The IIIT Hyderabad PDM (Postgraduate Diploma in Machine Learning/AI/Data Science) interview is meant to check your understanding of basics, problem-solving ability, and clarity of thought. To prepare, you should focus on three main areas.
First, revise the important subjects. You need to be clear about programming basics, especially in Python. Revise data structures like arrays, lists, stacks, queues, and trees. Brush up on algorithms like searching, sorting, and recursion. Go through core mathematics that supports machine learning, such as linear algebra, probability, and calculus. Review statistics topics like mean, variance, distributions, and hypothesis testing.
Second, practice problem-solving. Go to coding platforms like LeetCode, HackerRank, or Codeforces and try solving medium-level problems. You do not need to solve very hard ones, but be comfortable with writing clean and logical code. For mathematics, practice solving small problems that involve probability, matrices, and statistics.
Third, prepare for machine learning basics. You should know what supervised and unsupervised learning are, what regression and classification mean, and how common algorithms like decision trees, k-means, and linear regression work at a basic level. They usually test whether you understand the concepts, not whether you have done big projects.
In the interview, they may also ask you to solve small logical puzzles or math questions to see how you think. Be clear in explaining your thought process step by step, even if you are not fully sure of the answer.
Also, prepare to talk about your motivation. They may ask why you want to join IIIT Hyderabad’s PDM program, what your career goals are, and if you have done any projects, internships, or coursework related to coding or data science.
