Panel – 14

Location – IIT Delhi Campus

Profile – B.Com, Work Experience of 1.5 yrs

Panel – 1 Female Professor (F1) and 1 Male Professor (M1)

(Majority of the interview was conducted by F1)

Before the interview, I would like to mention that the overall management of the process was extremely smooth. Most of the coordination was being handled by the students themselves and everything was very well organized. They were assigning candidates to rooms, managing the reporting process, and guiding candidates throughout.

F1 - When did you arrive on campus?

I told them that I had arrived early in the morning. Since I had never visited IIT Delhi before, I was roaming around the main campus and came to DMS building around the reporting time.

F1 - How did you like the campus?

Told the campus is very beautiful and peaceful. It was my first time visiting IIT Delhi, so it was quite a pleasant experience to walk around.

F1- Was you graduation through distance learning? Why?

I confirmed that it was through distance learning. Told my reasoning.

F1 - What were you doing during that period?

Told Zomato delivery rider and reselling books in the Daryaganj book market

F1 - Why do you want to do an MBA now?

Gave the prepared Why MBA answer.

F1 - What do you want to do after MBA?

I have developed a growing interest in marketing, so I would be open to exploring opportunities in that domain as well.

F1 - You must know the 4Ps of Marketing.

Told four Ps – Product, Price, Place, and Promotion.

F1 - There are three more. You know that?

Told: People, Process, and Physical Evidence.

F1 - What is Physical Evidence?

Explained with example, in a service industry like banking or hospitality, the physical environment, branding, documentation, or interface design etc.

F1 - What do you do currently?

Told

F1 - What exactly is your role there?

Explained in detail.

F1 - What is a major challenge you face in your role?

Explained one. Being from a non tech background, understanding the tech part behind the interface is majorly challenging sometimes.

F1 - How did you overcome this challenge?

Told over time I started learning more about how the backend systems were structured

F1 - Tell us more about your Zomato experience.

I broke down how delivery riders get paid: there's a basic amount for each delivery, but a big part of what riders hope to make comes from company incentives. But the catch is those bonuses aren't always easy to achieve. The company sets targets for extra earnings, but those targets can shift around. From a rider's side, it often feels like the whole setup is stacked so reaching those bonuses is a lot harder than it looks. (Both professors listened with interest since this was a perspective they might not have heard frequently.)

F1 - If you were designing the system, what would you do differently?

I responded that delivery partners are essentially the backbone of such platforms, and therefore, companies should aim to design systems that are transparent and fair to them. If I were designing such a system, I would try to introduce policies that ensure riders are treated ethically and given a fair chance to earn the incentives that are promised. For example, there could be grace periods or clearer promotional structures so that riders feel more secure and motivated within the platform

Both profs agreed, as this makes sense to them.

F1 - Do you follow the news?

I said that I generally try to stay updated with daily news, although I admitted that I had been slightly out of touch for the previous two or three days because of travel and interviews.

F1 - Tell me one recent news item not related to war.

I mentioned a news piece about India - China trade crossing approximately $155 billion. I added that despite the large trade volume, India imports significantly more goods from China than it exports.

F1 - What is this situation called?

Trade Deficit.

F1 - Any other recent news related to China?

I asked for a hint because I was not able to recall anything immediately. She hinted that it was related to rare minerals, but I admitted honestly that I might have missed that particular news and said I would look it up after the interviews.

She responded positively and said it was fine.

Certificates & Extracurricular Activities

Now, the interview is almost done but DMS has some weightage for extra curriculars so everyone has to carry their ECA certificates. At this point, the female professor asked for the certificates file and checking on each and briefly talked about each.

Overall Experience

The interview felt very conversational and relaxed.

I must admit that this is by far the best interview I have ever had because the female professor has such a sweet and calm tone. She was appreciative a lot in between.