[UPSC INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT #6] Sathiyavathy Mam Board, Maharastra Home State, IFoS, Zoology & Forestry Optional

Interview Date: 10 February 2020, Time :1 pm
Background: MSc. Biotechnology
Optional: Zoology and Forestry
Board: Sathiyavathy Mam
Home State: Maharashtra

Chairman

1. what u did after your MSc please tell me in sequence.
2. why aren’t you working full time anywhere and only part-time jobs?
3. what made you turn to forest services?
4. how is biotechnology useful in forest services?
5. what was your research project? (Worked on the effect of Tinospora cordifolia plant on diabetes mellitus)
6. Does Jamun seed also have any relation to diabetes?

Member 1

1. Tell me something about mangroves in Mumbai? Are they increasing or decreasing? Any problems with mangroves?
2. what projects are being taken up by India for climate change? By Maharashtra?
3. anything by Maharashtra for forest conservation?
4. schemes in Maharashtra for the health sector?
5. medicinal plants name any five. How can tribals help in this area?

Member 2

1. which bt crops are there in India?
2. why don’t we have other bt crops apart from bt cotton?
3. how as forest officer u will help in the development of botanic gardens?
4. tell me about some biotechnology parks in India. What do they do?
5. why India is chosen for clinical trials by foreign companies?
6. why students don’t want to pursue a career in research and just join govt services?

Member 3 (he grilled me the most)

1. difference between botanical gardens and herbal gardens
2. which bodies are working for biodiversity at different levels? At which level do people contribute? What do they gain out of it?
3. various adaptation and mitigation steps for climate change?
4. contribution of biotechnology in food crops? How can they be useful in the future?
5. what are clones? How can they be useful in forestry?
6. can biotechnology be useful in tree improvement? Any recent examples from India?
7. how will you identify which tree to use for the tree improvement program? How will you propagate these species faster?
8. tell me about micropropagation. Can it be used in forest tree improvement?

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