IIT M.Tech Admission: Test and Interview preparation

Most of the students are confused about this phase of admission. The reason for conducting written test and interviews is to select the best students. As GATE is a multiple choice test, there is some probability of getting good percentile if some of the blind guesses are correct. To avoid these outliers, IITs and IISc conduct a written test and interview.

Written test:

1. Usually this test includes multiple choice questions and has around 10% weight for admission. As many students appear for exam and in a single day IITs have to finish whole process of admission, they feel comfortable with multiple choice questions. Multiple choice type test help the administration to quick evaluate and process the results.
2. There can be very few analytical questions, so prepare accordingly.
3. Prepare with short note material which you used for GATE.
4. Have a good insight into difficult subjects.
5. Don’t worry if can not do as per you expectations, as it counts only 10% .

Interview:
It is little scary to face professors from IITs for the first time, as you don’t know their expectations and your career depend on their decision. But follow these tips things will be great..

1. Don’t forget to visit Professors’ web sites. This makes you aware of his area and with his looks too. When you enter the interview room you will not be panic.
2. Initially they make you comfortable by asking some personal questions. Answer them and make yourself comfortable.
3. Try to be master of at least on subject. Usually they ask you for your choice, as they have experts sitting from all different fields. So make your choice wisely.
4. Even if you prepare for the easiest subject do not forget to read the most difficult part in it. As they are teaching these subjects for quite a long time they know what student either don’t understand or skip because of difficult concepts.
5. Most of them love mathematics in any subject. Therefore if you can remember few mathematical definitions in the chosen subject will definitely help you.
6. As there are only one or two experts in the subject you directed the interview panel, rest of the professors can ask you some general questions too, related to current trends and technologies in your domain.
7. Understand the environment in room, if it is helpful and cooperative try to answer all the questions. But if things are leading to arguments and heated discussions avoid the questions if you don’t know them.  Better don’t mess up Profs.

Do remember, interview is a chance to prove that you are better than what your score shows. Mostly they try to analyze your understand of some problems and analytical skills to solve them. So try to understand the question and frame your answer based on logic. On the same time it is a good way to know, how good you are in subject. Bluffing something may lead to bad conclusions. Be polite, don’t be afraid. Show that given tips you will solve problems and ready to learn rather than arguing.  Interview has around 20% weight, and can change many figures if you do well.  I wish you a great luck out there, and waiting to welcome you a tradition called IIT, which I m part of and remain rest of my life…