Part Two: The Extempore (Probably the Most Misunderstood Part of the PGPX Interview)

If there is one component of the PGPX interview that creates the most anxiety, it is the extempore. Ironically, it is also the one that applicants prepare for in completely the wrong way. Every year, I meet applicants who spend weeks memorising editorials, collecting lists of fifty or a hundred possible topics, and trying to remember arguments from newspaper columns. That is not how strong extempore performances are built.

From my experience preparing applicants across multiple PGPX intakes, the candidates who consistently perform well are rarely the ones who know the most. They are the ones who think the best. The panel is not evaluating whether you have read yesterday’s newspaper but rather how your mind works when someone intelligent throws an unfamiliar problem at you.

In many ways, the exercise resembles what makes a strong UPSC essay writer. Knowledge certainly helps. But knowledge alone does not create insight. The applicants who impress the panel are the ones who can take a messy problem, break it into smaller pieces, recognise competing viewpoints, and then construct a position that is both thoughtful and defensible. That is a very different skill.

What the Panel Is Actually Testing for PGPX Interview

You will be given a topic. You will speak for a few minutes. Then the panel will begin pushing back. They may disagree with you. Challenge your assumptions. Ask uncomfortable follow-up questions. Introduce information you hadn’t considered. Sometimes they deliberately take the opposite position simply to see how you respond.

They are watching whether you:

• remain calm under intellectual pressure
• separate facts from opinions
• recognise nuance
• defend your reasoning without becoming defensive
• modify your position when presented with better evidence

A Real PGPX Interview Example

One of my applicants from the CO25 intake was given the following topic.

Should transgender women be allowed to compete in women’s sports?

She didn’t immediately choose a side. She first clarified the problem.

“Before deciding whether transgender women should compete alongside biological women, I think it is important to understand which physiological attributes remain after transition and how much competitive advantage, if any, they continue to provide.”

Already, the discussion had become analytical. The panel immediately followed up.

“Which specific attributes would you consider?”

She calmly discussed hormone levels, muscle mass, bone density, empirical sporting evidence, and existing sporting regulations.

Then came the real curveball. “Following your reasoning, should men also receive higher salaries than women since they are physiologically stronger?”

Many applicants would panic here, but she separated the two issues. “I don’t think the comparison holds. Athletic performance is fundamentally influenced by physiological capability, whereas professional compensation should be based on productivity, expertise and the value someone creates. Strength is simply not the determining factor in most professions.”

She didn’t become argumentative, and she didn’t abandon her original position.

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A Useful Framework for Any Extempore (With two old REAL examples)

Over time, I have realised that almost every extempore can be broken into the same simple thought process, because every good thinker approaches uncertainty in a structured way.

First, define the problem.
Most applicants skip this. Even if the term sounds obvious.
Take ten seconds to establish what the discussion is actually about. That immediately signals structure.
Second, acknowledge why the argument exists.

Example 1

Suppose the topic is:

Work From Home leads to moonlighting. Therefore, Work From Home should be banned.
Don’t immediately disagree. Instead say, “The concern here is understandable. Remote work has undoubtedly increased flexibility and made it easier for some employees to pursue multiple engagements simultaneously.” Now the panel knows you understand the other side.

Third, challenge the assumption.

Ask yourself:

Is the stated problem actually the root problem?

• Perhaps moonlighting is not caused by remote work.
• Perhaps it is caused by poor engagement.
• Or compensation.
• Or weak organisational culture.
• Or changing workforce expectations.

Now your discussion has become much richer than simply agreeing or disagreeing.

Fourth, think like a manager.

Most applicants stop after presenting both sides. Managers don’t. Managers ask, So what should we actually do?
That is where you differentiate yourself. Perhaps organisations need stronger conflict-of-interest policies. Perhaps better performance measurement. Perhaps disclosure mechanisms. Perhaps differentiated remote work arrangements.
Always try to leave the panel with solutions, not just observations.

Finally, take a position.

Don’t spend five minutes sitting on the fence. The panel respects thoughtful conviction far more than endless neutrality. You can acknowledge complexity while still arriving at a conclusion.

You Can Read – Part One: The Definitive Guide to Cracking IIM A PGPX Interview

Example 1

Imagine the topic is:

Should India impose heavy taxes on fast fashion companies to reduce climate damage?
Instead of immediately saying yes or no… Begin here.

“Fast fashion undoubtedly contributes to environmental degradation through high production volumes, textile waste and resource-intensive manufacturing.”

Now acknowledge the opposing logic.

“Higher taxation could discourage excessive consumption while encouraging more sustainable production.”

Then widen the discussion.

“However, taxation also carries second-order consequences. The industry supports millions of jobs, particularly in developing economies. Higher prices may disproportionately affect lower-income consumers while production simply shifts elsewhere.”

Now think like someone solving policy problems.

“Perhaps taxation should be one component of a broader framework involving extended producer responsibility, recycling mandates and incentives for sustainable manufacturing.”
Finally conclude. Notice that nowhere did we simply argue.

What I Would Prepare for in 2025–26

Applicants often ask me, “What topics should I prepare?” Prepare themes. Almost every interesting extempore eventually becomes a discussion around competing priorities. Some areas I would spend time understanding are:

Artificial Intelligence

Because it now affects almost every industry. Can innovation coexist with regulation? Will AI create more jobs than it destroys? How should governments regulate models that evolve faster than legislation? Will MBA or classroom education be relevant? These are management questions.

India’s Geopolitical Position

India today is balancing relationships with the United States, Russia, Europe, China and the Global South simultaneously. Every geopolitical decision creates trade-offs. Understanding those trade-offs is far more valuable than memorising headlines.

Climate Versus Growth

India cannot ignore climate change. Neither can it ignore economic development. That tension creates fascinating discussions around energy, manufacturing, carbon markets and industrial policy.

Employment
India continues to grow rapidly. Yet formal employment generation remains uneven. The gig economy. Startups. Capital. Automation. Manufacturing. Skilling. Labour reforms. Almost every discussion eventually becomes a debate around balancing efficiency with inclusion.

• Governance
• Federalism.
• Judicial independence.
• Electoral reforms.
• Media regulation.
• Again, avoid politics.
• Focus on institutional thinking.

The panel appreciates intellectual honesty far more than ideological certainty.

The Biggest Lesson

If there is one thing I hope applicants take away from this article is that the strongest candidates are rarely the smartest people in the room. They are the ones who are most comfortable thinking out loud while someone equally intelligent disagrees with them.
That is exactly what the PGPX interview is trying to simulate.

Prepare for the PGPX interview accordingly.

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