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

ButterChickensaid

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.

ButterChickensaid

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.

Joeyisthebestsaid

@ssver2 Spotify audio books?? That wonderful life is short recording?! 

ButterChickensaid

@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. 

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.

Neyawnsaid

» show previous quotes

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 ?

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"

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.

Huntingtonsaid

httsp://blog.forumias.com/interview 

not opening

Joeyisthebestsaid

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! 

Joeyisthebestsaid

@ssver2 anuvad still counts right. How does language matter? I get it you are using translator but still..

PS - When do we get to hear it?! 

Abeeshakesaid

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. 

ABCdef123said

Is cycling a good hobby to mention?

JhansiKiRaniisaid

Hey@Neyawn is there any repository for e-novels? A google drive Link or something of that nature will be highly appreciated 😊

RegistaniOonthsaid

I have 2 hobbies to write which are genuinely my hobbies.

1. Video shooting and editing (I shoot videos from my mobile , not those cheap tik tok ones but I create a storyline around non living stuff i.e no actors, I hold the camera shoot the sequence and weave a story). Won 1st prize in Vivo ad campaign, my video was shortlisted by red Achilles entertainment(shot a stay at home horror movie) and was runner up in a competition organised by NPCI based cyber fraud awareness through a video. I edit them in Powerdirector and Microsoft movie maker. Learned through youtube, no idea about technicalities of video making, I don't even have personal favourites in this field.
2. Its making sketches with pencil. In college days used to make time lapse videos of my sketches and upload it on insta...haven't drawn anything past 2 years. But is a hobby, developed when I had plenty of HB 4H 3H 2H etc pencils left after my first year of graduation :D
What Can I expect from all this. Because I don't have anything to write in that achievement section, no leadership role ever held. 

Neyawnsaid

ssver2said

Joeyisthebestsaid

@ssver2 anuvad still counts right. How does language matter? I get it you are using translator but still..

PS - When do we get to hear it?! 

It's already live, Joey. 

Anuvaad | अनुवाद • A podcast on Anchor

Listen, read, follow and share. I hope I'm not banned for this shameless self-promotion :D

See. We have so much talent on the forum. I think we should launch an alternative News Channel.

JhansiKiRaniisaid

ssver2said

Joeyisthebestsaid

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*  

Hey. I wrote fiction as a  hobby in my last year's interview, even though I had this apprehension of not being taken seriously by the board. However, fortunately, got an above average  score😁.

Though non-fiction is often seen as more "intellectually inclined", I think fiction will do just fine (and even well) if you actually read and enjoy it. 

As for the interview, if you readgood classic fictions, board members do ask questions around its social- economic context. Asked me about Mulk Raj anand's books and female Indian fiction writers I like to read. 

JhansiKiRaniisaid

ssver2said

JhansiKiRaniisaid

ssver2said

Joeyisthebestsaid

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*  

Hey. I wrote fiction as a  hobby in my last year's interview, even though I had this apprehension of not being taken seriously by the board. However, fortunately, got an above average  score😁.

Though non-fiction is often seen as more "intellectually inclined", I think fiction will do just fine (and even well) if you actually read and enjoy it. 

As for the interview, if you readgood classic fictions, board members do ask questions around its social- economic context. Asked me about Mulk Raj anand's books and female Indian fiction writers I like to read. 

 female Indian fiction writers I like to read.

what was your answer, if I may ask? :p

 I  mentioned Jhumpa lahiri, Divya devkaruni ( the palace of illusions) and then Arundhati Roy (could have avoided the last one:p). The member smiled a bit on hearing the last name and went ahead with a follow-up question on booker prize etc. 😁

Neyawnsaid

ButterChickensaid

@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. 

Omensaid

And what do you think about mentioning reading philosophy ?

Stoic philosophy, tao, vivekanad etc i have read and enjoyed. Ryan Holiday, Allan Watts etc 

Philosophy meets self help is what interests me. 

I like reading nihilism and existentialism literature too. Mostly as an escape from the grind of life. Not sure whether to mention it or not.@Neyawn your thoughts on this ?

Sankozasaid

@Neyawn this is so true! All Non-fiction is just opinion at best. And like everything else, everyone has their own opinion on how to succeed in life, work, love etc. There is nothing sacrosanct. 

All these self-help books seem to me like one big knowledge-porn which leaves one frustrated and confused even more. But don’t get me wrong. I’m also a big part of this circle-jerk and I still read non-fiction. 

On the other hand, fiction is much more humane.  It’s like therapy. Writers tell you things that you were afraid to discuss with any other mortal. It makes you feel less alone in feeling the way you do. 

So yeah. 

I know most men (research says women like fiction more) who are in the workforce read mostly non-fiction. Like I follow Anudeep’s articles. He only talks about non-fiction. It isn’t a bad thing at all! Probably I’ll do the same going forward. 

But I just hope people don’t give up on fiction and philosophy. These two rescue us from the despair that springs forth from the absurdity of existence. 

Omensaid

ssver2said

Caesarsaid

@ssver2 i second your opinion. Fiction is still okay, esp when it's short and relatable(like kafka, or our Upmanyu chatterjee). But philosophy drowns me into boredom. It feels like why is someone making a simple thing so complex(or maybe i don’t have the bandwidth to process all that). Nothing against philosophy or fiction, rather fiction writers are the conscience keeper of the society, but some people are just not cut out for it.

Will also disagree with@Sankoza,all non fiction is not just opinion, esp if the work is well backed up by facts and documented history

err, no. I get where you are coming from. but I love both fiction & philosophy :p

(check out mypodcast, it's Seneca for now, so, not so mumbo-jumpo) (boy, I'm shameless!) 

but "unreal" stories (eg fantasy) is not my cup of tea, unless supplied with a looooot of details (eg HP, LoTR). also I usually stick to fiction I can relate to. otoh, the true lovers of fiction read it to delve into diverse "realities"

And I too feel that sankoza over-generalizes here. but I confess that when absurdity of life hit, Harry Potter helped more than Albert Camus. and that it's knowledge porn at the end of the day. reminds me of neyawn's article where he says ki kitna bhi mein motivation porn likh dun aur tum padh lo, ussse kaddu kuch nahi hoga, agar mehnat nahi karoge (in better words ofc)

Totally agree with the point that nothing more motivational than the momentum gained through studying itself. 

Albert Camus has been really helpful to me. Sisyphus is happy has stayed with me for a while now. 

I need to try reading LoTR and HP as you recommended 

Omensaid

Neyawnsaid

This is one video I would like you to watch. Not fancy Youtube stuff. Regular mock. What are your observations about the candidate?

- not just answers but the way of delivering them in extremely important

- no background, justification but the direct answer. For this one might have to be comfortable with awkward silence once you answer. It is usually to avoid this awkward silence that i keep justifying or reinstating my point trying to persuade the interviewer. 

- decision making extremely necessary skill

Neyawnsaid

ssver2said

@Neyawn SFG join kar lein ya wait karein? I'm inclined to, b/c SFG days were the best! :p

I miss the “old” SFG too. Last month two of my SFG students got married. 

To each other. 

It was emotional ( tears in eyes ).

Marcelosaid

@Neyawn @Knightsword 

I'm attaching the relevant hobby (watching wildlife docus) related Q&A here.

M2 : So you like watching Wildlife documentaries. Have you seen “Born Free”?

A : Born free? Is that a documentary?<>

M2 : Yes yes, leave you haven’t watched it. Do you know about Serengiti National park. You know a very famous event takes place there?

A : Yes sir, it is a very beautiful sight, The Wildebeest Migration. It’s the migration of buffaloes, zebras, wildebeests after the Okavango basin dries up during summer.

M2 : Yes, these animals don’t recognize any boundaries and move freely. Do you know across which 2 countries they migrate?

A : Sir I believe they migrate across Tanzania and Kenya. 

M2 : They move in large groups. There are lions also in Serengiti. Do you know what a group of lions is 

called?

A : Sir it’s called a pride of lions.

M2 : Yes, and do you know if lions are found anywhere outside Africa?

A : Sir the Asiatic lion is found outside Africa. It is found only in India in Gir, Gujarat. It also used to be found in Iran.

M2 : Leave Iran, but lions are found only in Gujarat in India?

A : Yes sir.

M2 : Are you sure they are not found anywhere else?

A : Sorry sir, none that I can think of.

Rest of the interview followed from here onwards.