IIM Admission 2020: Ahsaas Sharma recalls his WAT-PI experience at IIM Ahmedabad

Ahsaas Sharma, who scored 99.93 percentile in CAT 2019, shares his WAT-PI experience of IIM Ahmedabad. Read below.

Ahsaas Sharma

Ahsaas Sharma from Faridabad who scored 99.93 percentile in CAT exam, was shortlisted for WAT-PI round of IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Calcutta, IIM Lucknow, IIM Indore and FMS, Delhi. His first interview happened to be of IIM Ahmedabad and initially, it didn’t really go well as he had thought. But mid-way, Ahsaas did something that changed the course of interview. Ahsaas shared his WAT-PI experience of IIM Ahmedabad. Read on to know how he converted the interview call.

Also Read: CAT 2019 topper Ahsaas Sharma Shares his CAT Exam Strategy

IIM Ahmedabad WAT-PI round

Date & place of interview: February 14, 2020 at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi

WAT Topic: There was an essay which had arguments about whether the encounter of Hyderabad rapists was justified or not and we have to analyze that argument and write our views.

Summary of what I wrote:

I analyzed the essay on FOUR arguments -

1. Delay in judicial proceedings in India
2. The idea of justice in this case being deterrence rather than reformation
3. The nature of crime and the harshness of punishment
4. The consequences/relief for the stakeholders i.e. the accused and the victim's families

IIM Ahmedabad: PI Experience

There were 2 interviewers M1(male) and F1(female).

M: If we go down in the sea does the temperature rise or fall?

A: It decreases as sunlight doesn't pass through and no thermal radiation.

M: What about pressure?

A: Answered how it increases due to the weight of the pressure and expanded this a bit more.

M: Have you studied IC engines?

A: No sir it was an elective I hadn't taken.

M: Still you must know something about it, tell me difference between 4-stroke and 2-stroke engine?

A: Answered about difference in combustion cycle as in four stroke it is completed in two strokes and in one stroke in two-stroke engine. Don't know anything else as I haven't studied this course.

M: Can we put petrol in diesel engine?

A: Don't know much about it. Tried to answer randomly but eventually told don't know.

M: Ok! Tell me the difference between not defined and infinity.

A: Drew the graphs and explained them. (Didn't seem satisfied)

F: You study in IIT, Ropar tell us why people visit Ropar?

A: It is the site of Indus Valley civilization. We have relics and artifacts in the museum. Other than that, Sutlej river flows through Ropar so we have peaceful river banks and canals to sit beside and enjoy. We have famous Gurudwaras like Bhatta Sahab, Tibbi Sahab and Anandpur Sahab.

F: No! Anandpur Sahab is in Anandpur you are wrong.

A: Explained how people stay in Ropar in good hotels such as Keekar Lodge etc. even if they have to visit Anandpur Sahib as it's a 25-minute drive from Ropar.

F: Tell me dates of India Valley Civilization's existence.

A: It would be somewhere around 2500 BC.

F: And Greek Civilization?

A: Don't remember what I answered but it was probably wrong as she told that Greek civilization is known as the first civilization. Then I suddenly remarked history doesn't really interests me.

F: What interests you?

A: Sports management and I want to make a career out of it.

F: What type of sports management?

A: Explained for 10 minutes about how we don't have a good scouting network especially for basketball and football. How I would build that along with proper player management and fan engagement in sports.

F: What's the need for IIMA for that, you can go to different cities and still meet people and scout players.

A: Told them about how IIMA will help me in networking and stuff. How this will give my venture credibility and stuff. Again. this discussions went on for about 5-8 minutes.

F: Where did you get this idea from?

A: Told them about how I admire Rich Paul (Lebron James' agent) and Bernie Ecclestone for how they managed to build Klutch Sports and F1, respectively and what I learnt from them.

F: Rich Paul was a poor guy and still he made it. Why can't you? Why do you need IIMA?

A: Told them about the problems Rich Paul faced and how IIMA will help me mitigate those problems. In addition to this USA has a defined sporting structure thus the effort is less replicating this in India would require a lot of effort this IIMA degree is an advantage.

F: Ok thanks a lot Ahsaas, you can take the candy.

My thoughts on the interview

The total duration of the interview was around 45-50 minutes. For the first 20-25 minutes, the interview was going horribly wrong. At least that's what I felt. I wasn't really confident in what I had answered in the academics and history questions. But, as I saw the interview going downhill I mustered some courage and told them what I wanted to talk about and what interested me and I guess that changed the direction of the interview a bit as the last 20-25 minutes of the interviews were about my passion, sports management. I could discuss and debate very confidently. As I came out and analyzed I realized maybe they were just testing my stress-bearing capability in the first few questions as I had told them I haven't studied the course but I don't know what saved me. Was this the confidence with which I gave not so right answers at the start or the fact that I could turn the interview midway to the direction I wanted it to go to and I could talk passionately about it.

Status : Converted

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