My private little D-Day

The clock struck 12, thus attesting entry into yet another day. But this day has something huge in store for me that’s rendering me sleepless. I lived a categorical paradox that very moment. On one hand I was extremely tired and the cold climate made sleep more beckoning than ever. On the other hand I was having an internal fight to allay fears and stay composed. Unable to resolve this internal conflict, I stared at the ceiling with my eyes wide open, as if some invisible spirit scared me to death. I wasn’t staring for long before drowsiness stole over me and my tired eyelids closed sending me off to dreamland in another couple of ticks. Peace prevailed till 6 AM when my alarm woke me up. My eyelids felt very heavy. So not even bothering to lift them up, I slowly slid my fingers under the pillow and pulled off the stunt by snoozing the alarm. I don't remember what I did, but it never rang again ;-). Just as I was treading the boundaries of dreamland, I was shaken awake, this time neither phone nor alarm but my mom tossing out the words "something...'IIFT'...something"... The very next moment, some invisible springs propelled me with immense force into a sitting posture. It was 7 30 am and I had to be present at masab tank by 8 30 am. Given that I was in hyderabad, fears of traffic jam kept haunting me as I rushed hastily. Thanks to my mom, I was at the venue before 8 30 am. Just another instance when she made my life easier.

As I was waiting in the hotel lobby, I pondered over the journey to this turning point in my life. The entrance exam to Indian Institute of Foreign Trade(IIFT) was the first MBA entrance exam I ever wrote. The paper level being moderate, cut-offs were expected to be on the higher side. I kept my fingers crossed till Dec 9th when the final shortlist was out and Goodness Gracious! I managed to slide in by scoring just a mark above the cut-off ;-). The months December and January were primarily characterized with “tightening the strings” and “bracing the heat” to edge closer to attaining enrollment in the much coveted institution - IIFT. And finally it was feb 3^rd – my D- Day and there I was, at Hotel Golconda, the venue for IIFT interview process. Once again I was lost in my thoughts before I was abruptly brought back to the present when a man in black entered the lobby, and furnished two papers containing the list of participants divided into two groups. Be it a boon or bane, my name was first on the list, another big thanks to the initial I bear- "A". (:pray)

We were summoned into the Group Discussion (GD) hall at 9 20 am. Two women, both ultra-cool, were inside. No matter how polite or humble these moderators are, they always command their own share of respect, which originates from fear : P. The lady in a pink salwar suit, briefed us with the schedule of the day. The punctuality this B-school people displayed, really amazed me and I have my own reasons to believe that in today’s world punctuality is the main pillar to get successful. Here is how things went... 9 30 am - The lady in the pink clad salwar came to the fore again, this time to announce the topic for essay writing." The impact of Free Trade Agreements(FTAs) on developing economies like India"... Having been informed by the faculty at T.I.M.E that FTAs have been IIFT's favorite topic, I conscientiously prepared for it. Hence, I was comfortable in the twenty minute stretch provided for essay writing, except for minor problems concerning coherence of the content. Essay writing was followed by a five minute break after which the curtains for GD were lifted. "Is nuclear power the best way of generating power to meet the ever increasing energy demands of India?" was the topic. Before the start of the GD, the moderators laid out a clear protocol for the GD, according to which each person will be given two minutes to speak on the topic. I was asked to start the GD and I was more than happy for that, because the knowledge sessions at T.I.M.E covered nuclear technology thoroughly. I analyzed the issue from various points and contributed in every dimension. It took around twenty minutes for all of us to convey our ideas after which an open discussion was called for. It was a very smooth discussion without a trace of aggression from any of the participants. I was very much contended with my performance in the GD.

It was around 10 30 am when we were out of the GD hall, waiting in the lobby for the Personal Interview (PI) seemed to be the next course of action. I was called in around 10 45 am for the interview. "God...Bless me please" were my continuous prayers to the almighty. I mustered all the courage in this world and pushed the door slowly and saw three gentlemen engrossed in taking out our CVs from a bundle. I wished them humbly and took the seat I was offered. Suddenly another gentleman with a black briefcase walked in, as if he was about to strike some magical deal with the Mafia (too much of movie knowledge put into use here :P). The other three gentlemen stood up and wished him and I followed the suite too. They discussed among themselves and an older gentleman, who was one of the first three I noticed, left the room. The remaining three settled down and apologized to me for the disturbance, thus hinting that they were going to kick start the interview formally. "How do your friends call you?" asked a gentleman as he was going through my CV. This question was totally unexpected thus reiterating the fact that in B-School interviews you have to expect the unexpected. After all, it wasn't a difficult question. I replied "Saga, Sags". Then another gentleman, pointing to the man who gave a surprise entry with the briefcase said, "The gentleman beside me is very much interested in knowing what cloud computing is. Could you please tell him what that's all about?"... “Wow... What’s this? Am I betting on luck today?”, thought I. A million thanks to my project guide this time, she explained it to all of us, when Swetha one day asked "M’am, what's cloud computing?” Going by conventions, thanks is in place for Swetha too. I did a good job in explaining it to the panel and I was happy that they were convinced. Then they asked me to explain about the last book I read. I clearly explained how Bertrand Russell criticizes religion in his book, Why I am not a Christian. After exchanging some glances among themselves, they said they were done with the interview. "Is that all?"...My heart started pounding with fear for they neither looked at my CV properly nor did they ask me much in the PI. I thanked them and left the room reluctantly. I forgot to close the door properly and it closed shut with a loud thud. “Huh! That's fine”, I soothed myself and walked to my fellow participants where they were eagerly waiting to know how my interview went after which I narrated every bit of it to them.

Dwelling on the experience of the day I was extremely satisfied except for the PI because I really didn't get a chance to demonstrate myself…Now that it's all over, I can’t really complain and I should be happy that I answered confidently to whatever they asked. One major impediment in the way of getting admission into IIFT is my written score in the entrance exam, which is abysmally low and the weightage given to written test is a whopping 65% .So, I have to keep my fingers crossed and I am ready to accept anything. Whatever be the outcome, I am satisfied with my performance on D-Day and it was an enlightening experience. The final verdict is yet to come and I sign this off on a very optimistic note. Hoping for the best!! Wish me good luck folks.

Cheers,

Sagarika J