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Cognizant-Coimbatore

I reached Coimbatore a day before we were supposed to report to Cognizant.We(me, manu n noufal) decided to stay at a lodge till we find a place to stay.Induction program was there for 3 days. After being in search mode for few days, finally we found a good house to stay.Over the last two weeks it has become a home i guess.The other two guys staying with us are from Kerala only.Then after the induction program i was(along with manu,ganesh n nimish) placed in the Advanced Java batch.We started the training session with Oracle which is our technology for database mgmt.Next week we have an exam on Oracle.After that we ll move on to java, i am told.

Last week we all were down with food poisoning.Manu and Nimish had gone home.I had to stay back as my bro had visited me that weekend.others along with my bro went for the movie Wake up Sid.Movie was good.Later that night my body started showing symptoms of food poisoning.That night i threw up n times(i missed the count:)).Next day was a testing day.With the help of noufal and ajith bhai i was on foot the next Monday.Then the week before that i was down with fever.Thats all for now i guess.I ll jus say the plus and minus of Coimbatore in my view.

plus:
*climate is kinda similar to Kerala.At this point its much colder but i am told in summer the temp cud rise up to 35-38.Anyways climate isn't an issue as of now.
*Bus charges are surprisingly low.With 2Rs you could travel anywhere in the city.To travel outskirts you wud hv to pay 3.50Rs.
*People are nice it seems.Never felt like a stranger in the city.40% of the city population are malayalis.There are many tamils who speak malayalam too.So anywhere in 'cbe' language is never an issue.

minus:
*water is a major concern.drinking water causes all the diseases.But again its in cbe u get the best drinking water in TN.But our stomach finds it really impure i suppose.
*food is another problem.the tastes are very different though both the states are close by.

Federal Bank PO interview experience

Ok..I am posting this in a hurry..My interview was two days back and yesterday i went to Kochi.Just returned today morning and suddenly i realise i hv lots to do before i pack my bag to Coimbatore[to join Cognizant Technology Solutions].I am leaving tomo mrng and still i hv not yet bought shoes, dresses and didn't even get the photocopies of the certificates attested.Anyway this post is not about that.its about the Federal Bank Interview experience which i think i ll say it in few words.

Interview:
Location was at trivandrum itself and i was supposed to reacfh at 1pm.I reached 15mins late but it didn't matter as later i realised i was the second last in the list to be interviewed.Got my certificates checked and sat down for the long boring wait.After few hours[ya u read it rite, its hours] i was called in.There were 3 ppl in the panel.Questions mostly revolved around Industrial stream, HR qns and some banking questions as well. The banking question asked were 'wat do you know about banks in India".I started the reply with 'Sir, i just know the basics about banking.There are many banks in India...etc etc].No memorable qns were asked.It lasted just about 10 mins.I think i did a good performance.Lets wait for the result.I am curious about this result, though it doesn't make a difference if i make it or not.

Bye for now.I am not sure when will i be blogging again.I am walking into a system which doesn't give you time to even call your loved ones.I have seen many of friends become corrupt and loose their character which i was so proud of.They change and they blame that the world has changed.But i think no particular person can be blamed as the change happening in them is so slow and vicious that they never notice,[ their loved ones do notice], that they have changed.People who appeared so strong, making promises every time that no system can corrupt them, have stood helplessly before me.May be its the system, may be its the kind of ppl who walk into your life when you are in that system, may be its inside everyman, may be every human is weak..i don't know.But i think i ought to know and i can know it only when i am part of that system.It will be total fun investitaging, getting to know ppl, getting to know how the system works, wat role do each one play,living in a new place after so long, learning new language etc etc.Only think i hope is, i would be able to follow one simple code of mine.
'Nothing in this world has the power to corrupt one or defeat one without his cognition.'


PS:The IT sector is referred as the 'system' in this post.Author didn't imply any particular organisation or a particular institution.

Asst. Administrative Officer[LIC] Interview

The journey began on a Wednesday with me and Binu(of applied electronics fame) boarding the Ananthapuri express from Trivandrum station at 1620hrs schedule to reach Chennai at 8, next morning.

Flashback:
As always, half an hour before the scheduled departure of the train i was left with dozens of activities which should have been completed a day before.So the only option i was left with was 'division of labour'.Thankfully half an hour before the departure i was at my present office.Noufal got glued to net collecting basic info on what LIC was all about and other current affairs, Manu was reviving our B.tech project which even now i have no basic idea about and myself was searching for a gazetted officer to get my certificates attested.After getting it done i popped on Manus bike and heard all those project stuff on the way.When i reach what do i see? Binu waiting with his father.Wat yaar you are 23yrs old na. Anyways that was ok till Uncle catechized me wit his question. "Will you guys be late for the interview as well". Reply was just a smile, though i wanted to say 'naan latea vanthalum latesta varuven'.Just before boarding the train i scanned the reservation chart.Fuck yaar.Not a single girl of my age group.The female nearest to my age in the chart were of 13 and 46.This is'nt the first time.Hardam yesa hi hota hai.I know the world isn't fair but why isn't it ever unfair in my favour.:(

Continuation:
Reach Chennai.Take a lodge.Get fresh and put on the dress and leave for the LIC zonal office.First thing i see is employees are on strike[cool beginning].No employees are present in the office.Its one day strike.Interview is at the 12th floor, we are told.Reach the conference room where we are supposed to report.I open the door and look around.Every one except 2 of us seem older[later i found out that except 2 of us all had done their Post Graduation].One guy had 7 yrs[5yrs in UST and 2yrs in Pivot solutions] experience in IT.He had passed out from my college[CET] itself.I think he wud be earning close 10laks.p.a.Of the other guys who were waiting to get interviewed, there were guys who were getting more than 7laks.p.a salary.Almost all were working in big institutions.But what worried me more was that there was just one good looking girl in the room.I was happy that i am making a right choice by not joining LIC.:D.This girl was clad in a traditional sari and was looking good.Glance were exchanged for the first half an hour and ambiance was created and i was about to get started when all of a sudden it was her turn for the interview.At the same time I and Binu went out to have lunch.When we returned she was gone and i believe she was gone for ever.After some waiting it was my turn.Name was called and in few seconds a bell rang for me to enter the room.

Interview:
Got in and found that there were three old people who would be taking my interview.I will address the guy left to me as 'L', center guy as 'C' and the guy at my right as 'R'.

C: Rajeesh eh?
me: yes sir[though my name wasn't pronounced right]

C:You did ur B.tech in Industrial Engg..wats dat?
me: answer it by what i know..in the answer comes the word 'management'.
L:So its management?

me: i explain how its d mix of mechanical engg and management.
L:from which year onwards do you study mgmt?
me: sir s4..he din understand the semester..said its after 1.5 yrs.

C:So Rajeesh as an industrial engg, can u implement wat u studied in LIC?
me:yes sir
pause
he was waiting..then i realised he wanted to kno how?

before i cud start he [C] asked: do u know what LIC does?
me: sir, i just have the basic idea of what LIC actually does.
again a pause..this time i understood he wants to know 'what'?
me:started with the definition and lectured everything Binu had mentioned while in the train the previous day.

C:ok ok enough.Now you tell me how can u, as an industrial engg,be useful in LIC?
me:[my god..ab kya batoom]there are many subjects which we studied in our syllabus which has helped me in acquiring various skills required for this kind of job.we have studied a subject called HRM Human Management[i forgot the expansion of R. which, while i was struggling, 'C'
reminded me as Resource]..Human Resource Management.[said few lines on how it can help me in this job]..another subject is Marketing management..[i was explaining how it cud be helpful when C cut me short.]

C:Oh so you have studied HRM, marketing and al eh? hmm..[looks at other two members and says] so you can use all these when you work in LIC.[then adds] 'hopefully' when you work in LIC.
C: ok..so do you know what division of labour is?
me:[ofcourse sir..thats wat i do everyday for survival] i explain the ans and he nods

C:so whats this system from A to B completely called?[related to the previous qn]
i didnot hear his question and i asked him 'pardon me sir' around six times. Atlast understood the question and replied: i dont know sir.
C:have you heard of 'assembly lines'?
me:yes sir.
C:so does division of labour fall into assembly lines?
me:yes sir.
C nodes and R takes over.


R:wats break-even point.
me:[wow..my favourite mgmt question] ans.
R:wats fixed cost and variable cost?
me: ans
R:mention the various costs under fixed cost and variable cost?
me: ans
R:wats capital******** ratio?
me:i dont know sir.[i didn't hear it completely..any way i said 'i dont know'..because i wanted to say i dont kno to this guy or else i knew he wud never stop and tougher question wud follow this.kinda similar to adaptive test it seemed.But wat i did not know then was, for the rest of the interview these three words wud be most in use]

L takes over.
L:who is the man of iron?
me:i dont know.
L:who is the man of ****?
me:i dont know.[did not hear wat he said..he wasnt audible at all..and he wasnt clear.even after some pardon me-sss, i did not understand wat he said..so dropped it]
L:who is the man of gutter?
me:i dont know sir.

L:have you heard of Bismack?
me:yes sir..he was a general of germany.i think he is called man of iron[he is called 'the iron chancellor', iron man of india is sardar vallabhayi patel]
L:so is the man of iron and man of gutter same?[the qn was something like this..cudnt make out wat he was saying]
me: no sir.

L:have you heard of Mother Teresa?
me:yes sir.she won the Nobel prize for peace in 1979.[the game was on.]
i cud see the shock in his face wen i mentioned the year.he did not expect it i guess.
L fully charged and anxious to put me down: who wrote gitanjali?
me: shri Rabindranath Tagore.He won the Nobel prize for literature in 1913.He was the first non-european to win the Nobel prize.[10 on 10. i cud even recite a verse from gitanjali.i had done it for 7 yrs while in school]

L:who was the second president of india?
me:[fuck yaar..i knew the ans..any way nothing came to my mind at that time].sir the first president was Lal bahadur shastri and the 2nd was mmmmm...
L:WAT? LBS was a president?
me:yes sir.
L:LBS was a president?
me: YES SIR!!
L:LBS was a president? you sure?
me:no sir.not sure. smile.

[always i get mixed up with LBS and Rajendra Prasad, by the way RP was the 1st president.]

L:have you heard of Radhakrishnan?
me:[he was giving me a clue.had he mentioned it with the initial i wud hv given him Dr.Radhakrishnans bday as wel..but i completely messed it up] sir Rajaji?
L:Radhakrishnan was called Rajaji?
me:hmm..{after two secs} no sir. shri Rajagopalaachari was called Rajaji.
C was nodding the head.

L:wats expansion of ATM?
me: automated teller machine.


Suddenly R asked me a questionn and saved me from that G.K wala[MrL]..
R:who is the governor?
me:[Governor of wat?..anyway i knew only one governor..governor of RBI] Mr.Subbarao
R:who?
me:Mr.Subbarao[looking at his expression i understood he wanted to know some other governor..later i understood he wanted to know the governor of Kerala, though he did not use the word Kerala to me.He asked Binu, who went after me, this question specifically]
R:who?
me:D.Subbarao
R:oh..D.Subbarao..ok ok.so do you have an account?
me:yes sir.


R:which bank?
me:[waited for 2 secs..i knew the next question wud be from the ans i give.i asked myself a question.do i know the chairman of any bank? since the ans was a No..i told him the truth] sir SBI.

R:[he listed names of different accounts and asked] which account do u have?
me:[fuck yaar..wat was the name of that account. was not able to recollect it..but i answered it this way.]
me: sir a 'normal' account [at that moment i was proud of myself..wat a creative ans..]
R:oh..is it fixed account?
me:no sir..its just a normal account[i supplimented my reply with a hand gesture.my hand gesture was so perfect that i thought there really exists some account with a name "normal account".]
R:wat interest do you get?
me[who looks all this sir..aap bhi na] sir...i have not put any money in that account.
everyone smile
R:[smiling]..jus the basic account?
me:yes sir.[smiling]
R looks at C.


C:ok Rajeesh.we are done? do you have any qn to ask us?
me: sir wat would be my job profile like?
C:explains.
me:sir would my promotion be based completely on service or completely on performance?
C:ans
C:ok?
me:yes sir.thank you.



i leave.C was a very good man it seems.R guy was also good.but the L guy was kinda indifferent.though i am not interested in this job i tried to give my best in the interview.I think i should clear the interview and get selected for the job.Only thing that could go against me is other candidates profile.There were guys who were working in banks, in ITs etc.Every one present there had done their post graduation.more than 90% of the candidates had completed their MBAs.
I think the reason many are interested in this job is the security factor and there is no pressure as such.Its a class1 job.Its direct entry to officer post.One could reach upto MD, i am told.With good pay and excellent allowances this wud be a dream job of many.I was not aware of all this until Binu mentioned it to me on our train journey.I think i will be in the final selection list.But i wont be joining i believe.Thus i wud become a deciding factor in some ones life who wud be in the waiting list..if i am in the merit list ie.And i want Binu to get this..He deserves a good job.As he put it while canvassing me to join LIC "even in marriage market this job has high demand.IT is nothing compared to AAO in LIC."May he get loads and loads of 'marriage gift'.pun intended.
I am facing this question for quite some time now.
Why are you not joining LIC? Some have misunderstood me when i said i dont want to join LIC. Its not any disregard to this prestigious job.With all due respect i decline this offer, simply because its not a place where i belong.Binu was asking me, on our journey back, where do you belong? The ans is i dont know..i am still in the search mode..but one thing i know..i would know just by a look, when i see the place where i truly belong.:)

this blog..

Its been some time since i was thinking of blogging.Few months ago i had started another blog on movies which came to a abrupt stop as i no longer watched movies with the same passion i used to[hopefully i think i ll get back to movies pretty soon].But with all my heart i hope that i continue this blog despite there being a real possibility that i ll be getting dead busy soon.My friend has been pushing me to write 'something' for a long time now.So i thought why not give a try now.I am not sure how i am gonna manage this with my bad English and my inferior writing skills.But this blog is not to teach English, so why bother? So what would i be writing? Anything which i feel like and mostly it will be about the events happening around me.Right now what i have decided is, i wont be writing anything about the past one year.The last twelve months had been dreadful for me with each worse event being followed by a more worse event.I ll write down most of the[writing everything is impossible] fun, mauj and mastis happening in my life..:)