Experience of Muhammad Sufyan Shaikh for IITB

Hello to all the budding designers out there. I would first like to thank Prasanna Sir, for creating this blog and allowing me to share my interview experience in Industrial Design at IDC, IIT Bombay via CEED 2016. I was not selected in IDC- so just thought to share mistakes which I made so that you all would avoid the same and crack the process.

CEED 2016:

I applied for CEED 2016 and just studied in class and no practice/study at home. I prepared for Part- A the night before the exam. I cleared CEED with AIR- 142 and 42/100 in Part B. I was excited and started preparing my portfolio after the results. I collected a few of my artworks and photographs and that’s it. I just applied for IDC IIT B only and I had submitted the application form on last date with the tasks given in it. I was called for the DAT and interview for Industrial Design. Excited again!

DAT:

We were asked to design a family phone charger with multiple ports in it. That had gone pretty well.

Studio Test:

We were asked to design a stationery organizer for 10-12 year olds. I had found the test challenging and was unable to generate any ideas. I started sketching whatever came in my mind without keeping in mind that I have to make a 3d model too. It became difficult for me to make the model and in the end I had nothing but cutout pieces of the model which I was not even able to assemble. They were taking our photographs during submission of answer sheets and models. I was standing with my broken model and the photographer said me to smile! I was like dead from inside with a fake smile on my face. AWKWARD!!!!

Interview:

I went inside and wished them morning. There were 4 panelists. One of them was just sitting on my extreme right and didn’t even spoke a word. He just observed me and I thought maybe he is the psychiatrist but later I realized he was a faculty too. The first question-“Why design?” I answered them in a nervous tone that I wanted to make lives of people much simpler and comfortable (I was not satisfied with my own answer). They asked me about the application task of good and bad design example from India- Why I thought it was bad. I had chosen ATVM machine for bad. They asked me for my portfolio and I gave them my file in which I had all the artworks and photographs. One of them asked you have only graphic works? They were finding works from product design. One of them saw a Bajaj Avenger paintjob modification from my portfolio (image is attached below) and asked me what was the paint I had used- I had forgotten the name of paint and after giving a minute of thought I told them ‘Aspa’. They asked what I had made in Studio test- I had made the same model a night before interview at my home and showed to them. One of them asked if I had applied in other streams or other institutes. One Sir had even asked if I had joined any coaching- I honestly said yes. It lasted for 15 minutes and they asked me to leave. Before leaving I asked them if I can put the assembled model on the table- they started laughing and said no- thanks and I left the room with embarrassment.

IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED:

·        Coaching: I had applied for coaching and was too much dependent on them. You don’t need it. Blogs like Teacup Blog are more than enough. Just observe stuffs around you and keep questioning yourself from design perspective, out of curiosity like when, where, what, why and how? Everything will fall in place.

·        Time: I had done poor time management and last minute execution of tasks and studying. Take application forms and tasks mentioned in it seriously. Think and read properly what is being asked- jot down the points and act accordingly.

·        Practice: I didn’t practice sketching and previous year’s papers. I became overconfident about my sketching. Design is not just sketching; it’s much more than that. You must practice, practice and practice a lot.

·        Sketches: I had wasted my time in perfecting the sketches in paper. You must be able to create sketches and represent them in a self explanatory way quickly, since time is the constraint. It must be neat, proportionate and able to communicate your ideas. That’s it.

·        Applying for one institute: This was the biggest blunder I had made. Apply in multiple institutes and streams as per your stream interests. If you want it strongly then you will make it by at least increasing the chances of cracking the process. If you are passionate, you will clear every hurdle which comes in your way. And you will enjoy it.

·        Interview: Be honest to panelists. Listen to what they say carefully, take a minute to think, it’s OK! And then communicate. Never react to questions, just respond by being yourself. I was only reacting. That’s bad.

·        Portfolio: I had just included my artworks and nothing else. Don’t just fill sketches and artworks. Identify problems around you and find solutions. Show your flexibility and variety by working with different streams, tools and materials. Take at least 2 copies of your portfolio in hard format so that you don’t miss to show work to the panelists. You don’t know who is interested in what. Narrate a story behind your idea and process.

This year InshaAllah, I am aiming for CEED/NID 2019 again. Wishing new aspirants luck and wish me luck too! You can find my few artworks and contact details below. Feel free to contact me. And not to forget- Thank you so much Prasanna Sir for this blog

Instagram: @sufyan_art