NMIMS 20 PI Questions | CDPI Experience of NMIMS

Based on common themes in Group Discussion and Personal Interview (GDPI) experiences for NMIMS and similar institutions, here are 20 frequently asked questions:

1. Introduce yourself.
2. Why do you want to pursue an MBA?
3. Why are you interested in NMIMS specifically?
4. What are your short-term and long-term career goals?
5. Describe your strengths and weaknesses.
6. Can you discuss a significant achievement in your life?
7. Have you faced any failures or challenges? How did you handle them?
8. What are your hobbies and interests?
9. Who is your role model, and why?
10. Why did you choose your undergraduate major?
11. How does your academic background relate to your MBA aspirations?
12. Do you have any work experience? If so, what did you learn from it?
13. Why do you want to specialize in [Marketing/Finance/Operations/etc.]?
14. What are your expectations from this MBA program?
15. How do you stay updated on current affairs and business news?
16. Can you discuss a recent news event that caught your attention?
17. What differentiates a good manager from a good leader?
18. How do you handle criticism or feedback?
19. Where else have you applied, and what other calls have you received?
20. Do you have any questions for us?

NMIMS MBA Admissions Overview:

NMIMS is a prestigious university offering MBA programs across multiple campuses, including Mumbai, Bengaluru, Indore, Hyderabad, and Navi Mumbai. It consistently ranks among the top 25 management institutes in India, according to NIRF rankings. Apart from the General MBA program, NMIMS offers specializations in Human Resources, Pharmaceuticals Management, Digital Transformation, Business Analytics, Family Business Management, and more. Admissions are based on the NMAT entrance test scores, with final selection considering academic records, achievements, work experience, and performance in Written Ability Test (WAT) and Personal Interview (PI).

Selection Process for MBA Admissions:

1. Shortlisting: Based on NMAT scores.
2. Written Ability Test (WAT):

• Paragraph-based topics with opinions to be expressed in 200-300 words.
• Examples of WAT topics provided.

NMIMS MBA Interview Experiences:

NMIMS MBA Interview Experiences | Interview Interview 1 (B.A. in Economics, Fresher):

1. Where are you from?

• This is a common icebreaker question to learn about the candidate’s background and place of origin.

1. Can you tell three differences between Mumbai and Delhi?

• The interviewer is assessing the candidate’s awareness of different cities and their ability to compare and contrast aspects.

1. What are your views on the current Indian economy?

• This question aims to evaluate the candidate’s understanding of economic issues and their ability to provide informed opinions.

1. What steps do you think the government should take to improve the condition of the economy?

• Here, the interviewer is testing the candidate’s critical thinking and policy suggestions related to economic improvement.

1. Why do you want to do an MBA?

• The candidate is expected to articulate their motivations and goals for pursuing an MBA, providing insights into their career aspirations.

1. What are your views on the ‘Make in India’ campaign in India?

• This question assesses the candidate’s awareness of government initiatives and their opinions on strategies to promote indigenous manufacturing.

1. Name a leader you look up to.

• The candidate is prompted to identify and discuss a leader they admire, allowing the interviewer to gauge the candidate’s values and influences.

1. Why did you leave Mumbai and move to Delhi?

• The interviewer seeks to understand the reasons behind the candidate’s relocation, exploring personal and professional aspects.

1. What do you mean by sustainability?

• This question assesses the candidate’s understanding of sustainability concepts, which is relevant in various contexts, including business and the environment.

NMIMS MBA Interview Experiences | Interview (B.Com, Fresher):

1. So, you are in your final semester at college?

• The interviewer initiates the conversation with a straightforward question about the candidate’s current academic status.

1. What elective did you choose? Why an MBA?

• The candidate is asked about their academic choices and the rationale behind pursuing an MBA, exploring their educational and career motivations.

1. What is organizational behavior? If you’re not sure then why did you want to take it?

• This question evaluates the candidate’s understanding of organizational behavior, with a follow-up query about their decision to study the subject.

1. What are the big four companies in audit?

• The candidate is expected to name and possibly discuss the significant audit firms, demonstrating their knowledge of the industry.

1. What is the difference between preference and equity shares?

• This question assesses the candidate’s familiarity with financial concepts, specifically the distinctions between different types of shares.

1. Why do you want to do an MBA as a fresher?

• The candidate is prompted to provide reasons for pursuing an MBA without prior work experience, highlighting their motivations and goals.

1. Why didn’t you take that job offer?

• The interviewer explores the candidate’s decision-making process regarding a job offer, seeking insights into their career choices.

1. What does an investment banker do? What are the factors they consider when advising their clients?

• These questions assess the candidate’s understanding of investment banking functions and the factors influencing financial advisory decisions.

1. What is the current interest rate for savings deposits?

• The candidate is expected to demonstrate awareness of current financial trends, specifically related to interest rates on savings.

1. What do you have to say about the recent bank scams? Are you sure it’s PMC and not PNB?
   • The interviewer delves into the candidate’s awareness of recent banking controversies, testing their knowledge and attention to detail.

NMIMS MBA Interview Experiences | Interview (B.Tech in Electronics, Fresher):

1. So, where are you from?

• Similar to the first interview, this serves as an introductory question to learn about the candidate’s background.

1. Tell me something about Pune?

• The candidate is prompted to share information about a city, assessing their awareness of localities.

1. Which branch did you do your engineering in? What is the difference between analog and digital electronics?

• The interviewer explores the candidate’s technical background, focusing on the branch of engineering and core concepts.

1. Which specialization are you interested in, in MBA?

• The candidate is asked about their MBA specialization preferences, indicating their initial thoughts on future academic and career paths.

1. So you are coming with an open mind? Which subjects do you think will help you in deciding?

• The interviewer explores the candidate’s approach to MBA, emphasizing an open-minded perspective and discussing relevant academic interests.

1. What all MBA related books did you read to help you in your MBA?

• The candidate is asked about their preparatory efforts, including reading materials related to MBA studies.

1. But why an MBA now? Why not go for a job?

• The interviewer queries the candidate’s decision to pursue an MBA immediately after graduation, exploring their motivations and career considerations.

1. Why are your marks in 12th so low? Then how much did you score in graduation?

• The candidate is asked to explain academic performance, addressing any concerns about past scores and providing context.

1. What other calls do you have?

• The interviewer seeks information about the candidate’s application status and potential options, understanding their choices among different institutions.

NMIMS MBA Interview Experiences | Interview (B.Tech in Mechanical, 2 years of work experience):

1. Why did you go all the way from Bhubaneswar to Burla to do engineering?

• The interviewer explores the candidate’s decision-making process regarding their choice of college and location.

1. You took a drop of a year between 12th and Engineering? And yet you landed up in VSSUT and no NIT or IIT?

• The candidate is asked to explain the gap year and elaborate on their choice of engineering institution.

1. Then you got placed in Hindalco which you quit after two years to work with an NGO as a management trainee? Explain about your work at Hindalco. How did you go about it?

• The interviewer delves into the candidate’s professional journey, exploring transitions between industries and roles.

1. What are your hobbies?

• The candidate is prompted to discuss their hobbies, providing insights into their interests and activities outside of work.

1. Okay then tell me about two current affairs that you think matter. Elaborate about each topic at length. Why didn’t Kyoto protocol work and why this could work?

• The interviewer assesses the candidate’s awareness of current affairs and their ability to analyze and discuss global issues.

1. What is the difference between Quality controls and Quality Assurance? What is TQM? What is six sigma?

• These questions evaluate the candidate’s knowledge of quality management concepts and methodologies.

NMIMS MBA Interview Experiences | Interview (B.Tech in ECE, Work Experience in Tech Mahindra, freelance writer):

1. Tell me about yourself. What did you do in Tech Mahindra? So did you do coding? Did you get through campus recruitment?

• The candidate is asked to provide an overview of their background, work experience, and the nature of their work in Tech Mahindra.

1. Why did you leave your job?

• The interviewer explores the reasons behind the candidate’s decision to leave their job, understanding motivations for career changes.

1. Do you read? What was the last book you read? Give me a critical analysis of Animal Farm. Not a summary but a critical analysis.

• The candidate is prompted to discuss their reading habits and provide a critical analysis of a specific literary work.

1. So will you discontinue MBA if anything happens again? How was your IT job related to content writing? Why did you do it? Such drastically different domains? What tool?

• These questions explore the candidate’s commitment to pursuing an MBA, their ability to handle challenges, and the connection between their IT job and content writing.

1. Do you want to continue this as a major career? Ok, now that you are a creative individual tell me why we should select you. Give me an out of box answer.

• The interviewer seeks insights into the candidate’s future career aspirations and requests a creative response to justify their selection.

NMIMS MBA Interview Experiences | Interview (B.Tech, 18 months of work experience in Big4):

1. What is an LLP? You have 18 months of work experience; tell me something interesting about your work. (some cross-questioning)

• The candidate is tested on their knowledge of business structures (LLP) and is asked to share interesting aspects of their work experience.

1. What would be your specialization? What do you know about marketing? What are the 7 Ps of marketing? Why do you think online food ordering apps like Zomato are booming? in marketing terms?

• These questions assess the candidate’s specialization preferences, marketing knowledge, and understanding of industry trends.

1. What are the recent trends in marketing? What do we call such type of marketing? Your school was in the news for wrong reasons. If you were the marketing head, what would be your response to it? Explain me in marketing terms, what specific marketing techniques would you use? Are you aware of any product that might have done this type of marketing recently?

• The interviewer evaluates the candidate’s awareness of marketing trends, crisis management, and their ability to apply marketing concepts to real-world situations.

NMIMS MBA Interview Experiences | Interview 4 (B.Tech in CSE, Fresher):

1. What is so good about the afternoon? What are the values and qualities that you have? Why are you a part of the E-cell, did no other club select you? What did you contribute as head of the E-cell?

• The candidate is asked about personal qualities, involvement in extracurricular activities, and contributions as a leader in the E-cell.

1. Who is your favorite entrepreneur and why? Being a CS student, you have studied mobile applications, networks and all, so tell me the difference between 2G and 3G. What is the difference between AI and ML?

• These questions explore the candidate’s interests, knowledge of technology, and understanding of key concepts related to their field of study.

1. What specialization do you want to take? Tell me three strengths that you bring to the table, which would be of value at NMIMS. Tell me a little about your family background. Tell me about a problem that the company in which your father is working is facing. Do you have any siblings?

• The candidate is prompted to discuss their specialization preferences, strengths, family background, and provide insights into their understanding of industry challenges.

NMIMS MBA Interview Experiences | Interview (Startup Owner)

• Tell me about yourself:
• The candidate provides an overview of their background, including personal and professional aspects.
• What are your hobbies:
• The candidate shares their personal interests and activities outside of their startup.
• Tell us about your startup:
• The candidate discusses the nature, goals, and achievements of their startup.
• What are your long-term goals:
• The candidate outlines their aspirations and plans for the future.
• CAT percentile and travel choice:
• The candidate addresses questions related to their CAT percentile and explains the choice of flight over train travel.
• Five reasons for not selecting you:
• The candidate is challenged to present potential weaknesses or areas where they might not be the ideal choice.
• Priority of NMIMS and selection expectations:
• The candidate discusses their prioritization of NMIMS among other B-schools and expresses their views on the likelihood of selection.
• Funny incident:
• The candidate shares a light-hearted and amusing personal experience.

Interview 2 (Engineer with work experience at Deloitte):

• Why engineers are opting for MBA:
• The candidate explains the trend of engineers pursuing MBA and potentially touches upon their own motivations.
• Deloitte job satisfaction and reluctance for a change:
• Questions probe the candidate’s satisfaction at Deloitte and explore why they aren’t considering a job change.
• Proud moments at Deloitte and interview preparation:
• The candidate reflects on accomplishments at Deloitte and discusses their interview preparation.
• Favorite food outlets in Bangalore and city-related questions:
• The candidate talks about their preferences for food outlets and answers questions about Bangalore’s lakes, foam, and the city’s nickname.
• Choice of specialization and lessons from extracurricular activities:
• The candidate discusses their preferred MBA specialization and reflects on lessons learned from extracurricular activities during graduation.

Interview 3 (Work experience at Infosys):

• Infosys-related questions:
• The candidate is quizzed about Infosys, including the leadership, revenue, and the Sikka-Murthy feud.
• Job responsibilities at Infosys and specialization choice:
• The candidate provides insights into their responsibilities at Infosys and discusses their preferred MBA specialization.
• Why NMIMS and SCM for social issues:
• The candidate explains their choice of NMIMS and discusses how Supply Chain Management (SCM) can be applied to address social issues.

Interview 4 (Fresher):

• Feelings about being the last candidate and life story in a minute:
• The candidate shares their sentiments about being the last candidate and succinctly narrates their life story.
• Choosing HR with a tech background and startup-related questions:
• The candidate explains the decision to choose HR despite having a tech background and responds to questions about starting their own startup.
• Three qualities of HR personnel and reasons for HR course suitability:
• The candidate lists three qualities relevant to HR roles and provides three reasons why they are suitable for an HR course.

Interview 1:

1. Executive MBA and Work Routine:

• Why did you choose not to pursue an Executive MBA?
• Can you describe your typical day at work?

1. Marketing Strategy:

• Define marketing.
• Would you endorse a premium product in a market intended for other products?
• Identify five locations in Mumbai where you would open Rolex showrooms.
• Thoughts on Nalasopara.
• Explain inflation and suggest two ways to curb it.

1. Internship and Family:

• Is your internship from a family business?
• Translate familial terms (Mama, uncle).
• Walk through your journey post-graduation.

1. Career Aspirations and Certification:

• How does an MBA steer you away from bureaucracy and bribery?
• What are your thoughts on current dal prices and hoarding?
• Are you certified for FRM? Explain negative duration.

1. Suggestion of Alternative Paths:

• Why choose MBA over CFA?
• Discuss your consultancy and trading activities.
• Elaborate on technical analysis, including Bollinger Bands, Stochastics, MACD, SAR, Parabolics.

Interview 2:

1. Introduction and Preparation:

• Provide an introduction.
• How many times have you rehearsed this?
• Cross-questions related to the introduction.
• Discuss your preparation for the interview.

1. Work Experience and Education:

• Answer questions related to work experience.
• Where did you receive coaching from?
• Have you been placed, and what is the package?

1. MBA and NMIMS:

• Why pursue an MBA?
• What specializations does NMIMS offer?
• When was NMIMS formed?

1. Mathematical and Regional Knowledge:

• Explain how to find the inverse of a matrix.
• Differentiate between co-factor and sample.
• Discuss problems faced by Punjab (the candidate’s hometown).

Interview 1:

1. Introduction and Career Choice:

• Introduce yourself.
• Why pursue an MBA after Pharmacy?
• How do you handle ethics in pharmacy?

1. Professional Background and Decision-Making:

• Discussion on hobbies.
• Why did you leave your job?
• Lessons learned from your previous job.
• Why not opt for management in pharmacy?

1. Current Affairs and Career Plans:

• Discussion on oil prices.
• Discussion on the devaluation of Yuan.
• What are your career plans?

Interview 2:

1. Educational Background and Introduction:

• Introduce yourself.
• Hobbies and interest in dance.
• Community work experiences.
• Challenges faced.

1. Opinions and General Knowledge:

• Should organ donation after death be compulsory?
• Designer of Chandigarh.
• CM of Haryana and Punjab.
• Understanding of HDI.

1. MBA and NMIMS:

• Why NMIMS?
• Preferred specialization.
• Why no work experience?

Interview 3:

1. Internship and Personal Details:

• Details about recent internship.
• Something not mentioned in SOP.
• Father’s profession and future plans.

1. Current Affairs and Opinions:

• Views on free basics.
• Three recent business-related news.
• Knowledge about smart cities.

1. MBA Aspirations:

• Why pursue an MBA?
• Why NMIMS?
• Preferred specialization.
• Why should the panel select you?

Interview 4:

1. Interests and Event Management:

• Details about interests.
• Involvement in event management.
• Link between event management and MBA.

1. Career Goals and Current Affairs:

• Description of how teachers would define you.
• Career goals.
• Identification and recent news about Trump, Kher, Hollande.

1. Personal Opinions:

• Hobbies.
• Opinion on “Religion makes one arrogant.”

Excerpts from Interview 1:

• NMAT Score: 216, 20 months of work experience, 79.50% in graduation, 89.50% in 12th, and 94.20% in 10th.
• Does the ceiling fan run on AC or DC?
• Can you answer some graduation subject-based questions?
• Is electricity tangible or intangible?
• Can intangible things be stored or not?
• Why pursue an MBA?
• Why not gain work experience before pursuing an MBA?
• Why an MBA after engineering?
• Would you consider switching career paths later on?
• Who is the president of the country? Vice president?
• What do you think will happen in the next Punjab elections?
• What are three steps India should take to become a superpower?

Excerpts From Interview 2:

• How was your day?
• Which was the last movie that you saw?
• Why HR?
• Is it not too soon to decide which specialization you want to take?
• Can you share your roles and responsibilities at work?
• How do clients react to you?
• How is IT used in HR?
• Why do older associates resent using modern technology, like computers?

Excerpts From Interview 3:

• NMAT Score: 207, academic profile (graduation – 78%, 10th – 90.6%, 12th – 82%).
• So you are from the banking domain, tell me what is IMPS?
• Who regulates it?
• Tell me about the latest Google product.
• When did you read the newspaper last?
• Did you read yesterday’s? (cross-questioning).
• Tell me about digital marketing.
• What is NYSE?
• What is the currency of Japan?
• What is the currency of China?
• What are your hobbies?
• Who won the women’s championship last?
• What is India’s ranking in ease of doing business, who monitors it?
• What is India’s ranking in corruption, who monitors it?

Excerpts From Interview 4:

• What do you do in your company?
• Gave a situation at work and asked what will you do?
• Your salary is good, then Why MBA?
• Who is your role model?
• What are your hobbies?
• Why was Sania Nehwal in the news recently? (hobby – badminton)
• How do you measure the development of a nation?
• What is the business cycle?

Excerpts From Interview 5:

• NMAT Score: 210, B.Tech graduate.
• Explain the Gap?
• Why not work in a company? (mentioned).
• SOP is very important –Questions on Social Awareness, Political Campaign, Political Awareness.
• Digital Media: How would you manage a product on social media, Choose a product and promote it on the net.
• What impact does your father have on you?

Feedback – Personal Interview at NMIMS for MBA:

• Average Duration: 15-20 minutes
• No. of Panelists: 3

Excerpts from Interview 1:

• A 94%iler in CAT, 98.75% in XAT, 94% in SNAP, 216 in NMAT with economic honors background.
• Questions on the meaning of the candidate’s name, the role of the UN, and the justification of the recent Khobragade case (IFS Officer).

Excerpts From Interview 2:

• A 99.52% in CAT with graduation in Computer Science Engineering (73% in Graduation, 83.6% in 12th, and 91% in 10th).
• Questions on the impact of digital media on people’s lives, corporate social responsibility, and its differences from other responsibilities.

Excerpts From Interview 3:

• A 95.32%iler in CAT with a 211 score in NMAT, profile with 72.7% in ECE, 69.2% in 12th, and 85.2 in 10th.
• Questions on why pursue MBA after engineering, self-introduction, the meaning of the candidate’s name, and reasons for selection.

Excerpts From Interview 4:

• A 94%iler in XAT and NMAT score 194 with B.Com (Economics honours) (74.34% in B.Com, 90% in 12th, and 88.6% in 10th).
• Questions on the choice of not having work experience before MBA, inflation control, and hobbies.

Excerpts From Interview 5:

• A candidate with NMAT score 210 and graduation in B.Tech.
• Questions on explaining a gap, reasons for not working in a company, the importance of SOP, and questions on social awareness, political campaigns, and digital media impact.

Excerpts From Interview 6:

• A candidate with NMAT score 214 and an academic profile of 81% in B.Tech, 75.6% in 12th, and 82.4% in 10th.
• Questions on the meaning of the candidate’s name, school differences, technical questions on cloud computing, GSM vs. CDMA, C++ vs. JAVA, latest market trends, and the qualities of a perfect leader.

Excerpts From Interview 7:

• A 98.49%iler in XAT with B.Tech background and 3 years of work experience in Infosys.
• Questions on ERP systems, Oracle consultancy, NGO experience, GK brushing methods, reading preferences, thoughts on political parties, and opinions on what Modi can change.

Excerpts From Interview 8:

• A candidate with a score of 226 in NMAT and B.Tech in Mechanical with 20 months of work experience.
• Technical questions on mechanical engineering, internship details, explanation of the final year project, the role of gears in the project, and reasons for wanting to pursue an MBA.