Interview Transcripts of CSE/IFoS 2023

Date and Session of Interview – 07/03/2024 & Afternoon session last to go time 25-30 minutes

Board's Chairman –Lt Gen Raj Shukla

Home state and places mentioned in DAF – Madhya Pradesh Gwalior

Optional - Anthropology

College (UG/PG) – MITS Gwalior

Educational background – Electrical Engineer

Profession/Work Profile/Projects mentioned(if any) – Capgemini , SBI PO , Minority

Hobbies – Playing Congo and Dholak, Exploring New places

Other key words – Nasha Mukti Abhiyaan under NSS

Your experience in interview via a detailed transcript –

Chairman – Not strict questions but like a conversation

1.Where did u studied?

2.Okay India is facing a strategic challenge in terms of terrorism so how India is facing a challenge of terrorism now?

(replied convential cross border terrorism to now cyber & narco terrorism).

3.How India has designed its terrorism doctrine now because previously we were use to be a soft state in terms of handling terrorism in case of parliament attack etc

4. What about drone as terrorist activity which we witness in Israel hamas war why India is in a vulnerable situation wrt large numbers of drone activities in the border?

  5. Why such large numbers of drone activities in border areas

6. Can we say drone as number one threat of India now?

7.What India is doing to mitigate such challenge?

8.What is the range of Inderjaal made by drdo? (mentioned inderjaal as one of the technology which India is working upon

Lady Member 1 – (very expressive)

1. What is Plasma?

2.What is blood group?

3.Why in India there is more Rh- but less Rh+ while we are descendents of monkey. Are we descendent of monkey?

4.Name some famous explorers from around the world?

5.How many minorities are there in India?

6.What are steps Government is doing for minority in India?

5.What is hamari dharohar scheme?

6.What India is doing for increasing numbers of parsi?

Male Member 2 (Serious face throughout)

1.Where is opium factory in India located?

2.Which agency undersee the opium farming in Neemuch mandsaur?

3.How black marketing can happen in opium cultivation?

4.Is bhang legal in India and how it is sold then?

5.Should we legalise marijuana in India or not?

6.Recently consignment was seized near India coast what was the size of the seizure and where was it seized and what is it repercussion?

7.Why India is not now just a transit hub of drugs but also coming up as it bigger consumer too (why more youngsters have started consuming drugs)?

8. What is market share of SBI?

9.Why SBI was in news recently?

Discussion about SBI recent request for extension of date for providing details about electoral bonds issuerer

Why SBI is asking for such long time today is the period of digitalisation?

This question extended with interuptions and grilling

Chairman intervened in between –

Are you aware Ex Finance secretery today said that if SBI wanted these details to be public this can be made public within 5 minutes.

Member 3

1 As a citizen of India I am very concerned that few corporates run with my safe money in the banks and how would you convince me that my money in Bank is safe?

2.What is status of Naxalism in MP?

3.How would you eliminate naxalism in these remaining districts firstly as a police officer and second as a District Magistrate of these districts?

4.MP and Chattisgarh divided few years back as a resident of MP and then as a resident of Chattisgarh comment how it affected overall development of both states?

Lady Member 4-

1.U  are interested in Music, Okay tell why Grammy awards was in news?

2.Tell us about recent Bharat Ratna awardees?

3.Tell us about MS Swaminathan what was his contribution?

4.What should India do to achieve status of Viksit Bharat by 2047?

5.What steps should we take in immediate term?

Chairman – Okay your interview is over. All the best

Date: 19/01/24 Afternoon Last to go

Interview Board: Hon. Suman Sharma Mam

DAF KEYWORDS: MBBS, ONE ACT PLAY WRITING, HARMONIUM, TABLE TENNIS, MAHARASHTRA

Optional: Medical Science

HON. SUMAN SHARMA MA'AM

1) IF YOU WERE MADE HEAD OF MAHARASHTRA INVESTMENT SUMMIT, how will you convince investors to invest in Maharashtra?

2) Tell me the economic impact of the Russia-Ukraine War on India.

3) What is the Wagner group, and what is the current status?

M1:

1) Three causes of neonatal mortality.

2) Why is so much importance given to institutional delivery?

3) Doctor sahab, why are rates of caesarean section increasing? Is it needed most of the time? Is commercial a factor?

4) Recent attacks by Iran on terror bases in Pakistan, what was India's response?

5) India's role in IOR.

6) Can a land pipeline be made possible through India to West Asia via Pakistan? How can we make it possible?

M3:

1) Do you know about cybersecurity? (I answered not much but a bit; I can try.) What are the facets of cybersecurity? How should we make cyber attack-resilient infrastructure?

2) What is climate adaptation? How should we address this in India?

Some one or two questions which I said sorry.

M4 (LADY MEMBER):

1) The brain is the greatest healer; medicine is just cut and paste. What is the placebo effect? Do you know the opposite of it? Why do doctors prescribe sugar tablets?

2) What is epigenetics? (I wrongly discussed eugenics.) No, that's different, and she explained epigenetics.

3) Do you know about Lamarckism? I said a bit and read in 12th standard, so moved on.

4) What is quantum healing?

5) How do you see AI in healthcare?

M5 Was looking towards the ceiling and never looked towards me even if I tried the hardest to make eye contact.

1) How can we cut the cost in the health sector?

2) Your views about insurance in healthcare; how can the current model be improved?

3) Tell me recent technological innovations in the medical field.

4) What were the ethical issues during the COVID-19 pandemic and current ethical issues in the medical field?

Hon. Suman Sharma Mam: Your interview is over!

Two members seemed interested in my talk, nodded, and encouraged me. One member had no interest in what I was saying.

Overall experience: Felt comfortable

Mostly graduation-based; nothing from DAF as such.

Mocks:

Vajirao and Reddy

Unacademy

Date-18/04/2024. Morning shift. 3rd to go

Board- Suman Sharma Ma'am (Probably)

Duration: pta nhi

DAF keywords - Rajasthan, Geography, Badminton, NGO, Cultural Exchange Programme with Germany,  (others not asked)

Chairwoman

*No time given to settle down. No basic chit-chat*

Started with a serious question right away, which i can't recall.

- Gig economy?

- Steps taken by Rajasthan for gig workers

- How much workforce is in gig economy?

- Is it good or bad

- Rajasthan doing well in renewable energy. There was a time in last years, when all the operations were halted, what was the reason?

- as i mentioned about some other reason, she said there was a bird. (Then I talked about Great Indian Bustard and mentioned the reasons)

- what was the verdict (i had mentioned SC verdict in the above answer)

- So you play badminton  (hobby)

- India's achievements in last year

(Thomas cup in my answer)

- Who won it? (Team members)

- Fastest smash in that? By whom? What was last record

- shuttlecock's feather, where does it come from?

- Which one is Faster- feather or plastic?

Member 1 (male)

- Now a days large hydropower projects being discouraged etc etc. why?

- so what should we do then?

- We have some ministries at central level, even if those subjects fall in state list. Why, what's the need, should we do away with them?

- Geography determines history. Comment on it.

Member 2 (male)

- Rajasthan shares border with Pakistan. Then something about - Survey of India not sharing maps of border areas for security reasons. What is the status now?

- A vaguely structured question on governance

- One more vaguely structured question. Government keeps changing priorities, what to do etc.

Member 3 (male) (perhaps had squint or something, i struggled to maintain eye contact with him)

- Which is calmest ocean

- Something regarding, countries opposite in globe and 12 hrs time difference (i answered interpreting it like this, not sure whether he meant this or something else)

Member 4 (female) - gave the most comforting vibe

- So you learnt German language (I said No, i was part of Cultural Exchange Programme with Germany during school)

- do you know of xyz in Delhi (perhaps a place/institution/something related to german language)

- what is social audit

- As you had mentioned NGO, what role can they play in social audit.  (I had mentioned about my experience in NGO in governance answer)

- Then, said something about issues with social audit-not done timely etc and expected my comment on that

- Black sea- why the name is black?

- Countries bordering black sea?

- where is white sea?

Chairwoman- Your interview is over.

*Chairwoman was listening and observing keenly throughout the interview*

Can't recall some questions.

My experience:

Not much "cordial" vibes. Not as "enriching" as i expected. Not much "conversational", not much experience/opinion based, rather more like prelims/mains questions.

Perhaps, transcripts had raised my expectations too high.

Observations/Gyaan:

- Transcripts seem more "clean and polished" than actual interview.

- In mocks, we know that the panel will give us a feedback later. So, the whole focus is on answering the questions. In real interview, a part of mind is occupied in understanding the expressions of panel. That's needed to understand the vibe of room, but also takes away a little focus.

- Like prelims & mains, prepare syllabus (DAF, current) and PYQ (transcripts) well, but at the same time, be prepared for random questions.

Hoga vahi jo Manzoor-e-khuda hoga.

Date: 2nd January, afternoon

Board: Dinesh Dasa Sir

State: Punjab

Optional: Economics

Chairperson

 • Introduce yourself

 • GST, Demonetisation, 1991 reforms, Bank Nationalisation in 1969- Arrange them in order of their importance for Indian economy.

 • What reforms could be brought in Civil services Exam?

 • In acient time about 2000 years back, India's contribution to economy was as much as 33%, whereas it is only 3% now. What led to such a scenario and How can India regain its strength in economy?

M1

 • What is Yellow Journalism?

 • What is Capital Adequacy ratio?

 • What is Bank recapitalisation and How government recapitalises banks?

 • Is it justified to put taxpayers money in Banks that are not performing well?

 • What is equal opportunity? (Related to Daf)

 • What are programmes to provide equal oppurtunity?

 • Doesn't Reservation deny equal opportunity?

 • What reforms could be done in Reservation system?

M2

 • Discussion about Ecological value of mountains and impact of development on it.(Related to Daf)

 • Long monologues about situation in mountains and asked about steps also that could be taken.

 • If you were incharge, would you have allowed construction of Hydroproject related tunnel in Joshimath or not?

M3

 • What is Pehel scheme?

 • What is Ujjawala scheme?

 • Who all are beneficiaries in Ujjawala scheme?

 • Why Fuels have been kept out of GST? and discussion on that as to why they can't be put in GST itself?

 • What is the impact on Oil companies of keeping it out of GST?

M4

 • State of Indian economy before Independence and just after Independence.

 • What changed in Indian economy just after Indian economy? Kept insisting on the point that what impact was there immediately after Independence.

 • What was the objective of Indian freedom struggle?

 • Was the objective just Independence or it was Republic as well?

 • What is Republic? Is UK a Republic?

 • Which was the first war of Independence?

 • If we have gained Freedom in 1857 itself, would India had become Republic then?

Overall Experience: Board was vey cordial, Didn't interrupt even once and encouraged to speak. Interview was more in discussion format rather than mere question answers.

Date of interview: 29 January afternoon

Interview board: Swain sir

Daf pointers: Lucknow, Gwalior, BTech (IT), MBA, Formula-one, financial markets, police, philately

Interview transcript:

Chairman: straightaway

1- tell me the history of philately

2- where is the philately museum in Delhi (exact location)

Thn turned his chair away and started typing on the keyboard.

M2 (lady)

1- I learnt to use computers after my graduation and now new technologies are coming up. How will you encourage the Indian people to become tech savy ?

2- how to promote tourism in UP ?

3- why do you want to join the services after such a great academic background?

4- what are the pros and cons of having only government run schools in the country ?

M3 (seated closest to me on the right)

1- how will you use technology in policing?

2- what are the pros and cons of social media ?

3- how is technology mis-used in Taiwan elections ?

4- what is the smallest pair of whole numbers used to form a right angle triangle? (Weird question in between opinion based questions)

5- what leadership style will you prefer in the services ?

Chairman turned back towards me.

M4

1- how is cutting edge technology in formula-one used in day to day life ?

2- comment on the financial markets in India

3- asked me some random term

M5

1- if there is formula one then there must be formula two formula three formula four, what are these?

2- compare the economic condition of UP and MP ?

3- why Indian PSUs are not performing as great as those of Singapore and Dubai?

4- which PSUs of India are you bullish on and why?

Time - 30-32 mins

Assessment of the board: The lady was smiling whereas the other members were poker-faced so I don't know how it went. The chairman turned away in the middle of the interview and started typing on the keyboard. The only mock I found closer to the actual exam in terms of seating was Samkalp. The mocks relevant to the board's questions were - Testbook, Unacademy, Studyiq and Chahal. One to one with Khan sir and Ravindran sir was helpful.