Anticlimax!!!

There comes a point of time in everyone's life, where you feel that you've just let an opportunity slip by. I am feeling the same!! Though I'm just wondering what different could I have done to not feel this way!!

I'm just back from my GD & PI at TISS for the HRM & LR course. Entry into the course means a lot to me. Great B School Brand, good peers, excellent curriculum and most importantly the much needed, a well paying placement at the end of the course!!! All this crossed my mind randomly somewhere in the beginning of the month of November, 2007. That's when I decided to apply for TISS HRM & LR. Submitted my application and awaited my test on 20th Jan' 2008!!

Man, the Written Entrance Test was surprisingly easy and raised my hopes of being finally called a TISSian!! I was somewhat confident of getting a call, and I did!!! Though without any preparation I was able to crack the written entrance, I felt this strange anxiety about the GD & PI!! I'm sure everyone in my family was ecstatic!!

15th April, 2008 was the D Day for GD & PI. 2 months of social networking on orkut with fellow aspirants added more to the anxiety but also helped clear a lot of doubts for a first timer like me. I know how much my success would mean to me, to my family!! One night prior to the D Day, my anxiety got the better of me, it made me pack my bag, filled with glocose biscuits, newspapers, my DAF and some other important TISS related material!! I felt like a child preparing for the first day of school!!

The day had arrived, and I reached TISS at 9:30 full 1 hour earlier than the time given to me, and a full 30 mins earlier than the time i decided to meet Aruna, my friend I made while submitting application of forms. Also then headed to Room No. 5 where 2 students of TISS 2nd year oriented us on the institute, field work, curriculum and placements etc. We straight then headed to Room No. 7 for the GD. 11 of us in the group with 8 women and 3 men (and they yet talk of gender equality!! lol..)

GD on the topic "Should there be a censon board for TV like there is for films" was mindlessly discussed!! I made sure I got adequate airspace and made a few points. Surprisingly at 11:30 a.m. we were through with the GD. We were then taken to the new campus for our PI. Was part of the Panel 3, serial number 26 for the PI. Throughout the entire process I felt I was nothing but just a number. Agonising wait awaited me. Spent time with a few friends I made there. Also just before I was scheduled for the PI, the Panel decided to please their aptetite and went in for lunch, which ensured that my patience was tested well enough for an hour more!!

Finally I was called for the PI. Entered into the room where 2 relatively old people, 1 gentleman who genuinely looked like a Gandhian and 1 lady who liked any normal Indian lady tormented by family problems told me to sit down! I wished them Good Afternoon and pat came the question, "Tell us about yourself with relevance to HR", I mean Ive never understood this question.... i blabbed some shit about "Im opinionated, I am quite good at managing people, I am focussed etc" and the old gentleman asked "What exactly do you mean by opinionated?" and then I had to justify myself... they way I always have to!!!

He also went through some list and asked me about my graduation BBI. He asked me about the Role of RBI in controlling inflation and definition of capital markets and money markets. I answered the RBI piece well but the second question, nothing really struck me, so I spoke about the capital and money market instruments like equity and long terms debt instruments etc. Looking displeased the gentleman told me what he was looking for, I'll always remember that. "Capital market means short term, and money markets means long term!!!"....

Well, then began the insanity.... "What do you know about the history of Mumbai?" to which I responded that whatever I knew, 7 islands and stuff. "So you've been staying around Churchgate area forever right?", "What is the history behind the name, why is it called Churchgate?" "What is the importance and peculiarity of the areas surrounding Churchgate?"..................... Man, I've never felt more stupified ever before!!!!!

Then came more nonsense, 'have you heard of Bombay First? or London First?" I said NO! "they are organisations, which promote their cities as destinations, whats your view on such organisation?" ..........

Then came their affinity towards local politics. "Do you know who's your local corporator?". "Do you know your local MP?" And then I felt comfortable, Yes, I said Its Milind Deora. "So what are your views on Milind as a leader" etc etc........

And that was the end of my interview!! I dont know the relevance of all of this to HRM. I am also too big a dimwit to relate all this to judging my capability of entering a prestigious course like HRM & LR. With due respect to the Panel and the Institute, I felt let down!!
Let down by myself, the process, its effectiveness and the way it was conducted!!

Anyway hoping for the best now, thats all I can actually do. Sometimes I feel SRK is such a criminal to raise false hopes of people by saying things like... "Agar tum kisi cheez ko sacche dil se chahoge, to puri kaynaat usse tumse milane mein lag jati hai!!"