The present article gives
insights on interview stage of Engineering Services Examination.
First of all, this stage is of
200 marks, so it has the power to either improve your present ranking or if you
are not well above the written cut off, it gives you the opportunity to get atleast
a name in the final merit list. Interview is generally a 20 minutes process.
The interview panel consists of 4
members. The chairman is a member of UPSC. Other three may be any Railway or
Telecom Service officer or some professor. The most important character among
the 4 is the chairman. If you are able to impress him (which happens in the
first 5 minutes) you are certain to get high marks. It is 100 % luck in terms
of which board interviews you there. It happens sometimes one interview board
gives comparatively higher marks than the other.
Interview is the easiest part of
ESE but it is more of a mind game rather than a technical questionnaire. You
can take the interviewers on a ride if you want and make them only ask those
questions which you want to answer. Be clear with your service preferences
order. You should know everything about your hobbies, sports and other
activities you have mentioned in your DAF. So choose them so that very few
questions can be framed on them. That’s how you save your limited energy.
Prepare 2-3 favorite subjects like Digital electronics, satellite
communications etc. Be very specific about your favourite areas. Don’t include
lengthy subjects under this list.
The first question comes from the
chairman. It is the only question where you have no control. From there it all
depends on you where you take them. When a question is asked, don’t answer
abruptly, take 3-4 seconds to think even when it is an easy question. Be cool,
calm and confident and it should reflect in the way you answer. You are an
actor in those 20 minutes so act like a polite officer. Don’t try to outsmart
them or argue with them, it will only reduce your marks. You might not know
some answers, politely say I am not able to recall or I don’t know.
Below are the questions that were
asked in my own interview.
Chairman – Chattar Singh
Do you know about Telegram ?
What were the historical modes of
Communications in India?
What is signal? Give real life
examples.
How can you generate a signal ?
Member 1
What is your favourite subject?
I said Digital Electronics. He
asked very simple questions (I am not writing here). I answered almost all of
them.
One new term he asked. What is
Digital Signalling ? What it is its benefit ?
Member 2
What is green technology ?
What is solar panel ?
What is solar cell ? How it works
?
Define Broadband?
What is net neutrality?
Data speed of 3G, LTE, WiFi, Bluetooth
?
Member 3
What are various types of signals
(Power, Energy Signal etc.)?
What is auto-correlation and
cross correlation function. Physical significance ?
What is transponder?
How Mars Orbiter communicates
with ISRO?
That’s all I had in my mind. As
far as interview is concerned they can ask anything that comes in their mind.
But mind has its limitations. Just remember one thing that your answer to a
question gives rise to another question. So choose your answer and deliberately
include some special terms which you want to be asked. Even if you don’t study
a damn thing for the interview you can still score good enough marks. You just
have to write your own script before you enter the Interview room. If you get
friendly Board it will be smoother. But why take chances. Be prepared for the
worst. Study whatever you think can be asked. Take some mock interviews. Study
current affairs. Do anything but never lose your calm.
