TAPMI Selection Process:

Group Discussion (Elimination Round):

• Duration: 15 mins
• Panelists: 3
• Participants: 15

1. Should the government give up its control on CBI?
2. Is fasting an appropriate way to protest?
3. Reality TV shows are a myth.
4. Climate change is a lack of governance.

Essay Writing:

• Duration: 10 mins
• Topics: Write an essay on the GD topic (for those who cleared GD round)

Personal Interview:

• Duration: 10-12 mins
• Panelists: 2

Interview 1:

• Candidate Profile: 90.25 percentiler, 10th – 83.8%, 12th – 81.6%, B.A. – 66.7%

1. Explain your father’s photography business and your role in it.
2. Why did you score low in academics?
3. Distinguish a corporate balance sheet from a normal balance sheet.
4. Explain the Law of Diminishing Marginal Utility.
5. Define Monopoly and Oligopoly, and discuss the demand curve of oligopoly.
6. Which business paper do you read?

Interview 2:

• Candidate Profile: 89.84 CAT percentiler, B. Tech., 10th – 86.5%, 12th – 82.2%, 67% in graduation, 30 months of work-ex

1. Discuss your work profile and why you want to pursue an MBA.
2. Explain different types of testing methods.
3. Compare the market share of Nokia, Samsung, and Apple.
4. Suggest ways for Nokia to enhance its brand image.
5. Discuss the importance of research in the mobile phone business.
6. Explain the latest technology in mobile phones and the differences between 3G and 4G.

Interview 3:

• Candidate Profile: 93.5 CAT percentiler, 10th – 73%, 12th – 78.6%, B. Tech – 74%, 18 months of work experience

1. Highlight your strengths.
2. Share an area in your personality that you’ve worked on in the last year.
3. Discuss the improvement area and why it was significant.
4. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
5. Explain how an MBA fits into your plans and why now.
6. Why should TAPMI select you?

Interview 4:

• Candidate Profile: 87.25 CAT percentiler, 10th – 80%, 12th – 74.5%, graduation – 70%, 24 months of work experience

1. Introduce yourself.
2. Discuss the growth rate of the past fiscal year and the current and projected ones.
3. Explain how national income is calculated.
4. Define IIP.
5. Discuss factors leading to the rise in onion prices in India and measures to control them.
6. Share your views on capping exports as a measure to control onion prices.
7. How can agricultural output be improved?
8. Describe an event/situation that significantly impacted/influenced you.
9. Define a challenge.
10. Explain your understanding of change management and why people may resist change.

TAPMI MBA ’22 Admission Procedure:

1. Shortlisting:

• Based on CAT/XAT/GMAT scores and work-ex profile.

2. Moderated Group Discussion (MGD):

• Duration: 45 mins.
• Candidates organized in groups of six members each.
• Topics fetched from events or issues of the past five years.
• Each candidate: 2 mins opening statement, 20-25 mins discussion, 30 secs closing statement.
• Moderated by one or two panellists.

Sample MGD Topics:

1. Social media sites: Merits and demerits.
2. Unexplored areas in women empowerment.
3. Virtual mode of education as the new reality for MBA.
4. Media losing credibility as the 4th pillar of democracy.
5. Banning carbonated drinks as a solution to the water crisis.
6. Triple bottom line theory: An unavoidable imperative or another agenda?
7. India’s readiness for a big leap in digital currency.
8. Future of cryptocurrency in India.
9. Unemployment in India and the risk of losing demographic dividend.

3. Personal Interview:

• Duration: 15-35 mins.
• Panel of two interviewers (alumnus and professor).

Excerpts from Interview Experiences:

Interview 1 (Generic):

• Risk taken in life.
• Biggest achievement and related goal.
• Example of a marketing campaign.
• Incident when an idea was rejected.
• Preferred MBA specialization.
• Questions for the interviewers.

Interview 2 (IT Background – 4+ years work-ex):

• City of origin.
• Reasons for pursuing an MBA after years in the job.
• Reasons for liking TAPMI.
• Experience with risks in the job.
• Handling conflicts in the team.
• Any questions for the interviewers.

Interview 3 (BBA Fresher – Interested in HR):

• Incident of taking a risk.
• Teamwork and success instance.
• Conflict of opinion in a team.
• Biggest achievement and plans gone awry.
• NGO duties and HR subjects.
• HR-related situational questions.

Interview 4 (Generic – Ethical in Business):

• Risk taken in life.
• Biggest achievement.
• Changes if going back to class 10.
• Ethical practices in business.
• Impact of government’s decision on Air India.
• Comparison of privatisation and nationalisation.
• Good opportunities utilised.

Interview 5 (BBA – 17 months work-ex):

• Work experience details.
• Handling difficult situations at work.
• Co-curricular activities.
• Academic score management.
• Reasons for pursuing an MBA and choice of specialisation.
• Willingness to come to Manipal.
• Other MBA calls.

4. English Proficiency Test (EPT):

• Duration: 45 mins.
• Online test with reading, writing, and listening components.
• Approximately 30-40 questions.
• Listening section with 15 audios (45 seconds each).
• Picture-based question: Write a 50-word passage.
• Questions on Reading Comprehension, grammar, and vocabulary.
• No navigation back to previous questions.
• Considered easy by candidates.

Feedback – Group Discussion (GD):

Duration: 25-30 minutes for GD

GD Topics:

1. GST: The journey so far and the way forward.
2. The Startup ecosystem in India: A decade ahead.
3. India’s road to innovation.
4. Has Social media democratized news in India?

Feedback – Personal Interview:

No. of Panelists: 2

Excerpts from Interview 1 (BCA, Fresher):

• Questions about personal information and past experiences not on the resume.
• Instance demonstrating confidence in handling a situation.
• An incident where the candidate felt disappointed and how they overcame it.
• Questions on strengths and weaknesses.
• Initiative-taking and going out of the way to help someone.

Excerpts from Interview 2 (B.Tech in Food and Technology, 27 Months Work Experience):

• Job profile details.
• Questions about the hometown.
• Specialization choice in MBA.
• Challenges faced during the job.
• Achievements in extra-curricular activities.
• Importance of extra-curricular activities.
• Why pursue Marketing Management?

Excerpts from Interview 3 (B.Tech):

• Inquiry about not working after graduating last year.
• Specialization choice in Banking and Financial Services.
• Explanation of budget deficit and its difference from fiscal deficit.
• Definition of a capital market and its necessity for companies.
• Why RBI controls interest rates.
• Understanding of negative interest rates and countries with low-interest rates.
• Opinion on inflation and its control by RBI.
• Risk-taking attitude.
• Biggest achievement.
• Teamwork experience and whether the team ignored the candidate’s idea.

Feedback – Group Activity:

Activities:

1. Tower of Hanoi
2. Make a tower with spaghetti sticks and place a marshmallow on the top

Feedback – WAT & GD:

• Number of Participants: 10
• Duration: 15 minutes for each
• Word Limit for WAT: None

Topics (Same for WAT and GD):

1. ‘Young Graduate Entrants’ to ‘Retiring Leaders’: Challenges faced in managing Multi-Generational Managers.
2. If winning is not everything, then why do we keep scores?
3. Technology is a peace enabler or disruptor?
4. Big data analytics: Science or Myth?

Feedback – Personal Interview:

No. of Panelists: 2

Excerpt from Interview 1 (Fresher):

• Introduction.
• Why TAPMI? Why MBA?
• Instance where risk was taken.
• Time when least effective.
• Long-term goals.
• Relationship between strength/weakness and long-term goals.
• Why BKFS? Explanation of PGDM-BKFS.
• Questions related to finance.
• Other options.
• Any questions for the panel.

Excerpt from Interview 2 (Fresher):

• Age inquiry.
• Fit in with older students.
• Current government in India.
• Qualities of a good Marketing Manager.
• Definition of Branding.
• The four P’s of Marketing.
• Incorporation of 3 more P’s.
• Impact of the automobile industry ceasing after-sales service.
• Future plans after MBA.

Feedback – Team Building/Group Exercise:

• Number of Participants: 5
• Average Duration: 8 minutes
• Props Provided: Spaghetti sticks, tape, marshmallow, and a thread.

Process:
Candidates work as a team to build the tallest stable structure using the provided props. Each team member takes turns performing a step in the exercise.

Additional Task:

• Solve the Tower of Hanoi.

Feedback – WAT/GD:

• Same Topic for WAT and GD
• Number of Participants: 10
• Duration: 15 minutes for WAT, 17 minutes for GD
• Word Limit for WAT: Both sides of an A4 page

Topics:

1. Are organizations ready for LGBTQI inclusion in the workforce?
2. Achieving Digital India by 2025.
3. Age of humanoids: How do they affect us?
4. Advertising campaigns should be truthful or not?
5. Loss of values in schools.
6. Is a depreciating rupee a good sign?
7. Should medical tourism be banned in India to curb illegal organ trading?
8. Tobacco: Should it be banned or not?

Feedback – Personal Interview:

• No. of Panelists: 2
• Average Duration: 10 minutes

Excerpt from Interview 1 (BBA, Fresher):

• Introduction.
• GD performance evaluation.
• Questions on GD participants.
• Why MBA?
• Internship details.
• Challenging situation faced.
• Handling conflict situation.
• Other interview calls.
• Candidate’s questions.

Excerpt from Interview 2 (B.Tech, Fresher):

• Introduction.
• Academic achievement.
• Resolution of conflict and leadership skills.
• Favorite subject.
• B.Tech subjects and college impact.
• Why MBA?
• Candidate’s questions.

Excerpt from Interview 3 (B.Tech IT, Work Experience):

• Introduction.
• Start-up details.
• Balancing work for start-up if in Manipal.
• Why HR?
• HR roles discussion.
• Start-up-related questions.
• Other interview calls.
• Candidate’s questions.