IIM Admission 2023: Know How Alok Singh Converted IIM Lucknow Admission Call

Alok Singh, with 97.42 percentile, got an IIM Lucknow PGP call. Here he discusses his PI-WAT experience for IIM Lucknow admission. Read on.

Know How Alok Singh Dealt with IIM Lucknow PI and WAT

IIM Lucknow Admission 2023: Alok Singh from Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, scored 97.42 percentile in CAT 2022. Based on his CAT score, Alok received admission calls for top b-schools, including IIM Lucknow. He completed a BTech degree in Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering from Madhav Institute of Technology and Science. Post completion of the BTech degree, Alok has been working as a software engineer at LTIMindtree.

In an exclusive interview with Shiksha.com, Alok shares how he was depressed after he came out of the interview room. He claimed it was the shortest ever interview nearing 10 minutes. However, he has been able to convert IIM Lucknow admission call for PGP 2023-25 batch. Scroll down to read Alok’s PI WAT experience at IIM Lucknow, along with the PI transcript, WAT topic, and his thoughts after the interview. 

IIM Lucknow Admission Call

IIM Lucknow shortlists candidates for PI and WAT based on the CAT score. Alok got a 97.42 percentile in CAT 2022, which got him a PI WAT call from IIM Lucknow.

Also Read: IIM Lucknow Cutoff

IIM Lucknow PI WAT Process

The selection criteria for IIM Ahmedabad comprises shortlisted candidates to appear for PI and AWT rounds. Candidates are shortlisted based on their CAT scores. The final admission is done on the basis of collective performance in all selection rounds.

• Written Ability Test: Abbreviated as WAT is a written test where the candidate is expected to write on a given topic in a pre-defined word limit.
• Personal Interview (PI): Almost all the b-school across India conduct a Personal Interview round to select candidates for MBA admission. An interview panel of two or more members get together to ask questions and gauge the overall readiness of the shortlisted candidate for admission

Also Read: IIM Lucknow Admission

IIM Lucknow WAT Experience

Alok went through the document verification process, post which a panel number was allotted to all the candidates. Each panel comprised 10 candidates. These 10 candidates had to take the WAT exam in a common room. Additionaly, all these 10 candidates in one panel had common interviewers.

All 10 candidates were given a WAT topic for IIM Lucknow WAT process. All candidates were given two minutes to think about the topic and write about the same within 15 minutes.

Time limit to Attempt WAT: 15 minutes

WAT Venue: Catering College, Dadar, Mumbai

IIM Lucknow WAT Topic

Alok got a WAT topic regarding online content consumption. The context of the topic was “why students should have limited exposure to online content.”

Also Read:

• WAT/GD Topics of top B-Schools over the years
• Written Ability Test (WAT): Your Next Step to IIMs

IIM Lucknow Interview Experience

Alok’s PI for IIM Lucknow did not go as he expected. He was the second last candidate to be called for the interview inside the room. He had to wait around 2-3 hours for his call. 

• Date of Interview: March 20, 2023
• Place of Interview: Catering College, Dadar, Mumbai
• Number of Panellists: 2 (both male)
• Duration of interview: 10 minutes

IIM Lucknow PI Questions

The space below mentions the PI questions and answers in words of Alok.

(As soon as I entered the room I greeted both of them and took their permission to sit)

P1: Good afternoon, Alok. Please introduce yourself.

Alok: I had already prepared for this answer beforehand as it is the most common question asked in any interview round. I mentioned about my city, my state level achievements in painting, my college, the cultural activities I was a part of in the college, my work experience and lastly about my hobbies.

(Meanwhile P2 was checking my WAT answer)

P1: What's the certificate about you mentioned in your intro? What was your contribution?

Alok: I answered this question (I received a certificate of Gender warrior in college)

(Before I entered the interview room, other candidates had already told me that they are asking only about academics, irrespective of the work experience)

P2: So you are from Electronics background. Tell me what's a bistable multivibrator?

Alok: I answered the question correctly with the defination.

P2: Draw its circuit diagram for us.

Alok: I told them that, I am unable ot recall the diagram at the moment.

P2: Okay, make the circuit diagram of JK flip flop(he also gave certain conditions)

Alok: I again couldn't answer. Said sorry.

P2: Looks like you have forgotten everything. It's just been 2 years.

Alok: To this I didn’t speak anything but, smiled nervously.

(Meanwhile, P1 was just staring with a weird expression)

Before moving fyrther, I was asked some more questions on Electronics. These questions were related to Power transmission lines, DC and AC differences. They also made me draw a circuit diagram of Transistor. I answered most of these questions correctly. However, they didn’t seem convinced with my answers.

Around 1-2 follow-up questions were asked from my academic history.

P1: Okay, we are done. Thank you.

Verdict: Converted

Thoughts on IIM Lucknow Personal Interview

Once I was told that the interview was concluded, I did not believe the interview panel, as it was the shortest ever interview. I was constantly hoping that they should ask me questions related to HR, or something from my work experience, or my hobbies. However, my shortest interview was over. 

Everything during the interview was asked from Electronics. I had a belief that they wouldn’t select me, and even cried, thinking about the worst interview experience. Had lost all hopes. I knew I won't be able to make it.

Read More MBA Interview Experiences

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