This is a detailed post about the process I went through to access the Hotseat. You can easily participate in the KBC IMO Lottery 2023. The idea is to cover as many details as possible to clear the most real questions I have about this process.
This answer is as objective as possible covering a wide range of the steps you took to get into the hot seat. The 2020 show was also filmed in unusual circumstances, so what is the normal process, noting that there are many differences.
First step: Registration
Registration for KBC IMO Lottery 2023 started on May 9, 2023, and continued until May 22. Asked a simple GK question every day that can be answered via SMS or the Sony LIV app, I used the app to register myself.
I vaguely remember that when I signed up on the first day, I shared some personal information including my name, age, gender, state, phone number, and email before giving my answers to the day’s questions.
That’s it. Record your details, answer the questions of the day until registration opens, and keep your fingers crossed until the randomizer chooses you for the next step. The easiest step, but the hardest one in terms of luck.
Second Step: E-assessment over the phone
After the registration process of KBC IMO Lottery 2023 closes on May 22, shortlisted candidates will begin receiving assessment calls by phone. This is an email that congratulates you on being selected for the next round and quickly asks you three questions that must be answered within seconds. There’s no time to plan a peek-a-boo. You know it or you don’t.
I received a magic phone call on May 27, 2023. Questions were asked about arts, culture, economics, and KBC’s favourite topic, the Nobel Prize. For the third question, he had no choice. I felt that the level had risen when I repeated the questions. I wasn’t sure if I answered the last question correctly. It was a guess calculated within 10 seconds! So I didn’t expect it to go any further.
Step 3: Application-based online test
On June 1, 2020, I got a call from the KBC team. The person congratulated me on making it to the next round and told me to prepare for an application-based test on June 6, 2023. I was also asked to mail some documentary evidence.
The test consists of two parts. First, all selected contestants were given a test consisting of 20 GK questions in one go. The tests were in MCQ format and the questions were very general. Current Affairs, History, Geography, Science, Bollywood, etc. It’s everything under the sun.
Each question had to be answered within 20 seconds, which was also very tight. After the completion of the GK exam, six video messages recorded by Amitabh Sir were shared through the app. Each video had a personal interview/slambook question that had to be done and answered in a video. Wear dark clothing and no background noise (including fan noise). The video should be shot in a bright room.
Step 4: Personal interview via virtual meeting
We were given about a day to record and upload the video. Trust me when I say this, it’s not easy, this was the hardest step for me. The questions were simple and direct, yet thought-provoking. I have to thank the KBC team for doing this self-awareness exercise, especially during the lockdown.
About a month later, in the second week of July, I got a call from the KBC team congratulating me on advancing to the next round of KBC IMO Lottery 2023. Then I was told to get ready for a virtual meeting scheduled in four days. The same instructions were repeated regarding clothing, room lighting, and soundproofing. They were also asked to complete (handwrite), scan and submit a 14-page questionnaire within one day.
The interview was conducted via a virtual meeting app on the appointed day and shortly before the scheduled time. The interviewer was very down to earth and tried to reassure me about the process. The interview lasted about 50 minutes, during which we mostly talked about previous videos and surveys we’d given. Finally, the interviewers were given a 20-question surprise GK test. This is also in MCQ format and each is answered within 20 seconds.
And it was it!
Step 5: Wait too long
After my interview for the KBC IMO Lottery 2023, I did not receive any response from the KBC team until the end of October. So, I forgot about it.
Step 6: Surprise GK Test
In the last week of October 2023, I received a call from the KBC team to prepare for the GK test scheduled for the next day. The next night, around 9:30 p.m., I had a virtual meeting with another senior member of the production team. Once again we faced 20 GK questions in MCQ format, and each question was answered within seconds. This was my best Test goalkeeper performance. However, I felt that the set of problems was the most difficult so far.
Also read: KBC Company
