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[UPSCInterviewPreparation]Basicapproachand
frameworkbyAnoopShetty(TopperofIASandIFoS
exam)
PostedByOn17/06/2013@10:22amInStudyplan|43Comments

ThisisaguestarticlewrittenbyMr.ANOOPSHETTY,whosecured3rd
rankinIndianForestServiceexamand140thrankinCivilServiceExam
(Heclearedbothexamsin2012andthattoowithoutcoaching.)
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Aboutyourself
AboutyourCollege
Aboutyourplace
Aboutyourhobbies
OpinionBasedQuestions
GeneralAdvice:
MyIFoSInterview
MyCivilServicesInterview(2012)

Dearreaders,HereisalistofBasicframeworkofwhatquestionshouldbe
prepared.Thispostisbasedonmypersonalexperienceandinformation
collectedfromfriendsandseniors.

Aboutyourself
1. Whatisyourrollnumber?
2. Tellmeaboutyourself?
3. Whatisyourheight/weight/ageetc.?(thesearetryingtomakeyou
fumble.keepcool)
4. Whatisthemeaningofyournameorsurname?
5. Famouspersonshavingsamebirthdayoryear
6. Whyyouwanttojoincivilservices?
7. WhyyourfirstpreferenceisIASorIPSorIFS?

AboutyourCollege
1. Refreshyourknowledgeaboutthebranchofyourgraduation.Also
updateyourawarenessaboutrecentdevelopmentsinyourbranch.
2. Collectinformationabouttheuniversity/institutewhereyouare
graduatedfrom?
3. CollectinformationaboutUPSCmembers,theirserviceandcadre
4. Youcanalsoexpectsomequestionsregardingyouroptionalsubject

5. Whyyouhavechosenthisoptional?
6. Whyyouwantjoinevenafterhighereducation.Dontyouthinkyou
shouldcontributeinyourfieldofspecialization?(Ifyouhavedonepost
graduationorPh.D.)
7. Whydontyoucontinueinresearch?(Ifyouarefromscience
background)

Aboutyourplace
Collectcompleteinformationaboutyourhomestateorstateofresidence,in
followingsectors:
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History
Politics
Culture
Tourism
Generalstatistics(census2011)
Recentdevelopmentsandcurrentaffairs
Personalities
Development
Socialproblems

Herearesomeexamplequestions:
1. Whatisspecialaboutyourplace?(village/city/district/state)
2. Touristorhistoricalplacesaroundyournativeplace?
3. Tellmefivepositivesandnegativesaboutyourplace?(native
place/district/state/placeofgraduation)
4. Whatarethemajorproblemsinyourdistrict/state?
5. Historicalimportanceofyournativeplace/anyplaceinyourcity?
6. Generalstatisticsaboutyourdistrict/state?population,population
density,literacy,economicimportance,healthetc.
7. Famouspersonalitiesofyourstateanddistrict?(inthefieldofart,
literature,sports,socialworkersandleaders)
8. Listchiefministersofdifferentstates?(EspeciallyNorthEastern
states)

Aboutyourhobbies
Collectcompleteinformationaboutyourhobbies
Personalitiesassociatedwiththehobby
Importanceofyourhobby
Informationaboutitinhistoricalperspective
Youractivitiesrelatedyourhobby
Benefitsofyourhobby
Sometimestherewillbesomeunexpectedquestionsregardingyour
sportsinterests.TheymaysayOh!Youplayvolleyball,thenIllask
aboutbasketball/cricket.Asweetsmileissufficienttodealwithsuch

questions.

Forexampleifyourhobbyisreadingbooks:
1. Whichkindofbooksyouread,fiction/nonfiction?
2. Nameofthelastbookyouread?Whoistheauthorofthatbook?What
thatbookisabout?Howisthatbook?Nameotherbooksofthesame
author?
3. Whoisyourfavouritewriter?Why?
4. WhowonNobel(literature),ManBooker,DSCprize,Jnanpithaward
thisyear?
5. Whichsports/gamesyouplay?

Forexampleifyouranswerisvolleyball
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Nationalandinternationaleventsinvolleyball
WhowonOlympics,worldcupetc
Differentrulesandregulationsofvolleyball
Specificationsregardingcourtsize,netwidthandlengthetc.
Whichisyourfavouritepositioninvolleyball
CaptainofIndianteam
TopplayersofIndianteam
Whoisyourfavouriteplayer?Why?
Recentdevelopmentsinvolleyball

OpinionBasedQuestions
Buildyouropinionaboutdifferentissuesofnationalimportance:someof
thegeneralissuesarelistedbelow:
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Multipartysystemvs.Twopartysystem
Primeministerialsystemvs.presidentialsystem
Coalitionpoliticsargumentsforandagainst
Regionalpartiesandtheirimportance
NaxalismandIndianpolicytowardsnaxalcontrol.Whatneedtobe
done?
Rivers,riverwatersharing,riverlinking,rivertribunalsetc.
Basicconceptsofstatisticsandtheirapplicationsmean,median,
mode,AM,GM,HM,Standarddeviation,coefficientofvariation
Geographyofyourhomestateanddistrict.
Euthanasia/mercykilling
HonourkillingandKhaps
Tribalissuesandtribaldevelopment
Recentlegislationsandnewpolicies
Politicsofyourhomestate
Waterconservationandwaterharvestingwithspecialfocustoyour
state
Juvenileandjuvenilejustice
Capitalpunishment/deathpenaltyargumentsforandagainstand

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otherrelatedissues
ImportantwarsofIndiae.g.Buxar,Panipat,Plassey,Anglomysore,
AngloNepal,AngloAfghan,IndoPak,IndoChinaetc.
Actspassedbeforeindependenceregulatingacts,1909Act,1919
Act,1935Actetc.
ConceptofLeft,rightandcentre.
Communism,Socialism,Capitalism
Maoism,Marxism,Leninism
Communalism
IsraelPalestineproblem.IndiasrelationwithIsrael
IndoChinarelations
IndoPakrelations
IndoUSrelations
IndoRussiarelations
Recentinternationaldevelopments
Developmentvs.environment.
Howtobalancedevelopmentandenvironmentalprotection
Sustainabledevelopment
Demandfornewstates:prosandcons
Smallstatevs.largestate
Terrorismandmeasurestocontrolterrorisminindia
Poverty:causesforpoverty,itsestimation,measurestobetaken
Corruption:Causes,measurestocontrolcorruption
Biodiversityanditsconservation
Mining,mininginforests,illegalminingandrelatedissues
AFSPA:argumentsforandagainst
Publicprivatepartnership:prosandcons.
Ruralproblemsandruraldevelopment
Foodsecurityandrelatedissues
Directcashtransfer:Prosandcons
WhatislackinginsportsadministrationinIndia?
Policereforms
Indianintelligence
FDI,inflation,importexportetc.
AgriculturalcreditandAgriculturalinsurance
Webregulation,socialmediaprosandcons,ITact,etc.
Famouswritersandtheatrepersonalitiesofyourstate
Pardoningpowerofpresidentanditsimportance
Protectionandpromotionofregionallanguages
Environmentalissues
Recentcentralgovt.programmes/schemes,bills,ordinances,acts,
policiesetc.

GeneralAdvice:
1. Donottrytobluffthem.Bestraightandhumble.
2. Ifyouarenotsureabouttheanswerthentellthemthatthisisthe
answer.butImnotsure.Ifyoudontknowtheanswer,butyouare

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guessingthentellthemthatitsaguessoraskfortheirpermissionto
guess.
Whateveryousay,sayitconfidently.Donotlie.Evenifyoulie,doit
confidently.
Smilingfaceisalwaysdesirable(itindicatesyouarenotnervous)
Donottalknegative.Beoptimistic.Showthatyouhaveconstructive
thinking.
Donotgetexcited.Keepcalm.Donotloseyourpatience.
Interviewshouldnotbetakenasaquestionanswersession.Itisa
friendlyconversationandhealthydiscussion.

MyIFoSInterview
v. Interviewscore:205/300
v. Board:IMGKhan
v. Background:B.Sc.(Agriculture),M.Sc.(Agriculture)andpursuing
Ph.D.BelongstoDakshinaKannadadistrictofKarnataka.
v. Duration:2025minutes

Chairman:
1. ManyAgriculturalgraduatesarecomingintoIFSandcivilservices.
Dontyouthinktheyshouldcontinueintheirfieldandcontributetothe
researchinagriculture?
2. DontyouthinkyouarewastingyourdegreebycomingintoIFS?
3. YouhavestudiedinbothsouthIndiaandNorthIndia.Tellmewhatis
thedifferencebetweenNorthIndianandsouthIndianagriculture?
4. WhataboutthedifferencebetweenNorthandSouthintermsofwater
availability?
5. Youknowforestsaredestroyedandconvertedintoagriculturalland.
Whatshouldbedone?
6. Therearelargeplantationsoftreesinyourarea.Butonlyonetype
treesareplantedinalargearea.Doyouthinkitsgood?Why?
7. WhyyouwanttojoinIFS?

Member1:
1. WhatwouldyoudoifyoubecomeIFS?
2. Whysomesectionsofsocietyareleftout?Whytheyarenotinthe
mainstream?Whatshouldbedone?
3. WhatisRighttoEducation?

Member2:
1. Whysometribalgroups(MedhisitwasprobablySiddhis)nearby
Dharwadareaareroamingontheroads.Whytheirlivesareaffected?
2. Whichwasthefirstvegetabletobedomesticated?
3. Namethecropwhichwasfirsttobedomesticated?Whereitwasfirst
domesticated?

Member3:
Allquestionswerebasedonhobbies
1. Whatwasthelastbookyouread?ANS:PaxIndicabyShashi
Tharoor
2. HowisShashiTharoorasawriter?
3. AreyouonTwitter?
4. WhatisthisYakshagana(MyHobby)
5. TellmeotheroutdooractivityyoudootherthanVolleyballand
athletics?
6. Foroutdoorphotographyyouhavetowalkalot.Areyouinterestedin
trekking?
7. HaveyoutrekkedallaroundDakshinaKannada?
8. HaveyoubeentoAgumbe?ANS:No
9. HaveyouheardaboutAgumbe?
10. Whatsspecialaboutit?

Member4:
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Whatwereyoudoingafter2009?ANS:Ph.D.
WhatsyourresearchareainPh.D.?
Tellmeaboutyourresearchfindingstillnow?
WhenareyoucompletingyourPh.D.?
YouaregettingICARSRF.Howmuchdoyouget?

MyCivilServicesInterview(2012)
v.
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v.

Interviewscore:190
Board:IMGKhan
ServicePreference:IPSIASIFS
Background:B.Sc.(Agriculture),M.Sc.(Agriculture)andpursuing
Ph.D.BelongstoDakshinaKannadadistrictofKarnataka.
vi. Duration:2530minutes

Chairman:
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AreyoudoingPh.D.?
WhenareyoucompletingPh.D.?
Whatsyourresearchtopic?
Soyouareworkingontomatobreeding.InEuropetheygrow
tomatoesinpolyhouseandtransportfromSpaintoUKnall.We
producelargequantityoftomato,whycantweexporttoEurope?
IsthereanyGMvarietyinTomatoinIndia?
RelationbetweenGMcropandorganicfarming?
Areweproducingtomatoesorganically?
DoyourecommendorganicfarminginIndia?
YouhavementionedyourmothertongueasTulu.Whereitis
spoken?

10. WhetherTuluhasscript?
11. Indiahashugediversityinlanguages?Whatneedstobedoneto
promoteregionalandneglectedlanguages?
12. Therewasnewsaboutalanguagewhichisspokenbyonlyone
person.Doyouknowtheregionwherethatlanguageisspoken?
13. Whichscheduleoftheconstitutionhasprovisionforlanguages?

Member1:
1. NamesomeoftherecentvarietiesreleasedbyUAS,Dharwad(Univ.
whereIgraduatedfrom)?
2. Youknowredchillies.Doyouknowlongchillivarietyintroducedfrom
Brazil?
3. WhyKisanMelaisrequired?Dontyouthinkitsawaste?

Member2:
1. (HereadsomestatisticsfromasurveymadebyIndiaTodayregarding
corruptioninIndia)So,howtocontrolcorruption?Tellmeinpoints.
2. Tellmewhatisthebasicthingincontrollingcorruption?
3. In1960sSecretaryforJohnF.KennedyhastoldChinaisthebiggest
threattotheWorld?ThoughRussiawasthebiggestthreattoUSAat
thattime,whatmaybethereasonthatmadehimtosaythat?
4. TellmewhymanyareagainstIsrael?Tellmeinhistorical
perspective?
5. WhyChinaisaheadofIndiaingrabbingopportunitiesaroundthe
world?E.g.InSrilanka,Maldives,Africa.Whyarewelaggingbehind?

Member3:
1. (Hereadsomestatisticsregardingincomedisparityexplaining
percentageofmillionairesandpoorinIndia)Whythisincome
disparityexistsinIndia?
2. Whichcountryhashighestpopulation?
3. SoChinadoesnothavesuchdisparitydespitehavinghighest
population.WhyIndiahassuchincomedisparity?

Member4:
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Whatislackinginsportsadministration?
(Basedonmyanswer)Soyouaresayingwearenotdoingwell?
Whichsportsyouplay?
YouknowrecentlyIOChasdecidedtodropboxingfromOlympics.
Whatdoyouthinkaboutthat?(Icorrecteditaswrestling.Henodded)
5. Doyouknowabouthousingprobleminpoliceservice?
6. HaveyoueverhadanencounterwithKarnatakapolice?(Everybody
laughsattheuseofwordencounter)
Attheendchairmansaysthankyouanoop.Ithankedeveryoneand

startedwalkingtowardsthedoor.Thenchairmanstoppedmeandsaid,We
havenotaskedyouwhyyougaveIPSasfirstpreference.Itsuptoyouto
thinkanddecide.Everyonestartedlaughing.Itoosmiledandwalkedout.

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basicapproachandframeworkbyanoopshettytopperofiasandifos
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