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

LIVE Session onStrategic Mistakes and Handling Tricky Questions

LIVE Session for filling up DAF 2 | CSE 2020



Hello All,

So the last time I create a TG for Interview prep we saw some good discussions. However, the group has little archival value, by which I means discussions that happen are not archived on the Internet forever - which is something we need for Civils prep - or at least for the community.

This thread is created by ME circa 2021 to be "The Interview Group"

I am also working on a guide for Interview Preparation - which is kinda here


And a very interesting hobby discussion thread here


http://discuss.forumias.com/discussion/23379/hobbies-discussion-for-upsc-interview

358.5k views

590 comments

@Neyawn sir, how can one prepare exactly about the state(Bihar)or a particular district(gaya) details. Will the books such as "Know your state" such as by KBC come handy and serve the purpose?

5.5k views

@Neyawn Sir I am very much interested in elections. Continuously following Indian elections since UP 2012 elections. Electoral behaviour ,issues and the voting patterns are the key areas of interest.

Would it be risky to mention psephology as an interest or hobby as there are too many caste complications and religious matters in this.

People in the panel may not know politics, but they very well know the election process, some of them having conducted them. Expect questions on EVMs and stages of conduct of elections, dispute redressed.


I am no knight. Do not call me Sir|Philosophy behind ForumIAS

6.8k views

Hi@Neyawn sir, can i write "Agribusiness" As my interest area. I hail from agricultural background, and my family is also involved in cold storage  logistics and trading business.

If you have it, and can take questions, go ahead.


I am no knight. Do not call me Sir|Philosophy behind ForumIAS

6.8k views

@Neyawn sir, how can one prepare exactly about the state(Bihar)or a particular district(gaya) details. Will the books such as "Know your state" such as by KBC come handy and serve the purpose?

Wikipedia. 


Plus the book you have mentioned. Look, don’t expect a definitive source, one stop thing.


I am no knight. Do not call me Sir|Philosophy behind ForumIAS

6.8k views
@Neyawn sir, I have interest in writing hindi poems and i want to mention writing poems and doing yoga and meditation as my hobbies.

Since, i am true to these habits I think i can write them in DAF-2, but i fear too many intricate questions being asked from poem side... i.e, they may ask to recall a particular poet's poem or so and going and preparing it at depth is not so easy.( I read ur comments last year about how much this issue can be questioned in depth).

Kindly let me know the questions which may be asked from these hobbies.


Moreover, I had done MSC in physics way back and then went on to work in public banking sector. Presently I am preparing civils with philosophy optional. So what are the things I must prepare for physics, banking, philosophy?

5.4k views
@Ajatashatru No, I’m not because it’s not something I regularly do. Golf is an occasional affair for me especially along with prep.

Also, it has absolutely no utility w.r.t administration on the ground. It may give the board an elitist impression especially because of the fact that senior civil servants who play golf are reprimanded for not working and just passing time.

In my humble opinion, if you don’t have any credible achievements in the field it’s better to concentrate on your other strengths and boost them rather than venturing into something which doesn’t appeal to the grassroots at all. 


5.4k views
@ktgulfam you do have a point. However another way of looking at it is that very few hobbies have utility wrt administration. Another disadvantage with golf could be the obscure rules.
@Neyawn btw how many hobbies need to be listed ideally?


5.2k views
@ktgulfam you do have a point. However another way of looking at it is that very few hobbies have utility wrt administration. Another disadvantage with golf could be the obscure rules.
@Neyawn btw how many hobbies need to be listed ideally?


There ain’t an ideal number. People have zero hobbies as well as five six. “Normal” or “average” would be 2-3. Ones that you can prepare.


I am no knight. Do not call me Sir|Philosophy behind ForumIAS

ssver2,
6.1k views
Anyone has informed opinion about where all to give Mock Interview sessions?
GaryVee,AzadHindFauzand2 otherslike this
4.6k views
Is there any website by any coaching institute or aspirants where we can search for interview transcripts based on graduation streams , hobbies (eg: trekking/music, etc) and such other categories ?
4.7k views
Anyone from Chandigarh/Himachal Pradesh? Any source for doing state current affairs?
4.3k views
@ktgulfam im frm CHD too , same problem


4.2k views

Miragesaid

Is there any website by any coaching institute or aspirants where we can search for interview transcripts based on graduation streams , hobbies (eg: trekking/music, etc) and such other categories ?

You can take a look athttps://interview.forumias.com 

and search  for the relevant keyword .


I am no knight. Do not call me Sir|Philosophy behind ForumIAS

Mirage,
5.3k views
how good should one be in chess to justify mentioning it as hobby? started playing online few months ago and can beat 1000 rated players regularly. I basically know few openings and tactics, and try not to hang my pieces.
3.6k views
@Charlie  I m 1600 (rapid) @ chess.com. few things which can be asked..
1. Diff between rapid Blitz and classical games
2. Anand 
3. Rating - IM GM 
4. Indian chess success stories
5. Concentration of GMs @ Chennai
6. Why we couldn't produced another world champion
7. Why Anand is failing to replicate his own success
8. List of world champions
9. Chess openings (not difficult to remember if you play regularly)
10. Chess during covid - virtual chess Olympiad ( issues of connectivity and cheating)
11. Imp chess tournament in India - TATA steel @ Kolkata
12. Players and sponsorship ( yesterday one National player Kuldeep Chouhan  in Dhar(mp) found selling tea outside college)
13.Which opening you prefer as white/black and why
14. Imp elements in chess - sinner , space , time,  kings safety
15. Positional vs tectical play and players
16. Attack and combination
17. Movies related to chess - pawn sacrifice, Queens Gambit
18. Women chess players - polgar humpy etc..
19. Know basic style repertoire of capablanca, tak fisher carlsan Anand spasky botvinik Petrosian etc..

20. Chess association (aicf) , Elo ratings , fide etc

Expect questions on these things. If u can prepare than go ahead. And try to improve your rating to 1400-1500( it's not that difficult).

Charlie,
4k views
Can I use pencil and paper during interview. 
4k views
@Charlie  I m 1600 (rapid) @ chess.com. few things which can be asked..
1. Diff between rapid Blitz and classical games
2. Anand 
3. Rating - IM GM 
4. Indian chess success stories
5. Concentration of GMs @ Chennai
6. Why we couldn't produced another world champion
7. Why Anand is failing to replicate his own success
8. List of world champions
9. Chess openings (not difficult to remember if you play regularly)
10. Chess during covid - virtual chess Olympiad ( issues of connectivity and cheating)
11. Imp chess tournament in India - TATA steel @ Kolkata
12. Players and sponsorship ( yesterday one National player Kuldeep Chouhan  in Dhar(mp) found selling tea outside college)
13.Which opening you prefer as white/black and why
14. Imp elements in chess - sinner , space , time,  kings safety
15. Positional vs tectical play and players
16. Attack and combination
17. Movies related to chess - pawn sacrifice, Queens Gambit
18. Women chess players - polgar humpy etc..
19. Know basic style repertoire of capablanca, tak fisher carlsan Anand spasky botvinik Petrosian etc..

20. Chess association (aicf) , Elo ratings , fide etc

Expect questions on these things. If u can prepare than go ahead. And try to improve your rating to 1400-1500( it's not that difficult).

This is more like it. 


I am no knight. Do not call me Sir|Philosophy behind ForumIAS

4.9k views
Can I use pencil and paper during interview. 

Sometimes boards have given pencil and paper to solve . Sometimes students have asked for it. Can you share what question you would like to / intend to answer by “showing” rather than “saying”.

Philo guys should get it :P


I am no knight. Do not call me Sir|Philosophy behind ForumIAS

LazyBatman,
4.9k views
@Neyawn  Like if they ask me to tell what steps have been taken by govt/RBI to help msme sector during covid. It would help if they allow me to write down steps taken ranked in terms of importance.
3.9k views

@Neyawn I have put Taekwon Do medals ( blue I belt) as achievement and playing Tabla as hobby in IFOS and will put same in cse. kindly some experience personprovide insight into the depth up to which panel can go and questions 

3.8k views
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