IAS 2008 Interview Transcripts #5

So came the morning of 28th as i got up a bit late just to give myself perfect rest ! Saw the end of 3rd days play of Ind-Nz match. I reached UPSC at 12.45 just to find that i would be allowed to enter the Hallowed UPSC premises by 1.15. Just as we were registering ourselves at gate i came to know i would be first to be interviewed.

We went to the waiting room for candidates & were alloted 1st group with 5 guys in that ,We exchanged a few pleasantries & at 2.30 a clerk came & said we were in Mr. Roy Paul’s board , I didn’t knew much about board as other fellows were happy to get his board which i later realized.

I entered the chamber at around 2.35 and greeted 4 members ( 2 gentleman & 2 ladies )

CM: Mr. Piyush Yadav , have a seat.

P: Thank you, sir

CM: So you are a Doctor , Have you worked before ??

P: Yes sir, I ‘m Still In Job .

CM: Ok , So you are still In Job , Where & in which department ??

P: Sir, I’m Working in AIIMS, In medicine department ..

M1 intervened as he asked– is it All India Institute , I Nodded .

CM: So , Who is the founder of AMU and why he founded it ?

P: Sir syed Ahmed Khan , He founded Mohammaden Anglo oriental College mainly for the upliftment of educational cause of Muslims ,(He interrupted “For Muslims” ), i replied that as Muslims were educationally quite backward so he tried to improve upon that ..

CM: Why is Clinical research activities in India in bad shape ??

P: I started with the Infrastructural problems ,( He interrupts saying other than “infrastructure”) I enlisted a few ones like lack of funds, lack of awareness among patients , again pointed out infrastructural facilities in hospitals,lack of proper remuneration for doctors.

CM: What shd. be done to improve the situation ?

P: Sir, There can be private involvement, like big pharma companies can be involved, i talked about incentives to patients who enrolled for research like paying there traveling bills, Proper information to patients about what they are undergoing to allay there apprehensions etc.

CM: Why doctors are not interested in research in India & what can be done ??

P: (I skipped to 2nd part & said ) Sir , research activities integrated at UG level can be of help, as happening in AIIMS where UG students are encouraged to take on projects & thus some of them later develop interest in it.

He then asked M1 to proceed, his accent was difficult for me & i atleast 3 times asked him to repeat the question ! !

M1: So as u r from medicine i will continue on that aspect, I said Sure sir .

M1: What do you do in AIIMS ?

P: I talked about my work & what all i do in around 4 sentences. At end of my explanation he was discontented ( His pitch was low & accent was out of my grasp) That added to my & even his woes ! !

M1: Have you heard of P53 ?

P: Sir, it is a oncogene ( I was not very confident )

M1: What is the cause of Lung cancer ?

P: i replied that it is due to Enviornmental factors & Genetic factors , ( even knowing that smoking is a major cause, i considered it thought it would come in enviornmental factor ! !) & various other factors too .. he was not satisfied

M1: How does it affect

P: I replied about it .( here i could not understood whether to talk him considering him a doctor & use technical jargon )

M1: What Improvements would you do if you become health secretary ! ! ?? ( Music to my ears )

P: Sir, Our system can be improved significantly if we look into primordial & preventive aspects of diseases that would serve us in 2 ways as that would save much of money as we incur on treatment part & also would take care of the Human potential that is wasted ..

He intervened & said How ??

I continued saying sir this can be done by proper nutritional interventions, proper sanitation facilities, providing pure water.. ( here i killed myself by talking about nutrition )

M1: (He fired a Salvo) Tell me about Nutrition security ??

P: I talked about Vitamins , proteins ,, he interrupted & said ” i ‘m not talking about food security , i continued with carbohydrates & protein ,, (he was not satisfied & i was thinking where he hack has he stuck )

M1: (He continued) Have you heard about Amartya sen’s concept of Nutritional security, & all he talks about Protein malnutrition etc.

P: I talked a bit about PEM , he was not interested.

Then passed the buck to 1st lady (M2) - women Activist ! !

M2: Major health problems ??

P: I talked about rural problems , (she insists on problem related to women) , I said that Problems women face during pregnancy & Problems like Anemia, lack of institutional deliveries etc., (again uttered a word WOMEM EMPOWERMENT )

M2: Have you heard about 73rd & 74th AA ?

P: I started with decentralization ( tried to divert it , Yet again she said its relation to women) continued that it empowers panchayats to look after health of villages & esp. women by arranging medical facilities, looking for pregnant mothers, providing them with various facilities,, & the said that Panchayats have the power to recruit doctors .( She asked me to Explain it ) I said that they cannot recruit on there own but can recommend any doctor for PHC to DM , who can appoint doctors on AD-Hoc basis..

M2: Have you worked at any PHC, tell me about the most common diseases prevelant there, Your experience ( 3-4 ques. in a go )

P: I worked in a PHC near Aligarh , The most common diseases there were Tuberculosis, Gastrointestinal diseases & Upper Respiratory problems.

M2: How about cancer patients ?

P: Madam ,we could not detect cancer patients there & if we had suspicion we would refer them to Higher centres.

Somewhere in between she asked me about Golden Rice, I initially flunked talking about its association with Bacillus thurigensis, she again said “RICE” — I got back to my senses & said sorry for earlier mistake & said that it is about Fortification of Rice with some viatmin ( I cudnot remember it was Vitamin A )

Now was the turn of 3rd lady

M3: So , You belong to a place called Ashokangar . Tell me something about that place ?

P: Madam its a district headquarters in MP Famous as an agricultural hub .. She interrupted & said which all crops they grow there, I said its Wheat & Soyabean. I continued that it has a tehsil called Chanderi , which is famous for a Fort & Chanderi Saree’s . (Now she becomes interested)

M3: So what is famous about Chanderi Sarees ?

P: Madam , its mainly about the handwork , ( She interrupted what they are made of ) Madam Silk ,( Not confident) She added that Silk & Silk mixed with Cotton is used.

M3: Is Silk grown there ?

P: Madam , As far as i know its not , to which she added that i comes way from south .She asked whether i visited any Shops to which i said i replied that i have been to shops , not to handlooms .

M3: Ok, tell me Something about Bangladesh ,anything you feel good about , Hope you are comfortable ( Now for the first time question from my strong area , i thought that this should be my Sixer ! ! )

P: Yes madam I’m Comfortable & can i talk about BDR Mutiny ? (She said to yes) & i continued that it started mainly as a discontent due to salaries & other packages , but it has more to do about the prosecution of Razakars & Islamists in BNP & even the chief of Jamaat-e- islami Mati-ur Rehman was to be tried . I talked about ISI involvement & about intention to destabilise Hasina govt.

M3: so why is India got Jittery about it ?

P: Madam , we share a common porous border with BD , About Terrorism angle & Indian security concerns in wake of Unstable BD.

M3: What is Accountability ?

P: Madam, say there is a Project then , when it is sanctioned ,, after that the implementing authority is held accountable regarding the quality of work , any delays to project etc.

M3: So it just about projects ?

P: No Madam ,it was just an example , it relates to govt. schemes & govt. even started Outcome Budgeting for that ( i unsuccessfully tried her to take to Economy)

M3: How Accountability can be enforced ?

P: Madam , it is done by Govt. agencies , apart from that various acts like RTI can help , Apart from that Community check like in NREGA can work ,( she said SOCIAL AUDIT & said Have you heard of CAG ?) I said yes & talked about Role of CAG & Exemplified it by Recent CAG report regarding BRT & CAG rapping to MCD on condition of roads ( I don’t know how useful this would. have been )

M3: How it affects the Govt. ?

P: Madam, it casts Bad Light on political party which is in power

Now M4 come into picture

M4: What are the problems with Blood bank system in India ??

P: I talked about Various problems like lack of awareness, proper infrastructural facilities, Reluctant donors , Role of professional donors etc.

M4: How would you improve on it as an Administrator ?

P: Sir , we can allow accredited private players in this field, apart from that Awareness can be generated among people that donating blood can be useful & that blood deficit does not happen as it forms soon . Improving hospital facilities ,

M4: What are the problems with Private Blood banks & Proffesional Donors ??

P: Sir, private blood banks sometimes donot rigorously checks the blood & do just basic investigations , thus creating problems , Apart from that they work with profit Motive, So what could be done is that Monetary compensation for blood donation shd. be done away with & Donors can be given some nutritional supplement . I also elaborated about the gfact that these days in Hospital If a patient needs blood , his attendent has to donate blood first .This mechanism is good .

M4: What about Red-Cross ?

P: Sorry Sir ,Red-cross was not associated in my College,( he laughed at it ) & asked me to tell about Red-cross ? I said that this organization is involved in the blood donation camps world around & also looks at War Zones ( i cud have been more elaborative on this )

M4: He asked for any Govt. health scheme ?

P: I said sir, about Insurance based schemes, (He nodded ) I started talking about Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana, he Interrupted & said Its for Urban middle class, & about Tax benefits that govt, is providing. I said sorry sir , i dont Know .

He saw the watch & said this is it

CM: Ok, Mr. Piyush , that is it

I got up , Thanked the Board

CM: So then best of Luck

I again thanked to CM & moved out & then a Funny inciden happened as i cam eout there was the next guy sitting there & as i went to wish him luck he waved his Hand from Far , saying No No , dont come to me , Its not allowed,I smiled & Moved .

There were few more ques. which i could not remember,Apart from that i had eye contact with the person who asked ques. , i could not engage everyone, which i felt was a bit difficult.

My Thoughts abt it

My interview lasted around 33-35 mins. Overall an Average interview but Board was very cordial , No negative questions were asked & I enjoyed the interview, Although I thought contentwise it was average, I didnt expect that they wd go in detail on my background , I was expecting 20% ques. on it but it exceeded . My strong areas were hardly touched .