UPSC Interview Transcript 32: Shukla Sir Board / Economics Optional

PWOnlyIAS December 19, 2023 06:07 1339 0

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UPSC Interview Transcript 32: Shukla Sir Board / Economics Optional

#Shukla Sir Board / Economics Optional / Masters in Economics

Board: Retd Gen Raj Shukla Sir

Date of Interview: 3rd Feb

Background: CA, MA in Eco, IDAS

Optional: Economics

Hobbies: Iyengar Yoga, Ghoomar Dance, Reading Books

Others: NSS, Blood Donation camp, Mock parliament (MHRD minister)

Chairperson	So you are CA and IDAS currently, till what time will your training go on? So tell me broadly about the Finance of the world? How this is changing? So you say with Russia Ukraine war, Germany & Japan are increasing defence expenditure. in which area do you see these changes? (Was a long monologue, could remember the gist) So will it be more in platforms and weaponry or new-age tech like AI and drones? Ukraine drones are being used for something – I said yes sir, New-age technologies are also being focused. Something on bureaucracy focused on traditional setups like going strictly by rules. What is ur view? In government, L1 (low-cost model) model is followed, but sometimes it creates problems for the quality of defence procurement, what is ur view? GFR (General Financial Rules) are there. But FM is easily able to use discretion under the rules but many are not. Why? (The question was long and since I didn’t have a detailed idea about GFR, I said I needed to look into it).
Member 1	So you were MHRD minister while participating in mock Parliament. If you are secretary to MHRD what 3 measures will you take? (Bridging learning gaps, teacher training, research and vocational training) How is teacher training? In PG, you might be having a developmental economy, I said No. Then what was your favourite subject? And which theory you like the most ( Macroeconomics+ Keynesian model). For inflation control, it is said that monetary policy is more effective in developed countries and fiscal policy in developing countries. Why?
Member 2	You did your class 10th in Village and then 12 in Udaipur. What difference could you see in village schools and Schools in Udaipur? So you stayed in a hostel. Did your parents allow you that time? Apart from Ghoomar which dance do you do? When is Ghoomar performed? What do you mean by Human rights? Where are they mentioned? How HR are different from FRs? Name FRs mentioned in constitution. Why is there a need for separate FR to protect minorities? Which is the last book you have read? What is it about? What are the moral lessons in it? (I mention 3000 stitches by Sudha Murthy and said through various short stories she gives moral lessons) Out of these 3 moral lessons which one do you reflect the most?
Member 3	If you have to convince a foreigner that India is the mother of democracy then how will you do it? There was a sign of India being a democracy in past. Do you remember? Discussion on One Nation One election. Can you name some female governors?
Member 4	Why does Japan have a culture of discipline, sanitation etc but we lack it? (I said value-based education from my limited reading ) He said we also read about many values in books but what is lacking (I said application at ground level- like social works in schools)?