St. Stephen’s College recently issued its cut off list for 2014 with 98% being the highest figure for General category students with Commerce backgrounds applying for Economics and English. Students who meet this criterion will now be invited for an interview with the authorities and faculty. You can check your interview schedule here.
The college has a notorious reputation for its stringent cut-offs and even more stringent interviews, which only very few manage to clear. It’s not rocket-science, but you just have to be street smart.
Aspirants must carry the following documents with them for the interview:
(a) Two recent passport size photographs.
(b) The printout of the interview call letter.
(c) The following documents, in original and one set of self-attested copies:
(i) Certificate of date of birth (normally the Secondary School Certificate).
(ii) Mark-sheet of the qualifying examination.
(iii) Baptism Certificate and a letter of recommendation from the parish priest concerned, SC/ST Certificate from a competent authority, Physical Disability Certificate, Equivalence Certificate (for candidates from foreign examining bodies), as and where applicable.
According to the website, students wishing to study Economics are required to report for a written test in Rooms F and G (upstairs in the main academic block) on the day of their interview. The schedule to be followed:
Morning Session: 7.45 am to 8:00 am (all who are slotted for interviews pre-lunch)
Afternoon Session: 1.45 pm to 2:00 pm (all who are to be interviewed after lunch)
Candidates will have to carry a pen/pencil. Answer sheets will be given to them. Those with physical disability (PWD) are exempted from this test. Though it hasn’t been stated what will be tested during this session, given the time duration, one can conclude that it won’t be too intensive.
The college website mentions broad parameters which the interview will be based on:
Academic: The candidate’s academic and suitability potential for the subject chosen, which is beyond the stipulated course, is taken into consideration.
Co-curricular: They check your potential to participate in college co-curricular activities and to contribute to its total life.
General awareness: A candidate’s personal outlook, sense of values, level of awareness and motivation are a huge factor which affect selections.
Still not clear? Here’s some other tips that could help you. Straight from the students who’ve ‘been there, done that’!
- Don’t lie your way through it: If you pretend that your hobby is sleeping and you take pride in it, the interview board at St Stephen’s College might just pose an innocuous query: Which part of the brain controls sleeping? Stumped? Trust Gandhian policies and speak the truth. Satyavachan.
- Be yourself: Really, they aren’t trying to see how ‘cool’ you are. All they want to see is how easy you are in your skin. Essentially, you need to sound confident and not seem like you’ve gulped down the quotes from Mark Twain and Abraham Lincoln.
- Admit your mistake, incase you goof up: In case you don’t know anything, just stop. Don’t act all cheeky or you’ll end up making a fool of yourself. It’s okay to make a mistake. It’s humane so just admit it and move ahead.
- Dress semi-formally/formally: First impression is the last impression. Don’t dress up in your favourite, comfy jeans which are ripped from every corner. Try wearing something which makes you look smart and confident.
- Play your cards smartly: It actually depends on your ability to get all the answers right. Lead or steer the interview board towards your favourite and sound topic area.
The interview carries 15% of the total weightage of your application. Greet them with a smile, don’t panic. You’ll be fine as long as you don’t take this too seriously. They’ll test your nerves, so just keep your cool.
Ishita Sharma
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