From Analytics to MBA: How This NIT Surat Graduate Navigated the DMS Interview
Candidate Profile
- Background: Engineering graduate from NIT Surat, specializing in Information Technology.
- Work Experience: 13 months in a leading analytics firm, focusing on data processing and insights generation.
- Academics:
- 10th Grade: 9.8 CGPA
- 12th Grade: 81%
- Undergraduate CGPA: 7.4
Interview Panel
- Mode: Virtual
- Panel Composition: 3 Professors (2 Male, 1 Female)
Interview Questions & Candidate’s Approach
1️⃣ Icebreaker & General Questions
🔵 P1 (Male): Please introduce yourself.
📌 Tip: Keep your introduction crisp—highlight your academic background, work experience, and a brief motivation for pursuing an MBA.
🔵 P1 (Male): How long have you been working?
📌 Tip: If your work experience is on the lower side, emphasize the learning curve, projects handled, and exposure gained.
2️⃣ Technical & Analytical Questions
🔵 P1 (Male): What is Big Data?
📌 Tip: Define Big Data concisely, covering its characteristics (Volume, Velocity, Variety) and relevance in business analytics.
🔵 P1 (Male): What are the sources of Big Data?
📌 Tip: Mention structured and unstructured sources—social media, sensors, transactional data, IoT devices, etc.
🔵 P2 (Male): Which is bigger: Gigabyte or Terabyte?
📌 Tip: A straightforward factual question—1 TB = 1024 GB. Be precise and confident.
🔵 P2 (Male): What’s the difference between Hadoop and a Supercomputer?
📌 Tip: Focus on purpose and architecture: Hadoop for distributed data storage/processing; Supercomputer for high-speed complex computations.
🔵 P2 (Male): Would you classify data as Big Data based on volume or complexity?
📌 Tip: Explain that both volume and complexity (along with variety, velocity, veracity) define Big Data. Use examples if possible.
3️⃣ General Awareness & Finance-Related Questions
🔵 P3 (Female): Do you invest in the stock market?
📌 Tip: Be honest—if you do, mention your approach; if not, mention your awareness or interest in financial markets.
🔵 P3 (Female): What is Sensex? Can you name other common indices?
📌 Tip: Define Sensex as the index of top 30 companies on BSE; also mention Nifty 50, Nasdaq, Dow Jones.
🔵 P3 (Female): What is KYC?
📌 Tip: State it stands for Know Your Customer, required for identity verification in financial transactions.
🔵 P3 (Female): Do you know what CDSL is?
📌 Tip: Clarify it stands for Central Depository Services (India) Limited, not Security. Handle corrections gracefully.
🔵 P3 (Female): What does CDSL do?
📌 Tip: Explain its role in holding securities in dematerialized form and facilitating transactions.
🔵 P3 (Female): Do you have an interest in finance or investing?
📌 Tip: If you’ve shown inclination during answers, align this response to highlight curiosity and intent to learn.
4️⃣ Candidate’s Turn – Asking the Right Questions
🔵 Do you have any questions for us?
- The candidate asked about ongoing research projects and student involvement opportunities.
📌 Tip: Asking about academic or experiential learning opportunities demonstrates genuine interest in the program.
Key Takeaways for Aspirants
- ✅ Stay calm—this panel was supportive, but be prepared for corrections and probing.
- ✅ Brush up on fundamental technical concepts related to your work experience.
- ✅ Finance questions can be asked even for non-finance backgrounds—basic market knowledge is a plus.
- ✅ Always ask an insightful question at the end to leave a positive impression.
- ✅ Use every question as an opportunity to showcase curiosity, clarity, and composure.
📢 Disclaimer: Real Stories, Modified for Privacy
🔍 The above interview experience is based on real candidate interactions collected from various sources. To ensure privacy, some details such as location, industry specifics, and numerical figures have been altered. However, the core questions and insights remain authentic. These stories are intended for educational purposes and do not claim to represent official views of any institution. Any resemblance to actual individuals is purely coincidental.
🔍 The above interview experience is based on real candidate interactions collected from various sources. To ensure privacy, some details such as location, industry specifics, and numerical figures have been altered. However, the core questions and insights remain authentic. These stories are intended for educational purposes and do not claim to represent official views of any institution. Any resemblance to actual individuals is purely coincidental.
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