I had read a lot of interview experiences during my preparation for an IIM interview and that helped me a lot. So giving back to the community :-P
IIM Indore interview experience-
Location: IIM Indore (Mumbai campus)
Date – 12-Feb, 20
Time- Morning slot
CAT- 99.1
Xth- 95.3 (ICSE)
XIIth-94 (ISC)
Grad=6.56 (Enjoyed Lite life college)
WAT- Something related to steps to be taken by individuals and government to mitigate water scarcity.
(Poured my Xth standard environmental studies book)
*Don’t know if good or bad but WAT component got cancelled later due to corona.
Two relatively young Profs ,lets call them P1 and P2.
P1- (Came out and called my name)
I entered the room. It was basically a classroom converted into interview hall with a distance of maybe 1 m between me and the panel.
Wished both of them and got a nod in return
P2- Please tell us about yourself.
Me- Sir, I thank you both for this opportunity. My name is Varun Deoskar and I did my chemical engg from BITS Pilani….
P1- which campus?
Me- Sir,Pilani.
P1-Continue
Me- and now I am working in Cairn oil and gas as a Production Engineering.
I have been a coordinator in NSS and worked in college BAJA team..
P2- What is BAJA?
Me- Sir, we build an off-road car and race it against the cars of other colleges.
(Got a nod and continued).
I am a Tabla player, an ardent football fan supporting FC Barcelona and love to train dogs.
(Yes you read the last one right, no I am not a professional and have tried it only twice but needed a hook to be different from the crowd.I love dogs and would have answered any questions related to them)
P2- You work in Oil and Gas so tell us what is Fracking.
Me- Told the definition of Cracking.
P2- So what is Cracking?
Me- (smiling although hearing Mayday-mayday inside) Sorry sir, i cannot recollect it now.
P2- Tell me about Teen taal(or trital in Tabla)
Me- (played the beats on my hand and explained) as we play the taali (clap )three times, it is called teen taal.
P2-What is the difference between Hindustani and Karnataki music?
Me- (From an old video of zakhir hussain) Told about the different instruments (Pakhawaj, mridamgam etc ), fact that karnataki is played more in the north and vice versa.
P2- I play Sitar. So will you be able to tell two apart if I play them.
Me- Sir, I am not well versed in stringed instrument but if you play drummed ones I can differentiate based on instrument that is used.
P1- What is latent heat.
Me- answered with an basic example of ice and water.
P1- So will pressure have an effect on latent heat?
Me- No sir.
P1- (cross questioned)
Me- (got a bit confused) It might sir, but not to a great extent
P1- What is triple point
Me- The condition when all three phases of matter exist in equilibrium and explained a bit again with the help of example of water
P1- what are the conditions ?
Me- Answered with some reasoning (temperature ,pressure etc)
P1- (again cross questioned)
Me- (answered though a little less confidently this time)
P2- What are the scales of temperature you know
Me- C,F,K and Rankine
P2- at what temperature is C and F same
Me- answered in a flash (10th standard memory came back,-40)
P1- Is LPG really liquid?
Me- Answered with the pressure values and composition
P2- So can i know if it is full by shaking it and hearing a splash?
Me- No sir and explained a bit (You can actually feel it move inside though)
(Then they asked me what else am i interested in, I said automobiles, football)
P1- What is BS4 ,BS6?.
Me- Told the differences between engines,type of fuel. Even added the slowdown of automotive industry
P2 (suddenly)- Why doesn't the government just print money and hand it out to eradicate poverty.
Me -(luckily i had seen a video on demonetization which had led me to a video answering this exact question) Gave the answer of how it will lead to inflation
P1- or even hyper inflation.
Me-Exactly sir, gave example of Zimbabwe and how they had to change their currency to dollars.
P2- There was also a country in the news recently, famous for its Oil reserves which suffered due to hyperinflation
Me- Bolivia (No idea why i thought of it)
P2-No.
Me- Sorry Sir i have no idea about country with highest reserves, although I know top producer are USA,Saudi Arabia and Russia
P2-Ok, it is Venezuela
(Venezuela – 300 billion barrels.Venezuela has the largest oil reserves of any country in the world, with more than 300 billion barrels of proven reserves)
P1- (Asks P2) Anything more you want to ask?
P2-No.
P1- Ok, I will give you a topic, (was something related to India's future)
Here starts the worst part, according to what i heard, they said think for a minute and speak for 30 seconds.
Me- (Wrote down points in rough and started after a minute)
Based extempore on youth and technology being the basis of our country and spoke.
Then i stopped as i thought i had only 30 seconds, but they said nothing.
We just sat silently looking at each other, i thought they expected more points so i tried to start again but couldnt think of anything and just looked down at the paper and then at them and repeated this two times.
Then they finally said -”Ok stop. We are done.”
I asked if should I call the next candidate to which they said no.
I even took their pen outside with me (facepalm) but then realized and waited outside room in order to return it, meanwhile telling others how the interview went and what questions were asked.
P1 came out to call next candidate came out and i gave him the pen, he said thanks and I left.
Overall the experience was very good. Interviewers were calm. I had panicked a bit and recollected things i should have said while going back, but during the interview, they had given me the slip