Chalk out a strategy which is personalized, Prabhat Chawla, NMIMS Mumbai 2016-18

Interview with Prabhat Chawla

NMIMS Final Rank : Core 425, HR 62

Firstly, congratulations on your converting the call to NMIMS. Our readers would like to hear something about your background?

Thank you IdeasMakeMarket.com.

Talking about my background, I did my schooling from DL DAV Model School, Delhi and completed my B.Tech(CSE) from GGSIPU, Delhi. After graduating with a Computer Science Engineering degree, I was recruited by Accenture as an Associate Software Engineer and was posted in Gurgaon. The 22 months that I spent there, opened up new& challenging avenues for me. From getting adapted to the corporate culture, working together in a team, getting involved in client interactions to handing multiple responsibilities, everything has been a stepping stone in making me the person I am today.

Belonging to a business family, I have always had that knack for making profit. Courtesy this, along with my job, I used to help my father in his business. I have brought his business online thereby increasing revenues.

Now I am all set to pursue MBA from NMIMS, Mumbai and am excited to embark on this new journey!!

“Why MBA” must be a common question doing the rounds these days. What was your reason for pursuing MBA?

Even though the pursuit of being a MBA had been a personal goal ever since I finished my B.E., it was during my two year stint with Accenture after college that I realised how having managerial skills in one’s repertoire helps a great deal to deliver better solutions. I felt that having a formal education would arm me with the adequate hands-on experience to have faced challenging business scenarios beforehand and be better prepared in real world.

Also, the desire to impact the product at a far earlier stage, cultivate skills required in a decision making role and the opportunity to learn from and build a network with a class of versatile individuals from diverse backgrounds were some of the key factors that further propelled my decision.

Tell us something about your preparation strategy. What would you suggest future aspirants regarding the same?

Since I was already preoccupied with my job at Accenture, time was a big constraint for me. To tackle this, I made a strategy that was pretty much target oriented. I made weekly schedules, not allotting fixed time to any particular chapter but devoting as much time to each chapter as required to finish it. Also, giving regular mocks helped meanalyse my weak and strong areas, and working on these made a significant difference in the actual results.

Since all of us are in different spheres of life with different challenges, there is no specific preparation strategy that all can follow. I would suggest everyone to chalk out a strategy, which is personalized, realistic, time bounded and is meticulously followed (most imp.).

Tell us something about your Case Discussion / PI experience?

The entire CD-PI process was quite smooth and well organised. Courtesy IMM, I was content and at peace with my level of preparation. Since I had applied for both HR & Core, there were two separate procedures for me on the day. First up, there was HR for me in the morning session.MBA-HR had one extra testing procedure apart from the CD & PI, the written case analysis.

I will write about my MBA-Core experience which was scheduled in the noon session.

At first, we were divided into a group of 13 candidates which were allotted a group # and screened together throughout the procedure. For the CD, we were straight away taken to another room where panelists were already present. The panel consisted of two aged male counterparts and a female.We were then made to sit in a semi-circular arrangement according to our allotted #. Soon after, we were provided with a case to read. The total testing time was 20 minutes, 5 min. to read and 15 min. to discuss the case. Our case was quite long and vague, it was based on 3-4 examples on how internet has helped organisations and people in different ways. At the end we were asked to discuss about the role of major corporate houses and internet to change the course of the 21st century. I was the one who initiated the discussion and spoke for a good 20 odd seconds before getting interrupted, in that time I highlighted the case and opened the forum for further discussion. It became a fish market in between but I made sure I make 3-4 valuable entries in between and tried to bring coherence in the group.

Then at the end, was the PI round. Like the CD, again there were three panelists in my PI, two males and one female. The female panellist was the one who asked most of the questions, which one of the male panelist just kept looking at me not uttering a single word. Most of the questions were general based on my profile/SOP and the follow up questions were based on the answers I gave. The interview basically went in the direction I wanted to take it which I felt was the key. There were 2-3 questions which were grilling and challenged me but I stayed confident throughout. The interview lasted 15-20 minutes. Overall, I was content with my performance in both CD and PI.

How has IdeasMakeMarket helped you in your preparation? Would you recommend it to other users?

A lot to say the least!

I would say IMM was the best thing that happened to me after securing the NMIMS CD-PI call. The course is well structured and the mentorship so absolute that seldom did I find the need to refer anything else. There were numerous CD’s conducted on varied topics which helped me get accustomed to the actual testing process.

Also, the mock PI’s were quite comprehensive in nature. Abhirup and Anuradha did a great job of analysing my profile and asking questions based on it. Their pragmatic feedback helped me improve upon my shortcomings and on ‘the day’ all this made a significant difference.

Kudos to the entire IMM team!

Cent percent! I would definitely recommend IMM to all the aspirants who wants to convert their B-School calls.

Besides studies, what other interests you have.

Tennis! It is something that has been a part of my life since I was a child. I am a recreational tennis player and an avid follower of the ATP Tennis Circuit and esp. Rafael Nadal, who happens to be my sports idol.

When I am not working, I like to read articles and blogs on varied topics. Tech. and marketing blogs like Mashable, Gizmodo, Unmarketing by Scott Stratten, Analytics Talk and GetElastic are some of my favourites. Reading these not only helps me to stay updated with the recent happenings but also serves as a perfect way to put my mind off the regular things.

Also, I enjoy helping my father in his business. Learning the different aspects of running a successful business and people management fascinates me.

Being from a technical background, I am quite tech savvy in nature and likes to own the latest gadgets in the market, given they are in my budget (*giggle*).

What is your career plan in the long run?

Right now, I am just focused on making the most of the coming two years of my MBA life. From developing strong concepts to building a formidable network remain some my priorities.

Although I don’t like to plan too far ahead as Mr. Fate also plays his role in our lives. But in an ideal scenario, 5 years down the line, I imagine myself being in a mid-managerial position, probably working as a consultant or a business analyst in a reputed firm.

Also, I tend to venture into entrepreneurship, trying to make a difference in the lives of the people by developing innovative solutions to their everyday problems.

We wish you the very best in future !

Tags: CD nmat NMIMS pi