Civil Services Exam Board Interview 2011-12 – IAS Topper Ramachandran-115th Rank

UPSC:Civil Services Exam Board Interview 2011-12 – IAS Topper Ramachandran-115th Rank 

An Exclusive Interview 

NAME: RAMACHANDRAN R         

Chair: Mr. I.M.G.Khan                   

ROLL NO: 277423    

          

DATE OF INTERVIEW: 25/4/2012 - Forenoon session

Chairman: Come on Ramachandran,sit.. you have a good physic...do you go for gym?

Me: (Smiling) no sir..i haven’t gone for a gym..

C:  Then, you must be going for walking or jogging, right?

Me: (Smiling) yes sir, I do...

C: where would you go?  In the nearest park right?

Me: yes sir.

C: How big is the park, very big or very small?

Me: Adequately big sir...

C: what do you watch in the park?

Me: birds, trees, flowers sir.

C: what kind of birds do you see, name some?

Me: sparrows, mynahs and cuckoos, etc sir.

C: Then what kind of flowers do you see?

Me: roses, seasonal flowers from the trees now, sir.

C: what kind of trees do you find?

Me: neem tree, crotons.... uhhhmmm (thinking so badly for tree names)

C: Is croton a tree?

Me: sorry sir, its not a tree... nothing comes to my mind at this moment sir...

C: no problem. Tell me what are the measures taken to conserve trees in India?

Me:  sir, we have framed a National Forest Policy, 1988, we have implemented programmes like Agro-forestry, Social or Community forestry, and recently we have created CAMPA- compensatory Afforestation Management and Protection Authority...

C: what is COMPENSATORY Afforestation?

Me: sir, for the developmental projects and for the need of timber, we have to clear forest lands and fell some trees. They must be replaced somewhere in order to maintain the minimum number of forest cover. Thus the loss is compensated in a sustainable manner, sir.

MEMBER-1:

Your optionals are geography and psychology; I would like to know about your atmosphere.  Can you explain me?

Me: sure sir. Of the geographical pentahedral i.e., lithosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, humanosphere and atmosphere, this atmosphere is very dynamic. It has different layers like troposphere, stratosphere.....

M-1: ( Intrrupting in the middle) Where is ozone?

 Me: sir, it is in the lower layers of stratosphere and just above tropopause.

M-1: What’s ozone hole?

Me: Due to co2 emissions into the atmosphere, the harmful gases lead to the depletion and formation of a hole in this layer..(Actually it should have been CFC- chloro fluro part of carbon EMISSIONS)

M-1: What are GHGs?

Me: CO2, nitrogen dioxide (actually, its nitrous oxide)... etc. Only these gases come to my mind now sir.

M-1: Is water vapour a GHG?

Me: yes sir... water vapour is also a GHG.

M-1: In the Power generation plants, water vapour is released into the atmosphere. Does this contribute to GHG emissions?

Me: sir in these Plants, steam is used to run the turbines to generate power. Then it is cooled into liquid form and then only released out in streams and water bodies. Even if a minimal amount of water vapour is released into the atmosphere, the hydrological cycle will take care of it. It’s a GHG because it has the ability to hold heat in it.

M-1:  What are the effects of ozone hole?

Me:  It will result in the entry of harmful UV radiations directly into the atmosphere leading to chlorosis in plants i.e., yellowing of chlorophyll pigments in leaves, skin cancer in animals and man, melting of glaciers contributing to the increase in global sea levels too, sir.

M-1: What are the rays from the sun that reach the earth’s atmosphere?

 Me: sorry sir, cosmic rays reach us but, I am not aware of any specific rays from sun...(Probably, he might have had solar flares in mind)

MEMBER-2:

SO, since 2006, you have not joined any job?

Me: sir, I have done my graduation in Law after my Zoology while simultaneously giving my attempts since then. After my law, I have dedicated myself fully for this exam from the last year.

(Chairman acknowledged it by saying the member-2 that I have done a graduation in law after 2006...)

Member2:  well you are a law student; can you explain land acquisition..?

Sure sir. LA is the taking over of the lands by the government, be it revenue or forest land, for the purpose of DEVELOPMENTAL activities by providing appropriate  reparation(Compensation) to the people who were resettled by the same.

What about the present condition of the act?

Now the rehabilitation and resettlement part must be preceded before the onset of the project. There is also an environmental aspect in it. Proper EIA must be done and also the gram sabha’s consent is mandatory sir..

What is land tenancy?

Sir, the landless farmers rent the land for a particular season by paying the rent in cash or in grain form. This time period is considered as a tenancy.

You are the co-ordinator of tsunami rehabilitation program in your college. What is that factor that contributed to the damage?

Me: sir, before the onset of tsunami, the sea receded back first. It actually attracted people to go towards the sea to watch this phenomenon with surprise. Even after the onset of tsunami waves, they got wonder stuck without running to safer places... this is because of the LACK OF AWARENESS about these deathly waves.

Do you think that the government was prepared for it?

No sir, even the government is unprepared to it. We never expected tsunami in Indian Ocean region. Excepting the technical people, general populace is grossly unaware of it...

What are the measures taken by the government after this event?

After 2004 disaster, the Parliament enacted a national disaster management act, 2005 which provides for a national, state and district level authorities, proper disaster management plans for various contingencies. National disaster response force teams are positioned along the coastal areas.

Which institution is responsible for alerting such events?

Me: Sir, it’s INDIAN NATIONAL CENTRE FOR OCEAN INFORMATION SERVICES at Hyderabad that has placed DEEP OCEAN ASSESSMENT AND REPORTING OF TSUNAMI buoys which deducts the sea waves and sends radio signals to this centre. This centre in turn assesses the signals and alerts the coastal districts immediately. Then the NDRF teams are set in motion and proper protocols are followed.

Usually these plans are in papers. They are not implemented. For example, there are fire extinguishers that never work when there is a fire...

Me: sir, the act itself provides for the periodical review of the preparedness plans, to conduct mock drills along the coastal areas and also to create awareness among the people.

Member-3:

Which island contributed to the development of a theory by a nature-biologist?

Me: Mam, its Galapagos Island that belongs to Ecuador in Pacific Ocean, visited by Charles Robert Darwin that led to his thesis: On the Origin of Species by means of Natural Selection...

Well, who is the Austrian scientist who also worked on natural selection?

(I waited for a moment, Madam herself told it was Mendel.)I acknowledged by: yes mam, its Gregor John Mendel.

What about your taglines?

Me: Mam,  taglines are easy to remember and are attractive and they follow a product , a company or an organisation.

Why do you collect them?

I just appreciate how aptly a tagline reflects the vision and the mission of the company or a product, mam.

Could you name some taglines?

Yes mam. Suzlon wind energy company’s tagline: Powering a Greener Tomorrow. This clearly reflects its vision mam. Then, Jeypee group’s: No Dream Too Big. They now venture into all areas, mam...

Member-4:

Who was the person who contributed to the development of science in India?

Me: sir, there are many. I am fixed to mention one...

Its Nehru...

Me: oh...yes sir... (With gesticulations acknowledging Nehru’s contributions...)

What is CSR?

Sir, the commercial enterprises are earning huge profits from the society. They must be in a position to shed some of their profits by giving back to the society. This is csr sir...

CHAIRMAN SIR:     RAMACHANDRAN,             you have done some social service before. What comes to your mind when it comes to service???

Me: sir, If I am blessed with something which is not there with others and if they are in dire need of it, I must be in a position to share them with them. This SHARING part, I think, is that what it means by service.

You mentioned about those who are in need. Who are those needy? Are they the rural poor...???

Me: sir, needy needs no region, no gender, no identity.. They can be urban or rural, poor or rich. The point is they must be in badly in need of something..

What are the necessities in a bureaucrat?

Me: sir, he or she must be neutral, balanced and ready to work. Not merely do the duties but also work with a sense of responsibility.

Chairman: (sighed to share some more...)

Sir, he or she must be compassionate to the people who are in need. Listen to them and act flexibly...

Chairman: So, you will break the laws....?

Me: (negating by my gestures immediately) sir, I didn’t mean to break laws..

Chairman: (breaking before I explain further) hum.. all the best.. Your interview is over......

Thank you sir... thank you madam... thank you sirs.......