Interview Experience At IIT Kanpur

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Writing after a long time...

Kanpur! An awesome experience because it taught me a few lessons and I blew panel members' heads off (rhetorically). I was second-last on the second day, i.e 10th May 2014. My turn came at around 5 or 5:30 pm though as per list sequence, my turn should have got over by afternoon. It took almost an entire day for the process since the reporting time was 9 am. Unlike other design schools, they didn't take any aptitude tests.

The wait for the interview felt really long for me since I didn't have breakfast because there wasn't any; the hostel they allocated, Hall V, didn't have any mess or canteen nor did they provide the candidates with any bedding so it was quite obvious for me to get a little temperamental. But the wait for the interview cooled me down gradually. And, I entered the room with great calm and composure.

I entered and greeted with 'good afternoon' and they were like, 'yeah! yeah! talking among themselves, reading their sheets, and showing disinterest in the candidate. And suddenly...

"What's your preference, Product (design) or Visual (Communication Design)?" The person sitting next to me asked.

"Product!" I said.

"What field?" 

"I'd prefer to go for Automobile or Watch design."

The person who apparently was the head of design department left after I answered, making the count of members, five.

"You are from Guru Gobind Singh University, Who was he?" Another member asked.

"A Sikh guru."

"What numbered?"

"Don't know."

"Which era does he belong to?"

"Don't know, sir," This time I said promptly.

"Ok, was he before Arjan Singh or after Arjan Singh?"

"Don't know!"

"Who killed him?"

"Mughals!"

"Which (one)?"

I didn't answer. But my pause was clear, I didn't know.

"Ok, anyway, you want to become an automobile designer, how'd you design a car for Guru Gobind Singh?" Another member asked.

"Well, sir, the design process starts with research. I'll have to look for how as a person he was, what he strived for, what his values were...what he liked etc. Then, will do brainstorming on the ideas..." I said.

"But you don't know anything about him."

"This is what for research is done, sir. Research can always be done, it's the regular process," I replied.

"Ok, design a car for him," he said to me pointing his hand towards another member.

"Again, sir, for that I need to know his personality traits, interests and all," I said.

"But can you design it?"

"Yes, I can but economically it doesn't sound like a good idea to design a car for one person."

"No, forget the financial matter, what if he has the capital?"

"Of course! Design can be done!"

They started talking to each other...

"Mera ho gaya! Tumhe kuch puchna hai?" 

"Nahi! Ho gaya bas!" Two nodded to me while others were still in their sheets.

I made out that they were going to throw me away like this only, and then I got determined to ask them the truth. And then...

"You are an engineer? Draw the graph of |sin x|," the third member asked like the last bonus question to shoo me away.

I drew it a bit wrong. The member who asked me this question called me to his chair and gave me a hint. I corrected it.

"Ok done!" The other said with a fake smile gesturing for me to leave!

I felt like a fool who travelled hundreds of kilometres on a train which got more than eight hours late, slept on a hard bed with bed bugs and spiders, didn't eat proper food for the past one and half days, and walked for more than three kilometres in campus in search of food. And they were asking me to leave! Leave without showing them my portfolio! How they had judged me? They didn't ask any good design questions, and didn't ask any technical questions too...|sin x| graph can't be the judging criterion. Did they judge me on the ten questions they asked about Guru Gobind Singh? This made me lose my temperament but I still managed to be a little gentle before throwing my question. I had sensed that they were not interested as soon as I had entered but I still gave the interview positively. But after what happened in the so-called interview, I got confirmed about not being selected. Their attitude was totally uncalled for. This can't be done! So what if you are IIT professors! Is this how you behave? All such thoughts were coming into my mind.

I stood up and said in a firm and monotonous tone,

"But sir, I have a question!"

Like before, their heads were into their sheets and my statement rose their heads up suddenly, including those two, who didn't glance at me during the complete interview (so-called, I repeat).

"Sir, this is the 4th institution I'm appearing for. At other colleges, at least, they showed interest, asked me decent questions, and reviewed my portfolio...And here (Kanpur), what I see is that the professors aren't even interested in my portfolio nor asked me design-related questions! So, what it is that I'm lacking - my CEED score, presentation, or something else?" I said.

From this point, I started to enjoy it! They started looking at each other as if they'd never expected anyone to question their attitude.

"Kya keh raha hai?" one asked the other.

"Puch raha hai, portfolio kyu nahi dekh rahe iska."

"Well, it depends on the professors' wish," The one who didn't speak at all, spoke, trying to conclude.

"And that's what I want to know, sir, the reason," I said with affirmation.

"THIS is the problem of this generation!" He said.

"No, sir, it's not about generation. I'm only seeking constructive criticism. I have come here from Delhi and after observing what has happened, I know, I am not getting selected. I just want to know why!" I said firmly.

"How dare? HOW DARE YOU question these senior members? Even I have never spoken to them like this! I will tell you why, sit down!" He shouted with his eyeballs rolling up towards the ceiling.

"You know, I have three US patents. I applied to 50 companies here (India). FORTY-NINE companies rejected me. WHY? WHY?? Because I didn't deserve it. Only one company took me...huh!" He said at the top of his voice, again trying to conclude.

But, I was a rebel.

"Sir, I am not disrespecting anyone here...All I wanted to hear was the criticism from your side. But, it seems, I'm at the wrong place..." I took my laptop and portfolio files signalling that I was finished speaking and took steps towards the door.

The scene would have been great for those waiting outside, one last candidate (a girl; who's finally there in IITK) and others of IITK M.Des batch.

""You may leave now!" His voice was damping.

"I didn't seek your permission," I spoke to myself. I shut the door behind...Dham! I came out smilingly. I did it, I was celebrating in my thoughts. As expected, it was really a tense scene outside with ears on doors, eagerly waiting to hear the matter. Few of them even followed me to know. I shooed them away saying, "Ask your professors!" And rest is history (the present).

I don't know how this experience will be perceived but all want to say is that there are always two ways of rejecting candidates, one shown here and the other which IIT Bombay's Product Design panel adopted (Read it here) You decide and tell.

Is it right to reject a candidate on the basis of nine-ten irrelevant, silly questions? Is it justified? Whatever! I'm really glad that I'm not there. 

'Whatever happens, happens for the best!'

PS- I even wrote to the head of the department, there, telling about this incident and stated it was them, who disrespected the candidate - me. I didn't disrespect any senior there.

PPS (added later): If you have watched Friends, my experience can be related to the interview that Ross gave-