Of the five hundred thousand candidates who have started out their journey of realising their IAS dream, 1,994 candidates would be attending the interview test be held in New Delhi, during February/March, of which 782 candidates would be appointed to various services such as IAS, IPS, IFS, and IRS. There are 275 marks for the interview, that will tilt the balance in favour of or against the candidate.
A panel headed by the chairman and four other members will interview the candidates. The responsibility of the board is to assess the suitability of the candidate for the highest services in the government.
The interview is not intended to assess the specialised knowledge that was tested already in the written examination. This is simply a test of the personality of the candidates, which includes mental alertness, critical power of assimilation, clear and logical exposition, balance of judgement, variety and depth of interest, ability of social cohesion and leadership, and intellectual and moral integrity. It would not be strict cross examination but direct and purposive conversation, which will reveal the mental qualities of the candidates.
Candidates would be questioned on matters of general interest and on the subject they had chosen for the main examination. An opening question is why did the candidate choose IAS, for which the commonplace replies are: ‘I want to serve the nation’, ‘It gives me status’, ‘my childhood dream’, or still worse ‘the dream of my parents’ . These are too naive and vague, if not outright arrogance. Instead, the candidate may say that he/she was attracted by the challenges of government service and the unlimited opportunities for public service as well as self-development.
Do your homework
Without adequate preparation, candidates have often faltered. A candidate had failed to mention his/her name and native place while introducing himself/herself. The ideal answer can be, “Sir, I am Sneka, I hail from Chennai. I am a postgraduate in English literature. My father is a teacher, and mother is a homemaker. I have a younger brother who is studying. I have a particular interest in government service.”
The candidate should do a little research on his/her background, such as his/her native district, educational institution, previous employment, and hobbies. The hobbies as mentioned in the DAF (Detailed Application Form) need a revisit. His/her own name is significant. Bheema Rao was asked about the significance of the name, but he couldn’t think of any. That was indeed the name of the father of Dr.B.R. Ambedkar.
The questions could revolve around the current happenings, the Supreme Court verdict on adultery or Sabarimala, for example. But the subsequent questions may be based on the answer the candidate gives. It is often said that the interview is actually conducted by the candidate, not by the members of the board. Therefore, candidates should be cautious about the words he/she blurts out.
Difficulty of expression in the English language isn’t a serious impediment to score well in the interview, provided the candidate has a persuasive body language and has his information accurate. Candidates who have opted for the interview in Indian language can impress the board by answering in English, if they are reasonably comfortable with it.
Be yourself
I would encourage candidates to listen intently and to understand the question before proceeding to answer it. If he/she does not know the answer, it is wiser to admit it rather than giving an embarrassingly wrong answer. It is a question of intellectual integrity of the candidate, and the candidate who is found to be bluffing will create a poor impression. Talking irrelevantly and beating around the bush are vices in an interview. However, the fatal mistakes are being rude, rigid, offensive, argumentative, and quarrelsome.
Being oneself and not pretend to be someone else is the most desirable trait in interview. Even when the candidate hasn’t answered most of the questions, he/she need not get upset and exacerbate his nervousness. He/she could still score decent marks if he/she can maintain his cool and wind up the interview on a cheerful note.
Anxiety would be a natural companion, but extreme anxiety can be fatal. The candidate might forget to wish the board chairman or may say a ‘good evening’ in the morning session. Controlling emotions will be easier for candidates who have undergone many mock interviews.
The writer is Additional Director General of Police, Railways, Tamil Nadu. www.sylendrababu.com
