UPSC CAPF Interview Experience

The interview was held in the morning Shift. I was the second one to enter. A fellow person helped me to open the big wooden door, and I looked inside straight towards the Chairman of the panel. After walking some distance, I came near the table and said, “Good Morning, Sir.” By that time, I had greeted with a smile to all the other members.

The panel members sitting in front of you are scholars and humble too. They want to know your personality and they are open to talk. I had respect for all of them, and I always felt that it is a great opportunity to sit and interact with them whatever may be the outcome.

The Chairman asked me to sit, to which I obliged and said thank you.

The Chairman threw the first question.

Amol, you are an IT engineer, tell me the size of the IT industry. I knew our IT industry was big, but I did not know the exact size of it, so I smiled and said, “Sorry Sir, I do not know the exact size of our IT industry in terms of numbers.” The Chairman and other members did not make the environment uncomfortable. Rather, the chairman smiled and said, “Tell me whatever you know…”

Ans: Sir, we are known for our IT industry, and the service sector contributes to around 65%. We have IT professionals like Sundar Pichai heading Google… Bangalore and Pune are known for IT industry. The Chairman waited for some more time, maybe because he wanted me to say something more. But I was done from my side.

So, he asked the next question about data protection.

Ans: I said it is important to protect data. RBI has given guidelines about storing bank data in the country itself, and a committee was also formed in this regard. Since the Right to privacy is a fundamental right now, it is important to protect data and steps should be taken.

What is a startup?

Small newly formed industry by a group of entrepreneurs who are working towards innovation and it helps in solving problems faced by our country. I said it also has employment generation potential. I mentioned that the Government has started the Startup India scheme to promote the startup ecosystem.

2014 you have passed out, 5 years what have you been doing since then?

I said I have been preparing for competitive exams since 2014.

To which he replied, “Five long years?”

I said, “Yes, sir, it took me 5 years to reach this level, and I have learned a lot in this journey.”

Member 2 (Lady): Did you sit for placements?

No, ma’am…I had a backlog in the 3rd year. And I was not allowed to sit in companies. But I sat in a few companies which had no criteria. I wanted to go for competitive exams since my high-school and college, so I did not sit for placements.

As you always wanted to go for a competitive exam, then why didn’t you take the humanity subject?

I said, “Ma’am, at that time, my parents took the decisions. In fact, they were guided by other people to take the decision. But after that, I took my decision to go for the competitive exam, and engineering has provided me an aptitude and better confidence about my career.”

She asked me, “What is your backup plan?

I said, “I have not made any backup plan. But right now, I am providing educational content to a website and earning money.”

She asked, Why didn’t you mention it in the DAF?

I said, “Sorry, ma’am, it is not a formal employment but a freelancing work I do to stay in Delhi as the expenses are quite high here.”

She asked, So you are earning and preparing as well?

I replied, Yes, Ma’am. (I think the Chairman understood that I’m working with coaching, he non-verbally told the ma’am not to ask counter-questions.)

She again jumped to the earlier discussion and asked about my gap.

But for 5 years you are preparing, do you regret it?

Ans: No, ma’am. It took 5 years for me, and I have learned a lot. When I went to engineering, I did not know how to start a computer, but now I am a computer engineer. I did not know the difference between the President and the Prime Minister…I have learned a lot. I have no regret.

Now, I am in a better position to guide the daughters and sons of my brothers and sisters. This may be 5 years for me, but it can make a generational difference for them.

Since I mentioned that I did not know the difference between the Prime Minister and the President, she asked me, “What is wrong with our education system, and what should be done in our education system?”

I replied: The government is doing everything possible, and we also have the NEP coming up, but I would like to focus on the role of the teacher as my father, mother, sister, brother-in-law are teachers. I gave the example of my sister. In her village, she is teaching 20 students. She is a motivated teacher, and now those students who were going to private schools in town are taking admission in a village school where she is teaching. Students are no longer using bad words (I didn’t use the word ‘slang’ intentionally); she has also organized a ceremony on 26th January. The teacher can bring the change, so we need to focus on the teacher’s role.

Next question: Tell me 1 quality in you?

Ans: Only 1?…ma’am, if I come to know of some weakness in me, then I give my best to get stronger in that area. And I will make sure it doesn’t remain my weakness forever.

She asked, Why did you take so much time?

Ma’am, I was thinking, should I tell a single quality like honesty or should I elaborate?”

Member 2 (Sir): Because somewhere I mentioned I have friends serving in the CAPF, he asked about their ranks. I told him that I have 6/7 friends, they’re in CISF, SSB, CRPF, etc. “Rank?” I thought about rank numbers, so I said, “Should I tell all of them?”

I said, “Rank 3 in 2013.

He said, “No, no, tell me their designation.”

I said, Sorry, sir, they are all Assistant Commandant.

Can you tell me the ranks in ascending order?

I made a mistake in one place.

He asked me to write it on paper.

I wrote it with one mistake.

He told me the correct rank, and I smiled and said, OK, thank you, sir.

(It is okay to make a mistake, I think. But it is not okay to ignore their correction.)

He then asked me, “How do you recognize that he is an Assistant Commandant?”

With a sense of pride in my eyes and my left hand forefinger pointing towards my right shoulder, I answered that he has three stars on his shoulder. (I dreamt of having them on my shoulders too!)

Then he asked, “What’s happening in Iran?”

I said, Iran is breaching the stockpile limit of uranium now. A few days back, the US and Iran came close to war as Iran shot down the drone, and President Trump recently Tweeted that he will not attack.

What is India’s role?
We want peace in the region, and peace is a prerequisite of prosperity.

What is India’s stake?
I told him the little GS knowledge we all have. We are importing 80% of our required crude mainly from the Gulf, and we have a huge diaspora staying in this region.

He wanted something more, and he said, “Can you tell more?
I gave some thought and said, “Sir, if they came to war, then it will be a diplomatic challenge for India as both countries are our friends.” But he wanted something different, and he gave a hint about connectivity. I picked the hint and said, “Yes, sir, we are developing the Chabahar port to improve our connectivity with Afghanistan. It will bypass Pakistan, which is not allowing our direct road connectivity.”

What’s in Afghanistan, why do we want peace there, and why is the Taliban not talking to us?
Sir, the geopolitical importance as the Silk Route also passed through it… Peaceful Afghanistan is in India’s best interest.”

Member 3: You are from Jalgaon. Which is the major river? Tell me the source and destination.
Tapi river…it originates in MP, I do not know the exact location, and it drains near Surat

Cooking? What is your famous dish?
Chicken biryani. I have prepared biryani for 20/30 people, and friends now call me to cook biryani at their place. (All smiling)

Which are 2 famous biryanis?
Hyderabadi and Lucknow.

What is the difference?
Water is not used in Hyderabadi dum biryani, and very minute things are taken care of in Lucknow biryani as it was the Nawab’s biryani.

You have travelled. What have you learned?
I gave the example of our college trip. In earlier trips, girls had to change their clothes in a bus, and when we went again after a year, we booked a hotel room. So I could have talked to them earlier and made this plan, so involving all participants in decision-making is important.

Again, the Chairman asked: You must have some bit of Economy in your preparation?

What is PCA?
I thought for a moment and told them about the Prompt Corrective Action plan. The discussion was followed by a few questions.

He asked which bank has come out of PCA? I said, “Sorry, sir, I do not know the exact name.”

The Chairman asked has any bank come out of PCA?

I said: “Sir, I have read that one bank has come out of PCA.”

Question regarding Section 66A of the IT Act:

I said that in 2015, it was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, but it is saddening that the UP police has recently used it.

So what is the status now?

Me: Freedom of Speech and expression is a fundamental right, but it is qualified.

The Chairman said thank you with a smile.

I stood up and said, “Thank you, sir. Thank you, ma’am,” and left the room.