Date of Interview: 22/04/2022
Board: TCA Anant
Optional: Malayalam Literature.
Home State: Kerala
Background: Dual Degree Physics and MSc Astronomy
Work exp: teaching

Chairman: if you want you can remove both mask and shield. (i obliged)

1. Looked through my DAF, commented on interesting aspects of it
2. Asked about whether I went to Canada for PhD or MSc?
3. Tell me about your university in Canada.
4. Was your degree a stand alone Astronomy course ?
5. What were you doing after 2018?

Member 1 (it was very difficult to understand her as her sound was feeble)

1. What is your understanding of reasons for poverty in india. (Had to ask her 2 times aanu couldn’t register “poverty” from her feeble voice )
2. How is health and education affect poverty
3. Role of out of the pocket spending on increasing poverty.
4. Question on child wasting stunting etc and how it can be resolved.

Member 2

1. Difference between astronomy and astrology. Is there any scientific basis for astrology?
2. You were in Canada. What can indian education systems learn from your university in Canada. ?
3. What are the contributions of Indians in Canada.
4. Is there a regional variation among indian diaspora there.

Member 3

1. You said indian education is not good (i hadn’t said that ). Why is that ?( I said I didn’t mean that. I just compared research output at masters level. And I apologised if I made any different impression  )
2. When he started to confront me Chair intervened and asked not to pursue it
3. What are the parameters of QS ranking system
4. How can we make Mid day meal scheme better ?
5. Do you know about Japanese mid day meal system (he also explained it). Asked how it will have an impact on kids

Member 4

1. General comments on quantum mechanics and special relativity. Asked what is quantum mechanics and it’s application in daily life.
2. How is space commercialisation impact astronomical observation
3. What can we do about it.
4. How can you make Malayalam universal language.
5. In a large picture what do you see in 30 years about apllication ot science and technology in health sector.
6. Back to chair.
7. Thank you. Your interview is over.
8. I thanked them and came out.

Generally, I felt clumsy. I was trying to be very pleasant throughout. Even though I did answer almost all questions the confrontation with M3 made me uneasy.  So didn’t felt that great after interview.

Source: Forum IAS