Getting into a top business school requires a high score in the Common Admissions Test (CAT). After you have
crossed this step, the next one will be to appear in the admission rounds conducted by B-schools, which
ultimately determines your acceptance into their MBA course. And if you are hopeful of hearing from the
Department of Industrial & Management Engineering (DIME), IIT Kanpur, or have already received an invitation
for further rounds, it's high time to brace up for the upcoming challenge. At this stage, you will be up
against applicants with diverse backgrounds and experiences, yet an equivalent level of capability. So, you need
to put your best foot forward to secure your seat into the MBA programme.
The whole purpose of a B-school selection process is to evaluate the applicant's prior academic and
professional accomplishments and their potential to meet the standards of the MBA curriculum. The admission
panel gauges the candidate based on their knowledge, attitude, competency, and other crucial attributes
necessary for management-related professions.
About DIME, IIT-K
The Department of Industrial and Management Engineering (DIME) at IIT Kanpur is one of the first in the country
to introduce interdisciplinary programmes in the field of engineering and management professionals. Established
in 1974, DIME offers a wide array of programmes, including MBA, M.Tech., and Ph.D. Its MBA degree was started in
2001 in order to meet the increasing demand for tech-savvy managers.
Selection Process at DIME, IIT-K
IIT Kanpur follows stringent criteria for its MBA admissions. As a primary condition to apply at DIME, the
applicants need to have a B.Tech/ B.Arch/ equivalent degree. In the next step, the candidates are shortlisted as
per their CAT scores. And the final stage consists of a group discussion (GD) and personal interview
(PI) rounds. Eventually, a merit list is worked up as per the candidates’ CAT scores,
performance in GD-PI, past academic history, work experience, and other features of their profiles.
NOTE: Post two years of covid-19, the GD-PI rounds were eliminated from the selection process,
and the admissions were merely determined as per the candidate’s overall profile. However, the previous
process is expected to resume from 2022-2023 session.
IIT Kanpur - MBA Interview Experiences
Topics Given in IIT-K’s GD
In the GD round, the candidates are divided into groups of 10-12 and assigned a topic to discuss for 15
minutes. These topics are based on contemporary events and developments in the business, economic, and social
sectors. Some of the GD topics are case studies. Here are some of the GD topics given during previous years of
MBA admissions:
- An MBA is overrated in India
- Rafale agreement
- Case study on Henry Ford. Why and how he entered the mass-production market for automobiles. Think about
what you could take away from the case and how you might improve upon his methods.
- Role of Management in India's Agricultural Sector
- Impact of alcohol culture on business and corporate world.
- Case study on an employee with 25 years of expertise suffered an electric shock while working on an
electrical pole without the proper protective gear.
- Case study on analysing the Link Between Corruption and Development.
Questions Asked in IIT-K’s MBA Interviews
The candidates are interviewed by a panel of 2-3 members, on their moral values, careers, educational
backgrounds, and aspirations. Sometimes, interviewers ask follow-up questions to explore a candidate's
responses further. Some questions during the interview are intended to test the candidate's familiarity with
current events and broader topics of interest. On the whole, each interview lasts between 10 and 20 minutes.
Actual interview questions asked of candidates at DIME are as follows:
Personality Traits & Goals
- Where do you see your career going in the future?
- I'm curious about how you balanced your extracurricular activities with your academic commitments.
- Why don't you go for M.Tech.?
Academics & Work Experience
- Brief us about your capstone project. Draw graphs of these functions: ceiling values (x) and 1/mod (x).
- Can you tell me about your role at Persistent Systems?
- What is a "virtual machine"?
- When you were an engineer, what sort of economics courses did you take?
- You sat at home for an entire year; did you pick up anything useful in that time?
Current Events & General Awareness
- Have you been keeping up with the headlines?
- I was wondering if you knew anything about the ‘beti bachao, beti padhao’ scheme.
- Do you understand purchasing power parity and gross domestic product?
Hobbies & Extra-Curriculars
- What are your favourite games to play?
- Which type of book do you prefer?
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