Preparing for an interview can be a hefty task if not done in the right way without the right set of knowledge. So here I am with a few tips that will upscale your interview preparation 

• Identify your unique skills and USP. Present a logical stance as to why you are a better candidate than others and can contribute to classroom learning.
• Present a passionate claim of how Finance is your go-to specialization and how you are most suited for it.
• You should have made attempts to understand Finance in the past through online courses or interaction with people in the industry
• Get important knowledge about the industry and its key persons
• Answer the Why MBA part genuinely and don’t sugarcoat or bluff
• Present both your short-term and long-term goals after completing your MBA and make sure they are realistic
• Try to listen to others' opinions too during the interview 
• Support your claims with plausible examples or life experiences to create more impact 
• Approach the answers wisely 
• Respect all the other members and give everyone a chance to speak 

Lastly, don't let your anxiety get the better of you.

Assuming you have written the CAT exam and now looking to prepare for MBA CET, here is a detailed plan you can follow:

1. To begin with, you should write a mock MBA CET paper to familiarize yourself with the syllabus and understand the new type of questions in CET compared to CAT.
2. The MBA CET exam has some new areas compared to CAT, such as Visuals, Logic, and Verbal questions. To prepare for these areas, you can use different books available in the market, such as those for banking exams.
3. After initial preparation, it is recommended to write mock exams at regular intervals. This will help in developing familiarity with the exam and increase speed, which is important in a speed-based test like CET.
4. After each mock exam, it is important to analyze your performance and identify your strengths and weaknesses. Focus on improving areas that need improvement before writing the next mock exam.
5. Repeat this process of writing mock exams, analyzing your performance, and improving areas of weakness, until you feel confident and well-prepared for the MBA CET exam.

It is important to note that MBA CET is a speed-based exam, unlike CAT which is logic-based. In MBA CET, you are required to solve 200 questions in 150 minutes, which means an average of 45 seconds per question. So, the focus should be on increasing speed while solving questions and improving familiarity with the test.

With seven weeks available for preparation for the MBA CET, the following can be your plan to get into JBIMS:

For the first three weeks:

• You should spend three days a week writing mock exams and analyzing the results.
• Your focus should be to improve your methods for solving questions and to practice the areas where you need additional attention. Try to improve your accuracy and reduce the time it takes to solve the questions.
• On the remaining days, spend time practicing what you need to improve.

Your daily schedule on the day you take mock exams:

• Dedicate 2.5 hours to writing the mock exam.
• Devote 5-6 hours to analyzing the mock, including solving each question and finding better ways to solve it.

Your daily schedule on the days you do not take mock exams:

• Spend 1-hour practicing logic (puzzles and non-puzzles).
• Dedicate 30 minutes to 1 hour to practicing abstract reasoning.
• Dedicate 30 minutes to 1 hour to practicing data interpretation.

Note: These three sections make up almost 50% of the total marks.

• Spend 4-5 hours practicing other areas as needed.

It is also important to follow the daily routine:

• Spend 1 hour reading.
• Devote 15 minutes to calculation practice.

For the last five weeks:

• Shift your focus to building a strategy.
• Write 5 mock exams per week and analyze the results thoroughly.
• Your focus should be to find the best strategy that works for you.

Your daily schedule can be:

• Dedicate 2.5 hours to writing a mock exam.
• Devote 4 hours to analyzing the mock exam. In addition to finding better methods, your focus should be on developing a strategy for the test.
• Spend 1-hour practicing areas that require additional attention.
• Spend 1 hour reading.
• Dedicate 15 minutes to calculation practice.

The interview round is the Final round of the GIM Admission Process. It’s unbiased and organised. The panel conducts the interview on the basis of your application form. Most of the questions put forward to you are related to

• graduation
• work experience
• extracurricular activities
• why you chose MBA ( which specialization and why)
• what will you be contributing during your time at GIM

I have compiled some tips that will help you prepare and perform an excellent interview at GIM.

• You should have a concrete answer to why you are doing an MBA at GIM
• Study your application form thoroughly 
• Don’t overestimate yourself or sound fake 
• Study your graduation subject 
• If you have work experience, then what kind of role it was
• Keep abreast of the current affairs mainly in the Business world.

All these tips combined with your profile will help you clear the round.

If you have a non-finance background, it is recommended that you begin your preparation for the JBIMS MSc finance interview at least 4-5 months prior to your interview for the MSc Finance course. You must be sure about your interest in finance, as M.Sc Finance is a very core course. If you have a finance background, you are expected to have a deeper understanding of the points mentioned below. Along with knowing the "whats", you must also know the "whys". In terms of preparation, it is important for you to:

• Be well-informed about the current market scenario and keep track of SENSEX, NIFTY, gold pricing, INR/USD, and oil pricing.
• Have a good understanding of the current Indian economy, including its GDP, inflation, and the factors that impact it.
• Stay updated with the RBI rates, including Repo, Reverse Repo, CRR, and SLR, and know their meanings.
• Be aware of the current global scenario, such as Demonetisation, BREXIT, and Trump.
• Consider the question "Why MSc Finance?" as the first and foremost point of focus in your preparation, even if you have a good academic background. You may still be asked why you chose MSc in Finance over an MBA or PGDM.
• If you have work experience, you must be familiar with your work and its impact on business.

By being thorough with all of these above-mentioned points, you will be well-prepared for the MSc Finance interview.

To begin the MBA/CET preparations to get into JBIMS, you need to familiarize yourself with the paper pattern, if it is your first time writing the exam. You should also have a complete understanding of the syllabus and be able to recall each topic in detail.

Examine previous year's papers to get a better idea of the exam pattern and the weightage given to each topic. Approximately 90% of the questions in the CET exam are taken from banking exams such as IBPS PO, SBI PO, and Canara Bank PO, which are conducted by the Institute of Banking and Personnel Selection (IBPS). The CET exam is also conducted by the IBPS since 2016.

Note that the IBPS is known for tweaking sections and introducing new question types in their banking exams, but these changes may or may not be introduced in the CET due to the lower number of applicants.

To prepare for CET, you should start by establishing a clear understanding of each topic. Conceptual clarity is essential as even if you practice many questions, a lack of understanding will impede your progress. Next, focus on solving easy questions for each topic as this will lay the foundation for solving more difficult questions.

After building a solid foundation, take mock tests to simulate the real exam environment and familiarize yourself with the time constraints. You should aim to take at least 30 to 40 mock tests and analyze each one in detail. Quality mock tests include Oliveboard, Testfunda, and IMS.

To maximize your preparation, avoid watching too much free content, read for at least an hour every day, devote quality time to your studies, and stop procrastinating. Develop a habit of finding the meaning of unfamiliar words, complete Word Power Made Easy, and do not join any classes as you can do it yourself. You can also request electronic study material. Stay away from negative environments.

Preparing for the CD PI round is a crucial part because your chances of admission depend on them largely. My answer entails the tips one must adhere to before and during the Case Discussion round.

Before Case Discussion 

Be well versed in current affairs, general knowledge and industry trends.

Prepare arguments on some specific topics including both sides of the argument

Prepare concise but concrete points 

Mock discussions are the most precise way to prepare for CD

Analyze your own performance relentlessly and keep improving 

During Case Discussions 

• During the initial 15 minutes, deliver 2-3 strong points
• Present the problem in a crisp manner
• Support your points with real-life examples or that from current affairs. Supporting your own or even others' points through reasoning and examples will get you free points
• Summarize all the good points given by the others on a sheet of paper to give a nice ending note
• Give chance to the silent speakers this might impress the panelists
• Add recommendations and support it with relevant information 

Personal Interview 

• Know about yourself like your abilities, strengths, and weaknesses and present it in a good manner
• Practice the interview with someone and receive feedbacks
• You should prepare on personal information, education background, work experiences, hobbies, interests, future plans, and current affairs.

Mock CD and PI are extremely important as the advice and feedback received will increase your performance and confidence tremendously.

 

Coming to the second part of your question, Both colleges have different merit lists. If you don't do well in NM Mumbai rounds, you still stand a chance to convert your NM Bangalore/Hyderabad call, provided you’ve applied for a PGDM course as well.

The campus life at IMT Ghaziabad is very stressful and fast-paced. You need to prepare for this well beforehand so that you don’t end up in a slump. I have listed a few skills you can adopt to make your best time in IMT Ghaziabad.

• Time management: This is the most crucial skill you need to inculcate before joining IMT Ghaziabad or any other B School. You cannot make the best use of all the opportunities offered until you know how to manage and prioritize your time. The first year is packed with assignments, group projects, case readings, committee work, competitions, and mid-term assessments. You need to learn to manage your time to make the best out of these.
• Presentation skills: These include skills to use software tools like MS PowerPoint, Prezi, etc. to create a visually effective presentation. You can also work on your presentation delivery skills.
• Data Analysis: The pedagogy for most courses is case-based that will include appendices of financials. Apart from this, most companies today are data-driven, and having specialization in the same will only increase your profile and potential.
• Social Skills: IMT Ghaziabad batch size is usually bigger than other B Schools. The more people the more variety of backgrounds you will be dealing with. So it's best you prepare yourself to interact with them both informally and formally during Group Discussions and committee events.

Apart from acquiring the above skills, take extra care of your physical and mental health, get lots of sleep and spend time with your family

It is common for IIM aspirants to misunderstand the nature of IIM PGPHRM interviews and the relationship between interview preparation and duration. IIM interviews are quite different from typical job interviews or other types of interviews. Rather than evaluating specific skills or knowledge, IIM interviews are designed to assess your core strengths, interests, and management traits. This means that even if you have been preparing for a different field or have taken a break from your studies, your chances of being accepted to an IIM are not necessarily diminished.

It is important to be able to explain any gaps in your education or career path in a positive light, such as by emphasizing your dedication and effort in pursuing your goals. While it may be frustrating to have lost time or to have failed to achieve a particular objective, like not being able to clear CAT, it is important to recognize that we all make choices and take risks in life. Ultimately, what is most important is that you are able to make an effort and learn from your experiences. As long as you are able to do this, you should not regret your choices.