1. Bio
2. Education
3. Introduction
4. MCQ Paper
5. Essay/Descriptive paper
6. Physical Test
7. Interview
8. Marksheet
9. Tempo
10. Service Preference
11. Career Backup
12. Wisdom
13. Credit: Friends/family
14. Bogus Marketing Propaganda

Bio

Education

Introduction

Q. Tell us something about yourself. When and why did you enter in the competitive exam field?

After completing my graduation in 2010 , I started preparing for banking competitive examinations. Initially I could not clear any of them. In the meantime joined a number of small IT companies in Chandigarh but i never felt satisfied. Finally decided to pick up the threads once again and started preparing for civil services under the guidance of my mentor. It was Aug 2011. Thankfully under his guidance I never failed in a single competitive examination, I appeared, till May 2013.

MCQ Paper

Q. List of Essential books and tips for success in the CAPF written exam?

I didn’t prepare specifically for CAPF examination. I came to know about this exam through a friend only in july 2012. More or less I decided to stick to basics.

Here is a list of books that I followed:

History : Old NCERTs and Rajiv Ahir
Polity : Laxmikanth
Geography: +1 NCERT, Special Issue of Chronicle Magazine, Goh Cheng Leong
Economy: No specific book. I followed newspapers and articles by Mr. Mrunal. His articles on economy are indispensable for anyone preparing for these exams. Really thankful to him for all this.
Science: Used NCERTs to revise the basic concepts. Questions asked in this section are fundamental in nature. Little understanding of concepts will do.
Current Affairs: Newspapers and pib.nic.in
Aptitude: No specific preparation for this. RS Aggarwal would suffice for this level.

Essay and Précis: I used to write essays on current topics at least twice a month. I think that helped me in the examination. No special practice for précis.

Essay/Descriptive paper

Q. How did you prepare the Essay, grammar, précis and report writing?

Essay requires content and formatting.
Content: I used to read 3-4 newspapers daily. So knowledge about topic was a natural outcome. Content was never a problem.
Formatting: Placing right thing at right place and interlinking paragraphs. Practice and guidance of my mentor helped me a lot in this.
Précis:  No specific preparation.
Grammar:  Preparation of banking examination came handy in this.
Report Writing: I came across this topic for the first time in examination hall only.

Q. In CAPF-2012 Exam, Which essay did you write in and what keypoints did you include in it?

I wrote on ‘The role of technology in coping with challenges to internal security’.  Due to my technical background, writing on use of technology in strengthening internal security was comparatively easy for me. I used the idea of creating a nationwide database using AADHAR as single identity card with biometric information of the persons. Interlinking govt services and  security agencies through a common but highly secure and reliable platform aimed at sharing information, improving coordination, tracking criminals and suspected activities. Development of indigenous technology, better monitoring capabilities and upgradation of security agencies in technological field.
Q. In CAPF-2012, they asked counter-arguments for following, in 75 words. Please provide your answer.

Physical Test

Q. To pass Physical Efficiency Tests (PET), what preparation did you do at home? Where was your PET held? How was your experience, share some tips.

PET location: ITBP Bhanu, Panchkula, Haryana

It was the hardest part for me. Due to the very nature of preparation of civil services one hardly gets time for physical exercise. So confidence in own physical capability was surely an issue. However with the help of friends, their motivation and firm resolve, all went well.

I used staircase running to build up stamina.

Completing 100m sprint was always a grey area after running 800m. I never finished the line before 14 secs. Luckily at the PET, 100m sprint was the first event.

High temperatures of summer noon and blowing air mixed with dust, drained much energy during 800m. I cleared long jump event in my last attempt.  I need not mention shot-put event as no one fails in this ever.

Interview

Q. What specific preparation did you do for the interview? Who was the chairman? Provide the list of questions asked in CAPF Interview. (and if possible, the answers as well). How was the overall interview experience? And any tips for future aspirants.

Chairman: Ms Alka

Board was friendly except Ms. Chairman.

Questions revolved around my educational background, family, area to which I belong.

Few questions that i am able to recall are here:

1. Why do you want to join forces?
2. What are transistors?
3. What are CRTs(Cathode Ray Tubes)?
4. Have you seen an open sky with naked eyes (member no.2 started with lyrical words)? How do you differentiate between a star and a planet at night?
5. Asked about few stars that I didn’t know.
6. Predominant occupation in my district. Reason behind that.
7. Types of agricultural loans?
8. What are the fundamental needs of a small, marginal and a bigger farmer? Are the same or vary from farmer to farmer? Why the vary and how can you help them in achieving those?
9. Major issue of Punjab’s agricultural economy today?
10. How should India formulate its policy towards Iran given the American’s positions regarding Iran’s nuclear program ?
11. Few questions about Mughals and their paintings.

Q. How was interview: normal, stress, mixed? Did they ask any uncomfortable questions, if yes how did you answer it?

Interview was normal  except that the lady chairman’s face expressions made me uncomfortable. It was a look like she was getting bored.

Marksheet

Paper-I:    165
Paper-II:  089
Written Total 254
Personality Test 089
Final Total 343

Tempo

Q. How did you maintain the study-mood, motivation and tempo throughout this period? There are ups and downs- phases of mood swings, sometimes boredom and even depression. How did you fight that psychological battle? On an average, how many hours do you study?

No doubt it happens to everyone of us who prepares for civil services. Sometimes you are so encouraged and charged that you do not feel like leaving the books. But at times, you are so much frustrated that you feel like leaving everything and go party. The hardest part is to maintain a tempo and moving at a constant speed. It’s a journey that requires long patience and hard work. Even today, I am fighting this feeling. The only way out is to minimize your contacts. Venture with people who motivate, encourage and support you. I am lucky to have such friends and guides around me. It’s better to have such mentors around than a coaching institute.

Service Preference

Q. What was your service preference order (CRPF>CISF>SSB etc) and why did you pick up the particular order?
CISF>BSF>CRPF>SSB>ITBP
I wanted only CISF or BSF.

Career Backup

Q. If you were not selected, what was your career backup plan?
I had cleared IBPS 2. Currently working as PO in bank for the past 6 months.

Wisdom

Q. Through this journey and success, what wisdom did you gain about competition and life? What is your message to the aspirants?
Learn from others mistakes. You can learn from your own mistakes only if you can afford to waste time.
This journey is sweeter than the destination. Enjoy this period. It will shape your personality. Everyone of us won’t reach the goal. But you will stand apart in the crowd for sure.

Credit: Friends/family

I am lucky to have support of my family, emotionally and financially. Its not easy to feed a 25 years jobless graduate without a surety of future for two years.
My mentor and guide Mr. Ivninderpal Singh, under whose guidance and supervisions I have been able to achieve whatever I have.
A special friend Ms Alisha Angrish, who never let me felt that I was not winner, despite many failures she would always fill me with self belief that kept me moving throughout this journey.
Mr Krishan Mohan, Sorabh Arora, Punit, Karan, Brar and Maan who were always there to support whenever I looked back and blessings of many others.

Bogus Marketing Propaganda

Q. Did you use Mrunal.org for your preparation and if yes, how did it help you?  And you can even reply “No”. I’ll publish your answer as it is.

Mrunal.org proved to be second teacher to me. I regularly followed this website. I am thankful to Mr. Sandeep for referring this site to me. The biggest thing that I learnt from Mrunal is how to approach a given topic so that it becomes a part of you. The way he handles the complicated issues in a definite , composite and satirical manner is praise worthy. He provides truckloads of information without letting you feel an ounce of burden.