IIM Kozhikode Interview Experience on 9th February 2009

IIMK GD/PI experience
----------------------------------

Had the GD/PI of IIM Kozikode at 9:00 am on Monday, Feb. 9th. Venue was Kelinworth Hotel in Kolkata. Hotel was pretty good, lots of foreigners too - guess its 3 star but not sure. Reached the centre by 8:15 am; decided it was too early, took a stroll outside for 10 minutes and went in. Some chairs to sit in the open, so sat there. 6 others had already arrived. A few others had come later. By 8:45 we were asked to go inside and be seated. About 18-20 people were present. 3 were girls ;)

4 people arrived, we figured they would be the interview/GD panel. Not dressed formally at all. At least two thought an "in-shirt" would do no harm! For the first panel, they called out the names. One person was absent. My name was called in second last. Total of 9 in my panel. We were seated as they called our names, so I was in the last but one chair - next to the corner one. Was getting pretty tensed already - I still just HATE GDs!
There was a paper in front of us, covered. We were instructed to read it and jot down any points for 5 minutes on the same sheet of paper (wonder why there was a pad present too!) and would then be given 15 minutes for the discussion.

The case was about how some Janavi was called Jane in her office, worked when her family and friends slept and thinks the Indian Independence day is on 4th July (?!) and the question was whether the IT/BPO industry had destroyed a whole generation of Indians. I had no clue whether to support or go against it (as usual!) ; didn't write down any 'points' for discussion since I never start the GD anyway! Just wanted to go with the flow. Was already getting tenser! My first impression for the group was they are not as dominant as say the group in IMS or the all 'charged' up group at IITG thanks to VC! (thanks again to him for the impression I carry about GDs!!) It did prove right in the end.

The case started with someone trying to define the problem. As usual it sounded dumb. As usual, three guys then tried to 'pitch in'. As usual, I was clueless! Didn't speak for about 2-3 minutes initially at all. Then tried to say something, got cut down by the 'market'. Remembered what Ankit said - if needed raise your voice, keep continuing what you are saying. Went for it. Was surprised the group became silent to listen to me, though my points weren't the best or even as good as I would have liked them to be. Still, it felt nice. Then on, I periodically kept pitching in and people progressively paid more attention. The one girl in our group never got a chance to speak but kept trying. Out of frustration sometime in the middle when she was cut by someone, she went on a recorded tape recorded mode - 'May I May I May I' and then the whole group became silent. Was fun to watch.

Overall GD was far better than my expectations, at least in terms of the number of times or minutes that I spoke for. In terms of time, I would be in the top 3-4. Still, was a good experience. The moderators seemed quite 'warm' and un-intimidating.

The interview was to be in the same order. Sat with 3 others - a guy Sourabh from NIT Nagpur who stayed in Guwahati for 14 years, another guy with 4-5 years experience in some Japanese company and the girl in our group - Madhuri from Patna. Sourabh had gotten all calls (97 odd percentile). Chit-chatted for quite some time about a variety of topics including some GK/current affairs. Didn't get anywhere near tensed during this time, all to be changed soon.
Sourabh was the first to go in and come out. Immediately after was Madhuri. Then some guy and then me. Both Sourabh and Madhuri said it was quite OK types, not a stress interview. The others from the second panel said it was a proper stress interview, quite unhappy about it.
Got quite tensed in the interview initially for about 5 minutes, then it was all cool. Interview had two people, P1 and P2. P1 asked mostly technical, P2 was more into other stuff. Both were very cool about it all. SK is me, Siddharth Kalla :) The other group had questions like explain refrigeration etc,which I could never answer!!

SK: Good afternoon sirs
P1: Please have a seat. Please hand over the form and the certificates.
SK: [does as told]
P1: Ok so Mr. Siddharth Kalla, you from IIT Guwahati right?
P2: [meanwhile looks at my form]
SK: Yes sir
P1: Tell me something about yourself
SK: [realizes he wasn't prepared for this. How DUMB!]
SK: I am Siddharth Kalla from final year Mechanical Engineering from IIT Guwahati
P1: [Nods his head as if telling me he already knows it all and wants something 'more']
SK: Tell him my hobbies, my final year B.Tech project (?!) and about my family background.
P1: So you are Mechanical Engineering. Do you know about engines, heat exhangers and thermodynamics?
SK: [this is the worst part! Thats one area I know just nothing of! ]
SK: I know the fundamentals, we had the basics of it in a course (No way I was going to tell him how many courses we actually had!!)
[now the best part he asks me the real basics. happy with it]
P1: So what is the zeroth law of thermodynamics?
SK: Tell him about thermal equilibrium. Try to act 'smart' and tell him thats the principle a thermometer works on.
P1: So what is the principle in a thermometer.
SK: For a mercury in glass thermometer, it is expansion on heating.
P1: OK so any other methods for measuring the temperature?
SK: [thinks for a while] Pressure of a gas - when heated, the pressure increases.
P1: [nods] So anything else?
SK: [thinks again for a while longer] Resistance changes with temperature, so that can be measured.
P1: Nods more emphatically. So any others?
SK: [thinks way too longer! - how could I forget thermocouples!]
P1: OK, so what is the first law of thermodynamics?
SK: Sir, basically conservation of energy.
P1: So what is the second law of thermodynamics?
SK: Sir it basically [word used for the second time - to be avoided in future!!] says that the entropy of the universe always increases.
P1: [Gets WIDE EYED. I should have told about how heat--> work can never be 100% efficient or something about heat engines and source-sink stuff]
P1: What is entropy?
SK: It is a measure of disorderness in a system.
P1: So why should it always increase?
SK: Thats how things are - there can be no proof for it, it is just like the conservation of energy - it cannot be proved but found to be true in all cases.
P1: Okkk [seems semi-convinced]
P1: So why are the laws named as zeroth, first and second instead of first, second and third?
SK: Sir the first law was stated earlier and then the zeroth law.
P1: Are you sure?
SK: Yes sir [remember reading it somewhere, don't know where!] the first law was stated first, then the zeroth law was identified and found to be more fundamental than the first law. So it was called the zeroth law.
P1: Ok so what is a heat exchanger?
SK: [thinks for a while] It is basically (?!) for heat exchange.
P1: Heat exchange where?
SK: Between a hot fluid and cold fluid.
P1: Ok so what are the different modes of heat transfer?
SK: Conduction, convection and radiation.
P1: What is conduction.
SK: [explains about molecular vibrations etc.]
P1: Does it always occur naturally or can it be forced?
SK: [thinks for a while] I am not sure if it can be forced, but convection can be forced.
P1: So in a heat exchanger, which is the most dominant mode of heat transfer?
SK: Sir convection is most dominant
P1 : Ok... [seems convinced]
SK: [why does he say this?!] but conduction is also important
P1: CONDUCTION?
SK: [tells hims about the surface interface where conduction takes place blah blah blah]
P1: So why is there conduction and convection, why not just conduction?
SK: Tell him that it is convenient, and it occurs regularly in nature, like land breeze, sea breeze. Also tell him its something like electricity and magnetism that we study separately though they are unified. No visible reaction from him.
P1: So how many types of heat exchangers are there?
SK: Parallel and counter parallel.
P1: What are they?
SK: [explains]
P1: Any other types?
SK: [thinks] None that I know of
P1: Ok, so which one is more effective?
SK: Counter parallel?
P1: Why is it so, when it is the same cross sectional area.
SK: [Tries to explain, not convinced. Leaves it.]
Turns to P2.
P2: So have you learned any managerial skills during your college study?
SK: Fundae about organizational skills.
P2: Do you follow current affairs, politics, economics etc?
SK: To the basic level, yes sir. (Had no intention to take my chances!)
P2: So what is the latest happening?
SK: Gaza ... explains blah blah
P2: Anything in India?
SK: [begins to think!! OMG couldn't come up with anything - VERY BAD!]
P2: So what is GDP?
SK: Value of all the goods and services produced in a country.
P1: So is the renumeration of Sachin and Shahrukh added to the GDP?
SK: Sir I think so
P1: But they are not producing any goods?
SK: Sir they provide a service that people like to pay and watch.
P1: But that is already covered in the advertising.
SK: [didn't want to argue. pretend to think] I am not sure sir
P1: [smiles] OK
P1: [looks at P2, both nod]
P1: Thank you Mr. Siddharth.
SK: Look surprised(?!) I felt the interview was too short - later realized it was for 15 minutes -seemed like 5 minutes! I stand up to go and also wish them
P1: Are you surprised that the interview is over? (!?)
SK: [Smiles, thinks and says] Sir, A little bit yes sir. (very timidly!)
P1: [laughs!]
P1: Is this your first interview?
SK: Yes sir
P1: All the best to you
SK: Thank you sir!