UPSC CSE Interview: Understanding the Role of Mains Scores

The Civil Services Examination (CSE) marks a pivotal point in a prospective civil servant's journey. Among its processes, the CSE interview is a critical step that influences the final decision. A common concern among aspirants is whether the interview panel is aware of their Mains marks during the interview. This article aims to clarify this and explore the importance of the interview process in the CSE.

Mains Scores and Their Role in the Interview

Yes, the UPSC CSE interview panel is indeed aware of a candidate's Mains marks. This information is a part of the candidate's overall performance profile, which includes their previous exam results, academic background, and extra-curricular activities. However, while the Mains scores form a part of the panel's consideration, the primary focus of the interview is on assessing the candidate's personality, communication skills, and overall suitability for a career in the civil services.

Access to Application and Performance

The interview panel typically has access to the candidate's entire application and performance in previous stages of the exam. According to many experienced aspirants, the Mains marks are often used as a reference point to understand the candidate's academic performance and background. However, the detailed Mains answers are not usually accessible during the interview. Instead, the panel may refer to a brief of the Decision-Accomplishment File (DAF) which includes a summary of the candidate's written performance and other relevant information.

No Direct Access to Written Examination Marks

Some participants have shared that the interview panel does not have direct access to the written examination marks. However, the DAF provides a general idea of the candidate's performance during studies. It is important to note that the interview process is designed to assess a candidate's personality and communication skills, not their academic brilliance, which is already tested through the written examination.

Personal Experiences and Observations

My personal experience of appearing for the UPSC CSE interview four times confirms that the interview panel does not have access to the detailed Mains scores during the interview. The UPSC CSE interview process is very fair and objective, focusing on assessing candidates across various parameters. Marks awarded during the interview are primarily based on one's performance on the day of the interview. I myself have scored very different marks in different years:

2011: 196 2013: 151 2016: 157 2017: 168

To a great extent, these scores reflect my performance on the day of the interview. This does not mean that there are no biases or subjective factors, but it does show that the interview assesses skills on the day rather than relying solely on past academic performance.

Importance of the Interview Process

The interview process holds significant importance in determining the final selection. The CSE is a low-scoring exam, with toppers scoring around 50 marks. The variation in interview marks is often very high. This means that candidates with the same written examination scores may end up with very different outcomes:

High scorers with 240 marks may become IAS Officers Low scorers with 105 marks may not even make it to the merit list

The interview serves as a fair assessment mechanism that evaluates candidates based on their day-to-day performance, communication skills, and personality. It is crucial for candidates to perform well in the interview to ensure their chances of selection.

Consistency and Fairness in the Selection Process

Through interaction with someone who was once on the board, it has been confirmed that the interview panel does not have direct access to the detailed Mains scores. It is also important to recognize that younger candidates with good education, academic performance, and communication skills tend to score higher in the interview. However, to a significant extent, the interview process is objective and fair.

The key takeaway from this is that while Mains scores are part of the candidate's overall profile, the interview is where the true assessment of a candidate's suitability for a career in civil services occurs. It is a critical step that demands one's best performance on the day of the interview.

Conclusion

Understanding the role of Mains scores in the UPSC CSE interview is essential for aspirants. While the panel has access to the candidate's overall performance, the primary focus is on evaluating personality, communication skills, and suitability for a career in the civil services. The interview process is designed to be fair and objective, ensuring a balanced assessment of candidates.