How to crack your GD-PI? Tips from IIM Ranchi student

By Richa Mukhi

 

To seek an admission at Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ranchi, aspirants have to clear Written Ability Test (WAT) and Personal Interview (PI) rounds. Most of the IIMs do not conduct GDs as a part of their selection process. Ask anything about IIM Ranchi here.

To nail the WAT round, aspirants should make sure that they have knowledge as well as the writing skills. During the WAT round, aspirants are given a topic to write on. They are tested on their knowledge of the topic, organization, flow of ideas and their grammar skills. Aspirants are given approximately 20 minutes to write on a given topic. Hence, it is important for aspirants to be well-read and know about a spectrum of topics. Current affairs should be on their fingertips.

How to prepare for GD PI WAT rounds?

It is advisable that aspirants should not wait for the CAT results to begin their preparation for the WAT/PI round. When it comes to securing a seat in the IIMs, CAT percentile plays a crucial role but an aspirant’s performance in the WAT/PI round will only guarantee him/her a seat in such coveted institutes.

IIM Ranchi conducts WAT/PI separately for both PGDM and PGDHRM courses. So, the topic in the WAT round for the PGDHRM course is more likely to be based on current trends in HRM such as work/life balance, gamification in HR, use of bell-curve for performance appraisal etc.

Acing the PI is a matter of nerves and preparation. Self-awareness is important for all aspirants. They need to be well-prepared with answers to the question, “Why MBA”. PGDHRM course aspirants need to be well-prepared with answers to the question, “Why HR”. Justifying your answers to both these basic questions will keep you in the reckoning for a coveted seat at IIM Ranchi. People with work-ex and any sort of gaps in their education and experience maybe asked to justify the same as well.

Aspirants should expect the clichéd “Tell me something about you” question as well. Though these are simple questions, aspirants are tested on their clarity of thought and purpose and levels of self-awareness while answering these questions. So, answers to these questions might very well be their ticket to a seat at the IIMs.

Apart from that, you are tested for attitude in any interview. Interviewers might put you through stress at times, in order to see your reaction to the same. Aspirants can be asked to propose a solution to any mathematical, reasoning or logical problem as well. All depends on the mood of the interviewer. In this case, the aspirants are advised to maintain their composure and think with a calm head. Aspirants should remember that it is their state of mind and attitude to the problem at hand that is being tested and not the solution that they’ll be providing.

People who sit for a PGDHRM interview round should be well-versed with the various HR specialisations like Recruitment and Selection, Training and Development, Compensation and Benefits etc. HRM interviews can be highly stressful since they only believe in picking the best students who are an ideal fit for HR discipline. The trick will be to keep your nerves and not to panic at any point, during the course of the interview.

Nothing can beat solid preparation before an interview. So, gear up and do your homework properly before appearing for any WAT/PI process. Don’t wait for the CAT results and defer your WAT/PI preparation. Google is your best friend during the WAT/PI preparation stage. So, tap it to the fullest and make good use of it.

Here’s wishing all the future aspirants, all the very best. Nail the WAT/PI round. See you at IIM Ranchi.

 

Richa Mukhi is a current MBA student at Indian Institute of Management, Ranchi. Richa is a Campus Representative at Shiksha.com Campus Connect. You can connect to Richa here and ask her about the institute.

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