CAT-The Gandhi Way

After enriching myself with teaching experiencein Ludhiana, I find it pertinent to write a post on CAT.To start with,There are 1500 ways to crack CAT. Everybody who cracked CAT did it in a different way. Still My way will help you with certain Dos and Don'ts.It will answer most of FAQs.Ok, Let us start with FAQs.
Q. What does it need to be in IIMs?
A.Nothing but passion ,desire and determination(A cliche).Eberything else is secondary.It doesn't matter whether you have the aptitude or not.Attitude is more important(Another cliche) but it is true. When I read profiles of people who were getting 67 %ile till their last Mock and still cracked CAT, what should I say about aptitude. Don't tell me that he was the only case.The point is if he can do it so can you.
Q.How to get passion,desire and determination?
A.Frankly,I don't think that I can give you the answer but I can tell you what was true in my case.My classmate got into IIM-A last year.He had a totally different personality than mine.He was shrewd, kattoo and everything you associate with that kind of a guy.I wanted to see that if I stick to my way of living,how high can I rise?Here I go to IIM-C(a shade lower) but Life is a war and that was just a battle.
Q.When should I start the preparation?
A.If you are a PGite and asking this, then I am sorry. For all others, you can start from today(only if you haven't started already).People have done it with the preparations ranging from one month to one year. Find where you stand and then attack your weaknesses.Towards the end you should shift again to your strengths with considerable improvements in your weaknesses. Trust me, You can't survive only with strengths. You have got to bring your weakness to a certain level too.
Q.Shall I join a coaching institute or not?
A.It depends(talking like a true manager).For work-ex people it does not make sense. Working for five days or sometimes even six and then attending classes on weekend is going to burn you out(You can try my company trick for leave before CAT). For others,if you think you are not disciplined enough, you may go for it. Moreover, my experience tells me that improvement can be seen only in Quant. English and DI are neglected to a certain extent in coaching institutes.For non-engineers, I can still understand the need for coaching because of their Quantphobia but for Engineers, it just doesn't make any sense.
Q. My score is pathetic in Mocks :-((?
A. Mocks are no doubt very important in your preparation but don't read too much in your Mock performance. Neither the success nor the failure is any reflection of your performance on D-day.Every year there are lots of people who do well in Mocks but fail in CAT(Yours . truly was part of same brigade in CAT'04) and who perform badly in Mocks and still get through IIMs( Yours truly was not a part of this brigade in CAT'05).If you are working hard enough, analyzing your Mocks properly, you will definitely get positive results.Anyways , working hard is the only thing you can do, why worry about anything else.
Q. What should I do on D-day?
A. Plan it well in advance. Dream about it. Think about it. You should have a clear idea at what you are going to do what. When are you going to reach test centre?What will I do there before start of the paper?What will I be thinking after OMR is given and Question Paper is yet to come?
Q. What should I do for GD/PI?
A. Don't worry about it. Just concentrate on your written exam. It is much more crucial than GD/PI. Selection /Rejection ratio in written is much lower than in GD/PI.Moreover, if you get a good written score it means you are good enough to clear GD/PI as well. With multiple calls, It will be very difficult not to get final selections (unless you slap inetrviewer in the face)

Some General Gyaan:
1. Take atleast 50 Mock CATs before taking CAT.
2. If possible, find study partners. It will help you keep sane and you will get good results as well.
3. Take CAT from position of strength.I mean if speed is your strength then, practice accuracy in Mocks and towards the very end, come back to speed for improved results.


Huhhhh.. That is enough for this time.. I will write about my stay at home next time. It has already taken its toll on me.
ps- I overheard somebody saying " If you write your blog more than twice a week, you arenot a blogger. You are Rashmi Bansal". No pun intended( Me pigmy can't take on a legend).This is just for gags.

Last Day at Office-Some Lessons

Statutory Warning-This post is some serious stuff.

My company has born me for more than nine months like a mother bears his child in her womb but the relationship here has been exactly the opposite.In the past nine months,I and my company have treated each other with equal disdain.On the way,I have committed lots of follies,mistakes and learnt a few lessons.I have also worked on 'How to screw your company and get what you want'.

I will start with the training period .I was a corporate virgin then.Like any fresher with the desire of leaving his mark on corporate world,I enter the hallowed portals of training classes.I mug hard,gave priority to company over CAT.They took the mid-term.I came with poor results.Here I start thinking that even with the effort I have put ,I couldn't manage decent rating.As training progresses,I stop worrying and become completely resigned to the fact that software is not my cup of tea.Then,comes the End term.No pressure ,I just sit through and guess what I come with a better performance than mid-term.
Lesson 1- A company exam is a company exam is a company exam.Don't worry.

After this, I proceed to my branch where I am supposed to work.I have been shown that there are lots of finance projects here but I am sitting here with a dozen others on bench.
Lesson 2-Never Trust what is told unless you see for yourself.

My honeymoon with bench was cut-short the very next day.I am called for a project along with one of my friends. I go to my manager enthusiastically because still that desire of doing well in industry hasn't left me.My manager welcomes me saying "How was your paid holiday(Training)?"I tell him that it was the most hectic time of my life till date(I am going to IIMC after this).He is saying I have got to work 24 hours somedays and will have to come 6 days minimum with many Sundays thrown in.My enthusiasm goes to hell.I feel dejected but still not in a position to refuse the project outright.Then ,My friend also goes through the same and comes back droopily.
I along with him decide not to take up this project( I swear he gave me the balls to say NO).Yes guys, I have done it. A two month old trainee has refused a project to a seven year experienced guy but this David-Goliath happiness was shortlived(What do you expect that he will take it lightly).HR guy is called.We are told that if we want 9 to 5 job,we should join some government job.Now,We don't have any option.We have got to accept the project(How can we refuse a guy twice?).We accept it but a shocking surprise is yet to come. Only, I get the project and my friend goes away scot-free on bench.Another turning point and this time I have made up my mind that this guy has to be told a lesson.I held a grudge against my Manager and that HR guy.
Lesson3 -Dude,You don't have a choice for anything.

I start working on project with just 7 weeks to go for CAT. I get up every morning and see my room mates sleeping(No worries about going to office,they are on bench). I feel like I go to office to earn because I am a sole bread-winner for the family(I thought of all my friends as my wives).I somehow managed to do some tests after coming home.Sitting in front of computer was taking its toll.I felt exhausted at the end of the day. I resorted to Surya-Namaskar which helped me in good stride.A month had passed with just three weeks for CAT.Diwali week came as godsent angel for me.I asked him for leave to go home.He gave it to me unwittingly.Then,comes the masterstroke.At the end of leave,I call up my office that I am suffering from typhoid and won't be able to come for 2 weeks.They accept it and even advise me to take proper care.They don't even know that I am calling from just five kilometers away and not from my home because I haven't gone to my home in the first place.I take CAT and do well in it.Then, I genuinely go to my home and call them again.This time,I say that "I have recovered but I need some rest.I will take another week."
Lesson4- Don't tell anyone about your plans.It helps.

CAT over and I reach office.I also had to remind myself that I have just recovered from typhoid and have to act accordingly but braggart in me takes over and I tell many guys about the plan I have just executed.
Lesson5-Colleagues are colleagues,not friends.

No points for guessing,This grapevine trickles down to manager.I am called and thoroughly probed.After refusing to budge and corroborating my lie with documents,I give in.I am threatened with legal inquiry and crap. Then, I am asked to resign(Is this a joke???).With no CAT results,How can I think of resigning the job?I become a dutiful servant again agreeing to their every demand including of no leave in next six months.You won't believe I told him I am going for MBA next year. I will take another 2 months leave for my GD/PI preparation.It goes without saying that his face was red with anger.
Lesson6-If manager doubts your lies ,then accept that you are lying.

These few days were the darkest days in my short office life.I felt like a dog having no say whatsoever.I was just waiting for my results so that I can spit back in their face.Meanwhile,I was sent to client site in the last week of December.Come Jan2,Results come.I hit bull's eye. All six IIM calls. I call my manager that I am in the office till end of January.After that I am going to leave(Do what you can).Now he budges andeven congratulates me.He calls me back from client site.He releases me from project and I take leave for next two months.
Lesson7-Once you get through,there is no stopping you.

I happily return 15 days after my leave is over.In the meantime,they have termed me as absconder but I want to return and enjoy the paid holiday now.They have dutifully paid all my salaries.So I was indebted to them as well.I thought of working for them peacefully this time but my meeting with HR shattered my desires.I didn't mind though.
Lesson8-HR is not as sweet and people oriented as is believed.

After that, I have kept myself busy playing tennis,swimming.I have surfed innumerable hours of internet,have come to office on weekends to enjoy AC,to play TT and what not.Today, I am absconding again .I am sure this month's salary is also going to come.
Lesson9-Company can be enjoyed only if you know you are going to leave it.

Disclaimer- I myself feel that behind the achievement of IIMC,there have been much darker areas but I also feel that if you want to move out,things are not going to be served on your platter.Your manager is not going to encourage you to prepare for CAT.Why would he or (for that matter) anyone would like to see a resource leave???Yeah, The way I handled things and followed up was pretty bad(even this is an understatement). I will take these lessons and will do well in my second innings post IIMC.

Reservations...My two pence

Reams of paper,webspace,airtime have already been wasted over reservation controversy. So, I am not going to get in the debate of social justice v/s meritocracy.I just want to say"WHY NOW???". Is it that Mandal-I could not give the desired results(as if it was expected to) or Arjun Singh(read Congress and Sonia Gandhi) suddenly realised "Its been a long time,Lets do something for Dalits".No dude,It politics.Nothing happens here without a reason or shall I say without a vote bank target in mind.

The political compulsion I see is UP Elections next year.UP has the largest OBC base in India which has swung in BSP's favour.Muslim votebank has already been eaten by Mulayam.This leaves Congress reeling in single digits in Lok Sabha seats.No prize for guessing, Muslim Quota was also in news some time back. UP with 80 seats in LS is too big to be ignored.Congress' aim of coming in to power, solely on its own, cannot be fulfilled without swinging UP back.Sonia Gandhi will become the PM only if Congress bags the majority without any support if she is to last a full term.

About Arjun Singh,He is just a front man.Are we fools here to assume that its happening without Sonia Gandhi's consent.I don't even count Manmohan Singh's or P.Chidambram's opinion here.
Arjun Singh knows it very well that as long as he is loyal to Congress, there is no danger to his chair.Even if he loses election ,still he will be made minister(Take Shivraj Patil's Case).

About the protests going on, I want to say keep going. RDB has definitely given some courage to fight but I also want to ask how many of the protesters really voted.I am sure more than 50 % of people haven't(including me).Especially, The urban population has to take its fair share of blame. We have never voted in good numbers.That is why the centre of politics has shifted to rural India.We have never made ourselves a votebank.

About the solution part,I believe the solution lies in the strengthening the grass root level i.e.Primary and Secondary, not the topmost level of PG and UG. Even if we implement the IIT and IIM reservation, How many more seats will be reserved...1000...2000..not more than that.Is it enough to cater to all SC/ST/OBCs?
The solution of Mr. Arjun Singh to increase the number of seats in IITs and IIMs is ridiculous. Let me ask him How is he going to provide teachers in the institutes for increased intake?How is he going to provide hostel accomodation for all of them?There is already a dearth of teachers in virtually every field.

Trust me guys, I have already experienced the effects of increased intake in my graduation.I have seen how the quality takes a nosedive with sudden increase in seats.I am not against the increase in number of seats but atleast take a steady approach and not like one day you get up and say "Increase the seats". It takes atleast good 2-3 years to expand,to improve the infrastructure.

ps- I do not owe any allegiance to any political party.

Chronicles....Routine

These days are just monotonous and boring but not this post.When you know that you have no stakes in the company where you work,you are bound to turn lethargic(What else,Was it some management gyaan) .Even PL has refused to acknowledge my presence.I haven't talked to him in last two weeks.

My days begin with going through the trash of Times of India.After finishing it, I find that its still 7.15.Gosh! Have I created the world record to finish newspaper in record time or paper itself is crap.
Anyways,Move on to swimming.I used to find it interesting, when I didn't know how to swim.Now that I have got a fair idea,Coach is bent on repeating all those breadths ,cross breadths and lengths.I don't find it exciting anymore.Moreover,I feel it is a kind of exercise and not the relaxation stuff as was promised.I feel even more frustrated when I see people around others doing it in a very relaxed manner.When I try to do the same,I drown(Anyways,What do you expect to learn in 15 days).Ok,That was that.

Then ,Gandhi confidently comes to office at sharp 11 o' clock(No, I am not working on shifts).

Kabhi Kabhi Mere Dil mein khyaal aata hai
ki main office aata hoon ya www.pagalguy.com aata hoon.

Trust me guys, I am hooked to this site. The kind of people PG has is truly remarkable.You have to be there to feel it.I had a target to complete 250 posts before going to Calcutta.I have done that but now I can't leave this forum.

Another site which is a major timepass is www.ibnlive.com .Their blogs feature is amazing.One of my friends introduced me to it and I haven't missed a single blog writing in last two months.

Done with office, I arrive home. Summer is scorching out here in Godforsaken Gandhinagar.You don't need to be here to believe that.Only take my word. I have spent a few afternoons at my home.Now I prefer to come to office even on weekends.(Obviously not for work,You can't get a free airconditioned cyber cafe anywhere else on earth)

At home,Just play some songs and go upstairs and sleep on "vaan wala manjha".It is still the best.

Intro....

Hi World(oops looks like my first C program).. Puneet Gandhi reporting.Let me start with my introduction...
I take a bow in 90 degree position...
I am working in Asia's largest software firm.soon gonna leave it.(for pastures of IIM-Calcutta).. May be it is one of my last posts from my beloved company(pun intended). There is another story altogether of my stay at this company but keep that for later.

I did my graduation from much revered "DELHI COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING".I am callin it graduation and not engineering because it was exactly that.I don't have any relation with engineering..God promise...I have come out unscathed despite spending four awesome years at campus.

Originally,I belong to Ludhiana and did my schooling there itself.

About me,my hobbies and all that crap.. me a sports fan... follower of tennis(Sania Syndrome),cricket( I am an Indian goddamit) and F1(started a year back) and definitely gonna follow football this year world cup onwards..

In my blog, u can find stuff ranging from politics,business,sports,world,relationships(my friends gonna laugh at it). It is already looking like Times of India..

About the name of my blog..
You won't believe it .. I have spent close to a month to christen my blog but all names smelt of plagiarisim.. On a serious note, I wanted to stand for religious unity.. even thought of giving my son a muslim name.. but that was way too far.. so as an immediate step .. named my blog like that...

So here goes my first post..Now I am a blogger too...