02 May 2012
01:05 PM
My first experience
Mains results were out. I cleared it and was happy that I got an interview call much on expected
lines.
My interview was dated on 18 April in afternoon session. With clean shaved face and all the
cosmetics light blue color shirt and purple pant I was ready to face it , an opportunity I was awaiting
for 2 years. Standing outside dholpur house was an experience in itself. All type of known human
emotions - fear, anxiety , confidence, relaxation, joy , tension ran high in my brains. One last time I
wished all my friends and family who came with me and entered the arena.
We were made to sit like all the candidates in the groups. The building was beautiful and green.
Ample of noticable things like name of the plants, quotes from great thinkers and lots of paintings
and hadicraft work was noticable there. Our documents were checked. My group had 6 members.
One was from IRS (C&E) , the other from BITS , one from Kerala and rest 3 of us from maharashtra.
All 6 of us were Engineers. We started discussing and enquiring each other , to ease off tension but
at the back mind it was still there. I was to be interviewed 5th in the sequence. We came to know
that its razni razdan board. I had heard that she was erratic and it is make or break board. Although
there was nothing that could have been changed so I calmed myself and decided to make good with
whatever I had. A peon came and told me that my turn has arrived. He directed me towards the hall
of Razni mam. I was made to sit outside in chair. The duration was 5 mins but it felt like 5 dayz. Each
second so slow just like Einstein said in his relativity theory :-) . Explosions erupting in my stomach as
to what will happen. Bell rang and I got up and it begin.........
I enterd the hall. The was a round table and razni mam with 4 other board members. All were male.
I wished them all and took my seat. Mam looked at me and smiled warmly glancing over my
summary sheet.
Like all other she asked me my roll no, Date of birth and showed me my photo to confirm. Here is
what happened in next twenty minutes.
R: Harshal, What does your name mean ?
Me: Mam harshal is the sanskrit name where harsh means happiness and harshal is the one who
gives happiness.
R: (smiling broadly) Oh ! so are you giving happiness to poeple around you ?
Me: So far (with smile)
R: (Smiling broadly and satisfied) So far so good.
After this moment she cooperated throughout the interview. She dint slept as happened with
others.
Supported me when with other members and also participated in discussions.
R: you have geography as an optional. Can you tell me about Bermuda traingle ?
Me: Mam it is area off the east coast of USA. Its known for ships and aircrafts being diasppeared
mythically. We are now doing scientific investigation.
R: Good can you tell me the countries ?
Me: Sorry mam I do not know.
R: You can take a moment.
Me: Sorry mam I am unable to recall.
R: Ok and she directed to Member1.
M1: what is contour?
Me: Sir line joining the places of equal height.
M1: Are they circular or elliptical?
M1: Are they circular or elliptical?
Me: Sir they can be both.
M1: Have you seen LEGENDS in the map. beyond that scale is written what is that?
Me: (Slightly confused) Sir it signifies ratio. Like one unit or cm on map would mean
M1: Do the units always remain like that ?
Me: Sir I am unable to think more presently.
M1: No please take your time. Tell me what would scale 1:x signify ?
Me: Sir we have to represent large land area with small size paper. So we scale it accordingly. Scale
indicates multiplier.
He looked a bit satisfied. He changed the question.
M1: What is flood plain zone ?
He was neither audible nor understandable with accent. Mam understood my difficulty and she
repeated his question.
Me: Sir maximum inundation level till which a river water might reach.
M1: Are you sure ?
Me: Yes sir I read it in geography. It is used in disaster management. ( Although I dint recall it
clearly).
This was the only member where I jittered. Rest interview was smooth as silk.
M2: Tell me any good innovation which you have come across in agriculture or irrigation or drinking
water in rural areas.
Me: Sir since I am an IT Engineer I liked the innovation of e-choupal. It helps farmers to know exact
prices of products and prevents the middle man chain. Its implemented by ICT. Now government is
building Village knowledge centers on the same.
M2: OK there is some report ( I do not recall what he was asking ) regarding university panel. Are you
aware of it.
Me: Sorry Sir I am not aware of this.
M2: Anyways there its proposed that we can promote students from 8 to 10th directly. What do you
think of the idea ?
Me: Sir this has been there in western countries. But they have strong parameters to measure
the child's aptitude. Its not the case in India. So we need to evolve such then we can go for it.
R: Harshal there will be more failures in each increasing class and thus it cannot be sustained.
Me: Yes mam. I smiled and nodded.
( She immediately indicated member 3 to ask)
M3 was notorious. All the previous mates had come out and told that he bothers a lot. He did not
accept the opinion of many. I think he was closely associated with Maharashtra as all the questions
were bombarded.
M3: Who were the peshwas?
Me: Sir they were ministers in Maratha court who subsequently acquired power.
M3: How could they do this ?
Me: Sir it happened due to breaking of Maratha confederacy.
M3: Why shivaji was called Mountain rat ?
Me: Sir shivaji maharaj used the strategy of hit and run. They used gureilla warfare technique as they
could not match the fire and artillery of Mughal forces.
M3: Why 18th century is called the age of Marathas.Me: ( Confused I think he misquoted the
question because its 17th century as in 18th the power was declining). Sorry sir I do not know.
M3: Name some poet of that time ?
Me: Sorry sir I do not know.
M3: Do you know Bhusan ?
Me: Yes sir I know kavi bhushan.
M3: Recite some lines of him on shivaji. ( Now it was really frustrating as they are considered
difficult )
Me: Sorry sir I have not read about him.
M3: He recited the lines very loud.
Me: Yes sir those are the lines.
Me: Yes sir those are the lines.
M3: This is called as Oestempuus( some term he used i cant recall). Do you know what it is ?
Me: Sir kavi bhushan always made the poem in rhymes of two lines but I am not sure if this is it.
Passed on to next member. Finally releif.
Next was the best part of my interview.
M4: Do you know about Myanmar.
Me: Yes sir.
M4: What are the political developments there ?
Me: Sir recently elections were conducted and Ms. Suu ki won by great majority. She leads
democratic movement and has NLD party. But majority remains with army.
M4: Whats NLD?
Me: Sir National league for democracy.
M4: Do you think it will happen ?
Me: Sir its first genuine step towards democracy. In coming times if more reforms come we might
see a huge change. Also there is a need for external assistance.
M4: What will be the time required ?
Me: Sir in my opinion roughly a decade or so considering the time.
M4: Is it because of internal or external pressure ?
Me: Sir partly both ways. There is internal movement and external sanctions by western power led
by US.
M4: Yes and there is ethnic strife also.
Me: Yes sir this is also a cause.
M4: Do we need external pressure ?
Me: Sir democracy cannot be sustained by pressure. There is a need to build consensus among the
members. Also the army will need to come out and take greater confidence building measures.
Suddenly and unexpected came the call from Razni mam.
R: Thank you. ( Again she was smiling and nodded warmly).
Got up and wished all of them.
Now I head towards the door. There was written PUSH where as I was pulling. Totally in pressure I
was unable to see it. It took some 3 secs more and I made a bit sound as Oh! ( It was very subtle. I do
not know whether board heard it. ) And finally I came out. My head swinging with thoughts like
anything. I walked like lost in my own world. Was it this ? Was it this small time I waited for ? Am I
good bad ruined ?
Will I have to give exam again ? Thoughts running off like anything. Never would I forget Razni mam.
Conclusion:-
This board is considered to be most erratic and hostile. Of all the 6 people no one lasted more than
20 mins.
The questions were very factual. All 6 of us were either disappointed or partly satisfied. But upon
more interacting with seniors and those in service I cam to know that this is usaul with this board. It
make or break board as popularly said. Even if you can keep her from falling and sleeping on desk its
a great achievement.
NO LIILY DARLING QUESTIONS ARE THERE IN THIS BORAD. YOU MISS MANY IN LINE INTERVIEW IS
OVER LIKE RAPID FIRE AND YOU LAND IN TWO DIGIT NUMBER.
I am not expecting much. I hope to see something around 160's.
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