UPSC interview is often believed to be the toughest stage of the three tier examination process. Those who clear Mains Exam are called for Personality Test (Interview). According to UPSC, the objective of the Personality Test is to assess the personal suitability of the candidate for public services.

Candidates should keep in mind the following points for UPSC Interview:

Good First Impression

There is a famous saying, “in an interview, interviewers form their opinions about interviewee in first few minutes, rest of the time is used to reinforce those opinions.” This happens because of the effect of first impression. About the first impressions, a general saying is, “first impression is the last impression.” Looking at these phenomena, it is essential for you that you create good impression in the mind of the interviewers.

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Qualities judged

UPSC Interview is not a test of knowledge but it is a test of the candidates’ inner self and self-belief. Some of the qualities which are judged by the board members include common sense, mental alertness, critical powers of assimilation, clear and logical exposition, balance of judgment, variety and depth of interest, ability for social cohesion and leadership, intellectual and moral integrity, practical wisdom, decision making ability.

Work over your resume and hobbies part so that you can justify your past choices and interests and present an inspired and focused impression.

Be a Good Listener

In an UPSC interview, be a good listener. This will serve two-fold objectives, first, when you listen attentively, you tend to understand questions correctly. This understanding will help you to answer the questions second, when you listen attentively, it will impress the interviewers by creating a feeling that you are taking genuine interest in whatever they are asking about. In the listening process, your facial expression should be such that you are taking active interest in what an interviewer is saying.

Current Events

Stay abreast with the current events and keep practicing your analytical skills and insightful abilities by trying to see them in perspective, which primarily implies drawing useful meanings out of a whole lot of happenings which take place in the public domain.

Balanced approach

The questions that are asked by the interviewing board are framed with a lot of things in mind. Therefore it is important to adopt the balanced approach while answering the questions. Think before you answer. Frame your answers after a well-balanced thought. You must have utmost faith in yourself, which will drive you to back yourself till the very end with confidence and poise.

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Admit Your Mistake

If in answering any question, you make a mistake and the interviewer points out it, accept your mistake. A mistake is a wrong judgment of a situation and acting on that. Therefore, committing a mistake is not very unusual phenomenon while, committing a mistake is a natural phenomenon, persisting on that mistake after it has been discovered is a blunder. Therefore, if you commit any mistake during the interview process, admit it and offer an apology. Do not bring your ego which is false in this process.

Undertake mock interviews

Mock interviews can be very beneficial because it gives you the exposure to live settings. Taking the mock tests and mock interviews allow you to get abreast with the actual UPSC interview and imbibes confidence within you. It allows you to get a glimpse of the actual UPSC interview and boosts up your morale. The feedback can help you learn from the mistakes you are likely to commit on the actual interview day. This exercise is particularly helpful to shine your presentation, composure and demeanor.

Meet successful candidates

Tips from the successful candidates of the previous year can be highly beneficial for you. Nothing can help you more than the tips from the previous year’s successful candidates. They can guide you on how actually you should behave, talk and think about the answers.

Previous year’s questions

Checking out the previous year’s questions can help the candidates in umpteen ways. You can also refer to the previous year’s questions by asking them from the successful candidates of previous years.

Honesty & Integrity

The most important factors that would impact your performance in UPSC interview are honesty and integrity with which you choose to answer the questions being posed to you. Rather than treating the queries presented before you, you should consider them as topics on which the interview panel is seeking your opinion. The more honest your opinion, the better are your chances of being selected.

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