The Trip

Make My Trip (MMT), India visited the Thapar Technology Campus on 18th August.

Once again, eager and excited, the Computer Science students made their way to the campus. The PPT (Pre Placement Talk) was scheduled for 9 AM in the Convention Hall. I entered the refurbished hall and made my way to the back row with my friends (Making strategies to cheat is the 'in' thing during placement season, regardless of whether the plans succeed or not). There was something unusual that morning, but I couldn't quite make out what.

After a few minutes, someone from the row in front of us asked "Final year?".
"Haan,"[Yes] one of my friends replied.
"Kya ho raha hai idhar?"[What's happening here?]
"Yaar placement ke liye company aa rahi hai"[A company is coming for placements]

That seemed to get them excited. It turned out that they were first year students who were waiting for a class. A class in the C -Hall? - we thought - Who's that important? And in walked our very own Director, with a few underlings in tow. By this time there was a lot of confusion in the hall, but the Director was unfazed. He went ahead and set up his laptop, and one of the underlings started distributing attendance sheets. He probably didn't even notice that his class was fuller than usual. The PR (Placement Representative) went up to the Director and tried to explain the situation to him. Finally, the director took the mic and said, "I know many of you are here for Make My Trip or something, but all you're going to get is an hour of engineering mechanics. If that sounds good enough, stay, else..." And then the great exodus. LOL.

The PPT was finally held in the auditorium, delayed by a couple of hours. An HR person and a South Indian looking guy (it was discovered later that his last name was 'Singh') who said 'right' more than any other word bored us for a couple of hours. I actually tried to listen for a while, but not for too long.

At last, the time for the written test came. There had been rumors flying around about the pattern of the test (from a certain NSIT) and questions being disclosed, but I was unfazed. I was almost shivering with excitement. They had two rounds: A 25 minute aptitude test (which was child's play) and a 45 minute technical test (which was sort of child's play too). Results were to be declared in around half an hour, and the interviews were to start almost instantly after that. I had an idea that I might get through, so I rushed back to the hostel with a friend. We made a brilliant plan where we would have lunch, get ready (i.e put on the crisp new interview formals) and study for a while, all within that small span of time (of course it didn't work :P).

When the result was declared, it turned out that we were in fact shortlisted for the interview round, so we hurriedly put on our formals and rushed to college. By the time we got our resumes printed (yes, we do all things at the last possible moment) and reached the placement cell (that mysterious corner of the college where people get jobs) we were dripping with sweat. That's when I discovered that my interview wasn't scheduled for another hour (according to Indian Standard Time, that means I still had 2-3 hours to go). So I waited with the masses (around 35 people were shortlisted). At last my turn came. A friendly looking surd took my interview. He asked me a couple of technical questions, a logic puzzle, and something about my project. Shortly after, I was called for the second round. The South Indian looking guy took it, he asked me 4 algorithms/programs. I thought I'd answered pretty well (later I discovered that my answers were not that awesome after all).

Till then, one guy had been called for an HR interview after the two technical rounds. The word going around was that he would almost certainly be selected. I started waiting nervously for a HR interview call. I stood there for a long time, not even daring to go take a leak, in case my name was called. But it wasn't (eventually I did take the leak :P). A couple of hours, almost the entire MMT team walked out of the placement cell and headed towards the guest house. We started looking at each other in confusion. "Perhaps they're going for dinner," someone said. We waited. After a while, the PR on duty came and announced that those who'd not been given any status were neither rejected nor accepted, and the list (of selected candidates) would be put up in the morning. What the fuck - we thought (and discussed) - nahi lena tha toh na lete, bata toh dete! [At least they should have told us the result!]. All those who had not given even one interview yet were asked to stay(Yes, they were still waiting. In fact, one guy had actually been in the waiting room for more than 3 hours), and others were told to leave (of course most of us stayed anyway, looking to catch the latest).

Eventually I did return. I was so exhausted that my eyelids were getting heavy with sleep (formal shoes are a bitch. I wonder how professionals wear them all day long, day after day LOL). I had a good night's sleep and woke up early next morning, eagerly awaiting the results. Even though I hadn't been called for the HR interview, I was hopeful that I'd get through. I kept checking my phone, asked everyone I knew to check if the list had been put up, but nothing. It was later revealed that the group from MMT had already left, without any updates. The list was to be put up by night. It's been two days, and still no status. They just packed their bags, and left without a word! LOL. Perhaps this is why they're the second best employers of the country.