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IAS Interview Questions & Answers Guide

This document provides a summary of frequently asked questions at UPSC interviews for the Indian Administrative Service (IAS). It begins by explaining that interview panels assess candidates' personalities through tricky questions that start simply and increase in difficulty. The document then lists 27 sample questions covering topics like logic puzzles, word meanings, hypothetical scenarios, and differences between concepts. Candidates are advised to be familiar with common question types and prepare by practicing mock interviews to build confidence and eliminate nervousness.

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36 views7 pages

IAS Interview Questions & Answers Guide

This document provides a summary of frequently asked questions at UPSC interviews for the Indian Administrative Service (IAS). It begins by explaining that interview panels assess candidates' personalities through tricky questions that start simply and increase in difficulty. The document then lists 27 sample questions covering topics like logic puzzles, word meanings, hypothetical scenarios, and differences between concepts. Candidates are advised to be familiar with common question types and prepare by practicing mock interviews to build confidence and eliminate nervousness.

Uploaded by

Rana
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

IAS Interview Questions and Answers

[Link]/ias-interview-questions

By Best Interview Question Last update: 17 Jan 2021, 27 Questions

The Interview panel knows that being an IAS is a tough job; hence they judge every trait
of the candidate's personality by asking tricky IAS interview questions. For this, they
always pick some simple introductory questions, followed by moderate, and then the hard
level questions.

Honestly speaking, there is nothing like hard questions. The candidate makes it hard with
over-thinking. They just see how the candidate handles the question. They are looking for
a positive reaction in every reply with zero nervousness. A positive attitude is a personal
trait that comes from a positive physical environment. Spending time with positive people
and reading books all build that environment. Nervousness can be eliminated if you are
familiar with the questions they were going to ask. So focus on increasing the familiarity,
and here we will help you by providing the most frequently asked UPSC interview
questions. So let's begin.

Most Frequently Asked UPSC interview questions


Here in this article, we will be listing frequently asked IAS Interview Questions and
Answers with the belief that they will be helpful for you to gain higher marks. Also, to let
you know that this article has been written under the guidance of industry professionals
and covered all the current competencies.

1. A woman was born in 1935 and died in 1935. On her death, she was 70 years old. How?
Sir 1935 is a room number. She born there and died there itself.

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11 2

2. What is a man's thing that always keeps growing?


Age

80

3. Does shemale have periods?


Don't get shocked by this question thrown to judge your reaction. Reply in a calm and
composed manner.

No sir. A shemale does not have the menstrual cycle, uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes, or
reproductive organs of a genetic woman like women.

30

4. Why does women's shirt does not have pockets?


Sir, because girls prefer purse to carry things and they have nothing to carry in the pocket.
Plus, women don't want to spoil its beauty.

20

5. What is the form of a lady that everybody can see, yet her husband can’t see?
Widow

30

6. If you are in a dark room with a candle, a lantern, a lamp, and a gas stove, what will you
light first?
Sir, the Match Stick.

20

7. An interviewer ordered a coffee for a candidate. A staff member placed the coffee on the
table. Then he asked the candidate, "What is before you"?
Sir, he must have replied "T" because "T" comes before "U.”

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30

8. A criminal sentenced to death had to choose one of three methods of death


A Blazing Room
Room filled with criminals like him
Room full of lions that haven't eaten for three years.

Which room should he choose?

Sir, room number 3 because the lions should have died now as they haven't eaten
anything for so long.

21

9. What is the thing that breaks down when you speak?


Silence

00

10. 40 birds of 1 rupee. One pigeon of 3 rupees. One chicken of 5 rupees. How will 100
birds come for 100 rupees? Sir, 80 birds for 2 Rupees, one pigeon for 3 Rupees, and with
Rs. 95,I will buy 19 chickens. 2 + 3 + 95 = 100 hundred birds.

10

11. Can a man marry his widowed wife's sister?


No sir. The man is already dead.

10

12. Why did you opt for civil service?


Tell them the reason or the thing that happened to you in real life, which moved you
completely. The reason should be strong enough that changed you from the inside and
should not show any selfish desire. If you are still not getting any ideas, we urge you to
search for the people who did great for the country and were civil servants. You can make
them your source of motivation in the reply.

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10

13. How would you differentiate between vision, mission, aims, and objectives?
Sir, vision is what you wish to achieve and is usually a long term goal. The mission is
something that you have to do to achieve your vision.

The aim is a mental focus that connects your vision and your daily missions. Objectives
are your small goals, which are included in your mission.

30

14. What will you do if I go with your sister?


There must be some reason for that which I will ask her later. If you are going with her,
that means you have her consent, so I see no problem here.

00

15. How is it possible to drop a raw egg on a concrete floor without getting cracked?
There are many answers to that. Pick any of the following.

Sir, the concrete floor is hard to crack. If I drop that egg from 1cm, I am sure it will not
crack. I will take a lot of bubble wraps and wrap it around the egg multiple times. I am
sure it won't crack then.

00

16. How is it possible for a man to go eight days without sleep?


If he is sleeping every night, he can go further than eight days.

10

17. Imagine a scenario where one morning you woke up and found that you were
pregnant?
I will be happy and tell my husband and family about it.

00

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18. What is the inconspicuous contrast between terrorism, militancy, fundamentalism,
insurgency?
Life does not become easy for an IAS officer when transferred to the disturbed areas of
India; instead, it becomes much harder. Individual states like Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh,
and North East are infested with Naxalites, and some states like Delhi, Jammu, and
Kashmir, Ladakh, Mumbai are prone to terrorist attacks. Hence they are expecting a
clear-cut answer. Terrorism is a condition where violence is used to put fear among the
population to perform a political/religious/social objective. Militancy means the use of
violence and aggression to support a political or social cause. Fundamentalism is to follow
an ideology or religion or beliefs very strictly. Insurgency is more about rebellion against
the authority or state.

10

19. Where Lord Rama would have praised his "First Diwali"?
They will celebrate it in their homeland, "Ayodhya.”

01

20. If you will get the opportunity today to innovate something, what would be that?
This is going to be the perfect opportunity to represent your awareness level through your
answer. Tell them how you can correct the issues you see in your locality. Use your
knowledge that you have gained through your graduate studies.

00

21. Many people were doing well in their studies and scored good in academics but not in
their life. What is the reason behind it?
No need to show your frustration on the education system of India. We all know what it is.
Just focus on the problems that lead to such kind of situation. You can give reference to
the Skill India programs and how it will help youth.

10

22. How might you persuade individuals of Delhi to utilize Metro over their vehicles?
Sir will tell the merits of commuting through metro over personal vehicles. I will talk
about how we can save our environment, how it is good for the pocket. How much safer,
reliable, and faster it is then the usual transport.

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10

23. Is there anything special about your birth date? Or any other important or
unforgettable event took place at that time?
Find the meaning of your name on google. There are plenty of Indian websites that will
help you with that. Search the year in which you were born and note down any big event
which happened that year. It can be a birth date of a famous person or anniversary or
invention etc.

10

24. What is your motive for becoming an IAS officer?


Tell them how many lives you will change by achieving your dream job. Include your
parents, people around you, and the social evils that you will eradicate from your locality.
Your "WHY" should be clear and should connect to the interviewers. Take time, introspect
yourself, and clear your "WHY.”

00

25. What is the opposite of Nag Panchami?


Nag didn't punch me.

10

26. Twins(Sonu and Umesh) were born in May, but their birthday is in June. How's this
possible?
Sir May is the place of birth, and June is the month in which they were born.

10

27. Why do flies buzz around our bodies?


Sir, there are three main reasons for that:

First, they like carbon dioxide, which we exhale during breathing. Flies get attracted by
this gas. Second, they like the warmth of our exposed skin. Third, they feed on dead skin
cells, decaying organic material, and open wounds. This is the reason why they sit on our
skin even we try to kill it.

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00

Submit Your Question Download IAS Interview Questions


These questions cover most types of most brilliant IAS questions. With these, you
have the idea of what kind of questions were asked in the panel.

You should also search for IAS interview questions in Hindi for more types of questions if
you are going to use the Hindi language during the interview.

In the end, we would like to say that you should be ready for the barrage of questions. We
would advise you to take the help of your friends, siblings, and other mature ones to do
your interview. Every person has a different personality; hence their questions will be
different from one another. Deeply self introspect yourself and write down what questions
they can ask about you and your surroundings. List your strengths and weaknesses.
Compile all the questions you have formed and tell the other person to ask you the same.
You can also give mock interviews to some good coaching institutions. They will pre-judge
you and will make you aware of your shortcomings. We hope this article answers all your
doubts. Good luck.

About Best Interview Question

Best Interview Question


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Common questions

Powered by AI

The question about choosing a method of death tests a candidate's reasoning skills by requiring them to think critically and deduce the least harmful option among seemingly dangerous choices. It requires the candidate to use logic and understand implausible scenarios, such as realizing that lions who haven't eaten for three years would be dead, thereby revealing a knack for problem-solving and lateral thinking .

The inquiry into one's motive for becoming an IAS officer probes personal and professional motivations by requiring candidates to articulate a deep, genuine desire to serve the public good. This question evaluates their commitment to social change, readiness to tackle public service challenges, and the alignment of personal aspirations with the responsibilities of an IAS role .

It is crucial for IAS aspirants to differentiate between terms like terrorism, militancy, fundamentalism, and insurgency to effectively address and manage security issues within their jurisdictions. Understanding these distinctions allows for informed decision-making and strategy formulation in combating social and political challenges, especially in regions prone to such threats .

Understanding the lifecycle of skills versus academic success helps explain career achievement discrepancies by recognizing that academic excellence doesn't always translate into practical skills needed in the workforce. Programs like Skill India emphasize the importance of skill development for enhancing employability, highlighting that a focus on skills can lead to greater professional success despite academic performance .

A candidate's response discussing the merits of using the Metro over personal vehicles could reflect their awareness of environmental issues by highlighting benefits such as reduced pollution, cost savings, and improved public safety. Emphasizing how using public transportation supports environmental sustainability showcases the candidate's understanding of urban challenges and civic responsibility .

The phrase "What is before you?" in an interview context aims to evaluate a candidate's cognitive and linguistic interpretation skills. The expected answer, "T" (since 'T' is before 'U'), challenges the candidate to distinguish between literal and abstract meanings, assessing their creativity and adaptability in understanding and responding to ambiguous situations .

By asking which item a candidate would light first in a dark room, the interviewer isn't just assessing logical problem-solving skills but is also evaluating the candidate's attention to detail and understanding of the sequence of actions. The correct answer, 'lighting the matchstick first,' indicates the candidate's ability to prioritize the task at hand and recognize the foundational step needed to proceed, demonstrating clarity of thought .

The reaction to tricky IAS interview questions can demonstrate a candidate's suitability by revealing their ability to handle stress, think critically, and maintain composure. These questions are designed to assess a candidate's personality traits, such as confidence, quick-thinking, and resilience, which are essential for the challenging role of an IAS. A calm and composed response with a positive attitude and zero nervousness indicates readiness for the responsibilities involved .

The absence of pockets in women's shirts can be rationalized by the preference for carrying a purse to hold items, as well as a desire to maintain the aesthetic beauty of the garment. The question highlights societal norms and gender roles, suggesting that women traditionally have less need for pockets compared to men, who might rely on them more for carrying personal items .

This question reflects a candidate's ability to identify and address practical challenges within their community, demonstrating their problem-solving approach and awareness of local issues. It encourages candidates to apply their academic knowledge creatively to propose feasible solutions, indicating their potential to effect change and contribute to societal betterment .

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