UPSC IAS INTERVIEW EXPERIENCE (32)

It has been an extremely gruelling phase with as yet uncertain outcome. It was taxing – physically, mentally and emotionally. For a few days before the interview, I had been a nervous wreck. The most I have ever been in my life.

Till the final minute, I was trying to make sure that nothing, absolutely nothing goes wrong with my preparation and things seemed to be falling in place until I entered the interview room.

Surprisingly, while I was waiting outside the room, I was not nervous at all. I was confident and cheerful.

When I entered the room, the setting seemed a little too dominating. The lavish furniture, neat arrangements, immaculately dressed officers and suave chairperson. I was in awe.

The chairperson seemed a serious, no-nonsense personality. The other member looked highly experienced and learned.

Brief introduction for strangers:

Profile:

B.E.(Hons) Computer Science, BITS, Pilani.

State: Rajasthan

Optional Subjects: Psychology, Public Administration.

Board: Rajni Razdan (RR).

And here is what happened inside:

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V: May I Come in, Ma’am, Sirs?

RR: Please come in. Have a seat.

V: Good Morning ma’am, Sirs.

(They didn’t seem to care at all. I carefully pulled my chair, got settled and thanked them.)

RR: Your Name?

RR: Your Roll Number?

RR: Your DoB?

RR: (Showing me my photo) Is this you?

V: (Smiling) Yes Ma’am.

RR: What is scrapbooking? (My hobby. Explained.)

RR: Why do you want to shift from engineering to civil services?

(Responded but gave an impression that I quit because I was bored with my job. Another member would later tear me apart on this issue.)

RR: You chose Psychology. Give me examples of Neurosis.

V: Ma’am, Cyber neurosis is one.

RR: This is very new. Anything else?

V: Ma’am, neuroticism. I can not recollect others.

RR: (Moving on) Who authored ‘A theory of conditioning’?

V: Ma’am, Pavlov, But I am not sure.

(A google search, later on, did not give an answer either. There seemed to be no such book.)

RR: What was the medium of his research?

V: Ma’am, he conducted his research on dogs.

RR: Ok. (Passes on to the next member.)

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M1: What is the difference between Psychosis and Neurosis?

V: (Blabbered something.)

M1: Which is more amenable to behavioural therapy?

V: Neurosis.

(M1 gave me a puzzled look. )

M1: What are your strengths?

V: 1. Dedicated towards the goal. 2. Adequate experience of both rural and urban conditions.

(The second point dictated the rest of my interview.)

M1: How can we develop rural areas?

V: Sir, while we focus on urbanisation and rural development, we should also try to reduce migration by providing more amenities and services in rural areas by running schemes like PURA.

(M1 did not press on. But another member would later pick on this thread.)

M1: Do you not think honesty and integrity are important in a civil servant?

V: They are paramount, sir.

M1: But you did not mention these in your strengths?

V: Sir, these are general traits. All people usually claim to possess them.

M1: If that were so, why would there be so much corruption?

V: Sir that is because, some of these people, later on, try to take short cuts for personal gains.

(M1 did not look happy with the answer. I could have used my words in a better way.)

M1: You have been a treasurer and a secretary in your college. Did your position offer challenges to your integrity?

V: (I explained about my role as a treasurer) I did not give anyone any opportunity to question my honesty or integrity.

(M1 looked somewhat satisfied with my conviction and even said ‘good’, only time that happened during my interview!)

M1: Okay. How do you see India’s position evolving towards international water issues? Take three examples.

V: Sir, we have a well-functioning Indus Water treaty with Pakistan. While lack of adequate framework, still hampers resolution of issues with Bangladesh and Nepal. Moreover,  We also need to resolve our domestic political issues to solve these international problems.

M1: What do you mean by domestic political issues? Give me an example.

V: Sir, while we wanted to sign the Teesta water sharing agreement, our domestic political environment did not allow that.

M1: Any water issues with China?

V: Yes sir. There have been reports that China is trying to divert the water of Brahmputra river but both the countries have denied this and China claims that they are constructing only run of the river projects.

M1: Are they diverting waters from Tibetan rivers?

V: Sir, there have been reports that China is diverting water of its southern rivers towards the water-deprived northern areas.

(M1 looked satisfied and passed on to M2.)

M2: Regarding water, what do you think is the fundamental hurdle behind inter-linking of rivers?

V: Sir, we are yet to resolve various inter-state river disputes. The inter-linking project may not be technically feasible..(interrupted.)

M2: I am sure we have brilliant engineers who will figure all this out. You discuss the main issue. I will give you a hint, why would somebody share water..

V: (Emphatically agreeing) Yes sir indeed. (Though I had already mentioned it in form of inter-state disputes) Surplus water states would not be willing to share water with the deficit states.

(M2 now looked satisfied.)

M2: What are the challenges before Rajasthan?

V: Sir, there is desertification. Then there is, lack of water resources…(interrupted)

M2: What are the causes of desertification?

V: Sir the main causes are: one, indiscriminate mining, two deforestation, and three, lack of irrigation.

(M2 passes on to M3.)

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M3: You said, you want to prevent migration?

V: No sir, what I meant was that we need to follow both the strategies: reduce migration as well as promote urbanisation.

M3: Can you give me an example of a society which has a higher share of rural population, yet is called developed?

V: (After thinking for a few seconds) Sorry sir, I cannot recollect any.

M3: That is because, there is none. So isn’t urbanisation important?

V: Yes sir, as I have said, it is as important as providing services to rural areas.

M3: What is the competitiveness problem that the big urban-rural divide is presenting India with?

V: (I wasn’t able to appreciate the question much yet decided to respond) Sir, I think the rural talent is not being utilised effectively. The rural youth and energy could be better used by training them.

M3: So you want to link them to towns?

V: Probably yes sir.

(He seemed satisfied.)

M3: Okay you have two options to develop rural areas. Either connect them with internet or spread highways. What will you choose?

V: Sir, in fact, we need both of them.

M3: There is no right answer here. Do not answer diplomatically. I want you to think and then reply.

V: (Paused) Sir, in that case, I would choose internet over highways.

M3: Why?

V: Sir, highways take a long time to develop. It may be too late by then.

(M3 looked satisfied.)

M3: Okay. You told ma’am, that you left your job after 19 months because it was boring. That way, you will also leave civil services.

V: (Smiling) No sir, I wanted to convey that I did not find my job content as impressive as I had imagined it to be. I was not bored with it. Civil services match my aptitude.

M3: What do you understand civil servants do?

V: Sir, they handle the entire functioning of the country.

M3: What did your computer science education teach you?

V: Sir, computer sciences teaches us to test, implement, evaluate and modify our programs, this methodology is also applicable to governmental projects.

M3: How do you think your education can be used in administration?

V: Sir, governments at various levels are increasingly using technology. At national, state and even district level, we are implementing various e-governance initiatives. Most departments use technology. We also have dedicated departments for IT etc.

M3: What is our flagship initiative in e-governance?

V: Sir, it is National e-Governance Plan, under which we run 27 mission mode projects.

M3: Any examples of such initiatives, at national, state or district level?

V: Yes sir. e-Sanchar and e-Mitra projects of Rajasthan government. (Explained both.)

M3: Okay, can you identify any two areas where we could implement e-governance but are not already doing it?

V: (Paused and thought) Sir, we can deliver basic services like birth and death certificates in digital form which can be printed by the customers/clients.

M3: But some states are already doing it?

V: Yes sir. We can have such initiatives at national level.

(I also proposed another initiative which I can’t recollect now. However, M3 did not look adequately satisfied with this answer.)

M3: Okay. Tell me one social and one economic challenge our country is facing today.

V: Sir, in social area: Malnutrition (I had the twelfth plan in mind).

M3: Social…malnutrition…okay… (I continue now.)

V: In economic area: I see inflation as a challenge.

(Chairperson seemed flabbergasted and even suggested poverty and unemployment. I was trying to present an answer thinking of ‘current’ challenge. I may have miscalculated here and I did not get an opportunity to defend it.)

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M4: So you are a product of Birla institute.. (I replied affirmatively and smiled, drew no response)..what have they taught you.

(I blabbered about the virtues of college education.)

M4: What is the structure of a district.

V: District. Block. Villages.

M4: What is the role of DC?

(I replied but did not include PRIs.)

M4: What about PRIs? Is DC above Zila Panchayats?

V: (It seemed to be an incorrectly framed question, yet I responded.) Sir, the structure varies state by state.

(M4 did not seem pleased and said thank you.)

RR: Thank you.

(I thanked them and strolled out.)