FORESIGHT (2021) |Shakul from Dr Reddy’s Laboratories

Student Welfare Group, IIT Kharagpur Follow

Listen Share Brief Introduction : Hi! I am Shakul. I was privileged to have spent some of the best couple years of my life on campus as a Dual Degree student in the Chemical Engineering Department during which I gathered some interest in the research on the micro/mesoscale phenomena. I decided to work on the R&D side of Chemical Engineering and ended up joining the PhD Program in ChemE at MIT. When I’m not working, I usually like enjoying food, going out for walks or watching anime. How did you get into Dr Reddy’s Laboratories? What was the selection procedure? The placement process is not very uncommon. It was conducted in a virtual way for us. Dr. Reddy’s has a shortlisting test, which tests your core concepts along with some chemistry (afaik it was mostly polymers) along with a logical reasoning part (pattern identification mostly). Then, there is a GD round which is usually more technical and requires you to discuss as a team and come up with a solution within a reasonable time limit. While on one hand it is good to come forward and speak, you need to ensure that you do not cut others off. Also, few ingenious points go a long way compared to a barrage of obvious things. After the GD, there was only one interview round which involved questions from your resume, previous internships and HR-related things. How to prepare for them? First of all, it is best to have an idea of whether you are interested in core CH or not. If you are, then try to pay attention to the key ideas delivered in the class. Also, try to maintain a good CGPA. I guess anything over an 8 should be a good sign. Finally, make sure you get hold of some good notes (books would be too daunting) on the major Chemical Engineering areas — Reaction Engineering, Mass Transfer and Fluid Mechanics in particular. Study from the notes to revise the fundamentals. Try to keep an open mind during the interview. How would you describe the work culture in your company? How is the work-life balance? Based on what I’ve heard, Dr. Reddy’s offers decent work-life balance. The cultural aspects could change over time and I feel it is best to ask the folks currently working in the company. How was your experience working from home? What difficulties did you face? Working from home seems like a great idea at first but I was constantly missing out on all the fun. Work-from-home settings tend to leave you in circumstances where you are too bored or lazy to work because of the inverse effect of working too much. I tried to balance my productivity by taking short breaks (naps), organizing brainstorming sessions and staying connected with friends. According to you, who should ideally apply for this job? The ideal candidate would be one who is interested in pharmaceutical manufacturing. The company appears to value those who have had some experience (in relevant academic/industrial pursuits) and those who display knowledge and interest in production challenges (Process Engineering). Any specific advice you want to give to the junta sitting for placements this year. One of the biggest hurdles between you and that offer is your own doubt. Official CV is attached in a image format.