Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Lucknow

Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh

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Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Lucknow Placement Interview Questions

Updated 10 Dec 2024

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user image Binay Jaiswal

posted on 22 Dec 2015

I applied via Referral

1 Interview Round

Interview Questions

Interview Preparation Tips

Round: Case Study Interview
Experience: i went through four rounds in total. The first questioned asked, in the first round, was the number of shortlist on day 0 and the interviewer jumped straight into a slide in his laptop. Basically the slide had plenty of line diagrams. I had no clue what it was about. As we started interacting, I figured out the line diagrams showed number of units sold in a span of 8-9 months.
I was asked to analyse the line diagrams. On further interaction and based on my answers, I came to know the diagrams had the data about the number of units sold by various companies and total number of units sold in each month. The figures didn't show any consistent pattern and I was asked to figure out why was it so. Basically only thing I could figure out was the sales showed cyclical nature and the number showed a positive trend just before Oct-Nov and a dropping trend in Jan-Mar.
There was a clear market leader but the sales were decreasing in latest months while there was a fierce competition for the second and the third slot. A detailed discussion took place about who can take the second place and why. Then he asked some FRA question related to the graphs. The discussion boiled down to FIFO/LIFO method and he gave some data for a particular company and I was asked to show the impact of LIFO or FIFO on Profit, COGS, Taxes, and retained earnings.
After that he asked a short case on airline industry and it didn't revolved around rising oil prices (Aberration of current Market condition). According to the case, one courier company increased the freight charges though there was a decrease in oil prices. My answers revolved around higher interest rates and depreciation which decreased the operating profit of the courier company. But he was looking for something else and the case was supposed to be analysed from demand-supply side (Microeconomics!!!!). With his input we concluded that the business model of freight industry was changing. Companies who used to transport by rail/road now started using Air Freight which increased the demand suddenly and hence the price. Further because of capacity constraint, the Air Freight company bought few new aircrafts and hence wanted to break even early to make the most of current market.
Note: The interview went Ok types. Interviewer expectation was much more and I think I could not handle the Airline case upto his expectation. He wished me good luck for the next round.


Round: Case Study Interview
Experience: I came to know that they have scheduled my first round again as they were expecting more. The interview started with “How did the first round went”? I said “It was decent but I should have done better”. He asked “would have or should have”? I said “Should have”. “What went wrong” was his instant question. I gave my analysis and he looked satisfied by my analysis (He displayed like that). I was told that this round will have 2 parts: (i) Case and (ii) some general questions.

Case: It was about decreasing sales of Nano in Kolkata and adjoining areas.
Case analysis:
Initially we discussed if it was a normal trend in other parts of India or not. If there was any price increased by Nano or any changes with the design which might not have gone well with the consumers. We also spoke about impact of negative publicity like engine failure and instances of fire breaking out in Nano. Marketing strategies of handling negative publicity was also discussed.
But the maximum discussion happened around 2 points:
1) As Nano was mainly for people with 2 wheeler, I wanted to understand where the real issue was. Whether consumers are moving to 2.5-3 lakhs priced car like Alto and Zen (few others also) or people with 2 wheeler were not able to buy Nano. I asked about any trend whether any data regarding people willingness to buy Nano (Through Test Drives taken, visits to showrooms etc.) but not actually buying was there or not. After few minute of discussion, I was told that the main issue was people with 2 wheeler are not buying Nano. So the main issue was affordability. I recommended zero % interest rate for EMI for first 2 years of purchase and very minimal ROI after that. We also discussed about the bank Nano should partner with and then he filtered the question to 1 bank only. I opted for SBI as it has branches in adjoining remote areas of Kolkata and people there have higher trust in Govt. banks.
2) We also spoke about the Demand-Supply constraint. If there was any channel conflict. Brief interaction revealed that Nano had only 7 distributors in that part of region and this was a major problem and it should increase by 3-4.

As he was very satisfied with the case analysis, the second part of interview was not much of pain. It was more of a general discussion. As I had work ex in IT industry, I was asked how will I handle management consulting as it‟s very different from IT consulting and required very competent skills. I was also asked about the highest level of client interaction and how I managed them. He specifically asked for one of the CV point which was about interacting with the program director of the US based client and how I managed to convinced him to increase the scope of the development, issues faced and what it took to convince him to approve the increase in man hours effort from 400 to 950.
Few questions about my strengths and how I will handle the clients specifically when I am interacting with CXO level people followed. I was also asked why consulting and whether I would be comfortable travelling after marriage. Overall I had a very good interview.

Tips: -Practice some cases before interviews.
-Never think that you are out of race. Don‟t judge yourself in the interview. Interviewer might give you chance to bounce back.

Round: Case Study Interview
Experience: This round was taken by one of our alums. I was asked if I am nervous or excited. I said both and was asked to explain why so. (Good Ice Breaking 5 minutes). I was again asked the number of process I am running for (Other Shortlists!!!). A casual discussion followed like it must be tough running for different process in different parts of the campus.
He was constantly picking up points from my CV and it was more or less work experience related interview. I asked three questions to him and a detailed discussion took place.

Round: Case Study Interview
Experience: It was HR round which lasted for around 10 minutes. Questions like Why ABC, Consulting, my strengths, best and worst feedback received in my previous work ex were asked. I was asked about my expectation from ABC. Brief discussion about my POR and CGPA followed.
Tips: 1) Stay Cool because it will help you to interact freely and focus on various perspectives which is very important in the case
2) Display a lot of enthusiasm and don‟t shy away from talking. Remember Consultant need to do a lot of talking. Just ensure you talk sense on that day.

General Tips: Keep calm and cool even if you get stuck up.
Consider various perspectives while answering for a case.
Skills:
College Name: IIM Lucknow
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user image Shalabh Malhotra

posted on 22 Dec 2015

I applied via Referral

1 Interview Round

Interview Questions

  • Q1. Personal Interview: Tell me about yourself. Examples from life to justify for whatever points you had mentioned
  • Q2. Do you like travelling? Which all places have you been to?
  • Q3. What do you know about Accenture and ABC? Which vertical in ABC interests you the most?
  • Q4. Personal Interview: Tell me about your experience in NTPC Ltd
  • Q5. Why NTPC Ltd. after engineering and why MBA now?
  • Q6. Present Power Scenario in India. Difficulties faced by thermal power plants at present
  • Q7. Future of Nuclear Power Plants. Pros and Cons
  • Q8. Hydro-electric plants and their pros and cons

Interview Preparation Tips

Round: Case Study Interview
Experience: In the first round, apart from questions asked in the personal interview I was given a guesstimation case to solve. It didn't (that)go well . The guesstimation problem was as follows:
You are a private company who has got the contract to install street lights in Lucknow. Guesstimate the number of street lights that will be required and the expected profit you think you can earn.
Structure:
1. I assumed Lucknow‟s area to be 20km by 20km.
2. I, then, divided the city into a matrix assuming it to be criss-crossed by #60 20 km roads running horizontally and vertically each.
3. Then estimated an approximate of 30% area to be under forest cover.
4. Divided the roads in the remaining 70% area into roads present in residential and non-residential (commercial + highways) areas. Took an estimate on number of street lights present per km in both these areas.
5. Finally came to a number on the number of street lights taking into account that some places will have 2 lamps on a single post while others will have just 1.
6. After that estimated the product + set-up cost for each street light.
7. Estimated the running charges (maintenance and electricity). Electricity charges would depend on the number of operation hours and watt-rating of the lamp. Maintenance charges and profit margin was estimated.
8. In the end a total estimate of profits was calculated.

Tips: Prepare for guesstimation well.

Round: Case Study Interview
Experience: This round was based on my work-ex.
Tips: Know your company well and have a good hold on your sector.

General Tips: Prepare for cases and guesstimation problems well.
For a consulting job requires a lot of travelling so make sure (if you r a travel enthusiast) that you justify you love travelling.
Skills:
College Name: IIM Lucknow
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Interview Questions

user image Anonymous

posted on 18 Dec 2015

I applied via Campus Placement

5 Interview Rounds

Interview Questions

  • Q1. Started with some questions on leadership as I stated it as strength
  • Q2. I was asked to choose an industry of my choice. I chose FMCG sector. I was first asked to give the market size of the soap market in the year 2020. The intervie...read more
  • Q3. HR questions on weaknesses
  • Q4. Anyone apart from me who should make it to AMC
  • Q5. Questions on academics (PGDM), ranging from MANAC to economics and MS Excel
  • Q6. Keynesian Vs Classical, Types of Costing, Lookup in excel, Branding
  • Q7. General questions on the current education system in India

Interview Preparation Tips

General Tips: Consulting interviews require you to be able to give a holistic picture of the case presented. Keep the interviewer involved at every step.
Skills:
College Name: IIM Lucknow
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Interview Questions

user image Anonymous

posted on 18 Dec 2015

I applied via Campus Placement

1 Interview Round

Interview Questions

Interview Preparation Tips

General Tips: - Be energetic and enthusiastic
- I firmly believe that the first 2 minutes in an interview decide the outcome to a great extent
- In the case interview, even if you go wrong at some place, do not fluster and keep trying
Skills:
College Name: IIM Lucknow
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Interview Questions

user image Anonymous

posted on 9 Dec 2015

I applied via Campus Placement

6 Interview Rounds

Interview Questions

  • Q1. Tell me something about yourself?
  • Q2. Work profile?
  • Q3. Difference between SCM inside the firm and outside the firm
  • Q4. How does an automobile firm manage its inventory?
  • Q5. What is the difference between centralized and decentralized supply chain? Advantages and Disadvantages of each
  • Q6. What are the various ways in which you’ll reduce inventory pile up?
  • Q7. Tell me something about yourself
  • Q8. How was your experience of working with XYZ Company?
  • Q9. Why consulting? Why not join the old firm back?
  • Q10. Why Accenture?
  • Q11. How do you fit in?
  • Q12. What if we are not able to recruit you today?
  • Q13. The interviewer was also a mechanical engineer so he asked me a lot of questions on SI/CI engines, Torque Speed curve, Knocking etc
  • Q14. Market entry strategy for a Chinese automobile firm
  • Q15. Started with the usual tell me something about yourself. Then he started questioning me on why I want to choose consulting as a field and why I don’t want to wo...read more
  • Q16. Estimate the no of passenger shared auto rickshaws in Lucknow The guesstimate could have been done using multiple approaches so he asked me the different approa...read more

Interview Preparation Tips

Round: Guesstimate Interview
Experience:


Round: Case Study Interview
Experience: My approach was to first evaluate whether it is the right environment and time to enter and then move on to how to enter by utilizing existing capabilities or developing new ones.

General Tips: If you have core manufacturing work-ex, irrespective of the department you were in, be thoroughly prepared with operations related questions.
Also, be prepared for a few question from your undergraduate stream
Skills:
College Name: IIM Lucknow
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Interview Questions

user image Anonymous

posted on 5 Dec 2015

I applied via Campus Placement

5 Interview Rounds

Interview Questions

  • Q1. Interview kicked off by tell me about yourself
  • Q2. Then asked about my PORs at IIT
  • Q3. Gave a case on Olam expansion strategy in between discussion about my work ex
  • Q4. Some questions about Accenture and HR
  • Q5. Asked if I had any questions for him
  • Q6. Why Accenture?
  • Q7. Why consulting?
  • Q8. HR person was interested in my work ex and PORs, asked a plenty of questions on that
  • Q9. Tell me about yourself?
  • Q10. Asked how my day was, as my energy levels were bit low at that point of time
  • Q11. I had an entrepreneurial venture at IIT and interviewer was asking questions related to entrepreneurship trends in India and issues faced in my venture, key lea...read more
  • Q12. Interviewer was working in a similar domain of supply chain (Sales and distribution) and we had a discussion on challenges involved in projects
  • Q13. What were my expectations from Accenture and why I prefer it over working for Olam?
  • Q14. Was very short interview and partner was quickly running through my CV and asked about my entrepreneurial venture and why it failed?

Interview Preparation Tips

Round: Case Study Interview
Experience: Suggest a strategy for Olam to expand in next 2-3 years in coffee commodity business unit? Interviewer was looking for structure and logic in the approach. I walked him through the value chain in coffee business and then focussed on areas in procurement and distribution currently controlled by other parties. Then proposed for forward integration for the product and explained the rationale using some examples of other businesses of Olam. Interviewer appeared to be quite convinced at this stage and he moved on to some specific set of questions in commodities.

General Tips: Be confident, energetic and enjoy the process.
Skills:
College Name: IIM Lucknow
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Interview Questions

user image Anonymous

posted on 5 Dec 2015

I applied via Campus Placement

3 Interview Rounds

Interview Questions

Interview Preparation Tips

General Tips: Know your CV really well.
Sort things out in your mind before answering.
Ask them only relevant questions. Never beat around the bush.
Stay calm and composed.
Skills:
College Name: IIM Lucknow
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Interview Questions

user image Anonymous

posted on 5 Dec 2015

3 Interview Rounds

Interview Questions

  • Q1. Tell me about yourself
  • Q2. How did you balance your work/studies with your extra-curricular activities?
  • Q3. Questions on work experience like the type of risks associated with vessels or the state of the Insurance industry in India
  • Q4. If your previous employer came to accenture for consulting advise, what advice would you give them?
  • Q5. 1st asked me about how Tata Sumo is doing in India, to which I replied not well at all. Then the problem statement was to help Tata come up with a decision rega...read more
  • Q6. Post the case, he asked about the current Economic condition of India and what implications the forthcoming elections and the budget hold
  • Q7. Asked various questions like tell me something about yourself, why Accenture, why consulting
  • Q8. Tell us something that drives you
  • Q9. Why did you give up on sports
  • Q10. What convinced you to do an MBA
  • Q11. Also ran through my CV and asked HR related questions regarding the Positions of responsibilities that I held and the extra-curricular activities I took part in
  • Q12. Asked me to introduce myself and in general spoke about what I did in life and what drives me. Also wanted to know what I was passionate about in life
  • Q13. The conversation ended with him asking me whether I would like to choose Accenture Global or Accenture India, to which I replied Accenture Global and linked it ...read more

Interview Preparation Tips

Round: Case Study Interview
Experience: Walked him through the value chain and stressed on the cost and value drivers and came up with 3 solutions, to which he seemed impressed and stopped the discussion there
after case, he asked another question. Had a discussion on that for 10 minute and then he asked me if I had any questions. Asked him why Accenture is the only Consulting firm that is publicly listed while the others are privately held? He seemed impressed again and explained the whole idea behind going public. After 10 minutes of discussion, the interview was concluded.

General Tips: Preparation of HR answers, most essential
In a case, look at every aspect possible
If you don’t know how to proceed, take time out to think and involve the interviewer as much as possible
Don’t jump to conclusions
Skills:
College Name: IIM Lucknow
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Interview Questions

user image Anonymous

posted on 5 Dec 2015

I applied via Campus Placement

3 Interview Rounds

Interview Questions

  • Q1. Some basic questions like tell me about yourself, why consulting
  • Q2. Discussed one project from Mu Sigma and one from ZS in detail, nature of responsibilities
  • Q3. Case on an FMCG giant who was facing a sharp decline in profits
  • Q4. Some general questions from my work-experience, which practice area would you prefer, why, recent developments in that practice area
  • Q5. A couple of projects from my stint at ZS
  • Q6. He asked me an HR case. A Financial services firm recruits and trains Financial Advisors but for some unknown reason the attrition rate is huge. Investigate why...read more
  • Q7. Tell me something about yourself
  • Q8. Typical HR situations (significant achievement, situation where you achieved something significant after overcoming obstacles, etc.)
  • Q9. Which practice area would you like to work in at AMC, what do you know of that practice area
  • Q10. What do you remember of the ppt, what did you like, what is it that you didn’t like

Interview Preparation Tips

Round: Case Study Interview
Experience: The interviewer did not allow me to use a pen and paper and rather asked to orally discuss the case. I questioned the ins and outs of the business, the industry and other basic qualifiers. The issue was with the supply chain. Gave him recommendations on how to enhance the profits. After this he gave a couple of hypothetical situations pertaining to sales and distribution issues and how I would go ahead. The interview lasted for about 45 mins.

General Tips: Prepare well for HR questions, it helps
Skills:
College Name: IIM Lucknow
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Interview Questions

user image Anonymous

posted on 5 Dec 2015

I applied via Campus Placement

6 Interview Rounds

Interview Questions

  • Q1. Why would a person with a very technical background want to go into consulting?
  • Q2. What is the current mobile phone I use? (At the time, I used a Micromax A74) Why has Micromax succeeded? What has it done correctly?
  • Q3. What do you understand from Micromax’s recent advertising campaigns? Why has it cast Hugh Jackman?
  • Q4. Why is Nokia doing badly? What are the strategic mistakes it has made?
  • Q5. Which other industries interest me? (Apart from technology, my answer was Aviation) Why is the aviation industry not profitable?
  • Q6. Caselet: How would I approach the situation if Boeing asked me to help their suppliers (HAL) improve their output? What recent major deals in aviation did I kno...read more
  • Q7. How would I be able to handle the pressures and challenges of a consulting career?
  • Q8. Largely conversational, my experiences and expectations from consulting and whether Accenture would fit me. No clichéd HR questions
  • Q9. What is Accenture’s current stock price?
  • Q10. Is Accenture a public or a private company?
  • Q11. Where is Accenture headquartered out of?
  • Q12. What is causing deflation in Japan?
  • Q13. More questions about the state of the Japanese economy and macroeconomics in general
  • Q14. What should the governor of RBI focus on?
  • Q15. Guesstimate the size of the Indian Diaper market

Interview Preparation Tips

Round: Case Study Interview
Experience: Boeing parts:
• I was only asked to list the broad areas I’d look at. Listed transportation, supply chain, labour relations, and legal arrangements.
• Added one or two possible problems under each issue and suggested solutions.

Round: Guesstimate Interview
Experience: Guesstimate(Diapers):
• Structured using the number of kids in India using population statistics, the family income, and cost of diaper by guessing the percentage of families who would use diapers.
• My initial estimate was $12 billion, way too high, and without him pointing it out, I tried to adjust my various estimates.
• He was fairly happy with the structure and did not try to correct the numbers too much.

General Tips: • In-depth knowledge of one or two sectors is very valuable.
• Consistency of answers across interviews and your CV makes you look sane.
Skills:
College Name: IIM Lucknow
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