[UPSC Interview 2022] – Transcript #185 : Smita Nagraj Board, Economics Optional, Rajasthan Home State, Movie, Travelling, Hobby

Date of Interview: 2 March, forenoon session, last to go
Board: Smita Nagraj Ma’am
Optional: Economics
Profession: Currently RBI, ex-bank of America
College: IITK
Home State: Rajasthan
Hobbies: movies and traveling
Keywords – banking, RBI, movies, travelling, NCC, economy
Time – 25-30 minutes

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Chairman

1. What are you doing since leaving Bank of America?
2. How have we benefitted by allowing private and foreign banks?
3. Why public sector banks are needed?
4. But priority sector lending also applies to foreign and private sector banks?
5. Why govt keeps on putting more public money in PSBs even when they are not generating enough profits?
6. Are we being fair towards foreign and private banks when govt is recapitalising PSBs?

Member 1

1. What is ESG?
2. What are green bonds?
3. Although inflation management is RBI’s work but how can govt play its part in this?
4. Question on bank consolidation and benefits from it.
5. What are the general characteristics of corporate governance? (And some cross questions)

Member 2

1. Which all places have you travelled?
2. Differentiate between nature of tourism in Meghalaya and Sikkim.
3. Are you aware about any permit system while visiting border areas in these two states?
4. Why RRR has been such a success across the world? (Some counter questions on how storyline and action sequences can said to be unique?)
5. Point out one social problem in Rajasthan that you think demands attention?
6. How would you as a DM of one such district would ensure that this social problem is eradicated?

Member 3

1. Which department of RBI are you part of?
2. What is the nature of your work and which vertical are you assigned?
3. How many banks have undergone liquidation since independence?
4. Don’t you think RBI has failed in its function as a central banker with these many bank failures?
5. List down different functions of RBI?
6. Don’t you feel that there is a conflict of interest when RBI functions as govt’s debt manager?
7. Shouldn’t RBI be restricting itself to core central banking functions to improve its efficiency?
8. A new AIFI formed recently to finance long term projects?

Chairman ma’am thought all members are done asking and said “thank you, your interview is over. You may go now.” But then realised one member is still left asking so asked to continue.

Member 4

1. What is RBI’s logo?
2. What is the story behind RBI’s logo?
3. What is the motto of NCC?
4. What have you learnt from NCC?
5. Should conscription be made legally enforceable in India?
6. But conscription will help generate feeling of patriotism and discipline among youth. Don’t you think so?

Chairwoman – while smiling – thank you, your interview is over!

Experience – Board was cordial. Smita ma’am smiled, nodded in between and was observing carefully. Majority part of interview revolved around RBI, economy and banking, and some points from DAF. Fumbled while answering some questions and said no whenever I wasn’t sure.

Utility of mocks – to build confidence and some questions on hobby were repeated.