UPSC Interview Transcript By Jagmohan Meena Board Reddy

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Reddy Sir: Benefit of doing engineering if you wanted to go in civil services?

Me: Sir, I developed scientific temper during engineering which will be helpful for any job.

Reddy Sir: Only scientific temper, anything else?

Me: Other than that, as my branch was aerospace engineering, I will proactively use satellite data for general administration, for example, remote sensing data for maintaining land record.

Reddy Sir: What is the difference between other regional colleges and IIT? Why are they not very good?

Me: Sir, IITs are provided autonomy which provides freedom for professors to design courses and whole process of examination becomes fast while in other colleges this takes too much time.

Reddy Sir: Anything else?

Me: Sir, Professors are very good as compared to other regional colleges. Students are selected from competitive exam so, best of them go to IITs. These factors contribute to make IITs better in UG education.

Reddy Sir: Why do you have 1 year gap after 12th?

Me: Sir, I did B.Tech and M.Tech in 5 years, mine was the dual degree program. So, no gap.

M1: People other than scientists don’t have scientific temper?

Me: No sir, everyone can develop scientific temper.

M1: Are you aware of happenings in Pakistan?

Me: Sir, Recently 1st time democratically elected govt. has completed its full term. That is a good thing.

M1: When are the elections?

Me: Sorry Sir, I don’t know.

M1: Okay, So you are from Delhi?

Me: Sir, I did schooling in Delhi. My parents are from Rajasthan.

M1: Okay, So are you aware of the problem of water in Delhi?

Me: Sir, there is no problem of scarcity but there is the problem of misuse. Tarrifs should be rationalised so that wastage of water could be reduced.

M2 (Lady): What is scientific temper?

Me: Mam, Scientific temper means having objectivity in approach, not having any prejudices and having belief in debates and discussions.

M2: What will you do to increase scientific awareness in people?

Me: Mam, nowadays when we watch TV we find “bavishya fals” in the morning. Such practices should be stopped. We are using high-end technology to spread backwardness. Similarly, when higgs boson particle was discovered, whole media claimed it as a god particle without explaining basic physics behind it. We should use electronic media constructively by avoiding such practices.

M2: Why NCC, what role it could play?

Me: Mam, at present with the decline of moral values, infact I will not say decline of moral values but because of transitional society, NCC can play a very constructive role. NCC’s motto is to develop patriotism in the youth, make person a responsible citizen. NCC should be made mandatory with a course of 6 months or so.

M2: Which discovery documentary you have liked the most or remember now?

Me: “I shouldn’t be alive”.It is a tv series in which people tell their real life stories when they faced extreme situations. I learnt that those who had will to live, they made it through. So, If I have will to do something, I will do it. I watched all 4 seasons of it.

(I was expecting some more questions from him, but Member 3 sitting on my right took over now)

M3: What is Nonaligned movement?

Me: Sir, India, Egypt and Yugoslavia led this movement during cold war era when world was divided into two factions so that we can focus on our development.

M3: What is development?

Me: Sir, development has many facets: social, economic, political.

M3: What is farmer’s development? What will you do as an IAS officer for farmer’s development?

Me: Sir, for farmer if electricity is available for irrigation, good school is available for his kids and health care facility is available in the village itself then it would qualify as farmer’s development.

M3: How can we solve our energy problem?

Me: Sir, for net 20-30 years we have to focus on nuclear energy. With that we should also develop technology in solar energy so that after 30 years we can shift to renewable energy.

M3: What is liberalization?

Me: Sir, it means reducing the role of government and allow private sector to increase its role. We adopted it in 1991.

M3: Why do we do planning after 1991 if we have adopted liberalization?

Me: Sir, now planning is done to guide market or to provide overall direction. Now planning doesn’t involve minute details of each and every sector. (Should have mentioned “indicative planning” but didn’t)

M4: Which river flows from the Kanpur?

Me: Sir, Ganga.

M4: Have you visited it?

Me: Yes sir.

M4: Is IITK doing something for cleaning of river? Any plan etc.?

Me: Sorry Sir, I am not aware of that.

M4: Did you like it? How did you find the condition of river?

Me: Sir, it is not good.

M4: Why is it polluted still after having mega plants to treat water?

Me: Sir, we should focus on local solutions instead of mega plants for example: apartment based solutions, reuse of water, less waste.

M4: Apartment based solutions are alright. ut Why govt. is failing in spite of giving huge money?

Me: Sir, though we treat water, but 50% of population in Delhi is not connected to sewer lines so, that waste goes treated. There is fast urbanisation taking place. Further, we are not able to enforce laws on treating industrial waste.

M4: Okay, now I am asking a macro question. Why are we not able to enforce laws?

Me: Sir, to enforce laws awareness generation of masses is required. Then only they will put more pressure on the govt. and hence our officers (abe ye kya bol diya, our officers…then I suddenly also said “we”)/we will work faster. (“our officers” waale paap ko dhone k liye I further added–>) Sir, it is not that we don’t have capability. We completed Delhi metro project before time. So, it is just that will is required.

Reddy Sir Again: Why you are appearing for so many exams? CPF, IES, APFC?

Me: Sir, I appeared in CPF and IES to test my GS as at that time I just started my preparation. I took APFC with the intention to join it.

Reddy Sir: After IIT, civil services in understandable. But, APFC? Do you want any job?

Me: Sir, after preparing for 18 months for this exam there was an insecurity, that’s why I appeared for APFC but after passing mains that insecurity has gone away.
(Fir Reddy Sir uthe aur mere kandhe par haath rakh kar kaha “Well done, my boy!!”)
(hahahaha, Just Kidding, aisa kabhi hota hai kya?)