[UPSC Interview 2025] – Transcript #86: Raj Shukla Sir Board, cooking Hobby,

Date of Interview: 6th January, afternoon session
Board: Raj Shukla Sir
Hobby: cooking
Time: 25-30mins
DAF Keywords: IIT Kanpur, Aerospace, Missiles, Aircraft engines, Airports, cooking

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Chairman

1. Why did you decide so late to join civil services?
2. What are Indias status in terms of aerospace in capacity?
I talked about missiles. India is one of the leading in development of missiles. Sir interrupted and started a long monologue that yes it is developing but India is not able to build a deterrence like China has.
Next I talked about Tejas aircrafts which is still not to our desired production capacity. Sir again started a long monologue on how HAL is paying very less amount to engineers to build AMCA program, brain drain.
3. He was asking what should we do about it? I was saying we need to bring private sectors and we are already doing it. Sir then again gave a monologue on how we have bureaucratic inefficiencies that is creating problem. I agreed with him.
4. How is IIT Kanpur faring in aerospace? I said its one of the leading institutes and have unique facilities like wind tunnel facility.
5. How are the professors? I told that they are very renowned professors, when I was there.
6. Do you have any idea like Elon Musk? I told, I have not thought about it yet. I have decided to be in the civil services. (Everyone was smiling and sir remarked it’s a good thing)

Member 1

1. What kind of civil servant will you be? I tried answering relating to my technical, managerial and work ex background.
2. Which dish you like? I answered Biriyani
3. As Sir (Chairperson) was mentioning we are unable to transform research to technology. What do you think reforms needed in the education sector? I talked about industry academia partnership and that Indian govt is focusing on R&D more.
4. What qualities do you think is most important in civil services? I told about Emotional intelligence and integrity.
5. How is emotional intelligence related to civil services?

Member 2

1. You worked on aircraft engines. Tell me about your project. A long discussion there about how is it relevant.
2. You worked on air to air missiles. Tell me about it.
3. Ballistic missiles vs cruise missiles
4. Hypersonic missiles
5. Indian missile arsenals
6. What range do you think we need to have a missile so that we can hit Beijing? I told that we have Agni as the highest range of 5000kms but Russia is building missile which it claims has unlimited range. We are nowhere close to it. We have to develop technologies.
7. Do we import tracking technologies used in missiles? (I am not aware of)

Member 3

1. Tell me about your project about airports. A discussion on that and how Indian airports revenue differs from global airports.
2. How is communication and marketing strategy important? I started talking about how positioning matters and sir interrupted. He asked me ki how will you use communication strategy in administration? I talked about various channels like social media, print media, media and Word of mouth especially in rural areas. Sir added a few more points on that and I agreed with him.
3. What are your weakness? Any other weakness.
4. 2 qualities in a leader. I replied emotional intelligence and integrity.
5. Do you stay true to your principle? Can you say No when its against the principle? Give me an example from your life.
6. What about communication, dedication, discipline? I told that being emotionally intelligent will also lead to effective communication and integrity leads to dedication, discipline, perseverance.

Member 4

1. Difference between micro and macroeconomics.
2. What is oligopoly?
3. What change would you bring in civil administration? I talked about increased adoption of technology which will improve transparency and accountability and improve bureaucratic efficiency.