Hobby Related Questions For UPSC Interviews: Insights, Tips, and Common Questions

• You have mentioned food as one of your interests. Cooking or eating?
• Where did you cook?
• Tell me 2 dishes from your region?
• What do you cook?
• Which types of dishes do you like to cook?
• How to cook one of the South Indian dishes?
• Do you think cooking should be gender specific?
• You mentioned cooking non-vegetarian dishes. Don’t you think killing for a meal is not a good idea?
• Name some cuisines which have brought two or more cultures together?
• How do you cook Daal Baati?
• You cook vegetarian, is it only because you eat only veg or something else?
• What dishes are you good at?
• How cooking will help you in Administrative life?
• Kokum made from which part of the tree?
• Prescribe me a balanced diet.
• What dishes are you good at?

• Do you think cooking should be promoted at school level?
• Difference between cooking and Baking?
• Should cooking done by a mother at home be awarded in the form of a salary?
• What can be career prospects in the domain of cooking?
• In a diverse country like India, there’s a wide variety of regional cuisines. Can you share your experience with any particular regional cuisine, and what did you learn from it?
• How can traditional cooking methods and practices contribute to sustainability and a healthier lifestyle?
• Cooking can be seen as an art form. Do you think there are parallels between cooking and other forms of creative expression, such as painting or music?
• In a multicultural and diverse society, how can food and cooking bridge cultural gaps and promote understanding?
• What do you think about the role of nutrition and dietary choices in public health, and how can individuals contribute to better dietary practices through cooking?
• Can you discuss any food-related projects or initiatives you’ve been involved in or would like to support in the future, either for community development or environmental sustainability?

• What kind of books do you read?
• Name some books you have read. Who are their writers?
• Why don’t youngsters now a days read something in vernacular languages?
• How do you choose a book to read? Do you read book reviews?
• What is the difference between book lover and book reader?
• Do you think textbooks in schools have biased historical perspective? If No, Explain, If yes, then what should be the correct way to portray fact in textbooks?
• Name the recent novel you have read. Who is your favourite author? What are the themes of that author’s novels? What are your takeaways from their writing?

• Have you read the novels of Rabindranath Tagore?
• Who is your favorite author?
• Have you read any book on which a movie has been made? Which is better, movie or book?
• How do you choose a book to read?
• Tell me about the recent winner of Booker Prize and about its book?
• Why you read motivational books?
• Have you read the novels of Rabindra Nath Tagore?
• Have you read any books on which movies have been made?
• Do you think historical fiction novels are right? Won’t it reduce the
• genuineness of history?
• Have you read any Chetan Bhagat books? Which ones? Why is he so popular?

• On what topics do you write?
• Why do you write?
• Narrate a poem written by you
• Can you write a 2 line poem on XYZ(Covid etc.) topic?
• Who is your, Favorite poet?
• Which is your favorite poem?
• In which style do you write?
• From where do you derive inspiration for writing?

• Do you think writers should have autonomy even if it hurts the sentiments of some sections of society?
• What can be done for upliftment for writing in vulnerable languages?

• Where have you traveled till now?
• Which is the most memorable place you have been to?
• What are the criteria for the selection of travel destinations?
• “Life is a journey and not a destination “, what do you understand by this?
• Difference between traveler and tourist ?
• How can you use this hobby to boost tourism in your area of administration?
• Tell me how many foreign tourists come to India?? What is the tourist index?
• What is sustainable tourism??
• Tell me your last three travels?
• Famous historical travelers visited in India?
• How to make Indian tourists more responsible?

• What are the prospects of the tourism industry in India?
• Other than economic benefits, what do we get from tourism?
• How can tourism help to bring different cultures together?
• What is ecotourism and What is medical tourism?
• Places you visited recently?
• What is the farthest place have you traveled? Difference between that

place and your hometown?

• Tell us about your experience of traveling in northeast India.
• Which places attract people the most?
• Discuss the ethical concerns surrounding wildlife tourism, particularly in terms of conservation and the well-being of animals. How can these concerns be addressed?

• Difference between Bharatanatyam and Odissi?
• Name all classical dances. Any famous classical dancers?
• Tell us about Natya Shastra.
• Any famous folk dances in your state?
• On hobbies- modern western dancing?
• What styles do you perform?
• Why is classical dance not able to come on the mass level?
• Why are today people not listening to classical music and dances?
• Are classical arts like music and dances dying?
• Contemporary dances in India.
• How did you learn to dance? Did you perform on stage?
• What has dance taught you? Did it help in your exam preparation?
• What is the difference between Indian and western dance styles?

• Name some exponents of Bharatnatyam.
• Similarity between Kuchipudi and Bharatnatayam?
• If you get a letter saying you are an IAS with Mizoram cadre and another letter making you head of a big Dance academy which will you choose and why?
• What is your opinion about reality dance shows? Do they have any negative Implications?
• What kind of dances have you performed? Difference between Kathak and Bharatnatyam.
• Explain your approach to dancing in different genres, styles, or cultural contexts, and how you adapt your performance to suit different audiences.

• Do you sing? What songs do you sing? Any training?
• Can you sing a song for us?
• What qualities do singers possess?
• The recent song which you like? Singer?
• Name some Marathi classical singers?
• What type of songs do you sing? Favorite singer?
• What are Rabindra Sangeet and classical songs?
• What is raag, sur, taan?
• Have you participated in any competition? Have you won any prizes?
• Can you name some important classical music singers that passed away last year?

• If you get a letter saying you are an IAS with Mizoram cadre and another letter making you head of a big Dance academy which will you choose and why?
• What has dance taught you? Did it help in your exam preparation?
• What is the difference between Indian and western dance styles?
• What is your opinion about reality dance shows? Do they have any negative implications?
• Discuss the concept of ‘music as a universal language’ and its ability to transcend linguistic and cultural barriers.
• What challenges do contemporary singers face in maintaining vocal health and longevity in their careers, and how can these challenges be addressed?

• Have you not listened to Carnatic music? Why don’t you prefer it? Any such musical theatre in the surrounding states of Maharashtra? 
• What are the differences between Marathi Sangeet Natak and Yakshagana? Why did Sangeet Natak develop in the 19th century Maharashtra?
• Sufi Music- What are its basic principles? How is it different from Bhakti Music?
• Why do you like old Hindi songs? How do old songs differ from new songs?
• Tell me a few songs from the last decade. 
• Quality of music nowadays improving or worsening?
• Any musical theatre around your city?
• Talk about the Gwalior Gharana of music?
• What is the difference between Sufi music and Bhakti music? Why are they significant even today?
• Do you listen to Ghazal? Who is your favorite singer? What is the difference between Ghazal and Nazm?

• How is Carnatic and western music different?
• What is music therapy?
• What is your opinion about plagiarism and piracy of music?
• Why do you like listening to music? Of what kind?
• What is rap music? What is its history? Why is it so popular?
• How is Carnatic and western music different?
• What is the difference between Ghazal, Qawwali and Bhajan?
• What is the difference between Lyrics and Music?
• What is rap music? What is its history? Why is it so popular?
• “I see you like listening to music”. What kind of music do you listen to?
• How has the music of a particular culture or region influenced your understanding of that culture, and can you provide an example?
• What is the significance of preserving and promoting traditional and folk music in a rapidly changing world?

• What kind of poem do you write?
• How frequently do you write?
• What was the last topic?
• In which language do you like to hear the poems?
• Recite your own poetry.
• Tell us about any ancient Indian poet?
• Tell us any Shayari of Ghalib.
• Does Shayari inspire you?
• So you read and write Shayari. Recite one.

• What is the main difference between poems and poetry?
• What is the difference between Shayari and nazm?
• Who is your favorite poet and why?
• What is the difference between Ghazal and Nazm?
• Role of poets in Indian freedom struggle?
• Tell me your best poem?

• Tell me about your hobby of painting.
• Tell me about warli painting.
• What is different in warli painting? What do the shapes in the warli painting Depict?

• Tell me about the monalisa painting.
• Who was M.F. Hussain? Tell me about him.
• What kind of painting do you like?
• What is the difference between painting and sketching?
• Tell us the names of the famous Indian painters.
• What is the use of painting?
• Why don’t you opt for it as a profession?

• Your hobby is cartoon sketching. Name some famous cartoonists of India.
• Your hobby is cartoon sketching. There are instances when certain people are depicted in a derogatory way? What do you think?
• Which is the best painting you like? Why?
• What is miniature painting?
• Difference between Warli paintings and Pattacharita paintings?
• What is to be done to promote Indian painting?

• What did you get from your hobby coin collection?
• What is numismatics?
• Should we be collecting coins in the digital age when we can store images?
• How many coins do you have?
• Which is your oldest coin , describe it -denomination , composition and its period.
• Can you provide an example of a rare coin or coin set that holds a special place in your collection and your reasons for valuing it.

• What do you understand from coins ?
• In history of India coin reflected the economic conditions of various rulers and their kingdom. Name few rulers and their policy towards coins.
• In your view, how can coin collectors contribute to the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage in their local communities?
• How can numismatics be integrated into educational programs to engage students and foster an interest in history?

• Name two changes in present Indian cricket culture to make it win the World cup?
• Can BCCI give up 25% of its revenue to support other sports? Will India win the world cup?
• Name 3 pace bowlers for the world cup ?
• What is the story behind the Ashes trophy?
• Should politics interfere in the management of cricket?
• Banning Pakistani Players to play cricket in India is a good step?
• What is your view on women’s cricket? Who is the women cricketer who made a difference in the semifinal in women’s world cricket?
• Regarding broadcasting rights of cricket. No matches on DD channel, what about poor people?
• Is better talent being left out during the cricket team selection?
• What are the zones for cricket at the national level?
• Your hobby is to play and watch cricket? Playing is fine, don’t you think watching the game which is already fixed is a waste of time?
• What changes need to be there in the cricket body and anything you feel should be done to utilize it?
• Do you watch the IPL? Is it helping improve Indian cricket? Don’t you think it is monopolizing cricket?
• Should cricketers be allowed for advertising?
• You are a sportsperson. The head of IOC has said that no sport except Cricket can survive in India without government funds. Do you agree?

• Have you heard of “Duckworth Lewis”? How it calculates a target for the team batting second?
• The Indian cricket team is on a winning spree and people say it’s because of the captain, What do you think?
• Tell me whether a batsman can be stumped out on no ball?
• How many no balls are allowed in the over?
• Who won the recent IPL?
• Name the Players involved in fixing scandal?
• What is the Lodha committee? What are its recommendations?
• What are the issues in the BCCI?
• Why is cricket only famous that much and not other sports.?
• Do you Play cricket? Batting or Bowling? So what is a Yorker?
• What is chinamen Bowling? What law applies to bawling? What is in-swing and out-swing?
• Tell me about field positions in cricket.
• Should India and Pakistan play cricket?
• Compare Tendulkar with Kohli? Choose one from them?
• Do you think cricket is encroaching on other sports?
• Why is cricket so famous? We were world champions in both Cricket and Hockey. So, why didn’t we focus on Hockey? Why is it not famous?

• Who is your favorite footballer?
• What is the full form of FIFA? Who is its chairman? Which country does it belong to?
• Do you know the signature move of Pele?
• What is the standard size of a football ground?
• Tell me about Ronaldo and Messi.
• Where is the next FIFA World Cup? Where was the last and who was the winner?
• What is the science behind football manufacturing? How many hexagons and pentagons are there in football?
• So why is India not doing well in football compared to other sports.?

• What is the current rank of India in football? Name some Indian footballers.
• Do tall players possess any inherent advantage in football? Your position in the team?
• What is the Hand of God?
• What is the difference between Football, soccer and Rugby?
• So your hobby is football. Why is India not able to win in the olympics? If the infrastructure is not there in rural areas how is the north east performing well?

• You play badminton. Singles or doubles? What are the differences in services in singles and doubles?
• You play badminton, I have come from Africa, I don’t know anything about
• Badminton, I want to play badminton, how will you teach me about Badminton?
• What is the status of badminton in India? Why is China dominating?
• Tell us about the Premier Badminton League. Who was the winner in the last league?
• Why is the racquet is oval-shaped?
• At which level did you play badminton? What is the contribution of Pullella Gopichand?
• Who is Prakash Padukon?

• How will you prepare a badminton court? What are the dimensions of the court?
• Where did badminton originate? Are you sure it was in the UK? What if I said badminton originated in India?
• What are the recent changes in badminton rules? Which series has recently started?
• Famous player of badminton in India?
• What  is a fly by wire system?
• What is the Badminton League(PBL)? What are its uses for Indian badminton?
• Why has badminton grown very rapidly in recent years?
• For indoor, is there any limit for the ceiling?
• Name other famous Indian badminton players?

• Who is No 1 tennis player now?
• What’s so great about Federer even now ?
• Why is tennis not that popular in India ? What challenges does it face?
• Do you think politics in the apex tennis association is affecting its development?
• Tell me your favorite player? And why? And in women’s tennis?
• What is a foot fault? What are the names of the different types of lines on a tennis court?
• Are Indians physically weak for games like lawn tennis?
• What are grand slams?

• Why do you think is the best Indian singles player?
• How would you promote lawn tennis in India?
• Who is your favourite player?How many times has he won a Grand Slam?
• Who has won maximum number of Grand Slam?
• Name the major grand slams and the type of courts ?
• Why is lawn tennis not very famous in India

• Why Chess boards have 64 square Blocks?
• How many queens can be in this game?
• Tell us about FIDE.
• Name any chess player in India. What is his world rating? Who is at number at present?
• Name some attacking openings in chess.
• Where did the game originate?
• What is castling?
• What is zugzwang?

• Who is the youngest grandmaster of chess in India ?
• What are the rules for a a pawn?
• Explain the concept of ‘blindfold chess’ and the cognitive challenges it presents to players. Have you ever attempted it?
• Share your thoughts on the mental and psychological aspects of chess, such as concentration, resilience, and the ability to handle pressure.

• How did you become interested in bird watching, and how has it influenced your perspective on the natural world?
• Bird watching sites in Mumbai?
• How many bird species are there in Mumbai?
• How many bird species can you identify?
• Difference between kite , falcon and eagle?

• Mention some prominent personalities and their contribution in this field?
• Who was Salim Ali?
• Can you describe the role of bird watching in promoting ecotourism and rural livelihoods in regions rich in avian diversity?
• Share your most memorable bird watching experience. What made it special, and what did you learn from it?

• You have done BSc. Agri and your hobby is seed collection. It’s very interesting. How many seeds have you collected? Which seeds?
• How do you store bajra seeds?
• How long can the seeds be viable?
• What are orchids? Where are they found? Are they found in western Ghat? Are they epiphytic? Parasitic? Tell me about the BT cotton issue.
• What are your views on GM crops?

• Does India have any research institute inclusively for pulses?
• How the use of traditional and locally adapted seed varieties can contribute to sustainable and organic farming practices?
• What role can seeds play to maintain  genetic diversity in plant populations?
• What is the role of seed banks in preserving plant genetic diversity, and how does this relate to India’s biodiversity conservation efforts?”

• Who is your favourite actor?
• Which kind of movies do you watch?
• Artistic freedom(film ban, protests) scenario going to worse or better?
• Tell us different TV serials that you have watched ?Who was the director of the Mahabharat series ? What difference do you find between Indian TV serials and English TV serials ?
• You have watched many English serials. Why do people mostly focus on English serials ?
• Have you seen Bahubali ? What is your take on it ?
• What is the difference between Bollywood and Hollywood movies ?
• Impact of TV on society ?
• What are positives and negatives of watching crime dramas?
• Which comedy TV shows do you watch? On which channel are they aired?
• Who is the owner of Star network?
• What is your favorite movie? Why? Who was the director of that movie?
• Which is the recent movie you saw ?
• Tell me the changes that you have seen in the film industry from women’s
• perspective.
• Tell me a very famous movie on cricket which went till the Oscars.
• What is the impact of movies like Dangal in our society, especially in your
• area?
• What do you think about censorship in movies?.
• What are the differences between Bollywood and Tollywood?
• What do you learn from social documentaries?
• Have you watched any recent Oscars winning movie? Tell me little older ones too.

• Tell me the story of Titanic ? Where was the Titanic built? Tell me the name of the actors of the movie.
• Tell me what benefits the cinema has other than earning foreign exchange to India?
• How do you think the film certification process should be improved to ensure that movies are not harmful to society?
• How do you think the film certification process should be improved to ensure that movies are not harmful to society?
• What role does regional cinema play in preserving cultural diversity, and can it compete with the dominance of Bollywood?
• If you were a film critic, how would you evaluate a film’s quality and impact? What criteria would you consider, and why?
• Explain how movies contribute to the construction of gender roles and stereotypes. Can cinema be a platform for challenging these stereotypes?
• What is your take on the ongoing debate about the representation of minority communities in Indian cinema? How can inclusivity and diversity be improved?
• How has the advent of streaming platforms transformed the film industry? What are the implications for traditional movie theaters?

• I also see that you teach “underprivileged”. What kind of underprivileged children? Did you also try to enroll them in schools? What else did you do? Did you teach them as well?
• What according to you is any one shortcoming of the RTE Act?
• Why do you like teaching? Which subject do you like to teach? Which age group?
• Have you come across a complaint that teachers don’t understand the psychology of children completely?
• Your one hobby is teaching slum children, how do you get time? There is a huge slum population, so how do you select the slum in which you teach?
• Education- ASER report,what is it? What is the recent controversy?
• What are the teaching techniques for effective learning?
• Why is it considered as a noble profession?
• What is the difference between University and UPSC teaching methodology?

• How do you keep your students well-behaved?
• When is teacher’s day? Who is the personality associated with?
• If you are asked to design a curriculum from 1st to 8th standard how would it be?
• What measures can be taken to attract and retain high-quality teachers in India’s education system?
• What are your views on the impact of standardized testing on the education system? How can it be balanced with holistic learning?
• How can technology and digital resources enhance the quality of education in India?
• What do you think are the key challenges in teacher training and professional development in India?
• Explain the advantages and disadvantages of online and remote learning, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic?

• So, your hobby is photography. Is there any kind of disruptive technology in the field of photography? First tell me what is disruptionist technology? So, is there any kind of such technology in photography?
• Do you print your photographs?
• What is the difference between film photography and digital photography?
• What are the changes in images/pictures due to digital photography?
• You have photography as an interest. Do you know what depth of field?
• How do you control it? What do you like to click? What’s the depth of field you use?

• What is the difference between SLR and DSLR ? What is Al Servo? 
• Define Bokeh? What type of photography do you do? Are you Paparazzi? 
• Who is Daniel Berehulak? Does a picture destroy or create life?
• What is  ‘visual literacy‘ and its importance in an age inundated with images. How can it be promoted in education?
• What is the cultural and societal impact of the ‘selfie’ phenomenon and its implications for self-image and mental health?
• In an age of deepfake technology, how can we ensure the authenticity and trustworthiness of photographs as a medium of truth?

• So your hobby is language learning? How many languages do you know?
• Since your mother tongue is Tamil , which language did you find easy to learn: Hindi or Malayalam?
• What is your view on the linguistic reorganization of states?
• Should the present demands be allowed?
• What is the difference between language and literature?
• Where does grammar fit in ? Language or literature?
• Do you know any foreign language?
• Can you name some languages which have roots in sanskrit?
• What is your view on “Hindi as a national language”?

• Similarity between Kannada and Telugu?
• Why Sanskrit is losing its charm?
• Impact of LPG on languages?
• In your opinion, what challenges do language learners face in a multicultural and multilingual country like India?
• Describe a cultural exchange experience where language played a crucial role in bridging cultural gaps and fostering mutual understanding.
• What are the most effective strategies for adult language learners, and how can language learning be encouraged among adults?
• What are the most effective strategies for adult language learners, and how can language learning be encouraged among adults?