UPSC Interview Transcript of Himansu Gupta (AIR-304, 2018)
Board- PK Joshi
Marks- 179/275
A brief about me. I’m from a town named Sirauli, in district Bareilly, UP. This is my 2nd attempt, and first interview. I didn't do any coaching but gave 2 test series (One for optional Anthropology and one for GS mains). Education- BSc (Hindu College, DU), MSc (DU). Major in Environmental Science. Currently working as a research scholar (NET-JRF). Hobbies- Butterfly watching and Nature Photography.
Chairman
1. What is the difference between environmental studies and environmental science.
- I said ‘The former is more comprehensive and also takes into consideration the socio-economic and political dimensions of dealing with environmental problems.
2. What are green buildings? Have you visited one?
- Told the definition. I haven’t visited one though, Sir. I will for sure.
3. Tell me some judgements of NGT?
- Told three:
- NGT on Sri Sri Ravishankar
- NGT on slapping 20 crore on Delhi Government for Pollution.
- NGT on Sand minings in river beds,
4. How will you motivate school kids for less impact on environment? Give six points.
- First, aware them about food that they eat. The lower they eat at the base of food chains, the lower is their carbon footprint.
- Use sustainable transport, prefer cycles over buses and bikes.
- Switch off lights in class and halls when leaving,
- Use school eco clubs for afforestation drive.
- Save water, prefer bucket instead of shower.
- Aware community members, family members on environmental friendly habits.
5. River interlinking views? Name rivers already interlinked? Where is Ken betwa located?
- Benefits- Year long availability of water. More irrigation density. More hydropower potential.
- Costs- River ecology disturbed, fish migration. siltation of river beds. Also, climate change threatening availability of water so river projects might not remain the same in near future. Cost concerns.
- Rivers interlinked- Ken and Betwa
- Place- MP.
6. Why NPA higher in public banks than private banks? Should all banks be nationalised then? Role of individual defaulters in NPA problem?
- Political interference in bank governance.
- Populist policies like loan waiver, MUDRA loan.
- Conflict of interest.
- Political interference higher in Public Banks.
- Laxity in corporate governance.
- Way out- Strengthen corporate governance of banks. Minimise government interfere in bank policies and recruitment.
- Should all be nationalised. NO, reach of private banks is limited and does not cater to small towns and villages much. To increase financial inclusion and extend financial services to the most marginalised, public banks are needed along with private banks. Instead, few large banks could be nationalised to make global giants while small ones continue to work on ground.
- Individual defaulters: gave exempt of Vijaya Malya, Nirav Modi etc.
Rest of the members:
7. What is ozone hole? Why is it formed?
- Specialisation Environmental sciences. Answered both.
8. What is the difference between flies, and butterflies?
- Flies- generic term for mosquitoes, house fly, stonefly, dragonfly, etc. Order- Hemiptera (correct was diptera).
- Butterflies- type of insects. order- Lepidoptera.
- Difference in anatomy and physiology.
9. What is repo rate? Current repo rate?
- Rate at which the central bank- the RBI lends to the banks on pledging securities (short term). Currently 6.25%.
10. What is greenhouse gas effect?
- Specialisation Environmental sciences. Answered.
11. Which government agencies and institutions are involved in Environmental protection? Such institutions and agencies at the state level?
- National: MOEFCC. NGT. NDMA.
- State: SDMA.
12. What is sustainable development? Why is is important?
- Specialisation Environmental sciences. Answered.
13. Is it butterfly watching or butterfly catching? How do you watch a butterfly? Tell me more. How do you classify them? How did you get interested in it?
- Mam, it’s watching. I go to parklands and semi natural sites in Delhi such as JNU, Kamla Nehru Ridge, Lodi Gardens, Asolla Bhatti WS, Rose Garden etc to watch them.
- I use to taxonomically classify them and photograph them.
- You identify them by observing the unique wing pattern that they have. Each species usually have a unique wing pattern.
- I got this hobby which got Indian Academy of Sciences SRF in BSc and got a privilege to work with Dr. Krushnamegh Kunte (A leading butterfly expert). He introduced me to this fascinating world of butterflies.
- I came to Delhi and realised that there is not a single detailed study on Butterfly of Delhi and I started looking for them. I have so far identified 75 species of butterflies in Delhi, which is more than 85% of all the butterfly species ever been seen or published in Delhi.
14. Tell me about villayti keekar?
- This was a laughter moment. I asked ‘Sir, Is this Prosopis Juliflora? He said ‘I am not going to ask you any more questions on this’ and they all started laughing.
15. Rafale controversy? Why SC is reopening the case against? What is official secrets act? Can it be used to deny information under Rafale? What should we do to curb the menace?
- Explained. Allegations by opposition of corruption in procurement of Rafale planes from France.
- Why SC is reopening- Sorry Sir, I’m not sure.
- Explained official secrets act, 1923. Gives privileges to government officials to deny any information in name of national security and sovereignty of India.
- Can it be used- Rafale is a fighter plane and has sensitive information. Its specifications release might against the prospects of Air Force but price details can be released. In fact, in the newspaper today the SC has clarified that RTI 2005 supersedes OSA 1923 and government cannot dent information arbitrarily.
- Way out- Catalogue and codify the circumstances OSA 1923 can be put into action. It should’nt be based on whims and fancies of the government.
16. Do you think humans have evolved from ape? Evidences for it?
- Yes.
- Evidences:
- Developmental biology: Foetus stages same.
- Anatomical: Homology and Analogy. Gave examples of Wings of Birds, bats and Humans.
- Genetic: Humans share 98% genes with Chimpanzee.
- Fossil records.
- LUCA.
17. Enemy property bill 2016? Why SC did not give nod to it in first time?
- Sir, The Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Bill, 2016, amends the Enemy Property Act, 1968 and vest all the properties of the people who migrated to enemy countries such as Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh during wars of 1962, 65 etc, in the hands of Custodian of Enemy properties of India.
- The properties value over 1 lakh crore. The government is panning to put the properties into productive use of public welfare or to monetise on them to raise money for public welfare.
18. Simultaneous elections? Feasible? Problems faced if implemented?
- Clubbing of LS and State LA elections into one.
- Feasible- Till 1967, elections in country were simultaneous only but due to early dissolving of assembly in period of 67–69, the cycle was disturbed.
- The government is mooting for an idea of Simultaneous elections and NITI Aayog in its recent report said that these elections are feasible in two phases- by clubbing state elections with national elections and have another period of elections mid way.
- Problems faced- Against constitutional mandate of people's right to dissolve the assembly if the majority on floor cannot be proved or if the government loses its support. Also, subjugation of regional issues under national issues. Additionally, issues of manpower with ECI for conducting such a large exercise is there.
19. Why laxity in defence procurement? Why are defence projects stalled?
- Lack of political will. Political interference in defence acquisition.
- Judicial interference and pending.
- Possible Corruption (Gave Bofors and Rafale example).
- Ineffective performance by Defence acquisition council.
- Budget constraints (India 50 odd billion, while China has 200B and US has 600B).
20. Future of WTO? What is impeding it? Why recent trade wars then?
- WTO has been ineffective in controlling the escalation of trade war between US, China and other nations.
- What is impeding it? Primarily weakening of Dispute resolution committee of WTO- the principal dispute settlement body of WTO. US is hindering appointment of new member to DRC, and the body has become weaker and will further be reduced down to just one member in next few years.
- Trade wars due to trust deficit and US ‘America first’ policy.
- Way out- appointment of more members to WTO DRC mainly from Asia and Africa. Minimise the possibility of one nation interfering with the WTO mandate (US alone has huge rights and stakes in WTO).
21. Should India and Pakistan look for a mediator in kashmir dispute? Can UN be a mediator?
- In the current geopolitical situation, it is extremely difficult for both the countries to accept a third party as an unbiased mediator, because the government to government and people to people disconnect is severe.
- Additionally, time and again both counties have reiterated their stand that Kashmir issue is a bilateral issue and would be solved by deliberations and discussions between the two countries itself.
- The Kashmir issue was taken to the UN by former PM Pt. JL Nehru. However, UN mandated ceasefire have not been successful in bridging the trust deficit and diffuse the tensions between the two nations. Therefore, efficacy of UN intervention is again questionable as both nations are adamant on solving the Kashmir issue bilaterally.
22. What is electoral bond? Why is it important? Is the identity of the donator revealed?
- After reducing the limit of cash donation to a political party from earlier 20,000 to 2,000, the government announced electoral bond scheme as a more transparent mechanism to fund political parties.
- Electoral bonds can be purchased from certain designated branches of SBI only and have denominations in logarithmic scale (1000, 1 lakh, 10 lakh, 1 crore..). They can be purchased by any citizen from the bank.
- The ECI has issued designated bank accounts to the political parties who have secured 1% of votes in previous LS or State LA elections. The political parties can cash the bond within 15 days of receiving it in this bank account.
- No Sir, The identity is still anonymous.
23. What is dumping?
- I clarified is it dumping in trade and he said yes.
- Sir, Dumping is a phenomenon in trade when one countries export a product at a price lower than the cost of that product in the domestic market of the exporter.
- It brings domestic industries into disadvantage and harm the local producers.
Your interview is over. Thank you.
