The IAS Interview round is treated more like a discussion between the UPSC board and the aspirant. Try to treat it as such too. The biggest mistake that candidates can make is by being either too docile or too headstrong during their interviews. Generally, an IAS interview takes a duration of about 20 minutes and aspirants face interview questions from a specialized panel that covers a broad range of topics.
Facing the UPSC IAS interview panel is a daunting task but armed with facts and information, a candidate with confidence and appropriate soft and interpersonal skills can surely ace the interview.
Types Of Questions Asked
- General Interest
- Current Affairs
- International Relations
- Hypothetical Situations to Measure Mind Alertness
- Logical and Analytical Reasoning
- Real-world Problem Solving
- Stress Handling
Most Frequent Questions Asked
Search for frequently asked questions and examples to practice for yourself is a good way of preparing. It is better to at least have a vague frame in your mind as to how you plan to tackle questions and practice how to organize content in your head before you say it. The Top 15 most asked questions in the interview round are:
- Tell us briefly about yourself.
- Tell us about your hometown.
- What is the meaning of your name (first name/ surname)
- Tell us about your family
- Which subjects did you study during school/graduation and do you think they are relevant to life in administration?
- Which subject was your favourite/ least favourite?
- Why did you choose ‘XYZ’ college/ school?
- What kind of projects did you do during school/ graduation/ PG?
- Would you call yourself an average student? Why?
- What are today’s headlines?
- Few important issues in news about India/your state/your hometown in the last few months
- What were your roles and responsibilities at your job?
- Why do you want to become an IAS/IPS/IFS officer?
- Why did you choose ‘XYZ’ optional?
- Why didn’t you pick your graduation subject as your optional (if you didn’t)?
Also Read: Most Trickiest IAS Interview Questions
How To Get a High Score in Your Interview
There are certain guidelines and qualities that a candidate exhibits that will get him/her more marks and impress the panel. These qualities are:
- Clear and Logical Thinking
- Presence of Mind
- Balance of Judgement
- Hobbies and the Level of Interest
- Leadership Qualities
- Intellectual Capacity
- Honesty and Moral Integrity
How To Prepare for The Personality Test Round?
- Start Preparing Early: Do not take this round lightly as it comprises of 275 marks and also very scoring if proper care is given. Start preparing for the round after your Mains.
- Know Your Personality: Introspect on yourself and be ready to honestly answer questions regarding your strengths and weaknesses. Be sure, to be honest in your approach.
- Be honest and truthful, humble, polite but still confident.
- Know about world events.
- Give straightforward answers
- Learn about your surroundings, your hometown, and your town of residence.
- Take mock IAS interviews to practice.
Also Read: 20 Tips For Your Interview
Interview Do’s and Don’ts
Do’s
- Dress Professionally
- Give Short and Descriptive Answers
- Be Neutral During Debates
- Converse in a Formal and Professional Tone
- Give Logical and Practical Answers
- Be Energetic and Active
Don’ts
- Be Lethargic, Gloomy, or Nervous
- Say sentences like “I am sorry”, “Quite Obvious”, “As you know”, “That’s right”, etc. Be conversational yet formal.
- Give Lengthy or Technical Answers.
- Be Rude, Impolite, or Unrespectful
- Heavily Partial towards One Side
- Be Emotional while Giving Answers
Conclusion
The purpose of the questions in the IAS interview is to check a candidate’s suitability to life in administration. It is not at all mandatory that one has to answer all the questions to get good marks in the UPSC Personality Test. Actually, owning up to a fact that you don’t know an answer could fetch you more marks than trying to bluff your way through an answer would.
The panel that acts as your interviewers are all well versed and learned and can easily catch lies. Often, it is not about whether you know the precise answer to the question but an individual’s personality and reaction when put under some pressure and how they approach the solution.
Also Read : Political Science Optional Syllabus for UPSC: Start Your Preparation for UPSC 2021
