govt
Me - There are good people too in govt. Like recently we saw example to AK Antony and VK Singh
Says she is done to P2 who asks me to pick my file and leave
Me - Should I send the next guy in?
P1 - No. We will call ourselves
Me - Thank You Mam. Thank You Sir
Absolutely nothing on Why HR, Details of HR, Labour Laws or Why MBA
About 30-35 Minute Interview. Enjoyed it completely !
Any other details that you think are relevant: Make or Break for me
Would welcome any reviews through PM or if you were in that GD lets have a talk.
Your advice for future aspirants:
Prepare well and try to take the interview to your strengths.
Verdict: Straight Reject :(.....shattered.Honestly speaking I expected a straight convert. Maybe should have made 4-5 enteries instead of 7-8...still the PI gave me hope. Dejected..
