To gain admission to a distinguished business school, you must first prove your aptitude by scoring high in its
entrance test. Now, if the famed Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) is expected to call you for its final
selection stage, it's time to start getting ready to seize the opportunity. These stages act as a level
playing field for the talented and skilled candidates who aim to get admission to MBA programmes.
The motive behind the admissions process of a B-school is to see whether or not the applicant's background
and experience can match the demands of its coursework and training. At the same time, the panel typically
judges the candidate's demeanour, ethics, competence, and other essential attributes required for the
related professions.
About IIFT
Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) is India's premier business school, established in 1963. It offers
MBA in International Business (IB) at Delhi and Kolkata campuses. In 2021, the Institute received the honourable
AACSB accreditation and thus, ranks among those 900 B-Schools holding this recognition. Further, IIFT has been
designated as a Grade 'A' Institution by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC).
Besides MBA (IB), IIFT provides executive, doctoral and certificate programmes in management. There is also an
Integrated Programme in Management (Business Analytics and International Business) extended at its Kakinada
Campus.
IIFT - Selection Process
According to the scores in its entrance test (IIFT), the institute shortlists candidates for the final
screening
stages. The selected students are then called for a personal interview, which includes
an extempore
round. The centres for interviews are at Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Hyderabad, Delhi, Lucknow,
Kolkata, and Mumbai. Previously, the admission process also had a group discussion and a written ability test.
Besides the performance in interviews and IIFT exam, the panel considers the candidate’s overall profile,
work experience, and past academics.
Topics Given in IIFT’s Extempore
In this round, each candidate will have one minute to prepare and two to three minutes to speak. Topics for
this
impromptu round can be drawn from any aspect of the candidate's background or experience, as well as from
current events, hobbies, and academics. The following is a list of extempore topics assigned in recent years:
- What are your thoughts on foreign direct investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail?
- Mental Health
- New Education Policy, 2020
- Reality shows like "Shark Tank India" should be encouraged or not?
- Should one Invest in Cryptocurrencies?
- The culture of gigs
IIFT - Interview Experiences
Questions Asked in IIFT Interviews
The candidates are quizzed by a panel of 2-3 interviewers regarding their traits, academic and professional
aspirations, work experience, and other relevant topics. Every individual’s interview lasts for 20-25
minutes. Check out the interview questions encountered by candidates at IIFT admissions of the past few years:
Personality Traits & Goals
- Tell us about yourself.
- Why MBA?
- What do you want to do with your life after you have an MBA?
- Did you give CAT? How did you do?
Academics & Work Experience
- What abilities a product manager needs to excel in their role? Describe a time when you displayed such
abilities.
- Which nations supply India with coal?
- Explain the concept of financial leverage.
- Consider debt a sword with two edges. Explain.
- Where do electrical and electronics engineering diverge?
- In what ways does a demerger benefit a business?
- Can a company report a loss in P&L even though its cash flow is extremely positive? Can depreciation be
sped up or slowed down to change P&L numbers?
- What are your thoughts on the privatisation of coal mining?
- What are India's top three exports and imports?
- Share the top three things you discovered while working at Toyota.
- What is modem?
- Please tell me about your time in WFH. Do you find that working in WFH slows you more than in an offline
environment?
- I was wondering if you could shed some light on the reasoning behind your most recent effective internet
campaign. If a business wanted to launch a campaign, what would they typically focus on?
Hobbies & Extra-Curriculars
- What sports do you participate in?
- What do you usually enjoy seeing in the theatre?
Current Events & General Awareness
- Tell me about the paper you read and the most recent business news.
- Do you know what's going on in the business world today?