Indian Forest Service officer Aishwarya Raj recently took to social media to offer valuable insights for UPSC aspirants gearing up for the crucial interview stage, the final step towards becoming a civil servant and contributing to the nation. In addition to sharing essential tips, Mr. Raj also reflected on his own interview experiences during the process.
Some of his advice are as follows:
- Smile. That’s the biggest confidence booster. As a civil servant you have to bear the brunt from a lot of stakeholders later, but the barrier of a smile alleviates much of the chaos within !
- Plan. The DAF is your Bible. Know well what you claim you know.
- Peace. Board is as cordial as you would like to imagine, so please do not worry or fret much about that.
- Honesty. As clearly mentioned in the Gazette Notification, this is a test of your ‘Personality, not just knowledge. Feel free to mention “Don’t know”. Bluffing won’t work.
- Spine. It is good to choose the middle path in life, but when you have a strong conviction about something and you know you are right, do express it politely, with facts and reasoning.
- Atmosphere. Peace begins with a smile. So should your interview, and so should the end, irrespective of what happened in between. Closure is what matters.
- Persona. Dress formal, be sober, look sorted. Please ensure sticking to the fundamentals and play by the book when it comes to turnout.
- Boost. Self-talk before entering the room. And it works wonders!
- Attention. UPSC interview is a ‘directed, purposive conversation. So don’t assume the futility of any particular question that may seem out of place, just reflect and react!
- Breathe. Take pauses before answering to collect your thoughts.
- Respect. Random guessing is best kept for MCQs, not interviews, so do respect the wisdom of the Board!
