[UPSC Interview 2025] – Transcript #39: Sanjay Verma Board, PSIR Optional

Date of Interview: 9/12/2025
Board: Mr. Sanjay Verma
Optional: PSIR
Key DAF details: IFS first preference, DU, Head of Indian delegation at an international conference, world cuisine, PSIR (rest not asked)

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Chairman

1. Welcome (my name) – he ended up mispronouncing it, so I corrected him
2. That’s a very unique name, have you met anyone else with the same name – I thanked him and said that I was yet to meet another (name)
3. Lovely. It’s so unique, I think you should patent it (laughingly, I chuckled too). 4. Who gave you this name? –
4. Okay, so coming to your DAF. PSIR is your subject, can you tell me 2 concepts, one from political science and one from IR that have come into question in recent times? – I said that in International Relations, I think Liberal Institutionalism could be a good contender, because multilateral institutions like the WTO and UN seem to be on the back foot, and we see a shift towards protectionism and minilateralism. As for Political Science, sir, I think Communism as a concept has always been under question, especially considering the paradox modern communist countries exhibit – they practice authoritarianism under the garb of communism, and end up liberalising their economies
5. Okay good. Have you heard of Populism? Do you think it has always been in practice or is it a new phenomenon? Can you give an example from the past and the present? – Sir, I think populism in varying degrees has been in practice ever since democracy, and especially representative democracy have existed. It becomes imperative to cater to the demands of the people, and eventually numbers end up mattering a lot for accruing power. As for examples, the opening up of the EIC for public investment by the British was a populist measure. And today sir the rise of vote bank politics could be a case in point (I purposefully didn’t cite specific examples here. Figured if they wanted to go in that direction they would prod me on their own)
6. Okay. Out of all the leadership positions you’ve listed (I had listed 4), which was the latest – I mentioned the head of delegation
7. What did you buy in that country? I mentioned a wallet I had bought my mother, and told him that I had spent most of my money on trying different foods
8. Coming to food. You’ve mentioned world cuisine. It is such a wide and open ended hobby. Can you answer anything and everything about the cuisine around the world? – I told him that I was interested in the cuisine styles of many regions around the world (listed some) and I didn’t want to limit my hobby for fear of what might be asked. But of course I don’t know it all. I said I would try my best to answer his questions
9. Okay then, let me ask you something, if we were to combine all of North America and South America India would still have more diversity in cuisine – I concurred with his view, gave supporting examples and arguments (gave the example of delhi, old delhi has mughlai, Lajpat Nagar has Afghani immigrants, humayunpur for north eastern food etc)

Member 2

1. Do you know what animal testing is? – I said yes and explained
2. Do you think it should be done? Are there alternatives? – I said no, and that I find it to be exploitative of voiceless animals. Talked about anthropocentricity, and how we are seeing a shift to biocentricity now. Said there are companies which are going vegan.
3. Asked again, what the alternatives are – I said I can only think of artificial tissue culture being used to create artificial skin and organs to test cosmetics/medicine on, but that I didn’t know what is actually being used. Said I’ll read up on it
4. The difference between growth and development. Where have you seen growth vs development in your own life?
(There were a few more questions but I can’t remember them)

Member 3

1. What would happen to India if we take PoK back. Give pros and cons
2. Why do you think we only talk about women’s rights and not men’s rights? – good discussion on this
3. Imagine you’re at a global stage and you have to convince the other countries that India treats its women well.

> Interview Transcripts (CSPT-2025):
Give only the good points. What all will you talk about. Don’t give constitutional provisions – I gave a lot of points here, could have perhaps kept the examples less and explained more, but I had put my point across
Asked something nuclear specific that I did not know the answer to

Member 4

1. Do you know who gave the slogan “Jai jawaan jai Kisaan?” Why was it given
2. kya aapne kalapani ki saza Suni hai? Kya hoti hai? Kahan hoti hai? Kisko di gayi thi? Usse kalapani kyun kehte hain – I didn’t know the exact reason why it was called kalapani, rest I answered
3. What is anemia? Why is it caused? Why do women in India suffer from it, what can be done to tackle it? Don’t just say anemia mukt Bharat- i explained what it was and said the genetic disposition and poverty points, Ma’am pointed out it’s not only the poor who suffer from it – I apologised and said yes ma’am, I think I might suffer from it too (members chuckled) – reiterated the genetic point, added the supplementation ones spoke about the lack of nutritional diversity in our diet
4. Do you think we should shift to organic farming?

Member 5

1. You mentioned about failure in one of your previous answers, what were the failures you were referring to?
How do you view failure? Is it absolute or relative – after listening to my answer sir said that was a very positive way of looking at things
2. Why do you think people are so critical of themselves these days?
3. Do you think it is impacting the mental health of children? What can be done to tackle it?
4. Parents say children are too strong willed to listen to them these days, then how can the situation improve? – I spoke of empathy and open communication and elaborated on that
5. I will say three words – “Clinton”, “Hillary” and “Monica” what comes to your mind?
6. What is nuclear winter?

There were I few more questions that I am not able to recall, but these were mostly it.