“You can't not learn. Everything you do, teaches you something”.
The first thing towards getting to a B-School is the application. B-Schools list down eligibility criteria. They do not mention anything in specific. They simply ask for any UG, CAT, XAT or MAT scores and x-years of work experience. Since there is no mention about a specific cut off for entrance test scores, I wondered if my score was eligible. I enquired at the admissions department and they said it was. I applied.
When the Group Discussion/Personal Interview (GD/PI) list was released, my name did not figure. I learnt that my score was eligible only for applying but not for the GD/PI stage.
Now for Plan B
I came across the ad of a B-school which was fascinating. It stated that entrance test requirements will be waived for candidates with good academic results. My test scores were low but my academics were very good. So I mailed the admissions department my profile. I got a positive reply and applied. I was pleasantly surprised when I found my name in the GD/PI list. I gave it my best. I wasn't selected. I then realised the USP: Why reject candidate at initial stage itself? For
his application money ask him to attend GD/PI and then reject. Wear a tie, tell a lie!!!!.
Though my CAT score was low, I had good MAT scores which got me a call for GD/PI from a B-School in Kerala.I went there to see more than a hundred candidates for that session and B Schools conduct multiple GD/PI sessions.
I was surprised to see so many prospective MBA students. In a populous country like India there is always a large army of ants for a single grain. Widely, group discussions are conducted in a good way.
Grilling session
The interviews are the nightmare. Applications also ask us for our views on finance or MBA education. In a poetic mood I wrote a lot of false things about my choice of MBA. I was grilled with many questions about what I had written. This is a parliamentary democracy champ. Politicians cannot be questioned about poll promises, but innocent students ought to be questioned about their views on a topic.
The popularity of a B-School also depends upon the various freebies offered like laptops, suits, an international tour. It also promises a confirmed interview with a big organisation. Why then do we curse political parties about freebies? Be it education or politics, freebies has deep roots in India.
C. Viswanath Ram, Finished graduation from Vivekananda College and an MBA aspirant.
