UPSC Interviews: 2016-17

Debotosh Chatterjee, AIR 406 (2015-16) & AIR 486 (2016-17)

UPSC CSE 2016-17

Interview transcript

Board : Dr Arvind Saxena

Duration : 40 mins

Afternoon session, 1st to go.

Chairman (Took a major chunk of my interview, must be at least 15 to 20 minutes) (Read out my DAF. You graduated in 2015, and cleared exam that year itself!).   

  

1.  How do you know you are the “Most viewed writer” on Quora? (hobby)

2. Regarding GSTN, why has the government not kept 100% stake 

for itself?

3. A long question, with several branches and interpretations, but it 

boiled down to this - Why do we not sell our products to domestic 

market, but export instead? Why Make in India is important in this 

context, and not Make for India?

4. What is our top import? How to reduce use of petroleum in cars, buses, transport sector?

5. How to use electricity to reduce use of petroleum?

6. Why is India running after nuclear energy while rest of world is 

rejecting it, and manufacturers are going bankrupt?  Do we really

need nuclear energy and disasters?

Member 1

1. Why did Agatha Christie choose her detectives from France and

 not England? (hobby)

2. Is it true that Christie used to implement her ideas before 

penning them down?

3. The ‘views’ you get in Quora - are they from a localised region,

 or the entire world?

4. Can India generate and distribute piezoelectricity? Which 

countries have done it successfully so far?

5. What is the national game of India? Which game has potential to be India’s national game?

6. What is national animal of India? National bird?

Member 2

1. What is the motto of Society of Jesus? What differentiated SJ 

from other Christian orders? (School)

2. What comes to your mind when you think of Customs and trade 

& commerce?

3. Do you think C&CE department will improve in GST regime?

4. Even in GST regime, human factor is going to be present - in 

adjudication, etc. Why not completely eliminate it?

Member 3

1. You like IR? Which part you like? (optional)

2. India is having to rethink its border strategies in last couple of 

years - why?

3. What can you tell me about Bismarck? About Chanakya?

Member 4

1. Has UN been successful? What are the successful areas?

2. Smaller states - he gave a long statement. Should Gorkhaland be

 separated from Bengal?

3. Stretched the issue of Gorkhaland further.

End of Interview. 

Shekhar Kumar Chaudhary: AIR 624 (UPSC 2016-17)

Board: Sujata Mehta

Intw Panel : Chairman (C)+ Four Members(M1,M2,M3,M4)

I entered the room and greeted everyone and was asked to take seat.

C: So you are working as Commercial Tax Officer. Tell me something about GST.

A: GST is a revolutionary indirect tax reform with multiple benefits like one nation one market, less tax evasion, boost to GDP, ease of doing business etc.

C: Why Jute industries are in negatives?

A: Mam it is mainly because of 1. Partition of India with jute cultivated land going to erstwhile East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), introduction of plastics and trade unionism.

C: There is strong resistance from certain State govts to the Centre. Do you see cooperative federalism materializing in near future?

A: Mam ultimately as more people will get education and move to middle class. They will start demanding good governance thereby making cooperative federalism a success. They will not easily get swayed by politicians and will create the push for it. For example  GST which was a result strong push provided by the corporate lobby.

C passed on to M1 (Lady Member)

M1:  What according to you are the 3 most important problems the global economy is facing? 

Suggest solution for any one of them.

A:  1. Rise of protectionism

       2. Jobless growth

     3. Environmentally unsustainable economic growth.

Solution for 1^st problem:

     Multilateral institutions especially WTO should be respected and strengthened.  India should aggressively pursue her interest in WTO in having free trade in Services sector.

M2: How would you ensure communication in a remote area?

A: I will go for satellite communication e.g usage of VSATs.

M2: What is its limitation?

A: We can only have limited speed as at higher frequencies there will be more atmospheric attenuation of signals due to water molecules.

M2: How would you ensure communication to cope up with the situation of nuclear bomb explosion at Delhi?

A:  I would study the depth below ground surface till which nuclear bomb will have any impact.

 I will construct a bunker below that depth for installation of communication equipments.

M3: What is shifting cultivation?

A:  Said

M3: How would you ensure education of these tribal children whose family shifting cultivation?

A:  I will identify leaders from themselves and guide them, coach them so that they can pass on the same to their community. These identified people will be remunerated for that which will act as a motivation for the whole group.

M4: What is Piltdown man?

A: I don’t know sir.

M4: What is RRI and SSI?

A: Route Relay Interlocking and Solid State Interlocking.

M4: How would you identify if an animal is a monkey or an ape?

A: (Anthropology related question) Explained.

C  said your interview is over and best of luck.

Note:  No counter question by anyone except M4. Never expected such a cordial board. C said good multiple times and kept on writing certain points in between.