Subscribe to ForumIAS

[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

591 comments

@ssver2 Bhai same case read some books here and there(Harrari's, Sen's etc.) but not enough to write reading non-fiction as a hobby- probably in the same boat as you of pretending to know stuff :p 

I think@Neyawn sir,@AzadHindFauz and some seniors who already have experience of giving interviews may guide us better. 

That is okay. At least read / revise 3-4 books in the next 1 month so that if you are asked what is the last book you have read / or favourite author, you dont say something awkward. 

ssver2,
6.3k views

Omensaid

@neyawn sir   Please share some Gyan to answer this famous question “ You were spending long time in upsc journey (4-5 years). Aren’t you wasting productive time of youth?”

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. 

Saying this will require tremendous amount of confidence, but more than that conviction.

Another approach can be to not justify the attempts that has taken you to reach there and how you have benefitted from it.

You could say, Yes Sir, it has taken me a few attempts to reach here because I could not understand the demand of the examination in earlier attempts.

TsarBomba,Emerald24and1 otherslike this
6.4k views
@WittyAayog I think skimming through your state's economic survey is a wise option. Someone also suggested me to buy 'Know Your State' of Arihant publications.


Neyawn,ssver2and2 otherslike this
5.4k views
@Neyawn Thanks a lot sir for your reply! It cleared a lot of my doubts :) 
Also, sorry but nothing is better than butter chicken :p 


5.7k views
@WittyAayog I think skimming through your state's economic survey is a wise option. Someone also suggested me to buy 'Know Your State' of Arihant publications.


They are good to begin.

At least prepare the basic questions. That what why how and most expected questions.


Also Wikipedia first paragraph is helpful ( and significant )

6k views

@Omen I hope you are not offended. I didn’t mean to. We are just sharing ideas. I didn’t mean to put you off. Apologies if that was felt.

6k views

Neyawnsaid

@Omen I hope you are not offended. I didn’t mean to. We are just sharing ideas. I didn’t mean to put you off. Apologies if that was felt.

No sir. I get it, i think. Answering at that moment would be a totally different ball game than writing here. My answer probably reflected idealism to some extent. I have to be a little more pragmatic i feel. What are your thoughts on this sir ?

One thing i noticed is your use of 'sir'. I have read you mention it quiet a few times for interview prep. This too was a great learning.


4.9k views

Omensaid

Neyawnsaid

@Omen I hope you are not offended. I didn’t mean to. We are just sharing ideas. I didn’t mean to put you off. Apologies if that was felt.

No sir. I get it, i think. Answering at that moment would be a totally different ball game than writing here. My answer probably reflected idealism to some extent. I have to be a little more pragmatic i feel. What are your thoughts on this sir ?

One thing i noticed is your use of 'sir'. I have read you mention it quiet a few times for interview prep. This too was a great learning.


Ironically, neyawn discourages usage of "sir" for him, here. :p

4.8k views

Omensaid

Neyawnsaid

@Omen I hope you are not offended. I didn’t mean to. We are just sharing ideas. I didn’t mean to put you off. Apologies if that was felt.

No sir. I get it, i think. Answering at that moment would be a totally different ball game than writing here. My answer probably reflected idealism to some extent. I have to be a little more pragmatic i feel. What are your thoughts on this sir ?

One thing i noticed is your use of 'sir'. I have read you mention it quiet a few times for interview prep. This too was a great learning.


Idealism is not bad as long as your body language , age and DAF supports it.  I will quote here that people who are idealist, you can see it in their face. 

There was one old user Mittali here, she was posted sometime in a tribal area and wasn’t complaining . When I meet her or speak to her, she is very enthusiastic about her work among tribals. So you know who is idealist in thoughts  Aldine VS in deeds too.

With experience or age you will come to realise that guys who write - serving the nation, will join IT sector if they don’t get Selected. They won’t usually sacrifice a good IT job for actually working in dusty rural areas with no electricity to serve the nation. There is nothing in their DAF or personality which supports what they say. That is when idealism doesn’t look good.

I recommend using Sir a bit more because some people who have a bit of American English end up nodding their heads, saying “Ya-Ya”or “right-right” even to the board. As if speaking to a colleague.

That is clearly a very bad manner when you have to work in an administrative job with hierarchy  . The habit of saying Sir kinda mellows down such things .

And for example I have quoted : asked the question that why does the hero get posted in that remote district in the movie Article 15?


Anyone knows the answer ?


ssver2,cot_ainok
5.9k views

ssver2said

Omensaid

Neyawnsaid

@Omen I hope you are not offended. I didn’t mean to. We are just sharing ideas. I didn’t mean to put you off. Apologies if that was felt.

No sir. I get it, i think. Answering at that moment would be a totally different ball game than writing here. My answer probably reflected idealism to some extent. I have to be a little more pragmatic i feel. What are your thoughts on this sir ?

One thing i noticed is your use of 'sir'. I have read you mention it quiet a few times for interview prep. This too was a great learning.


Ironically, neyawn discourages usage of "sir" for him, here. :p

Haha yes. I miss the anonymity. 

With that tag comes too much responsibility of being right every time.

I may not be right every time, the goal is to be less and less wrong every time.

Or else the learning stops. And we are Sapiens,not Neanderthals.

ssver2,Jonathan
5.9k views

By the way today I read Steven Pinker”s Enlightenment now. Mind boggling ideas.

Was recommended by an old community member Kabira here. It took me six months to make time for it, and I am done with 30% of the book in like 2 hours.


ssver2,Impavid_Girl
5.9k views
@Neyawn Thanks for the insight. Cool sir.


Neyawn,ssver2and1 otherslike this
5.4k views

Neyawnsaid

Omensaid

Neyawnsaid

@Omen I hope you are not offended. I didn’t mean to. We are just sharing ideas. I didn’t mean to put you off. Apologies if that was felt.

No sir. I get it, i think. Answering at that moment would be a totally different ball game than writing here. My answer probably reflected idealism to some extent. I have to be a little more pragmatic i feel. What are your thoughts on this sir ?

One thing i noticed is your use of 'sir'. I have read you mention it quiet a few times for interview prep. This too was a great learning.


Idealism is not bad as long as your body language , age and DAF supports it.  I will quote here that people who are idealist, you can see it in their face. 

There was one old user Mittali here, she was posted sometime in a tribal area and wasn’t complaining . When I meet her or speak to her, she is very enthusiastic about her work among tribals. So you know who is idealist in thoughts  Aldine VS in deeds too.

With experience or age you will come to realise that guys who write - serving the nation, will join IT sector if they don’t get Selected. They won’t usually sacrifice a good IT job for actually working in dusty rural areas with no electricity to serve the nation. There is nothing in their DAF or personality which supports what they say. That is when idealism doesn’t look good.

I recommend using Sir a bit more because some people who have a bit of American English end up nodding their heads, saying “Ya-Ya”or “right-right” even to the board. As if speaking to a colleague.

That is clearly a very bad manner when you have to work in an administrative job with hierarchy  . The habit of saying Sir kinda mellows down such things .

And for example I have quoted : asked the question that why does the hero get posted in that remote district in the movie Article 15?


Anyone knows the answer ?


This makes so much sense. My answers must not diverge from my personality and DAF. And i guess, it must be really easy for the board to catch this incongruence.  

I feel mock interviews and group discussions, as you mentioned, would help me explore my own self. 

All i remember from Article 15 is the Bob Dylan song, blowing in the wind. 

ssver2,iphoole
4.8k views

Neyawnsaid

» show previous quotes

Idealism is not bad as long as your body language , age and DAF supports it.  I will quote here that people who are idealist, you can see it in their face. 

There was one old user Mittali here, she was posted sometime in a tribal area and wasn’t complaining . When I meet her or speak to her, she is very enthusiastic about her work among tribals. So you know who is idealist in thoughts  Aldine VS in deeds too.

With experience or age you will come to realise that guys who write - serving the nation, will join IT sector if they don’t get Selected. They won’t usually sacrifice a good IT job for actually working in dusty rural areas with no electricity to serve the nation. There is nothing in their DAF or personality which supports what they say. That is when idealism doesn’t look good.

I recommend using Sir a bit more because some people who have a bit of American English end up nodding their heads, saying “Ya-Ya”or “right-right” even to the board. As if speaking to a colleague.

That is clearly a very bad manner when you have to work in an administrative job with hierarchy  . The habit of saying Sir kinda mellows down such things .

And for example I have quoted : asked the question that why does the hero get posted in that remote district in the movie Article 15?


Anyone knows the answer ?


"Cool sir"

4.7k views
Deleted

ssver2said

Neyawnsaid

Omensaid

Neyawnsaid

@Omen I hope you are not offended. I didn’t mean to. We are just sharing ideas. I didn’t mean to put you off. Apologies if that was felt.

No sir. I get it, i think. Answering at that moment would be a totally different ball game than writing here. My answer probably reflected idealism to some extent. I have to be a little more pragmatic i feel. What are your thoughts on this sir ?

One thing i noticed is your use of 'sir'. I have read you mention it quiet a few times for interview prep. This too was a great learning.


Idealism is not bad as long as your body language , age and DAF supports it.  I will quote here that people who are idealist, you can see it in their face. 

There was one old user Mittali here, she was posted sometime in a tribal area and wasn’t complaining . When I meet her or speak to her, she is very enthusiastic about her work among tribals. So you know who is idealist in thoughts  Aldine VS in deeds too.

With experience or age you will come to realise that guys who write - serving the nation, will join IT sector if they don’t get Selected. They won’t usually sacrifice a good IT job for actually working in dusty rural areas with no electricity to serve the nation. There is nothing in their DAF or personality which supports what they say. That is when idealism doesn’t look good.

I recommend using Sir a bit more because some people who have a bit of American English end up nodding their heads, saying “Ya-Ya”or “right-right” even to the board. As if speaking to a colleague.

That is clearly a very bad manner when you have to work in an administrative job with hierarchy  . The habit of saying Sir kinda mellows down such things .

And for example I have quoted : asked the question that why does the hero get posted in that remote district in the movie Article 15?


Anyone knows the answer ?


"Cool sir"

4.7k views
Haha, Yes . So now you know one thing not to say to senior officials. Some people do say it in the interview - Right right right or ya ya ya. 
ssver2,Emerald24
5.7k views

Neyawnsaid

By the way today I read Steven Pinker”s Enlightenment now. Mind boggling ideas.

Was recommended by an old community member Kabira here. It took me six months to make time for it, and I am done with 30% of the book in like 2 hours.


So continues with the theme of "Better Angel's of Our Nature", right?

Give Factfulness a shot too (if you haven't already). Here's the TED talk:
<>

4.7k views

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! 


imho :D it's the opposite, fiction gives you the room to make your own choices from a wide array, but with non-fiction the board would expect us of having read (at least heard) of particular recent works on imp issues. In my case, the focus on non-fiction, among other things, is due to the desperation to sound gyaani. *sighs*  

Joeyisthebest,
4.1k views
Write your comment…