CAT - Capricious Admission Test

Life changes so drastically.
Just when you settle down in you cocoon and think that life will go on as it is. It takes a sudden turn and throws you into the maelstrom of uncertainties. If only life could be predicted.
I had prepared well for CAT exam for two long years 2007 and 2008. But, I was able to muster a very average performance. Such is the cruelty of CAT, that not only do you have to manage a certain percentile in total but also in the individual subjects(For those who dont know Maths,English and Logical Ability).
People can have all the ability in the world and all the determination in the world, but when it comes to CAT, it all boils down to the 2.5 hours of the exam. It took me two long years to realise this. I used to belong to an older school of thought that believed in the benefits of hard work. But hard work is hardly a pre-requisite in CAT. Its only a minor factor.
In mid 2008, I got a call to join IIM Shillong, the newest IIM. I had almost decided to join it out of my frustration(that I might never ever crack CAT). But, some good sense prevailed and I didnt join it. Yet, I had left all hopes of cracking CAT. My preparation came down to a only a week of brushing up, just to convince myself that I had put in some effort. Infact, my efforts were in some other direction.
I realised the absurdity of CAT. How can we gauge a person's ability on the basis of a 2.5 hrs exam. The entire concept appeared misleading.The people who were too smart will put it across any exam they give. They comprise maybe 10% of the ppl who cract CAT and 0.0000000000000001 % of those who appear for CAT. For the rest 99.999999999999% it's luck(Atleast, that's what I think, I maybe wrong.).
The day results came. I was sure I will not make it. It was because that I was out of hope that I decided to check late.Finally, I did check my results after some days and I had made it - BLACKI . The interviews came and went in a hurry with no time to introspect.
Now that I have got thru IIM Calcutta. I can feel how my time has changed, how luck has favoured me.........Touchwood.............
From a loser who appeared to squander the minimal triumphs he deserved, I changed onto a lucky dawg who has over-achieved (By over-achieving, I don't mean IIM C is heaven. I know I have a long fight to fight. I simply mean over-achieving from my own perspective).
When I had accepted my bad luck before, now I have to accept my good luck and move ahead.
A new battle......A new life..........

IIM C - Fiasco

It was Saturday evening.A perfect chill-out time. The next day will be a holiday as well.
Saturday's are typically more fun than Sundays.
Cut back to the moment...
Swamy calls me and gives me a heart-attack. "IIMC ne results update kar diya.Pagalguy main bhag dad mach gayi hai....".
WTF.My best call and a disaster in reckoning...
A and B ne ditch mara, joka ka hi tha sahara, ab tera kya hoga Amartya ( Stop cursing me...I know it's not rhyming...)
Swamy,"Kitne logon ka kaal selected tha, aaj on-hold aa raha hai. Maine apne chk kar diya,mera selected aa raha hai.".
Me,"Mera bhi chk kar liya,My reg no is XXXXXXXXXX"
I could feel my heartbeat in my mind.
Swamy,"Tera selected dikha raha hai...."
I take a big sigh of relief.
After I reach home, I recheck my status atleast 10 times.
I have been rechecking my status each day since. Pata nahi in IIM C waalon ka,de mite push me onto on-hold status nyday.
Meanwhile, waiting for my call-letter.....

April 10th - Judgement Day

Started checking the results from 9 am onwards. I was not aware that IIM L and IIM C results had already been out.
I started surfing the different sites for the results. I didnt have much hope though. Was already thinking of joining NITIE, which I had converted.
First up was IIM Calcutta. My father has had a special attraction towards Bengalis and Calcutta.
I like Bengali men(meek and chain-smokers), but not women(very shrewd). I know....very tongue-in-cheek :D
Results were out.
Closed my eyes with a silent prayer on my lips... I was through.
I went berserk....Started dancing...For 2-3 mins,checked again and again my name....
I didn't worry anymore. IIM A ka dekh lenge baad main. I was so relieved.... Called up mom and told her the good news. And was she not happy. I felt really happy that finally I have made my dad and mom proud.
Later, checked IIM L,I,K results. All were converted.
I was in another room, when I got a call that IIM A results are out. I haven't got thru. I felt a bit dejected. Had always dreamt of studying in IIM A.
Took solace from getting a seat in IIM Calcutta.....
I guess life has a taken different and unexpected turn. Life at Joka will be fun...

My Horrid Nite before the IIM results - 9th April

The results of IIMs were du on 10th....
On 9th nite, was otherwise quite cool. Had thot the results will come out the next day, so I can just relax....
I was surfing through the Pagalguy threads. Some one had copied the list of selected candidates of IIM Bangalore. So early...................
Had a lot of expectations from B....Was my best GD/PI actually.......
I Surfed through the list in real panic. I couldnt find my registration no....Felt there must be some mistake. I went on the IIM B site,no results had come out there.
Felt it must be a hoax, as I read more across the thread, I found someone had attached the shortlisted pdf. Downloaded the pdf. I opened the pdf with prayers. Was shocked not to find my reg number in the list. The dream appeared over.....

Lets have a summary of my other IIM experiences
IIM A had gone very bad(I was asked about radiowave,microwave,speed of a delivery in cricket,microwave oven and more bullshit....).IIM C was quite uneventful and short....
IIM L,I,K had gone well, but had always dreamt of getting into ABC. IIM B was my best.

Lets get back to 9th nite....
Didnt break the news to my parents.Wanted them to have a good nite's sleep.
Had told them that results were due.Went off to sleep, with a bruised heart and battered soul, a la, Dev D.
Having been eliminated in SP Jain interview and the IIM B rejection, I felt somehow I didn't have the potential in me to convert. Was dreaded to think that I might not convert any of them.
Kya socha tha aur kya ho gaya....
I actually didn't want to sleep. Yet just slept off.
Dad called me up at 2:30 nite to know the status. I lied to him, said I didnt know the results. I felt will break all the bad news together....

My IIM C GD/PI Experience

IIM – C

Venue – IMI, New Delhi
Reached the venue about 1.5 hr before the start. Had heard there would be a lot of verifications. So, had to go early. My interview slot was first again.

Was searching the entire campus for the room. Finally, found the room in the ladies hostel. Wat a place to have the GD n PI????

The locale of GD didn’t look like a premier B-school’s GD. It was the residential room a guest house.

GD process –
Time to think – 2mins
Time for discussion – 10 mins

So, our 3 panelists began the proceedings.

The topic – Artists must know mathematics. (…….WTF…….)

The GD – The start was uncharacteristically tepid. No one was starting. Atlast one guy (The Smartie) started it. Gave a good enough start, then all hell broke loose. Everybody wanted to make his point.
I usually used to have a laid-back attitude for the initial 2 minutes. Used to compose myself and then used to chip in.
Tab yaad aaya, kya kar raha hai yaar. GD bas 10 min ka hai. Gave the example of the greatest artist, God as to how he must have used his maths.
There was this guy who used to give a big smile while asking “Please lemme complete”, whenever he was interrupted. He did it 2-3 times.
Several more examples came in. Someone mentioned Chabria. The smartie mentioned Leonardo Da Vinci. Someone mentioned Einstein.
I chipped in with the xample of AR Rahman(pata nahi ye kaha se aa gaya)
Also made the point of poetry. How maths calculation comes in handy in writing poetry(meters) and how there are romantic poets who write directly from the heart.
There were good examples like the angles used in architecture.
I made the point that maths isn’t a must for artistry, though it definitely is an add-on for an artist. Reached a consensus on this. The point was repeated 2-3 times more in round-about ways. J

Summary – Everyone was asked to summarise. Everyone gave decent enough summaries.
Some chap asked whether he has to give his own point or what the group discussed. The senior prof(panelist) told it’s his wish. I decided to stick to the group view. Out of 10, I was the 8th one to be asked. Was feeling nervous, don’t know why. Somehow, gave my summary. To be honest, I could have done better. The chap after me, was very anxious and in his nervousness grunted 2-3 times. One other chap, mentioned the Leonardo Di Caprio instead of Leonardo Da Vinci( lol ….)

Luckily, some other guy also had a PGDCM PI. So he went in first, I went in 2nd.

The PI
Scene:
Panelist – Three gentlemen.
Left(L) – A moustached guy.
Middle(M) – A senior Prof
Right(R) – Looked like an alumni.
Me – The innocent and meek kid J

M – So, ur name is Amartya.
Me – Yes Sir.

M - Have you heard of Amartya Sen(Have been asked this question a lot of times).
Who is he?
Me – Sir, He is the Nobel-prize winning economist

M – Do u know any of his books
Me – An Argumentative Indian

M – What was it about
Me – Told the summary I ahd written

M – I was initially of the same idea. But, its different. Its like this……
Me – I was also saying the same thing. I mean arguing is a good way of logical reasoning….

M – I think argument is taken negatively....
Me- Yes Sir(…….Aur kya bolun main. Apne bol diya to sahi hoga….)

R – So, u r from Rourkela. U must b knowing abt rourkela steel plant.
Me – (Interrupted him) Actually, I have done my engg from Rourkela…..(Uncharted territories….)

R – Anyways, u must b knowing about it… Tell me with whose contribution was Rourkela Steel Plant started
Me – Germany

R – Wat abt Bhilai Steel Plant?
Me – Don’t know

L – So, u have written over here in the career goal that you want to work in the social sector… The Sir over here(M) is a professor in ethics. He can see through you if mean what you have written over here..

Me(All smiles) – I believe in what I have written. Infact, I have a background for it.

L – what is it?
Me- I had worked on a project “A decision support system for disease surveillance for rural India”. Should I elaborate it?

L – of course
M – don’t worry, we are not going to steal it. All 3 start laughing
Me- I smiling. No Sir, I have nor problems. Went on for 1-2 mins about the idea.
Was cut in by R(alumni). Is very impatient.

R – What algorithm u used for clustering
Me – k –means

R – Do u know what is P-means
Me- The cluster centres are found out by fuzzy logic.

R- Do u know how exactly it’s found out.
Me- Don’t know much about fuzzy logic.

R – What is the diff.between supervised and unsupervised analysis
ME – Gave him a general difference

R – Actually, what gave u was a very general difference….is a more specific answer is the rules classification
Me - Ok, Sir( All smiles)

M – So, u r from Orissa. If I come to Bhubaneswar, where all will you take me.
Me – As u know, Bhubaneswar is the temple city. I would take you to Lingaraja temple, Dhaulagiri, Udaygiri, RajaRani temple. Then there is Konark temple. Puri, Konark and BBsr form a triangle

M – Tell me something about Jagannath temple. Have u been there.
ME – Yes, Sir

M – So, there is bhog served out. When is it served out
Me – Between 1-2 pm

M – I have heard they cook food throughout the day
Me – That’s because a lot of people come there. The food is given in earthern pots. We have rice, sweet dal and….(Interrupted)

M – U have written dancing as ur hobby. Wat dance do u do, Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi???
Me- No Sir..I dance on Hindi movei tracks

M – Give me the names of some classical dancers
Me – Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra(Cudnt recollect more)

M – Give me the name of 1 classical singer
Me – MS Subbulakshmi

M – What singer is she
Me- Carnatic

M – Good, good…From where is she
Me – She is from South. Im not sure where exactly she is from

M – She’s from Tamil Nadu....
Me – Ok Sir

M- we are done with you. Thank you
Me- Thank you Sirs.

PI lasted for just 12 minutes. A very short one.
Cant judge anything as such. There were some “ I don’t knows”.
Fingers crossed for the results. Lets hope for the best.
As such , they don’t get enough weightage for the work-ex or acads(both are seemingly good for me)
Anyways, its over….

Status - Converted

My IIM Lucknow GD/PI Experience

IIM – L
Venue – IIML, Noida
For the 1st time, found people with 4-5 years of experience(Yahan pe kya kar rahe ho bhai????). Just underlined the point that IIM L really values experience more than anything…

GD process –
Time to write summary – 10 mins
Time for discussion – 20 mins

So, our 2 panelists began the proceedings.
Old Lady(OL)
Young Man(YM)

The topic – The start of Germany is not success(Germany ye kaha se aa gaya bhai, Germany ke unification ke baare main hai kya)

Peeped into the sheet of the chap sitting besides me. He had written “The start of joining is not success”............(Abhi se joining?????)

Asked YM to repeat the topic. Then finally got the topic
“The start of journey is not success”. Didn’t want to commit a suicide by writing down the wrong topic. Again asked for the topic. He appeared perked up…Came up to me to show the paper with the topic……(Lo Dekho……..)

Writing – For first 2 minutes, went really blank. Kya likhun bhai, isme.. Then, slowly composed myself and wrote some good points….

The GD – The start was characteristically chaotic. 3-4 ppl started at the same time. One went on and gave a decent intro. Out of the 8 ppl, 7 ppl got a chance to speak. Told how achieving success in the beginning leads to complacency.
We were interrupted midway as it was getting a bit chaotic according to OL...didnt appear though to be chaotic.....
I compared the journey to a life, How life is full of ups and downs like a journey. So, a person must carry on inspite of all troubles. The group discussed how planning is important, irrespective of initial success. I told the popular proverb, “A good start is half the job done”. Told it’s only half the job done, the rest half remains to be done. Someone chipped in with the luck factor. Another chap, chipped in with the project management techniques. I told we should consider a journey in night and day, u cover-up more distance and rest during night.
One guy was trying to reach a consensus. I interrupted him. Felt had more examples to give. Gave the example of tortoise-rabbit story and climbing the mountain. The other guy still concluded after another person had concluded. I gave my mini-conclusion.

The PI
Scene:
Panelists
YM – Young Man
OL – Old Lady
Me – The innocent and meek kid

I was first up.

OL – So, Tell me about urself
Me – Blah, blah, blah…

OL – Why does every candidate now-a-days learn dancing. Just for the sake of interview
Me – Maam, I have been dancing since 2nd yr

OL – Have u learnt dancing
Me – Yes Maam, For 1 month. From them on, I have choreographed my group’s dances....

(YG was busy tallying my matriculation marks)

OL – What is the latest political development in Orissa
Me – Told about the BJD-BJP fallout. Gave the reason…Also told about the attacks on Christians. Couldn’t recollect the name of the Swami…

YM – Have u heard of POSCO
Me – blah,blah,blah

YM – So, what do u work upon in Samsung.
Me – Blah, blah, blah

YM – What are the different hardware developments of late....
Me- Sir(kaha jaa rahe ho)…I am not much into h/w

YM – What are the different subjects in h/w
ME – AE, DE( Forgot to mention Microprocessors and all)

YM – U didn’t have a lot of h/w in ur subjects?
Me- We had very less exposure to hardware
YM didn’t bug me more.........Thankfully............

OL – Tell me about the marketing strategy of Samsung.
Me – Blah, blah, blah

Cant recollect my project came somewhere into the discussion…

YM - we are done with you. Thank you
Me- Thank you Sirs.

While leaving asked them about whether work-ex docs need to be provided..They told nt required......

PI lasted for just 15-20 minutes.
Was found wanting on the h/w questions. Didn’t sound confident.
Might have appeared aggressive in the GD.
Fingers crossed for the results. Let’s hope for the best.
An ominous weightage for work-ex..

IIM L over

Final Status - Converted