love someone

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Written by Adrian Tan, author of The Teenage Textbook (1988), was the guest-of-honour at a recent NTU convocation ceremony. This was his speech to the graduating class of 2008.
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I must say thank you to the faculty and staff of the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information for inviting me to give your convocation address. It’s a wonderful honour and a privilege for me to speak here for ten minutes without fear of contradiction, defamation or retaliation. I say this as a Singaporean and more so as a husband.

My wife is a wonderful person and perfect in every way except one. She is the editor of a magazine. She corrects people for a living. She has honed her expert skills over a quarter of a century, mostly by practising at home during conversations between her and me.

On the other hand, I am a litigator. Essentially, I spend my day telling people how wrong they are. I make my living being disagreeable.

Nevertheless, there is perfect harmony in our matrimonial home. That is because when an editor and a litigator have an argument, the one who triumphs is always the wife.

And so I want to start by giving one piece of advice to the men: when you’ve already won her heart, you don’t need to win every argument.

Marriage is considered one milestone of life. Some of you may already be married. Some of you may never be married. Some of you will be married. Some of you will enjoy the experience so much, you will be married many, many times. Good for you.

The next big milestone in your life is today: your graduation. The end of education. You’re done learning.

You’ve probably been told the big lie that “Learning is a lifelong process” and that therefore you will continue studying and taking masters’ degrees and doctorates and professorships and so on. You know the sort of people who tell you that? Teachers. Don’t you think there is some measure of conflict of interest? They are in the business of learning, after all. Where would they be without you? They need you to be repeat customers.

The good news is that they’re wrong.

The bad news is that you don’t need further education because your entire life is over. It is gone. That may come as a shock to some of you. You’re in your teens or early twenties. People may tell you that you will live to be 70, 80, 90 years old. That is your life expectancy.

I love that term: life expectancy. We all understand the term to mean the average life span of a group of people. But I’m here to talk about a bigger idea, which is what you expect from your life.

You may be very happy to know that Singapore is currently ranked as the country with the third highest life expectancy. We are behind Andorra and Japan, and tied with San Marino. It seems quite clear why people in those countries, and ours, live so long. We share one thing in common: our football teams are all hopeless. There’s very little danger of any of our citizens having their pulses raised by watching us play in the World Cup. Spectators are more likely to be lulled into a gentle and restful nap.

Singaporeans have a life expectancy of 81.8 years. Singapore men live to an average of 79.21 years, while Singapore women live more than five years longer, probably to take into account the additional time they need to spend in the bathroom.

So here you are, in your twenties, thinking that you’ll have another 40 years to go. Four decades in which to live long and prosper.

Bad news. Read the papers. There are people dropping dead when they’re 50, 40, 30 years old. Or quite possibly just after finishing their convocation. They would be very disappointed that they didn’t meet their life expectancy.

I’m here to tell you this. Forget about your life expectancy.

After all, it’s calculated based on an average. And you never, ever want to expect being average.

Revisit those expectations. You might be looking forward to working, falling in love, marrying, raising a family. You are told that, as graduates, you should expect to find a job paying so much, where your hours are so much, where your responsibilities are so much.

That is what is expected of you. And if you live up to it, it will be an awful waste.

If you expect that, you will be limiting yourself. You will be living your life according to boundaries set by average people. I have nothing against average people. But no one should aspire to be them. And you don’t need years of education by the best minds in Singapore to prepare you to be average.

What you should prepare for is mess. Life’s a mess. You are not entitled to expect anything from it. Life is not fair. Everything does not balance out in the end. Life happens, and you have no control over it. Good and bad things happen to you day by day, hour by hour, moment by moment. Your degree is a poor armour against fate.

Don’t expect anything. Erase all life expectancies. Just live. Your life is over as of today. At this point in time, you have grown as tall as you will ever be, you are physically the fittest you will ever be in your entire life and you are probably looking the best that you will ever look. This is as good as it gets. It is all downhill from here. Or up. No one knows.

What does this mean for you? It is good that your life is over.

Since your life is over, you are free. Let me tell you the many wonderful things that you can do when you are free.

The most important is this: do not work.

Work is anything that you are compelled to do. By its very nature, it is undesirable.

Work kills. The Japanese have a term “Karoshi”, which means death from overwork. That’s the most dramatic form of how work can kill. But it can also kill you in more subtle ways. If you work, then day by day, bit by bit, your soul is chipped away, disintegrating until there’s nothing left. A rock has been ground into sand and dust.

There’s a common misconception that work is necessary. You will meet people working at miserable jobs. They tell you they are “making a living”. No, they’re not. They’re dying, frittering away their fast-extinguishing lives doing things which are, at best, meaningless and, at worst, harmful.

People will tell you that work ennobles you, that work lends you a certain dignity. Work makes you free. The slogan “Arbeit macht frei” was placed at the entrances to a number of Nazi concentration camps. Utter nonsense.

Do not waste the vast majority of your life doing something you hate so that you can spend the small remainder sliver of your life in modest comfort. You may never reach that end anyway.

Resist the temptation to get a job. Instead, play. Find something you enjoy doing. Do it. Over and over again. You will become good at it for two reasons: you like it, and you do it often. Soon, that will have value in itself.

I like arguing, and I love language. So, I became a litigator. I enjoy it and I would do it for free. If I didn’t do that, I would’ve been in some other type of work that still involved writing fiction – probably a sports journalist.

So what should you do? You will find your own niche. I don’t imagine you will need to look very hard. By this time in your life, you will have a very good idea of what you will want to do. In fact, I’ll go further and say the ideal situation would be that you will not be able to stop yourself pursuing your passions. By this time you should know what your obsessions are. If you enjoy showing off your knowledge and feeling superior, you might become a teacher.

Find that pursuit that will energise you, consume you, become an obsession. Each day, you must rise with a restless enthusiasm. If you don’t, you are working.

Most of you will end up in activities which involve communication. To those of you I have a second message: be wary of the truth. I’m not asking you to speak it, or write it, for there are times when it is dangerous or impossible to do those things. The truth has a great capacity to offend and injure, and you will find that the closer you are to someone, the more care you must take to disguise or even conceal the truth. Often, there is great virtue in being evasive, or equivocating. There is also great skill. Any child can blurt out the truth, without thought to the consequences. It takes great maturity to appreciate the value of silence.

In order to be wary of the truth, you must first know it. That requires great frankness to yourself. Never fool the person in the mirror.

I have told you that your life is over, that you should not work, and that you should avoid telling the truth. I now say this to you: be hated.

It’s not as easy as it sounds. Do you know anyone who hates you? Yet every great figure who has contributed to the human race has been hated, not just by one person, but often by a great many. That hatred is so strong it has caused those great figures to be shunned, abused, murdered and in one famous instance, nailed to a cross.

One does not have to be evil to be hated. In fact, it’s often the case that one is hated precisely because one is trying to do right by one’s own convictions. It is far too easy to be liked, one merely has to be accommodating and hold no strong convictions. Then one will gravitate towards the centre and settle into the average. That cannot be your role. There are a great many bad people in the world, and if you are not offending them, you must be bad yourself. Popularity is a sure sign that you are doing something wrong.

The other side of the coin is this: fall in love.

I didn’t say “be loved”. That requires too much compromise. If one changes one’s looks, personality and values, one can be loved by anyone.

Rather, I exhort you to love another human being. It may seem odd for me to tell you this. You may expect it to happen naturally, without deliberation. That is false. Modern society is anti-love. We’ve taken a microscope to everyone to bring out their flaws and shortcomings. It far easier to find a reason not to love someone, than otherwise. Rejection requires only one reason. Love requires complete acceptance. It is hard work – the only kind of work that I find palatable.

Loving someone has great benefits. There is admiration, learning, attraction and something which, for the want of a better word, we call happiness. In loving someone, we become inspired to better ourselves in every way. We learn the truth worthlessness of material things. We celebrate being human. Loving is good for the soul.

Loving someone is therefore very important, and it is also important to choose the right person. Despite popular culture, love doesn’t happen by chance, at first sight, across a crowded dance floor. It grows slowly, sinking roots first before branching and blossoming. It is not a silly weed, but a mighty tree that weathers every storm.
You will find, that when you have someone to love, that the face is less important than the brain, and the body is less important than the heart.

You will also find that it is no great tragedy if your love is not reciprocated. You are not doing it to be loved back. Its value is to inspire you.

Finally, you will find that there is no half-measure when it comes to loving someone. You either don’t, or you do with every cell in your body, completely and utterly, without reservation or apology. It consumes you, and you are reborn, all the better for it.

Don’t work. Avoid telling the truth. Be hated. Love someone.

INTERVIEW OF UPSC CANDIDATE--4 ( TAKEN PHYSICS AS OPTIONAL)

UPSC Interview By Gokul G R 

Time : 35 Minutes
My interview was scheduled for the afternoon session on the 4th of April 2011. After the document verification, by around 14.15 hrs, we were told that we will be interviewed by the board chaired by the UPSC member I.M.G. Khan. I was the last candidate in the list.
I entered the interview room by around 16.50 hrs. This is the transcript of the interview:
Me: May I come in, Sir?
The chairman asked me to come in. The room and the table were quite small. So I had a hard time distinguishing the chairman from the five members.
I got in wishing the chairman, lady member and the other members Good afternoon. But before I could finish the niceties, chairman was asking me to sit down. He seemed very cordial and the mood in the board was surprisingly fresh even at the end of the day. I sat down saying ‘Thank you’
Chairman: So you are Gokul?
Me: Yes sir, Gokul G.R
Ch: I will call you Gokul. Will that be fine? (smiling)
Me: Yes sir that will be fine. ( me too smiling)
Ch: Gokul, you have taken Physics as an optional. Are you going against the trend as we see a lot of engineers and science graduates taking non-science optional?
Me: Sir, physics is a subject that I have been studying form my school days. It is the most familiar subject for me and I like it. I wanted to take a subject that I would enjoy studying.
Ch: (going through my bio-data): So you passed out from NITC with first class with distinction. Some chap came to a place near Calicut some time back no? Who was he?
I was confused and thought for a fraction of a second when I knew he was talking about Vasco Da Gama…
Me: Vasco Da Gama sir. It was in 1498. He landed at a place called Kappad. It is quite near to my college.
Ch: The beach has a memorial saying this is where he landed. Have you seen that?
Me: I have been to the beach twice. It is a rocky beach. But I don’t remember seeing the monument.
Ch: It’s a small monument which says ‘this is the spot where….’ (the other members nod at this)
Me: sorry sir. I don’t remember seeing the monument.
Ch: Why did he have to find a route through the sea?
Me: I don’t exactly remember the details but the land route was blocked by some reason.
Ch: No No that’s not possible. They could have found some other route.
Me: Sea route is cheaper and it also facilitates large scale trade.
Ch: Yes. Besides don’t you think it is safer? Taking the land route they would have to come through hostile territories and through bandits and hooligans. But again they face pirates in the sea route.
Me: Yes sir.
Ch: Why did the Europeans land in Kerala?
Me: They were looking for trade in spices, especially pepper.
Ch: Is spices still an important component of your state’s economy?
Me: Yes sir. Spices are still a major component of our exports.
Ch: Why is that Kerala has not been able to diversify from traditional agricultural commodities? Why is Industrial growth not strong in Kerala?
Me: There is a general lethargy within the government and people about inviting capital and setting up an investor friendly climate. We also have a very strong trade unionist culture. It definitely has positives for the society. The wage rates and working conditions are one of the best in India. But various elements have misused it and used it for personal ends at the expense of industrial growth. It was a mindset that was set in the 1970s and 1980s that is still preventing investors from investing in Kerala. But we are definitely changing. We just commissioned the vallarpadam project and signed the agreement for the Smart city project.
Ch: So you think that the situation will change? That the future is bright?
Me: The change is already happening. It has already started sir (smiling).
Ch: Tell me about this smart city.
Me: It is a PPP between the Kerala Govt. and Dubai’s Tecom to set up a Technology park which will provide the necessary infrastructure for software and electronics firms to set up office.
Ch: Where exactly is it?
Me: At Cochin. Kakanad to be exact.
The chairman nodded at the first member. Having taken Physics as an optional, his questions were only on the safety of nuclear power and nuclear reactors.
M1: In the context of the Japanese disaster, do you think we should continue our expansion plans for nuclear energy or should we stop it? How safe is nuclear energy?
Me: Nuclear energy is a dangerous technology and it can never be 100% safe. But nuclear energy is a vital energy source for the future. So stopping it is not an option. But we should put in place better safety and security systems. Even in the Japanese case, the reactors withstood the 8.9 magnitude earthquake and the tsunami and the reactor stopped working also. But it was the failure of the cooling system due to the damage to the electric grid that led to the current crisis.
M1: So what all should be done?
Me: We already have better safety systems. Our reactors are PHWRs as opposed to the BWRs of Japan which are inherently safer. Besides, the newer reactors have a Passive heat removal system by which air can be used for cooling in the event of failure of active cooling systems. New reactors will also have Hydrogen capture systems to prevent the kind of explosions that occurred at Fukushima.
M1: But still you think it won’t be 100% safe?
Me: Achieving a 100% safety line would be impossible but we should put in place mechanisms and safety systems to take the safety level as near to 100% as possible. Besides the safety guidelines should be placed under an independent regulatory body outside DAE.
M1: Very recently the former chairman of the AEC said that India should not import foreign reactors. Even he is not so sure about the safety of the rectors.
Me: The foreign reactors especially Areva’a EPR 1600 has untested safety features and has been rejected by a number of nations. Also, foreign reactors will have different safety systems and we will have to be experts in each of these. We will also have to depend on foreign know-how to learn their safety features also. But our reactors have been completely designed by us. So we have a better understanding of their dynamics and can better perfect the safety systems for them. Even the former chairman has supported the use of indigenous reactors.
M1: The proposed reactor at Jaitapur is coming up in a seismically active zone. What all measures need to be taken to prevent damage due to earthquakes?
Me: Building standards need to be strictly applied. Earthquake-resistant technology need to be incorporated which building. The effect of this was seen in the recent earthquake in Japan. The 8.9 magnitude quake, which is one of the largest ever killed only 20,000 people while the 7 point magnitude quake in Haiti last year killed more than 2 lakh people.
M1: You said about smart city? What all are the criterion for selecting a place for setting up a project like this?
Me: Connectivity to major city centres, road and rail connectivity, presence of good colleges in the vicinity.
The chairman interrupted asking me whether human element is also a factor that is considered.
Me: Yes sir. Availability of prospective employees is a major factor. If a Keralite is given a choice between a job in Smart city and in Bangalore, he will choose smart city even if the salary is a bit less. Given that about 50,000 engineers pass out from Kerala every year, this will give a competitive edge for the recruiters.
The turn was passed to the second member, a lady member. Her questions were about social issues.
M2 (looking at the summary sheet): You were selected as the ‘Young Scientist’ at the National Children’s Science Congress and you were second in the Regional Mathematical Olympiad. Why have you chosen civil services after coming from a science background like this?
Me: The project that we did for the Science congress has in fact played a very important role in me choosing civil services as a career. It was a social project. It was about the nutritional status of the people in a particular rural area in my district. The project gave me a firsthand exposure to the problems in the rural areas and about the various government departments working on these issues. The results of the project painted a very grim picture about the nutritional status of the people with respect to protein and vitamin deficiency. Besides, my aptitude is in an administrative job. Civil services will offer me the variety and challenges that no other job can give. I chose engineering because of my interest in science and to keep my options open. But civil services have been my dream throughout. It was always there in the back of my mind. That was why I started my preparation at the end of my third year itself.
M2: Suppose you are posted as an SDM in your state. What will you do to improve the nutritional level of the people? Are you aware of any schemes in that regard?
Me: ICDS, PDS, NRHM etc are the schemes for improving the nutritional and health levels of the people. Most of these projects suffer from poor implementation and leakages. For e.g., in ICDS, the anganawadi workers are ill-paid and their responsibilities are quite heavy.  This has led to a lack of morale among them. I will concentrate on proper implementation of such schemes.
M2: But as an SDM you cannot make policy decisions. You can’t give them more salary. What will you do in that context?
Me: I will look for implementation of the schemes with support from the local bodies and community organisations. Involving of Panchayats can also create the political pressure for change.
M2: Kerala is called ‘God’s own country’. In what context is that name used.
Me: It is essentially a tagline coined by the tourism department for promoting tourism in Kerala. But otherwise also, Kerala can be called God’s own country (smiling).
Everyone laughed at this and the chairman interrupted asking me ‘Why is that Gokul?’
Me: The climate is good throughout the year,  people are well educated and friendly, presence of some of the most ecologically diverse areas, greenery all around……
With this, the Third member took charge. He was jovial throughout.
M3: You have taken public administration as an optional. Do you think decentralization through Panchayati raj is good?
Me: Definitely sir.
M3: Then why is it that in spite of being inserted in the constitution, it is not properly implemented in many places?
Me: Although they have been inserted in the constitution by the 73rd and 74th amendment, it is still the prerogative of the state governments to delegate powers to these bodies. In the case of Kerala, most of the powers in the 11th and 12th schedule have been delegated. Besides, 25% of the plan expenditure in budget is passed to the local bodies.
M3: So what should be done in the other states?
Me: People should be politically motivated and should demand more powers. Education can play a very important role in this.
The member said ‘Oh, you Keralite have 100% literacy’ and laughed. Everyone joined with him. I smiled and said 94% according to the provisional census figures
M3: Tourism is affecting our culture. Should we stop tourism due to that?
Me: No sir. We should not close ourselves to anyone. The tour operators act as the interface between the tourists and our people. They should be given training and orientation to properly orient foreign tourists before they land in India. The foreign tourists should be given a basic idea about the culture and society into which they are stepping in.
M3: But shouldn’t masses be educated for this to be effective. (He turned to other members and joked ‘our sanskrithi will become apasanskrithi by then)
Me: A well educated society is definitely good for developing a service industry like tourism. That should be our long term goal. But in the short term, educating the operators will help us develop tourism sustainably.
M3: A DM was recently kidnapped by the Maoists. In such a dangerous environment, do you still want to be an IAS officer?
Me: I heard about Mr. Vineel Krishna for the first time after the incident. All the reports in the newspapers were very positive about his work as a DM. In fact, he was kidnapped when he went to check a development work in a remote area without any protection. The people of his district rallied behind him. So if you are upright and do your work, you will have the support of the people and will be perfectly safe.
M3: So you think if he is honest and upright, nothing bad will happen?
Me: Yes sir.
The turn was passed to the fourth member.
M4: Did you write CAT, GRE or GATE in between?
Me: No sir. I was preparing through my final year and gave the exam right after my final exams.
M4: So you were focused. Tell me the advantages and disadvantages of Mobile communication. Advantages first: Economic advantages:
Me: Better connectivity, ability to make fast economic decisions, buying and selling goods using mobiles, advertising.
M4: Social
Me: People and families are always connected. You can call everyone at any distance at very low rates at any time.
M4: Political
Me: Campaigning, Communicating political ideas and schemes…
M4: Any disadvantages?
When I thought for a while, he said ‘it’s Ok, if you can’t think of any’.
M4: What are the uses of space technology for people?
Me: It has revolutionized communication. Weather satellites like Metsat help us in better prediction. Remote sensing satellites help us in planning. We have recently put in orbit Oceansat which observes the ocean. The information gathered by it is beneficial for the fishermen.
M4: Cyber security is a major issue now. What do you know about it and what is being done by the Indian government?
Me: It is a very dynamic area. It is a constant battle between a large number of hackers and security establishments. We need to keep ourselves updated always. DRDO is developing an operating system for use in govt. systems. The operating systems that we use now are available throughout the world and hence are more prone to hacking. We have set up cyber cells in the major police stations. The CERT-In is the body that is responsible for cyber security at the national level.
M4: Define ethics.
Me: The set of standards that we are supposed to follow in a particular realm.
M4: Can you point out some of those that you are supposed to follow. Was there any committee that made recommendations about ethics?
Me: It was a committee that was appointed in the U.K (couldn’t remember the name of Nolan committee) that gave detailed guidelines regarding ethics in public life.
M4: No Indian committees?
Me: A number of committees to look into corruption have also given similar recommendations.
M4: Can you list out a few of those standards?
Me: Honesty, integrity, leadership by example…
M4: Those are general things. Don’t you have any set of professional ethics as an engineer? Is there any Body that sets such standards?
Me: IEEE sets the standards for us. But I am not aware of any code of ethics.
M4: No Indian bodies? IETE?
Me: Sir, do you mean ISTE?
M4: No, IETE. Ok, tell me the ethics that you are supposed to follow as a communications engineer.
Me: Respect for IPRs, honesty…
M4: Ok.
The chairman took over. The interview was in its last phase.
Ch: Very recently a Bulgarian group was arrested in Delhi for robbery. What does this incident mean for India? Have we become a soft state that people from faraway places are coming for robbery?
Me: It may be a random, off the cuff incident.
Ch: No no. It was a well organized group with a lot of members.
Me: A number of foreign groups are active in a number of nations like the Italian Mafia in USA. As the economy improves…
Ch (interrupting): So you think it is a good thing!!!( and laughed…the members also joined him)
Ch: So Gokul, what will you do after getting out. Tell me the first thing that you will do on exiting this room.
Me:  Sir…..I will be removing my tie (It was a spontaneous reply)
Everyone burst into laughter at this and the chairman asked me whether candidates think they won’t be selected if they came in half sleeves without tie (Every male member in the room wore half sleeves without tie). I started with the usual answer, ‘Sir, this is one of the most important occasions for us. We respect the occasion’ when the chairman joked once again. Then I said, “Sir, frankly candidates tend to be a bit conservative in this regard”
Ch: Ok. Your interview is over. It has been nice talking to you. Thank you.
I thanked the chairman, the lady member and other members and left the room. It was 17.20 by then. The interview went for around 30-35 minutes.
The session felt more like a candidate discussion rather than a strict interview. Hoping for the best!!
Exam Interview Details : CSE 2010 Interview
Subjects Taken : Physics, Public Administration
Interview Date : 04-Apr-2011
Interview Board : Shri I. M. G. Khan
City : Palakkad

INTERVIEW OF UPSC CANDIDATE--3

Name : Abhiram G. Sankar
Time: 25 Minutes
My interview was on the afternoon of 11 April 2011, and I was the second candidate in Ms.Rajni Razdan's board. The board was cordial, except for the chairperson who appeared to sleep after asking her quota of questions.
I entered the room, greeted the members & stood till I was offered the seat. Thanked the chairperson Rajni Razdan (RR) & sat down smiling.
RR: What’s your name?
Me: Answered
RR: Roll No?
Me: Answered
RR: Date of Birth?
Me: Answered
(Initially I was a bit confused why she was asking these things!). Then RR read out aloud from my summary sheet – optionals, graduation, hobbies, team activities etc. I kept smiling & nodding, with a ‘Yes Mam’ in between.
M2: Born in Tamil Nadu, but staying in Kerala?
Me: yes sir, my family is settled in Kerala.
RR: So, which is the country sharing longest border with India?
Me: Bangladesh.
RR: The shortest?
Me: Afghanistan.
RR: Ok, Tell me about the McMahon Line.
Me: It’s the line dividing India & China, but not accepted by china as such. It was signed in the early 1900s by Treaty of Tibet. (I made a mistake by unintentionally mentioning the year & name of treaty.)
RR: Which treaty & year?
Me: Repeated the same, but doubtfully.
RR: It was in Shimla, in 1913. Who were the parties to the treaty?
Me: British India & Tibet.
RR: And one more?
Me: Don’t know.
RR: Myanmar.
Me: Thanked her.
RR: What is Radcliff line?
Me: Line dividing India & Pakistan.
RR: Who drew it & when?
Me: 1947 by Radcliff
RR: What are the issues between India & Pakistan?
Me: gave a list – borders, Siachen, sir creek, 26/11, water sharing, fishermen & prisoners etc.
RR: Suppose you are SDM of a district, and are traveling. You see an accident on the road. How will you respond?
Me: I’ll stop on the spot, and get to know exactly what happened. Then call the ambulance or police station. If the above vehicles are not available, then take the injured in any other available vehicle.
RR: What is so special with your car that you will not take the injured in your car first? Why wait for ambulance /police? Is your prestige more important or the person’s life?
Me: (I was stunned briefly, as it did not occur to me while answering that an SDM would be traveling in his/her own car. But I quickly recovered & said,). The person’s life is most important. I should have thought of my own car first. I apologise for my mistake.
RR sat with the same emotionless expression from beginning till end of her question time. Now she signaled to another member, locked her palms together, placed them to her forehead & slept leaning on the table.
M1: You are from Kerala. How is geography advantageous to Kerala?
Me: Another list – rich & productive coastal alluvium, water resources, blessed by monsoon, fisheries, plantation sector, forests, ports etc.
M1: What about tourism?
Me: Yes sir, that too depends on Kerala’s unique geography.
M1: Since you are a computer science graduate, tell me what is cyber crime?
Me: (Didn’t know the exact definition) It refers to the various illegal activities performed in today’s IT-linked world like phishing, hacking, fraudulent info, theft of data etc.
M1: How will you use computer science in development of India?
Me: Another list – efficient information dissemination to illiterate poor about health, agriculture etc. through audio & video, adult literacy programmes, transparency & lesser corruption.
M1: What is MIS?
Me: said don’t know after thinking.
M2: It is management information system. Don’t you people study in B.Tech.?
Me: No sir. That paper belongs to IT branch & not CS.
M2: Name some areas which you studied in B.Tech.
Me: Some programming langs like C & C++, microprocessors, assemblers & compilers, hardware etc.
M2: Name an important temple in Kerala.
Me: Padmanabhaswamy temple in Trivandrum.
M2: Others?
Me: I started with Guruvayurappan temple, but was interrupted mid-way.
M2: No, no…which temple brings in most money?
Me: Sabarimala temple.
He was happy it seemed, because he smiled graciously.
M3: What is track-2 diplomacy?
Me: Talks between countries conducted by retired officers, NGOs, activists etc. It’s very good for betterment of bilateral ties. More people to people interaction takes place through this route.
M3: what is bus diplomacy?
Me: Cross LoC bus to improve ties..by Vajpayee Govt…
M3: So what is diplomacy?
Me: It’s the art of maintaining relations among countries at international level. (Not exactly the same words, but not the exact definition also).
M3: What do you think about India’s ‘big brother attitude’ in south Asia? what are the issues with each of the neighbouring countries?
Me: India is the largest country in south Asia, and its actions are only perceived as big brotherly by neighbours. It is not true. India’s ties with its neighbors carry historical baggage with it which is the cause of today’s problems.
Again a list – partition issue with Pakistan…
M3: (Interrupted me) but partition is way back in history.
Me: but sir, our relations are based on that event. (continued above answer)… Tamil issue with Sri Lanka…
M3: no…don’t speak about all issues…one issue at a time (in fact he had asked me for listing out all issues!). let’s talk about Pakistan. How will you solve Kashmir issue with Pakistan?
Me: We need an innovative solution…
M3: (Again interrupting me)…you need to talk more…
Me: Sir, I’m coming to the point. Realistically looking at the issue, I don’t think Pakistan will hand over its part of J&K to India. Our present borders may not be changeable. It’s better to acknowledge the same without a formal announcement as our maps cannot be changed & territorial integrity can’t be sacrificed. No internationalization of the same can be allowed. At the same time, cross border links & trade have to be improved & people-to-people contacts increased with development of J&K in mind.
M3: How should India proceed on Indo-Pak talks?
Me: Sir, instead of focusing on just Kashmir, we have talk on several issues like Siachen, sir creek, cultural ties, trade, water sharing etc.
M3: We have been doing that for long. But no results have come out.
Me: Sir, the issues are not at fault. Talks broke down because of events like 26/11, 2001 parliament attacks & cross border terror. India is not responsible for the breakdowns. So it is better to continue on multiple issues.
M4: Can I also continue on Kashmir? Are you confident? (almost laughing!)
Me: Yes sir, you can.
M4: Why not conduct plebiscite & solve the issue?
Me: Sir, there are some preconditions. Complete demilitarization must take place on both borders. Kashmiri Pandits who were chased away must be allowed to return. Only if these happen, plebiscite can be allowed.
M4: You say India & Pakistan must talk about Kashmir. But where are the Kahmiris in the scene? Has their voice been neglected?
Me: Sir, we definitely need more Kashmiri opinion. It is heard very less.
M4: Do you mean they have been ignored completely or given inadequate representation?
Me: sir, definitely they were heard. India did talk with separatists like Hurriyat conference. But more needs to be done on this front. (should’ve mentioned the pm’s interlocutors at work now, but forgot).
M4: Elections are periodically held in J&K. people vote new Govts to power. can you consider this as a sort of plebiscite?
Me: Yes sir, they reaffirm peoples faith in our system.
M4: Do you think those elections are proper, free & fair?
Me: There have been allegations in the past about rigging.
M4: No. I don’t want other’s opinions. What do you think now?
Me: Sir, thanks to a strong election commission, I can confidently say that recent elections have been free & fair, not only in J&K, but also in other states of India and I am proud of this fact.
RR: Thank you. (she smiled for the only time in the whole interview!)
Me: Thanks the board & left.
The 4 male members were smiling & very attentive, unlike Ms. RR. I too tried to keep up a smiling face through out the interview. The board was cordial on the whole. Interview lasted for about 20-25 minutes.
Interview Date : 11-Apr-2011
Interview Board : Ms. Rajni Razdan
Place : Thiruvananthapuram
Subject : Geography & Political Science & International Relations

INDIA AFTER 60 YEARS

A Mathematical Mind:

• Algebra originated in India: Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi learned the technique of Indian mathematics and introduced it to the world through his famous book on arithmetic text, the Kitab al-jamwal tafriq bi hisab aI-Hindi ("Book on Addition and Subtraction after the Method of the Indians"), around 780-850 A.D The first use of algebraic transformation was described by Brahmagupta in his book Brahmasphutasiddhanta, where he first proposed solution of Linear Algebra and Quadratic Equation.
• The ancient Indian mathematicians were also very familiar with Trigonometry. Aryabhata in 499, gave tables of half chords which are now known as sine tables, along with cosine tables. He used zya for sine, kotizya for cosine, and otkram zya for inverse sine, and also introduced the versine.
• The largest numbers the Greeks and the Romans used were 106 whereas numbers as big as 10 to the power of 53 with specific names were used in ancient India.
• The Place Value System' and the 'Decimal System' were .developed in India in 1 00 B.C.

The Peace Loving Country:

• India never invaded any in her last 1000 years of history.India provides safety for more than 300,000 refugees originally from Sri Lanka, Tibet, Bhutan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, who escaped to flee religious and political persecution.

India's Sporting Spirit:

• The game of Snakes & Ladders was create in Industry the 13th century poet saint Gyandev. It was originally called 'Mokshapat'. The ladders in the game represented virtues and the snakes indicated vices. The game was played with cowrie shells and dices. In time, the game underwent several modifications, but its meaning remained the same, i.e. good deeds take people to heaven and evil to a cycle of re-births. It is also widely believed that some forms of Martial Arts were first created in India, and later spread to Asia by Buddhist missionaries. Yoga has its origins in India and has existed for over 5,000 years.

Challenges To India's Democracy

Divisive tendencies:-

• In a country of over a billion people, Indian nationalism has for long survived the divisive tendencies of caste, crass, religion and languages. But recent past growing violence in the name of religion and sub nationalism has posed a great threat to the smooth functioning democracy in India.

Extremism:-

• There is an organized attempt by forces inimical to freedom and peace in our region to destroy Indian democracy by striking at the every roots of our nationhood. Over a period of time there has been a systematic effort to spread communal disharmony and conflict in India
• Unemployment The employment growth in organized sector, public and private combined has declined during the period between and 2006 and the situation has got aggravated during the last year due to the global financial crisis.

Regionalism:-

• This is the main weakness of Indian democracy today. A large part of the Indian politics has been reduced to 'Identity politics, be it caste, religious or regional identities, ~ and this brings divisive forces to play.

Illiteracy:-

• Literacy in India, says UNESCO, is an indispensable means for effective social and economic participation, contributing to human development and poverty India is one of the countries (along with the Arab states and sub-Saharan Africa) where the literacy levels are still below the threshold level of75% hut gigantic efforts a on to achieve that level. Without literate and well inform 'Citizens, no democracy can be participative in the true sense.

Corruption and nepotism:-

This is another major problem in our country today. Many of us have simply accepted it as sad reality. But unless we are able to fight corruption, the benefits of development can never be shared equitably and democratically.

INTERVIEW OF UPSC CANDIDATE--2

UPSC Interview By Bhuvnesh Pratap

Name : Bhuvnesh Pratap Singh
Interview Writeup: 31st march 2011, I was the fourth candidate to be interviewed in after noon session. Interview started at 3 45 pm. As soon as I entered even without looking at me KKP Sir told to sit. I was confused as I have not yet greeted them members. However I wished members and took my seat.
Chairmen started (KKP Sir) Dr Bhuvnesh: Whats your name?
ME:  Sir Bhuvnesh Pratap Singh
KKP Sir: Your Roll No
ME:  48756
KKP Sir: Your Date of Birth
ME:  22/7/1983 (by now I was thinking what he is up to taking interview or interrogating me)
KKP Sir: Dr you have worked in ONGC FOR 1 YEAR why did you left it
ME:  Sir, I was on contract there . which got over
KKP Sir: SO, you left ONGC or they left you ??or you left it for preparing
ME:  Sir, As contract period was over so I deciced to leave and
I had to prepare also..
KKP Sir: Your hobbies are Teaching, Writing Hindi Poems, Introspection (he read this in one go). You write what sort of poems.
ME:  Sir, For my friends.
KKP Sir: For friends or about friends? You tease your friends in your poems?
ME:  Sir. I write for my friends. I try to incorporate my emotions in poems.
KKP Sir: and this introspection.. it is same  as diary writing
ME:  Yes Sir, I do write diary also. But since I do introspection often so I have written it as my hobby.
KKP Sir: What you do
ME:  Sir I try to evaluate my behaviour. I think about how I think, I review my decisions, also it sets me right when ever I go wrong. It guides my emotion to do better.
KKP Sir: You are emotional person?
ME:  Yes sir
KKP Sir: An emotional person cannot be practical person and practical person cannot be emotional also. We don’t need such people
ME:  Sir, Shall I take an example
KKP Sir: OK
ME:  Sir, Since I am a doctor and when ever my patient comes to me. I show my emotion and my empathy towards him to accommodate him. But while prescribing the drugs I am the most practical person. I prescribe based on scientific tenets. so I think an emotional person can be practical too.
KKP Sir: Till now his face was wearing mask. He didn’t showed any facial expression and pointed fingers towards 1st member to ask question
ME: member 1 (M1: ) he was sitting left to him
M1:  So Dr. you are from Agra.
ME:  Yes sir.
M1:  Dr I call AGRA as a GUTTER despite it being tourist place it is very dirty.
ME:  Sir, I beg to defer with you here, Sir you are talking about pre 2008 status now Agra has changed a lot.
M1:  Really?
ME:  Yes sir
M1:  Ok tell me what all we can do to tackle such problems in big metropolis.
ME:  Sir we need to educate people, We should strengthen municipality corp, allow them to come up with bonds to ensure their financial instability.
M1:  and in Cities?
ME:  Sir, I am staying in Delhi from past 1 year and I saw that MCD sends their autos and truck to clean the areas. so I think we can copy this plan in other cities like Agra also.
M1:  Who is responsible for all this mess
ME:  Sir, We all!
M1:  How we?
ME:  Sir, We are the one who throw our garbage in roads and there is implementation failure also.
M1:  Government is coming up with courses like BRMS because there is scarcity of doctor and you people instead of working in rural area come and join services. Why are you shifting from your field.
ME:  Sir, An MBBS is just a beginning or a step in medical field and today's era of multi-specialisation (inter disciplinary) I think we can help more and I being doctor I am more well versed with fellow doctors problems and I think I can tackle that through Civil Services. Sir, Recently there was a news that in Maharashtra only 40 % students of 1st year reach 2nd year and I think I understand this problem better.
KKP Sir: Interrupted the M1 and asked M2 (Lady member) to ask.
M2:  Dr what are your views about traditional medicine, should we discard it.
ME:  Mam, Ayurvedahas treated our people from past 2000 year and even till today we all rely on Ayurvedatraditional medicines is deep rooted in us take for example we all eat Chawanprash which is an Ayurveda prep. Mam what I believe that Ayurveda in in its lowest ebb now and allopathic medicine in its peak.. so there is need for more research in this field.
M2:  But we do not have money.
ME:  True mam. But govt is working in this front we have AYUSH dept. we have Homeopathy, Ayurveda college etc.
M2:  Dr do you know about HDI
ME:  Yes mam
M2:  Who measures health component on HDI
ME:  And then I kept quiet for sometime and then she prompted that is national family health survey.
M2:  Do you know what is our ranking in this
ME:  Sorry mam I don’t know.. but I know we are behind srilanka n Bhutan in this
M2:  Yes. But why so?
ME:  Mam may be population pressure.
KKP interrupted mam and told member 3 to ask me was sitting right to me mam wanted to ask more question but she stopped and I gave a smile to her. KKP Sir was listening when I was telling Chawanprash stuff how ever till now KKP Sir and other mebers did not gave any expression.
M3: Dr you told you are emotional,, what is difference between emotional person and impulsive and who is better
ME:  sir, impulsive person takes decision instantaneously while emotional thinks and i believe emotional is better than impulsive
M3: asked one more ques relating to emotion which I have never heard, so I stated that I don’t know sir
M3: Dr do you take interest in foreign afFairs
ME:  Yes Sir, I do
M3: Who is India's best friend
ME:  Sir, in long term relations I it is Russia and recently it is USA
M3: WHY USA needs us, Big brother attitude of USA
ME:  Sir for balance of power with china, its strategic interest, its commercial interest. We are largest consumer of US goods blah..blah…
M3: What do you think that doctors are going to USA and not serving nation
ME:  Sir, they do help us gain dollar which we require the most
M3: But dollar is no more an international currency
ME:  True sir, but we import oil which is need of hour and their payment has to be done in dollar terms so dollar is valuable for us
M3: Ok , do you know how much is foreign exchange reserve now
ME:  I was not sure and wanted to play safe so I told Sir I think its more than 250 mn dollars
M3: Ok quiet above this value. He points toward member 4.
M4: Dr as you rightly pointed out that MBBS is just beginning ,but don’t you think that doctors are not at all going to rural area what about health of rural people
ME:  Sir I beg to defer with you here,, (he nodded) Sir infact my friends are working in rural area, my seniors are also working in rural area also Sirwhen I was student during my community medicine postings I have seen doctors working in rural area.. Sirhowever I do agree that there is problem of turn over.
M4: Dr you are from Agra or Karnataka
ME:  Sir Agra
M4: But you have spent your most of time in Karnataka
ME:  Yes sir, but I was sent there.
M4: Sent?
ME:  Yes Sir, Since I had my schooling in military school so I was sent there, But Sir later I started liking that place and infact I learned Kannada also and later on did MBBS from there.
M4: what was your choice for military school
ME:  Sir, I don’t remember (that form was filled when I was in 5th and what I remember my father had filled that form)
M4:  You did MBBS from Bijapur. Bijapur is famous for??
ME:  After a pause Sirits Golgumbaz
M4: Nodding his head .. What it is?
ME:  Sir Mausoleum of Adil Shah
M4: But why it is famous for?
ME:  Second largest dome of world. Sir also one sound resonates for 7 time.
KKP Sir: Interrupts here and looks toward me and says ok go your interview is over. You can go now. I wished them thank you and good day. When I came out it was 4:15 so my interview went for 30 minutes. Dr Paul kept on giving sarcastic look through out interview.
Exam Interview Details : Written
Subjects Taken: Public Administration, Psychology
Interview Date: 31, March 2011
Interview Board : Dr KK Paul
City: Agra

INTERVIEW OF UPSC CANDIDATE

UPSC Interview By M. Rohit

Name: M. Rohit
Type: Interview

Me: May I come in Sir.
Me: Good Morning Mam. Good Morning Sir.
PSA: Please have a seat.
Me: Thank You Sir.

PSA: Why Madras has been changed to Chennai but the name of these institutions have not been changed.
Me: These institutions have been kept of any kind of disturbances or distortions in the society.... (PSA was n' t convinced and interrupted me and moved on to next question)

PSA: What do you think about Indian democracy. I have so many of my colleagues which say that Indian democracy it at its worst low and there is a very pessimistic scenario in the country.
Me: Sir, there have been some turbulences and disturbances in short term but Indian democracy will eventually become more stronger and mature in future in a long term.

PSA: Why do you think so?
Me: Sir, India is like an oasis in the Indian subcontinent surrounded by all failed states and it is due to our democracy only. Even TS Krishnamorthy has in his book Miracle of Democracy, India is India because of democracy only. Navin Chawla has also said that if the youth is dynamic, then all the distortions in the system will eventually wither away.
PSA: I'm not interested in others quotes, but more interested in your views.
Me: Sorry Sir,

PSA: So now tell me why do you feel so optimistic.
Me: Sir, our Judiciary has been very proactive in the last couple of years and it will become the biggest bulwark of Indian democracy in the future tomorrow.

PSA: Yes, that is one...what else
Me: Sir, Election commission has been becoming very assertive now and people are also getting empowered and now they know their rights. ( PSA wasn't looking very convinced here...I guess was expecting something better... moves to next question )

PSA: I'm happy that you think optimistically about Indian democracy.
PSA: Rohit, you have been in Chennai for last 6 years or so, If I'am not wrong. Have you picked up some Tamil?
Me: Sir, I know some words and some numbers but I often forget them.

PSA: Why, didn't you felt the necesssity to learn it in Chennai.
Me: Sir, in campus everyone from peon, sweeper, Professor all speak English. Even if one goes out, all autowalas understand English

PSA: You never went out of Chennai?
Me: Sir, I've been to some places like Madurai, Tirupati, etc but everywhere people understand English.
Me: I've a personal feeling that when north Indians go to South India they don't learn south Indian languages but when people come from South India to North India they pick up Hindi very fast. PSA: See, in this board two members are from South India and they know Hindi very well. Don't you think people are very rigid in North India?

PSA: Why do people from South India learn Hindi fast?
Me: Sir, people in South India are more forward...
Me: Sir, I don't think so people are rigid here and people learn it often.

PSA: But your case doesn't suggest so
Me: Sir, If I get posted in Tamil Nadu tomorrow, I'll learn Tamil very soon.

PSA: See, that's it. We learn it when there is necessity and not out of interest.
M1: Rohit, You know about Panchtantra?
Me: Sir, I remember reading about it in school

M1: Ok, so you know about it.
M1: Can you try to recollect what you remember>
Me: (after a pause for 5 seconds) Sir, its a book written by Vishnu Sharma

M1: Can you tell me what is the meaning of the word Panchtantra.
Me: Sir, if you give me permission, I can break the word in Hindi and try to explain it.

M1: Sure, please go ahead.
Me: Sir, Panch means five and tantra means some tactic or tool or technology to get the work done.

M1: Rohit, you are telling about Yantra and not tantra.
Me: Yes Sir, I'm wrong. I'm confused.

M1: Can you tell me about Vedanta?
Me: Sir, I know only about Vedanta Mining group

M1: (confused). PSA interrupts and says he is talking about Vendanta Industries of Orissa.
M1: No I'm talking about the word Vendanta?
Me: Sorrry Sir, I know about word Ved-Puran only.

M1: What do you know about policies towards informal and formal migrants from developing countries to European countries what policies have been taken towards them?
Me: Sorry Sir, I don't know about this aspect?

M1: What about USA?
Me: Sir, post economic recession, USA has taken many protectionist policies and has tightened the visa fees and other terms. It was very relaxed in the Bush regime. This protectionism has harmed countries like India. (He was not convinced...was expecting something else I guess)

M2: These days there have been lot of talks about different regulatory bodies in India like MCI, NCHER, etc. What is your take on it. Should they be merged into one integrated body or they should work as different bodies?
Me: Sir, they should be merged into one integrated body working under one roof. This will promote lot of cross -cultural research in the country. Technologists, managers, etc willbe able to work together and lot of new creative ideas and innovative solutions will come up. It will also reduce the red-tap in the bodies.

M2: Have you heard of IPR.
Me: Sir, do you mean I...P... R?
Me: Yes Sir, I know about IPR.

M2: Can you explain what it is?
Me: Sir, it means Intellectual Property Rights.

M2: Ok, these days lot of new companies are coming and taking up patents in agriculture...have you heard of anything like this?
Me: yes Sir, companies take the patents of seeds, fertilizers, etc and monopolise the market.

M2: what effect does it have.. .?
Me: Sir, it has led to loss of indigeneous technology of production which the farmers have and production suffers.

M2: Can you tell any specific exampple?
M2: (after remaining blank for 3-4 seconds) Sir, I remember about Monsanto case. How it mopolised the market.
M2: (not very convinced) Can you elaborate.
M2: (again not very confident) Sir, It got the patent of Bt Brinjal and there were lot of apprehensioned from people

M2: You have lived in Tamil nadu. Andhra pradesh is near to Tamil Nadu. In AP lot of agricultural universities are working and producing creative agri-models but still there are lot of farmer suicides. What is the reason>
Me: Sir, there is a gap between the research being done in the universities and the actual implementation in the farms.

M2: No, but still there are lot of models being implemented. I want a specific answer why in AP this problem is present.
Me: Sorry, Sir, I don't know any specific reason for such problem in Andhra Pradesh.

M3: Have you heard of Police Act?
Me: Yes Sir, It was passed in 2007

M3: (PSA interrupts, that is what Supreme Court has directed, he is asking something else). When was the original Police Act passed?
Me: Sir 1861

M3: Yes now you are on track. Now tell me why was it passed by the Britishers?
Me: Sir, it was passed to keep the people of India down

M3: Not only that, it was also passed to give the SPs enough powers to collect the revenue from the people and SPs use to work directly under the DMs
M3: Have you heard of Police Commissionarate System?
Me: Yes Sir, it has been started in Jaipur and Jodhpur recently.

M3: What system is in Tonk where you were born and what system is in Chennai.
Me: Sir, I'm not sure but I guess it is SP only.

M3: These days powers of DMs have been diluted and SPs have been granted more powers for law and order. Do you think this relationship be diluted.
Me: Sir, police should have some kind of regulatory body over it and DM is the best person. Otherwise there might be some police officers who have go out of the system and use their extra discretion and then people may suffer

M3: Yes you are correct
(M2 drops in again)
M2: (he explained me about secret ballot system in the Parliament for nearly 6 minutes. Even after listening to him hard I could not make a word out of it what he actually meant and what he wanted from me. I had a horrific expression on my face...He had a Bengali accent)
Me: Sir, could you...(PSA interrupts and takes over after seeing may facial expressions)

PSA: Do you remember when was the no-confidence motion adopted few years back.
Me: Sir, in 2007
PSA: for what purpose...?
Me: (not very confident) Sir, nuclear deal bill

PSA: Yes, in that Congress had 80 MPs and when secret ballot was done no one knew from where extra 18 MPs came out. It remained a mystery. Do you think this system of secret ballot should be removed?
Me: Yes Sir, it should be removed and ful transparency should be brought in the system. Opaqueness should be removed.

PSA: Don't you think it will create lot of uncertainty in the system.
Me: May be Yes Sir, but people have every right to know what decision their representative has taken on the issue. Is that good or bad? Party is secondary and people come first.

M4: Rohit, I'm not from technical background. You have written Robotics as your hobby. Can you explain me what is a Robot?
Me: Sir. Sorry Ma'am Robot is a tool or a device which can do the work which man does it from its own hands.

M4: Do you know about movie Robot?
Me: Yes Ma'am . Rajnikant is working in this movie.

M4: What did you like in the movie?
Me: Sir, Aishwarya Rai is working in that movie. (PSA interrupts and says yes that is the best thing to watch in that movie and the panel bursts into laughter. PSA again says but I haven't wathced it)

M4: I'll tell you what was there in the movie. There was a robot which finally became uncontrollable and than it was difficult to control it.
M4: Do you think such intelligence should be given to Robots?
Me: Sir, Sorry Ma'am intelligence should be given but not to the extent that they sit over man.

M4: You mean man shoud drive the robots and robots shoudl not drive man.
Me: Yes ma'am

M4: Can you tell how can Robots can be useful to society? Can you give some examples?
Me: Ma'am few days back there was nuclear meltdown in Japan and 50 odd workers are fighting there to cool down the reactor. If we can produce 50 robots in their place who can cool the reactor than that will be a wonderful contribution to the humanity. Our soldiers take enemy bullets in the war zones, if we can replace them with robots or in Naxal affected areas if we can produce Unmanned vehicles, Unmanned Ground Vehicles to detect the landmines many lives of police people will be saved.
(Interview abruptly ends here)

PSA: Thank You
Me: I was clueless and was expecting it to go some more long.

PSA: Rohit you may go now.
Me: Thank You Sir, Thank You Ma'am . Thank You Sir.

Exam Interview Details

Subjects Taken : Geography and Public Administration
Date: 26-Mar-2011
Interview Board : Purushottam Agarwal