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The UPSC Civil Services Interview or Personality Test is the third and final stage in the selection procedure of IAS recruitment. The main objective of this stage is not only to test the candidates knowledge but also their personality, presence, and decision-making skills. There is no predetermined syllabus for this round. So candidates are asked from different types of interview questions. Most of the questions asked are depends upon the details filled in the application from of the candidates after the prelims along with the contemporary questions related to GK and current affairs. It is very important for all the candidates to check the call letter from the official website before appearing for the interview.
UPSC IAS Interview – An Overview
| Overview | |
| Venue | Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), Dholpur House, Shahjahan Road, New Delhi-110069 |
| Timings | Two sessions per day as mentioned in the candidate’s call letter –
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| Duration | 30-45 minutes |
| Dress Code | Basic formals (dark trousers with a light-coloured plain shirt for men and saree or ‘churidar’ for women) |
| Maximum Marks | 275 |
| Vacancies |
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Personality Traits Checked In The IAS Interview Process
- Moral Integrity & Scholarly
- Impartiality & Balance of Judgement
- Diversity & Depth of Interests
- Mental Alertness & Acuity
- Rational Defence & Logical Explanation
- Critical Assimilation & Integration Skills
- Social Cohesion & Leadership
Types Of IAS Interview Questions
Generally, the following types of UPSC Interview questions that are asked.
- Questions regarding the candidate’s personal & educational background
- Questions based on Current Affairs (regional, national and international)
- Questions modelled on situational analysis
- Questions related to work profile & hobbies
IAS interview question based on introduction
This type of questions are asked to check candidates’ personal information and its wider relation to the job.
- Tell us briefly about yourself.
- Do you know the meaning of your name/ surname?
- Tell us briefly about your hometown and family background.
- Do you know the meaning of your name/ surname?
- Tell us about one thing which you are proud of or your biggest achievement to date.
IAS interview question based on Educational background
- Why did you choose this field other than your graduation subject?
- Which subject was your favourite/least favourite?
- Would you call yourself an average student? If yes/no, why?
- What kind of projects did you do during your school/graduation/PG?
- Tell us about an incident in your school/college that made you feel both proud & embarrassed.
IAS interview question based on Work Profile
- If your current job is well-paying and you are good at it, why you want to choose this field?
- What were your roles and responsibilities at your job?
- For example, If you were a doctor/engineer, why do you want to join Civil Services when you were already serving common people?
IAS interview question based on Hobbies
In this type of questions, the questions may varies depending upon the hobbies of candidates. For example those who opted listening music as a hobby, the interview panel may ask about the questions related to music. A few candidates have also been asked to sing during the interview process.
IAS interview question based Situation Analysis
- If a wall is built in ten hours by 8 men how many hours will it take four men to build it?
- What looks like half an apple?
- What would you do if you made a mistake no one noticed?
IAS interview question based on Current Affairs
- What are your views on the present situation or issues going around the globe?
- Tell us todays top 5 news headlines
- State a few important incidents or events that recently happened in your home town or state that we should know.
UPSC IAS Interview Process
The UPSC Interview process is a two-way communication between UPSC aspirants and the designated panels from the UPSC board. Facing the UPSC IAS interview panel is an alarming task but armed with facts and information, a candidate with self confidence and appropriate soft skills can surely ace the interview. The interview experience of a previous candidate is shared below.
- The candidates must reach the venue sometime prior to the interview. The security guards check their identity proof and interview call letter. The best idea is to carry government issues identification to avoid any confusion there.
- After proper security checks, the candidates have to submit their mobile phones and other personal belongings. Then the candidates are allowed to enter the entrance hall. The people are quite welcoming and even offer refreshments and newspapers to the candidates.
- Then the candidates have to fill out a questionnaire for UPSC’s research and analysis purposes.
- After the verification of the documents, candidates get a panel number and the order of their interview turns. The name of the panel chairperson is kept confidential.
- The panel takes 5-6 candidates at a time and each interview lasts for around 20 minutes. There is no time limit but they usually wrap under 20 – 30 minutes.
- For the forenoon session, candidates usually reach the venue around 8:45 AM. A staff member accompany the candidate from one room to another for the interview.
UPSC Interview Preparation Tips
- Go through your application and prepare yourself for questions based on those details.
- Don’t miss out on current affairs of national international importance.
- Practice with people or in front of the mirror to improve your communication skills.
- Try to record yourself to improve your body language and gesture for the interview.
- Go through your college and school syllabus and activities.
- Don’t try to give out the perfect answer. Rather be honest about your opinions and speak to them confidently.
- Practice with the mock-interview before the final interview will help you in avoiding the mistakes.
- Ensure that you’ve all the required documents ready and assembled in one file to avoid the last minute rush.
- Wear neat and comfortable dress.
- Have a good sleep the night before and avoid taking unnecessary stress.
Top IAS Interview Questions Asked
- How do you see yourself contributing to the development of the country as an IAS officer?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses?
- How would you handle a situation where your subordinate refuses to follow your orders?
- Why do you want to become an IAS officer?
- If you were the Prime Minister of India, what would you do to improve the economy?
- What would you innovate today if given the opportunity?
- What is governance? What is governance deficit? What should we do to solve this deficit?
- What is the difference between vision, mission, goals, and objectives?
- What are your thoughts on the reservation system in India?
- How would you deal with corruption in your department?
- How has the civil service changed in the last three decades, and what is the importance of those changes?
- What is your opinion of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and what are its benefits?
- Explain the steps you might take to reduce the levels of pollution in New Delhi?
- What are the differences between terrorism, insurgency, fundamentalism and militancy?
- In your opinion, what are the most important discoveries in the last two centuries?
- What do you think are the most important qualities of an IAS, IFS or IPS officer?
- Why do you think the civil services are important, and what might you do to promote them?
- Which subjects did you study in school or university, and how do they relate to the civil services?
- What were your primary responsibilities in your previous job, and what did you learn from your previous job that you feel prepares you for a career in the civil services?
- How might you promote women-led development in the National Capital Territory?
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IAS Interview Tricky Questions
Q: Name three consecutive days without using words “Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday”?
Ans: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.
Q: Can you say in which state is the Indian Ocean?
Ans: Liquid state.
Q: Is it possible for a man to stay awake for 8 days?
Ans: He sleeps at night time.
Q: How to write 32 by using only 3?
Ans: 33 – 3/3 = 33 -1
Q: If a ship sinks on the border of India & USA, how would you bury the survivors?
Ans: The survivors need to be rescued, not buried.
Q: How can you drop a raw egg onto a concrete floor without cracking it?
Ans: A concrete floor is hard to crack.
Q: What is such a thing that dies after drinking water?
Ans: Thirst
Q: How can you weigh a fish without a scale?
Ans: A fish has its own scales.
Q: By using only one straight line, can you make the equation correct. 5+5+5=550?
Ans: Draw a tilted line on 1st plus (+) operator, + will become 4
Q: A murderer is condemned to death. He has to choose between three rooms. The first is full of raging fires, the second is full of assassins with loaded guns, and the third is full of lions that haven’t eaten in 3 years. Which room is safest for him?
Ans: The third room. Lions that haven’t eaten in three years are dead.
Q: How would you lift a camel with one hand?
Ans: A camel with one hand doesn’t exist, so it cannot be lifted.
Q: If two’s company, and three’s a crowd, then what is four and five?
Ans: Nine.
Q: If you throw a red stone into the blue sea what it will become?
Ans: It will Wet or Sink as simple as that.
Conclusion
Cracking the IAS Interview questions is not an easy task, but with the right intention, preparation and guidance, it is easy to achieve. If you are somebody who is going to appear for this test then this article will surely help through the process and smoothen your preparation. Remember, the key to achieve the IAS interview is to stay calm, confident and serene.
