From Botany to Business Analytics: Cracking the IIM Kashipur Interview

Candidate Profile

• Background: B.Sc. (Hons.) in Botany
• Work Experience: 16 months in IT, working with enterprise platforms and applications
• Academics: Strong academic track record, with above-average scores throughout

Interview Panel Composition

• Panelists: 2 (P1 – Male, in his 40s; P2 – Male, in his 30s)
• Format: Conversational; P1 led the discussion while P2 monitored and took notes
• Atmosphere: Friendly and cool panel, focused more on profile and general awareness

Interview Questions & Candidate's Approach

🔹 Profile & Work Experience

🔵 Panelist: What were your roles and responsibilities?

🔵 Panelist: What sort of applications did you work upon?

🔵 Panelist: Discussions around AD (Active Directory) and the Azure portal.

🔹 Academic Background – Botany

🔵 Panelist: Any statistical application in botany?

➤ Talked about using the chi-square test and leveraging visual representations to interpret biological data.

🔹 Hobbies & Personal Interests

🔵 Panelist: Name prominent tabla players.

🔵 Panelist: Name other prominent instrument players from India.

🔵 Panelist: What instrument did Ravi Shankar play?

🔵 Panelist: As a gym enthusiast, do you know who was Arnold Schwarzenegger's major competitor during his prime?

🔵 Panelist: What was Arnold's political role?

🔹 General Awareness

🔵 Panelist: Who are the richest people in India currently?

🔵 Panelist: Who founded OLA and UBER?

🔵 Panelist: Who founded Flipkart and who is its current CEO?

🔵 Panelist: Where are the Sahara Desert and Niagara Falls located?

🔵 Panelist: Name some famous waterfalls in Ranchi.

🎯 Key Takeaways for Aspirants

• ✅ Have clarity on your academic and professional transitions—how does a B.Sc. in Botany lead to an interest in business analytics?
• ✅ Showcase how your technical skills (e.g., working with Azure or data tools) align with analytics.
• ✅ Be prepared for unconventional hobby-based questions—they're assessing your depth of interest.
• ✅ Revise major current events, industry leaders, and general knowledge topics.
• ✅ A friendly panel doesn't mean casual prep—maintain professionalism and poise.