How to prepare for UPSC Interview | Topper Recommended Tips & IAS Interview Questions
UPSC Interview is the final step in making your IAS dream a reality. It is a half-hour exercise that can create a gap of more than 100 marks with fellow aspirants. This article lists down the best tips to prepare for the interview and also lists down areas from where questions can be asked.
UPSC has just released ther UPSC Interview Schedule For UPSC CSE 2020 that were deferred due to worsening COVID situations. On the basis of UPSC Main Result was announced on 23rd March, 2021, the shortlisted candidates will now be called for the UPSC Interview. The UPSC Interviews are scheduled from 02nd August 2021. You will be able to download the e-Summon Letters shortly.
UPSC Interview is the last and the final step in the preparation journey of the UPSC Civil Service Examination. This half-an-hour exercise literally has the potential to change your life and make your dream of becoming a bureaucrat true. Out of the 2075 marks, the interview or the personality test is of 275 marks. If prepared well, it allows the candidate to make a gap of more than 100 marks between their fellow aspirants.
Hence, one of the most frequently asked questions among the UPSC aspirants is “How to prepare for UPSC Interview” and “What is generally asked in IAS interview”. We will try to answer such questions in this article and will also provide some topper-proof tips to ace IAS interview!
Although the final merit is prepared by the combined score of UPSC Civil Services (Main) examination and IAS interview round, it is noticed over the years, that the top scorers of the interview round are also the top scorers of the UPSC CS examination.
Broadly, four types of questions are asked in the UPSC interview:
| Profile Related | Name, birthplace, educational background, professional background, hobbies, and interest area |
| Current Affairs Related | Opinion based on the current affairs topic of about three months. For eg. What are your views about the efficiency of containment of COVID-19 by India? |
| Situational Questions | This question is asked to assess your credibility as a bureaucrat or how efficiently you’ll be able to deal with the ground situations. For eg. What will be your focus area if you’re posted in XYZ district as a district collector. |
| Behavioral Questions | This type of question is generally asked to assess the behavior aspect of your personality, whether you’re nervous or confident while answering the questions put across by the board. |
Importance of Detailed Application Form (DAF) for IAS Interview
It is very important to know each and every element of your Detailed Application Form thoroughly to face the UPSC interview questions. It is the source of information that the panel has about you which serves as the motivation for all the primary questions that are asked in the UPSC interview. Hence, it is extremely important to fill the detailed application form wisely and then, to prepare it thoroughly.
Topper Recommended Tips for IAS Interview Preparation
Here are the top ten UPSC interview preparation tips that are recommended by our PDP mentors and previous years’ toppers:
#1 Prepare the elements of your DAF
From the meaning of your name to what are the famous elements of your hometown, everything that you have filled in the DAF can be asked during the interview. Hence, read the form multiple times, jot down everything that can be asked and prepare short answers to each of those questions.
#2 Opinion on contemporary topics
Prepare the current affairs of about three months in such a way that you’re able to answer questions concerning the current topics in a brief and succinct manner. Showcase your positive attitude while answering those questions.
#3 Answering situational Questions
You should know what are the legal powers and capabilities of an IAS/IPS/IFS officer. The questions that are asked must be answered in such a way that you’re not going out-of-the-way to tackle the situation. Your answers must be within the ambit of the constitutional power that your profile holds.
#4 Answering behavioral questions
Maintain your calm and compose while answering the questions, be confident, and do not beat around the bush if you do not know any answer. You can simply pass the question and say, “I will have to read more on it to answer this question, I’ll have to pass it for now”.
#5 Be careful with the choice of words
The interview panel is more interested in how you’re speaking and your selection of words to put across your thoughts; hence, try to be articulate while answering the questions.
#6 Do not lie
It is one of the extremely important thumb-rule for an interview! Do not fabricate your answers with false information, most likely, they will know you’re lying and will catch you there and then!
#7 Mock Interview
Rehearsals with the mock-interview before the final interview will help you in avoiding the mistakes. Expert mentors and friends can help you with that.
#8 Dress Neat and Comfortably
You should look presentable on the day of the interview, hence, dress in formal attire. For men, a light-colored shirt and dark trousers should give a professional appearance. A simple churidar or saree is recommended for the women aspirants.
#9 Document-Check
It is important to do a document-check before to avoid the last-minute rush. Ensure that you’ve all the required documents ready and assembled in one file.
#10 Have a good sleep
Don’t stay awake stressing too much about the interview, it might reduce your efficiency. Have a good sleep the night before and avoid taking unnecessary stress!
So, this is how to prepare for UPSC interview decoded step by step by the CL experts! You can connect with the mentors directly on our Telegram channel to get first-hand information on UPSC preparation!
