I haven't gone through the last two years IIMC Entrance Test papers so I can't say if the pattern has been changed but what I can suggest you are a few points which, I hope, will help you during the entrance test and interview–
1. A good level of general awareness is must to crack IIMC entrance as most of the questions will be asked from this field only. Go through the main social, political, economical, International and sports news of the last six months. It's good if you have collected the newspaper/magazine cuttings of major events. In case you haven't arranged it, do it as soon as possible through net or elsewhere. There is no need to read one year-old magazine.
2. Don't read anything new two days of the entrance. It will be better if you revise old stuff.
3. For better analysis of news, you can read magazines like The India Today, Frontline, Outlook, Pritoyogita Darpan or Competition Success Review. Among papers, reading editorials of the Hindu and the Indian Express will help you a great deal.
4. In the examination hall, be positive from the very first moment. Don't think those who have cracked IIMC entrance test were from some other world. They were like you, like me. If they can, why can't you?
5. While attempting question paper, avoid making grammatical errors.
6. Don't write lengthy answers. It's the content that matters at IIMC, not the length. If you have knowledge about a particular topic, you can convey your message in 400 words, on contrast, if you are short of facts you can waste a lot of pages of no use.
7. Write what you think or feel about a topic, not what you have read about it in a magazine or in a newspaper. Convince your point properly and don't write contrary points about the same thing as it may confuse the examiner also.
8. Attempt the shorter questions (abbreviations, one, two or four marks) first as those will be less time consuming and will give you the maximum score. Avoid writing wrong facts and unnecessary things as it could be easily pointed out by the examiner.
9. Duration of entrance exam is two hour, so don't waste much time on one answer. Time management is very necessary, better if you keep a watch in front of you.
10. Written test carries 85% marks, so score as much as possible in it as it can compensate your marks in case you do badly in the interview.
Suggestions for the interview
Interview is your personality test. It is what you have imbibed in your persona in last 20 or 21 years. So, there is nothing particular that I can suggest you but a few advices I would like to give you, are–
1. Your appearance is the first thing a panellist will notice. So, get dressed smartly. Better, if you put on formals.
2. Don't lose your confidence at any point of interview. Be specific and straightforward in your answers. Panellist can create weird situations but don't get pressurised.
3. Don't present the wrong facts to convince your point to the panellists. They are specialists in their own field and if you try to make them fool you will be on the losing end. If you don't know the right answer, tell them politely.
4. If you have any published work with you, show it to them, it will give them a good impression.
5. Don't let them feel as if you are coming in journalism accidently. Convince them you are choosing the field because you are the most appropriate person for it.
I hope these suggestions/advices will definitely work for you to get into IIMC. And last but not the least, even if you won't get through, don't feel inferior. If you believe in hard work and are focused in your life you will definitely get success, if not now then later, if not at IIMC then somewhere else. It's your attitude that will win you the race, not the success in just one entrance.
Many people could not get into fields where they wanted to go but they still became successful because their attitude towards life was positive and no work was small or inferior to them. Thanks. And all the best.
Shaghil Bilali
IIMC 2o05-06 batch, currently working with Mail Today as a sports reporter
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