IAS interview experience - 7

Mr. Ansar Shaikh CSE-2015 AIR-361.

Name: shaikh Ansar Ahamad

Age: 21, first attempt

Optional: political science

Date: 7th april, 2016. Forenoon session, 2nd to go in.

Board: Mr. PK Joshi (new, fresh board) Time 25-28 mins

Medium: Hindi

Note:- interview medium is hindi but he answered in both hindi and english language mix. So i translated it to English only.

Score:199/275

(Views r personal)

(I reached at Dholpur house at 11:40. The security allow me to enter only at 1pm. I was very excited to see the place which I saw in my dreams. It was the most precious day my life. It was 3pm When came and told me “ sir please come ,you are next to go in” i lost my calmness, my heartbeats and body temperature suddenly increased. I was waiting for 20 minutes outside the interview hall, every single minute was intolerable. I started remembering my parents and well wishers, but I was very confident, happy and pleasant ) and the game started like this.

Candidate: may I come in sir?

CP: yes ,please come in young man.

Candidate: good afternoon sir, good afternoon madam, good afternoon to all you sirs.

CP: Shaikh, please take your seat.

Candidate: thank you sir(smiling positively).

CP: (appreciating): you are just 22 years old?

Candidate: (With a smile) no sir, I am just 21.

CP: that’s really great(other members nodding positively).

CP: ok, you had done BA, BA is very risky, usually people do engineering. Good tell why do you want to join civil service?Tell in short, time is less.

Candidate: (smiling, thinking in mind time is less?) yes sir. Two incidence in my life which inspired me lot )

1. sir, in our society there are a lot of evils ,which i had seen in my home itself. I had seen domestic violence, child marriage, dowry in my home.Polygamy and child labour also. So from childhood i hate these thing and feels very frustrated about it. I always wishes to change it.
2. when i was in 10th standard ,i got another breakthrough. Our family belonged to the BPL that's why government had sanctioned 30000 RS for house construction. But one officer from tehsil had taken 3000 Rs as a bribe from my father. I was thinking, for buying 2 rupees i have to think ten time and abbu has given 3000 rupees easily. Thats time i realised poor people are big victim of corruption , then I decided if i want to change this things student from our section need to be part of the system.

CP: very good. (other members nodded positively) oh you listen to music. Which kind of music do you listen?

Candidate: sir, I like Bollywood music, I listen song which are in tune of my mood.

CP: ok. Which are your favorite movies? Just tell me 2-3 names.

Candidate: sir,swades is my favourite movie and

CP: What ?

M3:(lady member) sir he said swades, the shahrukh khan stared.

CP: ohh, and?

Candidate:and Neerja, Aligarh etc.

CP: you also like travelling. Tell me where you have travelled.

Candidate: sir, in Maharashtra I have travelled to Ajanta, ellora caves, some hill stations like Matheran.Outside Maharashtra I have travelled to puri, Odisha and now Delhi.

CP: what you have seen in puri?

Candidate: sir, i had seen puris beach and temple.

CP:when you are coming to delhi from pune,what do you observed?

Candidate: sir, i observed pollution has increased, when we crossed Uttar Pradesh(poor answer), in train I observed lack of sanitation. I also met some interesting people from north-east. (failed to talk about child labor at stations)

CP: ok. tell me the name of two NGO from Pune and their role.

Candidate: sir, there is an NGO named Friends of Children. Which belong to Forbes marshall,they provide eduction and stationary to poor children. there is another NGO called Muslim Satyashodhak Mandal, with whom I work, it works on 3 fronts. One, muslim religious reforms, two ,solving women issues like easier talaq, polygamy and try to bring uniform civil code . Third, to de-radicalize muslim youth and mainstreaming them.

CP: (passing to M1) (m1 was also good but he was expressionless, in the entire interview he didn’t smile. He asked me some factual and unexpected questions, this was the worst time of my interview)

M1: ok ansar, tell me what is poverty? Who gives data on poverty? How is it calculated?

Candidate: (in mind 3 questions at same time!!) sir, poverty is Lack opportunities like health,education and better standard of living. Sir, NSSO I.e gives data on it. It is calculated on the basis of different standards like consumption, health, education, house rent etc.(I was not confident while giving this answer, m1 was looking unhappy)

M1: ok. What is current number of poors?

Candidate: (I hate data. My god, why this is happening) sir aaa sir according to the kelkar commitee in india around 29% poverty .(it was C rangarajan, and not kelkar. I knew it but I lost my confidence.)

M1: ok ok.(he did not correct me, so sad.) tell me the changes made in LPG subsidy transfer recently.

Candidate: sir, government decided to rationalize subsidies, government initially launched a campaign GIVE IT UP which was voluntary, later they started PAHAL and recently government cut down subsidy of people whose income is beyond 10 lac .

M1:hmm. Recently there was a news related with repo, RBI etc. What was it?

Candidate: sir, several days ago RBI decreased Repo rate by 0.25% and Reverse repo rate by 6% .

M1: why?

Candidate: sir, government wanted to give boost to the economy, government also adhered to fiscal deficit target, and there is..(I wanted to say possibility of monsoon this year, but he interrupted me.)

M1: how it will give boost to economy?

Candidate: sir, decreased repo rate means there will be cheaper loans available in market. It will result in high investment, production and employment generation, and the growth cycle will increase.

M1: ok (I was unable to satisfy him. passing to M2, a lady member with a very positive look, she increased my confidence)

M2: ansar, you talk about that NGO which works on women issues. What exactly they do?

Candidate: sirr, oh I am so sorry Madam..(it was an effect of those Economy questions.)

M2: (with a very positive smile) no-no fine. Its fine. Its happens. Please go ahead.

Candidate:(thank god) madam, we basically prevent the talaq of female, we negotiate with their husband . We conduct the workshop and protests to stop easier talaq.

M2: ok, good. Are there any other women related issues on which you work?

Candidate: madam, our primary aim which i have told earlier that’s it no more.

M2: Ansar first you will become SDM then DM . Then what will be your priority? What is the mission ? Tell me like 1,2,3..

Candidate: madam, I have decided four mission . First, Rural development in which especially development of rural infrastructure, better health care and education. Second, women empowerment.Third, maintaining Hindu Muslim religious harmony(she nodded positively here) and fourth, poor centric, responsive, transparent governance.

M2: but how you will do it? It’s a big job.

Candidate: madam I will do it on two front . First, for all these thing whatever government policies, laws and schemes are available will carry out efficiently because lots of scheme never reach to grassroot level . Second, through the civil society, NGO, social media and school children I will try to change the attitude of people.

M2: but maintaining religious between Hindus and Muslim is not that much easy. How will you handle if there is a tension between two communities?

Candidate: madam, first of all I will find out the cause of conflict, then I will find who is legally right, then I will ask the leaders of both communities to come for negotiation and solve the issue. unfortunately if this not happen then I have to use force. However, negotiations is the key.

M2: you come from a very poor background, so you have availed any scholarship?

Candidate: madam, till 7th standard I had availed scholarship , after we managed ourselves.

M2: do you have not availed minority scholarship?

Candidate: no madam.

M2: why?

Candidate: madam,every time I am failed to give it on time ,and no wish to apply.

M2: yes, and amount are also so less.

Candidate: yes madam.

M2: now how to apply for that?online?

M4: yes it is available online.

Candidate: (nodded)

M2: ok. (passing to M3, a Punjabi gentleman, he too was cordial but expressionless, he was looking like an ex-army man with big eyes and pagadi)

M3: Ansar, there is one Gandhi and another Sarhadd(frontier) Gandhi. Who was Sarhadd Gandhi?

Candidate: sir, he was a freedom fighter. Who are against the partition and if partition happens he desires her region(forgot the name of the region) should be in India. They with their Red Shirts team struggled against British in peaceful Manner. They also conferred with bharat ratna.(when I said bharat ratna, CP smiled very positively.)

M3: you talked about de-radicalization, tell me the causes and remedies of radicalization of muslim youth. Oh but before tell me one thing, your marks in 10th was ordinary (76%) but in 12th you jumped to 91% ! How this happened?

Candidate: sir actually in 10th my subject was mathematics and science which I don’t like. Our teacher’s also not teach well. Maths teacher explains maths from guide. In 12th standard my subject was scoring like Sanskrit in which I have 100 out 100 marks and in vocal classical music also scored well.(here I forgot to tell about my restless hardwork hehehe)

M3: good your subject was scoring. Now answer the radicalization question.

Candidate: yes sir. There are a lot of reason for radicalization like spreading of thoughts trough social media, fringe elements hate speeches of main religion, spreading of wahabist ideology on large extent and lack of socio-economic development.

M3: and what are the remedies?

Candidate: sir, we need to work on causes like restriction on hate speeches of fringe element, taking special measure for development of muslim youths. and impose regulation on social Media and do counter-radicalization .(before I go ahead further he interrupted me )

M3: counter radicalization??

Candidate: I am sorry sir, I meant de-radicalization.

M3: no, no. I think you have used the right term, we must do counter radicalization, you are right. Ok you talked about Wahabism? What is it?

Candidate: sir, it is sunni militant ideology,which believe in convert the non-sunni people to sunni or end the non-sunni people, it is based on violence.(forgot Islamic state, Dar ul harv etc.)

M3: where does it originated?

Candidate: sir this ideology originated in Saudi Arabia.

M3: and now they are suffering from it.

Candidate: yes sir.

M3: there was a world sufi conference. What is the difference between Sufism and wahabism?

Candidate: sir, wahabism is based on violence whereas Sufism is based on love and peace. Wahabism is intolerant towards non sunnis, whereas Sufism is accommodative. They don’t believe in religion or cast, they only believe in humanity.

M3: ok. Are you a sunni or shia?

Candidate: (very very instantly) I am a muslim sir, an Indian muslim, rest of it I don’t know.( this answer will be game-changer)

(everyone appreciated this answer, all of them smiled positively.lady member said something about me with a big laugh.)

M3: ohh, good. Just asked because as you talked about wahabism, but good, very good.

M3-passing to the M4

(M4 was probably the oldest member in the panel. I noticed him observing my body language in the entire interview, he was very cordial.)

M4: Ansar you studied in a Zilha parishad school, then you went to Badrinarayan barwale college and later on you went to fergusson college. Tell me what did you experienced in these institutions?

Candidate: sir, in our school there was no toilet and drinking water facility. Lectures also not happening well. Some teachers solving mathematics by using books. But in barwale college lectures also happening very well, infrastructure also very good. but when I have come to fergusson college, then I realised I am again in the school. There are also same problem like school, no cleanness of toilet and shortage of drinking water. some professor are taught from books and notes .However, fergusson college have very good history, I really like my college.

M4: yeah, may be it still relive on history. There is issue with principal of fergusson college what is it?

Candidate: sir, after the JNU incidence, in our college ABVP have planned an interactive session with our college student. but they don’t have a written permission, due to this some Ambedkarite student of fergusson college started protesting. That result into hooting between these two group. Student is shouted slogan like “Bharat mata ki jai”. Unfortunately under the pressure ,our principle has written letter to police,like subject to anti-national slogan in our campus. When police has come some tension was created (lady member: oh) next day principal has declared that letter was a typing mistake. I mean it is ridiculous! (when I said ridiculous, everyone started laughing.)

M4: and there was another incidence in FTII, what was the issue? Don’t you think it was a fruitless protest ?nothing gain from it .

Candidate: sir, our country is a democratic country, that’s why everyone have a right to protest and demand. FTII students wants the FTII chairman should be a person who is meritorious ,and NEWSPAPERS coverage it like endeavor of saffronization . so I feel government needs to think about it. However I feels any Protest should be peaceful, there should not be problem for other student.classes disruption should not be there because tax payers money are wasted this way.

M4: do you listen to sufi music ?

Candidate: sir not mostly but sometime I listen to atif aslam and nusrat fateh ali khans sufi songs. (lady member smiled positively on this answer.)

M4: ok. (Passing again to CP)

CP: ansar, when do you come to delhi?

Candidate: sir, on 28 february.

CP: oh, where do you stayed?

Candidate: sir, near Mukherji nagar there is organization named Zakat Foundation which provide accommodation to poor and minority student. I stayed there.(now the fun starts again)

CP: ok, I too studied Sanskrit. tell me how did you score 100 out of 100 in Sanskrit?

Candidate: sir, in our area there is culture, score good marks, teach scoring subjects, do mug up and conquer.Unfortunately I had also did same(ratta maro and jeeto).(I said this in such funny tone that every member started laughing.)

CP: what a thing ,we had also did same.(ratta maro and jeeto) (laughter everywhere, even I failed to control my laugh, I was supposed to smile in such interview, but what to do)

CP: so tell me do you remember anything from Sanskrit? Tell me the What is the word for “GO” in Sanskrit?

Candidate: sir, Gaccha?

CP: good, now tell me the Past, present and future tence of Gaccha.

Candidate: sirr... I am sorry sir, I don’t remember. but I know one word related to Gaccha, Gacchami. Which means I go.

(CP and M4 talked something about Gachhami)... sir I also remember a shlok in Sanskrit, can I say it?

CP: no. no.... ok ansar your interview is over, wish you all the best for your future.

Candidate: (instead of standing up, I was just looking happily towards CP)

M4: now Gacchami Gacchami.(u may go) (this resulted into a big laughter,,hahahahah)

Candidate: thank you. Have nice day. (all were looking my way of going out.)

When I came outside, I wanted to dance. I said to myself, well done.The entire interview was like a friendly discussion except that economy part.

No questions from optional, International relations, home state issues, no provocative issues, no difficult questions(may be because of my age.)

Source:-Shriram Kharat's answer to What are some of the best IAS Interviews?