IIM Admission 2020: Devesh Bansal recalls PI experience at IIM Kozhikode

Devesh Bansal, who scored 99.65 percentile in CAT 2019, shares his IIM Kozhikode WAT-PI experience. Read below.

CAT 2019 Topper Devesh Bansal

Devesh Bansal, a Delhi University graduate, who scored 99.65 percentile in CAT 2019, was shortlisted for the WAT-GD-PI rounds of some of the top IIMs. Devesh, while working in a full-time job, appeared for CAT exam. He said that IIM-K interview was among the most difficult interviews. He also said that his success mantra for CAT has been consistency and practice. He has converted the call from IIM Shilong as well. Devesh shared his IIM Kozhikode PI experience with Shiksha. Read more in the article below.

Q. What was your WAT topic?

A. Mentioning one of the difficult and thought-provoking topics, my WAT Topic for IIM Kozhikode was ‘Caste-based reservations are impediments on building a caste-less society’.

Q. Please provide a summary of what you wrote. 

I mentioned about the current state of Indian Economy’s heterogeneous nature. I highlighted the political aspect, how caste-based reservation there is needed to raise issues about the particular community. Further, mentioning about the economics involved, I distinguished in the concepts of Equity and Equality. Also, I highlighted various economists’ stance to measure economic benefit based on different criteria. For example, classical utilitarian-approach, etc.  Lastly, I shed light upon the need for a balance between the reservations and equality to help India move forward from the domestic violence based upon this matter and realize its immediate goal of being an economic super-power.

Q. What was your strategy before appearing for the interview?

A. The strategies were different for the interview day and for its preparation.
Preparation: IIM-K is known for testing Quantitative part. Being from the economics background, I brushed up my concepts on subjects like statistics and probability, integration and algebra. Apart from this, I read all the level -1 CFA books due to my interest in Finance and the nature of my work experience. Lastly, I did revise the economics concepts and kept an eye on the current affairs.

On the interview day: My PI slot was in the afternoon and the centre two hours away. On the way, I revised some formulas and read the headlines. I was not sure that whether everything I was reading would help me and that is what happened. In summary, the interview day mindset plays a crucial role.

IIM Kozhikode Interview (2 Interviewers, both male)

P1: (Started with) Why is there a one-year gap between 2018-19?

A: I mentioned my start-up, which I was involved in during my final year of college. Further, I told about the various certifications pursued to maintain knowledge consistency.

P1: What is a start-up?

A: In terms of valuation, I told that a firm with net-worth up to INR 100 Crore (In India). I further added that a firm working upon innovation to change the world for good.

P1: So what was the innovation of your Start-up?

A: I told a bit-about my start-up and its objective.

(P2 entered in between)

P2: What is your typical day at work?

A: Mentioned about my work-profile.

P2: Let us come to your academics. Choose one subject of your choice.

A: Anything sir. I would try to answer all the questions with the best of my knowledge

P2: No. Choose one.

A: Okay sir. Econometrics.

P2: What is regression?

A: Sir, regression is a set of statistical processes for estimating the relationships between a dependent variable and one or more independent variables.

P2: What is the correlation?

A: Correlation is a statistical technique that can show whether and how strongly pairs of variables are related. 

P1: What is Heteroskedasticity?

A: It is made of two words: Hetero:- Unequal and Skedasticity- Variance. It is the problem of unequal variance in the error terms.

P1: What is multicollinearity? (After appreciating my answer)

A: Multicollinearity is a phenomenon in which one predictor variable in a multiple regression model can be linearly predicted from the others with a substantial degree of accuracy.

P2: What is autocorrelation?

A: Autocorrelation refers to the degree of correlation between the values of the same variables across different observations in the data.

P2: What is hypothesis testing?

A: The Hypothesis Testing is a statistical test used to determine whether the hypothesis assumed for the sample of data stands true for the entire population or not.

P2: Good.

P1: Last two questions. What are the neighboring countries of Syria?

A: Iraq, Turkey

P1: Neighbors of North Korea?

A: China and South Korea.

P1: Good!

P2: I think, we are okay. Thank you!

A: Wished them and left

Also Read: How Devesh Bansal scored 99.65 percentile in CAT 2019?

Thoughts on the Interview

With two panelists, both males, the interview started off in a non-conventional way. Hoping to enter the room with a fixed mindset created some pressure. As soon as I was asked to take my seat, I was grilled on the gap year. This was followed by questions on my work-experience. IIM Kozhikode's interview has always been known for its random-question interview style. The panelists switched to different parts, for example, from my work experience to my academics, then suddenly to geography. All in all, maintaining composure helped me sail through it unscathed, else I would count it among my most difficult interviews.

Verdict: Converted

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