'That's what got me through the interview': Jaishankar recalls his UPSC journey, says he gave interview on the day Emergency was revoked
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "'That's what got me through the interview': Jaishankar recalls his UPSC journey, says he gave interview on the day Emergency was revoked")
India’s Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar speaks during a bilateral meeting with US Defense Secretary Photograph: (AFP)
India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar mentioned that the interview is the toughest part of the UPSC exams and described the entire process as an “Agni Pariksha”.
India's External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar recently shared memories of his entry into the civil services. He said his interview for the UPSC took place on 21 March 1977 ( the same day the Emergency ended in India).
Looking back, Jaishankar said the interview taught him two important lessons, first, how to communicate well under pressure, and second is that influential people often live in their own “bubble,” disconnected from reality.
"(1977) Election results were coming from the previous day... The sense of the defeat of the Emergency rule was coming into understanding. In a way, that is what got me through the interview," Jaishankar told the fresh batch of entrants to the civil services at an event in Delhi, according to PTI news agency.
He also mentioned that the interview is the toughest part of the UPSC exams and described the entire process as an “Agni Pariksha”, a true test of one’s abilities. His interview happened 48 years ago at the Shahjahan Road in Delhi, and he was the first candidate of the day to appear for the interview.
During that time, an Emergency had been declared by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in June 1975 and officially ended on 21 March 1977. Furthermore, Jaishankar also recalled that he was asked about the 1977 elections during his interview and as a political science student at JNU who had actively taken part in campaigning against the Emergency, he added that he was well-prepared and fortunate to answer those questions.
"We had taken part in the 1977 election campaign. We had all gone there and worked for the defeat of the Emergency," Jaishankar told PTI. India's External Affairs Minister also mentioned that after the UPSC interview, he learnt of the "Lutyens' bubble".
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