[UPSC Interview 2025] – Transcript #10: Sheel Vardhan Board, History Optional, Reflective journaling Hobby

Date of Interview: 08-12-2025
Board: Sheel Vardhan Sir
Optional: History
Hobby: Reflective journaling
Keywords in DAF – Agra, Delhi, London, History, Msc Public Policy, reflective journaling, mental health

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Chairman

1. Foundation of taj mahal?
2. ⁠Calligraphy at the entry of Taj mahal – what is it called?
3. ⁠If India is writing a reflective journal complaining about things from the past 10 years, what would it write?
4. ⁠Accent spoken in London is called?
5. ⁠Why trafalgar square is called Trafalgar?
6. ⁠Why are people so eager to post everything on social media these days?
7. ⁠Historical event you would want to change?
8. ⁠Historical figure you hate as an Indian? (I said Winston Churchill and before I could explain, he himself noted that it’s because of the Bengal famine)
9. ⁠Historical figure you hate outside of India
10. ⁠History is called “itihaas”, you know what that means?

Member 1

1. Distinguish between policy, programme and project?
2. ⁠What impact had policy for common man?
3. ⁠Policy area India needs to work more in?

Member 2

1. What’s sustainable development?
2. ⁠how many goals do we have?
3. ⁠goals of NEP for primary education?
4. ⁠which village do you belong to?
– As DM, what will you focus first in your village?
5. ⁠when does primary education level start?
6. ⁠India is encouraging entrepreneurship so much, it creates employment etc, but there is constant danger of failure – do you think it’s good to have a back up plan?
7. ⁠what about the implications on mental health when it comes to failures in such risky endeavours?
8. ⁠2 changes you’ll make it current education policy of India?

Member 3

1. IQ vs EQ? Have you heard of Daniel Goleman?
2. ⁠Why civil services after studying abroad and working with Unicef especially as pay is lesser?
3. ⁠What can India learn from western bureaucracy?
4. ⁠what can western bureaucracy learn from India?
5. ⁠Gandhiji’s Talisman’s value for civil service?
6. ⁠How has reflective journaling helped you?

Member 4

1. Differenc in education at Lady Shri Ram College vs University College London

2. ⁠What are your thoughts on lateral entry?

Interview ran for ~32 minutes. I have missed a few small details but nothing substantial.
Overall, the board was extremely cordial and patient. One thing stands out though, while a member was questioning, Sheelvardhan sir intervened politely with a question. Again, when another member was questioning, a member intervened with a question.