Essay1#:-Give detailed descriptions of three activities you performed in your workplace in the last five years which will help us assess your abilities and strengths. (Please keep your essays within 300-500 words)

The nearly 7 years of experience I have had while working with the world's leading IT consultancy services xxx, have been full of immense exposure and rich with learning. I can honestly look back with satisfaction that I have also contributed to the company through my endeavors. The annual ........... Award I have received for ........... consecutive years for parameters like commitment, initiative, contribution, sincerity and team management attest to this fact.

Onsite in xxxx, xxxxxx, since ..................., there have been innumerable instances when I have taken additional initiative to deliver 'beyond expectations' results. In .........., I was pulled into a critical project that could potentially generate more business for .......... The project team was handpicked for skill and experience, but problems arose when the lead developer was hospitalized. The role was pivotal to success, and the team had no option but to jump in and carry out his responsibilities. My role became even more crucial as I actively participated in all the client meetings and froze the requirements. I spent may a sleepless night and weekend at the office but finally delivered the complete project one month ahead of schedule. My work fetched high appreciation from the client and the company got many more contracts.

Another instance from Jan 2010 illustrates the initiative and responsible attitude that has made me a go-to person for my senior management. Based out of India then, I was module leader and doubling also as the security officer. There were xxx offshore associates of xxxxxxxx in the account and I was in charge of all security related incidents. This stint was a pleasure as I polished my people and time management skills, managerial and crisis handling abilities as I had to quiz new joiners, inform them of the security policies and procedures, take information sessions, follow up on guidelines, handle security related incidents and firefight (literally and figuratively). A 3-week intensive exercise was planned and executed by me for a top priority client project team. I created a team of 10 from my department, conducted mock audits and took sessions to apprise associates of security sensitivity. The security audit was a huge success and I received huge appreciations from across geographies. The client was so impressed that ............. was awarded ........................, with the clear mention that ........................., we feel safe in handling our data to them".

I am amongst the rare resources who have been deputed to work at client side of (xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx) with only 3 years of work experience and have been onsite since the last 4 years. Recently I lead the team that grabbed a project worth USD xxxxxx. I lead from the front and was actively involved in the xxxxxxxxxxxp rocess of this project. The scope involves migrating all the marketing websites of the client into a different and more robust platform and I am confidently leading my team towards success as I have done on numerous occasions in the last xxx years.

Essay2#:- Narrate an important/unusual incident of your life when you had to face a demanding/challenging situation. How did you overcome the situation? What lessons did you learn from this incident? (Please keep your essays within 300-500 words)

Some incidents happen that not only leave a lasting memory, but also change one's perception towards life. One such life-changing instance in my life has been my close interaction with schoolchildren during 2009-10 as a member of the .............................................. I have always been keen to contribute to society and was thrilled to receive an email from the MaÎtre team inviting me to join their team, even though it meant sacrificing my weekends.

One Saturday morning in May 2010, I went to the xxxxxxxxxxxxxx village school, which is in ........... and saw a small school with no electricity, teachers fanning themselves and children sitting on the floor as there was no furniture. I was shocked to see the quality of the midday meal they were served. The hours I spent firmed my resolve to do something for the children and I had a sleepless night.

The next weekend, I was back at the school and had enlisted xxxxxxx associates in my team. We visited the parents of the children and the nearby ............. village school and convinced the parents to send their children to school. Since then, most of my weekends were spent taking Maths classes for the children. I asked children about various sports and was upset when I heard that there was no sports equipment in the school. I was sure that donating sport goods to the school would be a deed that would leave a lasting impact on the children's lives.

I proposed organizing 'Summer Camp' in the ........... village school but my friends and teammates faced an acute money crunch. I persuaded my colleagues that this was a worthy cause and we decided to invite contributions from across the xxxxxxx campus. Taking the challenge head on, I started sending regular emails across the xxxxxxxx offices. Funds trickled in but were not enough.

I took some pictures of the children and the school and sent these with the fliers and emails to motivate people to contribute more. We even convinced xxxxxx Admin to provide some contribution and finally we had enough money to organize a summer camp. In June 2010, we took children out for an animation movie. The next weekend, we organized cricket and badminton matches and finally donated all the sport goods to the school.

The lessons I have learnt from this interaction have been huge, and the personal satisfaction has been inspiring. I understood the value of basics such as food and education which we take for granted. I also realized that only education can help one to achieve success in life. This whole experience changed my perspective towards life and I feel more optimistic, more in control and more rejuvenated when I recall the faces of the children during the summer camp. I consider this experience very important because I believe that one must leave an impact beyond the workplace and bring positive change in the society and instill new hope and confidence in the younger generations.

Essay3#:- Anything else you would like to highlight in support of your application. (300-500 words)

As a child, I used to be fascinated by managers. Whenever I would visit any office, bank or government department with my parents, I would be impressed by the air of authority, confidence and manner of the person in charge. The ambition to be a manager was an early wish, but I did not know the exact route I would need to follow in order to reach this destination.

A meritorious student throughout school, I chose engineering as it appealed to the logical and analytical side of my personality. I was fortunate to be selected for admission into a prestigious college and retained a rank in the merit list during the 4 years I spent there.

Joining xxxxx right after graduation was a dream comes true. Finally, I saw the way ahead clearly. At xxxxxxx, I got a change to interact with the Project leaders, Managers, Group leaders and understand the nuances of being a manager and leader. My dream now had a route chart and I knew there was a method to be followed to attain the higher managerial responsibilities I have aspired to all through my life.

At xxxxxxx, I have made good use of the different opportunities I have had and the last four years have been especially notable in this regard because not only have I functioned from offshore, but also been in charge of large teams across geographies. Currently, there are xxxxxxxxxxxx associates whom I manage on a regular basis. I have encountered scores of challenges during my xxxx years of professional experience and have taken a lot of initiatives that have resulted in great leaps forward for my company and team.

These initiatives in different environments have made me realize the strength of my passion to pursue my goals. I am convinced that I will benefit immensely from IIMC learning and will be able to advance faster towards my career goals as a result. My experiences have developed my capabilities to take on higher and bigger responsibilities and have taught me that the only thing which is constant is ambition and the will to strive, which I have in plenty.

Estimated Expenses for 2016 – 17:

Programme fees: INR 22,00,000 /- (non-refundable) or equivalent US$ for one year, payable in four installments.

Class Profile:

• Average Work Experience : 104 months
• Average GMAT: 710
• Undergraduate GPA: 3.3
• Average International Experience: 19 months

For any queries visit the website

www.iimcal.ac.in/pgpex
Or contact :
PGPEX Office
Indian Institute of Management Calcutta
Joka, Diamond Harbour Road, 
Kolkata 700104
Ph. No (033)2467 8300/8312 (Ext 201)