upsc interview tips

8/19/2019 upsc interview tips

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ALL ABOUT UPSC CIVIL SERVICES INTERVIEW (PERSONALITY TEST)

By: Pravin Sakaria

The Secrets Unfolded with a Detailed Preparation Guide

In the journey of Civil Services Exaination! The Interview "Personality Test# is li$e a cliax of an

interestin% Suspense Thriller ovie& The whole process is the 'ost Iportant! Interestin% and

'eora(le part&

)lso! it is the ost isunderstood! least prepared for! least %uided*is%uided and often the ost

ishandled and isana%ed process& But when ri%htly handled! it is surely the easiest and the

ost rewardin% experience&

+& IMPORTANT ,

- It has a %reat scorin% potential& Process of just ./ to 0/ inutes and ar$s scored has a wide

ran%e, +12 to ..2& It is the last chance to axii3e total score& Even if score in the 4ritten

Exaination is near the cut5o6! you can score very hi%h and (e in the selection list&

CSE! .2+1 Cut5o6 ar$s "General Cate%ory#,

Written , 789 "for %ettin% interview call#

Final , 99:& "for %ettin% selected after interview#

So in CSE! .2+1 a Candidate on cut o6 should have scored .++ ar$s in Interview "99:5

789;.++# just to (e in the selection list&

"Siilarly! in CSE! .2+0 a Candidate on cut o6 should have scored .+2 ar$s in Interview just to

(e in the selection list#&

- There were :2 ist is of 7. ar$s& ":/+599:;7.#& =an%e of 'ar$s in

Interview is +12 to ..2 i&e& of 92 ar$s&

- Di6erence in ar$s (etween those %ettin% +st

preferred service and .nd

or 0rd

preferred service isso narrow! Soeties / ar$s or less& So even a sall di6erence in interview ar$s chan%es the

Service )llocation! leadin% you to appear a%ain for Prelis&

- ?f course! there was wide =an%e of ar$s in the written Exaination! .2+1 copared to .2+0&

So Interview ar$s had a coparatively less (earin% on @nal ran$in%s in .2+1 as copared to

.2+0& So .2+1 topper 's& Ira Sin%hal who had scored exceptionally hi%her ar$s in the 4ritten

Exaination! could (e topper with only +7. ar$s in Interview& But she is an exception&

- >et us ta$e two exaples of interview ar$s (ein% a decidin% factor,

+& followin% two candidates have last ran$s in the list ,

Name Mark Written Mark Intervie! T"tal

Nit#e$ S$arma 8.1 +7/ 99:

S%&$arita 'a 79/ .21 99:

.& Case of Aaina(, She scored only 80+ ar$s in the 4ritten Exa& But she scored )ll5India

hi%hest ..2 ar$s in the interview& er total ar$s, 80+..2;:/+! )ll India =an$, +28&


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T$e UPSC Per"nalit# Tet i

INTERESTIN* ,

- Preparation can (e ade the ost interestin% %ae& 4ill see how&

- Suspense a(out your ar$s in the 4ritten Part also a$es it interestin%& So no option (ut to

axii3e your ar$s&

- ?ften! results surprise you with ar$s uch a(ove*(elow expected&

MEMORABLE, ar$s in the interview has a %reat (earin% on your selection*eliination or at

least on your service allocation& The score can push you up to %et +st preferred service! or pull you

down at the (otto or out of the selection list& The experience will leave a lin%erin% eory for

the whole life and durin% the next attept startin% with the Preliinary Exaination&

MOST MISUN+ERSTOO+, 4ill see later&

UN+ERPREPARE+ OR LEAST PREPARE+ FOR

- Preparation starts late& ?ften ne%lected&

- >ess tie invested copared to 4ritten Exaination&

- Preparation is often rando and hapha3ard&

LEAST *UI+E+, less than 0/22 candidates scattered all over India& o favoura(le econoies ?f

Scale for professionally coachin% the& So providin% the Detailed Guidance is not Coercially

via(le&

MIS,AN+LE+-MISMANA*E+

- >o%ical corollary of the a(ove&

- Candidates often is%uided (y 'yths and ruors&

MOST REWAR+IN* E.PERIENCE, If ri%htly prepared for and handled! iediate reward of

a(ove 8/ ar$s& 'orever! it rewards you with crops of a polished personality! to (e harvested

throu%h the rest of your life&

LET US UN+ERSTAN+ T,E PROCESS FROM PREPARATION TO PERFORMANCE

- A Statiti&al Anal#i Followin% Ta(le shows Interview ar$s of /01 selected candidatesof *eneral Cate2"r# in CSE 3145,

'ar$s Scored o& of candidates fallin% in this =an%e ?f 'ar$s

Upto +22 22+


3/22

+2+ to +.2 22+

+.+ to +12 2+9

+1+ to +72 +29

+7+ to +92 +:8

+9+ to .22 +:1

.2+ to ..2 28+

H

Total /:2

H

>et us siplify ,

Scores no& of candidates Percenta%e cuulative

Upto +12 2.2 20&0: H

+1+ to +72 +29 +9&0+ .+&82

+7+ to +92 +:8 00&0: /2&2:

+9+ to .22 +:1 0.&99 98&:8

.2+ to ..2 28+ +.&20 +22

Conclusions,

+& E6ective ran%e of ar$s is +1+ to ..2 ":7&7+ of candidates fall in this ran%e#

.& Botto /2 of candidates score upto +92 ar$s&

0& Top /2 of candidates score (etween +9+ and ..2 ar$s&

1& Top +. of candidates score (etween .2+ and ..2 ar$s& "should (e your tar%eted

ar$s#

W$at UPSC a#

The Civil Services "ain# Exaination shall consist of,

+& 4ritten Exaination and

.& Personality Test "Interview#J

)(ove words have two cryptic clues,

+& Interview i&e& the last part of the 'ain Exaination yet not over& Continuity of preparation

till the interview date is expected& Cannot a6ord to stop preparin% till the results of 4ritten

Exaination&

.& ext part of the Exaination is Personality Test& It is di6erent and needs di6erent and

uniKue type of preparation&

To %ive a full and clear insi%ht of the Personality Test "Interview#! UPSC explains and clari@es in

detail,

+& The candidate will (e interviewed (y a Board who will have (efore the a record of

his*her career& e*she will (e as$ed Kuestions on atters of %eneral interest& The o(ject of the


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interview is to assess the personal suita(ility of the candidate for a career in pu(lic service (y

a Board of copetent and un(iased o(servers& The test is intendedto jud%e the ental

cali(er of a candidate& In (road ters this is really an assessent of not only

his*herintellectual Kualities (ut also social traits and his*her interest in current a6airs& Soe of

the Kualities to (e jud%edare ental alertness! critical powers of assiilation! clear and

lo%ical exposition! (alance of jud%ent! variety and depth of interest! a(ility for social

cohesion and leadership! intellectual and oral inte%rityJ&

.& The techniKue of the interview is not that of a strict cross5exaination (ut of a natural!

thou%h directed and purposive conversation which is intended to reveal the ental

Kualities of the candidate&J

0& The interview test is not intended to (e a test either of the specialised or %eneral $nowled%e

of the candidates which has (een already tested throu%h their written papers& Candidates are

expected to have ta$en an intelli%ent interest not only in their special su(jects of acadeic

study (ut also in the events which are happenin% around the (oth within and outside their

own state or country as well as in odern currents of thou%ht and in new discoveries which

should rouse the curiosity of well educated youth&J

The a(ove words of UPSC,

- Clarify the o(jective! techniKue and the sylla(us of the test&

- Explain its o(jective, assess Personal suita(ility and ental cali(er& To reove any possi(le

a(i%uity or isconception of a candidate a(out its o(jective! it even lists out soe ental

Kualities to (e assessed&

- Clearly rules out one ore assessent of General or Specialised Lnowled%e after 4ritten

Exaination& But re5ephasi3es on the intellectual and ental traits& Besides! it expects you to

ta$e Intelli%ent Interest in Current Events! odern currents of thou%ht and new discoveries&

- TechniKue, friendly elders havin% natural yet directed and purposive conversation& BUT ?T aCross exaination li$e a lawyer Kuestionin% an accused&

- Clarify further a(out its o(jective, assess Personal suita(ility and ental cali(er& To rule out

any possi(le a(i%uity or isconception a(out its o(jective! it even lists out followin% ental

Kualities to (e assessed to @nally jud%e your suita(ility as a person ,

+& 'ental alertness ,

'eans presence of ind! con@dence and ental coposer&

.& Critical powers of assiilation, To assiilate eans to understand or ta$e in fully& Grasp

any diensions of an issue&

.& Clear and lo%ical exposition, clarity of thou%hts and expression&

.& Balance of jud%ent, o(jectivity and optiis& o cynics needed&

.&


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+& special su(jects of acadeic study&

.& the Current events, ational! International and within own state&

0& odern currents of thou%ht&

1& new discoveries&

6e# !"r' $ere are intelli2ent interet an' &%ri"it# "; !ell e'%&ate' #"%t$:

ow! siply re5read the a(ove seven Kualities& Mou will reali3e that alost all the candidates who

Kualify for the interview already have ost of the a(ove Kualities& Expectin% E5suon for

interview is itself an evidence thereof& )ll are supreely talented& Still! there is a wide di6erence

in their ar$s& 4hyN

Eearnin%! and not just studyin% is the $ey to prepare for the interview&

.& Mental Pre7arati"n &alle' Pre7are'ne: It i n"t a8"%t Pre7arin2 8%t *ettin2

Mentall# Pre7are' F"r T$e Intervie!: It is Behavioral and Su(tle part& It is the very

(ase on which the ar$s in the interview are awarded& Met! surprisin%ly! it is the ost

ne%lected part&

PPP odel of The wholesoe Preparation,

- Perforance ; Preparation Preparedness

- Pu(lic Private Partnership , adopt a ix of (est ethods of %roup preparation and Individual

preparedness&

- Purposive and re%ular Pra&ti&e in (oth i&e& Preparation and Preparedness optii3es your

Perforance,

=e%ular Practice " preparation preparedness # ; ?ptiu Perforance&


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P%r7"e "; t$i Write U7 i t" 2%i'e #"% ;"r O7tim%m 7re7arati"n = 7re7are'ne:

*et Set an' *" n"! "nl#

Gone are the days of prolon%ed studies with ti%ht schedules& Met it is extreely iportant to

entally %et set and start preparin% for the interview fro now only& =esue daily ews Paper

=eadin%! if you have stopped&

Stop thin$in%, lets wait for the results&O Best Strate%y is to entally switch to Interview 'ode and

start preparin% now only even if you thin$ you have only soe chances of %ettin% E5suon for

the Interview& Because the TechniKues of Preparation and Preparedness discussed hereunder! will

deand +ail# Pra&ti&e for at least two onths for scorin% decent ar$s& >i$e eatin% or (athin%&

+& PREPARATION The usual $nowled%e part& Each ?f the seven >etters of the

$ey >PREPARE? tan' ;"r

+& Per"nal In;"rmati"n Mour Detailed )pplication For " D)F # includes the followin% Bio5

Data ,

5oe State! District and Place of (irth , Special features! peculiarities! typical pro(les! faous

persons and places etc&

H Schools! Colle%es! Places of Schoolin%&

H 'otherOs and FatherOs profession&

H Mour own previous professions*jo(s and or%anisation! if any&

H Date of Birth! 'eanin% of ae! any special occasion that coincides with the Date and Mear&

H o((ies , Be honest& o anufactured or coo$ed up ho((y&

H )wards and any extra5curricular activities , Be honest& Do not coo$ up&

5=easons for a lon% tie %ap after %raduation without eployent! if any&

H ?ptional Su(jects! Su(ject of %raduation , %eneral Kuestions of applied nature li$e how the

su(ject or a concept helps in adinistration or in real life etc&

H ?rder of preferences for services , justi@cation for the sae! especially when it is unusual& E&%&why IPS and not I)S or IFSN

H =evised ?rder of preferences for services , justi@cation for the sae&

+& R& Re;errin2 an' reviin2 a(ove areas or topics with speci@c reference to interview&

.& E& E


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Ley to prepare Current Events is Intelli%ent Interest and curiosity& T&5)l ja3eera En%lish

5Bi%Thin$

5BBC E4S

5C

5IDS)

.& PREPARE+NESS

It is not a(out Preparin% (ut GETTIG P=EP)=ED F?= TE ITE=et us discuss seven such tendencies or Kualities! shortly naed as/C=3,: ?ur purpose is to

use soe joyful! practically helpful and interestin% ethods of re%ular practice to nourish and

stren%then these Kualities and reap an optiu harvest durin% the interview&

+& CONFI+ENCE

H o(ody is (orn con@dent& Every(ody is (orn cryin%&

H ) =easona(le con@dence level needs to (e aintained& >i$e an ECG of a livin% Person!

Con@dence level durin% an interview should Quctuate within a perissi(le ran%e&5Con@dence is a result of copetence and otivated and sustained unidirectional e6orts& Mou

have already proven your copetence so far&

5Consistent practice a$es it very easy to aintain! stren%then and nourish Con@dence&

H Consistent Practice! iproved perforance and positive feed (ac$ (y others enhances your

self5estee! self satisfaction or self conviction&


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H Self Satisfaction or Self Estee is the ost iportant part& i$e =oti

ain aa$& ) little salt in =oti a$es it tastier&

H Rust set the Divine cycle in otion, Consistent Practice iproved perforance positive feed

(ac$ (y others self satisfaction self Estee&

H Erect posture! eye contact! noddin% and Sile (oosts con@dence&

.& COOLNESS

H It eans re@ned con@dence& Bein% Cal )nd Coposed& ot (ein% casual or passive or dull& )

(alanced and alert ind without inner stress or over5exciteent&

H wearin% a Smile instantly relaxes all facial uscles& 'a$e a curve that a$es any thin%s

strai%ht& Second (est use of lips&

H Set a two5way Divine cycle into otion ,

+& Con@dence! coolness! char and cheer (oosts a sile&

.& ) Sile (oosts con@dence! coolness! char and cheer&

H (est display of Coolness is >ISTEIG with patience and interest& >istenin% with a view to

learnin% and understandin%& Do not listen just to spea$& Gently noddin% aratively while

listenin% displays coolness! interest and positivity&

H >isten and thin$ well (efore spea$in%&

H Be open to correction and there(y re@ne your perforance&

H Trust yourself in the discoforta(le oents&

H )ccept discofort in the oent even if you do not li$e it&

H >et %o, 4hen stressed! do not @%ht or react to teporary stress (ut just (e aware& See the

occasional feelin%s of anxiety or stress as a oentary part till it passes& =eali3e it as

oentary reality (ut not as an a(solute truth or an incura(le personal defect&

H iraculous iproveent possi(le with a little re%ular practice&0& COMMON SENSE

H Everyone has )(ility to wal$& ?ne who uses it (y a daily ornin% wal$ %ets @tness& Coon

sense is coon to all& But it is a hi%hly under5utilised asset& eed to use this a(ility re%ularly&

H For a Candidate Kuali@ed for interview! (i% words li$e ental alertness! rationality! assiilative

s$ills! clear and lo%ical disposition siply ean pure coon sense&

H )n Exaple& There are three on$eys on a tree (ranch& ?ne decides to jup& ow any

on$eys are left on that tree (ranchN

)nswer is not two (ut three& ) on$ey has decided to jup (ut has not actually juped&

H Coponents of coon sense answers ,

H answer lies in the Kuestion itself&H sense of huour&

H positive response to ne%ative Kuestion&

H creative thin$in%

H unusual answer supported (y lo%ic&

H =e%ular Practices iprove ha(it of usin% coon sense optially&


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H ) siple (ut ipressive coon sense answer is possi(le to ost of the apparently confusin%

Kuestions&

1& COMMUNICATION PRACTICE

H Interview involves a (alance (etween four processes , Presence! >istenin%! Thin$in% and

Spea$in%&

H +& >istenin% with Patience! interest! sile and %entle arative noddin%s displays calness!

con@dence! positivity and huility instantly& 'ere proper listenin% practice ; 82 of

counication&

H .& Presence, onver(al Counication or Body >an%ua%e& There is direct Cyclical connection

(etween Body >an%ua%e and /C.&

H 0& Thin$in%, ) little thin$in% (efore ver(ally respondin% is calness& Interview Panel li$es it& It

also iproves istenin% with interest& )s$*clarify*con@r if not clear a(out Kuestion& Thin$ and then

counicate& 'aintain eye contact when spea$in% and listenin%&

H an%ua%e or oratory! it is clarity that

ipresses the Board&

H Choice of >an%ua%e , Two Di6erent >an%ua%es called foral and inforal& Every(ody $nows the

di6erence& 4e have a practice of spea$in% an Inforal Spo$en >an%ua%e containin% casual

words! slan%s and short fors and so on in daily life& So it has (ecoe a Practiced ha(it& So you

often spea$ inforal or colloKuial lan%ua%e durin% the interview& Mou need Conscious and

consistent practice of spea$in% Foral and Polite >an%ua%e to avoid such ista$es&

H 'ediu for Interview& ?ut of indi and En%lish! choose one which you feel ore coforta(le

spea$in% and listenin%& En%lish has no extra wei%hta%e as a ediu& If you are not coforta(lewith (oth! then only %o for your =e%ional >an%ua%e& In that case! an interpreter sits in the Panel&

H eed polite lan%ua%e& E&%& Please let e clarify&O Is (etter than you did not %et e&O ?r I will

tell you&O

H Sile adds to Con@dence! politeness! char and spo$en lan%ua%e&

/& C,ARM @ C,EER

H Sile ore often&

H appiness and optiis are atters of choice& Choose to (e happy and optiistic&

H Cherish ha(its*Kualities li$e enthusias! interest in listenin%! child li$e curiosity and sense of

huour within you& )ppreciate and copleent people with those Kualities&

H Char is infectious&H Be full of interest and curiosity to understand and learn&

H Express %ratitude when corrected or advised or even when criticised&

5=espond with optiis and positivity even to pessiistic or cynical rear$s*Kuestion*stiulus&

7& ,ONESTY


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H Besides a ental trait! use onesty as The Best Policy to your (ene@t& =ee(er childhood

storey of an honest wood cutter who %ets (ac$ his axe alon% with rewards of %olden and silver

axesN 'oral of the storey is ore relevant for the UPSC Interview&

H Be yourself& Do not ape anyone& Present the (est (ut actual version of yourself& Do not lie*(lu6&

H o(ody is expected to (e a $now5all& Fran$ly Say I do not $nowO or I cannot recall nowO with a

sile any tie durin% the interview& It is honesty and it helps& It protects your con@dence and self

value& Surprisin%ly! you %et ar$s for con@dently and honestly sayin% it& ?n the other hand!

%ivin% soe va%ue! wron% or irrelevant reply is fatal& Mou lose con@dence and self value and %et

ne%ative ar$s&

H Use onesty alon% with coon sense and con@dence&

=eply followin% Kuestion ri%ht now ,

4hat is the sex ratio of your oe stateN =eply assuin% that you do not $now the exact sex

ratio&

Did you say I do not LnowJ as an honest answerN ow thin$ usin% your coon sense a(out a

ore honest answer& E&%& I do not Lnow the exact @%ure (ut the ratio is adverse to Feale in y

state& owever! it is less adverse than )ll India Fi%ure and not as alarin% as x and y states&J

H Inte%rity eans the Kuality of (ein% honest and havin% stron% oral principles& intellectual and

oral inte%rityO eans no coproise on oral inte%rity& But help of intellect needed& 'eans

oral inte%rity coupled with Coon Sense so that Inte%rity helps you (ut does not har you&

8& ,UMILITY

H Sile instantly reQects huility&

H Self Correction , adittin% any ista$es*errors*oissions at the earliest oent with a Sile

relieves your uneasiness and aintains your calness and con@dence&

H sile with openness and %ratitude when corrected or advised or even when critici3ed&

H It is curiosity to learn what I should have learntO (ut I could notO&H uility is e%oless con@dence& Its eKuation,

uility ; "Con@dence Calness# H "E%o V ?ver5exciteent#

5+st >aw of huility, criticis ; helpful su%%estion&

5.nd >aw, =espect a person havin% a contradictory view while @rly expressin% your own view&

H Show faith in yourself and respect to others&

>et us shortly call a(ove seven traits /C.O and understand and appreciate! throu%h two

)nalo%ies! how these seven traits i&e& /C. help you iensely ,

+& ) lovely helpful faily , 'r& Con@dence and 'rs& Calness are happily arried& Excellence

is (orn out of the a(ove wedloc$! havin% two elder (rothers naed 'r& Char5cheer and 'r&

Coon Sense and three elder sisters naed 's& onesty! uility and >an%ua%e& This is alovely cohesive faily of 8& They help each other a lot! individually and collectively and in

ultiple ways&

.& )%riculture and >aw of arvest , )n )%riculturist stru%%les throu%h a series of tiely and

re%ular la(orious acts li$e %ettin% Kuality seeds! plantin% and waterin%! protectin% the

fro pests and insects and so on& Than$fully! you have already done it and have done it


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exceptionally well& ualifyin% for the interview eans the Plants are well %rown and well

nourished& o ore toil now& arvest Tie "interview# is nearin%&

) prover( says, what you sow so shall you reap& But The >aw of arvest, you rea7 m%&$ m"re

t$an !$at #"% "!e' an' n"%ri$e' till now& So cele(rate the arvestin% cliax after years

of toil& Rust a little ore nourishent and protection of plants and you will reap a harvest uch

richer than ia%ined&

SMILE i a &"mm"n &"m7"nent "; all t$e / C: an' 3 ,: Sile is a ha(it! a positive (ody

lan%ua%e! a Kuality& )ll5in5one& Instantly nourishes and re@nes /C.& Sile alone can (oost your

interview ar$s (eyond ia%ination&

BEST Bet En"#a8le Sim%lative Te&$ni9%e

Than$fully! each of these positive traits i&e& /C. are accopanied (y certain ha(its& So you

can nourish and stren%then /C. and accopanyin% a(its& >et us do it on daily (asis throu%h

soe Royful useful! productive! interestin% and easy %aes& >et us call the BEST i&e& Best!

Enjoya(le! Siulative TechniKues&

*et Set an' *" n"! "nl#

Gone are the days of prolon%ed studies with ti%ht schedules& Met extreely iportant to entally

%et set and start preparin% for the interview fro now only& =esue daily ews Paper =eadin%! if

you have stopped&

Do not thin$, let e wait for the results&O Best Strate%y is to entally switch to Interview 'ode

and start preparin% now only even if you thin$ you have only soe chances of %ettin% E5suon

for the Interview& Because the BEST TechniKues of Preparation and Preparedness discussed

hereunder! will deand Daily Practice for a(out two onths for scorin% decent ar$s& The %aes

are as easy as eatin% or (athin% (ut you have to practice Playin% the daily&

BEST +AILY *ROUP *AMES

T,E MAIN *AME >CASPER? ,

- C)SPE=O stands for Coplete )nd Siulative Practice of Evaluation V =e5view&

- ow to play, For a Group of at least six e(ers& Prefera(ly! actual interview candidates!

Seniors or aspirants for Civil services& If any shortfall! enroll any educated elder who is availa(le

daily&

'a$e a distraction5free roo availa(le with a ta(le and six chairs& Place copies of each Group

'e(erOs Detailed )pplication For "D)F# on the ta(le&

+ail# Pla# t$e 2ame "; UPSC Intervie!: Sim%late ever# 'etail: Each e(er shall play a

=ole of Chair Person! 'e(er '+ to '1 and Interviewee& =ole chan%es (y rotation on next day&

Thus each e(er shall (e an interviewee every 7th day& If soeone is a(sent! reshuWe the roles&

The Show ust %o on daily with the present Kuoru& If seventh person joins on any day! assi%n

hi*her the role of an ?(server&

Strictly Siulate the )ctual UPSC Interview& >i$e children playin% Doctor5doctor %ae! enjoy it as

an Interview5interview %ae& Leep CandidateOs D)F on the ta(le& Everythin% should (e siulated

fro intervieweeOs entry in the roo till his*her exit fro the roo& 'a$e it a realistic and foral


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interview& Play your role faithfully& Do not presue anythin%& Part + of this Interview Gae is over

after a(out half an hour with intervieweeOs exit fro the roo&

PART 3 OF CASPER *AME: CRITICAL SELFREVIEW AN+ POSITIVE FEE+BAC6S

Part . of the Gae starts with intervieweeOs re5entry in the roo&

Critical Self5=eview, The Interviewee! (ased on that dayOs perforance! shall (rieQy and critically

self5evaluate and spea$ a(out his perforance& E*she shall @rst spea$ a(out ista$es

coitted (y hi i&e& coissions and then a(out what he*she ?itted& E&%& oission to sile&

) spontaneous and honest two inutes Self5confession&

Four Positive Feed(ac$s, Based on that dayOs perforance! each (oard e(er fro '+ to '1

shall spea$ turn (y turn for X two inutes %ivin% a Positive Feed(ac$*=eview& ) spontaneous and

honest Positive =eview& 'a$e it a %enuine (ut positive feed(ac$ strictly (ased on that dayOs

perforance& Precise! %enuine! honest and Sincere )ppreciation of what he*she li$ed& 'a$e the

Interviewee feel iportant& It shall (e a %reat otivator& It shall proote these positive Kualities

in all of you&

Su%%estions , >astly! (ased on that dayOs perforance! the Chair Person shall spea$ out soe

su%%estions for iproveent! if any& e*she ay use soe of the followin% words "/C. and

accopanyin% ha(its# ,

- Con@dence! Sile! Calness! Coolness! Patient >istenin%! =esponse with Positivity! Interested

>istenin%! Clarity of thou%hts and expression!

- oddin%! uality ?f >an%ua%e! Polite >an%ua%e!

- Char V Cheer! Positivity! Enthusias!

- Fran$ness! onesty! Inte%rity

=ationality! ental alertness! presence of ind! Good Coon Sense!

- uility! openness to Self Correction! =esponse to Correction and )dvice! Curiosity to >earn!

Con@dence and conviction in expressin% opinion&

4hy only Positive and no critical Feed(ac$N, Because Interviewers can critically coent!

contradict! exaine or cross5Kuestion the Interviewee in Part5+i&e& )ctual Interview itself&

PART D OF T,E MAIN *AME >CRAVE?

- C=)


13/22

Play, ow! fully vi%alie t$e !$"le 7r"&e "; t$at 'a#? intervie! in ever# 'etail: Go

throu%h the seKuence of intervieweeOs entry! interaction with each interviewer! the exit! re5entry!

IntervieweeOs critical Self5=eview and Feed Bac$s&

If you were Interviewer that day! ia%ine yourself in the place of that DayOs Interviewee& Thin$

creatively and Iprovise on intervieweeOs perforance& Creatively =e5visualise that dayOs actual

Interview process with yourself as an Interviewee& =e5perfor and =e5visuali3e the whole process!

with you as an interviewee perforin% with iproveents in every details li$e entry! listenin%!

siles! pauses! lan%ua%e! fresh or (etter answers etc&

Benet uch uch ore than you can ia%ine& The a(ove Gae is a wholesoe diet& It has

all the nutrients reKuired& 'il$ with )dded earnin% throu%h Royful Gaes! >earnin% throu%h

ista$es! iprovisin%! practicin%! Siulative >earnin%! >earnin% throu%h o(servations! >a(oratory

?f Personal Experiences! Co5operative >earnin% throu%h =ole Playin% and so on& Practice it Daily

at least for two onths and %ive a Coplete ourishent to your personality& Sotart 7la#in2 it

;r"m t"'a# "nl#:

>B%t I $ave n"t 7re7are' #et:?

= U still thin$in%N, I will play the a(ove %ae after a$in% preparations for a few days&O

Durin% the preparation for 4ritten Exaination! ajority of candidates thin$ the sae , I will

practice writin% only after a$in% preparations for a few days&O It was soe what excusa(le then

due to heavy tie constraints& ot excusa(le now (ecause you have enou%h tie&

So do not say , I will %o in water after I learn swiin%&O Be&a%e !it$"%t 2"in2 in !ater

n"ne &an learn !immin2:

B%t !"n?t I make man# mitakeG

Pre&iel#: T$at i t$e aim: Interview candidate cannot a6ord to a$e costly ista$es on the D5

day& Strate%y should (e to a$e any and varied ista$es of (oth types i&e& coissions andoissions& 'a$e the at the earliest& >earn fro the ethodically& The Trial V Error is the (est

ethod& =ecall Thoas Edison& Before inventin% an electric Bul(! he $ept on a$in% any and

varied ista$es of (oth types i&e& coissions and oissions& Each tie he learnt how not to

a$e an Electric (ul(& Finally! he ade it&

B%t !$at 9%eti"n t" ak a an intervie!erG

Ok: T#7e "; 9%eti"n actually as$ed in UPSC Interview are ,

+& Ice Brea$ers , easy to answer& Purpose is to a$e you coforta(le& 'ostly pertain to your

(io data in the D)F& >i$e ow your ho((y has helped you in real life! inforation a(out your

colle%e of Graduation etc&

.& Closed uestions , uestions havin% factual answers with no ela(oration& Purpose is todecide topics or areas on which further pro(in% Kuestions could follow or to Kuic$ly assess

your attentiveness and listenin% ore than $nowled%e& onestly answer the& Even when

you cannot answer! (e honest and precise& Before sayin% I do not $nowO! consider ,

H I have read*heard a(out it (ut cannot recollect at this oentO or


14/22

H Generalised response& E&%& 4hat data do you have to su(stantiate that your state has %ood

>aw and ?rder SituationNO )nswer ay (e I do not have any exact data (ut it is (ased on y

personal o(servations&O I saw %irls ovin% freely at ni%ht without any fear&O

0& ?pen ended uestions, The ost iportant ones& They reKuire detailed answers to assess

your personality& They deand your own answers! views and opinions and rationale

(ehind your views& eed to thin$ well (efore respondin%& Use LATE Te&$ni9%e !$ile

an!erin2&

>)TE stands for Liten Ak T$ink @ Eisten, >isten with interest& od alon% to show you are interested and attentive and to si%nal to

your ind , yes I canO& Sile often&

H )s$, as$ for clari@cation& If any dou(ts! clarify what you have understood a(out the Kuestion

and let hi*her con@r or clarify further& ?r siply as$ hi*her to repeat the Kuestion&

H Thin$, Thin$ to or%ani3e*frae and present your answer&

H Express, answer& Be honest! hu(le! epathetic and assertive as per need of the oent&

1& Pro(in% Kuestions, They assess clarity of thou%hts! views! feelin%s and attitudes& They are

often follow5up to your previous answers& They pro(e into your answers& Mou are as$ed to

justify& Mou are contradicted with opposite views& ?ften! the interviewers pretend to (e

displeased*not interested& They pretend it with their ne%ative words and (ody lan%ua%e to

assess your response in stressful situations& They do not stress you li$e a lawyer in the

court (ut li$e a polite elderly person& Mou need to (e con@dent! cal! positive and

assertive (ut yet hu(le&

/& The DevilOs )dvocate , These Kuestions are provocative& ?ften! interviewers express views

opposite to his*her actual view to assess your hidden prejudices! if any& The Kuestion why do

you want to (e a civil servantO is as$ed this way , Mou are already a doctor and earnin% ore

than a civil servant& )re you not wastin% countryOs precious resources (y optin% for CivilServicesNO

7& Sandwich uestions , a ix of any*all the a(ove& >i$e istory of reservation in India! who are

wea$er Sections! what Percenta%e! should we have it! caste*econoic status as criteria and so

on&

8& Clarifyin% Kuestions , Interviewer reQects (ac$ what you answered to clarify

understandin%& e*she ay use your paraphrase and say what he*she understood& e*she

ay actually suari3e what you said or (rin% new interpretation to it& But soeties

he*she pretends to have interpreted it di6erently just to chec$ your assertiveness!

inte%rity! con@dence or consistency& e*she assesses your listenin%! consistency and

understandin%&9& Corrective , Interviewer ay correct your actual ista$es or advice you li$e an elder and

chec$ your response& eed to (e cheerful! hu(le and open to correction and %rateful for

advices& 4hen you a$e a ista$e and do not self5correct it! they often as$ a Kuestion

just to hint at your ista$es& They chec$ whether you reali3e and adit a ista$e and

assess your (ehavior when your ista$e is revealed&


15/22

9& Situational or 4hat if Kuestions , hypothetical Kuestions& Cannot wor$ out your answer

(eforehand& Tests your a(ility to thin$ o(jectively and lo%ically& E&%& what shall (e your

priorities if you are a Collector of your oe DistrictNO

Use >)TE TechniKue while answerin%&

+2& uestions with a Dis%uised otive , In CSE 3145 man# &an'i'ate 7ani&ke' !$en

t$e 8"ar' mem8er 9%ie' t$em !it$ a ra7i' re "; man# trivial ;a&t%al

9%eti"n !$i&$ t$e# &"%l' n"t an!er: T$e# 2"t nerv"%: Interviewers often

pretended to (e dissatis@ed and often said , you ust $now thisO& This ade soe

Candidates ore nervous and entally a%itated (ecause they thou%ht that the panel was

conductin% a test of factual $nowled%e or a Kui3 contest and not the Personality Test& It

underined their con@dence! calness and even their faith in the interviewers& It

adversely a6ected their ar$s& )ctually! they fell into a tra7 "; H%eti"n !it$ a

+i2%ie' m"tive:

)ctually! the panel wanted to test their con@dence! calness and coposure durin% unexpected

situation& eed was to answer what you $now (ut cally and fran$ly sayin% I donOt $nowO to the

rest& Even i; #"% &ann"t an!er a $%n're' %&$ 9%eti"n #"% '" n"t l"e even a

in2le mark: %t maintainin2 #"%r &alm !"%l' ;et&$ #"% 'e&ent mark:

E&%& 4hat is the area of your hoe state and India in L&&sN ow any treors in Gujarat

EarthKua$eN ow any islands in IndiaN etc&

++& ?ut of the Box , coon sense Kuestions with no correct or incorrect answer& ere are

soe Exaples of Kuestions answered in UPSC Interview,

4hat will you do if I run away with your sisterN

), J I will not %et a (etter atch for y sister than you sirJ&

Interviewer "to a feale candidate# H 4hat if one ornin% you wo$e up V found that you were

pre%nant&), Girl H I will (e very excited and ta$e an o6! to cele(rate with y hus(and&

" Thin$ positively& #

Interviewer ordered a cup of co6ee for the candidate& Co6ee arrived and was $ept (efore the

candidate& what is (efore youN

Candidate instantly replied TeaJ&

)lpha(et TJ is (efore )lpha(et UJ&

Try answerin% followin% Kuestions actually answered in UPSC Interview,

+& ow can you drop a raw e%% onto a concrete Qoor without crac$in% itN

.& If it too$ ei%ht en ten hours to (uild a wall! how lon% would it ta$e four en to (uild itN

0& If you had three apples and four oran%es in one hand and four apples and three oran%esin the other hand! what would you haveN

1& ow can you lift an elephant with one handN

/& ow can a an %o ei%ht days without sleepN

7& If you throw a red stone into the (lue sea what it will (ecoeN

8& 4hat loo$s li$e half apple N

9& 4hat can you never eat for (rea$fast N


16/22

:& 4hat happened when wheel was invented N

+2& Bay of Ben%al is in which stateN

++& Twin (a(ies are (orn in 'ay& Their Birthday is in Rune& 4hyN

)nswers actually %iven (y CSE! .2+1 candidates,

+& Concrete Qoors are very hard to crac$Z

.& o tie at all it is already (uilt&

0&


17/22

*i;t E


18/22

Coission "PSC# till Ranuary .2+0& She %raduated fro >ady Leane Colle%e! Shillon%

and did her '&) "Education# fro Guwahati University& She then did her Ph& D "Education#

fro EU&

0& Mr: Alka Sir"$i , The Indian )dinistrative Service! +:81 Batch& ) post %raduate in

4estern istory! trained in ana%eent and issues related to sustaina(le developent&

=etired Secretary! Departent of Personnel and trainin%&

1& S$ri C$$atar Sin2$ , )n I)S ocer of aryana cadre& Belon%s to Dalit Counity& eld

several $ey positions in the state %overnent and retired in 'arch! .2+0 as the Principal

Secretary to C&'& of aryana& Played a $ey role in executin% various projects of the state

%overnent of aryana&

/& S$ri Vina# Mittal , Forer =ailway Board chairan and +:8/ (atch retired Indian

=ailway Trac Service ocer& Lnown as honest! soft5spo$en and hi%hly well5annered&

7& S$ri Man8ir Sin2$ , IFS of +:87 Batch& Forer Secretary in 'inistry of External )6airs&

Forer )(assador to soe countries&

8& S$ri + 6 +e!an , )n D) alunus& =etired as


19/22

Divide a(ove +2 e(ers in two %roups of Five&

Collect photo%raphs or )udio


20/22

*AME OF E @ O E To err is huan& To err is to prove that we are alive and not dead& Perfection

is either an ipossi(ility or a ira%e! not a reality& So to expect and %racefully accept own Errors

and ?issions is wisdo and calness& It helps you to iprove& Daily reind the words to your

ind, Errors and oissions expected&O

>i$e a Batsan failin% to play a (all in Cric$et! does not feel ! So niceO a(out his perforance&

But he cannot a6ord to feel So sorry&O e lets %o and waits for an opportunity in the next (all&

*AMES OF POLE @ ROPE

POLE stands for Personal ?(servations! >earnin%s and Experiences&

ROPE stands for =ecallin% ?(servations and Personal Experiences&

Ia%ine when you say, the ornin% Sun appears in the East&O If soeone contradicts you +2

ties! will you a%reeN 4hy wonOt youN Because you have personally o(served! learnt and

experienced the 'ornin% Sun in the East& That is the power of P?>E& It a$es you con@dent and

assertive without loosin% calness and huility& O8ervati"n are a&t%al Vi%al "r A%'i"

vi%al: Thin$ and connect your o(servations with iportant issues or topics and enrich yourself

with learnin%s and experiences full of your own conviction& Use the to your advanta%e in the

interview&

*ame O; +ail# AJrmati"n @ Oat$

) lot has (een said a(out the P"!er O; S7"ken W"r'& Mour words and thou%hts pro%ra your

ind li$e coands and scripts pro%ra a coputer&

=epeated spo$en stateents in the for of I aO or I doO or I haveO are arations& =epeated

spo$en stateents in the for of I willO are oaths& They pro%ra your su(conscious as per

your will& This process is siilar to the way creative visuali3ation wor$s& Mou need to have focus!

faith! passion and feelin%s in the self5spo$en words&

Play Daily ,

H Spea$ up one aration and oath aloud (efore a irror in the for of I a*have*do and so Iwill[O& E&%& I have the a(ility to spea$ foral lan%ua%e needed for interview& So I will spea$ only

foral lan%ua%e for three days even while tal$in% to faily or child or a house aidO

H =epeat it often and daily for three days (efore a irror*person with focus! passion and faith in

the self5spo$en words&

H =epeat it twice and daily for three days just (efore fallin% asleep in the ni%ht and (efore %ettin%

up fro (ed H the tie when you are in )lfa sta%e& This helps to positively pro%ra your

conscious and su(conscious inds&

H Execute each )ration and ?ath for three days in your =outine Daily huan Interactions with

faily! friends and others& Execute it as if you are an interview candidate& Experience the

(ene@ts at the end of third day& Trust e& 4ith alost 3ero tie investent! you will reap a richharvest& Execute earnestly&

H Execute! review and Experience its ipact for three days&

H 1th day , I a a %ood listener& So I will listen to all includin% children and servants for three

days& So I will >isten to the with noddin%! patience! interest and sile&O

H =epeat daily for three days (efore a irror*person&

H Execute! experience and review for three days&


21/22

H Ta$e (y rotation! one of the followin% for three days ,

H entally appreciate and ver(ally copleent one and all for any positive Kuality "/C.#

H politely respond (y words and (ody lan%ua%e and sile to one and all includin% house aids

H cally and positively respond even to cynics

H I a charin%& sile ore freKuently to one and all

H I a cal& 4ill use >)TE TechniKue in all conversations&

Frae your own )rations and ?aths in your own words& =epeat a(ove cycle& Take tri&tl#

"ne AJrmati"n @ Oat$ at a time to experience its positive result clearly&

*ame "; Bein2 a Better Litener Children are the (est listeners& Interact with the and

o(serve their interest! char! inKuisitiveness! sile and noddin%& 'entally appreciate the and

ver(ally copleent the for such Kualities whenever you interact with the& Even soe adults

are childli$e havin% those Kualities& So do it when you interact with the also& Mou will

autoatically i(i(e their Kualities in you&

*ame O; FAME F)'E stands for Facin% ) 'irror Experience& 'irror can (e used as your (est

entor& Pro@ta(ly use your daily routines (efore a irror li$e (rushin%! co(in% hair! shavin% etc&

4henever facin% a irror durin% your daily routines,

sile often& stri$e di6erent positive poses alon%with a sile&

E&%& Cric$eterOs victory pose! superanOs pose etc&

)s discussed earlier! spea$ up one aration and oath aloud (efore a irror in the for

of I a*have*do and so I will[O&

'a$e it a ha(it&

*ame O; POPE P?PE stands for Personal ?(servation of Perforance Experience& Sit in front of

a irror& )ctually perfor as an interviewee and watch the actual interview in the irror in detail&

Leep a set of Kuestions on a paper ready& =ead out Kuestions and answer the (efore a irror&

)lternatively! a friend as$s Kuestions and you answer the (efore a irror& =ecord it& =e5play the


22/22

>earn, Rust o(serve the physical syptos& Be aware of sensations in your (ody that you

are experiencin% li$e shallow (reath! raised heart (eats! ti%htness! sweatin%! tin%lin% and so

on& This will (rea$ the chain of ental or eotional reactions&

)ccept, accept the as a law of nature& )ccept it as purely oentary (odily syptos

with a cal ind&

4itness, just witness the as clouds passin% fast& 4itness the natural law& Mou will Kuic$ly

re%ain your calness and con@dence& Siply witnessin% will (rea$ the chain of ental

@%htin% or reactin% to teporary stress& 'ental @%htin% and reactin% prolon%s your otherwise

oentary stress& Rust (e aware of (odily sensations& >et the pass& Mou will soon reali3e that

any stress is a oentary reality (ut not an a(solute truth or an incura(le defect&

+" !$at #"% en"# spend at least 02 inutes daily to please yourself (y followin% your

passion or ho((y&

P$#i&al Part Do not i%nore your health& Eat healthy& Sleep well& )void over5eatin% or over5

sleepin%& Follow a daily routine of soe physical exercises or ornin% wal$s& Such ha(its nourish

your ental Kualities and physical @tness&

Mana2in2 lat 41 min%te >ast ten inutes of waitin% outside the Interview =oo are crucial&

'any candidates experience sudden (lan$ness! nu(ness! nervousness or stress durin% ten

inutes iediately precedin% the actual interview& So decide how you will ana%e those ten

inutes& Do what coforts and pleases you the ost&

@rst attend to natural calls&

upsc interview tips

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