Cracked CAT 2013? Get Ready for the Final Hurdle!

While clearing the CAT is a commendable achievement, one must not overlook the group discussion and interview components of the assessment – the final stages that determine your entry into a B-School of repute. Here is a breakdown of what this stage entails.

Interview

An interview tests your maturity, knowledge, opinions, way of thinking and ability to express these. Most of the questions asked are typically about your past (academic record, work experience, hobbies, etc.). Questions on academics (freshers can especially expect some of these) test your knowledge and ability in the area of your specialization. You may also be asked a few specific questions about developments and innovations related to your branch of study.

People with some work experience are likely to be asked fewer questions about core academics and more about their job. These questions can be about the latest developments in your field of work and the impact of these.

General knowledge questions test your awareness of the big world outside. To a certain extent, they also test your personality. Are you too caught up in yourself or are you aware of the goings-on outside your immediate circle? In other words, are you a mature citizen or are you still wet behind the ears?

Group Discussion

The group discussion primarily tests you on two parameters; your way of thinking and your ability of to communicate your thoughts in a team. A typical group discussion has about eight to 15 participants. A topic is given to the group and the participants get 10 to 30 minutes for discussion on the topic.

Sometimes, at the end of the group discussion, the panel also asks some or all the participants to summarize the GD or present their views on the topic in about one minute. The topic given to a group for discussion can vary dramatically. While some topics are related to current affairs, others may be more philosophical and still others may actually be abstract in nature. Irrespective of the nature of the topic and the structure of the process, the key to good performance in a group discussion is good behavior; quality content and a logical way of thinking.

Writing Task

Essay writing tests are gaining popularity among institutes. With more and more institutes opting for these each year, it is imperative that you are well-equipped to handle this challenge. In the writing task, you will be given a topic – it could be in the form of a question or a simple statement. You will be asked to write a small essay on the same.

Typically, the expected length of the essay is around 400 to 500 words. The topic could be related current affairs or philosophical in nature. While such writing tasks primarily check your way of thinking, they also check your grasp of current affairs and your written communication skills. A good essay should reveal good knowledge of the subject. Further, the student’s opinion should be logically justifiable and the essay should have a coherent and concise structure.

By Vijay Kalyan Jha

The author is vice president, academics, Career Launcher Educate Ltd.

Source: HT Education