Expect surprises at Interview

Going to Delhi University? Who said it all depends on your board result? The wild goose chase has just begun. There's first a cut-off to clear to sit for the entrance exam then there's the entrance exam itself, with its 1:5 ratio of getting selected, then a group discussion if you're heading towards BBS/BFIA, which if you manage to survive leads you to the guillotine... The Interview! Those who went under the blade and managed to save their necks tell their gory tales.

Upasana Roy who has just completed her graduation from Stephen's in Chemistry Honours shudders when she recollects, "The first question they asked me for my interview was what my name means and where does it originate from. That was pretty simple. It was when they asked me if I knew who had found the Upasana Meditation Centre that I was caught off-guard. I still don't know if such a place even exists". Kartik, who is a second year student pursuing BBS from Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies was asked why he was wearing a tie and if someone had advised him to dress in formals. "I wonder what they did to those who were sporting shorts, for there were quite a few of them at the time I had come to give my interview" he shares. The institutions wish to enquire if students are taking coaching to prepare for the admission process, for a lot of such centres have come up in the recent past that provide guidance on these matters. Aanchal Mehta, Kartik's batch-mate was confronted by the genie in the bottle. "What would you ask for if you were granted three wishes they asked me", she relates.

A yawning Krishnan, pass-out from Stephen's, tells us, "The colour of the wall behind you and the number of steps you had to climb to reach the room where the interview is being conducted are all old tricks in the book". He observed that people applying to arts courses are the ones persecuted, while the science stream gets questions that are more or less related to the stream, by which he nowhere implies straight out of textbook stuff. Science faces the numericals, which means an interview might not necessarily mean it is going to be oral, it could very well be written too. At Stephen's the panel is eager to gauge if you're applying to the course or THE College.

Journalism entrances are basically about your favourite News Channel/ News Show Host/ Newspaper/ Newspaper column/ Journalist should be on your tips besides a few others if asked to list/name. You should have valid reasons for your preference/ dislike. Interviewers for media courses might occasionally ask about issues you feel strongly about. Commonly asked questions are: Introduction (which includes your name, the school you come from, the stream you opted for, subjects/favourite subject if asked and your interests/hobbies besides Family Background), why the respective course/college, why should the institution take you. Mili Aggarwal, 2nd year Journalism Honours, Kamala Nehru College, adds a word of caution,"Never make up stuff, it's always better to politely decline the question. You're not expected to know everything, anyway." Generally one question leads on to the other so remember you're the person in control. Take it on from there!