Somdeb Bhattacharya graduated from Banaras Hindu University and further joined Institute of Management Studies, Banaras Hindu University. He is currently pursuing MBA (Agribusiness)-Marketing. He has an impressive 9.12 CGPA at UG level and obtained a score of 190 in BHU-PET exam which paved his way into the MBA program of IMS BHU. Somdeb shared his MBA journey and insights of WAT/PI rounds with collegedunia.com. Let’s check out what he has to say.

Somdeb Bhattacharya Profile

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Admission Experience

Did you avail of the benefit of any reservation?

Somdeb Bhattacharya: “General (No reservation)”

Describe the general setting of WAT / GD (if any)?

Somdeb Bhattacharya: “Well, the GD was in offline mode. It was well structured, having 8 candidates in each group. The discussion was not round-robin but like a traditional group discussion, moderated by 3 faculty members. The topic given was a fairly debatable one and we were given 3 minutes to think about the same and jot down our key points before comprehending further in the discussion.

Tips: Never try to initiate any group discussion if you don't have concrete knowledge of the given topic beforehand. In such situations, rather it is advised to listen to some points, understand the topic and then give a cumulative overview of your insights. It is a bonus to use numbers and facts while you explain your points which definitely holds a competitive advantage.”

What was the WAT / GD Topic?

Somdeb Bhattacharya: "Yes! I do remember. The topic was- Joint family/ Nuclear family.”

What were your answer/points put forward for the WAT or GD respectively? 

Somdeb Bhattacharya: “As the topic was debatable, so I was more focused on sticking to a particular side ( either Joint family or nuclear family) rather than beating around the bush. I got three minutes to jot down my points, which I did quite effectively in summarizing how the nuclear family is more feasible nowadays compared to the other. I also added some numbers and stats so that my points speak about themselves and it adds some more clarity and extra edge over others.”

Describe the general setting of your personal Interview.

Somdeb Bhattacharya: “There were 4 panels, each panel having a minimum of 2 panellists, either a faculty member or an industry expert. The interview mode was offline spanning about 15-20 minutes. It was not a stressful interview, rather a very casual one, assessing my body language and confidence.

Pro tip:

-Dress confidently to sound confident. Remember, it always starts with the basics.

-Always maintain an eye to eye contact while answering questions, it shows your interest and confidence in the discussion.

- Always wear a smile even during stressful times. It’s the biggest asset we have right?!”

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Mention at least 5 interview questions that were asked to you and your responses to each of them. 

Somdeb Bhattacharya: “1. Introduce yourself!

A- I would describe myself as a person who is highly curious and focused on learning in all parts of life. I like to take part in various things so I could see how it worked—and then try to put it back together and this tinkering trait has served me well in my career.

I always look for an environment where I can learn and develop the most. following that in my bachelors, I was my university gold medalist.

In my personal life, I have a shared focused area of interest.

I absolutely love to cook, I am mad and always ready to travel and I am a big sports enthusiast, the lion share of it is football which excites me the most.

2. Why MBA ( rather why MBA Agribusiness)? Why BHU?

A- I spoke about how my graduation is linked with the course and the university. Its core values and my interest in the agricultural finance industry. I linked my answer revolving around the values of both the university and the course.

3. Questions about Budget. ( Follow-up questions were also asked )

4. Describe your leadership style?

A- Talking about my leadership style, I subscribe to McGregor’s Theory Y of management, which emphasizes the importance of "participation."

Whenever I worked with my peers for preparing presentations or group assignments I always made sure that everyone gets involved and participates in true sense to get the job done in the best possible way.

5. What’s your approach to problem-solving?

A-I try to see things from multiple angles, gather information from multiple sources before arriving at any decision and I think that is the best possible way to solve the thing and when necessary I don’t hesitate to consult with my mentors before proceeding further.”

Mention 3 reasons why you chose this college over other colleges which you converted.

Somdeb Bhattacharya: “I appeared for CAT 19 and secured 81 percentile, which was decent but not decent enough to convert any elite B-school. I had calls from BIMTECH and IISWBM Calcutta. But keeping in mind my graduation stream which was readily aligned to agriculture, MBA in Agribusiness was the best bet. Also, along with its legacy and the environment it provides, you are branded for life. Hence, I chose to opt for BHU. Another massive decider was the ROI. The previous year's average package at BHU was around 6.5 LPA with 11 LPA being the highest. Subjected to the course fee which is around 2 lakh for two years, this gives a minimum ROI of 325%. So it was a no-brainer for a student from a middle-class background like me to choose this hidden gem.”

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What was the reason for you not converting to other colleges?

Somdeb Bhattacharya: “After appearing for CAT, I was not satisfied with the percentile I got. As I never wanted to drop any year, I partially made up my mind to apply for MBA at BHU keeping in mind the ROI, legacy, and the brand it provides. and I can surely say there are zero regrets from my side. Yet I would suggest the aspirants follow their ideas matching their background and strategies, but try not to lose a valuable year. You can still convert to an elite B-School without dropping a precious year.”

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