[UPSC Interview 2024] – Transcript #21: Bidyut Behari Swain Board, Psychology Optional, Chess, Speedcubing, Watching Hobbies

Date and session of Interview – 25th Mar, Forenoon, 3rd to go
Board: Bidyut Behari Swain
College: CSE, IIT Guwahati
Work Ex: GS, Ola, IPS (P)
Optional: Psychology
Hobbies: Chess, Speedcubing, Watching psychological crime thrillers

• To view all IAS Interview Transcripts 2024, visit this page

Chairman

1. * On being greeted with Jai Hind * Seems like you’re coming directly from the Academy? (jokingly)
2. You’ve listed watching crime thrillers as your hobby and your optional is Psychology, tell me the psyche behind why 60-70% of movies/shows in any language nowadays come under ‘thriller’ category.
3. They should be making more shows and movies in comedy genre.

Member 1

1. Does watching crime thrillers, especially the ones containing gore and violent scenes, make one violent?
2. You’ve spent a sufficiently good amount of time in Assam, tell me 3 good things about Assam and Assamese.
3. One of my friends recently lost 4 lakhs by being under Digital arrest. Analyse the personality traits from a psychological perspective, of people who are prone to Digital arrest.
4. You’re an IPS officer. What will you do to declare an area under your jurisdiction completely safe for women?
5. Not just making it safe but how would you convince/declare the same to the public?
6. What would you do if you find your subordinate sleeping in his vehicle during patrolling hours at a different location?

Member 2

1. Don’t you think the brand of IITs in recent years been diluted due to the opening of so many new IITs?
2. Then why do people opt for NITs like NIT Trichy and others instead of newer IITs and why is there so less placements in newer IITs?
3. Tell me two major changes you’d want to bring to the way policing happens in Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
4. What is one short term and one long term peril of instant delivery of justice via encounters?
5. Have you chosen only IAS in your service preference list?
6. So, is IRS your Plan B? If selected, would you quit IPS and join IRS?

Member 3

1. Why did you opt for Psychology as your optional even though you have a degree in Computer Science?
2. Not because it is a high-scoring Optional?
3. Why have people started using foul language and abusive tones in day to day communication with each other? Analyse it from a psychological perspective.
4. What would be your suggestions to control this Brain-rot that you mentioned?
5. Indians, in general follow all the rules and maintain cleanliness on streets when they visit any foreign land but do not do the same when present here, what’s the psychological reason?
6. You mean to say we are a gone case?
7. How to bring about such change then? What is this nudge theory that you just now mentioned?
8. What was your job at Ola?
9. Tell me 3 challenges that you faced while working at Ola and any exhilarating experience while solving the same.

Member 4

1. Tell me a positive and a negative thing about AI in today’s world.
2. Some say that AI in coming days would take over the world, what’s your opinion about the same?
3. Who is the father of Indian Psychology?
4. Tell me any Indian institute famous for treating mental health issues.
5. Full form of NIMHANS?
6. Can your hobby of watching crime thrillers be of any help in your current service?
7. Design any AI system which can be used for policing, especially investigation and which does not exist in the world right now.
8. What is the difference between AI and DeepMind?
9. How do your seniors treat you in the service? Is there any kind of pressure?

Chairperson – Your interview is over, thank you.

Thanked them all and left.

— Transcript end —

Comments —

1. The table was big and oval shaped with Chairperson, M1, M2, me (:p), M3 and M4 sitting in a clockwise fashion.
2. The help came around 2-3 times during the 35-37 minutes of interview, sometimes with Bingo mad angles (that spicy crunchy smell though), sometimes with chai samose.
3. The board was EXTREMELY cordial. I enjoyed the experience to the core!

PS: Did not take any mocks for Mains or PT this year.