My Civil Services Interview 2

So, I had to undergo my second personality test under civil services mains exam on 2nd april 2011. Herz is my first one. I wasn't very eager to attend it for the following reasons but it is not as though I had a choice there!

a) It was a Saturday and my interview was in the afternoon session. Infact I was the last one to be interviewed by my board. Just imagine the agony!
b) It was THE day of the finals of the world cup.

I showed up at the UPSC and was sent in immediately. I was assigned to Lt General Nirbhay Sharma's board. People kept saying he gives average marks but I knew that's all TALK. U do well, u get ur marks. So I amble in at 4 PM into the room and herez how it went!

Chairman (from now C): So Gopi, what else is happening today apart from ur interview.

Me: Dude! World cup finals.

C: Do u know the score?

Me: I gave him the exact score at the end of the 15th over and he was surprised!

C: Completely surprised, he asked me how in the world I knew the score

Me: Told him I overheard. But I was continuously asking the UPSC office people there for the score

C: Are u more interested in the interview or the match (jovially)

Me: Said interview of course! (but match actually)

C: Passed on to M1

M1: U are going in a train which is traveling at 80 kmph. Whats ur speed?

Me: Relative to the person sitting next itz 0 but relative to the person outside the train, itz 80.

M1: Whats BOP?

Me: Explained

M1: Whats the current current account deficit?

Me: answered

M1: Whats our GDP growth rate?

Me: answered

M1: But the growth rate is over 10%. Why are u saying 8.6?

Me: Explained him diff between real GDP growth rate and GDP at market prices.

M2: Whats recession?

Me: answered

M2: Explain the economic cycle

Me; I said Booms amd Busts.

M2: There are 4 stages!

Me: I Donno dude!

M2: Whats sensex? Gimme 5 stocks on it.

Me: answered

M2: How many stocks u have in TCS?

Me: WTF! I gave him anyways.

M2: NASSCOM says only 10% of graduates are employable in the IT BPO sector. Explain!

Me: answered thoroughly. Used my personal exp as manager at Oracle.

M2: What are Mergers and Acquisitions?

Me: answered

M3: What are ethics? How are they ingrained?

Me: Ingrained by parents, education.

M3: How abt religion?

Me: Yes. Religious scriptures are codes of conduct that specify Dos and Donts

M3: Are u religious?

Me: Sort of

M3: Whats ethical leadership?

Me: Blabbered...giving examples. Not very satisfying!

M3: Gimme examples of 2 corporate leaders from India who are ethical.

Me: I said I could give names but they could be involved in scandals tomorrow. Gave Azim Premji, Anand Mahindra. Later, I was like Anand Mahindra? How did u come up with that? How did u forget Narayan Murthy? Dumb me!

M3: Some incomprehensible questions.

Me: Tried to keep her happy by blahing. No clue what she was asking!

M4: What are FTAs?

Me: answered

M4: What are SEZs and STPIs? Explain the diff!

Me: answered. Told him how STPI is closed now after the recent budget (March 31).

C: Took the word budget that I utterred and started screwing me!

C: Gimme the figures of Rupee goes to!

Me; WTF! Gave him a few ( Interests: 18%, Defence: 11%, Subsidies: 9, Social sector: 160000 cr etc)

C; Gimme total expenditure.

Me; 12,50,000 cr.

C; No. Try again

Me: WTF! I restated Its 12,50,000 cr.

C; Get ur facts right!

Me: Sir, I donno abt Center + States exp but central exp is 12,50,000 cr

C; No

Me: in my mind ...(Dude, open Google, I will prove u wrong right here, right now). But kept quiet!

C; Do u back salwa judum?

Me: I said no. Gave reasons. Forgot that he was an army dude.

C; He wasnt happy at all. He asked me if I knew the ground reality in Chattisgarh.

Me; I said, not completely.

C; Then how can u pass such a judgement.

Me: Reiterated again...

C; Tell me how would u fight the naxals.

Me; Started talking abt development etc.. he said no. Tell me abt law and order only.

Me; I would "pump" in more paramilitary forces.

C; How many?

Me: In my mind ( If only I knew)....i said until a critical mass is achieved

C: So gimme the figure. I drew blank.

C; Do u know how many naxals are in Chattis?

Me; WTF! Donno.

C; Lets say there are 1000....so how many is critical mass?

Me: I would send in a few, if that works then that is critical mass, if not until they are beaten....

C: Not happy

C; India and Pakistan and UN and 1948

Me: explained nicely.

C; Current state of Indo china trade relations

Me; Gave exact figures specifying the trade deficit in China's favour

C; So why the trade deficit

Me: We export mainly raw materials, they export finished goods.

C: So is it good?

Me; No

C; Do u think people in commerce dept are stupid enough to frame such a policy?

Me: We should persuade china to open those sectors where we are good at. Esp IT, Pharma etc.


C; satisfied with my answer


C: Whats the current plan?

Me; 11th

C; What according to u is the mos important plan?

Me; 8th plan! (for economic reforms)

C; What did the 2nd plan focus on?

Me; Industrialisation

C; What did the 3rd one focus on?

Me; Green revolution.

C; whatz Green revolution?

Me: answered

C; So isnt the 3rd plan most important?

Me; Its important too but i still think 8th plan is more important.

Some more questions relating to my height. I said I was short of 165 cm by .5 cms ...so I didnt opt for IPS. While leaving I jumped out of the chair. He looked at me and asked me my height again ;)

Overall, not very happy. It was a stress interview. Donno, why so much focus on Economy. My optionals are PubAd, Anthro. No questions on hobbies, personal data, optionals etc. Its as if they didnt even read my summary sheet. It was a 23 min interview. I walked out with very mixed feelings esp after having an awesome interview last year. Lets see how it goes!