[UPSC Interview 2020] – Transcript #19 : Air Marshal Bhonsle Board, PSIR Optional, Jharkhand State, ISRO Scientist

Date of Interview: 18th August 2021
Board: Air Marshal Bhonsle Sir
Optional: – PSIR
State: Jharkhand
Relevant Profile: B.Tech (Avionics, IIST), MBA (IIM Bangalore), Management Consulting, Currently in a Startup, Ranchi (Jharkhand); ISRO project on Power Distribution Systems, University Cricket teams, National Model United Nations, Playing Tabla, Reading novels about Intelligence Agencies.

Chairperson:

1. You have a beautiful name, what does it mean? Who kept it? Do you think name is important? Does it reflect upon the person?
2. Is that so, if it’s not important, and only deeds and achievements are important, then would you like if parents would have named you Shakal, Mogambo or Shaitan Singh? Agreed that he is a war hero, but Shaitan Singh from name seems like a ‘Parakrami’ person, what about you?
3. Your grades were high in IIST, were you a topper there? I have visited that institute; it is a unique one. Tell me, how it has shaped you? What changes did you experience in yourself, studying there?
4. What position did you play in the cricket team of IIMB and IIST?
5. Give me a brief description of Tabla as an instrument? Have you learnt it professionally? Tell me about the origin of Tabla?

Member 1

1. Our PM talks about aspirations of Youth and achieving them in the next 25 years till our centenary celebrations of independence. Taking your own example, what are the aspirations of the youth of our country?
2. How will you create an ecosystem of entrepreneurship and innovation in our country?
3. What are the reasons for drug issue in the youth? What should we do as a society, as a family to tackle it? What is the government doing with its laws and agencies?

Member 2

1. Since your optional is PSIR, tell me, can a state government amend laws made by center on issues in the concurrent list?
2. Recently our PM chaired a meet in UNSC, what was it about? How many pillars given by him? Broad contours of the pillars?
3. What is the difference between Asia-Pacific and Indo-Pacific concepts?
4. Why do you only read novels about intelligence agencies, why not actual books written by former operatives? If you have read real books too, written by operatives, tell me their names and authors?
5. What is counter-intelligence? Which are the foreign intelligence agencies which have significant presence in our country? You have read their books, tell me at least a few from them? Ok, what is the full form of ISI? Why is it called Inter-Services Intelligence?
6. Haven’t you read books by foreign intelligence agency operatives? Ok, so tell me two famous operations of Mossad?
7. As an MBA and a consultant, tell me, how should I decide which hybrid annuity product should I invest in from a range of products?

Member 3

1. Since you are from Ranchi, tell me why the great PSUs of Ranchi are in a state of decline?
2. Has Jharkhand benefitted from its separation from Bihar? Tell me from economic, cultural, political, LWE perspective?
3. What do you think about Vodafone Idea going under and Telecom market becoming a duopoly? What are its advantages and disadvantages? What will be its implications?
4. What was this National Model United Nations? Which country did you represent and what was the theme?

Member 4

1. I see that your grades were high in IIST, were you a topper there? (Exactly the same question as Chairperson Sir)
2. Why did Chandrayaan 2 lander fail to do a soft landing? But the flight was automated, why did we need constant monitoring of Altimeter data?
3. Tell me about your project in ISRO?
4. Tell me the difference between a Missile and a cannon? What about tracking in a missile? What about control and guidance systems in missile?
5. What taals did you learn in Tabla? Why only comfortable in Teen Taal and Kaharwa Taal? Why not Dadra, Jhaptaal and Ek taal? But you have learnt it professionally, so you should be comfortable in all of them? (Full on grilling for 2 minutes).