The UPSC 2023 interview is an important stage of the selection process for the civil services examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission. It is also the final phase of the UPSC selection process after the candidate has cleared the preliminary and main examinations.
The UPSC interview is also known as the personality test, and it aims to evaluate the candidate’s suitability for a career in civil services. The interview panel consists of experienced and knowledgeable experts from various fields, including retired civil servants, academics, and psychologists. They grill candidates with some tricky and tough questions keeping various factors of the competitive examination in mind just to ascertain if the candidate is the right choice or not.
During the interview, the panel may ask questions related to the candidate’s educational background, work experience, interests, hobbies, current affairs, and personality traits. The personality test also assesses the candidate’s communication skills, analytical abilities, and problem-solving skills.
If you are also going to appear for the UPSC IAS exam 2023 or interview or even if you are an aspirant then this article is for you. The Union Public Service Commission is known for asking tricky and challenging questions of the aspirants in their exams and interviews. UPSC interviewees have shared some of the most unconventional questions they were asked during the session.
Akash Patel, an IPS officer now, was asked during the UPSC interview if he knew anything about the origin of ties, as he was wearing a tie at the time. He said he didn’t know about it. “Right after this, I was asked, ‘why are you wearing a tie? It’s so hot outside.’ Akash explained that it was an important day and formal occasion for him so he wanted to dress accordingly. The interviewer seemed satisfied with that answer.
Atul Roy, a 2013 UPSC candidate, was asked, “I see that your hobby is rock climbing. So when you go to a rock, what do you see in it?” He answered that he looks at the folds initially and explained them. According to Atul, such questions are asked to not get the right answer but to test the presence of mind, application, and candidate’s ability to think.
Tanya Agarwal, a 2020 UPSC candidate from New Delhi, was asked in the interview, “Tell me a good thing about ‘snooping’.” Tanya answered, “Back in school, my mother would snoop [on] me to check whether I am studying well. I believe her intentions behind snooping were only for my good!” and she answered by relating it to a discourse on state surveillance and the balance between individual privacy and the national security.
Check out some more tricky questions asked by the UPSC experts panel in previous years during the interviews. The answers mentioned below could vary with different candidates;
The UPSC interview is also known as the personality test, and it aims to evaluate the candidate’s suitability for a career in civil services. The interview panel consists of experienced and knowledgeable experts from various fields, including retired civil servants, academics, and psychologists. They grill candidates with some tricky and tough questions keeping various factors of the competitive examination in mind just to ascertain if the candidate is the right choice or not.
During the interview, the panel may ask questions related to the candidate’s educational background, work experience, interests, hobbies, current affairs, and personality traits. The personality test also assesses the candidate’s communication skills, analytical abilities, and problem-solving skills.
If you are also going to appear for the UPSC IAS exam 2023 or interview or even if you are an aspirant then this article is for you. The Union Public Service Commission is known for asking tricky and challenging questions of the aspirants in their exams and interviews. UPSC interviewees have shared some of the most unconventional questions they were asked during the session.
Akash Patel, an IPS officer now, was asked during the UPSC interview if he knew anything about the origin of ties, as he was wearing a tie at the time. He said he didn’t know about it. “Right after this, I was asked, ‘why are you wearing a tie? It’s so hot outside.’ Akash explained that it was an important day and formal occasion for him so he wanted to dress accordingly. The interviewer seemed satisfied with that answer.
Atul Roy, a 2013 UPSC candidate, was asked, “I see that your hobby is rock climbing. So when you go to a rock, what do you see in it?” He answered that he looks at the folds initially and explained them. According to Atul, such questions are asked to not get the right answer but to test the presence of mind, application, and candidate’s ability to think.
Tanya Agarwal, a 2020 UPSC candidate from New Delhi, was asked in the interview, “Tell me a good thing about ‘snooping’.” Tanya answered, “Back in school, my mother would snoop [on] me to check whether I am studying well. I believe her intentions behind snooping were only for my good!” and she answered by relating it to a discourse on state surveillance and the balance between individual privacy and the national security.
Check out some more tricky questions asked by the UPSC experts panel in previous years during the interviews. The answers mentioned below could vary with different candidates;
- If a plane crashes on the border between the USA and Canada, where do you bury the survivors?
Answer: You don’t bury survivors. - Can you name three consecutive days without using the words Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday?
Answer: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow. - How many times can you subtract the number 5 from 25?
Answer: Once, after which it becomes 20. - A farmer has 17 sheep, and all but 9 die. How many sheep are left?
Answer: Nine. - If there are six apples and you take away four, how many do you have?
Answer: You have four apples.
