Top 6 Weird Questions That Were Asked in an IIM Interview

“Jana Gana Mana…”, sang one of the students sitting in an IIM interview when he was asked, “Sing the National Anthem for us”.

Thousands of students in India aspire to attend one of India's most prestigious colleges, the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs). In order to be well-prepared for these interviews, the students stay up all night studying. But are they prepared for the unexpected twists and turns that await them at the conclusion of the journey?

B-School interview panels are looking curiously to understand the interviewees' environment, background, and skillset. Sometimes, though, these questions can come out as uncanny or impossible to answer to the candidates. 

Here are some of the weird conversations held at IIM interviews (as shared by the candidates themselves):

1. “Define GOD Mathematically”...wait, did he really ask that?

Interviewer: You appear to be very good at mathematics. What do you find appealing about it?

Interviewee: I enjoy numbers, Sir.

Interviewer: Okay. So, tell us, what is the absolute truth?

Interviewee: (Confused as to how the question is related to numbers) Sir, how would I know? I'm simply a human. They claim that only God knows the absolute truth.

Interviewer: All right, then, define God mathematically.

Interviewee: Sir, GOD is ONE. (They both smile).

2. AP to define IIM grade?

Interviewer: (After scribbling the numbers 93, 75, and 57 on paper) Please tell me the next number in this series.
Interviewee: Sir, it's a straightforward AP with a=93 and d=-18. And according to the formula, the answer is 39.
Interviewer: Yes, it is right. In reality, the figures indicate your class's tenth, twelfth, and graduation percentages. And the figure you wrote will be your average grade if you are shortlisted (they later reveal it to be a joke).

3. “Prepare Octopus Soup”: Is it an IIM Interview or Home Science Class?

Interviewer: I see you said in your application that you're skilled at elocution, debates, extempore, and other such activities.
Interviewee: Yes, sir. During my school days, I competed in and won a number of these tournaments.
Interviewer: All right. Tell me in 30 seconds how to prepare Octopus soup.

Interviewee: (Stunned pause for 5 seconds, attempting to grasp how to go about this) Sir, the first step would obviously be to capture an octopus or go buy one. The meat of the octopus must next be tenderised by pounding it with a mallet; otherwise, the meat would be extremely rubbery in texture.
(The interviewer interrupted by saying "Time up!" before the answer could be finished).

4. Brag IIM admission to seek hefty dowry?

Interviewer: Why do you want to come to our campus, really? I believe it has little to do with what we provide, but rather that you want to go home and brag to your friends and parents about securing admission here and subsequently wish to receive a hefty dowry. Can you tell us your true motivation for coming here?

Interviewee: (After an awkward silence of a few seconds) Sir, I am not aware of the dowry component here. But, if what you say is right, I will undoubtedly return home and talk to everyone I know about it. But anyway, I'm incredibly excited to be here. (Interviewers broke out laughing.)

5. Whom do you know better? IIM Calcutta or IIM Bangalore?

Interviewer: (At IIM Calcutta) Tell me what you know about IIM Calcutta.

Interviewee: Indian Institute of Management Calcutta is a renowned public business school located in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. It was the first Indian Institute of Management to be established and is among the finest in the country.

Interviewer: Okay, tell me what you know about IIM Bangalore.

Interviewee: (While holding a perplexed face expression) Ma'am, it is also one of the greatest business schools in the country. 

Interviewer: So you know more about Calcutta than you do about Bangalore? Did you not receive a call from IIM Bangalore?

Interviewee: Ma'am, I did receive a call from IIM Bangalore, however, the interview is two weeks away. 

6. Requirement of Mis-managers

Interviewer: We see a number of areas where managers are necessary; is there a place or profession in this world where mismanagers are needed?

Interviewee: (Tensed as faced with such an unexpected question) Places such as the Labour Union, etc., maybe. (They weren't entirely persuaded by the response).

Other IIM Off-the-wall questions

Some other quirky questions that are known to have been raised during IIM interviews:

1. Why do you think you don’t currently have your boss’s job?
2. Can you tell us the recruitment and HR structure of ISIS?
3. If they did a movie about your life, what actor or actress would you choose to play you?
4. Could you sing the National Anthem for us?
5. What is the worst book you ever read?
6. Does mismanagement have something to do with women managers?
7. If your parents were talking about you right now, what do you think they would say is your most annoying trait?
8. Assume that we're the board members of the Times Now channel and you're an aspiring newscaster. How would you convince us to replace Arnab Goswami?
9. Don’t you think an MBA is really just a waste of time?
10. What’s the best email address you’ve ever seen? Why?

However eerie these questions might seem, one must realise that such seemingly 'difficult' interview questions are all tailored to nothing but the candidates' profiles. The key here lies in calming oneself, cracking the logic behind such questions and answering them to the best of one’s wit and ability. A candidate must not panic, but rather take these questions with a pinch of salt, though with equal seriousness.

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4. How to frame answers for frequently asked MBA interview questions?
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