The apex of the Union’s recruiting agency is Union Public Service Commission. If you are an IAS aspirant, a brief knowledge of the interview panel will be useful. By knowing the professional and educational background of the panel members, you will gain a better chance to ace the interview. We have consolidated the list of UPSC board members who interview for the Civil Services Examination. Keep reading to know what you should learn apart from enrolling in a good UPSC training centre.
An Overview of UPSC Interview & Personality Test
Taking up a UPSC interview is not an easy task. The main objective of the interview is to:
- Determine how knowledgeable the candidate is.
- Understand their personality traits.
The length of a UPSC interview is not definite. If the interview lasts long, the candidate will have a high chance of scoring better. The interview scores are not revealed immediately and are only known when the final results are out. The number of candidates shortlisted from the main exams is nearly double the number of available vacancies. They are then made to appear for a personality test.
You cannot score less than 55 marks in the UPSC interview. If you want to get into the merit list, you must get at least 60 percent and above. But if you want a better service allotment with a good ranking, you must strive and gain 200 marks. For getting into Group A services and IAS allotment, aim to get 200 marks and more.
The personality test and interview are conducted at the UPSC office in Delhi. The address of the UPSC office is:
Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
Dholpur House,
Shahjahan Road,
New Delhi – 110-069.
The personality test assesses the personality of a candidate and analyses whether they will be a competent administrator. The test determines a candidate’s attentiveness, intelligence, balance of judgment, integrity, leadership, and honesty. During the personality test, candidates are rated for qualities like:
- Reasoning ability
- Clarity of expression
- Grasping ability in an argument or narration
- Interests
- Personal attributes while interacting with people
- Appreciating quality with different points of view
Importance of Civil Services Interview & Details About the Interview Panel
You must prepare strenuously to ace the UPSC examination as the interview is the gateway to civil services. Out of the total 2025 marks, the interview is for 275 marks. The interviewers play a major role in deciding your future. They can either make you go up the ladder or fail you miserably. Thus, it is crucial to take the interview seriously and prepare properly.
Usually, the UPSC invites professionals who are experts in their respective fields. The interview board has five unbiased members, with a chairperson in the main position. The members assess the capability of the student to pursue their career in public service based on their social traits, interest in current affairs, and intellectual capabilities.
The interviewees will be given the list of the board they will be facing when the interview dates are declared. Candidates are expected to research and collect information about the board members before appearing for the interview. In 2022, the interview is expected to be conducted between 5th April and 26th May. If you are already anxious about the interview, remember that there is nothing to stress about if you have prepared well. The interview panel will make you feel comfortable, provided you give your best and take it up with confidence.
Also Read : Everything You Need to Know About CUET 2022
All You Need to Know About the Panellists
The list of interviewers and an overview about them are given below. Once you get to know about the interviewers, you can get an idea of what you need to concentrate on and prepare for the interview. Doing so will give you a better chance when compared to other aspirants.
- Chairman – Dr. Manoj Soni. He is a scholar of Political Science and specialises in International Relations. He is a past vice-chancellor of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University and MSU of Baroda. He is the youngest VC in independent India and the present UPSC Chairman. He is expected to retire in June 2023.
- Member – Air Marshal Ajit S Bhonsle. He has spent 39 years in the Air Force. He has finished his MSc in Defence Studies and MPhil from the National Institute of Defence Studies, Japan. He is interested in travelling, art, and culture. He specialises in education, training, cyber security, and infrastructure development.
- Member – Ms. Sujata Mehta. She has completed her MPhil in Political Science. She was in the Indian Foreign Service in the 1980 batch and served in Indian Missions in Moscow, Dhaka & UN in New York. She is the Ambassador for the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva.
- Member – Ms. Smita Nagaraj, an IAS 1984 batch, TN cadre. She has finished her Masters in Political Science at JNU. With a PG diploma in Mass Communication, she has been Executive Director of the Central Social Welfare Board. She has served at the Ministry of Defence and DOPT. She has an experience of 33 years in several positions of the State and Central Government of Tamil Nadu. She will be retiring in September 2023.
- Member – Sri Rajiv Nayan Choubey, an IAS 1981 batch, TN cadre. He holds a postgraduate degree in Physics from a prestigious university like the St. Stephens College, New Delhi. He has specialised in Social Policy & Planning from the United Kingdom’s, London School of Economics. He has served in the Dept of Economic Affairs, Development Commissioner (Handlooms) in Ministry of Textiles, DG in Directorate General of Hydrocarbons, Ministry of P&NG, and Ministry of Power, Civil Aviation.
- Member – Dr. T C A Anant. He is the secretary of MOSPI and the former Chief Statistician of India. He has done his Masters from Delhi School of Economics and served as a professor at DSE for more than ten years. He has a Ph.D. from Cornell. He has served as the Secretary and the Chief Statistician of India (CSI), in the Ministry of Statistics and Program Implementation, between 2010 to 2018. He was the member secretary of the Indian Council for Social Science Research (ICSSR) between 2006 to 2009. He has made publications in Labour, Industry, and Economic Theory. His term ends in 2023 by the month of January.
- Member – Sri Bharat Bhushan Vyas, IAS 1986, J&K. He has done his BSc Botany and has over 38 years of experience in various departments. He is the Chief Secretary and Advisor to the Governor, J&K. He has served as the District Magistrate of three districts and Divisional Commissioner of the Kashmir Valley, and his term ends in November 2022.
- Member – Ms. M Sathiyavathy. – She is a PG and Gold medallist in Mathematics from IIT, Madras. Belonging to IRS 1981, then IAS 1982 batch, AGMUT cadre, she worked at Puducherry, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram. She served at Ministries of Commerce, Labour, Textiles, Civil Aviation, and Dept. of Space. She is slated to retire in May 2023.
Closure
Since the UPSC interview is crucial, variable, and personal, prepare well to tackle the test. With the above-shared information about the interview panel, you must be able to gauge the kind of questions you will be getting from the panel. Enrol in Chinmaya UPSC training centre in Chennai if you want to express yourself tactfully and ace the interview effortlessly.