A high score in an MBA entrance exam like SNAP is required for admission to a competitive business school like Symbiosis Institute of International Business (SIIB), Pune. If you are successful in earning a spot in the next admission round, you need to get ready for it. Now, you are in competition with other MBA applicants who, despite coming from different educational and professional backgrounds, are just as bright as you are.
If you put your best foot forward in front of the MBA admissions committee, you'll boost your chances of being accepted into the B-school. The fundamental goal of an institute’s selection process is to find students who are a good fit for the academic and professional requirements of an MBA programme. The admissions board evaluates candidates based on a number of factors, including their overall profiles and performance in different stages.
First established in 1992 under the name ‘Symbiosis Institute of Foreign Trade’, SIIB (Symbiosis Institute of International Business) is now a prominent educational and research institution. The institute is recognised as a leading institution in the field of business education. Over the years, it has delivered solid academic grounding and holistic learning. International Business, Energy & Environment, and Agribusiness are the three areas of specialisation available for the MBA programme at SIIB.
The preliminary evaluation is based on the SNAP (Symbiosis National Aptitude Test) scores of the candidates, after which they have to complete written ability test (WAT), group exercise (GE), and personal interview (PI) rounds. An applicant's acceptance into the MBA programme will depend on how well they perform in each of these stages.
In this phase, the candidates are assessed for written communication skills. Each applicant is given two WAT topics and a set of three questions. Around 30 minutes are allotted for both essays. Following is a list of WAT topics from previous admission rounds:
● Crypto-currency: A new trend
● Philosophy of Education
● Providence and its effects
● Work From Home - A new normal
● Cashless Economy
In this round, candidates are divided into smaller groups and assigned topics to discuss. There are a total of 10-15 minutes for each group conversation. Every participant is asked to provide a brief, 2-3-sentence summary of the GD topic at its end. Topics covered in the GD round of past admissions are as follows:
● Is AatmaNirbhar a Possible Future or Far-Off Fantasy?
● Government’s Disinvestment policy
● Should we expect a revolution as a result of India's new education policy?
● Globalisation vs. Nationalism
● Need for spirituality and work-life balance
Two panellists interviewed each candidate for roughly 10–15 minutes. The applicants are quizzed on their morals, career aspirations, professional background, preferred areas of expertise, professional accomplishments, and personal interests. There are also questions on recent events and ongoing issues. Listed below are the actual interview questions from previous admissions:
What is your plan of action as a business leader?
● Why do some clients pay less than others for the same trade finance product? Is that not unethical? Can you tell me what you've done to boost your team's effectiveness?
● Where did HSBC get its start?
● What is your profile? What is the nature of the project on which you are presently engaged?
● How, on a global scale, will you apply your previous experience and education?
● Define forensic auditing. Which firm has been making headlines for this reason lately?
● What are your motivations for pursuing an MBA degree?
● Tell me about your motivations for pursuing an MBA in international business.
● Why go from Biotech to MBA?
● Even at such a little age, you've already established quite an impressive profile. Instead of maintaining your current career path, why pursue an MBA?
● How up-to-date are you on the world's current events?
● If you had been the agriculture minister, what would you have done differently to better the industry?
● Who is the current Chief Minister of Punjab?
● What's your favourite sporting activity? How big is a badminton court?