First time to Delhi, didn't start on a high note. After trying hard to avoid taking a cab to airport in Bangalore, I finally decided to go by BMTC bus. Some foreigner shouted at me for not following the queue at food court(I thought I had to pay the bill first and then order, so finally ended up moving opposite to the queue). Finally while going for the interview, I was almost hit by an auto. What was I doing? I walked on the road for some time whether I should walk, or should I take the human drawn riksha to the nearest metro station. I struggled for sometime, between the inhumanness of sitting on a three wheeler with thin tyres and asking the other person to pull it for a kilometre, and the alternative of being a source of livelihood for the puller. There are too many people, than what I expected inside. There was no place to stand on the first train. It felt like Bombay local train. My thoughts drifted to what would Delhi govt do after finding that the much touted metro too is unable to take the ocean of people after a few years. Another thing I observed while waiting outside the UPSC building was the funny caps on the DTC buses.
Officials were too cordial inside the building, to write even a word against them here. CISF guard checked my pockets before taking me to the interview room, so that I am not carrying any cellphones to influence the interviewers inside(Phone call is an infamous instrument of influence in India). I waited for 10 mins outside the interview room, before the final call to come inside came. I could clearly hear my heartbeat. There were five people including an imposing figure of the chairman. I said "May I come in" but I couldn't wish 'Good evening' everyone, it seemed too artificial. The chairman said something about if I am working or not, I couldn't get it properly, made the optimum choice, and replied,
Me: Yes sir, I am working right now
Chairman: Where are you working?
Me: Sir, I am working for Google
Member 4: So, you worked for Microsoft and then shifted to Google?
Me: Yes Sir
Thats all, questions about my background
Chairman: You mentioned, you are interested in reading books especially on history and political science.
Me: Yes Sir
Chairman: What is the book that influenced you most in the last few years.
I took the 'last few years' generously and said
Me: Glimpses of World History.
Chairman: Glimpses of World History? When did you read it?
Me: When I was in 12th class sir.
Chairman: No, No, in the last few years
Me: Fatal Purity
Chairman: What is it about?
Me: Its biography of Maximilian Robespierre, french revolutionary
Member 2: Robespierre? (she spelled it differently)
Me: Yes Ma'am
It seems chairman probably wanted to make sure I am not bluffing
Chairman: Who wrote it?
Me: Ruth Scurr
Chairman: Who??
Me: Sir, Ruth Scurr, it is the author's name
Chairman: Ok. Why did the author called it as fatal purity
Hard to remember what exactly I said there, so writing in my own words (especially, my English was quite bad when I spoke there)
Me: Robespierre, was a strange personality, being called as incorruptible by some and blood thirsty dictator by others. It was all because, he tried to be true to what he believed in till the end, without any compromise at any point of time. Whatever he believed in, he tried to follow it and he was ultimately executed for that same reason.
The above thing I probably didn't say in one go, probably said after he interrupted me to say "No, what is the importance of purity there."
Some member said something about Jacobins.
Chairman: Who are Jacobins?
Me: Jacobins are revolutionaries who participated in french revolution
Chairman: Why are they called as Jacobins?
Me: Because they assembled in St. Jacobin's church for the first time.
Chairman: Now tell me what is the Jacobin's idea of purity?
I said something similar to what I said above. Chairman made it very serious,
Chairman: See, don't give me abstract answers like this. Be serious. This is important for both your career and my job. Now tell me what is the Jacobin's idea of purity. Thats all.
I said something. The chairman didn't look satisfied. He probably expected me to say the phrase 'ideological purity', but I tried to say the same in my own words :(.
In fact he actually looked like completely pissed off and pointed his hand to other member to take over.
The other member had a rough book in front of him, and he said word by word slowly looking from it "FDI....in......higher......education,..........." made some statement, without a clue about what is the question. I had no clue whether he is asking me to support it, or oppose it, or to comment on it. I started with something, but quickly said, I am sorry sir, I didn't get the question, Could you please repeat it. The chairman took over and gave a long talk on how primary education is important, and we cannot divert funds from primary to higher education. So long that I started feeling bad for allowing the interviewer to clarify the question for such long time. I said,
Me: Yes sir, primary education is important, we have invested heavily on primary education in the last few years.....
Interrupting me,
Member 3: But there is nothing there, there is a room and a roof, no board, no teacher, no toilets
Me(continuing from where I was interrupted): Yes sir, but we have reached near universal levels in enrollment in primary education and the students who were enrolled in primary education in last few years will come for higher education in next 5-6 years and there will be huge demand for higher education
Member 3 again interrupted me of course. Even now, neither he have a clue that I am not opposing FDI in Higher Education, nor I have a clue that he thinks I am opposing it.
Member 3: Yes that is why we need more investments in Higher Education
Now, I thought I am supposed to oppose it
Me: But they come for profits, they don't come with a mission to educate us. Also higher education is not just about merely acquiring knowledge, but it is about imparting right national ethos into the students. So, foreign universities who come only for profits......
Member 3(Interrupted again) So what? Let them make profits. Our students are going en mass to other countries, Harvard etc to study. Why not we allow them in our country itself.
By now, I realized I have to make clear my stand
I probably said something else also, but finally said,
Me: Yes sir, I am also in support of FDI in higher education.
Member 3: Ok
In the meantime chairman went to bathroom and as soon as he returned, Member 3 told him, "He finally said he supports it"
I couldn't make out what it means on me. There was lot of confusion, and I really don't know what they expected from me. But whatever it is I should have given a more elaborate justification about why I finally chose to support it.
Member 3 asked some small questions
Member 3: Where does earthquakes occur in the world?
Me: They occur mostly at the plate boundaries, which means mostly around pacific ocean, Himalayas, (about to say alps, but my mind was so much in mess that I doubted whether alps really are in Europe, in which case should I say it or limit at Himalayas, but finally said) and alps chain
Member 3: What is Richter scale?
Me: Sir, It is used to measure intensity of earthquakes.
(I was worried I chose wrong definition out of those of the two scales related to eathquake)
But that was correct.
Member 3: What is the difference between 6 and 7 on it?
Now, this was too easy,
Me: Its a logarithmic scale, so earthquake measuring 7 on Richter scale will be 10 times more effective than that with 6
I don't know why he asked again. He didn't seem like he heard my answer properly
Member 3: How many times?
Me: 10 times sir. Its a logarithmic scale with base 10
By this time, other members were telling Member 3, that "it is 10 times". Everybody know it and they were helping Member 3
Member 3: What is a Tsunami?
Me; Tsunami is a huge sea wave generated by under sea earthquakes or some plate readjustments
I was worried how he would take the 'some plate readjustments' part in the above answer. But he seem to accepted it.
Now, Member1's turn
Member 1: You seem to have read about french revolution(I was happy inside. This should be easy, I thought). Can you tell me some parallels between french revolution and India's struggle for independence.
Me: Sir, it is hard to find parallels between French revolution and India's struggle for independence, because french revolution happened abruptly and it was very violent, but India's independence movement is 'mostly' non-violent, and happened over a long time.
Chairman nodded in agreement and I was more than happy
Me (continuing): But, we can find some parallels, in some of the events, especially events like Civil disobedience movement had witnessed large mass of people coming onto the street protesting in large numbers against government and violating the laws en masse. Other such events like those happened during quit India movement, world war II resembled events in french revolution.
That was bad answer. I should have drawn parallals in ideology. Member 1 was quick.
Member 1: But what about the ideals? Tell me the ideals of French Revolution.
Me: Sir, Liberty, Equality, Fraternity
Never been more proud to say something.
Member 1: Now compare with Independence struggle.
I started saying something, but he started to talk about something else. I tried to compete but gave up, and he said something about something else.
Another question,
Member 1: Coming to Indian software industry, Why are Indian companies doing good only in services. Why we don't have good product companies.
Frankly, I don't know a lot about it. I said what came to my mind at that time
Me: Its is mostly because product segment usually need lot of investment at the start and the returns on it takes a long time to come. Our companies, having scarce resources find it hard to make such long term investments. Where as in services, the money invested start giving returns in a very short duration. That is why products' segment is still dominated by MNCs.
Member 1 then said something like '..but why is it so.....', I couldn't make out correctly
But I already answered it :(
Then I made a general statemet about how we have huge market especially in government sector and also in private sector, and there is alot of scope for product companies, we already have some. In the end added, yeah, as of now, MNCs like Microsoft, Google dominate the market.
Again no idea whether he was satisfied with my answer or, thought I was just trynig to make sweeping generalizations
Then Member 2 took over.
Member 2: Anil, you studied in Kanpur. So, though your institute is located outside it, you must have visited the interior city. So, tell me the most visible thing in Kanpur that needs reform(She probably didn't say reform. I don't remember what exactly she said).
Me: Roads
I was so quick, other members started laughing
Member 2: Roads?
Me: Yes, they are very narrow. Nothing fits into them, even the buses introduced have to be....
Member 2(Interrupting me) What about traffic?
Me: But traffic problem is basically because of Roads
Chairman: Yeah
He was too generous for me
Member 2: What is the role played by Kanpur in freedom struggle.
Me: Kanpur played very important role, especially during the 1857 revolution, and also many grassroots level movements at the time of freedom struggle have their roots in Kanpur and surrounding areas, for example Kisan sabha movement...
Interrupted me again,
I should have been more specific,
But nevertheless they didn't give me that much time
Member 2: name 2 important leaders from Kanpur
Me: I had put a clueless expression
Chairman: You said you read history, tell us two important leaders from kanpur.
I was frank
Me: Specifically from Kanpur, I don't know sir
Chairman gave two names.
First one, I said I don't know
Second one was SM Banerjee
I confused it with Surendranath Banerjee.
Also there were many banerjees in 1880's INC's sessions. So I said I know,
He was to quick to allow me to realize my mistake.
Chairman: Who was He?
Me: Sir He participated in 1885 Indian National Congress session
Chairman: No, that was WC Banerjee. This is 'S' 'M' Banerjee
Me: I don't know sir
That was quite ad
Member 2: What are national awards?
I was confused, whether I am supposed to define 'national awards' or am supposed to list them.
I hesitated for a moment and started,
Me: Padma shri, Padma bhushan..
I was little hesitant and slow.
Member 2 had sensed the opportunity, probably thought I don't know what are the padma awards
Member 2: What are the padma awards
Me: Padma shri, padma bhushan, padma vibhushan and bharata ratna
I was thinking all the time, while answering, about the possible reasons for asking such silly questions. Probably I looked very dumb, I thought
Member 2: What is the highest among them
Me: Bharata ratna
Member 2: Who is given bharat ratha?
Me: People who excel in art, literature, public service or science
they looked ok with the answer, but that was actually wrong. I found later that govt recently modified the criteria.
The last member asked some thing about national knowledge question. Both question and answer were too dumb to reproduce here.
I might have missed few other smaller questions.
In the end Chairman said, 'You may go now'.
I don't know how long it went on. Probably 20-25 mins.
I felt very bad after coming out. I put a forcible smile on my face so as not to dishearten the next and last guy sitting outside the room.
I came to the waiting hall, and the last 2-3 guys sitting there observed me and tried to console me, 'You look very serieous man. Its alright. Don't worry'
Everybody looked calm, coming back from the interview. Only I was sad it seems.
Pondering over it, I don't regret not being able to answer the questions on history of kanpur or some stupid unclear questions from some members, who are themselves not clear of what to ask and merely throwing topics onto me. But I regret something, probably for the rest of my life, that I could not satisfy the chairman on jacobin's idea of purity. It is something I so identify as an insiration, but I still could not say it when I needed to say it. I thought of asking the chairman, what is the jacobin idea of purity, that I failed to answer. But by the time I decided to ask, I was outside the room.
This could very well be a template for all the bad things that could happen in upsc interview. For any prospective candidate reading this,
1. There will be all kinds of men in the panel. People who are admirable scholars whom we have never met outside and also people who just want to ask something and complete their responsibility. Sometimes I felt like out of words to answer some pointless questions from some members.
2. Nobody can remember what exactly they answered in the interview room. Things will be very messy inside with random questions being shooted from all directions. All the transcipts published in blogs/magazines can only be refined versions with clear language and perfect order of expression
Officials were too cordial inside the building, to write even a word against them here. CISF guard checked my pockets before taking me to the interview room, so that I am not carrying any cellphones to influence the interviewers inside(Phone call is an infamous instrument of influence in India). I waited for 10 mins outside the interview room, before the final call to come inside came. I could clearly hear my heartbeat. There were five people including an imposing figure of the chairman. I said "May I come in" but I couldn't wish 'Good evening' everyone, it seemed too artificial. The chairman said something about if I am working or not, I couldn't get it properly, made the optimum choice, and replied,
Me: Yes sir, I am working right now
Chairman: Where are you working?
Me: Sir, I am working for Google
Member 4: So, you worked for Microsoft and then shifted to Google?
Me: Yes Sir
Thats all, questions about my background
Chairman: You mentioned, you are interested in reading books especially on history and political science.
Me: Yes Sir
Chairman: What is the book that influenced you most in the last few years.
I took the 'last few years' generously and said
Me: Glimpses of World History.
Chairman: Glimpses of World History? When did you read it?
Me: When I was in 12th class sir.
Chairman: No, No, in the last few years
Me: Fatal Purity
Chairman: What is it about?
Me: Its biography of Maximilian Robespierre, french revolutionary
Member 2: Robespierre? (she spelled it differently)
Me: Yes Ma'am
It seems chairman probably wanted to make sure I am not bluffing
Chairman: Who wrote it?
Me: Ruth Scurr
Chairman: Who??
Me: Sir, Ruth Scurr, it is the author's name
Chairman: Ok. Why did the author called it as fatal purity
Hard to remember what exactly I said there, so writing in my own words (especially, my English was quite bad when I spoke there)
Me: Robespierre, was a strange personality, being called as incorruptible by some and blood thirsty dictator by others. It was all because, he tried to be true to what he believed in till the end, without any compromise at any point of time. Whatever he believed in, he tried to follow it and he was ultimately executed for that same reason.
The above thing I probably didn't say in one go, probably said after he interrupted me to say "No, what is the importance of purity there."
Some member said something about Jacobins.
Chairman: Who are Jacobins?
Me: Jacobins are revolutionaries who participated in french revolution
Chairman: Why are they called as Jacobins?
Me: Because they assembled in St. Jacobin's church for the first time.
Chairman: Now tell me what is the Jacobin's idea of purity?
I said something similar to what I said above. Chairman made it very serious,
Chairman: See, don't give me abstract answers like this. Be serious. This is important for both your career and my job. Now tell me what is the Jacobin's idea of purity. Thats all.
I said something. The chairman didn't look satisfied. He probably expected me to say the phrase 'ideological purity', but I tried to say the same in my own words :(.
In fact he actually looked like completely pissed off and pointed his hand to other member to take over.
The other member had a rough book in front of him, and he said word by word slowly looking from it "FDI....in......higher......education,..........." made some statement, without a clue about what is the question. I had no clue whether he is asking me to support it, or oppose it, or to comment on it. I started with something, but quickly said, I am sorry sir, I didn't get the question, Could you please repeat it. The chairman took over and gave a long talk on how primary education is important, and we cannot divert funds from primary to higher education. So long that I started feeling bad for allowing the interviewer to clarify the question for such long time. I said,
Me: Yes sir, primary education is important, we have invested heavily on primary education in the last few years.....
Interrupting me,
Member 3: But there is nothing there, there is a room and a roof, no board, no teacher, no toilets
Me(continuing from where I was interrupted): Yes sir, but we have reached near universal levels in enrollment in primary education and the students who were enrolled in primary education in last few years will come for higher education in next 5-6 years and there will be huge demand for higher education
Member 3 again interrupted me of course. Even now, neither he have a clue that I am not opposing FDI in Higher Education, nor I have a clue that he thinks I am opposing it.
Member 3: Yes that is why we need more investments in Higher Education
Now, I thought I am supposed to oppose it
Me: But they come for profits, they don't come with a mission to educate us. Also higher education is not just about merely acquiring knowledge, but it is about imparting right national ethos into the students. So, foreign universities who come only for profits......
Member 3(Interrupted again) So what? Let them make profits. Our students are going en mass to other countries, Harvard etc to study. Why not we allow them in our country itself.
By now, I realized I have to make clear my stand
I probably said something else also, but finally said,
Me: Yes sir, I am also in support of FDI in higher education.
Member 3: Ok
In the meantime chairman went to bathroom and as soon as he returned, Member 3 told him, "He finally said he supports it"
I couldn't make out what it means on me. There was lot of confusion, and I really don't know what they expected from me. But whatever it is I should have given a more elaborate justification about why I finally chose to support it.
Member 3 asked some small questions
Member 3: Where does earthquakes occur in the world?
Me: They occur mostly at the plate boundaries, which means mostly around pacific ocean, Himalayas, (about to say alps, but my mind was so much in mess that I doubted whether alps really are in Europe, in which case should I say it or limit at Himalayas, but finally said) and alps chain
Member 3: What is Richter scale?
Me: Sir, It is used to measure intensity of earthquakes.
(I was worried I chose wrong definition out of those of the two scales related to eathquake)
But that was correct.
Member 3: What is the difference between 6 and 7 on it?
Now, this was too easy,
Me: Its a logarithmic scale, so earthquake measuring 7 on Richter scale will be 10 times more effective than that with 6
I don't know why he asked again. He didn't seem like he heard my answer properly
Member 3: How many times?
Me: 10 times sir. Its a logarithmic scale with base 10
By this time, other members were telling Member 3, that "it is 10 times". Everybody know it and they were helping Member 3
Member 3: What is a Tsunami?
Me; Tsunami is a huge sea wave generated by under sea earthquakes or some plate readjustments
I was worried how he would take the 'some plate readjustments' part in the above answer. But he seem to accepted it.
Now, Member1's turn
Member 1: You seem to have read about french revolution(I was happy inside. This should be easy, I thought). Can you tell me some parallels between french revolution and India's struggle for independence.
Me: Sir, it is hard to find parallels between French revolution and India's struggle for independence, because french revolution happened abruptly and it was very violent, but India's independence movement is 'mostly' non-violent, and happened over a long time.
Chairman nodded in agreement and I was more than happy
Me (continuing): But, we can find some parallels, in some of the events, especially events like Civil disobedience movement had witnessed large mass of people coming onto the street protesting in large numbers against government and violating the laws en masse. Other such events like those happened during quit India movement, world war II resembled events in french revolution.
That was bad answer. I should have drawn parallals in ideology. Member 1 was quick.
Member 1: But what about the ideals? Tell me the ideals of French Revolution.
Me: Sir, Liberty, Equality, Fraternity
Never been more proud to say something.
Member 1: Now compare with Independence struggle.
I started saying something, but he started to talk about something else. I tried to compete but gave up, and he said something about something else.
Another question,
Member 1: Coming to Indian software industry, Why are Indian companies doing good only in services. Why we don't have good product companies.
Frankly, I don't know a lot about it. I said what came to my mind at that time
Me: Its is mostly because product segment usually need lot of investment at the start and the returns on it takes a long time to come. Our companies, having scarce resources find it hard to make such long term investments. Where as in services, the money invested start giving returns in a very short duration. That is why products' segment is still dominated by MNCs.
Member 1 then said something like '..but why is it so.....', I couldn't make out correctly
But I already answered it :(
Then I made a general statemet about how we have huge market especially in government sector and also in private sector, and there is alot of scope for product companies, we already have some. In the end added, yeah, as of now, MNCs like Microsoft, Google dominate the market.
Again no idea whether he was satisfied with my answer or, thought I was just trynig to make sweeping generalizations
Then Member 2 took over.
Member 2: Anil, you studied in Kanpur. So, though your institute is located outside it, you must have visited the interior city. So, tell me the most visible thing in Kanpur that needs reform(She probably didn't say reform. I don't remember what exactly she said).
Me: Roads
I was so quick, other members started laughing
Member 2: Roads?
Me: Yes, they are very narrow. Nothing fits into them, even the buses introduced have to be....
Member 2(Interrupting me) What about traffic?
Me: But traffic problem is basically because of Roads
Chairman: Yeah
He was too generous for me
Member 2: What is the role played by Kanpur in freedom struggle.
Me: Kanpur played very important role, especially during the 1857 revolution, and also many grassroots level movements at the time of freedom struggle have their roots in Kanpur and surrounding areas, for example Kisan sabha movement...
Interrupted me again,
I should have been more specific,
But nevertheless they didn't give me that much time
Member 2: name 2 important leaders from Kanpur
Me: I had put a clueless expression
Chairman: You said you read history, tell us two important leaders from kanpur.
I was frank
Me: Specifically from Kanpur, I don't know sir
Chairman gave two names.
First one, I said I don't know
Second one was SM Banerjee
I confused it with Surendranath Banerjee.
Also there were many banerjees in 1880's INC's sessions. So I said I know,
He was to quick to allow me to realize my mistake.
Chairman: Who was He?
Me: Sir He participated in 1885 Indian National Congress session
Chairman: No, that was WC Banerjee. This is 'S' 'M' Banerjee
Me: I don't know sir
That was quite ad
Member 2: What are national awards?
I was confused, whether I am supposed to define 'national awards' or am supposed to list them.
I hesitated for a moment and started,
Me: Padma shri, Padma bhushan..
I was little hesitant and slow.
Member 2 had sensed the opportunity, probably thought I don't know what are the padma awards
Member 2: What are the padma awards
Me: Padma shri, padma bhushan, padma vibhushan and bharata ratna
I was thinking all the time, while answering, about the possible reasons for asking such silly questions. Probably I looked very dumb, I thought
Member 2: What is the highest among them
Me: Bharata ratna
Member 2: Who is given bharat ratha?
Me: People who excel in art, literature, public service or science
they looked ok with the answer, but that was actually wrong. I found later that govt recently modified the criteria.
The last member asked some thing about national knowledge question. Both question and answer were too dumb to reproduce here.
I might have missed few other smaller questions.
In the end Chairman said, 'You may go now'.
I don't know how long it went on. Probably 20-25 mins.
I felt very bad after coming out. I put a forcible smile on my face so as not to dishearten the next and last guy sitting outside the room.
I came to the waiting hall, and the last 2-3 guys sitting there observed me and tried to console me, 'You look very serieous man. Its alright. Don't worry'
Everybody looked calm, coming back from the interview. Only I was sad it seems.
Pondering over it, I don't regret not being able to answer the questions on history of kanpur or some stupid unclear questions from some members, who are themselves not clear of what to ask and merely throwing topics onto me. But I regret something, probably for the rest of my life, that I could not satisfy the chairman on jacobin's idea of purity. It is something I so identify as an insiration, but I still could not say it when I needed to say it. I thought of asking the chairman, what is the jacobin idea of purity, that I failed to answer. But by the time I decided to ask, I was outside the room.
This could very well be a template for all the bad things that could happen in upsc interview. For any prospective candidate reading this,
1. There will be all kinds of men in the panel. People who are admirable scholars whom we have never met outside and also people who just want to ask something and complete their responsibility. Sometimes I felt like out of words to answer some pointless questions from some members.
2. Nobody can remember what exactly they answered in the interview room. Things will be very messy inside with random questions being shooted from all directions. All the transcipts published in blogs/magazines can only be refined versions with clear language and perfect order of expression
1 comment:
Which board did you give your interview ?How many marks were awarded finally?
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