Interview
Interview or the Personality Test as the UPSC calls it is the final stage of CSE and hardly 3000 candidates proceed to this round. The way the CSE is structured, it is the Mains Examination which largely determines whether the candidate makes it to the list or not. The interview is categorical only in determining the rank. The average marks in the interview range from 160 to 200 out of a total of 275.
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I have divided this section into two parts. Part 1 contains the aspects which I feel the Interview Board is looking for in a potential candidate and Part 2 contains my strategy and preparation for this final stage of the exam.
What is the Board looking for in a candidate?
The UPSC Interview Board consists of a chairperson who is a Member of the UPSC and 4 other panelists who are from various backgrounds like college professors, defense and policy experts, ISRO personnel, people from the banking sector, etc.
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In my limited experience of giving the interview once, I realised that there are some particular qualities that the board is looking for in a candidate. These are - Commitment to Rule of Law, Commitment to the Ideals of the Constitution, Public Service Mentality, Confidence, Decision-Making Ability, Capacity to Implement one's Decision, Sticking to one's rational thinking even when provoked by seniors, Speaking Truth to Power, Spontaneity, Leadership, Proactiveness and an Upright Character.
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These are qualities that cannot be developed in a few months before the interview and rest-assured, can not be faked in front of a highly experienced panel. Hence, every CSE aspirant must pledge to live by these qualities to not only crack the Personality Test but also to serve as a dedicated civil servant.
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My Strategy and Preparation
Preparing for the Interview is the most dynamic part of the CSE and it is tailor-made for every single candidate. It is all about knowing your own-self and your surroundings. The Detailed Application Form (DAF) is filled only after the Mains Examination result. Filling the DAF diligently is very important as it is the only source of information that the Interview Board has about the candidate.
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Post-filling-up the DAF, I had started preparing on the things I mentioned in the form. Honestly, this was a half-hearted effort as I, for one have always believed in being spontaneous about questions on my own life and work. Preparation on such topics did not appeal to me as it created a sense of artificialness in my answers. Improvising on the spot has been one of the keystone elements of my interview experience. This was the reason I decided not to go for any of the mock interviews.
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Knowing that I had graduated not even a year earlier, I had assumed that the bulk of the questioning would be on my college subjects and the work I did in those 3 years. Hence, I prepared well for the current happenings in the field of Commerce, Economics, Banking, etc. Reading international papers like The Economist, The Foreign Policy, etc. had been a regular habit since college days and they helped in developing a perspective for the interview.
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I did not make any specific notes for the purpose of the interview. Nonetheless, I kept a check-list on my phone to which I used to add topics to prepare which crossed my mind at random times of the day and hence, the dynamism of the Interview.
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Owing to the Covid-19 Pandemic, my Interview was delayed by 4 months from March to July 2020. To keep away from the regular bursts of anxiousness and feeling of uncertainty, I devoted time to reading non-fiction which really expanded my thinking capacity. The support of family and friends at that crucial time was something that kept me going.
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Finally, the Interview is all about being yourself. Do not try to emulate any other person for an interview (or in life in general). Being you and you only is what they are anyway looking for.