[UPSC Interview 2022] – Transcript #285 : Manoj Soni Sir Board, Maharashtra Home State

Date of Interview: 13 April 2023, Forenoon 11.30 4th to go.
Board: Mr. Manoj Soni Sir
Home State: Maharashtra

BA and MA History
Local Self Government
NSS

No questions from hobbies and interests.

I asked permission to enter. Wished them with namaste. Soni sir with folding hands wished me namaste. I also did the same again.
Told me to remove my mask to verify with the photo. When I was putting my mask in my pocket then he said you can keep the mask if you are comfortable. (By that time i had kept it in pocket.) I said I am more comfortable without mask. (Observed that the lady member smiled)

• To view all IAS Interview Transcripts 2022, visit this page

Chairman

(Pronounced my name. Asked whether he pronounced it correctly.)
1. You are student of History. Why history? Did you have interest in it?
2. Why you chose science in 11 – 12 ?
So we can say that you did your graduation because you wanted to prepare for civil services and not because of your interest in history.
3. Have you heard about Ralegansiddhi?
4. Why it is famous.
5. What factors were responsible for its success?
6. So why we couldn’t able to replicate it to elsewhere?
7. Tell me how much is Ralegansiddhi from your place? (Said not sure about exact distance)
8. How can you not know? Tell me in what direction it is- north, south west, east?
9. Tell me 3 socio cultural reform movements in india in last 100 years.
10. You told 2 movement rightly but 3rd one is political…we are talking about socio cultural. ( Said cant recollect)

Member 1

1. What do you mean by local self government?
2. Why local self government are important?
3. Issues with respect to LSG and state legislature?
4. What is the population of your Village?
5. So do we need to combine small villages for development purpose?
6. What did you do in NSS?
7. What is Wari?
8. What type of work has been done by LSG in your Village?
9. What is the the connection between toilet and school?(based on earlier answer)

Member 2

1. I will continue the discussion on toilets. Tell me the enrollment rate under MGNREGA in your village? (Said don’t know)
2. Let’s take a guess. ( I said i am not sure.)
3. Are you aware about DBT?
What is it?
4. Benefits of DBT? Interrupted and said fist tell me where the actual benefit goes? ( Said beneficiary account)
5. Do elderly get their pension also through DBT? (Said not sure)
6. Tell me what do you mean by ‘History repeats itself’?
7. Give example. (Gave Russia Ukraine war example)
8. Give example from india ( Soni sir asked him to wind up)
9. What happens when we do not learn from the mistakes done in History?

Member 3

1. Monologue on China and its hundred years of humiliation under western powers and opium wars and treaties. Tell me what the link between opium war and India?
2. What else? ( Said dont know).
3. In which history you have done specialisation? ( Said it was general degree without specialisation in any particular period)
(Soni sir interrupted with un satisfactory mood and told me that you should tell him which part you are interested in! ) (I said Ancient indian history)
4.In last 500 years which event do you think was important of which its impact can be experienced even today?
5. Why britishers came? How they succeeded?
6. What were the reasons behind Britishers success (Soni sir asked him to wind up)

Member 4

(smiling face but keenly observing me)
1. Monologue on fall of Sindh in 712 and defeat of Prithviraj in 1192. Why it took 400 years to progress from Sindh to Delhi and just 100 years to spread islamic rule upto Bengal?
2. who was William Jones? What was his contribution?
3. who were other Britishers/ Europeans who were sympathetic to indians?
4. what Ripon did? (Said ended vernacular press act)
5. did Ripon enacted Vernacular Press Act or ended it? ( Said Lytton enacted but ripon ended it. He was confused or not satisfied)

Mr Soni sir- all the best for your future.

Mocks – more than 10. Helped a lot. Some questions repeated.

Good – Vision, Chahal, Hamdard.

O2O- Vinay sir Insights( some topics were reported ), Ravi Sir.