Is English necessary for the UPSC interview?

The UPSC Civil Service Examination interview is a face-to-face process. The interview is conducted for 275 marks. It evaluates the candidate’s potential and commitment to society. The candidate will be interviewed by a Board that will have before them a record of the candidate’s career. The object of the Interview/Personality Test is to assess the personal suitability of the candidate for a career in public service.

One of the most commonly asked questions about the UPSC interview is, “Is English necessary for the UPSC interview?“. English has been the most common language that people have been choosing for giving UPSC interviews but it is not necessary that one has to answer the UPSC interview questions only in English.

Medium of UPSC Interview

• As per the announcement by the UPSC in 2011, IAS aspirants can give the UPSC interview in English or any regional language mentioned in the 8th schedule of the Indian constitution.
• The medium of the interview doesn’t have to be the same as the medium of the written exam. The interview will be conducted only in Hindi or English for those candidates who do not possess compulsory Indian language papers.
• The candidate has to indicate the language medium of the interview at the time of filling up the Detailed Application Form (DAF)
• The candidates, opting for the Indian Language medium for the written part of the Civil Services (Main) Examination may choose either the same Indian Language or English or Hindi as the medium for the interview.
• The candidates, opting to write the Civil Services (Main) Examination in English, may choose either English or Hindi or any other Indian Language opted by them for the compulsory Indian Language Paper in the written part of the Civil Services (Main) Examination, as the medium for interview.
• However, the candidates, who are exempted from the compulsory Indian Language Paper, will have to choose either English or Hindi as the medium of the Interview or Personality Test.

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Importance of Language in UPSC Interview

• It is important to develop fluency in the language you choose for the interview. Getting fluency in the language of your choice is key for your interview performance.
• There are many UPSC aspirants who can frame a beautiful answer in a written examination but find it difficult to express their points in the interview. So, UPSC has announced that a candidate can give the UPSC interview in English or any regional language mentioned in the 8th schedule of the Indian constitution.
• Therefore, when a candidate applies for the UPSC panel, he/she is allowed to choose either English, Hindi, or any other regional language.

Some candidates believe that they might not communicate effectively through an interpreter and this could affect the interview score. The candidate should understand that UPSC conducts interviews not to assess his/her language skills but to judge the qualities like mental alertness, critical powers of assimilation, clear and logical exposition, the balance of judgement, variety and depth of interest, ability for social cohesion and leadership, intellectual and moral integrity.

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