[Official ] Interview Preparation 2021 - Ask Questions, Debates and Doubts, Hobbies, Home State

Also adding some articles / gyan things i have written before

https://forumias.com/post/detail/Post-Mains-How-to-utilise-time-between-October-to-December-1570721306

And this one

https://forumias.com/portal/ias-interview-preparation/

Wikipedia is the best place to begin. Check out KBC nano state series. 

I would reply on these line-Yes i have spent good amount of time in the preparation. It is only because of the energy and passion of the youth , that i was able to stand up after every failure and rectify my mistakes. If this doesnt work out, the preparation has made me capable enough to bounce back from another failure. 

This was my first mains, please enlighten. I am confused as to what to write in hobby in DAF-2, if I get interview call-

1) I watch Movies/Web Series- but someone suggested that it is a passive hobby which is discouraged and that board might ask questions related to older movies while I mostly watch contemporary ones.

2) Should I write a new activity as a hobby- I don't actually do it but have some idea due to some projects and I can further prepare for it- like being from engineering optional, how about writing Electric vehicle enthusiast as the hobby- I can prepare technicalities and policies related to EV, why EVs still not a success in India, etc?! 

3) I like playing badminton but don't regularly watch it. 

Although I do play cricket a lot but I am apprehensive about writing it bcoz first, it is a national hobby :p and second, everyone is a cricket expert in himself/herself so they can ask tough ques there. 

Please enlighten. Thank you.

I saw in transcript, someone wrote "watching american satirical shows", and something about FRIENDS.
I too prefer sitcoms, and rarely watch serious stuff. same for movies (feel-good), music (indie/alt), fiction (coming-of-age/young adult (though budhapa aane ko hai)). so what to do: simply write watching tv shows, movies & reading novels (or add some qualifiers - or that'd be overdoing?) 

Similarly, sometimes I play Badminton & (gully/terrace) cricket. but have only heard of Saina Nehwal & Prakash Padukone. and zilch knowledge of the game. stopped following cricket after 2012. I like to run too. again, Bolt/PT Usha/PSTomar/Milkha/Budhia only folks I know. so I guess, no point.

I have also duped everyone till now in believing that I love books, philosophy & a bit of science. it all started with my teenage fascination with amreeki neo-atheism. so I went to wikipedia/wiki quote/goodreads/youtube etc. (pop) science/religion/philosophy/wars of disciplines(alan sokal, anyone?)/SJW-LGBT-PC-woke culture/alt-med & all that crap. baad mein nihilism aaya, toh thoda french existentialism ka tadka. and then balancing with Indian philosophy. law student ->so pol philo.

but, I've hardly read 50 books (in entirety), only two real philosophy books (and understood a fraction of it). b/c "books have boring parts" & REAL science & philosophy (not mere romanticism) & need patience. so superficial se bhi superficial maamla hai. but yehi meri real hobby hai: to waste time on internet and to pretend to know "stuff", but cant write that too :/

New activity: so I started translating a chapter of a classic (to Hindi) & made a podcast on it. I am loving this. yeh likh dun? but I use google translate/shabdkosh for most basic words!

Khaali hi chhod diya jaye kya? (mazak) btw aasar hain nahi call aane ke. mungeri lal ke sapne :D

what I've heard so far from coaching folks

1. it's okay to write such hobbies

2. don't do that. already a lot on the plate

personal "opinion" (zero empirical backing)

1. old v contemporary wont be an issue

3. national hobby/everyone's an expert shouldn't hold you back. also everyone (PM/EcoSurvey) is talking of that test series. don't miss this low hanging fruit.

Yes. But I removed that one (& couple more chapters, I wasted my hours on). Changed the name to "Anuvad", so only Hindi translations now. b/c audible & librivox already have British (accent) dudes' narration of English translation :p

:') 

kahani yeh hai ki, idk if reading non-fiction IS my hobby or not, but I desperately want it to be so. 

I haven't given interview yet. I might be in the same boat as you. Can we work together?

Let's brainstorm what all areas could be asked. One topic at a time- graduation subject, work experience, hobbies, home state etc. Before we do that, let's go through the threads@Neyawn sir has shared + the interview transcripts. Then, we can plan accordingly. Preferably 2-3 days for a topic.

Anyone with yoga as hobby ? 

I've been doing it for a year now. And reading a book. Willing to team up with someone with same hobby. 

Since everyone here seems to be focusing on non-fiction books, just want to know if reading fiction books as a hobby has some issues? I do read non-fiction but those numbers are really less! 

The Board may have movie enthusiasts who do ask questions on older movies sometimes. Plus I have also met candidates who have spent their whole 4 years of engineering in watching like 2 movies / day and have watched IMDB's Top 100 / 500 list + Korean / what not.

I used to think this is a generational prpblem, until I became aware of some Board members being deep into movies. So yes, that risk stays especially if you are just a casual movie watcher.

As far as electric vehicles are concerned, it is a fairly prep arable topic. You also have the time to do due diligence.

#3 Badminton, people who put that hobby do watch famous moments. I am also aware of an IIT Delhi female candidate who secured a under 40 rank being very well prepared with this topic - including questions like Why is China doing so well in Sports ( and was actually asked this question ) , so make your database well.

Also, do not forget to know the basics - which is what are the dimensions of a badminton court.

For cricket, there is nothing bad about it, do watch top 100 cricket moments videos on Youtube, you anyway are not doing much studies :P

Its better than eating Butterchicken :)