Arts background here — how to prepare for IIM interviews and what questions to expect?

Question

I have a BA in Political Science with a CGPA of 7.8 and an internship in content writing. My CAT percentile is 96, and I’ve got calls from IIM CAP and a couple of baby IIMs. One thing I’m unsure about — if the panel asks me how I’ll compete with engineers in the program, how should I answer that?  Also, for an arts grad, do they usually focus more on graduation subjects, or will there be a lot of quant and logic questions too? Any tips from people who’ve been in the same boat would really help.

Aarushi S · Accepted Answer

Preparing for IIM interviews as an arts graduate is less about matching engineers in quant and more about showing depth in your own field. Panels almost always start with questions from your graduation subject, so expect things like &ldquo;Explain separation of powers in the Indian Constitution&rdquo; or &ldquo;What&rsquo;s your view on India&rsquo;s current foreign policy priorities?&rdquo; They also link political science to current events ,  for example, &ldquo;How would you assess India&rsquo;s role in BRICS?&rdquo;
If they ask about competing with engineers, highlight specifics ,  the ability to break down complex policy documents into actionable insights, write persuasive arguments for diverse audiences, understand how governance structures affect business decisions, and manage discussions with people holding opposing views. These skills directly shape leadership and decision-making in an MBA environment.
Quant and logic questions can appear, but usually at a basic level ,  interpreting a graph, simple percentage change, or a logic puzzle. Brush up on these to avoid being caught off guard, but make your strength in social sciences your main pitch.

V Gupta · Answer

The &ldquo;How will you compete with engineers?&rdquo; question isn&rsquo;t really about maths skills , it&rsquo;s a test of confidence.
Ways to handle it: &bull; Acknowledge engineers&rsquo; strengths, but explain that business problems need multiple lenses &mdash; policy, communication, and market understanding are equally vital. &bull; Back it up with an example from your internship where content strategy or stakeholder understanding drove results. &bull; Mention that management is about learning quickly &mdash; and your track record in grasping unfamiliar topics is proof you can pick up quant tools.
From past arts grads, interview questions have included: &bull; &ldquo;How would you measure the impact of a government welfare scheme?&rdquo; &bull; &ldquo;Name a political leader whose management style you admire and why.&rdquo; &bull; &ldquo;If given a dataset on voter turnout, what trends would you look for?&rdquo; &bull; A quick DI problem like: &ldquo;A company&rsquo;s revenue increases from ₹24 lakh to ₹30 lakh over 3 years &mdash; calculate the CAGR.&rdquo;
Panels mix subject expertise with basic quant, so don&rsquo;t ignore either &mdash; but confidence in your unique skills makes a bigger impression than trying to be an &ldquo;engineer clone.&rdquo;