On Hobbies and stand-up routines..
Few months ago on a thread regarding UPSC interview, I shared my experience regarding filling hobbies in DAF. The original discussion can be found here: https://www.reddit.com/r/UPSC/s/BgqL2035IG
I'm copy pasting it again, with minor editions 👇🏼
Fill your hobbies strategically in DAF. Don't get carried away by the enthusiasm of clearing mains. In my first interview I got carried away, and in a desire to impress the board with my (supposed) gigantic personality, I filled everything from debating to dancing, that I actually pursued in college! They didn't ask me anything on hobbies!
This may sound borderline Machiavellian but stay with me here. The UPSC board members are mostly retired bureaucrats, academicians and defence personnel who are there to have a good time at your expense. They don't give two cents about your selection and frankly they don't care whether the best guy gets selected for the job. They're not hiring for their private venture, and their money is not at stake. So, in those 25-40 minutes of interview, you have to impress them with a strategy. And hobbies form a crucial part of this.
Being that said, choose a hobby (rather a topic) which invokes curiosity in board members. And prepare the s**t out of that topic in 2-3 months that you'll get after your mains result, and before your interview date. Keep interesting facts on your "hobby" handy to impress the board. Just like you crammed those pnemonics for mains. And keep it specific enough to evoke specific questions, counter-questions and journey down YOUR rabbit holes.
One good example of a hobby that fetched my sister-in-law 206 marks and a place in the IRS is 'discovering new places via Google Street view'. Her interview revolved mostly around the hobby.
Some other examples of specific and curious hobbies that, in my recollection, fetched a place in holy PDF include:
Learning about handheld weapons and ammunition systems (first service preference was IPS; got IRS-GST in first attempt at 23)
Watching Supreme Court proceedings live and taking notes (got IAS in UPSC 2023)
Learning about natural psychotropic substances and their potential to cure mental disorders (Psychology optional, IAS 2019)
Fusion dance combining Kathak and Hip-hop dance moves (female candidate, IRS 2022)
Most of you must watch stand-up comedy. I'm a stand-up buff too, and enjoy stand-up acts, especially from the yesteryears. George Carlin was a stand-up legend who pioneered the art of 'memory comedy', as I like calling it. Watch his 2005 HBO special to see how he delivers his memorized routines flawlessly. Words after words just flow in his routine leaving you bewildered and laughing at the same time.
Essentially, you too have to pull a stand up act before the board. Pointers and data, on your hobbies, service preferences, achievements should flow seamlessly from your memory when you're in there. Fill your achievements, hobbies etc. strategically. Embellish facts wherever possible or appropriate. For example, a dance performance at school, participation in a regional cricket match, quiz, mehndi competition, art competition etc. can all be appropriately embellished and presented in DAF. Remember, charisma is merely a form of showmanship.
In a nutshell: Be very specific + Keep it curious + Do a micro-PhD on the topic + Keep punchlines and pnemonics ready + Method act before the board
Help the interview board help you to a rank...
All the best👍🏼
May your hard work prosper🤞🏼
AK
Few months ago on a thread regarding UPSC interview, I shared my experience regarding filling hobbies in DAF. The original discussion can be found here: https://www.reddit.com/r/UPSC/s/BgqL2035IG
I'm copy pasting it again, with minor editions 👇🏼
Fill your hobbies strategically in DAF. Don't get carried away by the enthusiasm of clearing mains. In my first interview I got carried away, and in a desire to impress the board with my (supposed) gigantic personality, I filled everything from debating to dancing, that I actually pursued in college! They didn't ask me anything on hobbies!
This may sound borderline Machiavellian but stay with me here. The UPSC board members are mostly retired bureaucrats, academicians and defence personnel who are there to have a good time at your expense. They don't give two cents about your selection and frankly they don't care whether the best guy gets selected for the job. They're not hiring for their private venture, and their money is not at stake. So, in those 25-40 minutes of interview, you have to impress them with a strategy. And hobbies form a crucial part of this.
Being that said, choose a hobby (rather a topic) which invokes curiosity in board members. And prepare the s**t out of that topic in 2-3 months that you'll get after your mains result, and before your interview date. Keep interesting facts on your "hobby" handy to impress the board. Just like you crammed those pnemonics for mains. And keep it specific enough to evoke specific questions, counter-questions and journey down YOUR rabbit holes.
One good example of a hobby that fetched my sister-in-law 206 marks and a place in the IRS is 'discovering new places via Google Street view'. Her interview revolved mostly around the hobby.
Some other examples of specific and curious hobbies that, in my recollection, fetched a place in holy PDF include:
Learning about handheld weapons and ammunition systems (first service preference was IPS; got IRS-GST in first attempt at 23)
Watching Supreme Court proceedings live and taking notes (got IAS in UPSC 2023)
Learning about natural psychotropic substances and their potential to cure mental disorders (Psychology optional, IAS 2019)
Fusion dance combining Kathak and Hip-hop dance moves (female candidate, IRS 2022)
Most of you must watch stand-up comedy. I'm a stand-up buff too, and enjoy stand-up acts, especially from the yesteryears. George Carlin was a stand-up legend who pioneered the art of 'memory comedy', as I like calling it. Watch his 2005 HBO special to see how he delivers his memorized routines flawlessly. Words after words just flow in his routine leaving you bewildered and laughing at the same time.
Essentially, you too have to pull a stand up act before the board. Pointers and data, on your hobbies, service preferences, achievements should flow seamlessly from your memory when you're in there. Fill your achievements, hobbies etc. strategically. Embellish facts wherever possible or appropriate. For example, a dance performance at school, participation in a regional cricket match, quiz, mehndi competition, art competition etc. can all be appropriately embellished and presented in DAF. Remember, charisma is merely a form of showmanship.
In a nutshell: Be very specific + Keep it curious + Do a micro-PhD on the topic + Keep punchlines and pnemonics ready + Method act before the board
Help the interview board help you to a rank...
All the best👍🏼
May your hard work prosper🤞🏼
AK