Finally I had my IES-2013 interview on 13 Jan 2014. After
spending a sleepless night in NDLS dormitory, I reached the famous UPSC
building. I saw many anxious faces struggling with their
suits and documents and their equally concerned parents. After nearly waiting
for a 40 minutes or so we were allowed entry into UPSC building. After an hour
long cumbersome verification process by middle aged aunties, the board for our
group was announced. It was going to be Mr. Chatar Singh’s board. I knew
something about all other members but I had no idea my board chairperson as he
was a newly appointed member of UPSC. And I had no time to enquire as I was
first to be interviewed.
I had hardly settled down in the chair outside the interview
room that the bell rang. Peon opened the door and I was asked to come in. I greeted
them ‘good morning’ and was asked to sit. Then the interview started:
Chairman: Are you working somewhere?
Chairman: Difference between a Manager and an Engineer?
Chairman: What is this community service (my hobby)?
Now over to M1: A south Indian Professor
M1: You talked a lot about process, explain me about MRP,
MSP?
M1: Components of MRP
M1: Pert vs CPM
M1: How do you design a product, starting from scratch?
M1: What is Rapid Prototyping
M1: Give one example.
Now M2 started and it was disastrous
M2: Different types of lathe?
Me: Said something and it was wrong so I stopped.
M2: How do you manufacture a Sheft?
Me: I was like WTH is sheft ?.
After some time I realized he meant SHAFT. And I committed the
strike one of the interview by saying “Oh! You mean the “Shaaaaft”.( Look at Emphasis on
the a’s I used.) Damn my impoliteness.
Well I could not answer his question about three triangle
finish and two triangle finish.
M2: What are different types of hardness?
Me: I could answer only two. He asked one more supplement
question which I couldn't answer.
Now it was M3's turn and he was general awareness and railway guy.
M3: Why coming to IES while you could earn a lot more?
M3: If this job requires you to be only an Engineer, how
will your MBA help you?
M3: Why IRSS over IRSME? (My bad I brought it up). He argued
that I would get better opportunities in IRSME, as I will get to do projects
like Konkan railways, Metros, big bridges. So why Stores ?
Though I answered, he asked same question again emphasizing
that he was not convinced.
Then came the strike two and I committed a grave mistake
to criticize the Government in an UPSC interview which resulted in a harangue
from the Chairperson. When asked by the Member 3 that why has India growth
story slowed down, I somehow blurted out ‘Policy Paralysis’. Then Chairperson
became active and he asked what do you mean by that? I said something about regressive
taxation, to which chairperson retorted have you read the document about this
policy. From here I was pushed on the back foot. He said accusing govt. of
policy paralysis is a grave allegation, and it implies that Govt. is not doing
anything. Now he questioned will you believe everything what the newspapers say?
Then a small lecture on what is informed citizen. Then Mr. M3 continued.
M3: What can be done to revive India’s growth?
Me: Being an MBA, I could have given a much better answer, but
again I blurted out something and my answer was unstructured and incomplete.
M3: Which one is
better Modern Technology or Gandhian idea of manual work?
And the interview ended.
.
.
Some cons of the interview:
2. Could not answer any of the M2 questions.
3. Had I talked slowly, I would have given a much structured and balanced answers.
Learning’s from the interview:
2. Take ample time to frame your views rather than giving a laymen, unstructured and unsubstantiated answers.
3. Try to engage Chairperson as far as possible in general awareness questions.
4. Just say I do not know, rather than taking a blind shot.
And never ever speak about govt. policies negatively so bluntly like I did. Remember you are not a journalist but a public (engineering) service aspirant.
