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Banking to MBA: IIM Kozhikode Interview Tale

From Banking to B-School: How a Commerce Graduate Navigated the IIM Kozhikode Interview

Candidate Profile

  • Background: Chartered Accountant with a Bachelor’s in Commerce
  • Work Experience: 14 months as a Credit Analyst at a leading private sector bank
  • Academics:
    • 10th Grade: 92%
    • 12th Grade: 91%
    • Undergraduate CGPA: 79%

Interview Panel & Setup

  • Institute: IIM Kozhikode
  • Panel: Panel 5 – 1 Male (M), 1 Female (F)
  • Duration: 10 minutes
  • Mode: Online Interview

Interview Questions & Insights

1. Icebreaker & Personal Interests

🔵 M: Tell me about the treks you’ve done. Where are they located? What’s the highest elevation you’ve reached?

📌 Tip: Be specific—mention locations, altitudes, and what you learned from trekking. Relate your interest to qualities like perseverance or risk-taking if possible.

2. Profile-Related & Career Motivation

🔵 M: Where do you work? What’s your role there?

📌 Tip: Frame your answer around responsibilities, impact, and key achievements. Keep it concise but impactful.

🔵 M: Why do you want to pursue an MBA?

📌 Tip: Link your CA and banking experience to aspirations in leadership, strategy, or transitioning into broader finance roles. Avoid generic responses.

3. Technical & Industry Knowledge

🔵 M: What is XBRL? Why has India been using it for over 10 years?

📌 Tip: Know key accounting and reporting standards, their purpose (e.g., improving transparency), and practical applications.

🔵 M: Who is the current Chairperson of NFRA?

📌 Tip: Stay updated with important regulatory bodies and their leadership.

🔵 M: Where do you get accounting updates from, apart from ICAI?

📌 Tip: Mention sources like RBI, SEBI, international publications, webinars, or professional forums.

4. Cricket & Critical Thinking

🔵 M: Do you think it’s better to have three captains for three cricket formats or one captain across formats?

📌 Tip: Share a balanced view—acknowledge pros and cons of both approaches. Relate it to leadership and team management skills.

🔵 M: If you had to criticize Rahul Dravid, what would you say?

📌 Tip: Be respectful while critiquing. Focus on constructive criticism rather than personal flaws.

5. Accounting & IFRS Concepts

🔵 F: What is IFRS?

📌 Tip: Provide a concise definition and its importance in global financial reporting.

🔵 F: Is there an accounting standard on foreign exchange?

📌 Tip: Know the standard (e.g., AS 11 or Ind AS 21) and its application.

🔵 F: What is translation in foreign exchange accounting? What items are translated? At what rate? Why is it important?

📌 Tip: Prepare a structured answer covering method, items affected (monetary vs non-monetary), and rationale.

6. Personality & Reflection

🔵 F: What’s your biggest strength? Can you give a recent example?

📌 Tip: Support your strength with a specific instance from work or life.

🔵 F: If you could change one thing in your life, what would it be?

📌 Tip: Choose a thoughtful yet optimistic answer—avoid regrets, instead focus on growth or opportunities you wish you had earlier.

7. Wrap-Up

🔵 M: Do you have any other calls?

🔵 M, F: All the best!

📌 Tip: Answer honestly. Always end with a polite thank-you.

Candidate Reflection

“The interview felt conversational yet intense. The panel moved swiftly across technical, personal, and current affairs questions. I kept answers crisp and acknowledged areas where I wasn’t fully confident.”

Key Takeaways for Future Aspirants

  • ✅ Revise technical accounting concepts, especially IFRS and current accounting standards.
  • ✅ Stay updated with industry news, regulatory updates, and key organization leadership.
  • ✅ Be ready for curveball questions from personal interests or trending topics.
  • ✅ Have opinions on leadership, sports, and management topics—they often test critical thinking through analogies.
  • ✅ Maintain calm and confidence even in a short, rapid-fire interview.
📢 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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