[UPSC Interview 2025] – Transcript #23: Dinesh Dasa sir Board, harmonium Hobby

Date of Interview: 10/12/2025
Board: Dinesh Dasa sir
Hobby: harmonium
Forenoon -2nd to go
Daf keywords – Hindustani classical, Sugam sangeet, harmonium, xylophone, yamuna bacterial strains, lifesciences, vedic chanting, and many more things

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Chairman

Q-1 we wanted you to come at first since you have mentioned vedic chanting, we could have started the day. But anyways, chant one vedic mantra for us
Q2- you have mentioned sugam sangeet, what do you listen? I said ghazals, he asked me which singers I do listen to, I said gulam ali khan sahab and asha bhosle ji, he asked me one ghazal of gulam ali ji, I said chupje chupke, He asked me to sing
Q-3- long monologue on something, I was not able to hear it, it was regarding relocation of lions from gir. Some supreme court judgement, I was not aware of this so I asked him regarding the exact issue, he asked my stance on it and what would I suggest to the supreme court.

Member 1

random questions regarding star campaigner, exact number, I said sorry. Then about primary colours, I got confused and said sorry again. Then about difference between UV and infrared, then asked me the coolor of minimum wavelength in visible spectrum. Then they asked me about some shobraja sisters, I said no. I am still not able to find them on internet.Then chairman sir interveved.

They started asking me counter questions regarding star campaigning, asked me about whi funds the star campaigning, who is star campaigner , whether it’s necessary that a star campaigner should be any celebrity, I said no. Then they asked me who funds the campaign when prime minister is the star campaigner, I said political party. He said the govt pays for it.

Then he asked me about you being the head of EC, what would be your suggestios. They confused me alot regarding EC.

Member 2

have you read today’s newspaper, I read it briefly so I said the exact words. Then he asked me top headlines, I just remembered the basic news like goa, flights. I told him that.

Then few questions regarding yamuna pollution.

Member 3

( lady) She asked me about yamuna pollution, asked my stance being an administrator. The. Asked. Me some term which I didn’t know, I said sorry

Member 4

( lady)- difference between hindustani and Carnatic. 2 proponents from carnatic. You teach tuitions, why only biology and not others. Your life is more about music , do you want to become singer or what. What’s your motive

Then at last, I waited for someone to speak . Chairman didn’t say that your interview is over. Everyone smiled and nodded. I said thank you and left the room.

Overall experience – good, cordial board, one member was trying to just confuse with some random factual questions. Dasa sir had a smiling face but he was speaking too low at certain points.

Eci was unexpected and conversation went really long on that . That was kind of a bit disappointing to me because I had to say sorry at many places

Dasa sir politely said to me twice that if you don’t know the answer, we will ask some other questions. Just say you don’t know it. So I really sticked with that rather than beating around the bush.

What were your lessons from organising a cricket tournament for visually impaired women ?