Interview with Mustafa Poonawala, TYBMS Sem 5 Topper 2014-15, H.R. College

Name – Mustafa Poonawala

College Name – H.R. College of Commerce & Economics

Course Name –  BMS

Rank in TY SemV : 1

GPA / Percentage: 7 / 88.29

1) Tell us about yourself?

I had always liked Commerce as a stream and so after Junior collegeI chose BMS because it was a mix of everything I wanted to study. It gave me an opportunity to figure out my likes and interests. I intend to pursue an MBA in Finance after a couple of years of work.

2) How does it feel to be a Topper of the college in TY Sem V exams?

I knew the papers had gone well, but I never expected such good results. Nevertheless it’s always a wonderful feeling when your hard work pays off.

3) Whom will you credit your success to?

A lot of University results are largely based on luck, so I would like to thank God that things went well for me. 🙂

Apart from that I would like to credit my success to my family for supporting me with every decision that I made and always helping me through out; ourteachers for their guidance and my friends for encouraging and believing in me even when I did not!

4) Did you start preparing from the first day of your TY Sem V?

No, I did not start preparing since the first day, and I don’t think anyone needs to do that.

5) How did you study for Sem V?

I studied in bits and pieces so that I wasn’t stressed in the last 15 days before the exams and I could prepare comfortably without stressing myself. Practical subjects like Financial Management and Special Studies in Finance should be studied a little in advance before theory subjects, as it is easier to study theoretical subjects in a day or two but practical subjects require practice.

6) Which are the easy subjects in Sem V?

According to me Business Ethics and Service Sector Management are very easy to understand.

7) Any special way of writing the answers? Do you write answers in bullet points or in paragraphs?

Answers should be well presented and so writing it in bullet form is preferable.

8) How do you crack case studies in theory and practical subjects?

Concepts studied in the subject should be applied to the case study after understanding the context of the case.

9) Did you draw any diagram in any paper? Is it mandatory? Does it help to get more marks?

I think a diagram helps to make the answer better, but it can only be used to support the answer and cannot be the main focus, and should only be used wherever necessary.

10)Any specific study pattern adopted i.e. timetable / how many hours per subject per day etc.?

I did not have a specific time table or pattern for studying.

11) How do you fight against mood swings and distractions during exam preparation?

Taking small breaks while studying helped me tackle it.

12) If you are made the Vice Chancellor of Mumbai University, what changes would you like to initiate in Indian education system?

I would make subjects more application based and try removing the rote learning aspect attached to most of the subjects, so that academic brilliance would lead to professional success. I would also try making the subjects and exams more challenging so that there is true learning. Also, I would introduce more optional subjectsfor electives, so that a student can specialize better in their field of interest.

13) Many students prepare sincerely but constantly live under fear that they are not from big college / not from English medium and eventually lose confidence. What message would you like to these students?

I understand it’s definitely more difficult for them, but no matter what background a student belongs to, they should not lose hope. I personally know people who have worked hard to achieve it and they have been successful. So while it’s difficult, this fact itself makes it all the more achievable. Also, they should not feel shy to ask for help if they face difficulties.

  14) Through this struggle and success, what have you learned? What is the wisdom of life and competition?

I don’t think scoring good marks is a lone measure of success anymore. It is important to know what your goals are, and they may or may not be academic, but once you put your 100% into it, you are bound to achieve what you want!

The core of education lies in learning, not mark sheets. So as long as you have learned something out of it, it’s fruitful.

15) Your feedback for BMS.co.in?

BMS.co.in is a very resourceful website and I think it is of great help for students as it provides up to date information.

Thanks on behalf of the readers, we wish you the best for all your future endeavors.