IIMA Experience.
Essay
Topic “ Indian society too short-cut centric” or something like that.
Rough page given. Not used. Also, don’t if you are a fluid writer. Essay was pretty decent. My hot streak in GD/Essays continued. Gave 2-3 examples. Finished well before the 10 min. time limit. Looked around, people were feverishly scribbling around.
PI
Prof P1 : The one who raped me on Acads
Prof P2 : Asked co-currics and extra-acads.
P1 : So, Srinjoy, what was the hot discussion outside ?
ME : Nothing much, just explaining some Bong stuff to people outside.
P1 : So, Kolkata, eh ? Srinjoy from the City of Joy.
ME : City of Palaces too, Sir (Not wanting a philosophical discussion on happiness, life etc. Trying to divert)
P1 : So Civil Engineering ? Do you like Civil ?
< TROUBLE >
ME : Yes, Sir. Pretty interesting. (Why do you think, I’m here if I liked Civil so much ? )
P1 : Okay favourite subject.
My next answer would prove to be my nemesis. Huge mistake on my part.
ME : Solid Mechanics.
Solid Mechanics is interpreted differently in Civil and Mech. The Prof had Mech background and the ripping apart started. I had meant to say “Strength of Materials”. Digging graves, yours truly.
P1 : Okay, so look at this bottle. (Mineral water bottle). Note closely the vertical seals which get broken, when I open it.
P1 :Okay ?
P1 : What are the forces acting when the seal is broken ?
ME : (Jumping up ) Torsional Forces !!
( Totally wrong. Torsional forces act on rotating bodies not the vertical members. )
P1 : Just that ? (Playing around)
ME : Yeah Shear Forces, since area is parallel to direction of force.
P1 : What ? How ? Which area ?
(Again right force mentioned, but wrong reasoning)
ME : Fumbling around.
P1 : Draw the member and show me the forces.
ME : Draws and show the direction of forces.
P1 : Why forces in both directions ?
ME : Components in X and Y directions ?
P1 : What are they called ?
ME : ??? (No idea) Repeated Shear forces.
P1 : Okay what about the middle part ? What causes the bending ?
Me : Bending Forces. There’ll be a bending moment due to the Shearing effect. (Correct)
ME: Just like in a span of a bridge…
P! : (please stick to what asked, not bridges)
Yaar, Civil Engineer hun. Maine kabhi bottles ko uss nazar se dekha nahi !! 
ME: Okay the bending forces will create a crack in the middle. Sheared off and hence seal broken. (No idea if what I said was correct, at all )
P1 : Okay draw a rigid beam. Apply a force at a point 60% from one side.
Me : done
P1 : Tell me the forces acting on the fixed ends.
ME: (Blanked out) Can’t remember !!
P1 : Nothing to remember. Just look and say.
(Actually there was a formula for moments. I am not sure if the forces was to treat it as a simply supporterd beam)
Me : Totally stuck. Draw some arbit directions.
P1 keeps confusing me. I change stances. Draw arbit diagrams.
P1 : Okay draw a hinge and its FBD. Beam on its ends with forces in the middle.
ME : Totally fumbled. Never heard of FBDs in hinges. Draw moments.
P1 : there’ll be a moment in the hinge ?
ME : Nope. Sorry my bad. Free rotation.
Continue drawing some arbit forces. All over the place. Horrible mess.
P1 : So now that you have drawn forces. Acc to Newton, Force is mass times acceleration…..
ME : ( Know where this is going ) No sir, there will be resistive forces as well….. blaberring ….total mess……. Stuck………Ominous silence …… etc.
P2 comes to life and comes to the rescue.
P2 : Okay, Srinjoy leave that. You worked under X at IIMA last summer on Y. (Has gone through my certificates in detail )What was your sources ?
Me : Science direct and some other research papers. I was given an account by X.
(Truth : Was given an account. Never used it. Wiki-ed everything and wrote in my words )
P2 : What is the status of the paper ?
ME : Explained. Gave reasons. Cost analysis left, for which need to visit stations. Etc.
P3 : What was your conclusions ?
Me : Explained the technology used in India, etc. Why we do this, that etc.
P2 : This toh, we all know. What were your findings ?
ME : Explained in detail. (Only silver lining in an otherwise bleak affair)
P2 : You invest in equity and derivatives ?
Me : Only Equity Sir.
P2 : Explain parameters.
ME : Explained in as much detail. Parameters. Ratios. Market Sentiments etc.
P2 : Market sentiments as in ?
ME : Explained reaction. Indian Budget Effect . Libya Oil Crisis. (Not much airtime, short answer)
P2 : So advise me to invest in two sectors.
Me : Banking and Infrastructure. Explained economic outlook over the next year. Added possibility of FDI influx in infra due to relaxed norms in infra. New Banking licenses by RBI to boost banking. Gave example of Yes Bank, India’s fastest growing NBFC.
P2 : So whats the other form of analysis ?
Me : Technical Analysis.
P2 : How do you go about it ?
Me: I don’t trade on price action, Sir. There are oscillators and MACDs I don’t really understand in detail, so don’t venture into such a strategy etc.
(I have a basic knowhow on these, and do actually trade on momentum drives based on SMAs and EMAs but was low on confidence at that point)
P2, P1 : Okay. Thank you.
Thanked and left. Completely flattened.
Extra-acads went superb. IIMA intern also answered well. No questions on my startup, kinda depressing. Acads was horrible. Bloodbath, ripped apart.
Very less chances. IIMA has a reputation of stressing on acads, as you all know. If a miracle just happens, will be solely due to my IIMA profs good review, which P2 read, otherwise will be a hot day in Norway, if this converts. No hopes.
Please give me your reviews as comments etc.
Thank you for reading.
Edit:
As predicted, A dinged me. Perhaps, screwign up acads in an A interview is severely dealt with. A lot of my friends have missed out because of this. In my case, it was ridiculously unfair. It was pretty much basic mechanical engineering, and I wouldn’t have known most of it, even if I were a ten pointer (given A’s obsession with acads). The fact that an IIMA intern and a paper published there couldn’t help my cause is pretty depressing.
