How should one prepare for GD/PI after GATE 2017 mechanical?

Anshul Tiwari, Btech Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Technology,

Tiruchirappalli (2014)
Updated Mar 28
Thanks for the A2A.

Disclaimer - Guys it is going to be a long answer so be ready :P. First of all let me tell you I
will give you a clear picture of what is needed to be done for the preparation of gd and
interview. I never did it but I am sure this will work. I always think interview is all about
your personality and how you tackle various situations. I never prepared for any of my
interview except for UPSC interview, neither did I prepared for GD/case study. So you can
either follow these points or you can follow your instinct too. But it is advantageous if you
are thoroughly prepared for the D-day.

1. How to handle Group Discussions/Case Study -

Group discussions are conducted by most of the PSUs namely ntpc,iocl,hpcl,oil india. Bpcl
conducts case study where a situation is given and you have to give your views on that. For
group discussions you need not be fluent in english, even if your english is not upto the
mark but you are able to present your points confidently, you can easily clear group
discussions. In most of the PSUs you can speak in Hindi too, except for Bpcl which gives
special emphasis on your communication skills. So first of all from now onwards start
reading The Hindu daily. Specially the editorial part and happenings around the world.
You will get to know about the various current topics few of them being UP elections, Syria
crisis, Kashmir issue, Terrorism, ISIS, Schemes of Modi govt, Trump administration,
Attacks on Indians in USA etc etc. These all are current topics, what you can do is,dig deep
into these topics and write atleast a page on each topic in a separate notebook. Also go for
the common GD topics like influence of television, Science and tech, Swaccha bharat
scheme ( NTPC Gd topic ), Education system in India ( IOCL Gd topic ), Sports in india,
Olympics, Effects of Demonetisation ( Trending topic),Brexit and its effect, and so on. So
please research on all these topics, dont expect me to do a research for you. You have to do
it on your own. Try to inculcate more and more examples in your write up. Try to think from
various view points eg Common man, Politicians, Media, Society, Environment etc. and
mention them like what will be effect of it on common man, environment etc it will provide
you various fodder points. Suppose the topic is women empowerment either you can blandly
say that alot of things have been done in this field, we are trying to educate more and more
girls blah blah blah

Or you can say If we look at the scenario today we can see that in RIO OLYMPICS PV
Sindhu and Sakshi malik won the medal for us, if I talk about politics we can see Angela
merkel, Theresa May, Sonia Gandhi are leading the way, If I talk about industries we have
Indra Nooyi, Chanda kochar and Arundhati bhattacharya leading the baton, in all the fields
women are excelling, which itself is an example of women empowerment in our country as
well as the world.

You can yourself notice the difference between both the statements one is boring, made up
while other is full of examples and insight. So do write a page for 5060 topics. You can use
google, hindu or any other resources you find comfortable. Probability is there that the GD
topic in the process might come from the list you made. And you will be able to express your
views and points coherently. Or you can do nothing, sit and wait for the dates to come, ask
me to give various tips and screw up your GD. Start from today itself. GD is eliminating in
bpcl and hpcl. While for other PSUs you need to get a minimum marks otherwise despite a
top 100 rank, toiling hard for a year you will be out. It has been done and will be done, so
prepare accordingly.

For bpcl we have a case study, for case study what you can do is google various case studies,
google for Case studies in UPSC GS-4 paper, you can get a lot of case studies in MRUNAL,
go through them, read other case studies and see how to present your points. Always try to
give an unbiased view be it GD or Case-Study. Bpcl selects 45 out of 15 candidates in case
study. So you need to be very good in that otherwise you will be out in the first round itself.
Start making a list and a writeup from today itself.

2. How to handle interviews-

If you are having a rank of 200400 and you screw up your interview ,then you are out of
the race for sure. If you are in top 100, even then you can be out, as you need to secure a
minimum marks in interview, if you are not able to do that, you are out. I have seen many
guys in top 100 who were thrown out in interviews in last year. Bpcl rejected (AIR 7, 14,92) ,
Ntpc has rejected many guys from top 100 (Air 92,44,15), Iocl has rejected (Air 92, Air 161
obc), Ongc has rejected (Air 41 and 45, and selected me :P at 97 rank).

So even if you are in top 100, dont think you are safe. Interview is your personality, they
want to judge if you are a right candidate for them, and if they can rely on you.

For interviews you need to prepare two-three subjects thoroughly, you should know all the
nuances of those topics. You need to be thorough with your vocational training and your
final year project. Everyone knows noone is serious in trainings and projects. But if you
didnt prepared it and they asked about it and then you say I was not serious. Then why will
they hire you? If you are not serious for your project then will you be serious when you work
for them? Answer is NO. So start preparing your project and training from now onwards.
They will ask you (for trainings like iocl,ntpc) what did you saw there? How did it worked?
Height of chimney? Why vaccum is maintained in condenser and so on. For project they will
ask you what was your contribution? What is practical application of your project? What is
the principle behind your project? And all the technical nuances. So open up google you can
get everything from there. Please dont tell me you were not serious not what to do? I cant
help you in that. If you are really uncomfortable with any project or training Dont mention
it in your form. I never mentioned my training at Ntpc and my project in IIT BOMBAY.
Because I did have a work-ex. So they used to ask from that, my projects in my job. But if
you dont have any work-ex, you need to prepare atleast final year project, otherwise you
will be doomed. You can change the topic of your project, you can google up a new project,
noone is going to ask for project report or any proof. But if you are able to answer questions
from it properly, you are most probably in. Do all kind of research on your original project
or fake project. But you should be able to answer all the questions that come across atleast
read the basics so that you can answer 6070%, anyway you havent done a Phd in that.
Although I would say refrain from mentioning a fake project. Rather research on your
original project. Please dont message me that I was not serious, what should I do? Please
work hard and prepare a proper answer for it.
Read other subjects too, apart from those too, as they can ask you anything. Give more
emphasis on practical subjects like material science, Fluid machinery, Machine design, Tom
etc. From thermo read all the laws of thermodynamics, entropy,enthalpy, carnot cycle etc.
From IC engines read all the cycles, difference b/w two stroke & 4 stroke, various fuels, fuel
ratings (octane no and cetane no),flash point and fire point, lubricants,what happens if you
put petrol in diesel vehicle and viceversa etc. For HMT read heat exchangers, various nos
(biot,nusselt etc), boundary layer theory, free and forced convection, boiling, radiation
basics. For RAC read VCRS and VARS, Refrigeration cycle, Refrigerator and AC and its
working, Definition of one ton, humidity etc. From Fluid read bernoullis theorem,
archimedes principle, continuity equation, navier stokes, various flow measuring devices,
various numbers, boundary layer, turbulent and laminar flow. For machinery read turbine,
pumps, cavitation,npsh, characterstics curve of turbine and pump. Concept of specific
speed, unit speed, types of turbine and application, fluid coupling,pump types etc. From
powerplant read compressors, turbines, boiler, condensor, rankine cycle in details from pk
nag book. From material science iron carbide diagram, TTT, composites, polymers , various
materials, alloys, effect of adding various elements in steel and cast iron, properties of steel,
low, medium, high carbon steel etc. From prod read basics, welding casting defects and
types, electrode specification, weld symbol, welding of Al by which method, position of
welding, metal cutting, reaming, drilling, counter drilling, boring,milling basics, metrology
basics. From Som read sfd,bmd, columns, bending of beams etc. From Tom gears, their
material, lubrication etc, vibrations and its application, basic mechanisms. From industrial
pert,Cpm, line balancing, abc analysis etc. Focus on theory part no need to mug up
formulaes. Be thorough with two subjects and read others once so that you can answer
atleast the basics, whatever I have mentioned. From HR point of view prepare your
introduction (mention name,job ex college,schooling, project,area of interest,hobbies etc).
Why do you want to join this company? Where do you see yourself in 5/10/20 years? Why
should we hire you?Why bpcl and not iocl?Would you leave us if you get selected in any
other Psu? Do you wish to prepare for IES? Your strength and weakness? Are you willing to
work in shifts?Prepare your own answer for all these questions. If your answer is original
and they like it, they might select you (happened with me in bpcl).So write HR questions
and your answer in a notebook, mug it up if you want to, please write in your own words,
you can google it too but it will seem superficial. Before going for any interview, Do an
extensive research on the company and its profile. Read its share price, name of the CMD,
various plants etc. Now I will mention PSU wise important topics-

1. Bpcl - It is the most difficult one to crack. They will call 110 guys and select only
10 of them after alot of grilling. They will be the first one to call,in the month of
april (last week). A good chance for the guys having rank in the range of 500700
(general). Once you go into their process you are equivalent to all the toppers.
Doesnt matter if you are Air 1 or 700. If you impress them you are in. Most of the
top rankers will be out in bpcl reason being they dont prefer top rankers,
moreover every round is an elimination one. Out of 15 in case study they will select
5, then out of 50 only 2224 will be able to clear the technical interview and will
proceed towards HR round. Again 50% elimination and 1011 lucky guys will be
selected. If your rank is 500700 work hard, give your best, dont leave a golden
chance. One of my friend converted it at AIR 580, other at AIR 640s. So start
today itself, focus on your communication skills, prepare case study, technical
subjects, hr questions. In technical read fluid machinery properly and Ic engines
too. They might ask pump characterstic curve, cavitation, Npsh etc. About various
 fuels, octane no, cetane no, flash point, fire point etc.You do have a month in hand
right now (30 days* 14 hours is 420 hours) enough to prepare for any interview.
Bpcl is your best shot if your rank is not good. No weightage to gate score.
2. Iocl- 85% weightage is to Gate score, 10% for interview, 5% for GD and group task
(almost similar to GD only no extra prep required). So if you are in top 100 you are
mostly in until you screw up badly in interviews. Top 200 are almost in, cutoff for
selection will be around 400500 rank for general category. You might get GAE
too which is Graduate apprentice engineer and will become an officer in 9 months.
If your rank is poor or you screw up your interview you might get GAE. For obc it
will go upto 1200 rank, for Sc-St it will be around 40004500 rank. Interview
panel is very cool. You can give interview and gd in hindi too. Prepare machinery
and IC engine properly as menitoned above for bpcl. Easy to convert for top
rankers. Mostly doesnt rejects top rankers. Will call in the month of june-july.
3. Ntpc - Weightage 85% to gate score , 10% interview,5% GD. Again selects top
rankers mostly. Selected upto 430 rank in general, 1200 in obc, 40004500 in sc
and st category. Interview matters alot, can throw you out even if you are in top 10,
if your interview was not upto the mark. Prepare power plant properly from pk
nag. Dont write if you did training there and you are not thorough with it. (I didnt
write :P). Panel is cool, 5 members. They might ask you if you are willing to work
in assam, say yes to any such question. Will call in june-july. Prepare Fm and ic
engines too.
4. Ongc- Weightage is 60% to gate score, 25% qualification ( if btech then 20/25 you
will get, if mtech completed then 25/25),15% to interviews. No group discussion.
Prepare thoroughly for interviews again it rejected top rankers in interview. Last
year seats were very less so for general cutoff rank for selection was Air 20 for
production, Air 166 for mech. I dont know about drilling and cementing please
google it, similarly for other categories please google it. Last year called in
september. Panel was cool, basic questions from all topics and Basic general
studies was asked.
5. Bhel - I am not sure about it as I didnt attended its interview. Called in june upto
Air 230 in general. 75% gate score 25% interview ( please check advertisment I am
not sure). Interview will be highly technical in nature prepare properly.
6. Hpcl - Will call upto 550 rank in general in first round and in later rounds will go
for lower ranks. Again a golden chance for guys in the rank 500700. GD is
eliminating, then one round of interview. I havent given its interview. But do
prepare machinery,pumps for any oil company. Will call in june-july.
PS- I havent taken any other interviews, so cant provide any information regarding that.
Please do prepare extinsively for Gd and interviews. I cant share all my interviews here as
the answer will go on for 1520 pages. If you want me to share my interview and gd
transcripts. Please form a new question and send me a request for answering it. For ex- How
was your bpcl interview experience? And request me to answer it. I gave 4 interviews
ntpc,iocl,ongc and bpcl. So you can send me a request to share my experiences. I will write
them down before your interviews. As it might help you in how to handle HR questions,
specially in bpcl and ongc. Please go through these tips and do follow it. Dont ask me to
suggest you gd topics, or help you with your project/training, or with HR questions. I will
leave this upto you. All the best. Hope it helps :-).
Edit 1 - Guys last year a guy with a rank 1440 in general category converted BPCL call. So
dont be upset if your rank is above 1000. Just prepare thoroughly for your case study/gd
and interviews.