After CSE-2022 result was declared on 23 May by the Union Public Service Commission, stories of toppers started making the rounds. Some very inspiring, some very interesting, and some quite amusing.
All CSE aspirants must be curious to know about what kind of questions were asked this time.
Well, from same sex marriage to working women’s impact on value system, candidates were asked very tricky as well as in-depth questions from various topics ranging from International Relations to black money. Board members also tried to trap them with wrong questions!
Indian Masterminds presents Interview Questions Part 2, after interactions with more toppers and successful candidates of UPSC-2022.
KRITIKA GOYAL
Haryana’s Kritika Goyal, who cracked the exam with AIR 14 in her fourth attempt, had a tough round of interview as her optional was Law. She told Indian Masterminds that her interview was 50 percent DAF questions and the rest, general questions from various fields.
She was asked about civil services and how does she see its future. She was asked various questions on Law, including ones related to same sex marriages and increasing pending cases.
She also answered questions on Economy and Polity besides caste census and delimitations.
BHAAVIKA THANVI
Bhaavika Thanvi from Jodhpur got the 100th rank. She was asked what her Thanvi surname means. “Can you answer by googling it?”
To which, she replied: “Sir, it doesn’t have any meaning and can’t be found on Google. Many things you can’t find on Google even.”
VIDUSHI SINGH
Vidushi Singh cracked the exam with AIR 13 at the age of 21 in her first attempt. She was asked questions from her DAF and her hometown, Ayodhya. As Jodhpur was her birth place, she was asked the names of a famous celebrity couple who got married in Umaid Bhawan.
She was also asked many questions from her optional, Economics, Like: How do you see India’s growth after Covid? How world economy was hampered by Covid? Should India focus more on supply chain in this global era?
She was also asked some situational questions. According to her, board members check one’s analytical power in the interview, not knowledge.
MAINA DEVI
Maina Devi, who hails from Nagaur district, got the 613th rank. She was asked questions on traditional dance of Rajasthan, India’s classical dance and Kalbeliya tribes: What is the history of Kalbeliya tribals? Why do they dance?
Her answer was, “Earlier the Kalbelia tribals used to earn their living by catching snakes and other poisonous creatures. With time, the Wildlife Act was enacted in our country and their work was banned. In such a situation, they made this culture a profession to run their lives. Thus, dancing and singing are very important in their culture.”
She was also trapped with a tricky question. She was asked that in her district, there is a problem of elephant foot disease due to fluoride. So, what steps should be taken for this?
This question took her by surprise and she did not have a ready answer. After pondering a lot, she realized that this is not a problem at all. “I understood that I was being trapped, so I immediately told them that this disease does not happen with fluoride water. It is a wrong question.”
SWATI SHARMA
Swati Sharma, who belongs to Jabalpur, MP, secured AIR 15 in her third attempt. During her interview round, she was asked questions about OTT platforms and how they influence the position of women in society.
She struggled a bit to form a good answer in her mind, but ultimately got through it and managed to impress the board members.
ABHIJEET SINGH YADAV
Abhijeet from Jaipur scored the 440 rank and was asked whether same sex marriage is right or wrong?
He replied that “same sex marriage is such an issue or matter, the responsibility of deciding the legality of which, should be left to the society itself. This matter is related to the society itself, and it is going to affect it the most.”
SHISHIR KUMAR SINGH
Shishir Kumar Singh from UP’s Ballia got AIR 16 in his fourth attempt. As he is already working as SDM in Varanasi, his interview mostly centred around his job and DAF.
Few questions he was asked: What is your job profile? What is your best work in your job till now? What is more important: Rights or Duty?
Interestingly, he was not asked any question from his optional, Mathematics.
POOJA BARWAL
Pooja Barwal hails from Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan, and cracked UPSC-2022 with AIR 806. She was asked, “Nowadays we see that the lower courts sentence an accused in a case, but the higher courts set aside the sentence and acquit the accused with honour. So, should there be a provision of punishment for the judges of the lower courts for wrong decisions?
She replied, “No sir, if this happens then the judge will shy away from giving the verdict. Then the concept of independent justice will end. Also, there are many reasons for different decisions, such as evidence and witnesses.”
LAGHIMA TIWARI
Laghima Tiwari cleared CSE 2022 with 19th rank in her first attempt. For the interview round, she focused on two areas – DAF preparation and current affairs.
“I have a unique name, so the panelists asked me the meaning of my name and there were questions related to Swachch Bharat Abhiyaan, Project Tiger, and much more,” the topper shared with Indian Masterminds.
RAKESH KUMAR
Rakesh Kumar from Pali, Rajasthan, got the 773 rank. He was asked questions on Naxals, water problems and black money. “You have earned a lot of black money from illegal sources, but now you have deposited the tax, so has that black money now turned into white?” he was asked.
He replied, “Black money can be whitened after depositing income tax, but it does not mean that I am acquitted of the crime of earning black money illegally. The legal action may still be taken on me.”
ANOUSHKA SHARMA
A graduate from New York, Anoushka Sharma cleared CSE 2022 with AIR 20. She was asked more questions on current affairs. The major part of the interview centered around the United Nation – How did she get the UN internship? Is United Nation doing enough for Africa? How women’s working has impacted on value system in India, specially on children?
She was asked on de-dollarization, also. Does India have any strategic enemies or alliance that it has not joined any camp?, a panelist asked her.
GUNJITA AGARWAL
After four failed prelims attempts, Gunjita’s breakthrough came in UPSC 2022 with top AIR 26. She was asked about the famous proverb, ‘Kahan Raja Bhoj aur Kahan Gangu Teli’ and the actual lives and history of the two kings mentioned in the phrase.
She was also asked about her thoughts on a mixed-gender cricket team and whether the moment is opportune to implement such a team.
“I also follow tennis and used it as a reference for my answer because mixed doubles work incredibly well in tennis, and with the Women’s IPL coming up, I believe the moment is right to introduce mixed-gender teams in cricket,” shared Gunjita.
CHAITANYA AWASTHI
Chaitanya Awasthi from Kanpur cleared UPSC CSE-2022 with AIR 37 in his very first attempt. In Interview, he was asked more questions from his DAF and optional subject. He was also asked questions about Kanpur.
He was also asked about Indian biopics as watching movie is his hobby. “Why are biopic movie being made?”, was a question put to him.
Then there were many questions from Law: What are the problems in same sex marriage? Why government is not in favour of such marriage? How to improve the judicial system for the poor? Is law equal for poor? Why are most of the under-trial prisoners in jail?
SURAJ TIWARI
Suraj from Mainpuri, UP, who lost three limbs in an accident and wrote the exam with three fingers, got the 917 rank in his first attempt. In the interview, the panelists asked him about his hometown and his choice of Russian language for graduation.
They also quizzed him on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war – When will the war stop? What are the possible outcomes of this war? How is the war affecting the world? And, so on.
