UPSC IAS Interview questions 2011

1, Mr. Harjot Singh's
interview: March 24^th AN.

(He is from Chandigarh;
B.tech(Computers); socio & geography); hobby: 

Football ;Board: Rajni Razdan

interview is in afternoon.. but
by mistake he wished Good morning to Madam and then corrected himself...

Chair(C): your name, your Roll
no..; what is Spoofing, phishing? 

what is the new feature
added to Google search engine? 

what is social networking?
Which is more popular Social networking site you use? 

Harjot(H) said: Twitter

C: why?

1st member(M1): what is
racial profiling? what are its positive outcomes?

H: Gorkhas are given a positive
image in British military. 

M1: what is the race of Gorkha
in British rule?

H: Martial race

M2: you watch Football.
but  i will ask you about Hockey.Why the game 

is not popular in India
now? what steps you suggest for regaining its lost status?

What is Astro Turf(he
used this term while answering), what are the advantages

And disadvantages of Astro Turf
(made Hockey field)?

M3: Coming back to computers,
what is difference between Http and Https?

M3: what is DIGITAL DIVIDE?
What are the causes for Digital divide? How can you bridge the gap?

M4: to what extent Digital
divide is there in Chandigarh? What
steps the Govt took to bridge the gap?

M5: what is the speciality of Chadigarh?

H: it is a well planned city.

M5: what is Urban planning?
What are the subjects that are under urban local govt?

M5: if you are made an
administrator of urban area, what areas you focus upon?

H: transport; I go for MMTS,
etc.

M5: but where do u get funds
for this?

M5: tell me one issue which is
most talked about?

H: Climate change.

M5: what is global warming?
What is ozone layer?

M5: Do you know who is
Hargobind Khurana (he is from Punjab)?

M5: do u follow current
affairs?

H: yes

M5: in which states there will
be elections held?

H;

M5: which is the party ruling
TN, KL, WB?

2. these are the q's asked to my friend Mr. Govind Mantri.(He is a B.tech(computers) from Vijayanagaram(AP); worked for TCS; geography & Public admn are optionals; board is VIJAY SINGH, 23rd March 2011.

here are the questions:

1. You don’t like software that is why you are coming to civil services, isn’t it?

2. Specific problems of your district? And solutions.

3. On farmers suicide

4. MFIs

5. How will you use IT in admn

6. 3 Major problems faced by our country

7. Isn’t communalism also a major problem?

8. More and more enterpreneers from AP? Why?

10. Urban problems and solutions?

11. AP -> is caste a problem?

12. Libiya?

. Have you joined any coaching institute?

Interview of Mr. Rajasekhara Reddy with IMG Khan on 02.04.2011

He is working as Asst. Exe.Engineer with Dept of Irrigation, AP. He is

From Chittor dist.(AP). Optionals are Geography & Public Administration.

Chair:

1. do u think Irrigation is new to this age ?
2. what is the diff b/w now and then?
3.  ur from which dist?
4. did u visit the old fort?
5. how they irrigate on the hill fort?
6. did u worked in the field?in what project?
7. what is imp of Minor irrigation?

Member1:

1. what are the geographical regions of india?
2. how geography affects foreign policy
3. what are the factors to be consider for foreign policy?
4. why trust deficit between India and Pak?
5. tell me after independence?

Menmber2:

1. u r having high qualification, why u want to shift to civil services?
2. how ur experience will be utilized?
3. what are the organs of Govt?
4. which is responsible for whom?
5. How legislature controls executive?
6. Ours is paper democracy? what is ur comment?
7. there are events like booth capturing, rigging ,then how there is democracy?
8. Is ours absolute democracy?

Member3:

1. what is CAD?
2. why it is needed?
3. Don’t u think Dam is enough to irrigate command?
4. To construct a road one person is absolutely zero corrupt but he cant construct it and one person is corrupt but he can do the work? tell me for which u assign the work?
5. In the war in your team 9 constables were died but u won the war, and then is winning your credit?

Member4:

1. What is the diff between radio and radioactivity?
2. What exactly contains radioactivity?
3. Who is “soft person”?
4. Is India a soft state?
5. What is the diff between Geography and Geology?
6. Is plate tectonics geography or geology?

Chairman:

1. What did u observe in the behavior of Japanese after Tsunami?
2. Do u think civil services need that?
3. What are the calamities naturally occur in your state?
4. Tell me how the civil servants should act in that scenario( calamities)?

Books for General Studies

You need to read well for General studies. Understanding and
Revision are very important.

sources for GS Prelims:
 solve the previous year question papers. observe the trend of question paper.


History:
NCERT- Modern India ( old) (author: Bipan Chandra)
Spectrum - Modern india
Wizard special issue for History (optional)

For ancient and Medieval india, you can read
Spectrum Manual( Big book) or NCERT books  or
Seenaiah Sir'(hyderabad)s notes. However, not many questions are being asked.

Geography:
NCERT- Physical and human geog. (classes 11 and 12)
Majid Hussain (indian geography) -- Maps (at the end of the book)
Atlas (oxford or any other standard one)

Polity
 Laxmikanth


Indian Economy:

Know the basics well. Read about the terms ( like GDP, CPI, WPI, etc.) that
appear frequently in newspapers.

 read Sriram's material for Indian Economy ( This material will be sufficient. Text books like Dutt and Sundaram, etc are not needed)



Current affairs:

Prepare notes from each day newspaper (if you have time)
The Hindu ( mandatory), economic times ( if you have time)
if u have time, read any one magazine ( Wizard or CS times)


Daily after u read a newspaper, u will find some 5 to 10 topics. write them (along with the important points). It will save your time while you read any magazine.


GS MAINS:

History:

Spectrum - Modern india

Geography:

NCERT- Physical and human geog. (classes 11 and 12)
TMH- Majid Hussain's book for Indian Geography (for reference for topics like
indian agriculture, current topics, etc.)
Sriram's material for Mains.

Polity:

Polity - Laxmikanth(Tata Mcgrawhill)


India & world:

Democracy in India (Ncert - 12 th , political science) - It may be available on net.
Civil Service times book on Foreign policy of india  ( makes notes after reading each topic under different heads like strategic relations, political, economic, trade, science and technology, others.) Add recent current affairs points under each topic.

Vajiram notes and material (that is given after the prelims results)
Sriram's material (that is given after the prelims results)
World focus magazine ( read important articles if you have time)

Indian Economy:

 read Sriram's material for Indian Economy.

Science & Tech.:
Wizard  or  TMH (ashok kumar singh for basics),
Read the current topics that appear in the newspaper from internet
(if they are not given in the books)
Vajiram notes and sriram's material (given after prelims result)


Current affairs:
Read Vajiram, Sriram notes (given after the mains exam) for all topics.
For social issues, read Wizard's book on social issues and Chokkalingam (Delhi)'s material on social issues and current national issues like any committee recommendations on poverty line, etc.
Prepare notes from each day newspaper (if you have time), otherwise cut the important articles in the newspapers and keep in a file.
If you have time, read a magazine ( Wizard or CS times) for updates . Personalities are also important now.

Sources for Public Administration

Standard Text Books

Public administration(theories)- Fadia & Fadia
Social Theory and Development Administration- Mohit Bhattacharya ( for good goverance and criticism of GG, Post modernist view or anti development thesis)
Organizational Behaviour- Stephen Robbins (for motivation and leadership theories)
Administrative thinkers- Prasad& Prasad
Public Administration(TMH)- Laxmikanth.
Public Policy - IGNOU book

1. Introduction:

Meaning, scope and significance - Sadhana & Sharma,

wilson’s vision of Public Administration- Prasad& Prasad;

New PublicAdministration - , Fadia &Fadia;

Public Choice approach -  Fadia, ;

Challenges of liberalization, Privatisation, Globalisation - Subhra Saxena (Super 50 book)
 

Good Governance: concept and application - Social theory (Mohit B), Fadia ; 

New Public Management- Fadia, Laxmikanth.


chapter-2: 

Thinkers- Prasad &  Prasad,
 


Chap 3; Admn beh.


Communication --> Stephen robbins, Laxmikanth
Motivation and leadership theories --> robbins, laxmikanth

chap-4: 

Theories- systems ---> laxmikanth,
                contingency -->  sadhana &Sharma

Ministry and Dept,,.... ---> Fadia, Laxmikanth 

PPP --> IJPA journal


chap-5: Accountability and control

Laxmikanth, 
Citizen and admn --> 2nd ARC,
Role of media ----> sunil  gupta test series notes
VO,Civil society --> MB(new horizons),
citizen's  charter --> 2nd ARC,
RTI ----> New horizons, 2nd ARC,
Social  audit----> Subhra saxena(super 50)

chapter -6: 


you may refer any coaching material


chap-7: CPA


mohanty  sir notes, Subhra saxena super 50, 
Laxmikanth, prasad & prasad for Riggs

chap -8: DA


changing   profile: one topic in  RK arora book Fresh perspectives,
Bureaucracy  and Development:  Sunil gupta test series notes,
for rest  of the topics --> subhra saxena super 50, mohanty sir class notes

chap-9  : Personnel admn

Ethics - new horizons, 2nd ARC

chap-10; public policy 

IGNOU  book,

state  theories - super 50 

chap-11: 

e-governance : IGNOU book 
MIS, Pert, CPM --->  new horizons,


chapter- 12:

Fadia,
Laxmikanth,
 Budget   types ---> IGNOU book.


Paper-2: 

Standard books:
Fadia &Fadia ( Indian Admin)
2nd ARC reports (read summary of Reco's and preface;
if you get any doubt in recommendations, go to the corresponding
para in the complete report. Eg.if you get doubt regarding 1.3.4. reco,
go to 1.3.4 para in the complete report. Reports are available on the
internet)

Reports Of 2nd Centre-state Relations commission (Punchhi commission)- Read the summary of reco's (reports available on the net at interstatecouncil.co.in.

Recommendations of important committees like surendranath committee, YK Alagh committee, etc.

Read current affairs and write them in your answers. Eg. the news of appointment of CVC, corruption, JPC can be writtenin the exam.

you can browse internet for some topics like corruption, etc. some article numbers are important. Refer Constitution of India by PM Bakshi for reference. Eg. The articles in Fundamental rights, Directive principles,

President (52,53,72,73,74,75,76,78,), panchayat raj (articles 243 to 243 ze), center -state relations, Judiciary, etc.

chap-1: 

Fadia & Fadia(indian Admn)

chap 2: 

sunilgupta test series notes

chapter  3: 
Indian economy notes of Sriram's IAS,


chap 4: 
laxmikanth ( indian polity  & public admn)