[UPSC Interview 2025] – Transcript #80: Suman Sharma Board, History Optional, Uttar Pradesh Home State

Date of Interview: 18/12/25, afternoon, first to go
Board: Suman Sharma
Optional: History
Home State: Uttar Pradesh
Background: Electrical engg
Key DAF Details: Lucknow, Electrical engg, history optional, railfanning, marsiya poetry, edtech work exp.
(Entered the glorious circular gallery – was made to sit outside by the person accompanying me – ma’am entered first – after a minute i was called inside)

(Ma’am was sitting that day in the room opposite to sheelvardhan sir, rather than her own – four male members were present)

(entered inside with poise – greeted ma’am and then the members – asked me to have a seat – and started with her volley of questions as soon as I had thanked her)

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Chairman

1. So you have a unique name, tell me the meaning. (I explained in brief)
2. And I see, you have worked at xyz company for 3+ yrs, how do you see its spectacular failure and what are the reasons for the same? (explained in detail pointwise)
3. Do we need edtech in india or should it be restricted (gave a balanced answer)
4. Issues with power sector in India, with reference to PPAs and PSAs (gave technical answers, got confused in between regarding payments made to generators by discoms, she interrupted in between)

Member 1

1. challenges with education sector in India – general points
2. issues regarding the same in rural India – critical gaps
3. case study – how will you tackle such issues as the DM
4. how will you ensure digital integration in rural education sector, curbing teacher absenteeism etc
5. partnerships between govt and private sector in ensuring effective educational outcomes as the DM

Member 2

1. Governance challenges in rural areas
2. 1st and 2nd ARC
3. their recommendations (I used keywords like citizen centric governance, modernising and optimising legacy workflows, streamlining processes, e governance etc)
4. asked me a body with deals with exclusive administrative grievances (I answered DARPG)
5. full form of darpg – (i mentioned governance instead of grievance – he corrected me)

Member 3

1. tell me about solar energy and associated challenges – went too technical and deep (managed to give satisfactory answer – forgot general challenges like land avblty etc)
2. floating solar and issues (mentioned O&M challenges)
3. renewable energy landscape in India – gave data points (had prepared them well)
4. challenges in RE integration as the power secy – which deptts will you coordinate with (I mentioned MNRE, POSOCO/GCIL, Power Ministry, grid operators like PGCIL, etc.)
5. you forgot to mention one critical agency (dropped hint regarding SECI – of which Ma’am was the MD) – (full sycophancy mode) – then asked about the mandate of which I responded with a generalistic answer (dev of solar power sector in India)
6. hypothetical situation – if the entire grid is shifted to RE esp solar and we have sufficient BESS – we should do away with thermal generation due to green energy commitments and NDCs – (i replied sir too difficult – we need to ensure predictable baseload power at all times for critical infra operation, also grid stability can be jeopardised) – started arguing that this is certainly possible etc (i mentioned sir we can reduce carbon intensity by other means such as SMRs etc) – (wanted to give him pakistan case study where off grid systems have collapsed the grid – but restricted myself) – again started reiterating his point (to which i said sir as per my limited understanding – i have learnt that predictable baseload generation is sin qua non for power system stability) – on which ma’am looked at him to signal something
7. went briefly to my hobby – railfanning – asked about it (replied in single line)
8. jumped to challenges in operationalisation of National Monetization pipeline in IR (I was dumbstruck – managed to carve an okayish answer like bureaucratic hurdles and delays in land acquisition – replied I need to dig deeper into this issue as I have not read much about it)
9. jumped to geopolitics and trade deals/FTAs (oman signed was being signed that day) – is the wto dead?

Member 4

Interview Transcripts (CSPT-2025): 1. asked me about marsiya poetry – (replied in a single line with emphasis on elements and poets – looked like he wasn’t much interested)
2. jumped to tourism question – should we build new monuments or conserve existing ones (i was blank for 2 secs and asked him to repeat since his voice was feeble – took a balanced stance – gave example of dubai/uae – glass and steel towers plus old arabian fort heritage
3. moved to challenges in tourism – mentioned about lucknow and its identity of Bada Imambada, but the city has innumerable imambadas, palaces, old gates, havelis etc
4. asked me for solutions – (i mentioned urban tourism – UP policy)
5. follow up on urban tourism – (same dubai example, malls, etc)
6. why will ppl come to see urban tourism – (i mentioned ppl frm rural areas thronging to see lulu mall, palassio, gomtinagar in lucknow)
7. if i come to lucknow, what places will you show me (i was delighted – tried to frame a long itinerary – morning at kudiya ghat, riverfront, breakfast at hazratganj/maulviganj/bilochpura/chowk) – interrupted me there – (i wanted to give him deeper insights and he chickened out lol)
8. again a question on wind power and challenges – (replied technically – lack of sustained wind speeds, limited geographical viability in west and south india, tower erection challenges above certain heights, power evacuation infra needs high capex – forgot to mention basic challenges of land, env issues such as GIB etc)
8. as i was mentioning wind challenges – i said sir i can think of only these points at the moment

Ma’am looked at M4 and said – “okay thank you, your interview is over.”

I responded back with a thank you to ma’am and then the members.

felt so much relieved afterwards, stood up, took 2 steps back, again said a thank you, and came outside.

my own assessment – very cordial board – ma’am+members kept poker face all the time, I tried to smile everytime and keep cool when they tried to grill me. used hand gestures too while explaining. interestingly, they didnt touch hobbies in detail despite them being very unique, nor did they even mention about history optional lol.

Grateful to God for having come this far. Fingers crossed for the future.