From Debater to MBA: How This Critical Thinker Tackled the IIM Indore Interview
Candidate Profile
- Background: Graduate in Political Science with a keen interest in debate and current affairs
- Work Experience: 1 year as a research analyst at a public policy think tank
- Academics:
- 10th Grade: 93%
- 12th Grade: 95%
- Undergraduate CGPA: 8.4
Interview Panel
- Panel Composition: 3 interviewers (2 Male, 1 Female)
- Location: Online (virtual interview)
Interview Questions & Candidate's Approach
1️⃣ Icebreaker & Philosophical Debates
🔵 Q1: If all food in the world were non-vegetarian, what would happen?
🔵 Q2: Are protests in India a sign of too much freedom? Argue for or against.
🔵 Q3: Lockdown and its effects—was it good or bad?
2️⃣ Economy, Society & Policy
🔵 Q4: IPL player auctions—good or bad?
🔵 Q5: Does the real India lie in secularism or Hindu nationalism?
🔵 Q6: History repeats itself—do you agree?
🔵 Q7: Should children be taught how to face rejection?
3️⃣ Policy & Governance
🔵 Q8: Should top engineering rankers be banned from pursuing MBA? Argue in favor.
🔵 Q9: What if the Earth started rotating east to west instead of west to east?
🔵 Q10: Aatmanirbhar Bharat—your thoughts?
4️⃣ General Awareness & Opinions
🔵 Q11: Freedom of speech in India—pros and cons?
🔵 Q12: Kolkata is the city of joy—do you agree?
🔵 Q13: Books give us life perspective—your take?
5️⃣ Education, Economy & Future Trends
🔵 Q14: Liberal arts education in India—what’s its relevance?
🔵 Q15: Scenario of entrepreneurship in India?
🔵 Q16: Women are already empowered in India—argue in favor.
🔵 Q17: Future of IT in India?
6️⃣ Extempore, Case & Current Affairs
🔵 Q18: Extempore—Magic is not an illusion.
🔵 Q19: Role of economists in combating an economic crisis?
🔵 Q20: Good economy leads to good politics—agree or disagree?
7️⃣ Industry-Specific & Ethical Dilemmas
🔵 Q21: Why is FIFA managed better than ICC?
🔵 Q22: Should cryptocurrencies be banned?
🔵 Q23: Affordable healthcare—what’s the way forward?
🔵 Q24: The future of the world economy is digital—your view?
8️⃣ Policy & Education Debates
🔵 Q25: Should the government stop Covid vaccines till further trials?
🔵 Q26: Education institutions like Narayana, Sri Chaitanya have reduced children to ranks—are ranks the right way to judge?
🔵 Q27: Smaller states are easier to manage—your view?
🔵 Q28: Is online education helpful for pre-primary kids?
🔵 Q29: IT companies giving pink slips—why?
🔵 Q30: Should business owners prioritize stakeholders or shareholders?
🔵 Q31: AFSPA and human rights violations—your opinion?
🔵 Q32: Urbanization—pros and cons?
Key Takeaways for Aspirants
- Be prepared for opinion-based and ethical dilemmas—read editorials and practice structuring arguments.
- Use real-world examples to back abstract concepts.
- Expect extempore and spontaneous questions—practice thinking aloud.
- Stay calm even with provocative or contrarian topics.
- Brush up on current affairs, economic policies, and social issues.
The above interview experience is based on real candidate interactions collected from various sources. To ensure privacy, some details such as location, academic scores, and personal identifiers 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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