Arts Grad’s Warm Yet Tough IIM Vizag Interview

“Bahut Pyaar Se Grill Kiya”: An Arts Graduate’s Unique IIM Visakhapatnam Interview

Candidate Profile

  • Background: Bachelor’s in Arts (Literature)
  • Experience: Fresher
  • Academics:
    • 10th Grade: 85%
    • 12th Grade: 88%
    • Undergraduate CGPA: 7.6

Interview Panel

  • Date & Duration: ~20 minutes
  • Panel Composition: 2 Interviewers (1 Female, 1 Male)
  • Tone: Intensely inquisitive with a warm demeanor—polite but probing

Interview Questions & Candidate's Approach

Introduction & Motivation

🔵 P1: Tell me about yourself (TMAY).

📌 Tip: For non-engineering backgrounds, clearly articulate your academic journey and what drew you toward an MBA.

🔵 P1: Why MBA? Why not work first?

📌 Tip: Emphasize your long-term goals, desire for structured business learning, and leadership aspirations. Clarify how an MBA bridges your knowledge gaps and builds strategic thinking.

🔵 P1: What will you bring to the classroom? How will you compete with engineers?

📌 Tip: Highlight soft skills like communication, creative problem-solving, and diverse perspectives. Acknowledge your learning curve while showing readiness to adapt.

Literature & Critical Thinking

🔵 P1: What was the last book you read? How are its lessons relevant to an MBA?

📌 Tip: Choose a book that reflects on leadership, human behavior, or ethics. Link themes to business decision-making.

🔵 P1: Name another post-colonial book. (Candidate was grilled here)

📌 Tip: Always double-check genre classifications. Be ready to define terms like "post-colonial" clearly and back them with relevant examples.

🔵 P1: How will literature help you as a manager?

📌 Tip: Discuss empathy, narrative understanding, cultural sensitivity, and the ability to connect abstract ideas—skills crucial for leadership.

🔵 P2: Who is your favorite author? What did they write?

📌 Tip: Choose an author you genuinely admire and can discuss deeply. Reflect on how their ideas shaped your thinking.

Quantitative Preparedness & Policy Awareness

🔵 P2: Did you study math after 10th? How will you handle it in MBA?

📌 Tip: Acknowledge your non-math background, but emphasize preparation—mention any coursework or efforts to bridge the gap.

🔵 P2: Define mean, median, mode. Where can we use median and mode in policy-making?

📌 Tip: Use examples:
• Median: In setting income benchmarks for welfare programs.
• Mode: In identifying most common causes of school dropouts.

🔵 P2: What is standard deviation? Provide an example.

📌 Tip: It’s a measure of data dispersion. Example: Salary spread in different departments—helps HR in fair structuring.

Business & Current Affairs

🔵 P2: Do you read business news? Share a recent piece.

📌 Tip: Pick something from banking, startups, or macroeconomic shifts—be specific and analytical.

🔵 P2: What is GST? Differentiate between direct and indirect tax.

📌 Tip: GST is an indirect tax on goods/services. Contrast it with income tax, which is directly levied on individuals’ earnings.

🔵 P2: What is Sensex? How many companies are listed in it?

📌 Tip: Sensex is a benchmark index of the Bombay Stock Exchange, tracking 30 major companies.

Key Takeaways for Aspirants

  • ✅ Literature students must show how their skills are business-relevant—especially in communication and analysis
  • ✅ Prepare for deep, layered cross-questioning—even for seemingly simple answers
  • ✅ Know your genre classifications and definitions if you reference literature
  • ✅ Brush up on basic statistics and how they apply in public policy
  • ✅ Stay composed and courteous—humility mixed with confidence works well
📢 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.
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