On January 10th, 2017 I had my UPSC CAPF AC Interview.
I reported at 9.00 am at UPSC, Dholpur House, Delhi. After documentation check I was told that I will be interviewed by Prof. H.C. Gupta Board (Honorable Member of UPSC). With restlessness increasing my eyes saw the poem of Rabindranath Tagore hung on the wall of UPSC candidates waiting room. "Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high", I breath a sigh of relief. Later around 12.25 p.m. my turn came and I was escorted by an official to the interview room.
I pushed the door and asked permission to come in. Prof. H.C.Gupta sir asked me come in and said sit down. I greeted Prof. H.C.Gupta sir, then the lady member and then the other two members.
Chairman: Shrikant you are from Buddha Institute, do you know what are the teachings of Buddha?
Me: Sir, Buddha gave the four Arya Satya for the cessation of suffering and told theories of Pratityasamutpada, Kshanikvad, Annatmavad.
Chairman: Does Gorakhpur has to do anything with Buddha?
Me: Sir, I cannot recall but I don't think it has to do anything.
Chairman: Then why your college is named after Buddha?
Me: Sir, may be the trustee of my college likes Buddha.
Chairman: You have read Mechanical Engineering, what in Mechanical Engineering you are comfortable with?
Me: Sir, since my Civil Services optional is Philosophy and I am reading same since past 3 years I can only recall my final year project and 3-4 subjects which I know satisfactorily.
Chairman passed it to the lady member (M1)
M1: Shrikant can you tell me the working of turbine?
Me: Ma'am, turbine is the machine which generates electrical energy by the help of water, converting potential energy to kinetic energy.
M1: Explain more.
Me: I am not very much comfortable with the technical part ma'am as it has been a long time.
M1: Okay, then lets discuss the things in which you are comfortable. Shrikant, you are from Allahabad tell me why Ganga is unclean.
Me: Ma'am what I have seen living in Allahabad that despite of the efforts of sewage treatment and other measures of law enforcement. There is a lot of mushrooming of slums around the bank of river Ganga. These slums transmit water from hidden channels to Ganga and this water remains untreated finally leading to pollution. There has been quite a lot of discharge in the Ganga of polluting material in the name of religion as well. Ganga looses its pristine nature when it enters the industrial cities like Kanpur, which has leather industry.
M1: Does Kanpur still have leather industry?
Me: Ma'am I am not sure but still there are some undocumented leather small scale industry.
M1: Are you making a guess or are you sure?
Me: Ma'am I am not sure.
M1: Okay. Tell me what the government is doing and what should be done?
Me: Ma'am the government is bringing schemes like Namami Ganga Project. But what I think is that a lot of perception change is required for cleaning Ganga. A similar problem arose in London hundred years back but today after perception change there we can see the difference.
Member 2 interrupts.
M2: Which river London has?
Me: Thames.
M2: Under which ministry Ganga comes?
Me: Water Resources Ministry.
M2: Who is the Minister?
Me: Madam Uma Bharti.
M2: Who is the Army chief?
Me: Mr. Bipin Rawat.
M2: What? Mr.?
Me: Sorry Sir. General Bipin Rawat Sir.
M2: What is your opinion regarding reservations?
Me: Sir I think that some kind of positive discrimination is necessary. There is a lot of difference still existing in the hinterland.
M2: What should be done, do you think it is worth it?
Me: Sir, In my village a fellow cleared State Civil Services Exam and then he earned the reputation he deserved. I am an ardent supporter of reservation. Yes, there are certain problem. For which we can remove the creamy layer and give reservation to categories on the basis of socio-economic indicator but we must not remove it.
M2: Oh, Just say capability building is to be done.
Me: Yes Sir, this has to be done.
Member 1, Lady, interrupted.
M1: Shrikant what you Blog about?
Me: Ma'am I blog about general life experiences worth remembering.
M1: What exactly you get by doing that?
Me: Ma'am it is a kind of a philosophical pursuit. After writing a feel content. Moments worth remembering also get on record.
Member 2, interrupts.
M2: Shrikant what writers you have read, name few?
Me: I started by Agatha Christie, Enid Blyton. Later I started reading Sidney Sheldon, Arvind Adiga, Paulo Coelho, Amartya Sen , Robin Sharma.
Interrupted in between.
M2: The last novel you read?
Me: Fountainhead by Ayn Rand.
M2: Have you watched the film made on it?
Me: Sir, I started but stopped.
M2: Why?
Me: The films fails to cover the depth the novel has, so I felt it is not good.
(Everyone Laughing)
Member 1 Lady Member:
M1: Comparison between Twitter and Blogging?
Me: Twitter is Micro Blogging (and explained rest)
M1: Shrikant what are the problems in Syria?
Me: Explained.
M1: What is the migration crisis in Europe?
Me: Explained
M1: Comparision between Europe and American Migration?
Me: America has the melting pot model whoever goes to America becomes an American.
Interrupted.
M1: Which country has decided to stop migration.
Me: America may do if the new President elect decides.
M1: No, some other country.
Me: Ma'am United Kingdom after the the end of Schengen treaty and Brexit may do it.
M1: Yes. Tell me about Rohingya crisis.
Me: Explained. (In the end I said UN says Rohingya are the most persecuted minority in the world.)
Member 3 Finally asks me.
M3: Shrikant what are the drawbacks of UN Missions?
Me: Sir, what I have read is where ever UN Missions are most of the contracts are given to US and European countries. So they earn more and charity is less. Like in the present context if I take the example of South Sudan and East Timor an Island country near Australia..
Interrupts in between.
M3: Even they exploit. Do you agree?
Me: Yes Sir, to some extent America and top world countries influences the local country politics.
M3: You are from Allahabad. Tell me some local writers of Allahabad who are known?
Me: Sir, I can recall Harivansh Rai Bachhan and there is one famous lady I cannot recall.
M3: Mahadevi Verma. Your postal address is of Gorakhpur. Tell me one writer from there?
Me: Sir, I cannot recall.
M3: Firaq Gorakhpuri.
Me:(Smile increasing) Yes Sir. But I can tell you both were English Professorsin Allahabad University.
M3: Yes. Shrikant when you go from Allahabad to Jaunpur (My Village, Permanent Address) which constituency comes in between?
Me: Sir, Phoolpur and Macchlishehar.
M3: Who is the MP?
Me: I don't know.
M3: You did your Graduation from Gorakhpur. Going from Allahabad to Gorakhpur is backward. Why you go?
Me: Explained and told that my father is in Police,
M3: Where is he posted?
Me: SHO Siddharthnagar.
M3: Why Siddharthnagar is named after Buddha?
Me: I don't know.
M3: Told me the story.
Chairman interrupts.
Asks me what I have been doing these two years. Asked me how was my UPSC Civil Services Mains. I told him it was good expecting Interview call but still not sure because of subjectivity. Some more questions.
Member 3 again takes up and asks me about local politics of Jaunpur.
Chairman finally says, "Your Interview is over".
I stood. Took two steps back. Greeted the Chairman. The Lady Member and the other two. Turned. Read carefully the door said pull. Went outside.
The Interview was on Civil Services lines. All questions were from current affairs and DAF. No questions were from Internal Security (I read a whole book) and work culture of Assistant Commandant. I explained them in more detail which I am unable to write. My interview went for about 25-30 minutes.
