[UPSC Interview 2022] – Transcript #178 : Smita Nagraj Board, Sociology Optional, Maharashtra Home State, cricket Hobby

Date of Interview: 24th February, forenoon 6th to go
Board: Smita Nagraj ma’am
Optional: Sociology
Background: Physics ( Fergusson college )
Profession: no work exp
Home State: Maharashtra
Hobbies: watching cricket, playing tabla( no question asked)

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Chairman

1. You are from Sindhudurg so tell me about history of Sindhudurg and how it is linked to current times
2. Tell me, if someone speaks negative about personalities like Chatrapati shivaji maharaj then there erupts violence so do you think that our society has became intolerant?
3. Suppose you are commissioner of one municipality and there is illegal encroachment you have given orders to evict it, then what will you do?
4. Do you think laws favour powerful?

Member 1

1. Member said that I read it somewhere during my graduation that Marathas knew how to destroy than to construct what are your views?
2. What you think battle of Panipat was it defeat of strategy or defeat of diplomacy?
3. Why India is not able to win test series in south africa?
4. Which book you have recently or in last month? ( i told three thousand stitches by Sudha Murthy) then he asked what was it about?

Member 2

1. ( he was in some grilling mood I thought)
   Initially he told me you have good CGPA and academics is also good so you must be good in sociology too.. then he asked some concept related to sociology.. and I heard it for first time and then he seemed little surprised
2. Then he said ok and asked about tell me what are demographic challenges we are facing in India and is government doing enough to tackle those challenges? What other steps /policies we can take?
3. Are we agriculture surplus or agriculture deficit
4. What steps government taking for increasing oil production
5. One or two more questions i might be missing

Member 3

1. Tushar you are from Fergusson college so tell me who were the founders of Fergusson college?
2. Who was Fergusson?
3. Tell me anyone famous personality from your college
4. You have got inspire scholarship so suppose you have given opportunity to make changes in this policy what changes you will make?
5. Is this scholarship helping students? Shall we discontinue it?

Member 4

1. There are incidents of corruption in Maharashtra what steps you will suggest to reduce it?
2. Why south Indian movies are more successful than Bollywood movies?
3. What was turning point in yesterday’s match ( IND vs AUS T20 women’s World Cup semifinal)
4. Was last over bowled by India also turning point?
5. What is current status of untouchability in Maharashtra? What steps you will suggest to reduce it?

Chairperson-

Your interview is over, thank you
I said thank you.

Overall feeling cordial board, mostly from DAF and opinion based. Few questions repeated from mocks

Utility of mocks- I gave around 10 mocks just to get my presentation body language posture correct. In my opinion around 5/6 mocks would help to get acquainted with the formalities and also they help to improve presentation and structure of answers

I felt chahal academy’s mock near to my actual interview. KSG especially one to one with Khan sir is also good. Apart from that vajirao and Reddy, unacademy were also decent.
Apart from that I used to discuss with my peer group!

All the best for others