UPSC Interview 2016 By Prince Garg (David R. Syiemlieh Board)

UPSC Interview 2016 By Prince Garg (David R. Syiemlieh Board)

Name: Prince Garg

Board : David R. Syiemlieh Board

Attempt : 4th

Qualification: Engineer

Interview Date: 4th April, 2016

My interview was conducted on 4th April, 2016 in second half. I was second candidate. I was little scared since my medium of interview was hindi but David Syiemlieh sir does not understand hindi and I m not fluent in English. There was facility of translator but I chose to speak in English myself. Here is a brief of interview based on memory:

I: May I come in sir
David Sir: Come in please.

I: Good afternoon sir, good afternoon sirs, good afternoon ma’am (the lady member was sitting on opposite side so I had to walk further to see her face and then greet her)
David Sir: Have a seat please.
I: Thank you sir.

David Sir: prince…interesting name, I guess if you were given a territory of your own you can rule there, isn’t it prince (smile)
I: (I didn’t know what to say so I too smiled)

David Sir: prince, your name is interesting, tell us story behind your name
I: Sir, as such there is no special reason behind my name; my mother used to love me a lot so she used to call me rajkumar and then dad named me prince.

David Sir: Oh every mother loves her child; anyway what do u like more, prince or rajkumar
I: (I thought for a while), sir, I like prince more.

David Sir: Prince, your hobby is to read karl marx, tell me what do you read about marx
I: Sir, I like few theories of marx, the most I appreciate is his materialistic views about life; he says our values emotions religion, education etc all change with change in material conditions. I use his theories in my everyday life to understand things

David Sir: Can you please elaborate prince
I: Sir for example in 19th century, railways were introduced in country and railways made it difficult for people to practice caste system like a brahaman and dalit had to share the same coach

David Sir: (interrupted) oh come on prince, religion caste system is still there in age of airplanes.
I: right sir, but the rigidity of caste has declined

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David Sir: can you tell me difference between socialism and communism.
I: (here I made big mistake, I knew the difference well but I unnecessarily made the answer long and he lost interest and changed the question).

David Sir: prince, why marx supported religion so much.
I: sir, actually marx was against religion, marx called religion a slavery!
David Sir: hahah, that’s right

David Sir: prince tell me where Marxian theory predicting communism has failed
I: sir, it has failed in Russia, china and cuba

David Sir: Pls elaborate
I: sir, Chinese though still call themselves communist but they introduced privatisation and open market right from 1970s and india did that in 1990, after 20 years that’s why we are 20 yrs behind china.
David Sir: (looked satisfied), prince you have written in your application form that you like to write on feminism; at this he passed on to the lady member.

Lady member: prince what are problems being faced by women and what can be their solutions.
I: (don’t remember exactly what I said), ma’am Indian girls start facing problems right from in womb- female foeticide; then they are given particular toys like tea sets while boys are given guns; girls are socialised to become teachers, nurses and even if someone reaches to higher posts, she is mocked for example I have seen in my ministry where higher female officers are not taken very seriously in meetings. For solution, we should start from education like we may introduce a chapter on women in NCERT Text books, we need to change mindset (at this David Sir interrupted)

David Sir: but prince educated people too harass women.
I: right sir but what kind of education we are giving in country, like we are teaching engineering, maths physics chemistry commerce but no education that how should we behave towards women, lower caste groups, homosexuals etc (I intentionally used word homosexuals as I wanted him to ask questions on section 377 but he didnt).. (at this there was a silence)

Lady member: tell more steps to improve condition of women
I: Ma’am we may feminise police little for example now women feel scared to approach police when they are stalked/harassed…hardly 7% police personnel are women; a woman will feel comfortable in approaching a lady station housing officer.. (she was not satisfied)

2nd member: prince, what are your preferences of jobs
I: ips, ias, danips, danics, ifs, irts…

2nd member: isn’t it unusual
I: sir, I want to be in police that’s why I chose ips over ias. Its because I feel police is one of the most corrupt organisation in country; there are huge opportunities to work.
David sir (interrupted): prince you are lashing at police before an ex director general of police (he pointed towards that lady member; now I realised she was a cop).

2nd member: prince you have done engineering from delhi college of engineering. Isnt it one of the best institution of country and now you are working as an assistant. Why? Ok tell me why didn’t you go for Indian engineering services
I: Sir, after completion of school, I ddint know what to do, everybody was doing engineering so u too joined b.tech and the I realised its not what I want; I cant give my 100% in engineering since I have no great interest in engineering. (he was not convinced)

3rd member: prince, you work in ministry of shipping, which subjects u handle
I: sir I work in shipbuilding and shiprepair section; I also handle rti, parliament question

3rd member: (interrupted) don’t tell me about rti, parliament, only tell about shipping, are you working in same section for last 3 and half years; ok tell problems of indian shipping
I: yes sir I m in same section since I joined service; sir Indian shipping sector stands at 11th rank in world; out shipping trade is hardly 1% of world trade. Its because Indian shipbuilders don’t have funds; banks give loan for 4-5 years but a shipyard takes 20 years to establish. Secondly, most of shipbuilding work is done by sub contractors who use their own methods so no uniformity. Also there was no political will to develop shipbuilding as they were concentrated on roads railways but current govt is taking steps

3rd member: which steps
I: sir sagarmala is being reintroduced to use 7500 km long coastline; further we are developing inland waterways

3rd member: how?
I: govt has introduced River information system where information can be exchanged bw boast, vessels and coast; its introduced in Hooghly

3rd member: That’s correct (he seemed happy). Prince this room is chilled because of AC, what if I replace AC with refrigerator here; room will be warmed or chilled. And why
I: sir it room will get warm, its because the surrounding area of fridge will be sink where it would release heat

3rd member: but AC too works on same principle. Ok tell me where is compressor
I: sir its behind the body of fridge.

3rd member: where is it in AC?
I: oh yess sir, its outside room in AC
3rd member: correct

4th member: prince have u heard of UNCLOS
I: sir it is united nation convention on law of sea

4th member: tell us about it
I: (I was not sure but I didn’t say sorry and I started telling), sir it says upto 12 nautical miles, the area will be territorial water of a country; upto 200 nautical miles it will be exclusive economic zone where country can use natural resources like fishery oil etc.

4th member: u didn’t tell main provision
I: sir I think the law says a country cant prosecute personnel of a foreign flag carrying vessels…not sure sir

4th member: ok tell me where is dispute going on and why
I: in south china sea, countries are contesting for EEZ, maybe because they are so close that their EEZ coincides like china Vietnam Indonesia

4th member: come on Indonesia is not there
I: oh yes, I m sorry sir, Indonesia is far away; I will read it after going home

4th member: what if there is dispute between two countries and they cant resolve, where they would go?
I: united nations sir

4th member: no, think again
I: sir is it international court of justice

4th member: yes, where is it
I: sir its in Hague, Netherlands. (he didn’t give any reaction)

Lady member: prince tell me one thing but my condition is that you can not think, your response has to be immediate and honest. So tell me what immediate change will come in ur life if u get this job
I: (i was perplexed but could not take time), ma’am agar ye job mil gyi to meri shadi ho jayegi (at this everybody in the room started laughing, they kept laughing for 1 minute or so)

David Sir: prince, what are the problems in indian police
I: sir, 19th century police is ruling in 21st century, we need to change it, even the British govt had accepted in 1904 that Indian police is corrupt but we didn’t change it

David sir: why its not being changed, is there any commission of ruling of court?
I: Sir, various commission shave been formed but their recommendation never got implemented because there is political will; politicians feel they will lose power if police gets reformed. Sir, in 2006 Prakash singh had gone to Supreme court which gave directions in this regard but not implemented.

A Member: what more reasons? Think, do u think police wants to be reformed?
I: oh yes sir, there is bureaucratic inertia, they themselves do not want to change.

David Sir: prince, we can make you police officer to realise ur dream but you will have to convince us that why have you chosen ips and danips over IAS ad other class-1 services.
I: (I really don’t know how to convince him more)..sir I have interest in police and hence I can give my 100%; I can do something while being in police.
David sir: ok prince, your interview is over, thanks for coming. Good luck

I made few silly mistakes like the question of socialism vs communism can be replied in brief and I could give more points when lady asked how would u improve conditions of women.. I was worried about my fluency in English and the fact that they should not consider me a leftist since I have written abt marx… no idea what will happen; people say David sir gives good marks.. it was my last chance, last attempt..i guess everything depends on how David sir perceived me!!

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