UPSC Interview 2024] – Transcript #96: Suman Sharma Board, Kerala Home State

Date of Interview: 07/04/2025( forenoon)
Board: Suman Sharma
Home State: Kerala
Background: BTech Computer Science
Keywords: Kerala, BTech Computer Science, Infosys, Government PSU in Finance sector( rest of the keywords are noy relevant)

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

Chairman

1. Discussions related to 70 hour -90 hour work week is going on, right? What is your opinion ( I spoke for work – life balance)
2. But India is a developing country. Shouldn’t we put more effort to reach our goals?
3. So India had a very high tariff on other countries, especially USA. Did it benefitted India? ( ma’am was not satisfied by my answer and repeated the qn in some other way, but I’m not sure whether she got satisfied by my second answer)

Member 1

1. What is the meaning of your name? ( when I told the meaning, he said whether I’m a Brahmin – I said no)
2.Tell me about western ghats. Why they’re called western ghats and in which part of kerala they are.
3.What about Himalaya. Why in Kashmir it is northern Himalaya and in uttarakhand it is western Himalaya.
4. What is the difference between constitutional and statutory bodies
( I gave traditional answer, sir gave a different answer, i said thank you)

Member 2

1. (I mentioned CAG in last question ) what is the role of CAG
2. You’ve lived most of the time in God’s own country, right? ( I said I’ve lived in different parts of India but mostly in Kerala, then she did not ask anything)
3. Was there any incident of any issue in your work? ( i shared an incident with a customer)
4. Was there any issue with colleagues? ( I said no since I worked at junior levels, there was no memorable incidents)

Member 3

1. About gulf migration from Kerala and it’s social impacts
2. Is there any negative impacts
3. Impact of tariffs on Marine products from Kerala

I don’t remember rest of the questions .

Member 4

1. What is delimitation. What is the controversy going on about it.
2. Why Kerala approached Supreme Court against center?
3. Why center is interfereing in state’s finances.
4. What did finance commission do to incorporate the demands of states which do population control.which census is used by finance commission. How much percentage for demographic efforts
5. When is the last time we did delimitation.
6. Tell me about RCEP. Why India is not part of it.

There are few more questions, which I’m not able to recall correctly.For most of the questions, they asked stats and facts as counter questions. I answered I’m not sure in them. The board was very cordial and pleasant.They encouraged me to answer when I took some time in some questions.

Mocks – Kerala State Civil Service Academy, Amrita IAS, Fortune IAS, Shankar IAS, Lead IAS ( all in trivandrum), Online mocks – Absolute IAS, Unacademy, PwOnly IAS
One on one’s – Jithin Sir from Lead IAS( helped a lot in improving communication, gaining confidence and preparing facts in last few days ), Achuth Sir( improving current affairs), Shinas Sir ( helped in DAF preparation and DAF analysis a lot ), Remya Roshni Ma’am ( helped in boosting confidence a lot).

Mocks hepled for simulating interview experience. One on one’s and interactions with civil servants helped in improving content and gaining confidence.