Abhishek
Abhishek Dhawan
Deputy Manager - MBA & BBA Content
Updated on Feb 11, 2026 23:36 IST
Common questions asked in PI round - It is not easy to guess what questions will be asked in a PI round of a B-School. But there are a few very common questions that are asked at almost all kinds of interviews. See list of common questions asked in a Personal Interview (PI).

MBA admissions in India is divided in multiple stages starting with an entrance test. Usually, candidates are shortlisted for GD and PI based on their entrance exam scores. Check common Personal Interview questions to prepare for the PI round.

Personal Interview questions

Personal Interview Questions: Most MBA admissions across India and abroad require candidates to appear for Personal Interview rounds. Sometimes, preparing for a Group Discussion and a Personal Interview round becomes tougher than passing an entrance exam for MBA admissions. One can easily tackle PI process with the correct preparation strategy. Candidates who are shortlisted for admission rounds must start by prapring with the most common questions asked in Personal Interview.

Questions asked during a PI round for MBA admission typically revolves around the theme set in the resume. A candidate with a work experience may be asked about the industry he/she was involved in. Freshers may find more predictible questions. Candidates who are shortlisted for MBA admission process must prepare for common PI questions. Check some most common PI questions here.

Top 32 Personal Interview Questions for MBA Admissions

A personal interview round for MBA admission is a personality assessment test in which the admission panel has a good opportunity to know a candidate and the candidate has a good opportunity to present their best aspects. It is more of an interpersonal interaction which includes professional as well as personal questions. Here are the most commonly asked questions in MBA personal interview round for admission:

  1. Tell us something about yourself.
  2. Why do you think should we give you admission in our college?
  3. What are your key skills/ greatest strengths?
  4. What is your greatest weakness?
  5. What is your greatest achievement?
  6. Where do you see yourself five years down the line?
  7. What are your career goals?
  8. What are your short-term goals?
  9. What are your long-term goals?
  10. Why do you want to join this College/B-school?
  11. Why MBA? Also Check: MBA PI Questions: How to Answer 'Why MBA' Question? With Example
  12. Why marketing/ finance/ etc. specialisation?
  13. Why this particular programme?
  14. What are your hobbies and interests?
  15. Who is your role model?
  16. Who inspires you?
  17. What is the difference between a good manager and a good leader?
  18. Why should we admit you?
  19. What are some reasons to reject your application?
  20. Walk me through your resume/profile.
  21. What is your biggest failure or challenge?
  22. How will you contribute to the class if we choose you?
  23. How will you contribute to the campus if we choose you?
  24. How will you add value to the campus if chosen?
  25. What is your expectation from this MBA programme?
  26. How do you deal with failures?
  27. How do you deal with criticism?
  28. What have you learnt from your failures?
  29. Discuss a situation when you were a leader.
  30. Where else have you applied? What other calls have you received?
  31. What are the newspaper headings that grabbed your attention?
  32. Do you want to ask or know anything (about the college)?

Also Read: Personal Interviews: 5 Situations That May Stump You

Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   Which CAT slot has the toughest question paper?
A: 

Difficulty level in CAT exam is not specific to any of the three slots. The difficulty level across slots may vary every year. Know how the CAT scores are normalised: https://www.shiksha.com/mba/articles/understanding-cat-normalization-process-blogId-9386.

Q:   From where can I download CAT question papers?
A: 

CAT question papers are released within a week of the exam in the form of a PDF as a response sheet and answer key. Response sheet hosts CAT exam questions and answers.

Q:   What is the marking scheme of CAT?
A: 

CAT has 68 questions. Each question carries three marks. There is negative marking of minus one for incorrect attempts. There is no deduction of marks for unanswered questions. Total marks in 204.

Q:   What is the sectional time limit in CAT?
A: 

In CAT exam, each candidate gets 120 minutes to solve the paper. There are three sections in CAT Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning and Quantitative Aptitude. For each section 40 minutes are allotted as sectional time limit. For PwD candidates, the sectional time limit is 53.20 minutes per section. Candidates have to complete each section within the given time limit. Since the CAT is an online mode exam, the test screen will move from first section to the next section automatically as soon as the time limit gets over. Thus candidates have to be mindful of the on-screen timer and pre-decide the number of questions to solve in each section. The Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension section of CAT has 24 questions, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning section has 22 questions and Quantitative Aptitude section has 22 questions. It is not mandatory to solve all the questions in CAT so candidates can devise a strategy to use 40 minutes per section as per their strength and weakness.

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Check CAT Cut offs and predict calls from IIMs and other Top MBA Colleges, whether your CAT score is 70 percentile, 80 percentile or 90 percentile. Check Fees, Placement Reviews, Admission, Shortlist Criteria and eligibility of all MBA Colleges by clicking the link below:

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About the Author
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Abhishek Dhawan
Deputy Manager - MBA & BBA Content

Abhishek Dhawan is a content writer and editor with 7+ years of experience in education journalism. He holds a BA degree from the University of Delhi. At Shiksha, Abhishek primarily covers MBA and BBA entrance

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Saumya Gairola

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