How did you respond to aloofness question?

Well about aloofness in CSPs question, even they do not know the solution. Had they known they would have tackled it by now. So we were discussing the phenomenon rather than the solution. It was not a direct question. When chairman asked me about probs in police force among one of the probs, I mentioned that PSPs do not own their men, this has made the entire force demoralized. I quoted one of PSP officers as saying with pride 'main ne aj tak apne staff main kbhi se ksi se bat nhi ke'

So Ma'am said something like 'We try to give good people to police every year and God knows from where this arrogance comes to them.' I said ' Ma'am I personally think this has less to do with arrogance and more to do with the person's personality. I think if you can't interact with your subordinates that makes you a very insecure person. Like what would they say that you fear you wouldn't be able to handle?'

After that the discussion was turned to incompetence of PSPs that makes them insecure.

And after I was done lashing out at PSPs Wajid Rana stepped in and threw the attitude question.

So a very smooth sailing in a way, everything was interconnected. One member after the other picking up on my naive ideas.

In one of the answers I said 'This might not be a prudent thing to say here but..........' And Wajid Rana was laughing like- if this is you being prudent what would be you being direct So he asked me to explain why wouldn't that be prudent.

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"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing."
Helen Keller

Dear Members, AoA,
My interview was on 4th day when Phase-I started. I was happy at the moment when I left the interview room but within an hour I realized that my Interview was not fine at all.

It was for not more than 20 Minutes and Lt Gen Sb did not ask any question except from where did I belong to. I am from KPK by the way. Anyhow, the interview started, formally with questioning Madam Qureshi.

Ms Qureshi:
She asked me about why I left SNGPL and she gave very startling expressions when I told her that for CSS I left the job. Then she started off with a question on the holistic progress of India. I took economy as 1st point and outlined a few aspects. Then she asked me about their society. After that she asked me why I wanted to get Leadership? I told her that it is this intellectual elite which plays an important role paralleled by none.
Mr. Wajid Rana:
He started of with question on integrity what when was it last compromised. I told him that I took a unconstitutional approach on the onset of Dharna and I dont feel good about it. I told him that I remained apolitical but still I found myself drifting away with the bandwagon. Our political scene is currently an experience to assess ourselves and standing. He said that what do you think on topic of change in this regard. I told him that it is not natural and things should follow an evolutionary path. He gave me an example of some country where knee-jerk brought a change. I told him that there must be some context to this and I cant rush to the conclusion on his example. He laughed lightly and asked me about strategic leadership. I apologized by saying that I am not able to comprehend the word strategic in his question. He smiled and asked me about Russian issue with the Europe. Then he asked me about Karl Marx's article on War of Independence which I told him that Karl Marx told about the political gap in India, he cut me right while I was answering and asked what was common in Muslims and Hindus during war. I apologized (dont know why, cuz I should have given the answer).

Mr. Lehri
He asked me about rekodiq. I told him about the position of Pakistan in mineral sciences and our dependency on Transfer of Technology. He then told me that I had a little improvement in the written despite attempting 2011, 2013 and 2014. I said that I used to think that CSS is the test of knowledge but being concise and direct and short in answering yielded less marks and it took me third attempt to understand that it is game of numbers. He noded and then the Chairman said thank you gentleman.

When I stood up the Lt. Gen Sb said that I dont want so many questions to be bombarded on you and smiled. I thanked him very politely and with a gesture said salam to all. Then I left the room.

It was really a strange interview for me because I am an engineer and they didnt ask me any question from Engineering and my 6 years of experience in PTCL and SuiGas as XEN etc.

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~Yaseen~

@alisaeed01
Thanks for sharing your experience. for interview do not go there expecting anything at all.It can take any direction. At times they take hints from our input at times they just ignore that. It signifies nothing.

I hope to see more posts in this thread after Lahore phase interviews start. Every year this happens, hardly anyone from Isb bothers to share the interview experience but only after Lahore there starts real conversation in interview thread.

__________________
"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing."
Helen Keller

I guess you have appeared before the board? aint so? I hope to see your logical and pointblank analysis on my interview.

Regards

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~Yaseen~

Well I always love giving point blank analysis but the prob here is I would be out of my depth. There are people who can tell you or claim to be able to tell you your marks in written based on the questions asked and the interview score based on your answers. Unfortunately I am none of those.

2012 was my first interview experience with the board, I had mixed feelings about that too. I asked many and I got different responses, some said it was really good, some said it was okay, but one of my teachers told me that as per the questions asked I had scored somewhere from 680 to 710 (I scored 697) in written and that on basis of my prudent interview I had ruined my chances of allocation in first three groups. I might get an allocation but never in one of the first three. He told me that I will score average in interview, and this is what exactly happened.

So this time I did not go for any preparation, didn't ask anyone for guidance, gave very original responses- and he was the only person I called to get comments on my interview after I was done because I knew he will give me a straight forward response. Now he says my marks are like 720 and he has even given me a round about merit number as well and I think even something further from that would do for me. So fingers crossed now! As CSS is always unpredictable.

The thing here is I understand your concern and what you are going through but I am really not in a position to access your interview. I have no idea. I might have tried to get you in contact with my Sir but I am out of country these days so not that well connected.

Anyway best of luck. If it was your third attempt find a job and invest in some other career. If they call you well and good, if they do not even that would work out well for you. This is what am doing right now, working on plan B. A CSS Aspirant ought to have one, always.

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"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing."
Helen Keller

@ Artemis what was ur score in 2012 interview??????u scored pretty good in ur written in 2012............and what was your merit no then?

Thanks a lot, I wish now to have that contact of yours accessible : )

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~Yaseen~

I scored 160 in interview, my merit was in early 200s, but I have the cursed Punjab domicile.

__________________
"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing."
Helen Keller

Let me share my interview experience. Sorry for being a bit late, as I was too busy in Medical and all.

It was a good and healthy debate sort of experience.

Initially the chairman asked me about my father, his occupation, then went on to ask about my writings and then asked about one particular piece of article based on "Honor Killings" that did you face any backlash from the people back at your native area.

Then Mam asked me questions about civil society, the role of NGO's, she was on the side of the argument that they are not doing much work and just busy in cosmetic measures etc. However, I said they civil society along with social media do play a positive role these days. I gave example of the mobilization of people against Lal Masjid Cleric these days by the collective effort of civil society and social media.

Then the discussion went on to Malala. It was just general stuff.

Then came the turn of Rana Sahab, being my first experience and heard so much stuff about him, being the most critical one, who drags candidates and all. I prepared myself for the battle of nerves against him. Getting more attentive and all. He asked me a phrase and a very strange tone something that went along the lines, "that the Premier/PM uses the Army to keep themselves away from the oppressed people". Initially I was a bit bewildered that what exactly it means, however, I asked Sir to please reiterate it again so I could make a better understanding, he said it again, then I got it and told him probably that it means that ordinary people are kept away from the palaces/corridors of power via the aid of security forces. He smiled and then moved on, I still don't know whether I was right or wrong


Then the discussion went to military courts, China, then he asked me about how diplomatic ties could be kept fruitfully between Saudis and Iranians seeing the complexity of relations between these two countries. I tried to defend my case. However, as its a norm you'd hardly completed a couple of lines to support your argument they would move along to the next question.

Then he asked me something about business administration. Which was pretty easy in my view. After that asked me about Ibn-e-Khaldun..

Lastly the veteran from Balochistan, forgot his name, he asked me about Khomeini and his role in Iranian politics. Which was again pretty easy to discuss. Then he told me, we are done. You may leave now.


All in all, it was good in my view. I was pretty much satisfied as the whole discussion was related to my areas of interests.

Mostly based on IR (my subject) and current issues etc (again my free lance writing).

still at this stage no one can be sure. God bless us all and best of luck to everyone.

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“Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and right doing, there is a field. I will meet you there.” Rumi