4/11/2017 Post GATE Experiences: Interviews and Written Tests

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Post GATE Experiences: Interviews and Written Tests Thread Rating:

SunilNagpal Posts: 642

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This is post no. 1 under the main topic. | 03-23-2015, 08:42 PM (This post was last modified: 07-05-2016, 09:20 PM by SunilNagpal.) #1

Mere clearing GATE doesn't ensure the opening of gates to IITs/IISc. There remain few hurdles yet to be conquered. Once you clear GATE, and apply at various IITs,
you get a call from the respective IITs for appearing for the screening tests to procure a seat at the given IIT.

The screening tests in most cases comprise of two stages:

A. Written test
B. Interview (LATEST Interview Experience of IIT Bombay and IISc by[b]Misal Rob: CLICK HERE[/b])

WRITTEN TEST
The stage ofWritten test is a bias free screening step. By bias free, I mean that even if you are GATE rank 1, you may be knocked out if you don't perform well in
written test. I still remember the written test of IIT Kanpur wherein an aspirant who had GATE rank in Top 5, was knocked out after written test.

Different IITs have different patterns of written examination. IIT Bombay often basis it's written exam on the major subjects opted in 12th. Those with PCB
background are drilled on Mathematics (11th and 12th standard); while those with PCM background are drilled on Biology. IIT Kanpur and IIT Madras set a mix of
Aptitude, General Science and General Biology in written test. IIT Delhi mainly focuses on Biotechnological aspects (especially concepts pertaining toEnzymes,
Bioreactors, Microbiology and Biochemistry). IIT Kharagpur often skips written test and one has to appear directly for interview. In most cases, IITs prescribe a
pattern for their written tests as well once the dates of screening are announced.

INTERVIEW STAGE
I got the call for screening from all IITs, but due to clash and distance constraints I ended up appearing for only 3 IITs:
IIT Bombay
IIT Kanpur
IIT Delhi
Here I will brief you on the questions asked in the interview stage of the 3 IITs. One may read the complete details of my interview experiences at
http://www.BiotechStudents.com (Exclusive--> My Story section). Links to the respective experiences are provided below:

IIT Bombay Interview:

I had cleared the written test for M.Tech in Biomedical Engineering at IIT Bombay. But I decided not to appear for the interview and rushed for appearing in the
screening for M.Tech in Environmental Engineering at IITB. The key technical questions asked during the interview of IITB (Centre for Environmental Sciences and
Engineering) were:

1. What is half life of a radioactive element?

2. Derive the formula for the same.
3. Why Carbon monoxide is harmful?
4. Why do we exhale carbon dioxide?
5. You didn't study Mathematics in 12th. How about that?

Read the Full Experience of IIT BOMBAY INTERVIEW HERE Loans No Collateral & Hassle Free.
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Online Application. Apply
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LATEST (2016) Experience of IIT BOMBAY BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING INTERVIEW HERE
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World
IIT KanpurInterview:
Indian Biotech Companies
I had cleared the written test of IIT Kanpur as well, but despite being a 99.6 percentiler, I failed in the interview. The questions asked in the IIT Kanpur interview
were:

1. Who taught you Downstream Processing in your college?

2. Can you tell any other mode of modulating the out put of an ion-exchange chromatography, apart from stationary phase and temperature?

http://www.biotechnologyforums.com/thread-6861.html 1/5
4/11/2017 Post GATE Experiences: Interviews and Written Tests
3. Can you tell the mathematical reason of the fact that small molecules elute later on Gel permeation chromatography?
4. An on-board problem on PCR.
FIND OUT HERE: How I failed the IIT KANPUR Interview?

IIT Delhi Interview:

We got a surprise at IIT Delhi: We were exempted from written test!The questions asked laterin the IIT Delhiinterview were:

1. What made you land up in Lovely Professional University?

2. Which Book(s) did you follow for Microbiology and Biochemistry?
3. Can you draw the structures of basic units of starch and cellulose?
4. What do you understand by specific activity of an enzyme?.
5. What is 1 unit of an enzyme?
6. Reasons and significance of structural differences in Starch and Cellulose?
7. What is chemostat and washout?
My Complete IIT DELHI Interview Experience: Click HERE

I hope that these experiences help you guys in preparing well for the next stage of GATE, and eventually landing in an IIT/College of your choice.

All the best!

In case of any query, feel free to post your comments underneath.

Best wishes!
Sunil

SUGGESTED READ : GATE Biotech Success Story- 2016

Misal Rob Shares his Poste GATE Biotech interview experience at IIT Bombay

Sunil Nagpal
MS(Research) Scholar, IIT Delhi (Alumnus)
Advisor for the Biotech Students portal (BiotechStudents.com)
Computational Researcher in BioSciencesat a leading MNC

Suggested Reads:
Top Biotech Companies | Top places to work
Indian Biotech Companies and Job Openings
Aiming a PhD in Top Grad School? | These are the Important Points to Consider
Careers in Biotechnology | A list of various Options
Biotechnology Competitive Exams in India

Like Post Reply

Tyson Posts: 25
Member Threads: 1
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Joined: Mar 2015
Reputation: 1

This is post no. 2 under the main topic. | 04-04-2015, 08:35 PM #2

SunilNagpal Wrote: (03-23-2015, 08:42 PM)

Mere clearing GATE doesn't ensure the opening of gates to IITs/IISc. There remain few hurdles yet to be conquered. Once you clear GATE, and apply at various
IITs, you get a call from the respective IITs for appearing for the screening tests to procure a seat at the given IIT.

The screening tests in most cases comprise of two stages:

A. Written test
B. Interview

WRITTEN TEST
The stage ofWritten test is a bias free screening step. By bias free, I mean that even if you are GATE rank 1, you may be knocked out if you don't perform well in
written test. I still remember the written test of IIT Kanpur wherein an aspirant who had GATE rank in Top 5, was knocked out after written test.

Different IITs have different patterns of written examination. IIT Bombay often basis it's written exam on the major subjects opted in 12th. Those with PCB
background are drilled on Mathematics (11th and 12th standard); while those with PCM background are drilled on Biology. IIT Kanpur and IIT Madras set a mix of
Aptitude, General Science and General Biology in written test. IIT Delhi mainly focuses on Biotechnological aspects (especially concepts pertaining toEnzymes,
Bioreactors, Microbiology and Biochemistry). IIT Kharagpur often skips written test and one has to appear directly for interview. In most cases, IITs prescribe a

http://www.biotechnologyforums.com/thread-6861.html 2/5
4/11/2017 Post GATE Experiences: Interviews and Written Tests
pattern for their written tests as well once the dates of screening are announced.

INTERVIEW STAGE
I got the call for screening from all IITs, but due to clash and distance constraints I ended up appearing for only 3 IITs:
IIT Bombay
IIT Kanpur
IIT Delhi
Here I will brief you on the questions asked in the interview stage of the 3 IITs. One may read the complete details of my interview experiences at
http://www.BiotechStudents.com (Exclusive--> My Story section). Links to the respective experiences are provided below:

IIT Bombay Interview:

I had cleared the written test for M.Tech in Biomedical Engineering at IIT Bombay. But I decided not to appear for the interview and rushed for appearing in the
screening for M.Tech in Environmental Engineering at IITB. The key technical questions asked during the interview of IITB (Centre for Environmental Sciences
and Engineering) were:

1. What is half life of a radioactive element?

2. Derive the formula for the same.
3. Why Carbon monoxide is harmful?
4. Why do we exhale carbon dioxide?
5. You didn't study Mathematics in 12th. How about that?

Read the Full Experience of IIT BOMBAY INTERVIEW HERE

IIT KanpurInterview:

I had cleared the written test of IIT Kanpur as well, but despite being a 99.6 percentiler, I failed in the interview. The questions asked in the IIT Kanpur interview
were:

1. Who taught you Downstream Processing in your college?

2. Can you tell any other mode of modulating the out put of an ion-exchange chromatography, apart from stationary phase and temperature?
3. Can you tell the mathematical reason of the fact that small molecules elute later on Gel permeation chromatography?
4. An on-board problem on PCR.
FIND OUT HERE: How I failed the IIT KANPUR Interview?

IIT Delhi Interview:

We got a surprise at IIT Delhi: We were exempted from written test!The questions asked laterin the IIT Delhiinterview were:

1. What made you land up in Lovely Professional University?

2. Which Book(s) did you follow for Microbiology and Biochemistry?
3. Can you draw the structures of basic units of starch and cellulose?
4. What do you understand by specific activity of an enzyme?.
5. What is 1 unit of an enzyme?
6. Reasons and significance of structural differences in Starch and Cellulose?
7. What is chemostat and washout?
My Complete IIT DELHI Interview Experience: Click HERE

I hope that these experiences help you guys in preparing well for the next stage of GATE, and eventually landing in an IIT/College of your choice.

All the best!

In case of any query, feel free to post your comments underneath.

Best wishes!
Sunil

Like Post Reply

Tyson Posts: 25
Member Threads: 1
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Likes Given: 0
Joined: Mar 2015
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This is post no. 3 under the main topic. | 04-04-2015, 08:40 PM #3

Hello Sunil Bhaiya, can u provide me some tips in preparing for the interview
like which subject i should give more preference to?
Also, in interviews can they ask numericals related questions from Biochem, Microbio or bioprocess?

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4/11/2017 Post GATE Experiences: Interviews and Written Tests

SunilNagpal Posts: 642

A learner Threads: 85
Likes Received: 61 in 48 posts
Likes Given: 30
Joined: Apr 2013
Reputation: 19

This is post no. 4 under the main topic. | 04-05-2015, 06:49 PM #4

Tyson Wrote: (04-04-2015, 08:40 PM)

Hello Sunil Bhaiya, can u provide me some tips in preparing for the interview
like which subject i should give more preference to?
Also, in interviews can they ask numericals related questions from Biochem, Microbio or bioprocess?

Hi Tyson,

Numericals are rarely asked in interviews. In fact, questions related to your conceptual understanding of a "formula" or a "unit" might be asked. Interviews mostly
deal with analyzing your aptitude for research especially how well you did your B.Tech Project(s). Make it a point that almost every interviewer will definitely focus
on you Project/Internships.

In IIT Kanpur, you will be asked about your favorite subject; and thus you should make sure that you are well versed in the subject you are going to declare as your
favorite.

Faculty profile and research focus of different IITs also matters. In IIT Delhi, as I have already suggested, you should expect questions on Enzyme Engineering,
Bioreactors, Batch-FedBatch-Continous modes, Microbiology, Biochemistry.

Same goes for other IITs. But, first and foremost, prepare your Projects very well!

Hope it helps

Best wishes

Sunil

Sunil Nagpal
MS(Research) Scholar, IIT Delhi (Alumnus)
Advisor for the Biotech Students portal (BiotechStudents.com)
Computational Researcher in BioSciencesat a leading MNC

Suggested Reads:
Top Biotech Companies | Top places to work
Indian Biotech Companies and Job Openings
Aiming a PhD in Top Grad School? | These are the Important Points to Consider
Careers in Biotechnology | A list of various Options
Biotechnology Competitive Exams in India

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SREEMEENAKSHI S Posts: 1
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This is post no. 5 under the main topic. | 06-13-2015, 06:08 PM #5

hey Mr.Sunil,

I got a counselling call letter from IITG for m.tech in biotech. They did not mention about any kinda interview.Do you have any idea about how the interview will be?

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