Interview of IAS Exam 2011 Topper Prince Dhawan

Question: Please tell us about your childhood, family background, schooling and higher education?
Prince Dhawan: I am Prince Dhawan. My father was in the revenue service that is why my childhood had been spent in seven to eight cities across India. My schooling had completed from various schools. I had enjoyed my exposure to diverse crowds. Moreover, I had successfully completed my 10+2 from the city of Indore. Further, I had completed my B.Tech and M.Tech as a dual degree in electrical engineering from IIT Delhi. I always believe to do efficient work and want to enjoy it.

Question: When did the idea of becoming a Civil Services Officer strike your mind?
Prince Dhawan: I had felt that there were many opportunities in life to serve the society in different ways. As I always have an open mind, so, I had realized that Civil Services is one of the way through which I can serve the society and can enjoy as well. So, I was trying with this idea from my graduation time only.

Question: what kept you motivated towards the Civil Services in the course of rigorous preparation for the exam?
Prince Dhawan: The motivation in me came by the fact that I had enjoyed the preparation phase. I loved staying away from my home and spending time with my friends. I think that Civil Services are not just an exam it’s a journey and I was enjoying the journey a lot.

Question: Please tell us about your icons, hobbies and interest?
Prince Dhawan: My icons are my Parents i.e. My mother and my father. My hobbies are teaching, debating and mentoring junior students at IIT Delhi.

Question: How many attempts did it take to taste success?
Prince Dhawan: It is my first attempt and I believe that success is a very subjective concept. I define success when you sleep peacefully at night and you remain happy.

Question: How much time one should devote in preparing for the Main exam? What according to you is the ideal time to start the preparation for Main exam?
Prince Dhawan: I think it is not about the time. I had never thought of time while preparing my exam. I use to set some short term targets or long term targets and my main strategy was to achieve those targets.

Question: How helpful are coaching institutes?
Prince Dhawan: I don’t prefer coaching institutes. I had taken electrical engineering as my optional and my IIT teachers had helped me out for that. Moreover, in public Administration exam I had taken guidance from some experienced teachers.

Question: Did you take the help of internet while preparing for the examination? How helpful did you find it? Did you use any current affairs website?
Prince Dhawan: As it is a proven fact that UPSC had became very dynamic in today’s scenario. So, it requires lot of awareness in your surrounding and that is the reason that internet was very crucial part of my preparation. I often read from jagranjosh.com and I believe that this site is regularly updated.

Question: How much time did you take to prepare for the CSE?
Prince Dhawan: I think that it is a very subjective question. I cannot give answer to this question but, I believe that it depends upon the individual and every individual should devote as much time until and unless they are not confident about the subject and their preparation.

Question: Given the extensive nature of contents asked in the preliminary exam, did you apply any specific method for the preparation?
Prince Dhawan: My only aim was to prepare for the main exam. To keep an eye on the main examination I had prepared my subjects.

Question: When did you start preparing for the Main examination? What was your medium of the written exam? What were your optional subjects for the Main exam?
Prince Dhawan: I had started preparing for mains and the prelims together. I had not taken the peace-meal approach. Although,my strategy was also similar for both examinations.

Question: not audible
Prince Dhawan: It is a very subjective question. Some might find the prelims easier or some might find the interview easier. It depends upon the perception of different people with accordance to their mindset.

Question: How much time one should devote in preparing for the Main exam? What according to you is the ideal time to start the preparation for Main exam? 
Prince Dhawan: One thing that one should keep in mind while preparing that one should be confident and comfortable about the subject and preparation respectively.

Question: What were your optional subjects? 
Prince Dhawan: My optional subjects were Electrical Engineering and Public Administration.

Question: What was the basis for choosing these optional subjects?
Prince Dhawan: Electrical Engineering was a natural choice for me as I had done both B.Tech and M.Tech in electrical Engineering and as far as Public Administration is concerned, I felt that it suited my personality bit more as I had led certain student bodies in my college and I was very eager to know that how they can be managed. These are the reasons or we can say basis for choosing my optional subjects.

Question: Do you think that public administration should be a compulsory subject as the nature of duties required and administrating things on the field so everyone should be aware through this?
Prince Dhawan: I think that training exemplifies everything. So, I don’t think that it should be a compulsory subject.

Question: What is your approach while preparing Public Administration? Which books, notes and things you had preferred? What was your strategy to prepare that strategy?
Prince Dhawan: I believe that that there is no substitute for self study. No amount of coaching can help a person if he/she is not putting an effort to his own. My first approach towards Public Administration is to get a grip on the study material and practice for writing answers regularly.Which

Question: Which Indian Language you chose for the Main exam?
Prince Dhavan: I had opted for Hindi.Which Indian Lan

Question: How did you plan for the General Studies in the main examination? 
Prince Dhawan: I read newspapers and prepared some notes and I revised them periodically. Apart from that, I used to check the websites of Ministry on regular basis. In addition, I constantly keep revising my fundamental subjects-Politics, geography, history, economy, science etc- so that I can remember the right things at the right time.

Question: Do you think that Current affairs news is helpful while preparing the subject-Public Administration?
Prince Dhawan: Yes, certainly. Public Administration is a dynamic subject and one should constantly places the subject in the current context for that one should keep an eye on current happenings specially in the field of administration and gain and learn from them.

Question: For essay paper, how did you prepare?
Prince Dhawan: For essay paper, I had read that what UPSC wanted in essay paper. It requires concise, original and innovative thinking. Students should keep their essays to the point and they must stick to the topic. I feel lot of writing practice is required with ideal thinking over issues. This will help candidates to think over essay writing.

Question: Would you like to give any tips for the preparation of Essay paper to the future aspirants? 
Prince Dhawan: For essay paper, I would say that calm your mind and gather through thoughts before you pick up the pen.

Question: What was your plus point?
Prince Dhawan: I think my mistakes were too many while interview and plus points cannot be pinpointed. It is over all personality appeal and, board was very learned, experienced and respectable members. Therefore, they are able to gauge the personality of an individual easily.

Question: Who was the chairman of the interview board?
Prince Dhawan: Mr. P.K. Sharma was the chairman.