UPSC Civil Services: What do interviewers assess in Personality Test? IAS Vinayak Narwade explains

Twenty-eight-year-old Narwade is from Ahmednagar (Maharashtra) and completed his graduation from the College of Engineering Pune (CoEP) in Mechanical Engineering and then went on to pursue his Master’s in Energy System and Modelling from Columbia University, New York, USA. He was working with the US government’s national renewable energy laboratory in Colorado.

It was during a project that he interacted with some senior IAS officers and realised that is what he wants to do. He shares some tips and tricks to crack UPSC CSE.

What is DAF? And, how important is it?

The personality test is an important component of the UPSC exam, the interview is for 275 marks and the mains is for 1750 marks. While the CSE mains decide whether you will be on the list or not, the interview greatly impacts your rank and plays a decisive role in your service.

There are 180 IAS officers selected each year, and for a general category candidate to be an IAS you need to be in the top 75.

The DAF or the detailed application form plays a crucial role in your interview process because the board doesn’t know whom they will be interviewing. All that they get to know about you is through your DAF. The panel only have a sheet of paper in front of them which gives them an overview of who you are and what you have done in life so far.

The DAF has information regarding your cultural and educational background, professional history, experiences, hobbies and interests. It is basically a summary of who you are.

It is imperative to be honest and truthful while filling out the DAF. Your answers need to be authentic and practical as theoretical answers won’t work. The practical answers should be based on your experiences as the board is looking for practical solutions for the problems. Also, you shouldn’t boast about anything.

Specific questions the board asked me

I was asked questions based on my experience in the USA, the culture, their policies and their stand on global issues. One such specific question was related to the USA preaching to other countries to go net zero but itself was exploring oil and gas reserves, pulled out of the Paris Accord and being one of the largest contributors to vehicular emissions.

Dos and Don’ts

The key areas to focus on are current affairs, DAF, opinion-based questions, HR-based questions such as why you want to join the civil services, educational/professional background. Give online as well as offline mock interviews, it is a good rehearsal. The offline mock interviews help you assess your body language, posture and more, have discussions with your friends about the interview process and current affairs, and practice in front of the mirror as it helps in boosting your confidence.

Don’t take anything lightly, it’s a very important event and you should be well-prepared. Prepare your DAF thoroughly because if you are not able to answer about your background or anything mentioned in your DAF then it would create a bad impression upon the board. If you don’t know any answer, be honest about it, don’t bluff. When you’re giving a mock interview, don’t take everything personally, take everything with a pinch of salt.

Questions related to ethical dilemma or a grilling situation

I was never asked a question about an ethical dilemma, however, if you are asked a question of that sort, you should try to balance it out and reduce the dilemma.

Preparatory resources

I practised and appeared for mocks and it gave me confidence. I kept reminding myself it is going to be my day, and that the interview would go well. The pep talk helps. I also practised meditation. I was a little nervous but as soon as I entered the chamber I was very confident that it was going to be a good interview and I had a big smile on my face.

What does the board actually test?

The board tests your response to a nervous situation, decision-making power and your integrity and honesty and how aware you are about yourself and your surroundings.