There is only one type of people who make it to IIM-A- the deserving - Interviewed by Sunil Shejwalkar in November 2005

Kruti Desai, IIM-A

There's a myth about B- Schools - that students with an engineering background have a distinct advantage over others. Kruti Desai, now with IIM - A, has a Bachelor's degree in Commerce from the Gujarat University. She stood 2nd in the University at the Final Year B.Com exam and 9th in Gujarat State in the HSC Board Exams. She also has an M. S. in Finance / CFA from ICFAI University. Her interests include quizzing and debating. She is also a trained Hindustani classical vocalist and a Bharatnatyam dancer. Following the fortunes of Scuderia Ferrari and the Indian cricket team is a passion with her. This is what she had to say to Advanc’edge MBA readers, as she dispelled fears about the monstrous nexus between engineering skills and the clearing of the competitive CAT.

Is it difficult for a commerce student to crack the CAT?
I think it is a difficult exam to crack for an overwhelming majority of CAT-takers. Only the degree of difficulty and area of concern may differ from one student to the other. As far as the quantitative problems are concerned, it probably becomes a bit easier if you have a strong grounding in Mathematics. However, even commerce graduates have enough exposure to Maths to enable them to score the minimum required to clear the cut-off. Thereafter, it boils down to how well you perform in the other two sections, wherein your discipline of undergraduate studies really doesn't matter. So, the commerce graduate and the science/ engineering graduate are essentially at the same level.

Did it ever deter or discourage you that most among those who finally make it to IIM-A are engineers?
There is only one type of people who make it here - the deserving. So it really does not make any sense to think that your chances of success are dependent on whether you are an engineer or a non-engineer. There are ample instances of extremely brilliant commerce/economics graduates making it here and excelling as well! Therefore, look at it this way - only the most deserving people make it to IIM-A. Therefore, it is important to reflect on what goes into making a "deserving" potential IIM-A student. Unfortunately there are no straitjacket clear-cut answers to this. But some of the qualities that are common to most IIM-A admits are an ability to think clearly, a good grasp of the fundamentals of subjects taught at the undergraduate level and good communication skills (and please do not confuse this with the ability to speak fluently in English with a Brit accent!!). If you think you have these, and you have cracked the CAT, then you may be more or less confident about getting into this place!

Please share your post-CAT GD experience. When and how did you start preparing for the GD/PI?
We were a group of eight (predominantly commerce grads) and we were given a case study relating to absenteeism and moonlighting in a factory. We were given about 15 minutes to discuss the case. The discussion tested the clarity in the thought processes of the participants and their creativity in coming up with solutions. I enrolled for various preparatory programmes for GD/PI after getting calls from the institutes. These are helpful in ironing out some obvious shortcomings that one might have in body language or verbal communication. However, the most important part of a GD/PI process, that is the content, has to come from you. In that respect, there is only so much that one can do. Ultimately it is a reflection of what you have learnt and assimilated over the years and the kind of person that you are.

How is the personal interview session?
They ask you simple questions. So if you are uncomfortable with the simple things in life, you're in for it! On a more serious note, candidates are typically quizzed on the fundamentals of the subjects they've studied and on hobbies/interests that they may have indicated. Interviews are usually comfortable and more like an informal chat unless, of course, you give them a reason to pounce on you. And yes, the simple questions are sometimes the most difficult to answer. But, as I said earlier, don't lose your sleep thinking about what they might or might not ask. Instead, just focus on putting your best foot forward.

Do you think work experience adds value to your application?
The proportion of people with prior work experience in the batch has been increasing over the years. This is a fair indicator of the direction in which the Institute is leaning. However, in no way does this mean that freshers are at a disadvantage. If you have substantial work experience, it is a definite positive, but not having any is not a disabling factor either.

What, according to you, makes IIM-A India's best B-School?
It's got just the right mix -- a bunch of intelligent students, professors who may each be considered an authority on their respective subjects and have wide ranging industry/consulting experience, the pedagogy (case study method), good infrastructure and an active base of alumni spread across the world. All this contributes to making it the best B-school not only in India, but also, I would say, in the entire Asia-Pacific!

What are your areas of interest besides academics?
I am an avid quizzer and debater. I also follow Indian cricket and Formula 1 very closely. To get away from the rigours of life on campus, I often listen to Indian classical music which I find very soothing.

Which of the two -- intelligence or strategy -- is the key to succeeding in the CAT?
Intelligence. For the simple reason that, given a certain level of intelligence, one will be able to improvise on the spot and form a strategy according to the situation in hand. However, it is equally true that intelligence can be wasted if it is not channelized in the right manner using a strategy.

What abilities do you think are most essential for success in a career in management?
One needs to be able to communicate effectively, think clearly and always be willing to learn and change. The first skill enables you to get work done and work effectively in teams, while the second enables you to grasp situations or issues quickly and correctly and devise solutions for them. The third stems from the eternal reality of the corporate world where change is the only constancy.