NIACL AO 2015 – Interview Experience – Kolkata – Soumendu

Venue: Pride Hotel, Rajarhat……

Doc verification done at 12:30…….

Had to wait long outside (by the poolside)….

Out of 200 candithates my serial no was 186……

Interview occurred at 3:50pm……..

Opened the room…… 7 members……. 1 mam…..

Me: Asked for permission to enter…… they granted…..
wished them….

Thwy wished me back….. and please have a seat…..

Sir 1: SOumiyaa…. he was haveing problem pronouncing my
name….

Me: Sir, M Soumyendu…….. Soumyendu Ghosh….

Sir 1: Ok Gosh, tell me about urself….. ur family and
educational qualification…… answered…….about family, achievements in brief
and some of the achievements which I could not give.

Sir 2(Probably only Bengali): SOumyendu, y these financial
sectors, when u cud have easily gone to any of the core sector industries….

Me: Sir, Biotechnology is a research oriented subject but at
least in India its industrial application is still not at large…… industry
is necessary for people to get work……. there are only a few quality control
labs which provides jobs to fresures but their future is bleak…… at this
point of time i need a securd job for my family with high future grwth prospects……
thats y i am here….smile emoticon

Sir 3: But u know, there are many food processing industries
who are booming as well….. they are really offering huge career growth
options as well……..

Me: I know, Ive tried Sir……. But there is a specialized
strm called Food Technology….. they are prefering graduates from that
strm…….

(I was very stubborn that I will be defending myself. )

Sir 3: But u cudve tried more…….

Me; (I wanted to argue more)….

Sir 2: No, no……. he has taken a wise decision to
shift…….

Sir 3: Ok, tell me about leguminous crops…. have u hrd of
them…..??

Me: Sir, these are plants that procure N2 from soil, and
store N2 in them in form of seed, fruit or leaf….. they also house N2 fixing
bacteria like Rhizobium that fix atm N2 in the soil…… eg: pea, pods…..

Sir 1: What about Pulses??

Me: Sir, pulses or Daal r nothing but form of Seem or
pods….

Sir 1: yes, u r ri8…..

Sir 3: but tell me the process…… what is it called??

Me: Sir, N2 fixation….

Sir 3: No no, not that…… this process of plant housing
bacteria, bacteria fixing n2 in soil for plant…… see there is a sort of
relationship between them….. do u know wat it is called??

Me: Sir, it is called Symbiosis….. it is a mode of
procurement of food whereby both the organisms are benefitted by each
other……smile emoticon

Sir 3:(he got excited)….. yes, yes son…….. yessss
yesss brovo……. that was wat we were expecting to listen…..

(I smiled but did not understand why he was so excited)

Sir 3: Tell me baba…… Biotechnology isnt just one
subject…… u sud have studied cell biology, biochemistry, botany, zoology,
immunology…… and most importantly microbiology…… tell me frm which of
these subjects will u like to be asked??

Me: Sir, u may ask me frm anywhr regurding biological
science but still if u insist me on my area of interest i will prefer
microbiology given my specialisation and works…..smile emoticon

sir 3: (poishachik ananda fute uthlo onar mukhe kothata
sune)…..

Sir 1: ok Soumyendu, tell me the differnce between bacteria
and virus…..

Me: I said 3 points.

Sir 3: yes son, these are the most important
differences…… but there may be more……. wat about their sizes…..???

Me: Explained….. they were happy again……

Sir 1: Dnt u think Viruses are more “Bad” compared
to bacteria??

(I felt very funny)

Me: yes Sir, there are some beneficial bacteria while
viruses are known to be pathogenic……… but whn the harmful bacteria cause
any harm to us……. its effect is evn more dangerous at times….. compared
the effect of flu with malaria, cholera nd typhoid…….

Sir 3: tell me an eg of beneficial bacteria…… let me
help u…. used in milk fermentation…..

Me: Sir, Lactobacillus lactii……

Sir 3: Can u tell at what temp it grows??

Me: Sir, room temp……

Sir 3: at wat temp??….. can u say??

Me: 30-35 degree celcius…..(It was wrong, it should have
been 25-30)

Sir 3: no baba….. laughed….. how come it be so high….
deduct five more degrees from both……

they all smiled……. i smiled as well………

Sir 1: Can u differentiate between Bacillus and Cocci??? do
u know wat they are……

Me:yes sir, these are two forms of bacteria…… the
difference lies in their shape…. Sir, bacilli are rod-shaped Eg
Lactobacillus…… coccus or cocci are comma-shaped….eg: Streptococcus…..

Sir 1, Sir 3: very good….. very good…..

Sir 2:(suddenly with a serious look): ok….. we admit that
ur knowledge in biology is profound…… but can this knoledge of urs be
helpful for insurance???

Me: At least for New India Assurance, yes sir…… last I visited
company’s profile….. and saw HEALTH INSURANCE to be among its premium
products……Sir, not only i have a deep knowledge of microbiology which is
most important for pharmacy and medical sciences….. being of Biotechnology
background I do havee a details knowledge of most advanced treatment
methodologies….. new gene therapy methods….. drug delivery methods……
(and many more lyposome……. tissue culture….. haan taan funda dilam)……
so Sir, u see….. there is NO OTHER BETTER ALTERNATIVE THAN ME TO U…… at
least for this product…..

Sir 2, madam, Sir 1, Sir3, they seemed satisfied, I smiled.

Sir 2(Suddenly): U R A VERY SMART BOY, son….. he has also
visited our profile see(looking at others)…..

Sir 1: But have u only surfed net for insurance…… or have
u consulted any book….. or visited any of our branches….

Me: No Sir, watever ralating insurance I have tried to learn
from NET only……. there are some terms which I found difficult to understand
though……. and regarding branches, no Sir, I havent visited any of ur
branches either…….

Sir 1: Ok, so…….. ok interview is over….. smiled……
u may go……. ALL THE BEST……

Me: Thank u maam…… thank u Sir…..

That’s all guys, thanks for Soumendu for sharing his
Interview Experience with us.