From Government Advisory to Stand-Up Comedy: A Unique IIM Kozhikode Interview Experience
Candidate Profile
- Background: Engineer with a strong academic record and a passion for policy consulting and creative arts
- Work Experience: 31 months in a Government Advisory role, working on public policy and strategic consulting projects
- Academics:
- 10th Grade: 95%
- 12th Grade: 93%
- Undergraduate CGPA: 89%
- CAT Percentile: 99.48 (General, Engineer, Male)
Interview Panel & Setup
- Institute: IIM Kozhikode
- Date & Time: 22nd March, ~12 minutes
- Panel: Panel 7 – 1 Male (M), 1 Female (F)
- Mode: Online Interview
Interview Questions & Insights
1. Icebreaker & Work-Related Discussion
🔵 Panelist (F): How are you today?
🔵 Panelist (F): Where do you work? Where are you joining from today?
🔵 Panelist (F): Explain your job profile.
🔵 Panelist (F): Will you go back to the same field after your MBA?
🔵 Panelist (F): Tell me more about this project you mentioned. (followed by 3–4 minutes of cross-questioning)
2. Personal Interests & Stand-Up Comedy
🔵 Panelist (M): You’ve written “beginner stand-up comedian” here. Is it because you don’t want to perform now?
🔵 Panelist (M): Okay, take 2 minutes and perform something.
🔵 Panelist (M): Who’s your favorite comedian?
🔵 Panelist (M): How many open mics have you done?
🔵 Panelist (M): Do you heckle other performers?
3. Closing Questions
🔵 Panelist (M): Do you have any questions for us?
🔵 Panelist (M): Arey, wait for the result first, then study aaram se. (candidate reiterated desire to learn)
🔵 Panelist (M): See, learning never stops. Not like you’ll stop after 2 years.
Candidate Reflection
“The interview felt conversational, not grilling. While they asked detailed questions on my work project, it was more like a discussion. The comedy angle made it fun but tested my ability to think and perform under pressure.”
Key Takeaways for Future Aspirants
- ✅ Be ready to deep dive into any project or achievement you mention in your form.
- ✅ Authentic personal interests can become major talking points—own them confidently.
- ✅ Expect spontaneous tasks or challenges—treat them as opportunities to showcase composure.
- ✅ Maintain professionalism even in casual, friendly exchanges.
- ✅ Always prepare a smart, reflective question for the panel—it shows curiosity and initiative.
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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