Facing Pharma Ethics & Policy Debates: Two Diverse Journeys to IIM Shillong

Candidate Profiles

• 📝 Candidate 1
  • Background: B.Tech in Instrumentation and Control Engineering
  • Academics:
    • 10th: ~85%
    • 12th: ~70%
  • Work Experience: No formal experience mentioned
• 📝 Candidate 2
  • Background: B.Sc. graduate with specialization in science
  • Academics:
    • 10th: ~82%
    • 12th: ~63%
    • Undergraduate CGPA: 8.69/10
  • Work Experience: 4 months at a startup

Interview Panel Composition

• Candidate 1: Single male professor
• Candidate 2: 1 Male + 1 Female (both ~30s, PhDs from IIT Kharagpur; female professor specialized in HR & OB, male professor in Industrial Operations)

Group Discussion (GD) Experience

📝 GD Case Summary:

A profitable US-based pharmaceutical company faces backlash for selling expensive AIDS medication unaffordable to Sub-Saharan Africa. Indian companies have started producing and selling the patented drug illegally in Africa. The CEO faces a shareholder meeting amidst negative publicity and legal disputes. How should the CEO handle this situation?

🟢 Candidate 1 Insight: “Our GD went very smoothly. Everyone got multiple chances to speak, no chaos.”

🟢 Candidate 2 Insight: “The case was around 400-500 words; we had 3 minutes to read and 10 minutes to discuss. It focused on ethics, pricing strategy, legal action, and corporate responsibility.”

Personal Interview (PI) Questions & Insights

Candidate 1: Policy & Culture Focused

🔵 Panelist: Tell me about yourself.

🔵 Panelist: What do you do in your free time?

🔵 Panelist: If you were part of a task force sent to Turkey now, what would be your first action?

🔵 Panelist: India’s relation with Turkey?

🔵 Panelist: How many states are in the North-East?

🔵 Panelist: Why is the North-East culturally and geographically isolated? How can we solve this?

🔍 Candidate Reflection: “I answered that even included regions have stereotypes… which backfired. Sir leaned forward and said: What stereotypes?—I wasn’t prepared to elaborate.”

🟢 Academic Questions: (basic, but struggled to answer half)

Candidate 2: Business & World Affairs Focused

🔵 Panelist: Tell me about yourself.

🔵 Panelist: What is the significance of local trains?

🔵 Panelist: If the British hadn’t introduced trains, would India have them today?

🔵 Panelist: How are India–Afghanistan relations?

🔵 Panelist: Why has Afghanistan always faced turmoil (starting from Soviet era)?

🔵 Panelist: Should India maintain ties despite an oppressive regime?

🔵 Panelist: What do you think about the tech layoffs?

🔵 Panelist: Was Elon Musk right in laying off Tesla employees?

🔵 Panelist: How were Google’s layoffs different?

🔵 Panelist: What leadership qualities has Sundar Pichai shown as Google’s CEO?

🔵 Panelist: Why do business leaders tweet? What message are they sending?

🟢 Male Panelist Questions (Academics-heavy):

• Good number of questions on EVs, transportation models, mathematical modeling, and supply chain.
• Example: “Give an example of linear modeling in logistics.”
• What are your hobbies?

Key Takeaways for Aspirants

• ✅ GD Balance: Ethical business dilemmas require nuanced solutions blending profitability, legal compliance, and societal impact. Stay calm and organized.
• ✅ Personal Interview Prep: Expect broad questions ranging from geopolitics, policy, current events, to leadership behaviors—not just academics.
• ✅ Don’t Overshoot: Avoid raising points (like stereotypes) unless you’re confident in defending or expanding on them.
• ✅ Academics Matter: Interviewers may deep-dive into technical subjects, especially if reviewing marksheets—prepare at least 2–3 strong academic areas.
• ✅ Leadership & Ethics: Be ready to discuss global CEOs, their decisions, and leadership styles, linking them to broader business lessons.