CAT'10 Diaries : ( Continued... )

... Continued From CAT'10 Diaries

A week after the wedding, as things settled down, I got a hang of things which brought me back to Earth.

Post 16th Jan, I started counting my calls . March 12 to 24 were the days which would decide my destiny. One out of these days would decide where would I be heading in my life. I got GD/PI calls from MDI, NITIE, MFC/MBE, New IIMs(Rohtak, Raipur, Trichy) and the biggy IIMs too (Luchnow and Bangalore!!). What I messed up in 2K7 finally had come back to me. And this time, I had to make it count. This would be my best shot at my dream to be Post grad from one of the best B-Schools in the country.

Jan End - Mid March

Running 2 weeks behind schedule, I joined the "Malay Rai classes" for some gyan on GD/PI prep. The USP of these classes was that even after 6-7 hours of gyan, it left me pateint or even hungry for more. Thanks to these 2 months I got to know so much about the general things around us, things we just hear and forget, things we skip to read became points of discussions with topics ranging from Budget to Banking Rates to West Asia to the Sub prime crises to Inflation to Maoist problem to Mannu Uncle to Uncle Sam to the many many Scams. Wikipedia became my best friend. A week's office followed by the saturday - sunday sessions made the two months fly. Just like that. 

The Day Before The Big Day

Enter, March 11,2011, a day before my first interview (IIM Lucknow).  I started getting cold feet.. Even after months of preparation, I felt useless. I just wanted to get over with these 12 days asap. I tried to get back to my notes but the Rule of Clock was evident " The often you watch the clock.. the slower the time passes".

March 12,2011 : 

My Lucknow GD and Essay (Division of Indian states on Language Criteria the biggest mistake) went well. I was at my confident best that day (Maa ka ashirwaad tha na :P). Just as the interview started, the Older of the 2 profs enquired about the need of IP University in Delhi( ?? Really ?? ). After I answered him that DU was nearining saturation, IP provides technical education with a mix of private and government institutions, I thought he was satisfied. Then the other prof got curious about GGSIPU's name. What has Guru Gobind Singh to do with delhi!! Arre bhai mujhe kya pata.. Jo Guru gobind singh ke bare me pata tha bataya.. but they dint seem satisfied. However, I answered my academics and work ex related questions well.

March 15,2011 : 

MFC & MBE Delhi University : I filled this one as a safe bet. A super sasta govt. institute that gives Masters in Finance. The GD went well. MFC PI was gud. Asked me about a few physicists as I am an Electronics Engineer. I read about Meghnad Saha and CV Raman a day before :P They were mighty impressed! MBE was a disastor. It was a panel interview, with 5 people. One young rebel (Anti IIM pro DU guy) , Old Professor, Lady.. 2 others ppl... The Professor's eyes sparkled as he gotto know I was an Engineer and started bombarding me with Electronics questions. (Ohho bahut hua ab bas bhi karo) .. Iimmediately the young rebel started," you have no economics background, you are here for money, go to IIMs for Money".. and the 5 keep on discussing, midway they notice I am still there. Lady - "You can leave Pragati, Thankyou"!

March 17, 2011 : 

NITIE ITM, This had its own story. I filled in IT specialiation as a mistake. Wanted to go for General management. However, I flew to Mumbai to grab one of the 10 general seats available! Mumbai was a reunion of sorts, met my college friend and a HSC friend there. Had a decent GD (Non Violence can be used to Combat Terrorism) and PI, and went for Mumbai darshan later in the evening. Mumbai was my first Hostel experience and I loved it :)

March 21, 2011 : 

IIM Rohtak, Raipur,Trichy : Time for the newer IIMs. The venue was same as that for Lucknow interview, so there was a deja vu factor all around. Met a few people from my Lucknow interview panel too :). I started the GD( Too much attention is being given to Cricket) this time. The PI was smooth too,the classic 2G scam was brought up and handled.

March 22, 2011 : 

IIM Bangalore : The day I was waiting for the last 2 months was finally here. The IIM B interview. IIM B had a essay instead to a GD, which made me more relaxed as I would get complete opportunity to keep my views. Set in the classic Indian Habitat Centre, the interview venue had a charm of its own. My IIM B interview lasted a full 35 minutes. The interview panel(3 old profs) was simple and sincere. They made sure they get to know the real you, all the polishing done would turn up a waste. A lot was discussed on SIM card technologies (My work ex), innovations at work, latest book I read.

Then suddenly one prof asks me about the latest movie I saw..

Bouy I was stumped..This is supposed to be an IIM B interview.. Y r we discussing movies here??.. I always thought this is serious stuff.. More over, Sadly I had not seen a movie in quite some time now.. 

Prof - What was the last movie you saw?

Me - "break ke baad" (reluctantly).

Looks exchanged.

Prof - hmmm.. Favourite Actor?

Me - Without thinking - Shahrukh Khan,(Kyu bola????.. bachpan me favourite hota tha wo to!!)

Prof - Ohho - You girls still like Shahrukh khan! Dont you like anyone younger?

Me - I like Hrithik too, Prof - Ohh.. he too is 37-38 now! Anyways favourite movie

Me - DDLJ (in my mind after 30 secs - NoNoNoNo!!).

Prof - (Really!) Ananlyse a sequence.. where kajol wraps bandages her fingers to not to wear the ring

Me- tried Unsuccesfully :(

I wish I could take erase this part out of the interview because this is not me! Anyways I remember I came out smiling from the interview, may be I dint goof up on other questions as much :P

March 24, 2011 : 

I was super happy today. My last GD/PI for MDI, Gurgaon. Again, a few known faces in the panel, met a few people from Malay rai classes. I feel it is easier when you have known faces around you. GD/PI till then had been a customary thing ;) the jitters were low this time. During the PI, I would rate my performance as average as I feel some slackness crept in. But, Koi nhi last PI hai to aish karo!  I had already planned to meet my HSC friends that day after the interview. So I met all of them and meine aish kari :) :)

The Verdict :

At the onset of April, anxity regarding the results grew, finally IIM B announced that its result date will be 18th April. Slowly (and sometimes painfully) all results were announced. Here are my results in the  order of their announcement :

MFC             : Selected      - Acha hai ho gaya.. MBA to pakka hai.. but wahan jana hai kya?

MBE             : Waitlisted   - Waitlist kiya hai? After the interview laga ki bahar hi phek denge

NITIE         : Waitlist        - Disappointed.. Course choice ka nhi hai.. 
                                                  but I did nothing wrong in GD/PI   fir kyu fisrt list nhi hua??
 

IIM B           : Reject          - I hate ShahRukh Khan. Period.

IIM L           : Reject          - I hate myself. I am good for nothing. Ab to MFC hi jao. Period.

MDI              : Select          - Kyaa??? Sachi??? Yeye!!! MDI here I come. NCR me hi rahenge :)
 

IIM Rohtak     : Select       - Really? Arre waah an IIM convert!! :)

IIM Raipur      : Select       - Mazaak ho raha hai.. I reject 2 IIMs...   geeeeeee

MBE(Waitlist)   : Select       - Lo!!, Now I reject you... HUH!!

IIM Trichy      : Select       -  :P Trichy ko Tata!!

CAT'10 Diaries

Last 6 months have been very special for me.. as CAT’10 approached.. so did my sister’s wedding and life was on in full swing.
In the hustle bustle of wedding preparations I gave my CAT unnoticed by the friends or extended family errr.. To say so.. even my family had other things as priorities!
Having given the exam earlier and having been a victim of its whimsical nature before, I liked keeping it low profile. Office on weekdays, shopping on weekends, One test series, a few practice tests, a bit of reading, and soon it was November the 22nd.. CAT was written.. but hey the shopping wasnt over as yet!

As Mid December and January approached, the wedding preparations got hastier and discussions grew louder. The caterer was not finalized, the venue which was booked had some legal hassles, the work on website for the couple was not started.. and even my dress was not ready!! We had 8 full months to prepare.. and yet our home.. full of master planners.. though sans the degrees was lagging behind work! An unexpected and unacceptable situation! How similar is the case with our exam preparations.. we always feel there is ample time for everything.. and yet we are more often than not completing that last chapter just 5 minutes before the exam :P. However, exams can be repeated (though not preferably) but weddings cannot be (generally)! So a little mending has to be done.. Some tweaks and fixings immediately needed.. budgets can not to be compromised.. neither can the esteem and nor pomp and show of organizing a baniya wedding!
A thing about the baniya weddings.. nothing else matters.. it is just about the food! Unless the food is ultrasuperlicouslyyummylicious nothing seems fine.

A few weeks before the wedding, things seem to fall into place,one caterer led to another and we book a caterer matching our taste buds and papa's pockets. A God sent decorator meets us and the deal is sealed.
Meanwhile, January 12th is approaching, I try to ignore any mention of the result as I am in a party mood for the wedding, which is just 4 days after the D Day, not wanting it to steal the Bride’s thunder :P or cause an overcast in the spring time for my family!
 
Anyways, CAT is CAT, you may love it.. hate it.. but cannot ignore it.Period.

On the first day of Dimpi's Shadi's pre ceremonies the deadly chargesheet if filed by the IIMs! Would it be a home arrest for me(as it has always been.. last 24 years.. never been a hostler) or would I get my wings to fly?? Strangely, I have a good night's sleep on the result night.. may be being occupied with family chores helped :). I woke up that morning and quitely check my result. Ok, believe it.. I gotta 99.34!! yeye.. A super happy bunch of Sangals was jumping up n down wid joy.. Aakhir mumma papa ka khota sikka chal hi gaya :P As I hugged my sister, I said.. Arre is score pe MDI to pakka hai :)

For the next few days I was the star of the house ;). With the house full of guests for the wedding.. I relished all the accolades :P. Dimpi's Shadi was a super affair too! All our efforts to find the right caterers and decorators paid off and everyone praised the arrangements.. I could also have commented if only I got the time to check out the food and decoration. 

Ghar ki shadi ki yahi problem hai.. saara kaam karo.. n koi khana bhi nhi puchta!! :P


.... Continued....