16th March---> IIMC---> Humpty Dumpty had a great fall!!!

My Calcutta Interview!!!

GD: Good

we were 10 of us (9 guys and 1 girl). Lots of familiar faces...I was a bit apprehensive as I'd got reports of the girl being a fiery speaker. Fortunately, it turned out to be a rumour (she was unusually calm during the GD).. neways, we had a good discussion on the topic - "The bulk of the population has not benefited from recent economic reforms".3 mins to think, 10 for the GD, and then a minute each for summarizing or adding a new point..I came in a number of times and tried to give a direction to the GD by putting in points like... we must first understand the composition of the population, why benefits are not trickling down to the lower sections of the society, need for proper implementation... bureaucratic reforms, agricultural reforms etc. Overall, I guess I put in a decent performance. I must thank the group for being supportive.. unusual for me to do well in a GD.

Interview: Dunno

The panel was pretty chilled out... Though I was the last person to be intrvwd, the panel seemed to be in a jovial mood... three profs... all very cool and friendly..

I messed up at a couple of places.. but felt that the panel was somehow satisfied...

Prof: Mr. Patwari, please take a seat..
Me: Thank you, sir.
Prof: So, you are from St. Xavier's?
Me: Yes sir...
Prof: Do you watch cricket, Mr. Patwari?
Me: No, Sir. I'm not fond of cricket..At this they said 'good' and started laughing..
Prof: Probably, u got to know from other candidates who were intrvwd earlier that the panel is not fond of cricket...(smiled)
Me: (smiled back).. Sir, I'm really not interested in cricket..
Prof: So, wht r u doing together with Graduation? I see that u r doing CA...
Me: Yessir, explained that I'd completed PE-II..
Prof: So, r u doin articleship?
Me: No, sir.. explained why not...
Prof: So, why not continue with CA? (obvious question!!!)
Me: gave the 'rata-rataya' answr..
Prof: (citing my ranks in CA) But I feel that the CA profession wud lose out if guys like u come for MBA..
Me: Again justified my stand...
Prof: What is ur relative position in ur college?
Me: sir, I'm among the top ten students of my college...
Prof: (visibly impressed) And, how much dyou expect to score in Part-II?
Me: Sir, I'd try to get at least 75%..
Prof: good..Prof: Did u apply for campus placements in college.. I hear they have been good this year..
Me: No, sir.. I'd not applied... but yes they have been good..
Prof: What do you think abt autonomy granted to Xavier's?
Me: good.. for students, college.., earlier outdated syllabus... blah, blah.

Prof: Did u study abt Stock market in CA?
Me: No. sir.. we did not have any paper on Stock Market.. (heaved a sigh of relief)
Prof: very vaguely asked me something abt Present Value... I explained that.. then he asked me what was to be taken as 'Discounting Factor'.. By mistake, told cost of capital.. later rectified my mistake by saying sorry and mentioned 'expected rate of return'.

Prof: What are ur hobbies?
Me: sir, reading and writing..
Prof: Recent books?
Me: Monk&ferrari, alchemist...And we had a small chat on 'Alchemist'

Prof: I'll revert back to the 'Discounting Factor'.. let's say the company now approaches a bank for a loan.. what wud the bank look at?
Me: Past performance.. actual rate of return as against expected rate of return..
Prof: And..
Me: Risk..
Prof: What about debt-equity ratio?
Me: (shit.. I shud've mentioned that first) Yes sir, in fact, this wud be more important..

Prof: Yogesh, give me a 30 second lecture on Budget from a CA's point of view..
Me: sir, as in how it wud affect the CA profession?
Prof: No, just CA's point of view..
I messed up here.. didn't know what is CA's point of view...spoke abt Service Tax.. how budget was low on reforms...
Prof: interrupted and said shud have spoken abt MAT and FBT...I acknowledged that...
Prof asked me abt %ile and calls...

Thank you..I got up when one of the profs said.."Yogesh, I suggest that u continue with CA.."
I said - "Sir, I'd prefer to do an MBA.."they laughed and said 'All the Best'..I said 'Thank You' and came out..

Don't know how it went.. I felt good after the intrvw but can't forget that at least twice they had to give me the correct answers..Everyone else had similar inters...

VERDICT : Wailisted No. 16..... it hurt, Ouch!!