IIM Bangalore Interview Experience: From Defense Dreams to MBA Goals – How This Candidate Balanced Humor, Heritage, and Ambition

Candidate Profile

• Background: Engineering graduate from Sinhgad College with a balanced academic profile (9/7/7) and 2 years of work experience in IT with client-facing responsibilities.
• Work Experience: Involved in API development, client communications, and daily operational management in a tech services role.
• Notable Points: Former defense aspirant, avid reader with a passion for social impact through education, particularly focused on rural upliftment.
• Interview Panel: 3 Male Panelists
• Location: Vivanta, Mumbai
• Tone: Friendly with occasional grilling; P1 and P2 were conversational, while P3 remained observant and analytical.
• Duration: ~25 minutes

Interview Questions & Candidate's Approach

1. Icebreaker & Personal Connect

🔵 P1: "So Prafull Prakash Patil—PPP, like Public-Private Partnership!"

2. Work Experience Simplified

🔵 P1: "Tell me about your work experience."

🔵 P1: "So many jargons—explain in simple terms."

🔵 P1: "What is an API? What is Postman?"

🔵 P1: "Describe your daily client interactions and meeting structures."

3. College, Culture & Current Affairs

🔵 P1: "Why was Sinhgad College recently in dispute?"

🔵 P1: "Tell me about Sinhgad Fort and its historical significance."

🔵 P1: "Which movie was linked to it, and why was it controversial?"

🔵 P1: "Recent state divisions? Why was Andhra Pradesh split?"

4. Career Choices & SOP-Based Questions

🔵 P2: "Why defense earlier and now MBA? These are very different paths."

🔵 P2: "Why did you prepare for defense in the first place?"

🔵 P2: "You mentioned being waitlisted at TISS—Which course?"

5. Personality, Hobbies & Vision

🔵 P3: "What do you do in your free time?"

🔵 P2: "How do you remember reading 25 books last year?"

🔵 P3: "What did you practically learn from reading?"

🔵 P1: "Do you plan to return to your village someday?"

6. Candidate’s Turn – Asking Questions

🔵 Candidate: [Asked a thoughtful question to conclude the interview]

Key Takeaways for Aspirants

• ✅ Use humor wisely in icebreakers to set a positive tone.
• ✅ Simplify technical job roles—focus on impact, not jargon.
• ✅ Stay informed about your college, hometown, and related current affairs.
• ✅ Be clear and confident about career transitions—panels respect clarity of thought.
• ✅ When discussing hobbies, highlight both passion and practical takeaways.
• ✅ Personal stories, especially those tied to social impact, can deeply connect with interviewers.