My CAPF Interview Experience
Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF)
Assistant Commandant (AC)
Amol Madhukar Patil
UPSC CAPF(2018) AIR 39
Interview Marks: 102
Panel: B B Vyas
Total 4 panel members
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Interview was held in the morning Shift I was the second one to enter. Fellow person helped me to open the big wooden door and I looked inside straight towards Chairman of the panel. After walking some distance I came near the table and I said"Good Morning Sir" By that time I had greeted with a smile to all other members.
Guidance of Sanjeev Kabeer sir at Career Quest Academy gave me true impression of interview panel. Panel member sitting in front of you are scholars and humble too. They want to know your personality and they are open to talk. I had a respect for all of them and I always felt that it is a great opportunity to sit and interact with them whatever may be the outcome.
Chairman asked me to sit to which I obliged and said thank you.
Chairman threw the first question.
Amol u r an IT engineer tell me amount size of IT industry.
I knew our IT industry is big but I did not know the exact size of it so I smiled and said "Sorry Sir, I do not know the exact size of our IT industry in terms of numbers." Chairman and other
members did not make the environment uncomfortable.
Rather chairman smiled and said Tell me whatever u know...
Ans: Sir We are known for our IT industry and service sector contributes to around 65 we have IT professionals like sundar pichai heading google...Bangalore and Pune are known for IT industry.
Chairman waited for some more time may be because he wanted me to say something more. But I was done from my side.
So he asked the next question about data protection
Ans: I said it is important to protect data. RBI has given guidelines about storing bank data in the country itself and a committee was also formed in this regard. Since Right to privacy is a fundamental right now it is important to protect data and steps should be taken.
What is start up?
Small newly formed industry by a group of entrepreneurs who are working towards innovation and it helps in solving problems faced by our country. I said it also has employment generation potential. I mentioned that Govt has started Start up India scheme to promote start up ecosystem.
Q) 2014 u hv passed out, 5 years what hv u been doing since then ?
I said I am preparing for competitive exams since 2014.
To which he replied five long years ?
I said Yes sir it took me 5 years to reach at this level And I have learnt a lot in this journey.
Member 2 Lady: Did u sit for placement ?
No mam...i had backlog in 3rd year. And i was not allowed to sit in companies. But I sat in few companies which had no criteria. I wanted to go for competitive exams since my high-school and college so I did not sit for placements.
As you always wanted to go for competitive exam then why didn't you take humanity subject?
I said Mam at that time my parents took the decisions. In Fact they were guided by other people to take decision. But after that I took my decision to go for competitive exam
And engineering has provided me an aptitude and better confidence about career.
She asked me what is my back up plan?
I said I have not made any back up plan. But right now I am providing educational content to a website and earning money.
She asked why didn't you mention it in DAF ?
I said sorry mam it is not a formal employment but a freelancing work I do to stay in Delhi as
expenses are quite high here.
She asked So you are earning and preparing as well ?
I replied Yes Mam. (I think Chairman understood that im working with coaching he non verbally told mam not to ask counter questions)
She again jumped to earlier discussion and asked about my gap.
But for 5 years you are preparing do you regret ??
Ans: No mam It took 5 years for me and i have learnt a lot. When I went to engineering I did not know how to start a computer but now I am a computer engineer. i did not know difference between president and prime Minister...I have learnt a lot I hv no regret.
Now I am in a better position to guide daughters and sons of my brothers and sisters.
This may be 5 years for me but it can make a generational difference for them.
Since I mentioned that I did not know the difference between Prime minister and president she asked me what is wrong with our education system, What should be done in our education system?
I replied: Government is doing everything possible and also we have NEP coming up but I
would like to focus on the role of teacher as my father, mother, sister, brother in law are teachers.
I gave example of my sister. In her village she is teaching to 20 students. She is motivated
teacher and now those students who were going to private schools in town place are taking
admission in a village school where she is teaching. Students are no longer using bad words (I didn't use the word slang intentionally) she has also organized ceremony on 26th January.Teacher can bring the change So we need to focus on teachers role.
Next question: Tell me 1 quality in u ?
Ans: Only 1 ? ....mam If I come to know some weakness in me then I give my best to get
stronger in that area. And I will make sure it doesn't remain my weakness forever.
She asked Why did u take so much time ?
Mam I was thinking Should I tell a single quality like honesty or should I elaborate
Member 2: (Sir)
Bcz somewhere I mentioned I have friends serving in CAPF he asked there ranks.
I told him that I have 6/7 friends they're in CISF, SSB, CRPF etc.
Rank?
I thought rank numbers so I said should I tell all of them
I said rank 3 in 2013..
He said no no tell me their designation
I said sorry sir they are all assistant commandant.
Can u tell me ranks in ascending order?
I made mistake in 1 place
He asked me to write it on paper
I wrote with 1 mistake.
He told me correct rank and I smiled and said ok thank you sir.
(It is ok to make mistake I think. But it is not ok to ignore their correction.)
He then asked me how do you recognize that he is a assistant Commandant ?
With sense of pride in my eyes and my left hand forefinger pointing towards my right shoulder I answered that he has three stars on his shoulder. (I dreamt of having them on my shoulders too!)
Then he asked What's happening in IRAN?
I said Iran is breaching stock pile limit of uranium now. Few days back US Iran came close to war as Iran shot down the drone and President Trump recently Twitted that he will not attack.
What is India's role ?
We want peace in the region and peace is prerequisite of prosperity.
What is India's stake ?
I told him the little GS knowledge we all have. We are importing 80% of our required crude
mainly from the Gulf and we have huge diaspora staying in this region.
He wanted something more and he said Can u tell more ?
I gave some thought and said Sir if they came to war then it will be diplomatic challenge for India as both countries are our friends. But he wanted something different and He gave some hint about connectivity.
I picked the hint and said Yes sir we are developing Chabahar port to improve our connectivity with Afghanistan. It will bypass Pakistan which is not allowing our direct road connectivity.
Whats in Afghanistan, why we want peace there, Taliban is not talking to us ?
Sir Geopolitical importance as silk route also passed through it... Peaceful Afghanistan is in
India's best interest.
Member 3
You are from Jalgaon. Which is major river ? Tell me source and destination
Tapi river...it originates in MP I do not know the exact location and but drains near Surat.
Cooking ? What is ur famous dish?
Chicken biryani I have prepared biryani for 20/30 people and friends now call me to cook biryani at their place. (All smiling)
Which r 2 famous biryani
Hyderabadi and Lucknow
What is the difference ?
Water is not used in hyderabadi dum biryani and very minute things are taken care of in
Lucknow biryani as it was nawabs biryani...
You have travelled. What hv u learned?
I gave example of our college trip. In earlier trips, girls had to change their clothes in a bus and when we went again after an year we booked a hotel room. So I could have talked to them earlier and made this plan so involving all participants in Decision making is important.
Again Chairman asked: U must have some bit of Economy in ur preparation ?
What is PCA
Thought for a moment and told about Prompt Corrective action plan.. discussion was followed by few questions.
He asked which bank has came out of PCA ? I said sorry sir I do not know the exact name.
Chairman asked has any bank came out of PCA ?
I said : Sir I have read that one bank has come out of PCA.
Question regarding Section 66A of IT Act
I said in 2015 it was declared unconstitutional by SC but it is saddening that UP police has
recently used it.
So what is status now ?
Me: Freedom of Speech and expression is a fundamental right but it is qualified.
Chairman said thank you with a smile.
I stood up and said thank you sir, thank you mam and left the room.
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Amol's Feedback
about Career Quest on Google review:
Hi I am Amol Patil, CAPF 2018 AIR 39. I have been allotted 102 marks out of 150 by the UPSC board. I took guidance for the interview preparation only from Sanjeev Kabeer Sir in Career Quest. Career Quest was suggested to my by friend who is already an Assistant Commandant.
