How to Crack the IPMAT Personal Interview?

Summary: Are you worried about what to expect in the IIM IPM interview? Get valuable insights and strategies for addressing IIM IPM Interview Questions, which cover everything from personal introductions to complex current affairs. Prepare to make a great impression at IIM Indore and Rohtak with our complete guide to excelling at the IPMAT 2025 interview.

Your IPMAT personal interview is as, if not more, important than the IPMAT exam itself. It is no secret that these interviews can be tough, especially if you are not prepared with the right tips and strategies to face the panel.

This brings us to the important question – How to crack the IPMAT personal interview?

Is confidence and charm enough? Or is it a combination of academic knowledge and cleverness? Or do the panellists get swayed by dazzling extra-curricular activities?

This blog will cover all that and more, along with a few examples of IPMAT personal interview questions that you should prepare beforehand.

 Start Your IPMAT Preparation For Free Today!

How To Crack The IPMAT Personal Interview – Tips, Tricks, and Strategies

IIM Indore and IIM Rohtak – give significant weightage to your interview performance. The interview usually lasts for around 20 minutes. Although the interviews can be unpredictable, with no set pattern of questioning, we have managed to break it down into four crucial aspects. It begins with simple questions about yourself and your family followed by a minute-long extempore on a topic given to you on the spot. You will also be quizzed on some academic concepts pulled from your 10+2 subjects. Many candidates have also faced questions about current affairs, general knowledge (static as well as dynamic), and their hobbies. As long as you have these areas covered, you will be able to face the interviewers with confidence.

Here are 7 tips on how to crack the IPMAT personal interview:

1. Prep for the extempore part of the interview

The extempore is usually conducted during the first half of your IPMAT personal interview. You will be given a topic on the spot, 30 seconds to prepare for it, and a minute to speak about it. While the topic will be from the material you will have read about during your IPMAT preparation, it can still stymie many students and leave them wanting. 

During your preparation for the PI round, make it a habit to practice speaking on current affairs-related topics for a minute with minimal preparation. Speak in front of the mirror or even record yourself. The best way to formulate your argument about the topic given to you is to break it down into three parts – The definition of the concept, the status quo, and the changes that can be made.

For instance, if your topic is ‘Poverty in India’, begin by explaining how poverty is defined according to the UN and the Central Government. Then, discuss the facts and figures associated with poverty in India, followed by the Government’s initiatives. Finally, end with a couple of pointers on what should be done to improve the issue.

Refrain from rambling endlessly on the topic. Keep your sentences concise and precise. Stick to your points, and you will easily speak for a minute.

2. Don’t be casual with your dressing

While dressing up well will not secure you a seat in IIM Indore or IIM Rohtak, not dressing well will surely rob you of the chance to do so. The IPMAT personal interview is a formal event wherein your appearance will be crucial. Your clothes will help you create a solid first impression and maintain the sanctity of the interview. Wear a crisp suit, matching tie, and formal shoes. Groom yourself well and present the best version of yourself to the panel.

3. Draw the line between overconfidence and confidence

While being confident is important, remaining humble is even more so. The panel interviewing you consists of some of the most distinguished faculty members and renowned alumni. Trying to brag about your hold over a particular subject will only land you in trouble. 

Remember, it is crucial always to tell the truth. During an interview, there may be questions you will not be able to answer. Don’t panic if this happens. If you don’t know the answer to a question, just say so. The interviewers will appreciate your honesty rather than made-up answers that don’t make sense.

4. Be mentally prepared 

IPMAT personal interviews are not meant to be easy. Less than 20% of the shortlisted candidates are able to crack the interview. The panel’s interrogation pattern is unpredictable; sometimes, they are easygoing, and at other times, they will be tough in the matter of questioning the candidate. Be prepared to face such questions that stretch your wit to its limits. But also keep this in mind – the more tough the interview, the better you are performing. The panellists only tend to do this to people who have been able to answer correctly. They want to test the limits of your knowledge. Our mentors put it this way: “The toughest interviews are for the top candidates.”

5. Brush up on your academic subjects

While chasing current affairs and political, philosophical, and sociological topics during their IPMAT personal interview preparation, many students forget to keep in touch with their academic 10+2 subjects. The subjects you studied in 11th and 12th standards are as important as any other topic, and you need to solidify your grasp of them. Not being able to answer questions you studied for your boards will leave a bad impression and most likely affect your chances of getting admission to the IPM programme.

6. Avoid Just talking about stuff mentioned in your resume

Most IPMAT personal interviews begin with this first question: tell me about yourself. As simple as the question is, it is a crucial couple of minutes during which the interviewer can see a side of you not shown in your resume and application form. Instead of repeating information such as your name, parents, and academic details, talk about your ambitions, achievements, and story.

7. Be cautious when you bring up your extracurricular activities

Extracurricular activities can be beneficial to your candidature for the IPM programme, even more so if you have managed to keep your academic scores up while making spectacular progress in your chosen activity. However, extracurricular activities improve your chances of getting admitted to the programme if your achievements are on a state, national, or international scale.  Not having strong extracurricular activities will not affect your application; having good grades and general awareness is sufficient.

Read More: IPMAT Verbal Ability Preparation Tips 2025 – Key Strategies To Crack VA

IPMAT personal interview questions list

 Here are a few examples of questions that can be asked during the PI round:

1. Introduce yourself.
2. Tell us something about the place you belong to.
3. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
4. Why have you chosen this career path for yourself?
5. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
6. Why do you want to join IIM Indore?
7. Which other institutes have you received calls from?
8. What was your favourite subject in class XIIth?
9. What are your hobbies?
10. If you say you like to travel, which is your favourite location? Details about the history of that location
11. Where do you want to see yourself after 5 years?
12. Which is the last book you read?
13. What is PM Jan Dhan Yojna? ( this is just an example. You can be asked about any current development in any policy)
14. What are payment banks?
15. Name three business leaders and three national leaders who visited India recently.
16. How is a bill passed?
17. Why do you prefer IPM over other courses?
18. Have you read the latest budget? What are the key highlights of the budget?
19. Why has the Indian IT Industry grown significantly in the past decade? What factors have contributed to it?
20.  What is the difference between Economics and Finance?
21. What are your long-term and short-term goals?
22. Can you differentiate between a manager and a leader?
23. What are the key skills a candidate requires to excel in the field of management?
24. Tell us the main responsibilities of a management professional.
25. How would you describe your management style? 
26. Explain the importance of an organisation.
27. What are the qualities of a good manager?
28. Describe an incident where you handled a project under pressure in school.
29. Are you a team player?
30. Tell me about your dream job/company.
31. Have you displayed your leadership in school?
32. What do you expect to gain from the course?
33. Can you work under pressure or deadlines?

Read More: Top Colleges Accepting IPMAT Score in India
                     How to prepare for IPMAT 2025?

Conclusion

Your IPMAT personal interview gives you a chance not just to impress the panel with the right attitude and build a rapport with your future professors but also to assess their expectations from students and leave a lasting first impression. To crack the IPMAT personal interview, you must project yourself as sincere, humble, disciplined, intelligent, and academically inclined. Instead of trying to impress them with certificates and awards, remain grounded in your authentic self. After all, assuming they won’t see right through the illusion you might be trying to build is foolish. It can be a delicate task to balance so many expectations simultaneously, so expert guidance is a necessary recommendation.