Hello Guys. I have recently gone through the Group Task and Interview selection process of HPCL and would like to share my experience with candidates who may find this useful in preparation.
Selection Process: CBT, GT, PI (Every round is eliminating rounds. GT and PI are critical irrespective of your marks in CBT.)
Location: Petroleum House, Mumbai
Panel Members: 9-10
Candidates Present: 20/23
Round 1(Group Task):
- Three groups of 7,7,6 candidates. Finally, 1/7, 2/7, and 1/6 candidates were selected in group tasks for the Personal Interview round.
- Tip for group tasks: Work as a team. Let others speak. Don’t be silent and have faith in your God.
Round 2(Personal Interview):
- As we were only 4 to be interviewed, Each candidate’s interview went on for up to more than 30 minutes. I was 3rd to be called.
- Chairperson asked me to introduce myself.
- He asked you have worked in India’s one of the leading steel sector company JSW group for three years. Are you still working? I answered No, Now I have resigned. Told them the truth. (Don’t play fancy here. They won’t spare you until you sound convincing to the entire panel. If you are even able to convince one member there are 8 remaining for cross-questioning.
- You worked there as front line executive in Electrical Department. Tell me the scheme of charging the substation. Summarised in 40 seconds. He was from my field and may have commissioned many substations under his leadership. So it took less time to tell the entire scheme to him.
- How many sources for feeder line up charging? I answered Two sources.
- From where did you take power? How many cable runs? From where did these two get power?Voltage rating of incoming MSEDCL feeder? When you charge line up there are two sources, right? Which type of Bus coupler? Did you work on FBT? Any Automatic type BC?
- Tell me if one source is tripped due to a fault on the lineup. How will you approach the second source? It took me 2 minutes and 3-panel members explanation to this question that what are they asking. I was confident in answering but I couldn’t get their question fully. So I quit and asked them that we can discuss this on Paper if they want. He said No, No, Not required.
- What is the difference between Earthing and Neutral? Is neutral earth pit and Normal earth pit are same in construction? What are the resistances recommended for neutral and normal body earth pits? Ok. Have you heard about lightning arresters?
- You did a certification course from Harvard ManageMentor in Ethics at Work? Tell us what did you learn and how did you apply it in work? Told them. There were several cross-questioning from other members. They tried to stress me out. Multiple members asked from each of my sentences but in the end, I managed it.
- What is stress management? You did a course in this as well? Yes, mam. Told the theory part but she wasn’t interested in theory. She asked for recent examples of stress management.
- After 10 minutes I was one of the totals of 3 candidates who were selected out of 20 that day for medical. The final result is awaited based on selection criteria. It feels really good to get shortlisted and be in a few in such an elimination process.
Tips: Be natural. Don’t get stressed out.