XLRI

26th Feb, Jamshedpur, Afternoon slot
10th- 92.00
12th- 93.20
UG (B.Tech)- 78.47
Work ex- 17 months
XAT score- 99.795
BM Interview  
GD topic: Wrong Medication should always be a cognizable offence

GD experience: Average GD; Everyone chipped in their points. It was hard to follow the required structure. Implementation challenges were discussed although in a dissatisfactory manner. I tried to relate Trump and Brexit to the topic (was grilled on this in the interview). Concluded satisfactorily. Made decent entries. Not great though.

PI Experience: 3 panellists, all male, P1,P2,P3: No nonsense attitude.

P1: Please introduce yourself.

Me: Answered.

P3 takes my folder

P3: Where is your checklist? From your answers, you seem to be very meticulous. Where is your checklist?

(I had mentioned in one of my answers that I take pride in planning every minute of my waking hours.)

Me: I am sorry Sir. But I don’t think there was a checklist required for the interview. (Smiling sheepishly, not a good start to the interview)

P2: Ok, then tell me about your checklist for the day.

Me: I checked into my hotel quite late in the night yesterday. So, I planned to wake up sharp at 7:15. Enjoyed my 20-minute meditation to calm down my nerves as I tend to get nervous in interviews. I had instructed the receptionist to bring me my complimentary breakfast sharp at 9.

(P2 Interrupted in between)

P2: Why do you get nervous in interviews?

Me: I believe interviews include too short a time period to judge a person’s acumen. The next 25 minutes is going to decide my next 2 years.

P2: So, what should we do? How do we increase the effectiveness of this short process?

Me: I think it is the responsibility of both the interviewer and interviewee to actually bridge the gap. The interviewee has to communicate his values, skills apart from what his CV shows. Interviewer has to test him on that. It is a 2-way process. Both have to take a step towards each other.

P3: Ok, explain the path from metallurgy to MBA. Why XL?

Me: Path explained. Why XL explained.

P3: If XL is so perfect, then why did you sit for CAT?

Me: Because we don’t dream about a single college, we dream about a cluster of colleges- abc, L, XL, FMS. (May have shot myself in my foot here)

P2: Ok, In GD, you spoke heavily against Trump and Brexit. What is so wrong about these aspects?

(I had not spoken that heavily against Trump and Brexit. But they seemed to harbour this idea that somehow, I feel very strongly about these issues, which I don’t)

Me: Talked at length about reverse globalisation, how trade is good for a country, protectionism, Mexico-US trade partners,

P2: What is so wrong about Trump being a nationalist?

Me: Nothing Sir, but going against other countries (on immigration issues for example) is going to incur huge intellectual cost to US. (Could have framed my answer in a much better way, But Alas!)

P1: Do you think democracy is bad for a nation?

Me: (Sensing a trap) No Sir. Even though democracy has its cons but it is still the best form of government.

P1: What are these cons?

Me: It is a time taking process. Sometimes it is run by public sentiments rather than clear rationale.

P1: Trump and Brexit were decided/elected by democracy. So according to your logic, democracy should be replaced by something else.

Me: Sir, sometimes democracy is overrun by public sentiments. So, it is the duty of experts like economists to make the public see the reasoning and rationale; bridge that knowledge gap so that the public takes the right decision based on rationale not sentiments.

P1: So, you propose a form of government where the more knowledgeable people get more votes in decision making and the normal people get less.

Me: No sir. Just because I am less knowledgeable, it does not make me a less part of the government. Here the role of the experts/debates come into play where we bridge the knowledge gap.

P1: Don’t you think it is impossible to bridge the gap?

Me: Just because it seems impossible doesn’t mean we don’t work towards achieving that.

P1: Okay, we are done.  

Your tips for GD and PI: Go second in GD if you are unsure. Go first if you are absolutely confident. Try for points that make impact. Don’t just aim for more airtime. Listen intently to others’ points as they might give you an opening into GD.  

For PI, just be confident. Take your time framing your answers rather than just babbling like me. Be in the moment (don’t get lost in the emotions) as you might surprise yourself with the quality of instant GAS that might come out of your mouth.        

Views and inputs for improvement are most welcome! ?