Cracking the Common Admissions Test (CAT) is often seen as the first rung on the ladder to a top business school.
If you are expecting a call or have already got shortlisted by the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) in
Calcutta, the next step is to gear up for the final selection stages. At this point, you'll be up against
the MBA aspirants that are intellectually and professionally at par with you.
Admissions at a business school entail a procedure that is meant to assess the experience and qualifications of
the candidates and if they are appropriate for the rigours of the offered courses and subsequent preparation for
careers in management. In most cases, interviewers and evaluators inquire about the candidate's skills,
beliefs, intelligence, and other relevant qualities.
About IIM Calcutta
Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Calcutta, is the first of the IIMs to be established, and accorded the
status of an ‘Institute of National Importance’ by the GoI in 2017. IIM-C has been a forerunner of
education in management and related research in India. It provides management courses at the Postgraduate and
Doctoral levels, Executive Training Programs, Research and Consulting Activities, etc. Besides its two-year
full-time MBA, the institute offers PGDBA (Post Graduate Diploma in Business Analytics) in conjunction with IIT
Kharagpur and ISI.
IIM Calcutta - Selection Process
The admission procedure at IIM-C begins with shortlisting candidates for a written ability test (WAT) and
a personal interview (PI). For this, factors like CAT scores, academic excellence,
diversity, and work experience are taken into account. The final admission list is determined by the composite
scores prepared after considering the above-stated factors and candidates’ performance in WAT-PI.
Topics Given in IIM-C’s WAT
IIM Calcutta conducts an essay-writing round, called WAT, where the candidates in the WAT are given 30 minutes.
In the allotted time, they should be able to write somewhere between 250 and 300 words. The current events and
pressing challenges from business, economics, and society serve as the source for WAT topics. Some of the topics
asked in recent years during IIM-C admissions are as follows:
- Public holidays in India are more frequent than in most other countries. What impact does this have on
India's development?
- The high rate of farmer suicides is a serious problem that the country must address immediately. Is there
anything the government can do to help stop this from happening? What additional groups might be able to
lend a hand?
- There is now a lot of weight behind social media. Many people think we should regulate what people post on
social media. However, there are many who worry it will stifle their freedom of speech. How do you feel
about this?
- Over a billion people have mobile phones today, making them practically indispensable. In what ways will
this play out?
- The oceans are suffering because of human activity related to waste dumping and garbage disposal. What would
be its potential repercussions? Give ideas on how to fix it.
- Scientists in the field of psychology generally presume that people are kind and generous. However, in
today's consumer-driven society, receiving is prioritised over giving. Is that what you think? Defend
your position.
IIM Calcutta - Interview Experiences
Questions Asked in IIM-C Interviews
The candidates are evaluated by a panel of two interviewers who look at their resumes, grades, employment
history, interests, and other factors. Mathematical problems are also asked in some interviews. Every interview
lasts between 15 and 25 minutes. Here are some of the interview questions asked at IIM-C during the past few
years:
Personality Traits & Goals
- When did you take CAT? How come this time it worked?
- How did you settle on this particular path? As a young person, you could have chosen from a wide variety of
opportunities.
- Okay, so you want to get into Aerospace as a career. Please enlighten me on the subject of space technology.
Current Events & General Awareness
- Is there a connection between faith and materialism that you're aware of?
- Did you hear about the elections in five states recently? Have you heard of the competing parties and their
candidates for the chief minister?
Academics & Work Experience
- Do you know how to graph 1/x?
- How can we figure out how much money we made overall? If you were to look at a bank's financial
statements, what would the top and bottom lines be?
- How does power get made? Provide a detailed description of the procedure. Is nuclear power environmentally
friendly? Please explain the many forms of renewable energy.
- In which location did you end up? How much are you getting paid by them, exactly? Then please explain your
interest in attending IIM Calcutta.
- If you want to show that the more you eat, the hungrier you get, make a chart.
Hobbies & Extra-Curriculars
- Tell me about the movie that made you want to study this subject.
- Discuss some of the things you enjoy doing in your spare time.
- What genres of films are your favourites? Which Director do you like best and why? Please explain what it is
about him that appeals to you.
- Do you have any favourite musical artists? Identify a wide range of classical music genres. Do you have a
song ready to sing in case it comes up during the interview?
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