UPSC Interview Preparation

The Officialdom

 

Graduation / Academics Questions: Engineering, IT, Medical, Pharmacy, Commerce, MBA

  1. Prologue
  2. Mistakes in graduation related question
  3. Why IAS after Engineering/IT/MBBS/Pharma?
  4. Why IAS after any graduation?
  5. U R Already in SSC/State-service/Bank- why IAS?
  6. Why arts/literature optional after technical degree?
  7. Grad-Qs: Medical, Pharmacy, Dental, Biotechnology?
  8. Grad-Qs: Commerce/CA/MBA/SSC-CGL tax inspectors/asst.
  9. Grad-Qs: Mechanical Engineer?
  10. Grad-Qs: Engineer- ECE, Electronics, Communication
  11. Grad-Qs: ICT/IT/Computer Engineering

Prologue

  • In previous article, we learned about situation reaction test (SRT)/roleplaying questions in UPSC interview and how to approach them.
  • This part covers graduation/academics related questions in UPSC/MBA interviews.
  • Who has to prepare graduation questions more intensely? Ans:- candidates with first attempt, candidates with no work-experience.

Mistakes in graduation related question

Engineering

SOMETIMES, BETTER TO SAY “SORRY SIR, I DON’T KNOW.” RATHER THAN GIVING ELABORATE EXCUSES

  • Difference between transverse and longitudinal waves or light wave and radio waves? Often candidates said “this doesn’t fall under our department / stream.” Then panel countered saying, “You must have learned this in high school.”
  • Another example, Mech. Engineer asked about how are rear engine cars like Nano are different than front engine cars? He said he specialized in xyz other system, so doesn’t know the answers on automobiles since he did not take it as elective. Panel countered saying “a good officer must have curiosity to learn.“
  • Suggestion:  If you don’t know the answer, just say “sorry sir, this has escaped my attention, but I’ll certainly look It up when this interview is over “. Don’t give silly excuses like this department and that elective and “our professors did not teach this.”
  • If you are asked something from your education / experience, only include the necessary technical details. e.g. Ethical issues faced during CA/Pharma/Engg. Apprenticeship. Candidates often gave long speeches on technical sides without coming to the ethical dimension in concise manner. Because all panelists may not be well versed in those technical aspects and may lose interest in the discussion.
  • Stick to the question that is being asked. e.g How did IT job affect your value system? Candidate only kept talking about how good infrastructure and team was available in his company.
  • What’s the connection between Bernoulli’s principle and carburetor? Candidate only talked about how carburetor is an outdated technology, rather than explaining its connection with Bernoulli.

Question: Who is responsible for for female fetus- mother or father?

Wrong answerRight answer
Mother has “XX”, father has “XY” chromosomes so father is responsible for female fetus.Sir, No one is responsible. It is a biological phenomenon with 50:50 chance of male or female fetus.

^this is just one example of how silly mistakes are made in easy questions.

Why IAS after Engineering/IT/MBBS/Pharma?

Question: IAS is a generalist officers and works for “Conflict Management” with many grey areas. While a technical person (doctor/pharma/engineer/IT) is trained to see world in black and white in binary terms: drug will work/not work; screw will fit/not fit; IF-ELSE; ZERO-ONE and so on. Therefore, specialists/technical graduates cannot become good IAS officers compared to JNU-wallas. What are your views?
Points to consider: –

  1. Medical professional’s work is (1) prevention (2) diagnosis (3) treatment (4) cure. These management fundamentals are applicable to managerial / executive posts.
  2. Engineer is trained to (1) conceive (2) design (3) implement (4) operate systems– It can be a software, an electronics equipment, a machine, or a building. The “steel frame” of bureaucracy is no different in its fundamentals.
  3. It’s not necessary that doctor-IAS will become Secretary in ministry of health and family welfare and Engineer-IAS will become head of ministry of heavy industries; but such officer can always give informal inputs to his batch mates posted in those departments, as and when required.
  4. Should not seek ‘pity’ of the panel-  “mein gareeb hu, I’m not getting any jobs after graduation” type answers.
  5. Should not badmouth or criticize other degrees or your own degree.
  6. Should not blame parents or friends for choice of graduation. Standard answer is: I was young, unaware of all career opportunities.
  7. Should not criticize existing job you’re doing. Else they’ll ask negative questions like why are you unhappy [promotion, pay, posting, bad-boss]… because, you’ll leave an impression that even in civil services, you will badmouth your bosses and remain unhappy forever.

Why IAS after any graduation?

Points to consider: –

  1. It is just a means to an ultimate personal Development. Clichéd answer.
  2. Larger platform and diverse work-experience. Clichéd answer. If this is the real reason, then better atleast rephrase it.
  3. Work diversity. Counter: what work diversity in Ordinance factory service?
  4. I like to work with/work-for people. Counter: you’ll have minimal dealing with general public in defense account service.
  5. I like to work in the field job. Counter: all jobs become ‘desk-jobs’ after 10-14 years of service whether IAS or IPS.
  6. Because I have seen my senior Dr./Mr./Ms.____ working as an IAS/IPS/IFS. I am motivated by his interesting work life. The sparkle and satisfaction in his eyes for doing a stressful yet fulfilling Service to the community…I want to spend my energy in similar career.
  7. I went through xyz life changing experience and felt that the only way to fix this issue is by joining the Government service itself.
  8. My wife is also a working professional who is supporting me financially, so I left job to prepare for UPSC. [very pedestrian quality justification to pursue civil services.]
  9. I want to become first person from my village to crack civil service. This is not a school-race. How is it relevant for the nation?
  10. As such a representation of youth in Higher education and competitive exams from my gender, caste, tehsil, districts and state is dismal. By cracking UPSC, I want to inspire them to pursue education and competitive exams.

U R Already in SSC/State-service/Bank- why IAS?

Points to consider: –

  1. higher the post, means I’ll have more people and resources at my command to do good things for my department and nation.
  2. Everyone wants to see high in career- clerk wants to be officer, class-2 officer wants to become class-1. Likewise, I also want better life for myself and family.

Why arts/literature optional after technical degree?

Points to consider: –

  1. Unless your DAF-hobby is also reading/writing –you should not say that I was “genuinely interested in literature”.
  2. Unavailability of optional subject related to IT/pharmaceutical made me opt for literature/art subjects, because Study-Material /guidance was easily available for the subject that I chose. It doesn’t mean that I always take easy escape, but did not see point in wasting youth-life in trial-error. Sooner I join service; more good I can do for the nation.

Grad-Qs: Medical, Pharmacy, Dental, Biotechnology?

  1. if you’re in BSF Bunker, which medicines will you stockpile apart from morphine and bandages? (Hint– depends on terrain: – jungle=malaria; desert=heatstroke; snow=frostbite)
  2. What is Disuphiram? Should we mix it with PDS-wheat? (hint- read previous article on SRT-questions)
  3. How to amoeba reproduce? If population doubles per minute. Started observing at 10am and jar was full in 12, then when was it half full.
  4. Parents with A and O blood group. What’ll be child’s blood group?
  5. Jan Ayushi scheme and BPPI?
  6. UK gave license for Gene-Editing- modify the embryo to study miscarriages. Is this ethical? Anti-argument: – designer babies.
  7. What is Endosulphan and its connection with Kerala?
  8. Zika- vaccine has to be tested on pregnant women- ethical issues. Bharat biotech skipped phase-II and directly went for phase-III because urgency. Zika transferred through sex also- case reported in USA.
  9. Maneka Gandhi suggested- track sex of every fetus. IMA supports. Do you support?
  10. US rule- API must be manufactured locally. What’ll be impact on India?
  11. 22% of cancer deaths by tobacco- what will you do to stop?
  12. How will you treat these famous people? Michael Angelo- degenerative arthritis. Tom Cruise- Dyslexia. Stephen Hawkings-amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS); Michel Phelps: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); Salman Khan- trigeminal neuralgia (Suicide disease- facial nerve disorder-  angiography (medical imaging technique used to visualize the body from within)
  13. Custom duty exemption gone for life saving hemophilia drug. – good / bad?
  14. GM mustard nod denied by GEAC. What are your views?
  15. MCI statutory body planning common entrance test for medical colleges. If you’re the head of MCI how will you implement it in systematic manner? (hint- Exam panel to frame MCQ, hire agency for computer test, delegate work related to advertisement, fee collection and so on)
  16. What is GM- Male mosquito? Hint:  they mate with ordinary female mosquito but their progeny can’t mature unless they’ve tetracycline.
  17. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s (BMGF)- not registered with FCRA; MNC pharmaceutical companies associated- for Malaria, AIDS, Dengue- members in board- influencing government policies.
  18. Malaria Elimination plan by 2030: India will be divided into three categories as per malaria prevalence — low, moderate and endemic States. Gujarat, Karnataka and Maharashtra, will do sooner because of good infrastructure
  19. Tell me 3 reforms you’ll initiate as chief of PCI, Dental council, MCI, IMA and health department. Most candidates made mistake by saying “x” reform which actually fell under the jurisdiction of “y” authority.
  20. Ketan Desai – MCI controversy. What reforms requirement? How is MCI chief appointed?
  21. Who is Prakash Amte? (Doctor serving in naxal areas)
  22. Yashpal Committee advocated abolition of MCI, do you agree?
  23. Tell me the Latest directive of IMA on drug prescription which came in April 2015?
  24. Narcotic vs Non-nargotic analgesics. Which situation we should give NSAIDs?
  25. Differences between Analeptics (brain stimulants), Sedatives and Tranquilizers.
  26. Tell me the 4 stages of clinical trial of drugs. What’s the present regulatory framework in it and if you’re made the head of x/y/z body, how will you reform it?
  27. What do you know about Mashelkar report?
  28. What’s the application of alcohol in medicines? How is denatured alcohol different than liquor? What will happen if a person drinks denatured alcohol? How’ll you treat him?
  29. Consider these 3 compounds: alcohol, beer and cocaine. Which of them is CNS depressant?
  30. Difference between anatomy vs physiology, General vs Local anesthetics; Antiseptics vs. disinfectants; hemostatic drugs vs. anti-coagulant drugs, emetics vs. carminatives, cathartics vs. anti-emetics.
  31. Scientific principal behind: orbit white, sensodine, teeth whitening toothpastes, nicotine gums.
  32. What’s role of perlite in toothpaste? Hint: whitens the teeth.
  33. Explain difference between Angina Pectoris and Myocardial infarction
  34. define drug. Can we say toxin is also a drug. What are the disadvantages of giving drug through  Parenteral route? Difference between Prodrugs and placebos
  35. What is Chemotherapeutic index? Ans. max. dose tolerated by host / min. dose which kills parasite. It tells us the Margin of safety.
  36. Name Chemotherapeutic agents other than antibiotics.
  37. Explain the lifecycle of a malarial parasite, the genesis of cancer
  38. During heavy metal poisoning, what is the use of chelating agents
  39. Stephen hawking suffers from which medical condition? Ans. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) motor neuron disease. Name of the Hollywood movie on Stephen Hawking Ans. A theory of everything. Did it win Oscar or not?
  40. Why was Angelina Jolie in medical news? What do you know about gene patenting case of Myriad Genetics’ BRC1 test.  Angelina removed her breasts, ovaries and fallopian tubes because her family has history of cancer. If you’re health minister, will you run such scheme for Indian women- to do gene testing and then free surgeries to remove whatever organs they want? Ans. No. because it’s not necessary everyone will get cancer just because their parent had a medical history.
  41. Name of disease associated with Ice Cold bucket challenge?
  42. Should we ban E-cigarettes?
  43. Importance of Alkaloids in medicine? (Hint- opium, ergot, cinchona)
  44. Broad spectrum vs Narrow spectrum antibiotics. What is tetracycline?
  45. Why is Photosensitivity study done before application of certain antibiotics?
  46. What is the principle behind chromatography? Its application in pharma.industry?
  47. If a drug has to cross Blood brain barrier, what should be its ideal properties?
  48. Name seven drugs that were discovered in India after independence?
  49. Medical tourism, legal issues?
  50. Homeopathy is a science or not?
  51. US/Netherlands legalized marijuana, should we do it?
  52. Dilip Sanghavi- richest India, Sun pharma, famous drugs?
  53. Government celebrate 2015 year of API.
  54. Proposal Cosmetics: red/green dots just like in food products.
  55. Emulsion, colloid, slurry- what’s the difference.
  56. Parenteral drugs, drawbacks, chickengunya: capsule or injection better?
  57. Celiac disease is a condition that damages the lining of the small intestine, preventing the body from properly absorbing food. The damage is due to a body’s reaction to gluten, which is found in wheat, barley and rye.
  58. Tell me difference between Type1 and Type2 Diabetes? Hint: type1- juvenile insuline dependent, insulin injection/pump required. type2- NIDDM-adult, excess weight, injection not required.
  59. What is a “living will”/ active declaration? Hint- It’s a document that sets out a patient’s wishes on how they want to be treated if they become seriously ill and unable to make or communicate their own choices. SC says either parliament / people’s court should decide. But made @18age, may not be applicable at 90 age.
  60. Difference between API and Bulk drugs? India is dependent on China for APIs and there is a concern on quality. New API policy by Department of Pharmaceuticals under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers to create a $200 billion industry by 2030. while Egypt has brought all medicines under price control.
  61. Medicines with red line on the strip should not be consumed with doctor’s prescription.
  62. MDRTB: PaMZ (PA-824 + moxifloxacin + pyrazinamide) — is to cut treatment time by at least a third. Moreover, it was effective even when tested on HIV patients. DCGI gave phase-2b trial permission.
  63. Kerala twin villages- The Nannambra gram panchayat, which looks after Kodinhi and Cherumukku, the two little villages that have grabbed international attention because of hundreds of twins being born there, In Kodinhi alone, there are 548 pairs of twins
  64. How do you improve public health delivery in rural areas? Candidate said we should increase the number of medical seats. But panel countered him saying it is not necessary that all those doctors will go to rural areas. + issues related to how Doctors get less HRA if they work in rural areas.
  65. new guidelines for kidney transplant- based on ranking- age, chances etc.
  66. Rising number of cases where patients’ relatives attack a doctor. What should be done?. (Candidates said – we need panel countered- there is already section 87 and 88 in IPC to protect them).
  67. Suppose Canadian company is working on an anticancer drugs that can save lives. However Canadian government has not permitted its human trials saying continue the test on monkeys for the next 10 years. But as you can see we cannot save the lives of cancer patients for the next 10 years if We proceed like this. Suppose, this company to India, will you permit Them to conduct human trials?
  68. If you’re doctor- why not go for Combined Medical services exam? After all, defense services direly need good doctors in war!

Grad-Qs: Commerce/CA/MBA/SSC-CGL tax inspectors/asst.

  1. based on Tax administration reform commission, Government enacted Tax policy council and tax policy research unit- what do you know about them and if you’re head of such board, what will you do?
  2. What do you know about Companies law Committee report? hint:  Rs.10 lakh fraud compoundable offense. No need to be 12 month resident to be manager.
  3. What is section- 396 in Companies Act? Hint:- govt. forced merger of NSEL with FTIL (Jignesh Shah)- now NSEL exists no more.
  4. What is FMCG? (Fast moving consumer goods)? How is its marketing and supply channel Management (SCM) different than capital goods? What can we learn from FMCG-SCM of large companies that can be used in delivery of public goods? Can we say shares and debentures are also FMCG?
  5. Differences between SCM (supply chain Management) vs ERP (enterprise resource planning)? How can use use each in public service? (PDS is clichéd example, you’ve to give novel ideas.)
  6. Tell me the difference between administration, management and governance.
  7. Explain the various types of disinvestment methods. (ETF, FPO Etc.)
  8. What is book value of a company?
  9. What is ROE, P/E ratio- price to earnings ratio means market value per share / earning per share.
  10. How is revenue audit different from performance audit? Tell me something about Social audit, financial audit, performance audit.
  11. What are the differences between performance budget, zero-based budget, gender budget?
  12. What is Bill discounting and liability associated with it?
  13. Ethical issues during faced during CA-article ship, or summer internship?
  14. CA provisions in Companies Act 2013. New types of companies in this act? CSR provision? CSR applies to which companies? Ans. Mrunal Powerpoint filecodes L2/P4 and L5/P3.
  15. RPT issues in Companies act 2013.
  16. Nokia, Vodafone, Sahara, Cairn India tax issues? What is window-dressing in Satyam case? Can we say their CAs are morally and legally liable?
  17. Explain MAT, ELSS, NAV, Market capitalization.
  18. Differences between 6 Sigma, PERT, CPM and Kaizen Management. In real life how can you use it to design a new education syllabus for primary schools, police station, PDS, water-electricity supply etc.
  19. Difference between HRM vs Personnel Management
  20. What is break even, marginal cost?
  21. What’s difference between price discrimination vs dumping?
  22. There are 2 datasets with Standard deviation of 0.5 and 0.9, which of them has high data variability.  Ans. 0.9. Can you tell a real life example where such variability will be seen?
  23. Tell me two events. One has probability of occurring 1. and other has probability of occurring 0.
  24. what if you can find a suitable woman director for your public ltd. company? will you appoint your mom/wife who is not competent?
  25. POEM provision in IT act. (place of effective Management)
  26. 1/4/2016: Indian accounting norms IndAS. What do you know about it?
  27. Business networking vs. product quality
  28. What is Private ltd. Meaning of “limited” in that?
  29. how can you these in Government service: TQM total quality Management; Inventory  Management: JIT (Just in time) vs. EOQ (Economic order quantity)
  30. Hire purchase system.
  31. Traditional economics vs. managerial economics
  32. SEBI: Mutual fund “riskometer”.
  33. 7s model of management
  34. Tell me something about National capital goods policy hint: 7.50 lakh crore production by 2025, become net exporter. Department of Heavy industry under Min. of heavy industries and publ. enterprises.
  35. SEBI chief: U.K.  Sinha will remain Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) Chairman till March 1, 2017. Appointments Committee of the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Initiatives- FMC merged, new regime for listing startups.
  36. Ringing Bells – smartphone for Rs.251. Suspicious business model- what provisions from companies Act applicable? ED already began investigation- company begun refunding money.
  37. Bengal House passes Bills for takeover of two firms- The statement of object and reasons of both the Bills stated, “thousands of employees of the company have not got their dues over substantial period of time” and “are in acute financial distress”.
  38. Government using Cash accounting. But 14th FC says use accrual accounting because will get better picture- provides a more current snapshot when transaction takes place- useful in comparing public vs private hospital efficiency. but Controller General of Accounts says only few Department can benefit.  More expensive to implement. What are your views?

Grad-Qs: Mechanical Engineer?

Mechnical Engineering SEDAN and Hatchback Cars

  1. Difference between Sedan and Hatchback?
  2. How is Nano car different than others? Candidates mistakenly told about only size and pricing. We expect answers from engineering point of view such as: rear wheel driven car. disk break vs. drum break, single balancer shaft. and whether those changes make it an unsafe car? What is its center of gravity? Why is it unsafe for driving in hill areas?
  3. Stephen Hawking said Physics would be ‘more interesting’ if Higgs boson hadn’t been found. Can you Elaborate on that?
  4. how does an aeroplane stay afloat? How’s that different from a satellite in space?
  5. Define a machine and how’ll you systematically design a machine. Candidates just kept talking about “Function” of machine like fans and motors.
  6. Name a few thermo cycles. Explain refrigeration cycle.
  7. What are Embedded systems? What about Microwave, washing machine?
  8. What is Laminar flow? Explain Bernoulli principle on Fluid dynamics. How’s the associated with Carburetor? Candidate only talked about how carburetor is an outdated technology, rather than explaining its connection with Bernoulli.
  9. There are 2 datasets with Standard deviation of 0.5 and 0.6, which of them has high data variability.  Ans. 0.6. Can you tell a real life example where such variability will be seen?
  10. Tell me two events. One has probability of occurring 1. and other has probability of occurring 0.
  11. divide an automobile in different systems. Engine, clutch, break
  12. explain Hydrolic power steering, Torque, gear system.
  13. Turbine types, induction motor
  14. Transformer types, what is the use of oil in it?
  15. Probability distribution: continuous vs discrete
  16. Magnetic circuit, iron core, windings. Why iron core. Alternating flux, Lenz law, transformer oil, efficiency- why not 100% types of losses?
  17. Geoengineering, climate change, Biofuel in aviation, Bio refining?
  18. India’s thermal plants far inefficient on world std. why?
  19. China- solarpower station in space. what engineering challenges do you see?
  20. Difference between ABS and CBS? Hint: government will soon make it mandatory for all two-wheelers to fit anti-lock braking system (ABS) and combined braking system (CBS) by April 2019. ABS for all vehicles with an engine capacity above 125 cc and CBS for vehicles below 125 cc engine. While ABS helps the rider to maintain stability while applying brakes, the CBS distributes the pressure applied on the rear wheel to the front wheel
  21. What are gravitational waves, what is LIGO, what is -INDIGO- how different from Indian Neutrino Observatory (INO) project? INDIGO sites- north India bad for seismicity; Jodhpur bad for sandstorms, hence the Deccan Plateau is best suited,
  22. Auto exports decline 19% in January because slump in Europe hence compact Indian cars not selling. Srilanka- high taxes? Difference between hatchback and sedan?
  23. Difference between bullet train and high speed railway? Hint: Bullet train: 320kmph, high speed train: 200-250kmph. But marginal increase in speed= far more $$ needed for special tracks and trains = higher price = unviable, people will go for airfare. Hence sweet spot = ~200kmph. Bullet train vs. monorail
  24. ‘photonic propulsion’ system where lasers can propel spacecraft with giant sails to the Red Planet in 3 days but not fit for humans. Why?
  25. Intl. Satellite Station- 24-hour period has 16 sunrises and sunsets. Why?
  26. Use of condenser in fan? Torque? Name of motor in elevator?
  27. Difference between Fusion and fission; Internal vs. External combustion engine; Pressure vs. Stress; drum break vs. disk break;
  28. Explain mechanism of Lifting of ships in Panama Canal.
  29. Where is Paradeep refinery? Which company owns it?
  30. gravitational waves are in news- What did Einstein say? What is LIGO?
  31. How will you transform a sphere to 2D map?

Grad-Qs: Electronics & Communication Engineer

  1. Tell me something about IC and its active and passive components. Hint: integrated circuit (IC)  chip or microchip, is a semiconductor wafer on which follow things are fabricated
    1. resistors [ohm- resist flow of electron],
    2. capacitors (unit-farad, store energy, suppress voltege spike, signal filtering)
    3. transistors (electronic switch- digital logic).
  2. Difference between electronic and electrical devices?
  3. What’s the difference between BE and B.Tech?
  4. Iphone- autoerase after 10 failed attempts. Tim Cook not complying to court order to help investigators to make more password guesses. If you’re an apple engineering, Government secretly contacts you, will you help?
  5. DRDO-Glide bomb? China developing hypersonic glide missile. Tell me mechanism.
  6. Doppler effect seen in lightwaves or soundwaves or both?
  7. Who was Hubble? What did he say about redshift and blueshift?
  8. What’s application of dopper effect in railways and submarines?
  9. Tell me difference between AM and FM radio? Hint: AM (or Amplitude Modulation- cheaper and longer distance) and FM (or Frequency Modulation -latest, less interference, )
  10. RFID- Radio frequency identification – this tags and track objects. Applications in delivery of public goods.
  11. What is Embedded system? Hint:- specialized computer that is part of a larger system- and its daily example- camera, PDA, cellphone, fax machine. Microwave oven, home security, ATM, anti-lock brake.
  12. Material in fire retardant clothing.
  13. GPS principle, how many satellites required to cover?
  14. Nasa-ISRO astrobiology mission in Ladakh- because has high UV, dry eco system similar to Mars.
  15. What is Smart grid concept? hint:-integrating renewable into mainstream. Reduces bill.  Troubleshoot in the meter itself.
  16. Aditya-L1: spacecraft to focus on sun’s corona, magnetic field. Isn’t this a waste of money?
  17. Tell me the difference between community radio, satellite radio and ham radio. None of the candidate could explain mechanism of ham radio- beyond two words- “disaster management”.
  18. Difference between TCP/IP and UDP. Why is UDP more ideal for Voice application? Which one is used by Whatsapp?
  19. Names of metals used in high tension cable. Ans. Aluminum for strength and copper for conductivity.
  20. Factors affecting Transmission losses in electricity? What new will you do as Secretary (IAS) in Ministry of Power?
  21. Difference between resistor and semiconductor?
  22. How does UPS work, LED vs. LCD vs. OLED. LCD projector mechanism. Candidates came up with novice answers like “this doesn’t come under our department”. Panel countered saying a good officer must have curiosity to learn.
  23. Switchgear, circuit breakers
  24. White noise. White-fi technology
  25. Grassman’s law & color TV
  26. Diode and triode; Semiconductor- its Application in Japanese railways
  27. UPS, RO purifier.
  28. Neutrino observatory, gravitational waves.
  29. Importance of silicon in electronics?
  30. Indo-Russia 5th generation aircraft? Rafael
  31. What is modular smartphone? Hint: it’ is made out of separate components, which enables users to replace or upgrade certain functions independently- just like an assembled PC with your choicest CPU,RAM,Graphics card etc.. LG launched first G5 modular smartphone.
  32. India working a space law – why do we need it?
  33. Why not for IES service?

Grad-Qs: IT/Computer Engineering

Relevance of IT degree in civil services?

Whenever I asked about IT application in Government, all candidates gave same clichéd answer “as collector I’ll reform PDS system using ERP/SAP etc. You’ve to come up with other novel applications
Points to consider: –

  1. Employee attendance, street lighting, traffic challan etc.
  2. GPS-IT can announce “train will come in 10 minutes. Train is delayed exactly by 50 minutes”. So person doesn’t have to wait unnecessary. He can go for bathroom break or xyz.
  3. Home shopping e.g. give order online, local kirana walla will deliver the milk/groceries/party-pack ice-cream:- faster than flipkart/amazon;
  4. Municipal truck will pickup container, if 90% is filled by weight. And computer will even optimally designed the Travel Course so that minimal fuel is used.
  5. CCTV/ security/ street lights/ morning water supply etc.

LIFI and WiFI communication technology
Mock Questions for interview:

  1. What is the purpose of CMOS battery on motherboard?
  2. Data warehousing and its use in administration?
  3. Obama’s new national action plan for cyber security- what do you know about it? Hint-$3 bn, modernize computers, softwares, special committee to suggest
  4. Isaac Asimov’s 3 laws for robots? If we want to design a super diplomat / super soldier / super cop for India, what additional parameters need to be given to this AI?
  5. Tell me the difference between- Cloud server vs. dedicated server, subdomain vs. subdirectory, ASP.NET vs PHP.SQL, HTML vs. CSS, FTP vs. HTTP, WAN and LAN; SMTP and POP?
  6. What is CMS- system? Difference between Drupal, Joomla, WordPress? Which of them ideal for (1) social networking site (2) blog (3) forum (4) CRM (5) online shopping and so on.
  7. What platform is used by Modi’s site? Ans. WordPress. Then what is in the backend .NET or PHP? Ans. PHP.
  8. SSL encryption? Public key vs. private key?
  9. Names and applications of ERP (Enterprise resource planning software). How can you use Oracle. SAP- system application products in Government service? Most candidates give same clichéd answer about PDS. Think of something new.
  10. Full form of SQL? SQL has tables, row and columns. Excel file also has it. so what’s the difference? (Hint:- Difficult to automatically manipulate data in excel than in SQL).
  11. Utility of SQL database, data warehousing and data mining in making foreign trade policy, pension reform, black money tracing?
  12. What is Object Oriented Programing (OOP)? Can you think of its utility in E-governance and public service?
  13. Who was Alan Turing? Name of movie made after him? Ans. imitation game. Did it win Oscars? What is Turing Machine?
  14. Explain software Development models- which one is your preferred method?
  15. SSD vs Harddisk. Ultrabook uses which one and why?
  16. Communication with 2 PC directly: LAN, serial port, parallel port. Their pros cons?
  17. Use of Prime numbers in programming? How does Bank generate unique OTP (one-time password) everytime?
  18. Alpha and beta testing?
  19. How does a browser work? Remote desktop?
  20. Network security- DdoS attack, what if hacker blackmails you to leave him part of data, so you can save rest of the site?
  21. Hawking: AI can kill mankind. Internet of Everything?
  22. What is quantum computer? What is big data problem?
  23. In SQL database, what is primary and secondary keys?
  24. In Oracle database what is the maximum space for a table
  25. What is the difference between a blade server and a rack server? What is the purpose of router in communication?
  26. Difference between API and DLL?
  27. Why can’t India produce Bill gates? Tell me something about the evolution of Windows?
  28. What are assembly languages? Can we say Java is core assembly language? Windows is created using which language?
  29. Every science has axioms, postulates and theorems. Does IT engineering have these things?
  30. Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg: if you’re appointed in her place, What new things will you try out @Facebook?
  31. Suppose a biochip is designed that can record heartbeat and GPS of a person and it’s linked with a cloud server to store infinite data, then how can we use it for the betterment of public service? Hint: Emergency healthcare, Crime detection Etc.
  32. Will you agree for compulsory biochip implementation in all Indian residents?  Counter: possible invasion of right to privacy, may lead to victimization of Workers from opposition parties who participate in anti-government rallies? Counter:- But maybe hundred years from now, the society and technology will be so advanced that everyone would have accepted biochips Because it would make the lives very easy. Analogy: Government agencies spy on emails, yet we all use it, because it has become necessity. Having an email id is not ‘compulsory’ in Constitution or by any law! But we still get an email Id, if we want better life, business and career opportunities.
  33. If you had infinite time and infinite money to develop a software/app. What will you create?
  34. What will you do as chief of NIC? integrate SWANs. Where will you setup Disaster recovery sites? (Hint: Seismological studies necessary)
  35. Suppose you are the chief of NIC, and your friend from IPS/IRS service wishes to see your data centre out of curiosity. Will you give him tour? Upto which depth?
  36. Suppose you are visiting State Secretariat, out of curiosity will you attempt hacking the system?
  37. From pure economic point of view, do you think facebook and whatsapp are decreasing the productivity of men? If yes, then as IT minister will you consider banning such social networking sites?
  38. Computer programs can’t be given patent says patent office. What are your views?
  39. Lifi technology to connect to internet using LED bulb. How does it work?
  40. HC finds lacunae in present system to track foreign nationals who are overstaying in India. How can IT help?
  41. Microsoft Aadhaar as a factor of authentication with its video-calling service Skype. How can it help in public service? Hint:- voice based RTI, court appeal, telemedicine, e-education, online UPSC interviews from home rather than visiting Delhi.
  42. Violation of net neutrality in real life (1) ICU hospital (2) BRTS vs common busses (3) VIP darshan @temples. What are your views on each of them?
  43. What is Google glass? how it works? How will you use it in medical, police, public service, Smart city administration?

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