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Journalism of Courage
The Union Public Service Commission’s civil services personality test carries 275 marks, which can prove to be a game-changer in the recruitment for the most coveted of government jobs in the country. Experts say appearing in mock interviews helps aspirants perform better on the interview day. “The goal of the mock interview is to assist a candidate in assessing his strengths and shortcomings before the UPSC personality test. It is like the rehearsals carried out before the actual performance,” Indian Administrative Service officer Jitin Yadav said in an interview with indianexpress.com. Excerpts:
Why is it important to appear in mock interviews?
The purpose of a UPSC interview is to assess a candidate’s suitability for a career in the public sector. The line of questions asked in the interview can be challenging, and they are frequently framed in such a way that candidates get perplexed. In such circumstances, a candidate may become apprehensive and ruin the entire interview. Mock interviews can help candidates dodge such situations.
Appearing in mock interviews will provide a simulated environment like that of an actual UPSC interview and will help identify possible mistakes one could commit on the interview day. Feedback received from the mock interview panel also helps in improving the answering style, body language and voice modulation.
Since many first-timers appear in the personality test each year, mock interviews will also guide a candidate on the possible questions that could be framed based on his or her detailed application form.
How many mock interviews should one appear in?
At least two or three mock interviews are recommended. It largely depends on the interview date. If a candidate’s interview is scheduled after a month of mains results, they can appear for four or five mocks. Aspirants should maintain an interval of at least a week between two mock interviews, so that they can work on feedback received in one interview before appearing for the next. For varied feedback, aspirants should not appear before the same panel for each mock. However, it is crucial not to overanalyse mock interview panellists’ criticism.
Should candidates in allied services also appear in mock interviews?
Every year a candidate will face a different set of questions depending on the change in their professional trajectory. If one is reappearing for the interview, it is unlikely they will face the same questions again. Sometimes new developments are added to candidates’ detailed application forms. It is important that in-service candidates also appear in mock interviews to understand the probable questions based on latest developments.
