UPSC Interview:- Aayush Oak (IAS) Part I

UPSC INTERVIEW

CHAIRMAN: PRASANTA KUMAR MISHRA

DATE: 2^ND APRIL 2011.

Me: May I come in sir?

Chairman: yes please

Me: Good afternoon sir, good afternoon madam, good afternoon to all

Chairman and lady member: (together) please sit

Chairman: what is your name?

Me: Aayush Sanjeev Oak

Chairman: What is aayush?

Me: sir, it means ‘life’.

Chairman: elaborate it.

Me: There is a department of Ayush in the Ministry of health for the management and promotion of traditional systems of medicine and homeopathy. . .

Chairman: and what does it stand for?

Me: Ayurveda, Yoga and Nathuropathy, unani, siddha and homeopathy . . also the Tibetan form of medicine called sowa rigpa had been added to it recently.

Chairman: what do you know about siddha?

Me: sir, it is mainly practiced in Tamil Nadu and most of its literature is in tamil

Chairman: anything else?              

Me: sorry sir, I am not able to recollect.

Chairman: fine, you have studied at symbiosis in pune. . .

Me: yes

Chairman: what does symbiosis stand for?

Me: it means interaction between two organisms for mutual benefit.

Chairman: yes, a symbiotic relationship. . .

Me: yes

Chairman: why was it established?

Me: The primary objective for the formation of this institute was that students for various countries could come together and study for mutual benefit. . .the school is actually an arm of this institute.

Member 3: Is this the one established by Dr. Mazumdar?

Me: yes sir.

Chairman: so aayush you have written that trekking is your hobby . . . where do you trek?

Me: mostly in the sahayadris but I have had the opportunity to trek in the kumaon Himalayas at pindari and kafni glaciers when I was in the 11^th standard.

Chairman: aayush if I make you the leader of a group . . .and ask you to lead them on a trek in the Himalayas what would you advice them before you start the trek?

Me: my first task would be to help them pack their haversacks . . .i would advice them to carry clothes that cover the full body which are not bright in colour and good warmers too.dry pairs of socks and shoes with a good grip are must. They must carry with them high energy foodstuff such as dry fruits and cheese an extra pair of batteries for their torch as the chilling cold reduces the battery life substantially. They must separate their clothes in plastic bags and so that they remain dry even in the rains ,they should pack the sacks in such a manner that heavy objects are at the top while the light ones are at the bottom.

Chairman:  (interrupting) don’t you think plastic bags are not environmentally friendly?

Me: yes sir they are . . I will ask them not to litter while on trek but they are essential to keep your belongings dry.

Chairman: go ahead. . .

Me: I will also ask them to carry a raincoat and a stick along with them because the wheather is very unpredictable in the Himalayas. Sleeping bags and carry mats will also be required.

Chairman: anything else. . .

Me: then I would advise them on the basic techniques of trekking. . .

Chairman: anything that you are missing out that one must carry?

Me: I am not able to recollect it right now. . .

Chairman: first aid kit. .

Me: yes sir, thank you that is very important.

Chairman: and what about tents?

Me: yes sir that too . . . but in most trekking routes the KMVN (Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam) has its own rest houses. . .