Interview Smith Lodha - Jatin Verma

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Interview questionnaire

General Questions

1. Please tell us something about yourself, your family? When and why did you enter in UPSC competitive exams?

a) Ans. b) Name: Smit Lodha c) DOB-01/09/1994 d) Family of 5- Father, Mother a younger brother, me and my wife e) Entered preparation in July 2015 f) Reason- Need for a diverse work profile with wider impact

2. How much did you rely on online sources/videos while preparing for this exam?

a) Ans. b) It was a mix of online resources and books. c) I used mrunal.org extensively for all the basic subjects like economics and geography

3. So, did you use www.jatinverma.org/ his facebook group/ telegram group for your

preparation and if yes, how did it help you? a. Ans. No, I was not aware about Jatin during my preparation phase.

A. How did you find Jatin Verma’s videos for your preparation?

a. Did not use them

B. How did you make notes? a. Ans. b. Extensive notes from current affairs and all the basic books on A4 sheets. Notes

are very important for timely revision.

C. Prelim 2017’s and 2018’s GS papers were very tough. What are your views? If you were to prepare for the Prelims-2019, what changes would you make in the strategy?

a. Ans. b. Almost 60% questions in last 2 prelims were applied. Only basic books won't

suffice now. Need of next examinations as per my understanding is ability to eliminate options based on applied knowledge and solve more and more MCQ's to deal with complex, ambiguous and lenghty questions

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D. Kindly tell us how to complete GS paper-II (Prelims) in time? a. Ans. b. As mentioned above, the best way is to solve lot of practice papers before going

into the actual exam. Also the proven strategy of doing 3 rounds of the paper needs a rethink, given the lenghty nature of questions

E. Kindly tell us about your approximate no. of attempted answers vs. correct answers you got in Prelims-2018. Ans. Attempt 100 Correct-66 Incorrect-34

1. Compulsory language paper: Your preparation strategy / booklist? Ans. Did not prepare anything specifically for these papers How did you prepare for the essay paper? Ans. Wrote around 25-30 essays in the first attempt. Also Pavneet Singh's book is good to develop an approach to write UPSC essays.

2. Which two essays did you write what key points did you include in it?

Ans.

Wrote first essay on Poverty. Started with a self-made poem and wrote about the topic rather than focusing on poverty (generally we tend to write about the keyword rather than the topic)

Second essay I attempted was about cultural rigidity and social progress. This was a tricky topic which I attempted by including lot of examples substantiating the topic.

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For Mains

General Studies (Mains) Paper 1

Topic How did you prepare? / Referred books

Culture Nitin Singhania only

Indian history Spectrum

world history Notes on Mrunal

post-independence India Notes on Mrunal

Indian society 12th NCERT's

role of women, poverty etc. Current issues notes

globalization on Indian society

Current issues notes and Wikipedia

communalism, regionalism, secularism NCERT and Wikipedia

world geo physical GC Leong

resource distribution Mrunal.org

factors for industrial location Mrunal.org

earthquake tsunami etc Vision IAS notes

impact on flora-fauna Shankar

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IAS

General studies (Mains) paper 2

Topic How Did You Prepare?/ Referred books

Indian Constitution, devolution, dispute redressal etc. M laxmikant and M Puri notes for polity part

comparing Constitution with world

parliament, state Legislatures

executive-judiciary

ministries departments

pressure group, informal associations

Representation of people’s act

various bodies: Constitutional, statutory

NGO, SHG etc vision ias documents for governance part

welfare schemes, bodies

social sector, health, education, HRD

governance, transparency, accountability

e-governance

role of civil service

India & neighbors only current affairs and Main 365 for IR part

bilateral/global grouping

effect of foreign country policies on Indian interest

Diaspora

international bodies- structure mandate

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General studies (Mains) Paper 3


Indian economy, resource mobilization Self-made notes for each Economy pointer using basic books, Mrunal lectures, economic survey and Google. Used Vision IAS value addition material for the structure.

inclusive growth

Budgeting

major crops, irrigation

agro produce – storage, marketing

e-technology for famers

farm subsidies, MSP

PDS, buffer, food security

technology mission

animal rearing economics

food processing

land reforms

Liberalization

Infra

investment models

science-tech day to day life

Indian achievements in sci-tech Nitin Sangwan notes for SnT part

awareness in IT, space, biotech, nano, IPR

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environmental impact assessment Shankar IAS

Disaster Management Vision IAS document

non state actors, internal security Ashok Kumar book for Internal security

internal security – role of media, social networking site

cyber security

money laundering

border Management

organized crime, terrorism

security agencies- structure mandate

General Studies 4: Ethics, Integrity, aptitude


ethics and interface, family, society I have already shared my elaborate strategy through a live session on Jatin's YouTube channel

attitude, moral influence etc.

civil service: integrity, impartiality, tolerance to weak etc

emotional intelligence, its use in governance

moral thinkers of India and world

ethics in pub.ad, accountability, laws, rules etc.

corporate governance

probity in governance, work culture

citizen charter, ethics code, work culture etc.

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challenges of corruption

case studies on above topics

1. In ethics, what are your observations and tips for future aspirants regarding preparation Watch my live session on Jatin's YouTube channel

2. Some experts claim you should attempt all questions in Mains, some say attempt only those questions you know perfectly. What is your thought? Attempt all questions without any second thought.

3. How was your experience with the ‘fixed space’ answer sheet? Sufficient space is available

4. Did you write answers in bullet points or in paragraphs? I prefer writing in bullet points to convey ideas in crisp and concise way

5. Did you follow the “introduction-body-conclusion” format? Yes, I followed it meticulously in every answer

6. What’s your optional subject and why did you chose it? Commerce and accountancy due to previous experience during graduation

7. Please provide the essential book/resource list. Rankers classes notes for both paper 1 and paper 2 along with preparing model answers for each PY question using Google to fill gaps. Referring to to too many books can restrict your revsion capabilities. Revision remains a key in such a vast optional subject. Restrict your resources and focus on PY questions.

8. How much of internet-research / current affairs is necessary for this optional? Negligible. Stick to the basics

9. How many months did it take to finish the core optional syllabus It took me 4-5 months along with GS prep without classes

10. How many days/ weeks before the exam, you started answer writing practice? After prelims examination

11. Do you maintain notes for revision of optional? In which format- electronic or paper? Paper based notes work for me

12. Your observation about the difficultly level of 2018 mains vs previous papers. Pattern is shifting towards analytical questions. It is no more sufficient just to know something. It's important to analyse, understand and apply.

13. And what precautions are necessary in the future strategy for given optional subject? No short cut that can fetch you marks if you don't have a good hold over PY Questions.

Before the interview 1. How did you prepare for the interview? Two elements of preparation. First detail application

form. Second mock interviews. Also try to read newspaper thoroughly for a week before the interview.

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2. Did you attend any mock interviews by coaching classes? Yes they help us in understanding how to face questions in the actual interview.

3. How were they similar / different than official interview? . Very different. Yet, I won't undermine the value of Mock interviews in interview prep.

4. What books/material did you bring for the ‘revision before interview’? Absolutely none. Just relax before the interview.

5. Describe the formal-dress worn by you in interview.

Navy blue suit with white shirt and a tie.

During the interview

1. How long was the interview?. 30 mins

2. Please narrate your entire interview- what questions did they ask and what did you reply and other pleasant or uncomfortable experiences during the interview. Ans. Name- Smit Lodha Graduation- B com Optional- Commerce and Accountancy Board- Ajit Bhosale board

Wished the chairman and all board members a good morning and asked for permission to sit down. Granted with a smile Ch- Have you been here before? Me-Yes sir Ch- I am sure you were not in my board because I would have remembered your name 'Smit', it means smile right? Me-Yes sir Ch- I had a trainer in academy named ruliya Singh, I don't know why his parents named him after a sad word but he was the exact opposite of his name. He smiled a lot. Is there a contradiction in your name too? Me- Sir I smile more often than not Ch- Yes sure, you don't have a choice given its a part of your name. I am glad your parents named you that way. Now, this interview is not to judge your knowledge, we assume you have sufficient knowledge. We will judge your personality based on simple questions. Take your time to give answers. Use paper pencil in front of you if required. So , let's begin. What makes you happy? Me- Sir, making people around me smile, being good at whatever I do and improving each day makes me happy. Ch- In this context, what is ease of living

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Me- Sir, ease of living is making peoples life easier by simpler and effective delivery of governance (fumbled) Ch- whatever you said is correct but ease of living specifically focuses on providing housing to all and effective transport systems. Me- Thank you sir. Ch- Smit why did you choose commerce after 10th Me- Sir honestly, I wanted to continue playing basketball. There was a perception that if we go for IIT JEE, there is no time to do anything else. Ch- Did you play basketball then? Me- Yes sir Ch- What level did you reach? Me- Sir I have played national once, but we did not win the games Ch- I am glad you gave equal if not a higher preference to sports along with academics and your parents suppprted you. Me- Thank you sir.

M1- Smit will you be able to continue playing basketball? Me- Yes sir, I do play... M1- I mean after joining the service. Me- Sir I will find a way to play. If nothing else I can carry a ball and play in the mornings if a court is not available. M1-what are the indicators of health of an economy? Me- Sir the first one is Gross Domestic Product. Then there is per capita income. Inequality among people. Social indicators like health and education.. M1- (added) current account deficit, unemployment, etc. Me- yes sir. M1- You like discussing business ideas. Are you aware about ease of doing business, what is it? Me- Sir it is a phrase used by the world bank that indicates the simplicity of doing business in a country. They have 10 set parameters to judge the ease of doing business. It includes ease of getting electricity, setting up a business, closing down a business, getting construction permits, getting credit, etc. India has moved up in recent rankings by 30 ranks. (I continued as he was listening keenly and wanted to hear more) M1- okay Smit, what are the areas where we are lacking in this index? Me- Sir, enforcing contracts and construction permits are the areas where India performs poorly M1- What about land acquisition and labour laws that are not being reformed? Is it true that land acquisition is completely stuck.

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Me- Sir even though there are hurdles in these areas, some states like Rajasthan, Telengana and Andhra Pradesh have passed progressive legislations in these areas and are states are going ahead with reforms. M1- Okay. Smit, why do you think you will become a good bureaucrat? Me- Sir, I have the required skills and aptitude to become a good public servant. I am hardworking and persevering. I have the ability to understand problems and then solve them. I am persistent and I don't give up. I have good leadership skills. M1- Don't you think empathy is important to be a good civil servant. Me- Absolutely sir, empathy and compassion are very important to serve well. M1-smit are you compassionate? Me- Yes sir. M2- Smit is a good name if you get selected as IFS , there are many 'Smit' abroad. Okay, you are interested in business ideas. Would you like to become an entrepreneur? Me- Yes ma'am, I would like to become a social entrepreneur. M2- who is a social entrepreneur? Me- ma'am social entrepreneur is anyone who identifies social problems and tries to solve these problems and creates a business model around the solution. M2- Have you done anything in this area or What have you planned to do? Me- ma'am I am working on creating a project report for Jojoba dryland farming in drought prone area. Jojoba is a high value desert plant which requires 4cm water per year and very less upkeep. It is used in the cosmetic industry. I will visit Buldhana district in Vidharbha area next week for this project. M2- Smit you are very passionate about Basketball, what have you learnt by playing basketball? Me- When I started playing in 2005, 12 years back, I played because I enjoyed the game. I have come to realise now that it has shaped my personality. I try to become better each day, it has enabled me to handle losses, because we face a possibility of losing in each game despite trying to win each time. It has made a good team player. Also, I played as a point guard in the team which has made me a good leader.

M3-Smit are you aware about any areas affected by LWE in Maharashtra. Me- Sir Gadchiroli and Gondia districts in Vidharbha adjacent to chattisgarh, but it's intensity has gone down. M3- Why? Me- Sir it is due to the targeted efforts by state government to provide better opportunities of employment to the tribals and improvement in the social indicators. Also modernisation of police force has played a major role. M3- can you name some specific scheme for this region by MH govt? Me- sorry sir I cannot recall any specific scheme at this moment.

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M3- You must have heard about Kashmir issue. J&K has 3 broad parts which are distinct Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. Jammu and Ladakh are suffering due to instability in Kashmir. Should the state be trifurcared. Me- Sir can I take a minute to think. M3- Sure. Me- after 15 seconds. If it can be done constitutionally and legally, it should be done. It will help in dealing with security issues in Kashmir in a better manner. M3- what is the problem if centre decides to do it like it has done in other cases. Me- Sir a resolution has to be passed by the J&K assembly first M3- But is legislators from Jammu and Ladakh decide to pass it there is no problem. Me- blank look M3- it's okay, you can have your opinion. Do you think we should declare LoC as international boundary? Me- Sir Pakistan occupied Kashmir is an integral part of independent India and we should not forego our rightful claim. M3-ok M4-you discussed earlier about empathy, what is it? Me- Sir empathy is the ability to step into the shoes of the other person and feel his problem as our own. M4- How is it different from sympathy? Me- Sir sympathy is feeling bad for someone's pain but empathy is stepping into his shoes. Empathy leads to compassion. M4- If there are times where rules do not permit empathy, how will you deal with it? Me- Sir here I will use the principle of substance over form. As a public servant my core duty is to serve the people and I will abide by this duty. M4- But many a times you cannot do it as per rules and you feel helpless. Me- Sir rules are created for the benefit of people. Thus, generally this dilemma would not arise but in rare cases where it does, I will choose to serve. M4- What is the cost of hyperloop that has been proposed...Pune to mumbai? Me- Sir it is 15 million dollars per km which is half of high speed railway. M4- Yes but the total cost is estimated to around 10 billion dollars. What would be the expected IRR for the company as per you? Me-Sir for such a huge investment the expected IRR would be 15-20 % M4- what would be the cost of travel? Me- Sir I cannot predict exactly but it will be substantially higher than flight rates. M4- what are the flight rates from Pune to Mumbai? Me- Sir 2000 in the non peak period M4- Can you draw how hyperloop will look? Me- Sir I will try M4- sure

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Drew a tube and a pod in it , labelled it, even drew some people in the pod. Me- Sir the pod will travel at 1000 km/hr in the vacuum tube. Ch- (stared for 10 seconds straight into my eyes. I was smiling gently and looking straight into his eyes) Smit tell me the strategic significance of Chabahar port. Me- Sir the most important one is that we can directly access Afghanistan without going through Pakistan. Moreover it strenghthens our position in IOR which is our strategic backyard. Also it is 70 kms away from Gwadar port which is the nodal point of China's CPEC and we can keep a close eye on any military activity near Gwadar. Ch- courage of conviction. Tell me any instance where you have shown courage if conviction. Me- Sir can I have a moment to think. Ch- sure. Me- ( after a brief pause) sir 3 years ago while conducting the audit of Yazaki India limited I discovered that inventory was overvalued by 23 cores. When I went to the finance manager with my query he tried to fool me around without solving the query. When I reported it to my senior manager he asked me to let the issue go, but I went to the partner and got the overvalued inventory reversed. I did not let the issue go. Ch- good. Smit earlier you mentioned about losing a basketball game, what would you say to your team members after you lost the game? Me- (after a brief pause) We all played really well and we gave them a tough fight. We are a superb team. Let's go back and practice so hard that no team can even come close to our game next time. Ch- good. Your interview is over. Wished all the members of the board and left.

3. Was your interview on the expected lines of what you had prepared or did they ask you

totally unexpected questions? Was it a stress interview, did they ask any uncomfortable questions? If yes, how did you handle it? Answered in the transcript

4. Any side details about technicalities like “make sure you bring xyz document or do xyz thing, or you’ll face problem”? UPSC does not give you headaches over document issues but make sure you carry the documents specified, to ensure smooth sailing in the paper work before interview

5. Any word of wisdom / observations about medical checkup?

Don’t be late.

Career Backup

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1. If you not selected, what was your career backup plan? I got selected into IPS through CSE-2017. I would have continued with IPS.

2. Many candidates prepare sincerely but constantly live under fear like ‘I am not from a big college. What if they ask such questions in the interview? They don't. I am a B. Com. from local Pune College. I gave 3 interviews in 3 attempts. Trust me, they don't ask these questions.

3. What is your message to these candidates? Do your best and only the best will come back to you? Your past is bygone. Your future is still ahead of you. Give it your best shot.

4. If you’re a working professional, share some tips on how to manage studies with job?

I am not the best person to answer this question as I never worked during prep phase.

Interview Smith Lodha - Jatin Verma

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