UPSC INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT (12) 2015-16: Alka Sirohi Board
Name:- Vikram
Qualification:- B.Sc Biotech
Optional:- Geography
Work experience :- Asst Manager, Union bank of India, Presently in SAC,ISRO Ahmedabad Hobby:- Reading Garfield comic strip, Caring for street dogs
04 May 2016, 4th candidate to be interviewed Chairwoman:- Alka Sirohi Madam.
Entered, Wished Chairwoman, Lady member & other male members individually
Chairwoman:– So you are vikram, Kindly take the seat.
Chairwoman:- why are we spending so much on ISRO missions while we have so much poverty in the country.
Vikram:- Mam, ISRO expenditure is helpful for the people of the country in disaster management, weather forecasting, TV, communication. Hence i feel though we are spending on ISRO missions, but this indirectly benefits the poor man. Hence in a long term, i don’t see it to be ill appropriated and see it in as playing a role in development of people & the nation.
Chairwoman:- Ok, so tell me the applications of ISRO? What work does ISRO do for the country? List them out.
Vikram:- ISRO main application is in field of communication, resource monitoring, disaster forewarning & mitigation. Location system like IRNSS.. (Chairwoman interrupted)
Chairwoman:- Ok don’t go into detail, just tell me fast other applications
Vikram:- Crop productivity forecasting, Ground water level monitoring, glaciers monitoring, atmospheric disturbance.( Chairwoman was listing all these and like rapid fire round asking me next applications)
Vikram:- I said i can only remember these many at present.
Chairwoman:- You are missing two important applications, can u think about them?
Vikram:- (I thought for a moment & said)Mam, it has major application in Defence.
Chairwoman:– ok, what about other applications, i asked you two areas.
Vikram:- I am sorry mam, i am not able to recollect any more applications.
Chairwoman:- Isn’t telemedicine done by ISRO?
Vikram:- Yes mam, Telemedicine is also an application. Thank you mam.
(Chairwoman passes the baton to next lady member. Lady member had a sweet smile on her face, a very warm lady)
Lady Member:- your hobby is reading Garfield, what do you like in Garfield?
Vikram:- Mam, Garfield is a comic strip that appears in Times of India, its about a cat. It speaks less less but conveys more. This feature of Garfield i like the most.
Lady Member:- (with a smile on face) But Garfield is a very lazy cat ,isn’t it?
Vikram:- (Smiling) Yes mam, it is a very lazy cat, but when required, it gets more active than its human master whose name is john.
Lady Member:- How did you develop this hobby of reading Garfield?
Vikram:- Mam, i have been reading Garfield since 7 years daily in the newspaper, so gradually i developed a liking to it and now it is a daily ritual for me to read Garfield.
Lady Member:-Why did you opt for geography as an optional?
Vikram:- During the initial stage of my preparation, i was going through the syllabus for choosing optional, i felt a major part of geography syllabus known to me. Moreover geography overlaps in GS papers too, hence i selected Geography as my optional.
Lady Member:- You have written caring for street dogs, what do you do for street dogs?
Vikram:- I feed stray dogs, see to it that they are vaccinated regularly and see that they don’t cause trouble to people of the society. If i happen to spot any dog with an emergency medical need, i arrange to transport it to the nearest veterinary hospital/Ngo working for animal welfare.
Lady Member:-Good, but don’t you think dogs run behind vehicles, bite people, cause rabies etc?
Vikram:- Yes mam, I do agree that stray dogs are a great nuisance to the society as they bite people ,bark and spread rabies. But i think if effectively managed through community dog feeders like me, i think the menace can be effectively managed.
