Interview Transcripts (CSPT-2025)

DAF - Microsoft, karate, meditation, Anchoring, computer science, MP , sociology(others not relevant) Board - Lt. Gen Raj Shukla sir Many of filler questions I don't remember. Chairman: 1. Microsoft mein maza nahi aa rha tha? 2. All bright minds are moving to Bureaucracy who will make deepmind, chatgpts etc 3. A long monologue and story on bureaucratic delay of files. What should we do? 4. You are talking so much about compliance and ease of doing business, how do we do that? We stop regulating and stop approval business? (I said automating approvals in general sectors that do not require sensitive checks and fast track humanized approvals for sensitive sectors on priority basis etc.) Member 1: 1. There was a news headline- single window approvals on tiger habitating land. What do you mean by this? And what should we do about it? 2. Long monologue on ecological issue and illegal felling of trees etc. (I don't remember whole thing). As a DC what are the steps you will take? Member 3: I don't remember 1 or 2 questions asked before these. 1. What is anchoring? Do you look at audience's psychology or do whatever you want to do? 2. What is CPI? How many goods and how many services items in updated CPI? 3. How and why CPI is calculated? What is the use of CPI? Whole lot of discussion around CPI - both factual and analytical 4. What is AFSPA? Why AFSPA and not anything other force? 5. Rank of officers given special powers in AFSPA? Member 4: 1. You are from MP. Tell me some major problems and any innovative approach that MP govt has taken to tackle that. 2. Explain Right to life and how it has evolved. 3. Name case laws wrt Right to life evolution that you think matter most. 4. Categorise different tribals in MP according to their varying situation. 5. What actions will you take to fix problems of tribals in MP 6. Told name of a museum and if I visited it. Suggested me to visit since I didn't. 7. Concepts from sociology that you can use in administration. Member 5: 1. We talk about digital governance. But nit everyone has access. So are creating another layer of inequality in the system by promoting digital access. 2. Steps we should take to create awareness around digital platforms. 3. AI is taking over humans. Why are we running so much behind AI when we can use human expertise in that? Some discussion over this 4. Are you going to attent AI summit? 5. What is Sahaj samadhi? Specific time suggested for it. Chairman again: You talked about extraordinary special powers given to AFSPA officers. What are those? Thank you (said chairman) Mock - Vision, onlyias, shankar ias, quantel, Samkalp Mentorship - shri Mahesh Bhagwat sir, Shubham sir (Vidyapeeth), Saket Jha sir ( civilsdaily)

Transcript Date- 3/2/2026 Name-DAWN Board-B. Swain sir Chairperson- PRADA controversy regarding GI tagged Kolhapuri chappal. What was the case exactly? What were the legal provisions regarding this case? What was the outcome then? ( MOU signed between company and artisans regarding mutual consent) What was the stake of Karnataka artisans?( As this GI tag is given collectively to four districts of Karnataka and four of Maharashtra) Member 1- Meaning of name? Merits and demerits of solitude? ( DAF key was mindful solitude) Some discussion on this. Is classical music dying? Who were the founders of Marathi film industry and Prabhat studio? ( Tried but could not recall the name). What is Raag? Who introduced Raga Mia Malhar ? Number 2- Are you aware of types of leadership? In which category of leadership you will categorides to Trump? (Said authoritarian leadership as his decisions are not based on legal rational rule based world order and geo political reality) He is authoritarian because of himself only or his surrounding? Difference between gender equality and gender neutrality? Is it used interchangeably? There is the difference of just language or something else? Asked me to talk more about gender equality. Number 3- Difference between classical music and non classical music ( like sugam sangeet)? Then asked difference between classical music and semi classical music? Are non classical or semi classical music pure or not? ( Can not categorise based on purity and non purity as every music emerged as per the context, creativity, popular demand and flexibility but ultimately it is based on the foundations provided by classical music) Why there are different prahar (time slots) followed in Raag system, reasons behind it? Which rag or song would you prefer on this time ?( It was around 12.13 time so said some afternoon Raagas) . Factors behind rupee depreciation? Is it much concerning or not? What we are doing on this? On one hand dollar supply is reducing and on other hand forex reserve is increasing so is it not strange, as why we cannot liquidate it from forex then? Member 4-female member What is grishm's law? ( Could not recall) Representatives are doing development of their constituencies or just ensuring their self interest? Why there is a lack of political will specially with respect to concerns of cotton farmers like issues in Maharashtra ? What can be done to ensure political willingness? Is it good to distribute money or not? (Regarding freebies) Is civil society working for the people or not? Mocks- Next IAS,vision, Pw only IAS, Sankalp,one to one DAF discussion with Mahesh Bhagwat sir. Note-try to remain calm as much as possible as it helps to answer on random questions which were not expected earlier.) Summary- chairperson was very cordial and interview was pure conversation. All the very best. Thank you.

MentorAID STUDENT 👇👇👇👇👇👇 Name:- XYZ Board- Sheel Vardhan Sir Date-13/02/2026 DAF- MBBS, AIIMS, Rajasthan CM:- 1. So, You are converting from Human Doctor to Social Doctor. On What all social problems you want to do surgeries? Name 3. (Casteism, Religious Polarization, Malnutrition) 2. How will you do and on which one? (told Social factors of Malnutrition n how will I do) 3. How will you describe relationship of China and India?( Too much broad Q.)- not satisfied with answer. 4. Do you know any Indian Dr who is revered in China? (Forget his name- Dr. Kotnis) 5. There is a song by Neil Diamond( if you have dreams come to America)-As most ppl go for Education, do you think there will be day when We can say same for India?( Not satisfied with my answer) 2nd mb(lady):- 1. You talked about Malnutrition, How does nutrition affect boy n girl child differently.(WTH- talked about menstrual health n reproductive health. Clueless what to say) 2. What is difference between various Forts of Rajasthan? Are all same? Architectural wise?( Told about Hill n River surrounded forts) 3. What about Jaisalmer Fort?( Sorry ma'am idk) 3rd mb:- 1.What most mbbs students from aiims do ahead in life? Which ways they go? 2. How many % go in Medical Research solely?( Hardly 5%) 3. Do you think what I am doing? subjective or objective analysis of you?( I said subjective with objective criterias) 4. Have you read Psychology in mbbs?( No, psychiatry) 5. Ok, there is self assessment tool in psychology (he told name), that is best objective tool. Do you think we should use that for UPSC PT assessment?( Me- bhai simple puch le) 6. I think you are Medicine person, not surgery person incase you pursue PG? 7. Ok, which Medicine? Why? 4th mb:- 1. How do you think you are capable of civil services?( Told about casualty postings) 2. When does Discussion turn into Argument? 3. When does Argument turn into Fight? 4. Think about Ind-pak n Indo china Fight! 5. How does Fight resolve then?( Said- bilateral talks) 6. If two of us fighting, punching each other, how will you talk to me? (WTF)- in that case 3rd can help in discussion. 7. Do you think India want 3rd party?(No sir)- he said- So is not Trump solution "laughing" 8. How talks then? So, are we fighting since 1948 with Pak.( Talked about Confidence building measures) 9. Why Mansarovar pilgrimage blocked?( Said in previous answer with China)~ Idk sir 5th mb:- 1. How do we measure GDP? Tell me how we know countries not over exaggerated their GDP?( Thought of IMF grade C rating)- base year 2. If I'm laymen, explain how you measure GDP?( Told- balancesheet of Shops? Corporates?) 3. Think about other measures?( CPI/ Export/Import?) - Yes 4. What do you think about CPI changes? 5. What changes should we do in current pattern of UPSC CS Examination? (Said no changes needed) 6. Anything in interview method? (Told NDA-SSB method can be employed but it may be more time consuming as lot of candidates) 7. How do they do it? 8. What is ethics? Only for person? Corporate ethics? How their unethical actions affect them? (Explained well) Thanks! Your interview is over.

MentorAID STUDENT 👇👇👇👇👇👇 Date of Interview: 11/02/2026 (afternoon session, First to go) Interview Board: Sanjay Verma Sir DAF Keywords: Odisha, Culinary Tourism, Geography, Business Plan, Mechanical Engineering, IRS, Athletics --- ### Sanjay Verma Sir 1. What are the major problems associated with street food in India? 2. Name three Indian food chains that have gained nationwide popularity. 3. Name three cities with strong entrepreneurial spirit and three with relatively weak entrepreneurial ecosystems. 4. Name one invention in mechanical engineering which was worthy of Nobel prize tag? 5. Which has a higher carbon footprint when stationary — an electric vehicle or an internal combustion engine car? 6. Name three of your favorite mechanical engineering companies. --- Member 1 1. India faces significant urban challenges. What solutions would you propose to address urban problems? 2. How can industries be attracted to Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities? Mention step by step process. 3. How would you attract skilled labour to smaller cities when metro cities already offer better lifestyle? --- Member 2 1. Why are the Himalayas still rising? 2. Which oceans are expected to shrink in the future? 3. Can you name some food influencers who have gained international prominence? 4. Why does Indian street food have a negative reputation abroad? 5. What is fiscal federalism, and how are revenues shared between the Centre and the states? 6. In Relay race which position is most important and why? --- Member 3 1. What is your opinion on the Vande Mataram directive issued today? 2. Can you name some important legislative bills that are likely to be introduced in Parliament? 3. What is your opinion on the One Nation, One Election bill? 4. Do you think it is against the spirit of federalism? 5. What is your hometown famous for? 6. Name some mines located in nearby areas. 7. What is Nitazene? --- Member 4 1. Are you aware of government scheme for street vendors? 2. What are the major challenges of Svanidhi scheme? 3. If you had to solve a problem, what would be your short-term and long-term approach? 4. You are already in the IRS but aspire to move higher. What are your expectations from your career? --- Special thanks to Utkarsh Sir (MentorAid) for his constant support and guidance throughout the interview preparation, and to Kapil Sir for the insightful geography discussions.

Date : 03/02/2026  Afternoon- 4th to go Board : Anuradha Prasad mam DAF keywords - Physics, Malayalam,  Library,Short fictions ( nothing else is asked from DAF especially hobbies) Anuradha mam :     1.Good afternoon , let me  ask you a personal question (yes mam) why are you putting this blazer over this beautiful saree ? 2. Tamilnadu has issue with Hindi language in education but kerala doesn't have an issue why ? 3. The budget has proposed to develop rare earth corridors kerala also included. Encapsulate what is going to happened under this ? 4. Will kerala support the project ? 5. Mining can create lot of environmental challenges still should we go for this kind of projects ? 6. are you aware about the process of sourcing important metals from e -wastes ? M1    1. You have a graduation in Physics but you have chosen malayalam literature as optional . Do you have passion for malayalam literature or you  took it just as a subject ?   2. Do you know Kunjan Nambiar ?   3. Have you read any of his works ?   4. Which is your favorite category of books like short fictions , Novels etc   5. Which is your last read novel ?   6. As an administrator how will you implement the insights from that novel ?   7. One temple in kerala is recently in news which is it ?   8. What is the problem there ?   9. How can we address the same ?   10. What is cost benefit analysis ?   11. Elections are costing so much money is it    cost beneficial?    12. Is SIR necessary ?    13. What is the confusions associated with it ?   14. Election Commission is being criticized by opposition by saying it is biased.  Do you agree with it ? M2 1. What is a High speed train ? 2. What is the difference between high speed trains and bullet trains?  3. Do they require special tracks ? 4. What is the share of Nuclear energy based electricity used in India ? 5. India has a lot of Thorium deposits . But why we are not using it ? 6. One question about different fare prices in Railway - but i can't remember it . M3 1. I have seen the disasters in kerala like the Wayanad landslide. Do you give green signal to rare earth mining in such a state ? 2. Today youngsters are relying on internet for acquiring knowledge even without verifying it. There will be lot mistakes in what they learn. What is your opinion on this as a person who associate with a library ? How will we address it ? 3. What are the themes on which you write short fictions ? I see malayalam movies. You people create movies with out of the box themes very good. M4 1. Let's move on other topics.  Indian prisons are overpopulated especially by undertrial prisoners. How can we address it ? 2. Bangladesh issue (monologue) - what will happen India Bangladesh relation in the next 6 months ? 3. What is USA's role in Bangladesh ?  Anuradha Mam : Thank you. All the best. The Board was cordial and supportive especially Anuradha mam was always smiling and nodding.  O2O - Muni sir , Nitin sir , Achuth sir and Anton sir ( Fortune IAS academy). Anuroop sir & Unnikrishnadas sir ( Lead IAS) Mocks - Fortune IAS academy, Amrita IAS, Samkalp IAS, Xylem IAS & Kerala state civil service academy. 

Unknown contender Board sujata chaturvedi ma'am Date 13th feb forenoon 2st to go Keyword-Maharashtra, psir,Mental health, South aisa,cybersecurity, ECE Chairwomen Read my daf aloud 1.why your exam centre is banglore u stay in Maharashtra 2. Last 1 or 2 day thing happened in south aisa 3.whats the result in Bangladesh till when will the result would be out 4.main political party in Bangladesh 5.why not awami league 6.who will become PM in Bangladesh 7.(wrong pronunciation of pm name) so who his he ? Told her mother name in father Told mujibur rahman ma'am said are you sure 8.who is father of sheikh Hasina ? I apoloized then 9.who are other family beside mujibur rahman who got assassinated in south aisa? 10.do you know about rajapakasa what had led to crisis in srilanka 11.why dynasty politics are not stable why in India stable Member 1 1.mental health challenge in India 2.mental health challenge in children why 3.solution 4.any one most imp technology intervention that can help in 5.make slogan for mental health Member 2 1.what is ethical hacking 2.what is hacking 3. Have u done it 4.what are life skills that we needed beside Academic 5.what is soft skills then what is hard skills Member 3 1.so psir are u comfortable in Europe 2.who is angela merkel 3.here tenure period 4.2 positive 2 negative (thoda he bol paya) In which region u r comfortable told north america 5.what NATO 6.what monroe doctrine who gave it What the next corollery 7.what is donroe doctrine how It is different 8.birthday of Maharashtra 9.do u think that mumbai could be bifurcation it is so diverse 10.u think its been successful 11.but there violence against certain section Member 4 1. What u know abt gini coefficient 2.can u achieve near equality 3.any country in world and India 4.how they doing so well wrt equality 5.equality as a constitution answered absence of privilege . 6.whats extra equality. Chair Ma'am intervene he told absence of privilege he knows that only .as i was clarifying chair ma'am told Ok thank you ur interview is over Mock - tab tak do jab tak khud pe confidence nahi ,more n less for speaking and articulation purpose it's useful Talking to friends was helpful and most imp chatgpt n Gemini tool as great equalizer.

Name: Luna Date : 19.01.2026(FN) Board : Suman Sharma mam DAF Keywords: Forestry, Tamil Nadu, hobbies(ball badminton, bird watching) Chairman 1. How to pronounce your name? What is the meaning? 2. Ok. You are associated with Nilgiris hills, tell me another mountain range that is under threat? ( I said the Aravalli range mam) She asked could you be aware of what are issues in that Aravalli range ? 3. As a forestry graduate could you agree with the definition ? 4. Is the definition for different forest types and different ranges necessary or does it cause any environmental concerns? 5. why SC verdict is important in this matter? 6. As a forestry graduate, you have any other solutions to protect the Aravalli range from mining? 7. How to tackle illegal mining suppose you're posted in the Aravalli range? 8. If the people in the area support illegal miners, then how could you handle the situation and how will you solve the issue? 9. After your graduation, what would you do ? job or any other things. 10. What is the difference between Tamil Nadu and Goa in coastal development? Is Tamil Nadu has longer coastal line than Goa , why Goa has more beaches 11. What are the major activities along the coastal line of Tamil Nadu? Member 1 1. As India is developing nations, we aspiring for development activities which may contradict with environmental conservation. What is your view on that? 2. Suppose we need coal for our energy source, could we go for the forest to exploit coal or for import. Which is feasible ? 3. In Tamil Nadu, what is the major coal type that present ? 4. Where is that present and (some questions related to that like major coal mines, coal areas in India) 5. How lignite differs from other types? (One question I'm unable to recall) Member 2(female) 1. As you mentioned EIA(previous answer) , why it is needed? 2. But it is not efficient in ground level as it mentioned in the act. What is the difference between the provision and the ground reality ? 3. Even though renewable energy causes some environmental issues. Could you mention some issues 4. What are the subjects you covered in your graduation and what is your favourite ? 5. Tell me how many bird species till now extinct ? 6. Is ball badminton different from badminton (she mentioned one game, that I never heard) Member 3 1. Is there any legal law in the United States to arrest the Venezuela president? If yes what is the legal status ? 2. Long monologue about Operation Sindoor and asked about India stand in this matter differ from earlier stand towards Pakistan. (1- 2 questions unable to recall it) Member 4 1. Asking about forest waste and related produce? 2. How it may be useful for humans? 3. About carbon credits and related discussion? 4. Tell me one issue between Tamil Nadu and its neighbouring state? ( I told Cauvery issue) 5. What is the current status and why does it get delayed? 6. What is the supreme court recent verdict about the sharing of water? Chairman : Thank you. Overall, it is nice experience. Time: Approx 30 mins Mocks : Aram IAS Academy, Naan mudhalvan, Sankalp academy.

Vaji Rao Reddy, Nextias, Samkalp (Offline and Online), Hardworking Humans (Manish IAS 2017), OnlyIAS o2o, Macs Hyd, Amigos, Ekam, Unacademy DAF Discussion with Samkalp, Mahesh Bagawat IPS sir were good

UPSC CSE Personality Test : Interview Transcript Date: 13 February 2026 Time: ~3:30 PM Duration: ~26 minutes Board Chairperson: Sujata Chaturvedi Mam Board Composition: Chairperson (Female) + 4 Male Members Candidate: N Daf Keywords: Telangana, Electrical Engineer, Discom job, Irrigation Dept job, Youtuber, Anthropology (others not asked) Order: 4th candidate of the day Entry & Initial Interaction Candidate entered, greeted the board, and stood beside the chair. Chairperson invited: “N, come take a seat.” You seem to be nervous! Chairperson read through DAF details before initiating questions. Chairperson’s Questions (Madam Sujata Chaturvedi) 1. Preparation Journey How long have you been preparing for competitive exams? How do you read current affairs? What are your sources? How much current affairs do you know? 2. Personality Transformation How has preparing for UPSC and reading current affairs changed you as a person? 3. Geography – Himalayas Mention three important features/significance of the Himalayas for India. Candidate initially gave two points. Chairperson provided clues for a third. Final point included: Origin of major rivers (Indus, Ganga, Yamuna), lifeline of India. Member 2 – Engineering / Irrigation Background Questions linked to technical profile: 1. Domain Transition How is the work technically different for an electrical engineer in a DISCOM versus an irrigation department? 2. Technical Questions Designing drip irrigation pump sets. Irrigation efficiency — challenges and improvements. Problems in urban water supply. Practical solutions for urban water management. Deeper technical questions on pumping systems (some could not be answered). Member 3 – Media, Culture & Society 1. News Consumption & Media Literacy What are your primary sources of news? Candidate: Newspapers. Do you watch television or use social media? Candidate: Not currently. Earlier social media sources? Candidate: Instagram and WhatsApp groups. Follow-up: Fake News How do you differentiate fake news from genuine information? Candidate response: Cross-check through Google search. Verify from authoritative government websites. Use intuitive judgement when messages appear suspicious. 2. Telugu Film Industry Impact of S. S. Rajamouli on Indian cinema. Technological changes introduced. Changes in Indian film industry after Magadheera. 3. Sociology / Anthropology Question on anthropologist who recently expired Andre Beteille (candidate unable to recall) what are his major works. Member provided clues relating to caste and power dynamics. Discussion followed on: Social stratification. Class hierarchy. Power structures in society. Member 4 – Technology, Career & Telangana Contribution of Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) to: Defence Nuclear sector Space sector. 2. Career Choices Why shift from a high-paying DISCOM job to a comparatively lower-paying irrigation/agriculture role? 3. Telangana Statehood Reasons behind bifurcation of Telangana. Are people of Telangana and Andhra satisfied now? Have the objectives of state formation been achieved? Observation: Board became visibly engaged; discussion was lively. Member 5 – International Relations 1. Regional Cooperation If you had to reform either SAARC or BIMSTEC, which would you choose? What reforms would you suggest? 2. Linking Personal Experience How can your YouTube/content-creation knowledge be used to improve SAARC/BIMSTEC functioning or outreach? Member added points and interacted further; response partly satisfactory. Closing Chairperson concluded: “Your interview is over, you may leave.” Candidate thanked the board and exited. Unable to recollect some questions. Board Demeanor (Candidate Observation) Chairperson: composed, serious, occasionally restrained smile. Other members: neutral to cheerful. Atmosphere: professional and engaging. Experience similar to mocks, but UPSC Bhavan environment felt distinctly different. Mocks Taken In the order of Utility:

Board: Chairman Shukla Sir (I was the last candidate) forenoon Feb 13 DAF Keywords: MBBS Healthy recipes Medical content writing Chairman Started with questions on AI in content creation. Asked about problems associated with AI-generated content (ethical issues, authenticity, misinformation, doctor–patient trust, accountability etc.). Interestingly, Sir himself answered Member 1 (M1) Ayurveda vs Modern Medicine Evidence-based approach Standardization by Integrative medicine possibilities Limitations of both systems Follow-up questions Member 2 (M2) Mostly around MBBS background Why shift from medical career to civil services? Questions on role of doctors in public administration Member 3 (M3) Why fast food is unhealthy? Follow-ups . Member 4 (M4) Social justice vs meritocracy – how to balance both? Medical college admissions and systemic issues If surnames are removed, will discrimination end? Overall Mostly DAF-based. Mock and one on ones @ Quantel very helpful (multiple one-on-ones, mocks online ) Fortune Lead Xylem iLearn Samkalp Online - ALS ,gallant ias,enlite All of them added value in different ways.

Date 11 feb 2026 Name - science curious Board - sheel vardhan sir Daf keywords- morning walk, science documentary,bsc, ma in political science, rajasthan,psir nothing other important Time duration _ about 26 or 27 minutes. Chairperson - Welcome to this conversation 1. You have a peculiar hobby of watching science documentary. Can you suggest me few documentary which I can watch. 2.have you heard about Artemis mission.what is it about. Is there any plan for landing people on the moon. 3.have you heard the word.slingshot with regards to this. 4. You are a person of science,can you give us deadline when human will be on Mars. 5. You could have a career in science,why you chose civil services over it. Memeber1 (lady member) 1.ok you have heard about great wall of china . Can you tell about great wall of India . 2. Tell me about tangible and intangible cultural heritage sites from rajasthan. 3.what is unique about jaisalmer fort. Memeber2 1. I couldn't get the exact question but it was about knowledge and perception. 2. Do we all are under perception.how much percentage of people you think uder this perception or who do not care about economic development and political will etc 3. Why you chose ma in political science after bsc. You could have done b.a. instead of bsc . 4. I want to know the mindset of society behind this . 5. You do not had thought about B. tech. 6.do you like mr. Trump. How would you score him if you have to. Memeber3 1. You are quite young and you go for morning walk . why this hobby at such a young age. 2. You were sitting in hall where other candidates also present. Generally you have observed they are wearing spectacles and you are not. Is there any connection between going for morning walk and not wearing spectacles. 3. Taking perception as point from earlier member , asked me about narrative warfare. 4. Cross questions on this ,how India can manage this new warfare, 5. Do you think there should be some kind of reality or truth in this , otherwise how people will accept it. And further cross questions I m not recalling. 6. You are from science then tell me about bhartiya antriksh space station. 7. What we will do there. 8.from my answer he asked about micro gravity. Member 4 1.Ok you are from ir backgrounds , then monologue on israel gaza issue and its fallout on human rights, killing innocent civilians. Why countries are not taking stand against it , Do you think india should take stand against this violation of human rights, why countries are divided on this issue 2. From my answer do you think ideology matters in this issue. 3.then gave a situation,think you are dopt minister,you are preparing for civils so you would relate to it, you have to present a bill in the parliament which will limit maximum attempt limit for civil services at 3 and maximum age 26. How would you represent your argument,and now think as opposition and give argument against this. 4. Now think as person you are what will be your opinion on this move and what as aspirant you suggest reforms in this process. Chairperson _ Thanks your interview is over.it was a pleasant meeting with you. You can go now

Date: 10-02-2026 Key DAF Details: Book Club, Punjabi Poetry, Giddha, Kho Kho, Punjab, PSIR Board: Sheel Vardhan Sir Questions asked: Chairman: 1. Share wisdom of recent book you read. 2. Any other book of William Dalrymple. 3. You perform Giddha, name instruments used in Bhangra. 4. Why Uae leader visited india recently? 5. Are Uae and Saudi also having conflicts in Sudan? M2 (mam) 1. What is the impact of globalization on culture? 2. Name some of Your favourite poets. M3. 1. What is your view on "he is my friend" in IR? Further discussion on friends in administration? 2. Is kho kho a rural or urban game? M4. 1. Do you see any significance of humour in life? 2. How humour has impacted you in real life? 3. Why Guru Nanak went on travel? 4. Does he felt pain also? 5. We all are old people here, ask one ques from your gen. to us M5. 1. Compare Kho Kho vs Kabbadi 2. Punjab used to be rich, what happened? 3. Is todays world fragmented or multipolar? 4. Is multipolar better than unipolar and bipolar? Chairman : thank you, your interview is over.

Date: 11/02/2026 Morning shift, 1st to go Board: Hon. Sanjay Verma Sir DAF: Gorakhpur, cycling event, sketching, PSIR Chairman: Say something about flowers Tell me about flowers from multi dimensional view like politics, social, economic, etc Do they have any defense mechanism? How do they protect against threats? Do they also have thorns? Do humans also have mechanism like pheromones? (I mentioned pheromone in previous answer) So this week they must be in danger. What must be reason for that? Which particular flower would be most vulnerable this week? How are you going to spend this valentine? With whom? Have you found your valentine yet? What did you had in your breakfast? How much calories it must have been? Which type of bread you ate? (Brown or milk or something else) Which company was it of? M1 (female board member) Did you notice the Mahatma gandhi statue while coming inside? What was written beneath it? What did he meant by that? What was the most important message of gandhiji? What is different about Gandhiji's non violence? You have mentioned interested in sketching, what does it mean? M2 Tell me 5 conflicts going on in the world in order of severity If you have to choose one country from our neighbourhood to focus maximum efforts on which will be most beneficial for us, which would it be? Why? But we are seeing the people of Bangladesh are having anti India sentiment, so what is your say on that? Is it possible? Have you heard of recent news about vande mataram? Are you aware of the stock market? What factors decide the bullish and bearish moves? What is market sentiment? What are recent evaluation issues in Ed tech sector? Do you know any Ed tech company which is doing good recently? What are FIIs? M3 Tell me 2 most important technology emerging in current times? How can AI help a common man? Do you use AI? How do you use it? Which AI app do use? Data is the new oil. What does it mean? Give example how the data is used by companies? Tell me about current US india relations? What do you think, the current agreement signed between India and US is good or bad for India? What about tariffs, is it justified? How much India imposed tariff on US? Trump is claiming to be peace paker, what is your view on that? But he has made board of peace for Gaza, so he is bringing peace, what will you say then? Recently he has also taken Nobel Peace Prize, do you think it is justified? Has he really been given the peace Prize or it was given by someone else? What is the significance of this peace Prize then? M4. Will you give your gold medal to someone else if he asks for it? Who conducted the cycling event? (DAF achievement) What was your approach to win that race? What was the distance you covered? In which year was it conducted? What was the deciding factor to judge the winner? Do you know the bicycle man of India? Gorakhpur is famous for what? When was geeta press established? What is it's significance? Does CM belonging to your city, helped the city? What developments have you seen under him? Chairman: thank you, your interview is over. Time: around 28 minutes

10. Define Western culture. What are its traits, and why is it called so? 11. Tell me three women from Maharashtra who inspire you. I spoke about Savitribai Phule, Sindhutai Sapkal, and K. Majulaxmi (former Collector of my district). The board member sitting next to him exclaimed, “All women?” The member clarified that he was specifically asking about women. 12. You have a hobby of writing poems. Do you take time, or can you compose one on the spot? I said that generally, I take time. 13. Can you write one now? I asked if I could try writing a quote instead of a poem. They agreed and allowed me to take my time using pen and paper. While I was thinking, the Chairperson stood up to drink water. When I looked up, he waited and asked if I was ready. I said, “Yes, sir.” My quote was: > “She was smiling because her strength was born out of the storms she survived.” All members smiled and acknowledged it. The Chairperson said that it was very quick. Another member then said in Marathi: “Jastich kadak zala ka interview?” ( May be he co related the term Storm with the interview ) I was surprised to hear Marathi from him, as I had assumed he was Punjabi (since he was wearing a turban). I asked him again to confirm it, and we smiled. The Chairperson then said: “It was great talking to you. You can leave now.” I thanked them all and left. It was a conversational interview. All board member seemed genuinely interested in conversation. Guidance Taken: 1. One-to-one discussion with Anupam Jain Sir (Smartwork Labs) He acted as a “calm in chaos,” helping me focus on what was truly needed and not get lost in clutter. He hand-held me right from deciding the entries to be filled in the DAF. We had detailed one-to-one discussions on each aspect of my DAF. He guided me to think in the right direction, which significantly improved the quality and clarity of my answers. Especially, discussions on my hobbies—particularly writing quotes—helped me a lot. His trust in me strengthened my self-belief and helped me remain confident during the interview. 2. Pranay Agarwal Sir (IAS Gurukul) Conducted detailed DAF-based questioning. Very encouraging overall and helped boost confidence. 3. Mahesh Bhagwat Sir Helped me prepare DAF-based questions in a more structured and focused manner. Mock Interviews: (Arranged from best to average) 1. Maharashtra Sadan (best of them all) 2. Study IQ (Khemka Sir–led panel) 3. Unacademy 4. Chanakya Mandal Pariwar 5. Quantel – SPM Academy 6. Next IAS 7. Vajiram and Ravi 8. Vajirao and Reddy 9. PW Only IAS 10. Sankalp IAS 11. Quantel – Raj Malhotra Institute Discussions with my peer group helped me improve my expression and gain new perspectives Best wishes to all! 🌸

UPSC Interview Transcript Board: Sheel Vardhan Sir Date: 12/02/2026- Afternoon Keywords: Sindhudurg, Maharashtra, Cashew Farming, Kathak, Lavani, Writing Quotes and Poetry, Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering, Sociology, MIT Pune, Magazine Editor, Cultural Club Head I entered the board and greeted all the members. --- Chairperson 1. Your name has a connection with ancient literature. Do you know about this? 2. What about the Aranyakas and the Upanishads? 3. You were an editor for a college magazine. Do you read newspapers? 4. I am making a statement. Can you elaborate on this? “The sports page of a newspaper reflects the full truth, the editorial page reflects half the truth, whereas the front page reflects minimum truth.” (Some discussion followed.) 5. As your hobby is writing quotes, tell me one quote that guides you. I said: “Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud.” 6. How would you be a “rainbow” as a District Magistrate? 7. Which scheme, according to you, has the potential to be a rainbow? I said VB GRAM G — because poverty is the darkest cloud of all, and the scheme provides dignity and meaningful work opportunities. (He was nodding and appreciating in between.) 8. Define folk dance. Member 2 (Lady Member) 1. You perform Kathak. Would you be okay if fusion dance forms are performed? 2. After I replied that as long as the philosophical core principles and techniques remain intact, innovation is acceptable, she again asked: Would you still be okay with fusion? 3. You are a poet. Are poets observant individuals or social reformers? 4. Give one example to support your argument. I cited Savitribai Phule and her literary work Bawankashi Subodh Ratnakar. 5. You have studied Sociology. Which concept do you find most useful? I spoke about Social Facts. Member 3 1. Taking a cue from the last discussion, did you take Sociology only from an exam perspective? I explained my rationale. 2. You are an Electronics and Telecommunication engineer. Don’t you think an engineering degree certificate is merely a piece of paper? (He was nodding in agreement in between.) 3. Why are there so many engineering colleges and high enrolment in states like Maharashtra and Karnataka, especially from a sociological point of view? I spoke about the rise in aspirations and the preference for professional degrees. 4. He mentioned that in many Western countries, Electrical and Electronics syllabi are integrated, which is not the case in India. Have you read the Electrical syllabus? I replied in the negative. He said, “No issues, it’s okay.” 5. This is a personality test—do you want us to know you more, or to test you? I said that I would like them to know me more, and in that process, they would also test me. (He smiled slightly.) Member 4 1. You perform Lavani. It is a very energetic dance form. What does Lavani express? 2. What do you like about this dance form? 3. Suppose you help someone, but that person is neither grateful nor reciprocative. How would you express this through Lavani? I said that I would first need to write a Lavani song to express that feeling, but in life, I do not let such experiences affect my helping nature—I continue doing my part. He said, “Excellent, on that part.” 4. Describe Kanhoji Angre. (Reference: Sindhudurg Fort) 5. Further discussion followed on the Marathas and his role in shipbuilding. 6. You are engaged in an exciting activity like cashew farming. Why, then, put in such hard work for civil services?( All of them exchanged smile among themselves) Member 5 1. What is the percentage of protein in cashews? 2. What are the benefits of nuts like almonds and cashews? 3. What is a balanced diet? 4. Are you having a balanced diet these days? I replied that I had one when I was at home, but since shifting to Delhi, the balance has been disturbed. 5. What is junk food? 6. What are its ill effects? 7. Should we ban all advertisements promoting junk food? 8. What can be done to control the spread of junk food? 9. Define culture.

Name: Luna Date : 19.01.2026(FN) Board : Suman Sharma mam DAF Keywords: Forestry, Tamil Nadu, hobbies(ball badminton, bird watching) Chairman 1. How to pronounce your name? What is the meaning? 2. Ok. You are associated with Nilgiris hills, tell me another mountain range that is under threat? ( I said the Aravalli range mam) She asked could you be aware of what are issues in that Aravalli range ? 3. As a forestry graduate could you agree with the definition ? 4. Is the definition for different forest types and different ranges necessary or does it cause any environmental concerns? 5. why SC verdict is important in this matter? 6. As a forestry graduate, you have any other solutions to protect the Aravalli range from mining? 7. How to tackle illegal mining suppose you're posted in the Aravalli range? 8. If the people in the area support illegal miners, then how could you handle the situation and how will you solve the issue? 9. After your graduation, what would you do ? job or any other things. 10. What is the difference between Tamil Nadu and Goa in coastal development? Is Tamil Nadu has longer coastal line than Goa , why Goa has more beaches 11. What are the major activities along the coastal line of Tamil Nadu? Member 1 1. As India is developing nations, we aspiring for development activities which may contradict with environmental conservation. What is your view on that? 2. Suppose we need coal for our energy source, could we go for the forest to exploit coal or for import. Which is feasible ? 3. In Tamil Nadu, what is the major coal type that present ? 4. Where is that present and (some questions related to that like major coal mines, coal areas in India) 5. How lignite differs from other types? (One question I'm unable to recall) Member 2(female) 1. As you mentioned EIA(previous answer) , why it is needed? 2. But it is not efficient in ground level as it mentioned in the act. What is the difference between the provision and the ground reality ? 3. Even though renewable energy causes some environmental issues. Could you mention some issues 4. What are the subjects you covered in your graduation and what is your favourite ? 5. Tell me how many bird species till now extinct ? 6. Is ball badminton different from badminton (she mentioned one game, that I never heard) Member 3 1. Is there any legal law in the United States to arrest the Venezuela president? If yes what is the legal status ? 2. Long monologue about Operation Sindoor and asked about India stand in this matter differ from earlier stand towards Pakistan. (1- 2 questions unable to recall it) Member 4 1. Asking about forest waste and related produce? 2. How it may be useful for humans? 3. About carbon credits and related discussion? 4. Tell me one issue between Tamil Nadu and its neighbouring state? ( I told Cauvery issue) 5. What is the current status and why does it get delayed? 6. What is the supreme court recent verdict about the sharing of water? Chairman : Thank you. Overall, it is nice experience. Time: Approx 30 mins Mocks : Aram IAS Academy, Naan mudhalvan, Sankalp academy.

Name:- PYTHAGORAS PATEL Date: 10/02/2026 Afternoon session, 3rd to go Board:- Dinesh Dasa sir DAF: BUNDELKHAND, ANTHROPOLOGY, UTTAR PRADESH, WATCHING TEST CRICKET AND BADMINTON , ENVIRONMENT AND WATER MINISTER IN STUDENT PARLIAMENT, BHUTAN (Rest not asked) CHAIRMAN 1. Aap Hindi medium se schooling kiye hai, aap apna parichay kaise dena chahenge? 2. Why Bundelkhand was not made a separate state during state reorganization 1956? 3. Did Bundelkhand had any princely states when we got independence ? 4. At different times, bundelkhand had different centres of culture , what was the reason? 5. What about now, UP being such a big state of around 25 crore population, is it high time we should divide it in 3 4 parts? 6. There are three approaches of tribal devlopment in india- isolation, assimilation and integration. Who proposed these approaches and what different ideas they had? 7. Which approach we follow or should follow to mainstream them and devlop them? MEMBER 1 1. Your hobby is watching test cricket? Why is it so? Do you think it is superior form of cricket or any other reason behind that? 2. Unlike cricket which after t20 cricket, it got commercialized as well as expanded to masses, why badminton didnt grow as much as the cricket? 3. We could have started IPL like tournament again (mentioned PBL in last answer) as we are performing well and won medals in Olympic that is defining moment in badminton (In last answer I said we didn't had any groundbreaking moment like 1983 world cup in badminton until 2012 medal) 4. Do you think we are performing as good as cricket in badminton? 5. You were Envt and Water minsiter in student parliament, we often talk about protecting envt which is air water soil in general terms, why we should protect it? 6. Suatinable devlopment is another thing, what if we dont want to protect it , it's our choice after all (i mentioned sustainable devlopment and moral responsibility in last answer ) 7. What direct implications we would have if we don't protect it ( i took time for thinking, chairman sir said to move ahead to next member) MEMBER 2 1. DO you know about 73rd and 74th constituational amendment. Have you read them? 2. Are these applicable in tribal areas? 3. How do we govern tribal areas then? 4. If you are made tribal secretary, how would extend a panchayat like system in tribal and scheduled areas of MP and Chattisgarh? 5. What are the problems in PESA and FRA (mentioned PESA and FRA in last answer) 6. What is the difference between all india services and central services? 7. Should we change IAS IPS as central services now? 8. You must know about postal service. Are post office still relevant in the age of email and whatsapp and should we shut them down? (Chairman sir stopped him after this que and said next member to ask) MEMBER 3 1. In tribal regions , Andman is very important place.What are the tribes there and what are their demographic and devlopmental situation? 2. Their population has been declining, how would you tackle it ? 3. They need health interventions and livelihood. I agree but they are completely isolated. It is very difficult to reach them let alone any devlopmental work. ( I got stuck in this answer, chairman sir said next member to ask ) Member 4 1. You have Bhutan in your daf , do you know what is GNH concept? 2. How many pillars are there in the GNH? 3. Should india seriously consider following the GNH model for devlopment? Chairman sir stopped him after this answer and said - Okay Thank you Patel , your interview is over. Board was cordial and made me very comfortable and it felt more like conversation than interview. Complete opposite of mock interview. Mocks: Around 13 Sankalp (similar to real one), Vajirao and reddy Unacademy Thanks to quantel for arranging many online and offline panel and o2o mocks Time:- adound 27 to 30 minutes

Name : Patria o Muerte Date :  05/02/2026, Afternoon Board : BB Swain sir DAF Keywords : Bcom , Anthropology , CAPF AC , Kerala , sketching , Strength training , mobile photography. Chairperson 1. Tribal paintings in India ? M1 ( female ) 1. Why people are feared to deposit in Banks ? 2. Mule accounts ? 3. China's threat to the world ? 4. Why US plan to annex Greenland ? 5. Golden dome ( follow up ) 6. China's threat to US ? M2 1.Adaptation financing? 2. COP 30 @ Brussels ? ( Wrong Q ) 3. Children suicide, measures? M3 1.Which phone is best for Photography? 2. Mule account ? 3. Promoter company vs Company distributed shared publicly? M4 1. Growth inflation trade off 2. Inflation? Rate ? CPI vs WPI 3. RBI measures during inflation? 4. Economic growth ? 5. US FTA issues ? 6. How india should deal with US prohibiting Russian oil purchase. Chairperson, Anything to Ask , your interview is over . Mocks : Fortune IAS , Pathways IAS , State CS Academy , Amrita IAS , Lead IAS, Samkalp IAS , Xylem IAS ,Pala CS Academy , Sankar IAS ( Kerala ) Spl thanks to Quantel for arranging various Mocks O2O : KylasNath , Jithin sir ( Lead ), Achuth sir ( fortune ) , Sunil George sir , Shinas sir ( Ilearn ).

Breadnrose Daf - Chhattisgarh, bollywood music, civil engineering, mess secretary Sujata ma’am, first to go 1. What is special about today Discussion on Sevateerth and kartavya bhavan + why today? 2. ⁠ever been to a govt office ? Measures to improve service delivery Long discussion M1 1. Sonhat (chhattisgarh district) clean drinking water supply initiative by an officer 2. ⁠coal mine areas - sanitation and clean drinking water, what measures will you take 3. ⁠weaver kosa silk discussion - life of a weaver - no clue M2 1. Bangladesh relations 2. ⁠BNP, Taliban and Jamat-e-islami 3. ⁠civil - retrofitting, sevateerth, kartavya bhavan 4. ⁠old bollywood songs - why old? Evolution of bollywood music M3 Mess discussion, learning, how to implement in government mess Joke bhi tha ek - mess me perks - tasting menu, different food items I had to taste check - everyone started laughing M4 Superstition, why we believe, what are the pitfalls Tonhi pratadna adhiniyam (Chhattisgarh specific) Mocks - quantel mocks (special mention to Shivin sir(not Saarthi one), he helped me through out the journey) NextIas, Samkalp, khan sir 1:1 (the best), Vinay sir 1:1 (Insights Ias, very critical questions), Vajiram, Vajirao, rest quantel mocks

10. Define Western culture. What are its traits, and why is it called so? 11. Tell me three women from Maharashtra who inspire you. I spoke about Savitribai Phule, Sindhutai Sapkal, and K. Majulaxmi (former Collector of my district). The board member sitting next to him exclaimed, “All women?” The member clarified that he was specifically asking about women. 12. You have a hobby of writing poems. Do you take time, or can you compose one on the spot? I said that generally, I take time. 13. Can you write one now? I asked if I could try writing a quote instead of a poem. They agreed and allowed me to take my time using pen and paper. While I was thinking, the Chairperson stood up to drink water. When I looked up, he waited and asked if I was ready. I said, “Yes, sir.” My quote was: > “She was smiling because her strength was born out of the storms she survived.” All members smiled and acknowledged it. The Chairperson said that it was very quick. Another member then said in Marathi: “Jastich kadak zala ka interview?” ( May be he co related the term Storm with the interview ) I was surprised to hear Marathi from him, as I had assumed he was Punjabi (since he was wearing a turban). I asked him again to confirm it, and we smiled. The Chairperson then said: “It was great talking to you. You can leave now.” I thanked them all and left. It was a conversational interview. All board member seemed genuinely interested in conversation. Guidance Taken: 1. One-to-one discussion with Anupam Jain Sir (Smartwork Labs) He acted as a “calm in chaos,” helping me focus on what was truly needed and not get lost in clutter. He hand-held me right from deciding the entries to be filled in the DAF. We had detailed one-to-one discussions on each aspect of my DAF. He guided me to think in the right direction, which significantly improved the quality and clarity of my answers. Especially, discussions on my hobbies—particularly writing quotes—helped me a lot. His trust in me strengthened my self-belief and helped me remain confident during the interview. 2. Pranay Agarwal Sir (IAS Gurukul) Conducted detailed DAF-based questioning. Very encouraging overall and helped boost confidence. 3. Mahesh Bhagwat Sir Helped me prepare DAF-based questions in a more structured and focused manner. Mock Interviews: (Arranged from best to average) 1. Maharashtra Sadan (best of them all) 2. Study IQ (Khemka Sir–led panel) 3. Unacademy 4. Chanakya Mandal Pariwar 5. Quantel – SPM Academy 6. Next IAS 7. Vajiram and Ravi 8. Vajirao and Reddy 9. PW Only IAS 10. Sankalp IAS 11. Quantel – Raj Malhotra Institute Discussions with my peer group helped me improve my expression and gain new perspectives Best wishes to all! 🌸