[UPSC Interview 2023] – Transcript #77: Suman Sharma Ma’am Board, Economics Optional, Uttar Pradesh Home State

Date of Interview: 18th Jan, morning (2nd to go)
Board: Suman Sharma Ma’am
Optional: economics
Home State: Uttar Pradesh

Board had 6 members but only 5 of them asked questions

Daf keywords: bijnor, UP, reading about the economy from a gender perspective. (Other things were not discussed, so no point of mentioning)

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Chairman

– She read out my DAF (college, district, state etc)

1. So you are from UP, there is a scheme of UP govt to promote exports, are you aware of that scheme?
2. What is the product from your district bijnor?
3. Tell us about the product
4. As an administrator how will you improve the exports of that product?
5. (I told her a 3 step process) She discussed with my suggested solutions step by step, asking specific examples and process.
6. Tell me what is better, capital subsidy or PLI ? (because of the distance I misunderstood it as capital expenditure so I said the former is better but then she said that in the former there is no sales goal attached but in the latter there is. At this I understood I made a mistake. She said that if you still believe the former is better stick to that we can move to the next question but then I thought that I need to make up for the mistake so I agreed with her and said that ma’am if we look from the outcome based approach then definitely pli is better, I am sorry)
7. There is something going on in Davos (WEF meet), are you aware of that?
8. What is WEF?
9. Do you think it is successful or is it just for show?
10. (I said that this year’s action agenda has good themes, she interrupted me in between and said:) I am not asking about this year, tell me in general whether is it successful or not?
11. WEF was founded by a German but the meet is held in Switzerland, why?

Member 1

1. Do a macroeconomic analysis of India.
2. A long monologue on why UP should be divided, then asked what’s my take on that.
3. The conversation with him continued on UP. do you think the delimitation will lead to federal issues.
4. Should we provide more seats to states like UP or freeze them once and for all.
5. Will there arise any federal issues.

Member 2

1. Read out about my interest to read about the economy from a gender perspective and then said why gender and why not human. (I tried explaining it but then he interrupted and said:)
2. Do a debate on this topic : reading about economy from a gender perspective (I really don’t know how to debate on this topic but I gave some points for the motion about why we should do this. Though before doing that I asked him again that if he wants me to debate at which he said that if I wasn’t comfortable we can move ahead, I said no sir I will do that)
3. A situational question, there is so much inefficiency in govt sector and promotion also happens slowly, while in private the employees remain motivated because of faster promotions. How will you motivate your subordinates to remain motivated.
4. Since you are very energetic, answer this question: the question was an explanation of nirbhaya rape case and he said there is lot of political and media pressure. As a police officer there has been no arrests but you get to know that your team has made an arrest on some suspicion but no murder weapon

found. Will you resort to 3rd degree torcher and make the accused confess for the rape or what will you do.

Member 3

1. Do you know about kargil girl ? ( The question came off the discussion so I couldn’t recollect the name and said sorry but as she moved to the next question I suddenly said that sorry ma’am but is it gunjan saxena) and then the discussion continued. She asked me whether I was aware about her life struggle. I started telling her about how she would miss her sorties but then she said about her struggle before going for the training. I told her about how her brother was initially against that. At which she said was there something related to her weight and height. I said yes ma’am her weight was more and her height was less. Then she asked me what happened then. I said her father motivated her. She then asked what did I learnt from that movie. > Interview Transcripts 2023: As I was telling, she interrupted and moved on to the next question.
2. ( Another off topic question) do you know about natural offsprings. Where are the found. She insisted me on making a guess.
3. Since you are from bijnor, the area is very backward and conservative when it comes to educating a girl, but you have been privileged enough to have studied in LSR. How many girls you think you can motivate.
4. How will you do that.

Member 4

1. Post 1991, what has been the impact on business around the globe.
2. What happens if investment targets are under realised.
3. What happens if they are over realised.
4. (I said more employment can lead to increased demand and inflation. ) He asked how to tackle it. (I said contractionary policies) he said that will again bring the economy back. (I said gradually and slowly as we are doing now. )

Chairperson Ma’am: okay, your interview is over, you may go now.

Mocks at vajirao and Reddy, Rau’s IAS, next ias (panel and faculty mock), KSG

The one at vajirao and next (panel one) were closer to the real interview.

My assessment:

1. The board was pleasant but like the other boards there was no such thing as encouraging to answer. It was a formal set up with a question answer kind of thing.
2. The utmost importance I gave to were confidence, smile, energy and interaction.
3. There were instances of smiles, but I really don’t know if they were because of a good answer.
4. The interview was a mix of situational, optional and opinion based questions. Not much from DAF.
5. Neither they asked me to introduce myself.