How to Prepare for IAS/IPS or UPSC Interview
Interview is the final stage of UPSC. If you clear prelims and mains you will be called for an interview round. Basically the interview is your personality test. The interview can be the life changing moment for you. An average Interview is about a 30 minute interview. You can score good marks. Interview marks can increase your rank in results. So, you have to be prepared for the interview without wasting your time. Interview is not about testing your knowledge but the panel wants to know your attitude and personality.
Most important thing is to answer confidently and genuinely. They can ask questions related to any field. The objective of the interview is to test the candidate whether he is suitable for civil services or not. Decision making is an important factor of a civil servant. They have to tackle many situations where the decision is very important. The panel wants to see the quality which a civil servant must have in their personality.
Here, in the article we will present some tips for preparing for an IAS/IPS or UPSC interview.
- Start preparation early after Mains
Start your preparation early after the Mains exam. Don’t wait for the results otherwise the rhythm of your preparation will break. Keep your schedule of preparation according to the time table. This is the time when you have to work on your personality. So. it’s better to start your preparation as soon as possible without wasting your time.
- Detailed knowledge of DAF
The panel wants to know every aspect of your personality. You should have detailed knowledge of your application form(DAF). Read your form multiple times and make sure not to write any information which you don’t know about. Don’t get nervous if they ask you any personal question. Answer every question confidently.
- Work on your personality
The UPSC Interview Guidance is not only a knowledge test but the interviewer wants to test your personality too. They were seeking a personality that can deal with public issues. Your attitude is the mirror of your personality. Be confident before answering. They can ask any questions that are not mentioned in your DAF. you have to understand and give the answer in a positive manner.
- Positive attitude
Attitude is the mirror of your personality. Your attitude shows how you are going to deal with the real situations. Interviewer can ask you a personal question just to see how you react. You don’t need to panic in such a situation. Answer calmly by understanding properly.
- Self-confidence
Be confident about your answers. If you believe in yourself, answer confidently. At the same time, know the difference of confidence and over confidence. The members of the interview panel are experienced. They can find out your real personality. So, be confident and don’t act to be over smart.
- Be original
The UPSC interview is all about to show your real personality. Don’t add fake facts to impress the interview board. They will catch you any time.
- Work on your communication skills
Work on your communication skills. You have to express yourself before the interview board in a short time. If you have good communication skills, you can express yourself in an impressive manner. Attend mock interviews to make the communication skills better. Listen to news and debates on television to understand the communication skills.
- Reading newspaper for current affairs
Current affairs are important in all the three levels of UPSC. After clearing mains, you should not leave current affairs preparation. Current affairs topics can be asked in interviews too. Read news daily and keep an eye on current situations nationally and internationally. By reading the newspaper daily you can cover all the important topics. If you are preparing for civil services, it’s important to have knowledge about current affairs.
- Revise optional subjects
Keep revising the optional papers after mains also. Many candidates neglect their optional papers after the mains examination. Preparation of optional papers are important for interviews too. The panel can ask anything related to optional papers. So, revise important topics of the optional papers before the interview.
- Command over language
Command over language is important when you are facing the UPSC interview. It’s not important that you choose English for communication. The interview board is comfortable in Hindi language too. So, whatever language you choose, you should have command over it.
- Be a good listener
Many people are good speakers but bad listeners. If you are preparing for civil services, you need to listen also. Interview board can ask you some questions which you don’t like. Here they want to see your real personality. In this kind of situation, listen to them properly before answering. If you lose your temper it can be harmful for your success.
Interviews of IAS/IPS or the UPSC, it’s all about testing your personality. Be real and face the interview confidently. Try to show your real side. Fake personality can put you at risk and it will affect your rank. So be original and keep calm.
All the best.
