Date of Interview: 5th April 2022
Board: TCA Anant

• A little detail of the day….I reached UPSC bhawan before the reporting time, obviously because “bilkul RICKS nahi lene ka re baba.”
• It was a hot day and I was sweating a lot,so i decided to sit in the car for almost an hour and half so that the suit will not be ruined before the interview.
• Entry at 1 pm,then all electronic gadgets were submitted and we headed towards the waiting hall where my documents were verified..
• Around an hour later after small formalities and paperwork,a list was circulated to our coordinator and we got to know it was TCA ANANT Sir’s board.
• Fast forward 4 hours…around 5.40pm,I was the last candidate in the waiting hall and then I was called by the peon to get ready for the interview…
• I rushed to the washroom to get my clothes in a proper manner,washed the face, set the hair..
• I was then asked to wear the gloves,mask and face shield that was provided earlier…
• After around 10 minutes of waiting, I was called in.
• I entered the room,there were 2lady members and 3 gents, I greeted the lady members first,then the chairman and then others.. they asked me to sit .
• Even though I had practiced unbuttoning my coat a lots of times,but I fumbled in the hall, due to the rubber gloves on,the chairman sir sensed this anxiety and asked me to relax and not to Panic.
• Sir asked me if I had any symptoms of COVID and after I said no,then he said I can remove the mask if I wanted.

Now the interview began

Chairman

1. So, your name is —, right.?
Me – explained the reason for my name being spelled with a B, instead of a V.

2. so, you have worked at my wish marketplace pvt Ltd for sometime,why did you leave?
Me — answered (due to lack of time to focus on studies).

3. You have mentioned in your daf that you play Kabaddi,so tell me what are reasons for sports in general not being very popular in India, except cricket,and how can this problem be overcome.?
Me — answered (lack of funding and promotional aspects etc,better opportunity at school, infrastructure creation etc)

4. You have a very interesting hobby of Culinary tourism, what exactly is it?

5. How did you get interested in this hobby, which places have you been and what culinary skills have you witnessed…
Me — answered both the questions decently and honestly, without any exaggeration.

Member 1

1.Mr. …., what’s your service preference?
Answered— IAS,IFS,IPS,IRS,IAAS.

2. Suppose you are heading the east Europe division at MEA,, what would be your response in handling the present Ukraine crisis..what would be your order of priority?
Answered what I had prepared (evacuation,then energy security,then humanitarian assistance etc)

3 . Good,,now tell us whether in the present geopolitical scenario, India should focus on it’s neighborhood,or should aim beyond.?
Me – Should focus beyond,as neighborhood is too small of an arena for rising aspirations of growing India.

4 . What are the challenges to India from its neighbouring countries?
Mentioned Chinese policy, Pakistani instability, srilankan crisis,rise of Bangladesh etc.

5 . How is Bangladesh’s rise a challenge to India?
It’s more of a guiding light rather than a challenge.

6 . What’s your view on Afghanistan situation and impact on India?
Answered -central asian policy and chabahar project etc.

7 . What’s your opinion on trade deals.. should India focus on bilateral agreements or go for multilateral agreements?
Answered— should be on case to case basis, depending on nature of trade and whether trade surplus or deficient.

Member 2

1. In one of earlier questions, you answered that you have tried cuisine from Uttarakhand,tell me something about it..
I could only answer about one peculiar dosh of bhang ki chutney, could not remember anything else at the moment (could have added a couple of more)

2 . Anything else,apart from that?
I can’t remember anything else from Uttarakhand sir.

3 . Do you eat non veg also,and have you tried the non veg cuisine of Delhi?
Yes sir.

4 . Which kebabs are your favourite?
Shammi kabas sir

5 . Since you have a Hobby of following culinary tourism,then tell me about the origin of Galouti kabab?
I nailed the answer (thank you culinary programs on TV for that)

6 . Good, now you are eligible to write culinary tourism as your hobby..
Thankyou sir.

Member 3

1.Have you spent your life in a rural setup or have you only lived in cities?
Answered.

2 . What is your opinion on civil society and NGOs?
Answered as it was already prepared during mains preparation (also mentioned about FCRA Amendment,members seemed pretty impressed).

3 . Should they be regulated or left alone?
A well balanced answer (light but tight regulation).

4 . Where did you work on that NGO..?
I had worked with adore India NGO,so told about it

5 . What should be the model of regulation?
Mains type decent answer.

6 . What was the kudankulam protest?
Answered about the foreign funding angle in the protests.

Member 4

Sorry I don’t the exact questions asked by member 5,but all I know is that I didn’t fumble in answering any questions, I kept a gentle smile and waited for every question to be finished completely before answering them…

CHAIRMAN SIR

Thank you Mr .., your interview is over..

So, overall verdict— a better than expected and pleasant experience, EXTREMELY cordial board…hoping to get good marks…

Source: Forum IAS