[UPSC Interview 2021] – Transcript #74 : RN Choubey Board, Medical Science Optional,

Board: RN Choubey sir
Background: MBBS, MS
Optional: Medical Science
Work experience: AIIMS; Govt District Hospital

Overall: The board went out of its way to make it pleasant and relaxed. Hardly any interruptions but there were follow ups/cross questions. Largely stuck to the DAF keywords with a bit of polity and current affairs.

Mocks helped but didn’t reflect the tone and tenor of the actual interview.

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Chairman: We are friendly and are here to make you comfortable. Stay calm; you can remove the face mask if you have no Covid symptoms and even the gloves if you wish to.

1. Tell us in a minute about yourself, educational background and work experience.
2. You said you were working in the district hospital until before prelims – did you quit the job or you took a break?
3. I’m giving you three choices – judicial reforms, police reforms and electoral reforms. Pick any one. Tell about the problems that exist currently and what in your view must be done to address them.

He asked cross questions on the points I said.

4. What are electoral bonds? What is your view about them? Have they helped our electoral process?

Member 1

1. What is your view about Big Pharma? Is it clean/corrupt?
2. What can be done to address the problems you cited? If you were the Health Secretary, what would be your priorities
3. A lot of Indian medical students have returned from Ukraine. Do you think they should be rehabilitated? How about completion of their education?

Member 2

1. Why choose civil services when you’re already a doctor?
2. You have worked for Covid. How do you rate India’s performance in managing Covid? Give me both the good things and the other side. What can be done about the problems? How to be ready for the next pandemic?
3. India’s pharma industry is not where it should be. What do you think are the reasons?

Member 3

1. What is Uniform Civil Code? What is your opinion about it?
2. Should we implement it or not?
3. There is a Special Marriage Act since so many years. Still it is not being used. So how will the society become ready for the reform/change to come from within, like you suggest?
4. Suppose marriage and inheritance laws are separated from each other and legislations are enacted under UCC for the same. What do you think about that?
5. Why not have a Common Civil Code when a Common Civil code can solve the problems?
6. Have you heard the term constitutional morality? What is your understanding of it?

Member 4

1. I see that you have won a lot of quiz competitions. You also mentioned APIs in your answer to the earlier panelist. Name any major company or big manufacturer of APIs in India.
2. Mini speech on India’s success and failures on nutrition. What are the government schemes that you know which tackle malnutrition?
3. What about food fortification?
4. Questions on fortified rice. Can edible oils be used for fortification? Will that be useful?
5. You have mentioned reading popular science as one of your hobbies. What is popular science, is it science fiction or science magazine or science news articles?
6. What are the books you have read on it?

Chairman: Doctor, we have asked you all that we wanted to ask. Is there anything you want to tell us or want us to know?

Thank you. Your interview is over.