SIBM Pune Interview: Data Privacy, Business Expansion & A Curious Career Shift
Candidate Profile
- Background: Electronics and Communication Engineering graduate with a strong interest in business dynamics and entrepreneurship.
- Work Experience: Around 1 year in operations and analytics.
- Academics:
- 10th Grade: 93%
- 12th Grade: 91%
- Undergraduate CGPA: 6.6
WAT & GE Rounds
Written Ability Test (WAT)
- You have a potion which keeps you awake 24x7.
- All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
Group Exercise (GE)
- RBI, Banks
- Facebook & Cambridge Analytica
- Consumer data awareness
- Privatisation of public banks (Budget 2021)
- Data privacy, Supreme Court guidelines, financial scams
Group Story Constructed Around: Data privacy issues in banking, the role of public sector banks (PSBs), financial scams and NPAs, the data protection bill in India, and the importance of capital infusion and customer confidence.
Interview Questions & Candidate's Approach
Icebreaker & General Questions
🔵 Panelist: Why did you shift from defence aspirations (NDA qualified) to a corporate path via MBA?
🔵 Panelist: Which stream of MBA are you interested in?
🔵 Panelist: What roles are you aiming for post-MBA? Where do you see yourself in the future?
Case-Based & Analytical Questions
🔵 Panelist: Case Study: You’re a CEO of a snacks company. After making good profits, would you expand locally or enter international markets?
🔵 Panelist: What steps would you take to decide on international expansion?
🔵 Panelist: Name an Indian product that has succeeded globally.
🔵 Panelist: How would you set up a business in Varanasi? Which sectors would you focus on?
Key Takeaways for Aspirants
- ✅ Stay relaxed—this panel was notably friendly and encouraging.
- ✅ Prepare for case-based business decisions; structure is key.
- ✅ Link your past to your future MBA plans clearly.
- ✅ Be aware of current economic issues like bank privatization and data privacy.
- ✅ Personal journeys (like NDA experience) can be strong narratives if explained with clarity.
🔍 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.
📢 Stay tuned for more real-life MBA interview journeys and prep tips!
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