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CoolAvenue's Interview with:
Simanti Talukdar
Symbiosis Centre for Management & Human Resource Development (SCMHRD), Pune

1. General Questions
2. Questions related to Pre-MBA Preparation
3. Questions related to Group Discussion / Group Exercise
4. Interview-related Questions
5. After Joining MBA

3. Questions related to Group Discussion / Group Exercise

Q. Was Group Discussion or Group Exercise part of selection process?
A. We had a Group Discussion which was an elimination process. SCMHRD gave out initial calls based on SNAP Score to around 2000 people. After the Group Discussion, around 750 were shortlisted for the Interview.

Q. The duration of Group Discussion, size of the group, number of panelists, etc.
A. The Group Discussion was for one hour, with 13 participants, and it was moderated by three panelists.

Q. What was your Group Discussion topic?
A. We had two GDs of about 20 minutes each. In the first, each of us were shown a different picture for two minutes and then asked to describe our pictures to the group and form a sequence. The next Group Discussion was a case-study about the infrastructure problems faced by a town.

Q. Tell us about your Group Discussion experience?
A. Since all the candidates were aware that the Group Discussion was an elimination round, everybody was really keen to make a good impression, as that was important to be selected for the Personal Interview round. Being a rather soft-spoken person, I wasn’t able to contribute much in terms of quantity. However, I managed to contribute effectively a few times and added some good points. Eventually I wasn’t too happy with my performance, but I managed to get through the second round.

Q. How was the environment during discussion?
A. It was decent, no fish market, everybody got an opportunity to come up with their points. The time given was also enough.

Q. Describe your impression of the your team members and overall Group Discussion process?
A. It was a good group, not too aggressive, but not short on ideas either.

Q. Some handy tips that would be of great help.
A. Be assertive and not aggressive, make eye contact, you need not dominate the Group Discussion, but make sure you make a few relevant and sensible points.

Q. Were there any set norms of Group Discussion?
A. Just that we were warned explicitly that if we create a fish market, the entire group will be disqualified.

Contd.   4. Interview-related Questions