[INTERVIEW 2016] UPSC Civil Services IAS Pe...

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Personality
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RECENT POSTS

Insights MINDMAPS: NGO Sector in

India and Indias Diaspora Policy.

September 20, 2016

BY INSIGHTS
PUBLISHED JANUARY 11,

AIR spotlight summary on Prime

2016 UPDATED JANUARY

Ministers visit to Laos

21, 2016

September 20, 2016

NOTE: Following

article explore

India lacks courage to deal with

in-depth intricacies of
UPSC civil services

Insights Daily Debates Day 272:

Pakistans terrorism
September 20, 2016

interview

preparation. It is a

Quiz 20 September, 2016

well-researched,

September 20, 2016

QUIZ 2016: Insights Current Aairs

practical guide to

prepare very well for

Quiz 18 & 19 September, 2016

the personality test

September 20, 2016

and improve your

chances of scoring
good marks in

QUIZ 2016: Insights Current Aairs

Insights Daily Current Aairs, 20

September 2016
September 20, 2016

interview. It is
written by Pravin
Sakaria for the
followers of Insights
and for all other

2 of 120

Insights into Editorial: Sun without

subsidy
September 20, 2016

The Big Picture- SC Collegium:

Tuesday 20 September 2016 10:23 PM

[INTERVIEW 2016] UPSC Civil Services IAS Pe...

[Link]

interview hopefuls. It

Demand for Transparency

is also an

September 20, 2016

enlightening read for

all the aspirants. This

Questions on Current Aairs: 20

is the Part 1 of the

September 2016

two series article.

September 20, 2016

Part 2 is HERE.
ALL ABOUT UPSC
CIVIL SERVICES
INTERVIEW

[Insights Secure 2016] UPSC Mains

8) Do you think Gandhian principle of

non-violent approach to dispute

resolution is applicable in the case of
India Pakistan relations? Justify
September 20, 2016

(PERSONALITY
TEST)
INSIGHTS ONLINE PRELIMS TEST

By: Pravin Sakaria

SERIES 2017

The
SecretsUnfoldedwitha
Detailed
PreparationGuide
INSIGHTS RECOMMENDS EPW

In the journey of Civil

SUBSCRIPTION

Services
Examination, The
Interview (Personality
Test) is like a climax
of an interesting
Suspense Thriller
movie. The whole
process is the Most
Important,
Interesting and
Memorable part.

3 of 120

To search type and hit enter

Tuesday 20 September 2016 10:23 PM

[INTERVIEW 2016] UPSC Civil Services IAS Pe...

[Link]

Also, it is the most

misunderstood, least
prepared for, least

Insights

guided/misguided

38,848 likes

and often the most

mishandled and

Like Page

mismanaged process.
But when rightly

Contact Us

Be the first of your friends to like this

handled, it is surely
the easiest and the
most rewarding
experience.

CATEGORIES
Categories

1. IMPORTANT :

Select Category

* It has a great
scoring potential.

ARCHIVES

Process of just 25 to

Archives

35 minutes and

Select Month

marks scored has a

wide range: 140 to
January 2016

220. It is the last

chance to maximize

total score. Even if

score in the Written

10

Examination is near

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

the cut-o, you can

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

score very high and

be in the selection
list.
CSE, 2014 Cut-o
marks (General
Category):
4 of 120

Dec

Feb

UPDATES

UPDATE: Regarding Website

Tuesday 20 September 2016 10:23 PM

[INTERVIEW 2016] UPSC Civil Services IAS Pe...

[Link]

Written : 678 (for

Issues

getting interview

11 SEP, 2016

call)
Final : 889. (for
getting selected after
interview)
So in CSE, 2014 a

UPDATE: Secure Synopsis

26 AUG, 2016

Insights Mains Test Series

2016: Registration and Other
Details
17 AUG, 2016

Candidate on cut o
should have scored
211 marks in
Interview
(889-678=211) just to

UPDATE: Mains Test Series

2016 Registration
17 AUG, 2016

(Similarly, in CSE,

PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION:
Timetable for Public
Administration Answer writing
challenge for UPSC MAINS
2016

2013 a Candidate on

12 AUG, 2016

be in the selection
list.

cut o should have

scored 210 marks in
Interview just to be in
the selection list).
* There were 90

MOTIVATIONAL POSTS

MOTIVATION: Prelims is Over.

What next?
26 AUG, 2016

Vacancies for IAS in

2014. Total score of
Rank 90 is [Link]
approx. cut-o for
IAS=951 marks if we
assume that all have
given 1st preference
to IAS. Dierence of
marks between IAS

5 of 120

MOTIVATION: In this Life Full

of Struggles, Tomorrow is Just
another Day
6 AUG, 2016

Motivation and Practical Tips

for Prelims by Topper
Abhishek Gupta IPS
6 AUG, 2016

Tuesday 20 September 2016 10:23 PM

[INTERVIEW 2016] UPSC Civil Services IAS Pe...

and last candidate in

[Link]

marks. (951-889=62).

MOTIVATION: Too much to

Study and Too less Time
What Should I Do Now?

Range of Marks in

1 AUG, 2016

the List is of 62

Interview is 140 to
220 i.e. of 80 marks.
* Dierence in marks

RECENT CURRENT EVENTS POSTS

between those

Insights Daily Current Aairs,

20 September 2016

getting 1st preferred

20 SEP, 2016

service and 2 nd or 3rd

preferred service is
so narrow, Sometimes

Insights Daily Current Aairs,

19 September 2016
19 SEP, 2016

5 marks or less. So
even a small
dierence in
interview marks
changes the Service

Insights Daily Current Aairs,

17 September 2016
17 SEP, 2016

Allocation, leading

Insights Daily Current Aairs,

16 September 2016

you to appear again

16 SEP, 2016

for Prelims.
* Of course, there
was wide Range of

Insights Daily Current Aairs,

15 September 2016
15 SEP, 2016

marks in the written

Examination, 2014

RECENT SECURE 2016 POSTS

compared to 2013. So
Interview marks had
a comparatively less
bearing on nal
rankings in 2014 as
compared to 2013. So
2014 topper Ms. Ira

6 of 120

[Insights Secure 2016] UPSC

Mains Questions on Current
Aairs: 20 September 2016
20 SEP, 2016

[Insights Secure 2016] UPSC

Mains Questions on Current

Tuesday 20 September 2016 10:23 PM

[INTERVIEW 2016] UPSC Civil Services IAS Pe...

[Link]

Singhal who had

Aairs: 19 September 2016

scored exceptionally

19 SEP, 2016

higher marks in the

could be topper with

[Insights Secure 2016] UPSC

Mains Questions on Current
Aairs: 17 September 2016

only 162 marks in

17 SEP, 2016

Written Examination,

Interview. But she is

an exception.
* Let us take two
examples of interview

[Insights Secure 2016] UPSC

Mains Questions on Current
Aairs: 16 September 2016
16 SEP, 2016

marks being a
deciding factor:
1. following two
candidates have
last ranks in the
list :

CURRENT EVENTS QUIZ

QUIZ 2016: Insights Current

Aairs Quiz 20 September,
2016
QUIZ 2016: Insights Current
Aairs Quiz 18 & 19
September, 2016

Name
Marks Written
Marks Interview
Total
Nityesh Sharma
724
165

QUIZ 2016: Insights Current

Aairs Quiz 17 September,
2016
QUIZ 2016: Insights Current
Aairs Quiz 06 September,
2016

889
Sucharita das,

MINDMAPS

685
204
889
7 of 120

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2. Case of Zainab:
She scored only
731 marks in the
Written Exam. But
she scored

[Link]

Insights MINDMAPS: NGO

Sector in India and Indias
Diaspora Policy.
Insight MINDMAPS: Temple
entry for women and Role of
RBI in Indian Economy

All-India highest
220 marks in the
interview. Her
total marks:
731+220=951, All
India Rank: 107.
The UPSC

Insights MINDMAPS: Rights

based approach (RBA) to
development and Indias quest
for Olympic medals
Insights MINDMAPS: Farmer
Distress and LEMOA

Personality Test is:

INTERESTING :
* Preparation can be
made the most

INSIGHTS DAILY DEBATES

Insights Daily Debates Day

272: India lacks courage to
deal with Pakistans terrorism

interesting game.
Will see how.
* Suspense about

Insights Daily Debates Day

271: Tribunals have become
barriers to delivering justice

your marks in the

Written Part also
makes it interesting.

RAJYASABHA TV NEWS DEBATES

So no option but to

The Big Picture- SC Collegium:

Demand for Transparency

maximize your marks.

20 SEP, 2016

* Often, results
surprise you with
marks much
above/below
8 of 120

The Big Picture- Indias

Concerns on PoK Corridor and
China-Pak Defence Pact

Tuesday 20 September 2016 10:23 PM

[INTERVIEW 2016] UPSC Civil Services IAS Pe...

expected.

[Link]

19 SEP, 2016

MEMORABLE:
marks in the
interview has a great
bearing on your
selection/elimination

TOPPERS STRATEGIES

PHILOSOPHY OPTIONAL
NOTES: Ambarish Vemuri,
Rank 150, CSE 2015

or at least on your
service allocation.
The score can push
you up to get 1 st
preferred service, or
pull you down at the
bottom or out of the
selection list. The
experience will leave
a lingering memory
for the whole life and
during the next
attempt starting with

SOCIOLOGY STRATEGY:
Chandra Mohan Garg, Rank 25
CSE 2015
UPSC IAS Prelims Strategy &
Motivation : Gazal Bharadwaj,
Rank 40 CSE 2015
MOTIVATION: Bandana
Pokhriyal, Rank 83, Cleared
UPSC Civil Services Without
Quitting Job While Working as
Excise Inspector for Past 4.5
Years

the Preliminary
Examination.
MOST
MISUNDERSTOOD:
Will see later.
UNDERPREPARED
OR LEAST
PREPARED FOR:
* Preparation starts
late. Often neglected.

9 of 120

Toppers Notes: Nitin

Sangwan, Rank 28, UPSC
Civil Services Exam 2015
Strategy for PHILOSOPHY
Optional: Ambarish V L
Vemuri, Rank 150 CSE
2015
MOTIVATION: Strategy for
UPSC Mains and Tips for
Answer Writing Kumar
Ashirwad, Rank 35 CSE 2015

Tuesday 20 September 2016 10:23 PM

[INTERVIEW 2016] UPSC Civil Services IAS Pe...

* Less time invested

compared to Written
Examination.
* Preparation is often
random and
haphazard.

LEAST GUIDED:
less than 3500
candidates scattered
all over India. No

[Link]

UPSC IAS CIvil Services

PRELIMS STRATEGY: Kumar
Ashirwad, Rank 35, Prelims
GS-1 Marks 140 (2015)
MOTIVATION: Myths and
Mistakes to Avoid, by Kumar
Ashirwad, Rank 35, Insights
Oine Student
ESSAY STRATEGY BY ESSAY
TOPPER: Chandra Mohan
Garg, Rank 25, Essay Marks
149, CSE 2015

favourable economies
Of Scale for
professionally
coaching them. So
providing them
Detailed Guidance is
not Commercially
viable.

RECENT ESSAY CHALLENGES

Insights Weekly Essay

Challenges 2016 Week 38:
Science is organized
knowledge. Wisdom is
organized life

Insights Weekly Essay

Challenges 2016 Week 37:
Not what we have But what we
MISHANDLED/MISMANAGED:
enjoy, constitutes our
abundance
* Logical corollary of
the above.
* Candidates often
misguided by Myths
and rumors.

Insights Weekly Essay

Challenges 2016 Week 36: It
is the mark of an educated
mind to be able to entertain a
thought without accepting it
Insights Weekly Essay

10 of 120

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MOST REWARDING
EXPERIENCE: If
rightly prepared for
and handled,
immediate reward of
above 75% marks.
Morever, it rewards
you with crops of a
polished personality,

[Link]

Challenges 2016 Week 35: If

one can Address Moral Crisis,
many of Worlds Problems can
be Solved
Insights Weekly Essay
Challenges 2016 Week 34:
Overdependence on
Technology will Advance
Human Development

to be harvested
through the rest of
your life.

MUST READ BOOKS

1) Introduction to the Constitution of
India 20 Edition

LET US
UNDERSTAND THE

2) India Since Independence - Bipan

Chandra

PROCESS FROM

3) India's Struggle For Independence

PREPARATION TO

Bipan Chandra

PERFORMANCE :

4) Indian Economy : For Civil Services

Examinations 6th Edition (2014) Ramesh Singh

* A Statistical

5) Indian Polity for Civil Services

Analysis : Following

Examinations 4th Edition - Laxmikanth

Table shows

6)Geography of India- Majid Hussain -

Interview marks of

5th Edition

590 selected

7) Ethics In Governance

candidates of
General Category
in CSE, 2014:

8)India After Gandhi: The History Of

The World's Largest Democracy
9) Mastering Modern World History
-5th Edition, Norman Lowe

Marks Scored No.

11 of 120

10) Select Constitutions: 16th Edition -

Tuesday 20 September 2016 10:23 PM

[INTERVIEW 2016] UPSC Civil Services IAS Pe...

[Link]

of candidates falling

S Chand

in this Range Of

11) Challenge And Strategy :

Marks

Rethinking India's Foreign Policy - Rajiv

Sikri
12) India's Foreign Policy - Muchkund

Upto

Dubey

100 001

13) History of the World from the Late

101 to
120 001

Nineteenth to the Early Twenty First

Century - Arjun Dev
14) Social Problems in India 2 Edition -

121 to

Ram Ahuja

140 018

15) Politics and Ethics of the Indian

141 to

Constitution

160 108

16) Public Institutions in India:

161 to

BHANU MEHTA

180 197

17) Certicate Physical and Human

Performance and Design - PRATAP

Geography - Goh Cheng Leong

181 to
200 194
201 to

18) Indias National Security A

Reader
19) Indian Social System - Ram Ahuja

220 071

Total 590

Let us simplify :

Scores no. of
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candidates
Percentage
cumulative %
Upto 140
020 03.39

141 to 160
108 18.31
21.70
161 to 180
197 33.39
50.09
181 to 200
194 32.88
87.97
201 to 220
071 12.03
100

Conclusions:
1. Eective range of
marks is 141 to
220 (96.61% of
candidates fall in
this range)
2. Bottom 50% of
candidates score

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upto 180 marks.

3. Top 50% of
candidates score
between 181 and
220 marks.
4. Top 12% of
candidates score
between 201 and
220 marks.
(should be your
targeted marks)

What UPSC says:

The Civil Services
(main) Examination
shall consist of:
1. Written
Examination and
2. Personality Test
(Interview)
Above words have
two cryptic clues:
1. Interview i.e. the
last part of the
Main Examination
yet not over.
Continuity of
preparation till
the interview date

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is expected.
Cannot aord to
stop preparing till
the results of
Written
Examination.
2. Next part of the
Examination is
Personality Test. It
is dierent and
needs dierent
and unique type of
preparation.
To give a full and
clear insight of the
Personality Test
(Interview), UPSC
explains and claries
in detail:
1. The candidate
will be
interviewed by a
Board who will
have before them
a record of his/her
career. He/she will
be asked
questions on
matters of general
interest. The
object of the

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interview is to
assess the
personal
suitability of the
candidate for a
career in public
service by a Board
of competent and
unbiased
observers. The
test is intended to
judge the mental
caliber of a
candidate. In
broad terms this is
really an
assessment of not
only his/her
intellectual
qualities but also
social traits and
his/her interest in
current aairs.
Some of the
qualities to be
judged are mental
alertness, critical
powers of
assimilation, clear
and logical
exposition,
balance of

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judgment, variety
and depth of
interest, ability for
social cohesion
and leadership,
intellectual and
moral integrity.
2. The technique of
the interview is
not that of a strict
cross-examination
but of a natural,
though directed
and purposive
conversation
which is intended
to reveal the
mental qualities of
the candidate.
3. The interview
test is not
intended to be a
test either of the
specialised or
general
knowledge of the
candidates which
has been already
tested through
their written
papers.

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Candidates are
expected to have
taken an
intelligent interest
not only in their
special subjects of
academic study
but also in the
events which are
happening around
them both within
and outside their
own state or
country as well as
in modern
currents of
thought and in
new discoveries
which should
rouse the curiosity
of well educated
youth.
The above words of
UPSC:
* Clarify the
objective, technique
and the syllabus of
the test.
* Explain its
objective: assess
Personal suitability
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and mental caliber.

To remove any
possible ambiguity or
misconception of a
candidate about its
objective, it even lists
out some mental
qualities to be
assessed.
* Clearly rules out
one more assessment
of General or
Specialised
Knowledge after
Written Examination.
But re-emphasizes on
the intellectual and
mental traits.
Besides, it expects
you to take
Intelligent Interest in
Current Events,
modern currents of
thought and new
discoveries.
* Technique: friendly
elders having natural
yet directed and
purposive
conversation. BUT
NOT a Cross

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examination like a
lawyer questioning
an accused.
* Clarify further
about its objective:
assess Personal
suitability and
mental caliber. To
rule out any possible
ambiguity or
misconception about
its objective, it even
lists out following
mental qualities to be
assessed to nally
judge your suitability
as a person :
1. Mental alertness :
Means presence of
mind, condence and
mental composer.
2. Critical powers of
assimilation: To
assimilate means
to understand or
take in fully. Grasp
many dimensions
of an issue.
3. Clear and logical
exposition: clarity

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of thoughts and
expression.
4. Balance of
judgment:
objectivity and
optimism. No
cynics needed.
5. Variety and depth
of interest:
hobbies and
passions.
6. Intellectual and
moral integrity: A
synthesis of
morality and
intellect.
7. Ability for social
cohesion and
leadership :
Empathy to social
problems and
weaker sections.
Key words here are
personal suitability,
mental caliber and
qualities as a
person.
It also tests
intelligent interest in:
1. special subjects of
academic study.
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2. the Current
events: National,
International and
within own
state.
3. modern currents
of thought.
4. new discoveries.
Key words here are
intelligent interest
and curiosity of
well educated
youth.
Now, simply re-read
the above seven
qualities. You will
realize that almost all
the candidates who
qualify for the
interview already
have most of the
above qualities.
Expecting E-summon
for interview is itself
an evidence thereof.
All are supremely
talented. Still, there
is a wide dierence in
their marks. Why?
Explode The Myths
:
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In the Written
Examination you have
a Syllabus, study
material, Previous
years Papers,
Professional guidance
and so on. But a
candidates access to
the real UPSC
Interview Process is
almost nil. A
candidates Post
Interview Feedback
or Interview
Transcript, even if
honestly given, is
often misunderstood.
It is, at the most, a
script but not the
movie. A candidate
groans under the
burden of a plethora
tips. As a result, clear
understanding of this
important and
interesting process is
contaminated with
Myths. It needs a
Distilled
Understanding.
Myths are dangerous
viruses. So vaccinate

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yourself against
them. Let us burst all
such myths one by
one :
Myth of Subjectivity:
In a Written
Examination, there is
only one evaluator. In
Interview, there are
ve unbiased
evaluators. If any
subjectivity is still
there, accept it
because you cannot
change it.
Personality can not
change in months:
Out of those
candidates who have
appeared in 2013 and
2014, many have
improved their scores
by 60 to 80 marks in
2014.
Result largely
depends on luck:
Luck is the most
random element in
any human eort.
Planned systematic
Preparation is the
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most reliable way

out.
Strict Interview
Panels: It is a
widespread myth that
some interviewers
are strict and Dream
Killers. Truth is that
all panels are
unbiased and friendly
and award all range
of marks.

PREPARATIONS
EXPECTED FOR
BEST
PERFORMANCE
ARE OF TWO
TYPES :
1. Usual
preparation. It is
about knowledge.
This part is not
completely
neglected but
often candidates
prepare randomly
and haphazardly
but not
systematically.

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Assimilative
Learning, and not
just studying is
the key to prepare
for the interview.
2. Mental
Preparation
called
Preparedness. It
is not about
Preparing but
Getting Mentally
Prepared For
The Interview. It
is Behavioral and
Subtle part. It is
the very base on
which the marks
in the interview
are awarded. Yet,
surprisingly, it is
the most
neglected part.
PPP model of The
wholesome
Preparation:
* Performance =
Preparation +
Preparedness
* Public Private

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[Link]

Partnership : adopt a
mix of best methods
of group preparation
and Individual
preparedness.
* Purposive and
regular Practice in
both i.e. Preparation
and Preparedness
optimizes your
Performance:
Regular Practice (
preparation +
preparedness ) =
Optimum
Performance.
Purpose of this
Write Up is to
guide you for
Optimum
preparation +
preparedness.
Get Set and Go now
only :
Gone are the days of
prolonged studies
with tight schedules.
Yet it is extremely
important to mentally

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[Link]

get set and start

preparing for the
interview from now
only. Resume daily
News Paper Reading,
if you have stopped.
Stop thinking: lets
wait for the results.
Best Strategy is to
mentally switch to
Interview Mode and
start preparing now
only even if you think
you have only some
chances of getting
E-summon for the
Interview. Because
the Techniques of
Preparation and
Preparedness
discussed hereunder,
will demand Daily
Practice for at least
two months for
scoring decent
marks. Like eating or
bathing.
1. PREPARATION :
The usual
knowledge part.
Each Of the seven

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Letters of the key

PREPARE
stands for:
1. Personal
Information:
Your Detailed
Application Form (
DAF ) includes the
following Bio-Data
:
-Home State, District
and Place of birth :
Special features,
peculiarities, typical
problems, famous
persons and places
etc.
Schools, Colleges,
Places of Schooling.
Mothers and
Fathers profession.
Your own previous
professions/jobs and
organisation, if any.
Date of Birth,
Meaning of Name,
any special occasion
that coincides with
the Date and Year.

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Hobbies : Be
honest. No
manufactured or
cooked up hobby.
Awards and any
extra-curricular
activities : Be honest.
Do not cook up.
-Reasons for a long
time gap after
graduation without
employment, if any.
Optional Subjects,
Subject of graduation
: general questions of
applied nature like
how the subject or a
concept helps in
administration or in
real life etc.
Order of
preferences for
services : justication
for the same,
especially when it is
unusual. E.g. why IPS
and not IAS or IFS?
Revised Order of
preferences for

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services : justication
for the same.
1. R. Referring and
revising: above
areas or topics
with specic
reference to
interview.
2. E. Expected
questions/areas
/topics: Frame
maximum possible
questions.
on above areas or
topics. Distribute
copies of your DAF to
selected friends to
prepare questions for
you. Think and
prepare your own
answers.
1. Practice
regularly:
listening, thinking,
summarizing and
speaking.
2. [Link]
Analyse: After
reading/listening,
systematically
think, question,
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connect with other

topics, internalize,
summarize and
form your own
opinions.
3. R. Revisiting: the
areas or topics
connected with
the important
Current Events
with specic
reference to
interview.
4. E. Events:
5. Current events :
Read, discuss,
listen to Audio
Visuals. Peacefully
think, summarize,
Personalize,
connect and form
your opinions.
6. Observe small
events around
you. Make them
your Personal
experiences.
Connect them
with relevant
topics. Think,
internalize and
form your

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opinions.
Key to prepare
Current Events is
Intelligent Interest
and curiosity. T.V.
discussions and
Audio Visuals are
very helpful and
interesting. Following
are some useful
sources :
-RSTV, LSTV.
-Al jazeera English
-BigThink
-BBC NEWS
-CNN
-IDSA
2. PREPAREDNESS
:
It is not about
Preparing but
GETTING PREPARED
FOR THE
INTERVIEW. It is
Behavioral and
Subtle part. Very
base on which the

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marks in the
interview are
awarded. Yet,
surprisingly, it is the
most neglected part.
A combination of
small and subtle
behavioral traits
decides your
performance in the
interview.
Plethora of Tips or
Dos and Dont.s to
act in a particular
way during the
Interview tell you
what without
explaining why and
how. Tips are
meaningless unless a
candidate passes
through a process of :
having a clear
understanding and
conviction of
required Positive
Personality traits.
Like a Doctors
Prescription.
regular practice
for nourishing and

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nurturing them.
Like Right and
regular dozes of
medicine.
positive external
feedback and
inner satisfaction
about
improvement.
Personality traits
are behavioral
tendencies, qualities
or habits. They are
not Inborn but
Learnt and
Practiced. They
guide and make you
think, act, react,
respond and behave.
Not your
knowledge but
these subtle and
invisible qualities
in you are assessed
during the
Interview.
Thankfully, each of
these positive
Personality Traits in
any individual are
accompanied by

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certain habits. A
Charm in a person
has an accompanying
habit of Smiling. You
can feel the perfume
through smell. You
can feel the charm of
a person through a
smile.
Let us discuss seven
such tendencies or
qualities, shortly
named as 5C+2H.
Our purpose is to use
some joyful,
practically helpful
and interesting
methods of regular
practice to nourish
and strengthen these
qualities and reap an
optimum harvest
during the interview.
1. CONFIDENCE :
Nobody is born
condent. Everybody
is born crying.
A Reasonable
condence level
needs to be

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maintained. Like an
ECG of a living
Person, Condence
level during an
interview should
uctuate within a
permissible range.
-Condence is a
result of competence
and motivated and
sustained
unidirectional eorts.
You have already
proven your
competence so far.
-Consistent practice
makes it very easy to
maintain, strengthen
and nourish
Condence.
Consistent Practice,
improved
performance and
positive feed back by
others enhances your
self-esteem, self
satisfaction or self
conviction.
Self Satisfaction or
Self Esteem is the

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most important part.

Value and respect
yourself constantly
and regularly. Your
Weaknesses only
glorify and
compliment your
strengths. Like Roti
main Namak. A little
salt in Roti makes it
tastier.
Just set the Divine
cycle in motion:
Consistent Practice
improved
performance
positive feed back by
others self
satisfaction self
Esteem.
Erect posture, eye
contact, nodding and
Smile boosts
condence.
2. COOLNESS :
It means rened
condence. Being
Calm And Composed.
Not being casual or
passive or dull. A

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balanced and alert

mind without inner
stress or
over-excitement.
wearing a Smile
instantly relaxes all
facial muscles. Make
a curve that makes
many things straight.
Second best use of
lips.
Set a two-way
Divine cycle into
motion :
1. Condence,
coolness, charm
and cheer boosts a
smile.
2. A Smile boosts
condence,
coolness, charm
and cheer.
best display of
Coolness is
LISTENING with
patience and interest.
Listening with a view
to learning and
understanding. Do
not listen just to

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speak. Gently
nodding airmatively
while listening
displays coolness,
interest and
positivity.
Listen and think
well before speaking.
Be open to
correction and
thereby rene your
performance.
Trust yourself in the
discomfortable
moments.
Accept discomfort
in the moment even if
you do not like it.
Let go: When
stressed, do not ght
or react to temporary
stress but just be
aware. See the
occasional feelings of
anxiety or stress as a
momentary part till it
passes. Realize it as
momentary reality
but not as an

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absolute truth or an
incurable personal
defect.
miraculous
improvement possible
with a little regular
practice.
3. COMMON
SENSE :
Everyone has
Ability to walk. One
who uses it by a daily
morning walk gets
tness. Common
sense is common to
all. But it is a highly
under-utilised asset.
Need to use this
ability regularly.
For a Candidate
qualied for
interview, big words
like mental alertness,
rationality,
assimilative skills,
clear and logical
disposition simply
mean pure common
sense.

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An Example. There
are three monkeys on
a tree branch. One
decides to jump. How
many monkeys are
left on that tree
branch?
Answer is not two but
three. A monkey has
decided to jump but
has not actually
jumped.
Components of
common sense
answers :
answer lies in the
question itself.
sense of humour.
positive response to
negative question.
creative thinking
unusual answer
supported by logic.
Regular Practices
improve habit of
using common sense
optimally.

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A simple but
impressive common
sense answer is
possible to most of
the apparently
confusing questions.
4. COMMUNICATION
PRACTICE :
Interview involves a
balance between four
processes : Presence,
Listening, Thinking
and Speaking.
1. Listening with
Patience, interest,
smile and gentle
airmative noddings
displays calmness,
condence, positivity
and humility
instantly. Mere
proper listening
practice = 70% of
communication.
2. Presence:
Nonverbal
Communication or
Body Language.
There is direct
Cyclical connection

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between Body
Language and
5C+2H.
3. Thinking: A little
thinking before
verbally responding
is calmness.
Interview Panel likes
it. It also improves
Verbal
Communication.
4. Speaking well
has following
components :
Listening with
interest. Ask/clarify
/conrm if not clear
about question. Think
and then
communicate.
Maintain eye contact
when speaking and
listening.
Value yourself and
your opinions. They
are as important as
anyone elses.
Quality: Do not
worry. Thankfully,

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more than
ornamental Language
or oratory, it is clarity
that impresses the
Board.
Choice of Language
: Two Dierent
Languages called
formal and informal.
Everybody knows the
dierence. We have a
practice of speaking
an Informal Spoken
Language containing
casual words, slangs
and short forms and
so on in daily life. So
it has become a
Practiced habit. So
you often speak
informal or colloquial
language during the
interview. You need
Conscious and
consistent practice of
speaking Formal and
Polite Language to
avoid such mistakes.
Medium for
Interview. Out of
Hindi and English,

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choose one which you

feel more
comfortable speaking
and listening. English
has no extra
weightage as a
medium. If you are
not comfortable with
both, then only go for
your Regional
Language. In that
case, an interpreter
sits in the Panel.
Need polite
language. E.g.
Please let me clarify.
Is better than you
did not get me. Or I
will tell you.
Smile adds to
Condence,
politeness, charm and
spoken language.
5. CHARM &
CHEER :
Smile more often.
Happiness and
optimism are matters
of choice. Choose to

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be happy and
optimistic.
Cherish
habits/qualities like
enthusiasm, interest
in listening, child like
curiosity and sense of
humour within you.
Appreciate and
complement people
with those qualities.
Charm is infectious.
Be full of interest
and curiosity to
understand and
learn.
Express gratitude
when corrected or
advised or even when
criticised.
-Respond with
optimism and
positivity even to
pessimistic or cynical
remarks/question
/stimulus.
6. HONESTY :
Besides a mental

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trait, use Honesty as

The Best Policy to
your benet.
Remember childhood
storey of an honest
wood cutter who gets
back his axe along
with rewards of
golden and silver
axes? Moral of the
storey is more
relevant for the
UPSC Interview.
Be yourself. Do not
ape anyone. Present
the best but actual
version of yourself.
Do not lie/blu.
Nobody is expected
to be a know-all.
Frankly Say I do not
know or I cannot
recall now with a
smile any time during
the interview. It is
honesty and it helps.
It protects your
condence and self
value. Surprisingly,
you get marks for
condently and

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honestly saying it. On

the other hand,
giving some vague,
wrong or irrelevant
reply is fatal. You lose
condence and self
value and get
negative marks.
Use Honesty along
with common sense
and condence.
Reply following
question right now :
What is the sex ratio
of your Home state?
Reply assumingthat
you do not know the
exact sex ratio.
Did you say I do not
Know as an honest
answer? Now think
using your common
sense about a more
honest answer. E.g. I
do not Know the
exact gure but the
ratio is adverse to
Female in my state.
However, it is less
adverse than All India

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Figure and not as

alarming as x and y
states.
Integrity means the
quality of being
honest and having
strong moral
principles.
intellectual and
moral integrity
means no
compromise on moral
integrity. But help of
intellect needed.
Means moral
integrity coupled
with Common Sense
so that Integrity
helps you but does
not harm you.
7. HUMILITY :
Smile instantly
reects humility.
Self Correction :
admitting any
mistakes/errors
/omissions at the
earliest moment with
a Smile relieves your
uneasiness and

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maintains your
calmness and
condence.
smile with openness
and gratitude when
corrected or advised
or even when
criticized.
It is curiosity to
learn what I should
have learnt but I
could not.
Humility is egoless
condence. Its
equation:
Humility =
(Condence +
Calmness) (Ego &
Over-excitement)
-1st Law of humility:
criticism = helpful
suggestion.
-2nd Law: Respect a
person having a
contradictory view
while rmly
expressing your own
view.

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Show faith in
yourself and respect
to others.
Let us shortly call
above seven traits
5C+2H and
understand and
appreciate, through
two Analogies, how
these seven traits i.e.
5C+2H help you
immensely :
1. A lovely helpful
family : Mr.
Condence and
Mrs. Calmness are
happily married.
Excellence is born
out of the above
wedlock, having
two elder brothers
named Mr.
Charm-cheer and
Mr. Common
Sense and three
elder sisters
named Ms.
Honesty, Humility
and Language.
This is a lovely
cohesive family of

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7. They help each

other a lot,
individually and
collectively and in
multiple ways.
2. Agriculture and
Law of Harvest :
An Agriculturist
struggles through
a series of timely
and regular
laborious acts like
getting quality
seeds, planting
and watering,
protecting them
from pests and
insects and so on.
Thankfully, you
have already done
it and have done it
exceptionally well.
Qualifying for the
interview means
the Plants are well
grown and well
nourished. No
more toil now.
Harvest Time
(interview) is
nearing.

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A proverb says: what

you sow so shall you
reap. But The Law of
Harvest: you reap
much more than
what you sowed
and nourished till
now. So celebrate the
Harvesting climax
after years of toil.
Just a little more
nourishment and
protection of plants
and you will reap a
harvest much richer
than imagined.
SMILE is a common
component of all
the 5 C.s and 2 H.s
: Smile is a habit, a
positive body
language, a quality.
All-in-one. Instantly
nourishes and renes
5C+2H. Smile alone
can boost your
interview marks
beyond imagination.
BEST : Best,
Enjoyable,
Simulative

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Techniques :
Thankfully, each of
these positive traits
i.e. 5C+2H are
accompanied by
certain habits. So you
can nourish and
strengthen 5C+2H
and accompanying
Habits. Let us do it
on daily basis
through some Joyful
useful, productive,
interesting and easy
games. Let us call
them BEST i.e. Best,
Enjoyable, Simulative
Techniques.
Get Set and Go now
only :
Gone are the days of
prolonged studies
with tight schedules.
Yet extremely
important to mentally
get set and start
preparing for the
interview from now
only. Resume daily
News Paper Reading,
if you have stopped.
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Do not think: let me

wait for the results.
Best Strategy is to
mentally switch to
Interview Mode and
start preparing now
only even if you think
you have only some
chances of getting
E-summon for the
Interview. Because
the BEST Techniques
of Preparation and
Preparedness
discussed hereunder,
will demand Daily
Practice for about
two months for
scoring decent
marks. The games
are as easy as eating
or bathing but you
have to practice
Playing them daily.
BEST DAILY
GROUP GAMES

THE MAIN GAME :

CASPER :
* CASPER stands for

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Complete And
Simulative Practice of
Evaluation &Re-view.
* How to play: Form a
Group of at least six
members. Preferably,
actual interview
candidates, Seniors
or aspirants for Civil
services. If any
shortfall, enroll any
educated elder who is
available daily.
Make a
distraction-free room
available with a table
and six chairs. Place
copies of each Group
Members Detailed
Application Form
(DAF) on the table.

Daily Play the game

of UPSC Interview.
Simulate every
detail. Each member
shall play a Role of
Chair Person,
Member M1 to M4
and Interviewee. Role

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changes by rotation
on next day. Thus
each member shall be
an interviewee every
6th day. If someone is
absent, reshue the
roles. The Show must
go on daily with the
present quorum. If
seventh person joins
on any day, assign
him/her the role of an
Observer.
Strictly Simulate the
Actual UPSC
Interview. Like
children playing
Doctor-doctor game,
enjoy it as an
Interview-interview
game. Keep
Candidates DAF on
the table. Everything
should be simulated
from interviewees
entry in the room till
his/her exit from the
room. Make it a
realistic and formal
interview. Play your
role faithfully. Do not
presume anything.
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Part 1 of this
Interview Game is
over after about half
an hour with
interviewees exit
from the room.

PART 2 OF CASPER
GAME. CRITICAL
SELF-REVIEW AND
POSITIVE
FEED-BACKS :

Part 2 of the Game

starts with
interviewees re-entry
in the room.
Critical Self-Review:
The Interviewee,
based on that days
performance, shall
briey and critically
self-evaluate and
speak about his
performance. HE/she
shall rst speak
about mistakes
committed by him i.e.
commissions and

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then about what

he/she Omitted. E.g.
omission to smile. A
spontaneous and
honest two minutes
Self-confession.
Four Positive
Feedbacks: Based on
that days
performance, each
board member from
M1 to M4 shall speak
turn by turn for
two minutes giving a
Positive
Feedback/Review. A
spontaneous and
honest Positive
Review. Make it a
genuine but positive
feedback strictly
based on that days
performance. Precise,
genuine, honest and
Sincere Appreciation
of what he/she liked.
Make the Interviewee
feel important. It
shall be a great
motivator. It shall
promote these
positive qualities in
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all of you.
Suggestions : Lastly,
based on that days
performance, the
Chair Person shall
speak out some
suggestions for
improvement, if any.
He/she may use some
of the following
words (5C+2H and
accompanying habits)
:
* Condence, Smile,
Calmness, Coolness,
Patient Listening,
Response with
Positivity, Interested
Listening, Clarity of
thoughtsand
expression,
* Nodding, Quality Of
Language, Polite
Language,
* Charm & Cheer,
Positivity,
Enthusiasm,
* Frankness, Honesty,
Integrity

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*Rationality, mental
alertness, presence of
mind, Good Common
Sense,
* Humility, openness
to Self Correction,
Response to
Correction and
Advice, Curiosity to
Learn, Condence
and conviction in
expressing opinion.
Why only Positive and
no critical Feedback?:
Because Interviewers
can critically
comment, contradict,
examine or crossquestion the
Interviewee in
Part-1i.e. Actual
Interview itself.

PART 3 OF THE
MAIN GAME :
CRAVE
* CRAVE stands for
Creative
Re-performance After

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Visualised
Experience.
* Play only when
you are alone. Sit/
lie down comfortably
and close your eyes.
Do about two minutes
of Belly Breathing.
It means systematic
and rhythmic
breathing in three
steps :
1. breathing-In
deeply till the
bellys fullest
expansion
followed by
chests fullest
expansion;
2. holding the breath
till you
comfortably can;
and
iii. breathing-Out
slowly till the chests
contraction followed
by bellys fullest
contraction.
This will instantly
make your mind calm

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and focused.
Play: Now, fully
visualize the whole
process of that
days interview in
every detail. Go
through the sequence
of interviewees
entry, interaction
with each
interviewer, the exit,
re-entry,
Interviewees critical
Self-Review and Feed
Backs.
If you were
Interviewer that day,
imagine yourself in
the place of that
Days Interviewee.
Think creatively and
Improvise on
interviewees
performance.
Creatively
Re-visualise that
days actual
Interview process
with yourself as an
Interviewee.
Re-perform and

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Re-visualize the
whole process, with
you as an interviewee
performing with
improvements in
every details like
entry, listening,
smiles, pauses,
language, fresh or
better answers etc.
Benets : much
much more than you
can imagine. The
above Game is a
wholesome diet. It
has all the nutrients
required. Milk with
Added Vitamin C. Its
daily intake nourishes
the health of your
personality. Have
faith in it. It has
everything: Learning
through Joyful
Games, Learning
through mistakes,
improvising,
practicing, Simulative
Learning, Learning
through observations,
Laboratory Of
Personal
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Experiences,
Co-operative
Learning through
Role Playing and so
on. Practice it Daily
at least for two
months and give a
Complete
Nourishment to your
personality. So start
playing it from
today only.
But I have not
prepared yet.:
R U still thinking?: I
will play the above
game after making
preparations for a
few days.
During the
preparation for
Written Examination,
majority of
candidates think the
same : I will practice
writing only after
making preparations
for a few days. It was
some what excusable
then due to heavy
time constraints. Not
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excusable now
because you have
enough time.
So do not say : I will
go in water after I
learn swimming.
Because without
going in water none
can learn
swimming.
But wont I make
many mistakes?
Precisely. That is
the aim. Interview
candidate cannot
aord to make costly
mistakes on the
D-day. Strategy
should be to make
many and varied
mistakes of both
types i.e.
commissions and
omissions. Make
them at the earliest.
Learn from them
methodically. The
Trial & Error is the
best method. Recall
Thomas Edison.
Before inventing an
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electric Bulb, he kept

on making many and
varied mistakes of
both types i.e.
commissions and
omissions. Each time
he learnt how not to
make an Electric
bulb. Finally, he made
it.
But what questions
to ask as an
interviewer?
Ok. Types of
questions actually
asked in UPSC
Interview are :
1. Ice Breakers :
easy to answer.
Purpose is to
make you
comfortable.
Mostly pertain to
your bio data in
the DAF. Like How
your hobby has
helped you in real
life, information
about your college
of Graduation etc.

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2. Closed Questions :
Questions having
factual answers
with no
elaboration.
Purpose is to
decide topics or
areas on which
further probing
questions could
follow or to
quickly assess
your attentiveness
and listening more
than knowledge.
Honestly answer
them. Even when
you cannot
answer, be honest
and precise.
Before saying I
do not know,
consider :
I have read/heard
about it but cannot
recollect at this
moment or
Generalised
response. E.g. What
data do you have to
substantiate that

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your state has good

Law and Order
Situation? Answer
may be I do not
have any exact data
but it is based on my
personal
observations. I saw
girls moving freely at
night without any
fear.
3. Open ended
Questions: The
most important
ones. They require
detailed answers
to assess your
personality. They
demand your own
answers, views
and opinions and
rationale behind
your views. Need
to think well
before
responding. Use
LATE Technique
while answering.
LATE stands for
Listen, Ask, Think
& Express.

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Listen: Listen with

interest. Nod along to
show you are
interested and
attentive and to
signal to your mind :
yes I can. Smile
often.
Ask: ask for
clarication. If any
doubts, clarify what
you have understood
about the question
and let him/her
conrm or clarify
further. Or simply ask
him/her to repeat the
question.
Think: Think to
organize/frame and
present your answer.
Express: answer. Be
honest, humble,
empathetic and
assertive as per need
of the moment.
4. Probing questions:
They assess clarity
of thoughts, views,
feelings and

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attitudes. They are

often follow-up to
your previous
answers. They
probe into your
answers. You are
asked to justify.
You are
contradicted with
opposite views.
Often, the
interviewers
pretend to be
displeased/not
interested. They
pretend it with
their negative
words and body
language to assess
your response in
stressful
situations. They
do not stress you
like a lawyer in
the court but like
a polite elderly
person. You need
to be condent,
calm, positive and
assertive but yet
humble.
5. The Devils

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Advocate : These
questions are
provocative.
Often,
interviewers
express views
opposite to his/her
actual view to
assess your
hidden prejudices,
if any. The
question why do
you want to be a
civil servant is
asked this way :
You are already a
doctor and
earning more than
a civil servant. Are
you not wasting
countrys precious
resources by
opting for Civil
Services?
6. Sandwich
Questions : a mix
of many/all the
above. Like
History of
reservation in
India, who are
weaker Sections,

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what Percentage,
should we have it,
caste/economic
status as criteria
and so on.
7. Clarifying
questions :
Interviewer
reects back what
you answered to
clarify
understanding.
He/she may use
your paraphrase
and say what
he/she
understood.
He/she may
actually
summarize what
you said or bring
new interpretation
to it. But
sometimes he/she
pretends to have
interpreted it
dierently just to
check your
assertiveness,
integrity,
condence or
consistency.

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He/she assesses
your listening,
consistency and
understanding.
8. Corrective :
Interviewer may
correct your
actual mistakes or
advice you like an
elder and check
your response.
Need to be
cheerful, humble
and open to
correction and
grateful for
advices. When you
make a mistake
and do not
self-correct it,
they often ask a
question just to
hint at your
mistakes. They
check whether
you realize and
admit a mistake
and assess your
behavior when
your mistake is
revealed.
9. Situational or

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What if questions :
hypothetical
questions. Cannot
work out your
answer
beforehand. Tests
your ability to
think objectively
and logically. E.g.
what shall be your
priorities if you
are a Collector of
your Home
District?
Use LATE Technique
while answering.
10. Questions with a
Disguised motive :
In CSE, 2014,
many candidates
panicked when
the board
members
quizzed them
with a rapid re
of many trivial
factual
questions which
they could not
answer. They got
nervous.

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Interviewers often
pretended to be
dissatised and
often said : you
must know this.
This made some
Candidates more
nervous and
mentally agitated
because they
thought that the
panel was
conducting a test
of factual
knowledge or a
quiz contest and
not the Personality
Test. It
undermined their
condence,
calmness and even
their faith in the
interviewers. It
adversely aected
their marks.
Actually, they fell
into a trap of
Questions with a
Disguised
motive.
Actually, the panel
wanted to test their

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condence, calmness
and composure
during unexpected
situation. Need was
to answer what you
know but calmly and
frankly saying I dont
know to the rest.
Even if you cannot
answer a hundred
such questions, you
do not lose even a
single mark. Just
maintaining your
calm would fetch
you decent marks.
E.g. What is the area
of your home state
and India in K.m.s?
How many tremors in
Gujarat Earthquake?
How many islands in
India? etc.
11. Out of the Box :
common sense
questions with no
correct or
incorrect answer.
Here are some
Examples of
questions

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answered in UPSC
Interview:
What will you do if I
run away with your
sister?
A: I will not get a
better match for my
sister than you sir.
Interviewer (to a
female candidate)
What if one morning
you woke up & found
that you were
pregnant.
A: Girl I will be very
excited and take an
o, to celebrate with
my husband.
( Think positively. )
Interviewer ordered a
cup of coee for the
candidate. Coee
arrived and was kept
before the candidate.
what is before you?
Candidate instantly
replied Tea.
Alphabet T is
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before Alphabet U.
Try answering
following questions
actually answered in
UPSC Interview:
1. How can you drop
a raw egg onto a
concrete oor
without cracking
it?
2. If it took eight
men ten hours to
build a wall, how
long would it take
four men to build
it?
3. If you had three
apples and four
oranges in one
hand and four
apples and three
oranges in the
other hand, what
would you have?
4. How can you lift
an elephant with
one hand?
5. How can a man go
eight days without
sleep?
6. If you throw a red

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stone into the blue

sea what it will
become?
7. What looks like
half apple ?
8. What can you
never eat for
breakfast ?
9. What happened
when wheel was
invented ?
10. Bay of Bengal is in
which state?
11. Twin babies are
born in May. Their
Birthday is in
June. Why?
Answers actually
given by CSE, 2014
candidates:
1. Concrete oors
are very hard to
crack!
2. No time at all it is
already built.
3. Very large hands.
4. It is not a
problem, since
you will never nd
an elephant with
one hand.

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5. No Probs , He
sleeps at night.
(UPSC IAS Rank
98)
6. It will Wet or Sink
as simple as that.
(UPSC IAS Rank
2)
7. The other half.
(UPSC IAS
Topper)
8. Dinner.
9. It caused a
revolution.
10. Liquid State.
11. May is the name
of place of birth.
Trust me. With a little
practice, such
questions are easiest
to answer. Moreover,
answering them
boosts your
condence besides
earning decent
marks.
Play the CSE Game
:
CSE stands for
Common Sense
Experiments.
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Play it when you are

in a group. May be
before or after
playing the Main
Game of CASPER.
In a group of, say, six
members, each
member asks a
question with no
right or wrong
answer and
remaining members
give their own
answers using their
creative thinking and
common sense. The
questioner himself
answers in the last.
By rotation, each
member asks at least
one question and six
dierent answers
follow.
Trust me. You will
enjoy many novel
answers with
freshness of thinking.
You will not only
enjoy it but also be
pleasantly surprised
about your own

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general intelligence,
creativity and power
of common sense. A
boost to your
condence.
Positivity Game :
Play it when you are
in a group. You may
play it before or after
playing the Main
Game of CASPER.
In a group, each
member speaks a
seemingly negative
word and remaining
members give their
own answers in the
form of a positive
word or phrase or a
small sentence by
using their creative
positive thinking. The
questioner himself
answers in the last.
By rotation, each
member gets a
chance to speak at
least one seemingly
negative word and six
dierent positive
answers follow.
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You will enjoy many

novel positive
answers with
freshness of thinking.
You will not only
enjoy it but also be
pleasantly surprised
about your own
general intelligence,
creativity and
positivity. Examples :
Gun : maintains law
and order.
Knife : a necessity in
the kitchen.
Anger : a weapon to
show and not use.
Villain : indirectly
glories a hero.
Intolerance: show it
to poverty.
Gift Exchanges:
Exchange copies of
your DAF with
friends. Prepare a list
of common expected
questions based on
each DAF. Prepare a
separate list of
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questions relevant for

an individual.
Exchange them.
Benet by Mutual
sharing: Have
weekly meetings.
Each candidate
comes prepared with
a chosen topic of
common interest or
from current events.
Each one Speaks up.
A Discussion follows.
Mutual benets for
all candidates.
INDIVIDUAL
GAMES
Play them when you
are alone. Games of a
few minutes only.
Remember The Law
of Harvest? You reap
much more than what
you sow and nourish.
Much richer than
imagined.
Do Belly Breathing
for about two
minutes before any
individual game.

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Power Of
Visualisation: Have
you seen the movie
The Secret? It
reveals the greatest
secret of success,
scientically proven
by studies : The
Natures Law Of
Attraction. What you
passionately think,
airm and visualize
actually materializes
in reality.
What is Creative
Visualization?
Creative visualization
is the best way of
tapping the Law Of
Attraction by using
the powers of the
mind. It means
actually watching a
movie or an audio
visual of yourself.
Actually, it is
day-dreaming by
using your
imagination, passion
and creativity. You
are the hero and

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director of that
movie. You actually
see and hear what
you want to happen.
Creative visualization
is audio visual of
yourself in scenarios
of events and
situations, just like a
movie.
To visualize is, in
fact, visual lies so
that the lies come
true. You visualize
the Qualities that you
want to have and the
Events you want to
happen. Your
visualisations need to
be as detailed, vivid
and real as possible.
See it with intensity
and passion, in vivid
details and with a
variety of voices and
visuals.
It is scientically
proven that our
nervous system can
not tell the dierence
between a real event

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and one that is vividly

visualized.
GAME OF FIVE:
FIVE stands for
Familiarization,
Imagination &
Visualisation
Experience.
Familiarize in
advance with the
Chairperson of Your
Interview Panel.
As on 01-11-2015,
UPSC is headed by
Chairman, Shri
Dipak Gupta and 10
Members.
Chairperson of your
Interview Panel shall
be one of the
following 10
members :
1. Prof. David
Syiemlieh : an
educationist from
the northeast. He
has published a
number of books
and papers on the

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history of the
northeast. A
graduate with
history honours
from [Link]
College, Shillong,
and a Masters
degree in History,
MPhil and PhD
from the Hill
University,
Shillong. He
taught
undergraduates in
St. Edmunds
College before
joining the
Department of
History, NEHU, in
1979. He rose in
the profession to
become Professor
in the Department
of History.
He held numerous
positions in the
University, including
Dean of Students
Welfare; Head
Department of
History; Controller of
Examinations;

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Registrar and author

of several books and
articles on the history
of North East India.
2. Dr. (Mrs) P.
Kilemsungla:
She will retire in
February, 2016 i.e.
before the
interview. First
Naga to be
appointed as a
Member of the
UPSC. She has
been awarded
PadmaShri for
literature and
education this
year. She was a
member of
Nagaland Public
Service
Commission
(NPSC) till
January 2013. She
graduated from
Lady Keane
College, Shillong
and did her M.A
(Education) from
Guwahati
University. She
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then did her Ph. D

(Education) from
NEHU.
3. Mrs. Alka Sirohi
: The Indian
Administrative
Service, 1974
Batch. A post
graduate in
Western History,
trained in
management and
issues related to
sustainable
development.
Retired Secretary,
Department of
Personnel and
training.
4. Shri Chhatar
Singh, : An IAS
oicer of Haryana
cadre. Belongs to
Dalit Community.
Held several key
positions in the
state government
and retired in
March, 2013 as
the Principal
Secretary to C.M.

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of Haryana.
Played a key role
in executing
various projects of
the state
government of
Haryana.

5. Shri Vinay Mittal

: Former Railway
Board chairman
and 1975 batch
retired Indian
Railway Traic
Service oicer.
Known as honest,
soft-spoken and
highly
well-mannered.

6. Shri Manbir
Singh : IFS of
1976 Batch.
Former Secretary
in Ministry of
External Aairs.
Former
Ambassador to
some countries.

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7. Shri D K Dewan :
An NDA alumnus.
Retired as Vice
Admiral after 38
years of service.
Recipient of
Param Vishishth
Seva Medal
(PVSM).

8. Prof Hem
Chandra Gupta :
Former Professor
of IIT. Former Vice
Chancellor of
Chaudhari
Charansingh
University,
Meerut. Was
Youngest Indian to
be conferred PHD.

9. Shri Arvind
Saxena : First
RAW oicer
appointed in
UPSC. Formerly
in-charge of
Aviation and
Research Centre

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of external
snooping agency
RAW. After
formation in 1983
of RAS service, all
oicers who were
with Research and
Analysis Wing
(RAW) were given
option of either
going back to
their service or
joining the newly
formed RAS along
with their
seniority.

10. Shri Pradeep

Kumar Joshi : A
noted
educationist.
Former Chairman
of Chhattisgarh
Public Service
Commission from
2011 to 2015.
Former Chairman
of Madhya
Pradesh Public
Service
Commission from

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2006 to 2011.
(Former IAS oicer
Deepak Gupta is
Chairman of UPSC
since November
2014. He is the rst
chairman of UPSC,
appointed by
breaking away from
the tradition of
appointing the top
post from the serving
members of the
Commission.)
Play The Game of
FIVE : after above
Familiarization comes
an Imagination &
Visualization
Experience.
Divide above 10
members in two
groups of Five.
Collect photographs
or Audio Visuals of
above 10 members.
See them often.
Part 1: Daily
visualize one of them

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as if he/she is
interviewing you
personally. Visualise
the person in every
detail and variety:
impressed with your
smile and condence,
motivating and
mentoring you, gently
correcting your
mistakes,
occasionally grilling
you and so on.
Visualize your best
version interacting
with him/her in every
detail in an AudioVisual Form. Take
one of them in 10
days.
PART 2 :
Repeat the game to
Daily visualize Two of
them in a pair
interviewing you
personally. Then
Three of them, Four
and Five.
Visualise Yourself
throughout the Game
as the best version of
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yourself i.e.
condent, calm,
charming and smiling
person through out.
PART 3 :
Recall the sequence
of that days CASPER
Game. Creatively use
any part of the
sequence of
interaction.
Creatively
Re-visualize the
sequence of that
days actual
Interview process
with yourself as an
Interviewee as if
performing before
one or more of UPSC
Board Members.
Visualize in every
details like entry,
listening, smiles,
pauses, language,
better answers etc.
GAME OF SAVE :
SAVE stands for
Systematic Advanced
Visualisations of
Enjoyment.
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An Advanced
Visualisation of
Enjoyment is an
audio-visual of any
event logically
following your
desired success
where you see
yourself actually
enjoying sequence of
events.
E.g. 1.
dancing/playing
/singing/speaking at a
seminar in LBSNAA,
2. enjoying trekking
around LBSNAA,
3. celebrating a
desired rank on
the day of nal
Results by UPSC,
4. Speaking at a
seminar of District
Collectors and
so on.
Visualisation of
Enjoyment need to be
as detailed, vivid and
real as possible,
involving variety of
voices and visions full
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of joy.
GAME OF CREAT :
CREAT stands for
Conscious
Re-visualisation of
Events, Achievements
and Thankfulness.
Recall, Revisualize,
Enjoy and Cherish
the actual events in
an Audio-visual form.
Like parties after
clearing Prelims or
mains or other events
and achievements in
all details: fun and
enjoyment,
compliments and
appreciations
received etc. It will
give a regular
booster dose to your
self esteem.
Recall and cherish
the CAP Daily. CAP
stands for
Complements,
Achievements &
Positive Feed Backs.
GAME OF RAAG :

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RAAG stands for

Recalling,
Achievements,
Appreciations and
Gratitude. It is the
next logical step after
CREAT.
After Recalling and
Cherishing the real
Audio-visuals of
events and
achievements in all
details, feel grateful
to the almighty or to
those who helped or
mentored you. Oer
prayers of Gratitude
for all your strengths,
qualities and
achievements in
every detail. It will
give a further regular
booster dose to your
self esteem.
GAME OF E & O E :
To err is human. To
err is to prove that
we are alive and not
dead. Perfection is
either an
impossibility or a

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mirage, not a reality.

So to expect and
gracefully accept own
Errors and Omissions
is wisdom and
calmness. It helps
you to improve. Daily
remind the words to
your mind: Errors
and omissions
expected.
Like a Batsman
failing to play a ball
in Cricket, does not
feel , So nice about
his performance. But
he cannot aord to
feel So sorry. He lets
go and waits for an
opportunity in the
next ball.
GAMES OF POLE &
ROPE:
POLE stands for
Personal
Observations,
Learnings and
Experiences.
ROPE : stands for
Recalling

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Observations and
Personal
Experiences.
Imagine when you
say: the morning Sun
appears in the East.
If someone
contradicts you 10
times, will you agree?
Why wont you?
Because you have
personally observed,
learnt and
experienced the
Morning Sun in the
East. That is the
power of POLE. It
makes you condent
and assertive without
loosing calmness and
humility.
Observations are
actual Visuals or
Audio-visuals. Think
and connect your
observations with
important issues or
topics and enrich
yourself with
learnings and
experiences full of
your own conviction.
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Use them to your

advantage in the
interview.
Game Of Daily
Airmations &
Oaths :
A lot has been said
about the Power Of
Spoken Words. Your
words and thoughts
program your mind
like commands and
scripts program a
computer.
Repeated spoken
statements in the
form of I am or I do
or I have are
airmations.
Repeated spoken
statements in the
form of I will are
oaths. They
program your
subconscious as per
your will. This
process is similar to
the way creative
visualization works.
You need to have
focus, faith, passion
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and feelings in the

self-spoken words.
Play Daily :
Speak up one
airmation and oath
aloud before a mirror
in the form of I
am/have/do and so I
will. E.g. I have
the ability to speak
formal language
needed for interview.
So I will speak only
formal language for
three days even while
talking to family or
child or a house
maid
Repeat it often and
daily for three days
before a
mirror/person with
focus, passion and
faith in the
self-spoken words.
Repeat it twice and
daily for three days
just before falling
asleep in the night
and before getting up

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from bed the time

when you are in Alfa
stage. This helps to
positively program
your conscious and
subconscious minds.
Execute each
Airmation and Oath
for three days in your
Routine Daily human
Interactions with
family, friends and
others. Execute it as
if you are an
interview candidate.
Experience the
benets at the end of
third day. Trust me.
With almost zero time
investment, you will
reap a rich harvest.
Execute earnestly.
Execute, review and
Experience its impact
for three days.
4th day : I am a
good listener. So I
will listen to all
including children
and servants for

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three days. So I will

Listen to them with
nodding, patience,
interest and smile.
Repeat daily for
three days before a
mirror/person.
Execute, experience
and review for three
days.
Take by rotation,
one of the following
for three days :
mentally appreciate
and verbally
complement one and
all for any positive
quality (5C+2H)
politely respond by
words and body
language and smile to
one and all including
house maids
calmly and
positively respond
even to cynics
I am charming.
smile more frequently

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to one and all

I am calm. Will use
LATE Technique in all
conversations.
Frame your own
Airmations and
Oaths in your own
words. Repeat above
cycle. Take strictly
one Airmation &
Oath at a time to
experience its
positive result clearly.
Game of Being a
Better Listener :
Children are the best
listeners. Interact
with them and
observe their
interest, charm,
inquisitiveness, smile
and nodding.
Mentally appreciate
them and verbally
complement them for
such qualities
whenever you
interact with them.
Even some adults are
childlike having those
qualities. So do it
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when you interact

with them also. You
will automatically
imbibe their qualities
in you.
Game Of FAME :
FAME stands for
Facing A Mirror
Experience. Mirror
can be used as your
best mentor.
Protably use your
daily routines before
a mirror like
brushing, combing
hair, shaving etc.
Whenever facing a
mirror during your
daily routines:
smile often. strike
dierent positive
poses alongwith a
smile.
E.g. Cricketers
victory pose,
supermans pose etc.
As discussed
earlier, speak up
one airmation
and oath aloud

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before a mirror in
the form of I
am/have/do and so
I will.
Make it a habit.
Game Of POPE :
POPE stands for
Personal Observation
of Performance
Experience. Sit in
front of a mirror.
Actually perform as
an interviewee and
watch the actual
interview in the
mirror in detail. Keep
a set of questions on
a paper ready. Read
out questions and
answer them before a
mirror. Alternatively,
a friend asks
questions and you
answer them before a
mirror. Record it.
Re-play the Video.
Watch it for a
self-feedback.
Instant Coolers &
Stress Bursters:
1. Belly Breathing:
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Whenever you feel

low or stressed
during an interview,
Belly Breathing for
a minute is very
helpful. Sit erect but
comfortably. Do a
deep and rhythmic
breathing for a
minute in three steps
:
1. breathing-In
deeply till the
belly fully
expands;
2. holding the breath
till you
comfortably can;
and
iii. breathing-Out
slowly till the chests
contraction followed
by bellys fullest
contraction.
This will instantly
calm down your
mind.
You may add
imagination to it.
While Breathing in,

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imagine that
Condence and
composer are being
inhaled with fresh air
and While Breathing
out, imagine that
Stress is being
exhaled.
Practice it as a
routine so that you
do not forget to use
it during the
interview.
2. Mind The LAW:
LAW stands for
Learning,
Accepting &
Witnessing.
Whenever you feel
low or stressed
during an
interview:
Learn: Just
observe the
physical
symptoms. Be
aware of
sensations in your
body that you are
experiencing like
shallow breath,
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raised heart beats,

tightness,
sweating, tingling
and so on. This
will break the
chain of mental or
emotional
reactions.
Accept: accept
them as a law of
nature. Accept it
as purely
momentary bodily
symptoms with a
calm mind.
Witness: just
witness them as
clouds passing
fast. Witness the
natural law. You
will quickly regain
your calmness and
condence.
Simply witnessing
will break the
chain of mental
ghting or
reacting to
temporary stress.
Mental ghting
and reacting
prolongs your

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otherwise
momentary stress.
Just be aware of
bodily sensations.
Let them pass. You
will soon realize
that any stress is a
momentary reality
but not an
absolute truth or
an incurable
defect.
Do what you enjoy:
spend at least 30
minutes daily to
please yourself by
following your
passion or hobby.
Physical Part: Do
not ignore your
health. Eat healthy.
Sleep well. Avoid
over-eating or
over-sleeping. Follow
a daily routine of
some physical
exercises or morning
walks. Such habits
nourish your mental
qualities and physical
tness.

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Managing last 10
minutes: Last ten
minutes of waiting
outside the Interview
Room are crucial.
Many candidates
experience sudden
blankness, numbness,
nervousness or stress
during ten minutes
immediately
preceding the actual
interview. So decide
how you will manage
those ten minutes. Do
what comforts and
pleases you the most.
rst attend to
natural calls. Visit
toilet. Face a
mirror etc.
while sitting and
waiting, do what
you enjoy like
singing, reading,
positive creative
visualizations
about interview
etc.
if nothing at all
pleases you or if
feeling uneasy, do
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Belly Breathing
and Play the
game of LAW Of
Mindfulness.
In the Part 2 of this
write up, we will
discuss practical
applications of all
that we have
discussed so far
through Case Studies
Of Actual Interviews
of Civil Services
Examination, 2014
(interviews in 2015).
Best of luck.

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Ashish Agrawal
8 months ago

Hopefully someday we
will read it again ! :)
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Anand S
Unni >
Ashish
Agrawal
6
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Yep. We will.
And that day is
what keeps us
going today! All
the best to every
last person here!
:)

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Mgsh
> Ashish
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7
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Yes sir,
Hopefully, We
will....

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pravin
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> Ashish
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