After clearing the entrance exam cut-off marks, students have to appear for the next round of selection process i.e. Case Analysis and Personal Interview. This is considered the final step in the process of seeking admission to one’s dream college K J Somaiya Institute of Management. In order to get a better understanding of the admission process we are in conversation with Krushna Joshi who is a part of the 2022-24 batch at K J Somaiya Institute of Management and is here to share his/her experience with us. 

What is the CA-PI Process? 

During the Case Analysis process, candidates are presented with a small case/ situation and they would be given a minute or two to gather their thoughts of the same, post which they would be questioned to understand their thought process and analytic skill sets. 

In the PI round, the admission panel inspects everything; from your body language to your communication skills which helps them learn more about you. This round is like a “research round” wherein you reflect upon your strengths and weaknesses to convince the panellists that you will be a valuable addition to the B-school.

How can candidates prepare for Case Analysis? 

Well, there is nothing much that one can prepare for the case analysis. Just be aware of the recent global news as no other external source can be accessed during this process and be able to communicate your thought process the right way to the panellists. More importantly during the CA process use the 1-2 minutes’ time vigilantly, gather your thoughts and stick to your opinion and answer, and at the same time be open to hearing what the panellists have to say.

How can one ace the Personal Interview?

Interviewers are curious to know everything about the interviewee. In a personal interview, there will be questions about one’s personality, work style, work experience, psychological behavior towards things, and work interest. Always remember to bring out the positive side even if the interviewer has asked a negative question. While some questions do not have any right or wrong answers, make sure to be specific about them and try to answer in a dominating manner. Here are some tips to ace your interview- do your research, do not be empty-handed, know the basic etiquette, learn behavioural interview techniques, dress for success, demonstrate confidence, be an active listener, ask questions, and most importantly stay calm and motivated. 

Any other tips?

Well now that we have discussed both processes here are some essential details to keep in mind during this stage-The CA-PI round at K J Somaiya Institute of Management is an online process and is conducted on Zoom. The first step would be to book your slot well in advance as well as upload your documents before the admission process. To ensure the process goes smoothly one must have downloaded Zoom on their devices (preferably laptops) and have a good bandwidth to avoid any technical glitches or network issues. 

How was your CA-PI Process? 

I had my admission process online. Firstly, I would like to acknowledge the Admissions Committee 2021 for ensuring the process was running on time. My Case Analysis happened first and my topic was “4 days’ work week”, for or against. This is a fairly subjective topic. I was against this and stayed committed to my opinion even though the panellists (who were alumni of the institute) continued to question me and tried to get me to change my opinion. After a discussion towards the end, they gave me their opinion that I heard and acknowledged and ended it on a positive note. 

Within 10 minutes of my CA Process, I was taken for the PI Process which had faculty members and alumni in the panel. They first made me comfortable by asking basic and generic questions, followed by discussing my resume in depth and then checking my general awareness as well as my areas of interest academically. 

They concluded the interview by asking me if I had any questions for the panel followed by wishing me good luck. 

Overall my experience was very good, I was very confident of my answers and was looking forward to making it to K J Somaiya Institute of Management. 

I hope the above details were helpful for the candidates, wish them all the best, and hope to see them on campus soon.