My interview Experience at IMSC.

Let me introduce myself, I am Debankur Basak, I pursued my BSc. from Scottish Church College (2019-2022), and my JEST rank was 30. IMSC on the year 2022 called upto rank 80 (in JEST). And the number of peeps shortlisted for interview was 36 (for IPhd).

So my interview time was 2:30 pm on 16th of May 2022, (Everything was given in their website although they did mail me to inform that).But I got a call from there and they requested me to start my interview from 1:30 pm to which i said i want to sit for the interview at my previous allotted time to which they politely accepted.

The interview was conducted in online mode.They mailed me the link for Google meet 2 days ago from the date of the interview. I was required to show my college ID card and JEST scorecard.

So yeah, I joined the meet at 2:30pm. One prof joined the meet around the same time. He then asked questions like : "Which college do you study in?",  "Are your Exams over?", "Did you apply in any other institute?", "Do you have any idea about the programs conducted in IMSC?". 

After that another prof joined who asked my JEST rank.Then another one joined.And they asked me, "are ready to start?" then I said yes then they started.

So there were three profs: Sanatan Digal,Sayantan Sharma and Sitabhra Sinha.

Let me call Sanatan Digal as Prof A, Sitabhra Sinha as Prof B and Sayantan Sharma as Prof C.

Prof A: So can you write a quadratic Eq?

Me: yes sir (and I wrote)

Prof A: Can you plot the equation that you wrote?

Me: Yes sir (then I drew it a bit erroneously)

Prof A: Do you think its correct?

Me: No (still fidgeting)

Prof A: Can you tell me where its wrong?

Me: I am trying sir (I looked at my notebook couldn't arrive at an answer)

Prof A: What will happen if I set x to -infinity and infinity?

Me: I got it (drew it correctly)

Prof A: How will the graph change if you vary the parameters b and c?

(The Equation I wrote was : y=x^2+bx+c)

Me: if we change b the graph merely shifts from left to right or right to left (bit incorrect)

Prof A: Tell me what will happen if we change c?

Me: The intercept will change and the graph would vary its shape

Prof A: What things will not change if we change b and c?

Me: mmm...aaaa......mmmm (trying to act as if i am thinking to hard)

Prof A: The answer is minima and the curvature

Me: Ok sir

Prof A: I am done with my part

Now comes to the scene, The Prof B

Prof B: I am sharing my screen take a screenshot tell me when you are done

Me: ok (took the screenshot)

The question was :

Plot the ground and first excited state wavefunction for a a particle in one dimensional infinite square well potential

 I did that and showed it to him

Prof B: Its correct

Me: Phew

Prof B: Now I am showing another diagram tell me when you are done

Next question:

 

 

Plot the ground state wave function now

Me: 🤔

Prof B:  Tell me when you are done

Me: ok sir (still 🤔)

Prof B: What will happen if the height of the first step is increased to infinity and now plot the wave function again

After few trails (which were wrong) I tried to give a final answer.

Prof B: Ok I am satisfied

Next came Prof C

Prof C: Write down the Lagrangian for simple pendulum

Me: Ok (I did that really fast)

Prof C: Ok that's fine

Me: 😇

Prof C: write down the expression for time period of simple pendulum

Me: ok (Did that correctly)

Prof C :Now if I give some charge to the bob and keep a infinite conducting grounded plane below it what will happen

Me: Effective value of g increases so time period decreases

Prof C: Yes that is fine

I don't know why he went back to the 2nd question again

Now he asked what if there is a delta function potential in the infinite square well potential

and a quantum particle is traveling from the left will there be a total transmission or is there any chance of reflection.

Me: I think there will be both (answer erroneously)

Prof C: Do you think you are right?

Me:🤔

Prof B: Have you studied delta function potential?

Me: No sir

Prof C: Answer the question using the basic postulates of Quantum mechanics

Me:Ok sir 

Prof C: Tell me the basics postulates

I answered correctly

He said now say what will happen to the wave function and its first derivative

I answered correctly again

He helped me as much as possible but I couldn't plot the wavefunction

In this way my interview ended. I took about 75 minutes. 

At last he took a photo of me along with my college ID card.

At last Prof C asked me "Do you have any questions that you want to ask?"

To which I replied yes I want to know the answer of last question

To which he said there will be total transmission with no reflection.

I took their permission and left the meeting.

On 31st of May the results of the interviews were announced and only 7 got a chance. I did'nt get a chance there.