Expected questions for intelligence bureau (IBSA) interview
Interview is conducted for approximately 10 to 12 minutes.
The Intelligence Bureau (IB) Security Assistant (SA/Executive) is a
Group ‘C’
non-gazetted,
non-ministerial post
under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Responsibilities involve
field-level intelligence collection,
security duties, and
local database maintenance.
Job Profile & Responsibilities
Field Work: Conducting secret information gathering and maintaining a localized network of contacts.
Security Duties: Ensuring the safety of the office, monitoring premises, and performing operational duties.
Liaison: Assisting senior intelligence officers in investigations and coordinating with local authorities when required.
Result is informed personally. No marks are disclosed.
Medium of Interview
If you are not comfortable in English then after introduction you can request them to conduct interview in Hindi. Mostly they will agree. Proficiency is English is not the must condition of this job.
Prepare on first name, questions are asked on it.
Expected questions
1) IB Orgainzation
– Who is current chief of IB?
– When did the IB came into existence?
– Who was the governor of India that time?
– What is the mandate of IB?
– IB work under which ministry? – Does IB has any legal or constitutional status? (No)
– Which is the highest post achievable in IPS? (Director of Intelligence Bureau DIB)
– How many stars he had? (4, highest)
– Does IB still do political espionage?
– IB pass on the intelligence to whom?
– How IB is connected to Police Department?
– Why RAW was formed? How their mandate differs?
– Compare the success of IB vis-à-vis RAW.
– Does reports of IB get declassified?
– Chief problems facing the agency. (Heavy politics, under-funding, shortage of field agents)
– Do state governments have their own intelligence agencies? If yes, then how IB coordinates with them?
– Working with IB is civil duty or military duty?
2) Intelligence
– What is the difference between information and intelligence?
– Is intelligence same as knowledge?
– What is the difference between intelligence and actionable intelligence?
– What is surveillance, how to keep that?
– What is the difference between surveillance and reconnaissance?
– How surveillance and vigilance are connected to intelligence?
– What is counter surveillance?
– What is diligence?
– Which organization takes care of technical aspect of intelligence?
– What is counter- intelligence?
– What is human intelligence?
– What is signal intelligence?
– What is Electronic Intelligence?
– What is technological intelligence?
– What is open source Intelligence?
– Which of these is most important?
– What are the stages of intelligence?
– What is intelligence cycle?
– What is Need to Know Principle?
– What is soft intelligence?
– Who are Special Intelligence Officers (SIOs)?
– Tell any three instruments (gadgets) useful for gathering intelligence
– Give one example of intelligence failure. (one from India and one from the world)
– What is privacy? Shall phone tapping should be allowed to intelligence agencies?
3) What is NATGRID?
4) What is MAC (Multi Agency Centre)?
5) How many MAC centers are active at present? (New Delhi)
6) What is the mandate of National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO)?
7) What is Theater command?
8) Can you give any example of failure of intelligence?
9) Who is the equivalent of IB in Pakistan and China?
10) What is the difference between immigration and emigration?
11) Who was James Bond?
12) Do you know how Siachen was won and the role played by intelligence agency in it?
13) Spy?
– Who is spy? How he is different from detective?
– Who is handler?
– What is dead drop?
– What is the difference between spy and agent?
– Is every spy is a agent?
– Who is double agent?
– Is spying legal or illegal?
– Who is mole?
– What is espionage?
14) Have you watched Durandhar? How much close it was to reality?
15) What is the controversy regarding the book of A.S.Dulat?
16) You and IB
– How you see yourself in IB 5 years and 10 years down the line?
– Will you sign a bond with government?
– Will you agree work in border areas?
– What is your motivation to join IB?
– Will you prefer desk job or field work?
– Are you ready work in north east India?
– Are you ready to comprise your personal ethics for organizational goals?
– Why India has more social media accounts then population?
– Will you make fake account on social media?
– Why we should not reject you?
IB interview: related questions
1) What is insurgency? What is counter insurgency? Where is Counter Insurgency & Jungle Warfare School (CIJWS) of India?
2) Is demographic disaster a biggest internal security threat to India?
3) What is Operation Green Hunt, Salwa Judum, Operation Sadbhavna, Operation Rahat
4) What is Maharashtra Orgainsed Crime Control Act (MOCCA), is it applicable for other states?
5) What is Assam Special Power Act (ASPA) What are the objectives and objections?
6) What is Nagalim? Has govt conceded to the demand of Nagalim?
7) What are grey hounds? How they are different then other such forces in country?
8) What is enforcement directorate (ED)? What is their work?
9) What is National Investigation Agency (NIA)? Who is more effective CIA or NIA? Why?
10) Where is Commando School of India?
11) What is low intensity conflict?
12) What is urban warfare? What is the difference between internal disturbances and warfare?
13) Terrorism
– Is terrorism defined internationally? In India?
– What is the difference between terrorist and extremist?
– Which is India’s biggest terrorist organization?
– What is Left wing extremism?
– Are Naxals terrorist?
– What is Jihad?
– HQ of Al Jazeera?
– Can individual be declared as terrorist?
– For where they get arms?
– What do understand by left wing violence affected districts? Does India faces right wing violence?
– Was Bhagat Singh terrorist?
– Does terrorism has religion?
– Is there Hindu terrorism?
– What is white collar terrorism?
– Is terrorist attack a disaster?
– Can there be a strategy of counter terrorism?
– What is the difference between counter radicalization and deradicalization?
– What are slipper cells and active cells in terrorism?
– Do intelligence agencies have slipper cells?
– What is hub and spoke model in terrorism?
– What is loan wolf attack? Why it is dangerous?
– Tell the names of any 5 banned terrorist organizations in the country?
14) Who are marine commando’s?
15) Who is SWAT? Why they are in news recently?
16) Who is a mole? Who is a double agent?
17) Which is the best detective agency in the world?
18) Who are non-state actors?
19) What are covert operations?
20) What is camouflage?
21) What are anti-social elements? Are they same as anti-national elements?
22) Shall army be used to solve internal security issues? In no, shall we withdraw army from Kashmir?
23) What are home guards? What is their work?
24) Who is the National Security Advisor (NSA) at present? What is his work?
25) What are cyber crimes? Which law is application against it?
26) What is phising, snoofing, hacking, cyber terrorism, cyber attack, cyber war, Trojan horses, malware, spyware?
27) What is the issue of net neutrality?
28) Difference between disinformation and misinformation?
29) What is digital vigilantism?
30) Does normal laws applicable to citizens of India is also applicable for security people?
31) Who is whistle blower?
32) Are fundaments rights applicable to foreign citizens?
33) What is the difference between fundamental rights and human rights?
34) What is Interpol? What is red corner notice?
35) Do Interpol has spying agency?
36) What is deep state doctrine?
37) What is the difference between responsibility and accountability?
38) Has India defined its National Security Doctrine?
39) What is the difference between National security and internal security?
40) Shall secrete information be disclosed after some years? What are the rules in developed countries?
41) What is difference between personal ethics and professional ethics? Are they complimentary or contradictory?
42) Is India soft state?
43) What is a difference between soft state and soft power?
44) What is vigilance? What is the jurisdiction of vigilance commissioner of India?
45) What is the principle of anonymity?
46) What is integrity?
47) What are qualities of leader?
48) Which are the last 4 digits of your AADHAR no?
49) On which topic you wrote essay? And why?
50) Interviewer may give a news in newspaper and will tell write a summary of it in 50 to 80 words. That is check of reporting skills
51) Local issues in the area are also taken for discussion. (say clashes in Kashmir)
52) American leader Carl Shelz said in 1872 “My country, Right or Wrong. If Right, to be kept right and if wrong, To be set right” What do understand from this statement?
Situation Reaction Test (SRT)
– New SP has come in the district. You are suppose to report about him. How you will gather intelligence about him?
– If you get two urgent intelligence inputs at a time, which one you will prioritize?
– How you handle the stress and pressure when decision to be taken is critical?
– If you suspect some person, but do not have a direct proof, which approach you will adopt?
– Because of your one mistake, important operation failed, how you will handle it?
– What is the important quality of intelligence officer?
– Think that you are a terrorist. You want to send messages secretly to your collogues. How you will do it?
– You are working in IB. You are suspicious that one of your collogue has become double agent. But you do not have a concrete proof. What you will do?
– You got some confidential information which is related to National security how you will handle it?
– One person in your team is not doing his work properly, what you will do?
– How AI could be used for collecting and analyzing intelligence? Give examples (MARVEL Maharashtra Advanced Research and Vigilance for Enhanced Law Enforcement is India’s first state level AI-based police initiative. Its a state owned SPV (Maha Govt, IIM Nagpur and Pinaka Technologies)
Personal
How many girlfriends you have?
If no, are you not attracted towards girls?
What is the difference between attraction and love?
What is platonic relationship?
Why people enter into honeytrap? How it could be avoided?
How much role money play in your life?
How much money person require to earn? How much you expect to earn?
Will you like to become famous?
You are active person or passive?
Difference between being calm and passive.
Are you ethical person? Will you do any unethical/illegal act?
If your work is going against the human rights what you will choose?
Surveillance on citizens in against their right to privacy. Do you agree?
Will you do the phone tapping?
Is torture justified? Will you torture anyone?
What is your political tilt? (Left, center or right)
Which party you voted in last elections?
Technology
Why people succumb to digital arrest? Is it because of fear of police force?
What is CERT-In?
What is Cyber Swacchata Kendra?
What is digital wall?
What is Metadata?
What is encryption of message? Can it be revealed?
Which mobile you use? Which is the OS version?
What is controversy related to Sanchar Sathi?
What is decoding?
What is the difference between dark web and deep web?
How to access the dark web?
What is VPN? How it work?
What is Alt news?
How AI could be used in intelligence?
Compare ChatGPT with Gemini and Claud.
Iran-Israel-USA War
What is Gunboat diplomacy?
What is Big Stick policy?
What is Madman theory?
What is asymmetric warfare?
What is hybrid warfare?
Iran is good in which weapons?
How to define Gen Z?
Which is Bita generation?
Gen Z movement is Nepal is spontaneous or planted?
Is such revolt is possible in India?
Is social media responsible for such revolts?
Ladakh
Was it a Gen Z revolt?
Shall schedule VI be given to Ladakh?
What is the difference between hill council and district autonomous council?
Shall statehood be restored?
Sonam Wangchuk – Hero or villain?
Shall tourism be promoted in Ladakh?
Shall mining be carried out in Ladakh?
Nepal uprising
Was it a planned uprising or spontaneous?
Are social media platforms implicated in it?
Who are Nepo Kids? Does India has parallel examples?
What effect it may have on India?
In Gen Z in Nepal against India?
What lessons India can draw from this uprising?
Hasina Wajed
Has India signed extradition treaty with Bangladesh?
If yes, then shall we handover Hasina to Bangladesh?
What is her status in India?
How much time she can live in India?
Shall India try to restore her back on power?
Operation Sindoor
Shall India first prove that Pahalgam attack was not by locals by a cross-border infiltration by Pakistan?
Pahalgam is whose failure – state govt or central govt or IB or RAW or state intelligence unit or state police or Army or BSF?
Why only men are targeted in Pahalgam attack on woman are spared?
How can we utilise the sacrifice made by Adil Shah at Pahalgam?
Was it a war? How war is defined?
Who won it?
What if another such attack takes place on country?
Does Swarm attack took place on India?
Is it true that first India informed and then attacked Pakistan?
Shall Indian military keep informed people of India about the losses it suffered?
Is Indias attack inside the borders of Pakistan is against the UNO and its charter?
Is India crossing the like NAM about non-aggression?
Was it a mistake on India’s part to stop the war?
Is war a clear signal that Air Force will dominate the wars of future?
Is it true that USA has mediated to stop war?
Are we still obliged to Simla agreement?
What will be the consequences of cancelling Indus Water Treaty?
Can Pakistan make Nuclear attack on India?
If Pakistan make such attack, then will India able to protect it?
Like Israel shall India attack and eliminate the nuclear capability of Pakistan?
Shall India cut the diplomatic relationship with countries who support Pakistan?
Shall India attack and take PoK?
Shall India stop using air space of Pakistan? We are paying millions of dollars for using it.
You have been tasked to go to whichever countries and take whatever you want. Which 4 countries will you go and what will you ask.
Israel vs Hamas
1) Is Israel a protector ate of USA?
2) Can Israel survive without the support of USA?
3) Does India recognise Palestine?
4) Has Indian PM ever visited Palestine?
5) Is Indian support to Palestine cause is declining now?
6) What are the lessons for India from current conflict?
7) What will be the impact on India of current war?
8) Has India accepted two state solution?
9) Which is the capital of Palestine?
10) Which party is ruling west bank? (Fateh)
11) Gaza strip is located on which sea?
12) Haifa port is managed by which company?
13) Hamas is extended wing of? (Muslim Brotherhood)
14) Which is group is active in Lebanon against Israel? (Hezbollah)
15) Is Israel India’s natural ally?
16) Is Israel a war state?
17) Israel’s annexation of land in west bank, is it right?
18) Does Israel backstabbed two state solution by settlements in west bank?
19) Will Israel get lasting peace?
– Role of data in today’s economic scenario and its application.
– Difference in reliability and validity of data.
– Is Mobile internet and Data services essential for right to life under Article 21?
– Do you think suspension of Mobile internet and Data services during protest time in the country is justiciable?
– Is it against the right to peaceful protest? Does constitution guarantee peaceful protest?
– Does Any international convention talk about right of Mobile internet & Data services?
– Why the Democratic Index of country has declined?
– What is Data Snooping?
– How important is Data becoming in our lives? Give examples.
– What is social networking? It is often seen that social networking is developed on the basis of caste, class or religion. What’s your view on this?
– People are becoming data rich before becoming financially rich. Comment.
– Why Data Protection Bill is withdrawn by the government?
– Is Privacy a right? Is it a fundamental right? Was it always a fundamental right?
– When can an individual’s privacy be transgressed?
– Why is facial recognition considered breach of privacy?
– What is right to disconnect?
– Privacy is myth. Your opinion.
– What is Putthuswamy vs Union of India case?
– How far it can strengthen the right to privacy?
– What concept other than right to privacy did supreme court introduce in Puttuswamy judgement?
– Is privacy elitist concept?
– With Smart TVs, Alexa and Siri we are getting snooped all the time, so why so much of fuss about Pegasus?
– What are the privacy concern with respect to social media?
– Do we have solution to it?
– Let us say you and I are friends and you post my picture on social media without consent, what legal action can I take in that case since my privacy is breached.
– What is non-private data? How it could be utilised to improve public policy.
– AI will become even better in the future. So, don’t you think it will replace humans in distant future?
– Explain Application of Artificial Intelligence in
* Health * Education * Automobile * Railway
* Governance * Internal security * Tourism
– Discussion on threats of sentiment analysis
– Ethics of using personal data in sentiment analysis and impact on democracy
– Tell me one artificial intelligent application that we carry in our pockets?
– Chatbot – the pros and cons of using it.
– Chat GPT – how it’s a sensational start?
Will Bard able to match it?
Why educational institutions are opposing it?
Will Chat GPT increase unemployment?
How does chatGPT know that the answer it is generating is correct?
What is the difference between generative and transformative search?
Which is text based AI image generator based on machine learning? (DALL-E 2 by OpenAI)
26) Is there Racism in India? If you face racism after being an IAS what will do? Does your colour matters?
– Do you think India is more racist than other countries?
– Racism vs Casteism compare.
– Advertisements in India for matrimony are related to tall, beautiful girls. Racism is everywhere. What to do to eliminate such behaviour?
– What can America learn from India in affirmative action or vice versa?
27) Are we failing on the preservation of our ancient heritage? What is cultural consciousness? Are we culturally conscious?
28) Can we successfully ban single use plastic?
31) Kashmir –
– Shall the autonomy given by Art 370 be restored?
– Has scrapping it has turned J&K an island?
– How the lebensraum is connected with Kashmir?
– Is separating Ladakh and removing state status of J&K a correct decision?
– On the lines of abolition of Art 370 shall inner line permit be cancelled in Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Mizoram
– Is Pakistan a issue or Kashmir is a issue?
– Shall AFSPA be repealed?
– If you are posted as DM in J&K, what will be your priorities? What initiatives you will take?
– Does India need National Security Doctrine?
– Do you think National Security Act is getting misused?
– National Security is over and above democratic principles and transparency?
1) What are disruptive technologies? Can you name some negative disruptive technologies? Is 5G disruptive technology?
2) What are emerging technologies and disruptive technologies? Which is the larger term? Which is the subset?
3) Does it emerge first or disrupt first?
4) What is Technology 5.0? How it will affect humans?
5) What is net neutrality?
6) Why India has failed to develop Operating System (OS)?
7) What is operating system (OS) BOSS?
8) What is Bharat OS?
8) JAM Trinity – how it will work?
9) Why Internet of Things (IoT) is so important that govt. has made a policy on it?
10) What is web 2, Dark Net?
11) Which is the latest version of android? Why it is named on fruits?
12) What is beta version of technology?
11) What is embedded technology? What is its application in medical field?
12) What is near field technology, what is Li Fi, white fi
13) Software and hardware. Which one is cause and which one is effect?
14) Digital payment
– What is UPI, have u used it?
– How UPI functions?
– What is different in Bhim and mobile wallets like Paytm? Convince me to use Bhim over Paytm? Does patch update of both Bhim and mobile wallet happens at same time or different?
– Shall we start converting our currency Rupee in digital format internally same as China is doing with Yuan?
– What is QR code? What is the full form? How it works?
– If we can transfer money using mobile then why can’t we vote using mobile?
15) 3D printing technology
16) Chan Zuckerberg initiative
17) Shall robots be allowed to replace human labour? Shall they be taxed?
18) Implications of giving citizenship to robots.
19) What are cobots?
20) F16 is a better choice or Rafael?
21) Block chain
– What are the different applications of Block chain technology?
– How it better then present internet?
– How bitcoin works?
– Who is Satosi Nakamoto?
– What is ‘Turing complete’ language?
– What is Ethereum?
– Who created it?
– What is Ether?
– What is smart contract?
– What is Dap?
– What is Hard fok and Soft fok?
– Why blockchain is being criticised? (carbon emissions, anonymity leading to illegal activity and terror financing & ransom etc)
22) How atomic clock works?
23) AI
– Difference between Machine learning and deep learning. Give an example citing its application.
– Case study – Answer directly
If you are going to use AI & use robots for surgeries, let us say the patient died. Who will you find accountable? The doctor, the hospital, the govt. or the manufacturer of the robot?
24) What changes Elan Musk is bringing to the world?
25) Tell me about metaverse and NFT.
26) What is open stack technology?
27) Cloud computing – Is email example of cloud computing?
28) What is cloud seeding?
29) Soft computing, latency
30) What could be better than binary code?
31) What is ‘nomophobia’?
32) How Nigerian frauds are done?
33) What are content centric Apps (e.g. TikTok)? Why there is attraction of content-centric apps among youth?
34) What is Application Platform Interface (API)? How it will be useful?
35) What is the difference between Augmented reality, Virtual reality and merged reality? Do you see rising importance of it? In which sector we can utilize this technologies?
36) Difference between Augumented reality and Metaverse?
37) Does Metaverse require any specific hardware?
36) What are the constraints in front of ISRO in light of recent move to send human in space by 2022? Which will be used for manned mission – GSLV or PSLV?
37) Why India prefer PSLV over GSLV?
38) Should ISRO work with private sector to augment high end technological development?
39) What is Space X?
40) How communication is done in space?
41) What is singularity?
42) Is there any law for outer space? Do we need to frame law for outer space?
43) What is Space Diplomacy? Is there Space war ongoing?
44) Is India going to be Space Superpower? How you Define superpower?
45) Cyber security
– Can you name some efforts done by India in order to improve its cyber security? What other steps you suggest?
– Chinese attack on Mumbai energy establishment by Red Eco Group. What lessons to learn?
– What steps need to be taken to make cyber space better for women?
– Do women need to take more steps than government for cyber security?
– What is cyber terrorism?
46) Why one side of moon is always in dark?
47) Why Chandrayan -2 mission failed? How many country landed on South pole of moon? Why South pole is important?
48) How GPS works? How to make Bus transportation more effective using GPS?
49) How many satellites are needed to tell a location in GPS?
50) What is the status of NAVIC? Is it a Indian counterpart of American GPS?
51) How many satellites does NAVIC had?
52) What is Aditya L1, what are its benefits?
53) Do you know VIKAS engine? Why it is important?
54) What is the reason to invest so heavily in space manned mission by India when it can do it in public welfare?
54) 3 technologies in which we could become leader?
55) What is alternative technology?
56) What is google reverse search?
57) How Technology can be used to increase our export in various sectors?
58) Is Technology for Elite and not for poor? Name few Technology which caters the demand of Grassroot?
59) How e-toilet work?
60) How to convert Fahrenheit to Kelvin?
61) What is smart payments and smart contracts?
62) MLM communication in governance?
63) How does religion is affected due to technology?
64) How technology is used in religious functions?
1) What is the aim of your life?
2) What is the difference between Belief, Opinion, Information, Awareness, Knowledge and Truth?
3) Width of knowledge is important or depth of knowledge?
4) What is your idea of god?
5) Describe yourself
6) Can thinking person be neutral?
7) Do you have any mentor?
8) What is the reason of your existence?
9) Why people want govt. jobs?
10) If we remove the security and permanent nature from govt. job, will people prefer govt. job?
11) Which of qualities of yourself you cherish the most?
12) Which values are core to you?
13) (if you have specs) Your spectacles are of which lens – focal or bifocal? Near or far? How the bifocal look like?
14) Suppose your seniors and juniors are not as transparent and honest as you. What would be your approach?
15) What are the 3 biggest mistakes you have done in the life?
16) What are the 3 biggest things gone right for you in the life?
17) What makes you angry?
18) Do you raise voice when you are angry?
19) Tell me something interesting that happened during your childhood. Anything that comes to your mind.
20) Tell one thing that you learnt from your mother and one from your father.
21) Count your friends? Why difficult? Do you stay in touch with them?
22) If I ask your closest friends to tell 3 good qualities and 3 bad qualities about you, what would they say?
23) You seem to me an introvert, very serious individual who is extremely committed to achieving one’s goals in life. True, isn’t it?
24) Whom you trust highest in life?
25) Everyone wishes to make some or the other changes in their personality, everyone thinks of – “what would it be if I were so & so” Do you ever think of it?
26) One national or international celebrity you would like to have lunch with?
27) How you will describe your political leaning left, right, centre or centre left or centre right or apolitical?
28) How to keep personal views away from professional work?
29) Suppose you get a service and complete 20-30 years in it, how will you like yourself to be remembered by others?
30) Who should come first, family or society in carrying out responsibility?
31) How you see yourself 15 years down the line
32) How will you describe present after 5 years?
33) How will you describe present after 5 years to yourself?
34) Do you have any bucket list in life?
35) Do the SWOT analysis of yourself
36) Are you happy or joyful? (momentary and durable feelings)
37) What is the difference between ‘Shreyas’ and ‘Preyas’? What makes you most happy?
38) What would you choose to be? The smartest person in the room, or The most hardworking one?
39) Quote by JK Rowling, “Working hard is important. But there is something that matters even more: believe in yourself”, what is your take on it?
40) Honorable PM works for 18 hours a day. Is it humanly possible? What is your opinion?
41) You can work for maximum how many hours in the day?
42) Tell me two of your weaknesses which may go against you.
43) Which colour you like?
44) Give yes/no answers: Do you ride a cycle, bike, car, cook food, make tea, boil eggs, do you fight.
45) Do you drink? Any positive of alcohol?
46) Tell any such occasion when your parents are proud of you.
47) Chinese proverb which is curse, “May you live in interesting times.” Explain.
48) Quote – “Eat in silence. Work in silence. Because God loved silence”. Meaning and appropriateness?
49) Two quotes – “Be the change you want to see” and “One should cope with his circumstances”, How would you interpret it? Choose one if you have to.
50) Nehru famously said, “some people see world black, but from my side I see it in grey” what is the meaning of it?
51) What is special about you?
52) What do you do when not studying?
53) Are you a doer or thinker?
54) Is doing nothing sometimes doing everything?
55) Passitivity is positivity?
56) How much you are confident? Give in percent.
57) What young generation you represent is confused and still confident. Put your view from both sides.
58) What is crisis of conscience? Have you faced any?
59) Describe one incident you are ashamed of yourself.
60) Do you believe in god? What about your family?
61) Honesty is the best policy/ honesty is the best principle. Which is proper statement?
62) Does honesty only relates to not being corrupt?
63) Why do we need self-help motivational gurus? Can’t we decide to live life ourself without their motivation?
64) Have heard about Maslow’s theory of Self-motivation?
65) Maslow hierarchy of needs, which need you want to achieve by getting this post?
66) If I give you 1% wealth of Arcelor Mittal, would you take it?
Situation Reaction Test (SRT)
– New SP has come in the district. You are suppose to report about him. How you will gather intelligence about him?
– If you get two urgent intelligence inputs at a time, which one you will prioritize?
– How you handle the stress and pressure when decision to be taken is critical?
– If you suspect some person, but do not have a direct proof, which approach you will adopt?
– Because of your one mistake, important operation failed, how you will handle it?
– What is the important quality of intelligence officer?
– Think that you are a terrorist. You want to send messages secretly to your collogues. How you will do it?
– You are working in IB. You are suspicious that one of your collogue has become double agent. But you do not have a concrete proof. What you will do?
– You got some confidential information which is related to National security how you will handle it?
– One person in your team is not doing his work properly, what you will do?
– How AI could be used for collecting and analyzing intelligence? Give examples (MARVEL Maharashtra Advanced Research and Vigilance for Enhanced Law Enforcement is India’s first state level AI-based police initiative. Its a state owned SPV (Maha Govt, IIM Nagpur and Pinaka Technologies)
Situation based questions (General)
1) Tell about 3 problems of your state and how will you solve them? (ans: first ask that who I am in the given situation)
2) If a man is absconding and his second wife comes to you and asks for his salary, will you give her that?
3) Suppose a woman subordinate of you, complains to you about sexual harassment, how would you handle it?
4) Does sexual harassment act also cover the women?
5) Some people want to create institute for ideal womanhood and some are against it. Your stand on it.
6) If you have prejudiced boss. 3 options.
i) Do nothing and carry on with work
ii) Don’t do work as anyway not being recognised.
iii) Make it public issue.
7) If I ask you to choose between intelligent person or a passionate person to a job, who do you pick?
8) When you have 5 persons arguing over an issue and there is no consensus. How will you deal/convince them?
9) Suggest some scheme to solve a particular problem (say corruption) and give name to it.
10) Tell us two things you cannot tolerate in a society. By seeing such things you would become very angry?
11) Success is a matter of chance or hard-work?
12) Ethical dilemma
– If a man is walking along the bank of lake. He suddenly found that his daughter, wife and mother is sinking in water. All of three don’t know to swim. In this situation the man can save only one life. Whom should he choose?
Daughter or wife or mother? And why??
– If you are in boat with your experienced senior and old servant who played important role in your upbringing. Suddenly boat started sinking and both can’t swim and you can save only one, whom you will save?
– You are a captain of ship that is about to sink. There are four people on the boat, You, 75 year old scientist who is about to receive nobel prize, 50 years old sick man, 18 years old boy. You can save only one. Who will you save and why? If that 18 years old boy is your own child then what will you do?
– Suppose you are going in a fully self-autonomous car and there is an accident that’s about to happen. You can only save the pedestrian or yourself. Whom will you save and why?
– Suppose person A is carrying 50 kg RDX. Person B is carrying 100 kg RDX. RDX of person A blasted, while the 100 kg of person B haven’t blasted. Who is more wrong here?
13) If there is an impending earthquake in 2 hours, what steps will you take and why?
14) If two emergencies developed at the same time in your area, communal riots and fire, which you will attend personally?
15) If you are given a choice to choose between two districts – one where there is more communal tensions and another a border district with issues of drugs and human trafficking. Which one you will choose?
16) If you are the head of spy agency…and one of your guy has gone rogue… so given the situation will you kill him or not?
17) Story about poor farmer and greedy moneylender who wants to marry farmers young daughter. Panel tells half the story and ask the candidate to complete it.
18) The status of building is illegal. Court has ordered to remove them. Residents want all the money back from builder. Builder is absconding. As officer what you will do?
19) When a country becomes independent it embarks on the path of growth and development. We have doctors, soldiers, bureaucrats, engineers and other people who drive this growth. According to you who is most imp of them all in the development process?
20) Let’s assume you are head of department and 10 people under you. 1000s of people surrounded and about to kill. 3 options
i) Take one as hostage and use him to make a passage.
ii) Do nothing and pray to god by remaining inside.
iii) Fire at people
What will you choose?
21) Suppose you are head of some school in which 100 students are studying both boys and girls, out of them 3 students are transgender. Other students are not allowing transgender to use their toilet. How you will solve the issue?
22) More people in India die by – terrorism, malnourishment, naxal violence or road accidents?
23) (To male candidate) You are young and job is full of pressure suppose after marriage if your wife is pregnant and critical while you are on duty what will you do?
24) Choose between i) Job satisfaction ii) Career progress and justify why?
25) Struck in traffic for 4 hours. MISS the interview – whom you would blame? What would be your reaction? Will you take any legal action against anyone?
1) What is the difference between group and team?
2) Do you prefer to work in a team assigned to you or a team you choose?
3) You were managing good team or you are good team manager?
4) What do you value more – loyalty or ability?
5) Tell the 5 qualities of good team member
6) Does India lack team spirit? (Since India shines in individual categories of sports and not in team categories)
7) In a team discipline is more important or discussion?
8) The work organisation should be layered one or horizontal?
9) How you will divide and decide responsibility and accountability in team?
10) Shall individual get credit for achievements of team?
Internal security challenge
1) What are hate crimes?
2) What is the difference between bail and parole?
3) Shall NIA be made as powerful as CIA? Are recent changes in powers of NIA are squeezing states role in maintaining law and order?
4) What are scheduled offences? Who investigate them? (NIA)
5) What is fake news? Are there any legal provision to stop the spread of fake news?
6) Does social media algorithm promotes fake news?
7) What is Omerta Code? In what context have you heard this term?
8) What is counter propaganda?
9) What is the difference between de-radicalisation and counter-radicalisation?
10) Sedition laws – need to change?
11) What is sectarian fundamentalism?
12) What is moral policing? How to handle it?
13) What is hate speech? What is the opinion of supreme court on it?
14) Do you agree that more frequent arrest under hate speech is violating the right to freedom of speech and right to dissent in India?
15) In preamble their is a ideal of fraternity. But in reality hatred is spread. Isn’t it going against constitution? What action could be taken?
16) What is Sanatan?
17) Mob lynching, Ghar Vapasi, Love Jihad – how much seriously it should be taken?
18) Should centre frame law on mob lynching?
19) Tell what provision you would like to include in it?
20) What is religious terrorism? Is it impacting India?
21) Voltaire once said, “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it” what does that mean? Does it has any relevance in case of India?
– What is ‘New Democratic Revolution’ of Naxalites?
– Shall army be involved to solve the naxal problem? What is strategy ‘SAMADHAN’?
– Can we do Surgical strikes on Naxalite affected areas? Take a stand and substantiate your view.
– Who control Baster Battalion?
– Do you agree that presence of Naxalites help in forest protection?
– Why outside people are influencing and leading Naxal groups?
– What is Urban Naxal and Tukde Tukde Gang? Is communism relevant for India?
– Left wing extremism is better word or naxal?
– Can you really eliminate Naxalism? Eliminating and minimising are different.
– What is the difference between Maoism and Naxalism?
23) Why India has not signed UN convention against torture yet?
24) What is Asymmetric Warfare and Low Intensity Conflict?
25) Is horse mounted police required in cities?
26) Refugees
– Why India has not signed UN convention for settlement of refugees?
– Do we have National Refugee Policy?
– You are secretary to MoHA, frame a Refugee Policy and give me its key features.
27) Terrorism
– Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) is proposed by India, why it is not passed by UNO yet?
– What the definition of terrorism given by United Nation?
– Is terrorism only law & order problem? Is militancy and terrorism same?
Questions of internal security
1) Difference between law & order and public order and internal security.
2) There should first implementation of law and then establish order or shall first order should be established and then law?
3) How the nature of Indian democracy has impacted its internal security situation? In your view, is the democratic situation of India conducive to its security and unity? Suggest ways in which the democracy and security of India can be enhanced?
4) Does India require a national security doctrine? Intellectuals of various fields suggest for a national security doctrine for India. What do you suggest? If yes, then why do we need it?
5) National security is something which protects our national interest? What are our national interest? Have we documented them somewhere?
6) What is Article 355 of Indian constitution?
7) Does it create scope for centre to tackle law & order problem in states?
6) What is self-radicalization?
5) What do you understand by the term radicalization and religious indoctrination? How has the online space increased radicalization in India?
6) We have successfully dealt with the problem of Punjab Terrorism. Then why are we facing many problems in dealing with the Kashmir Terrorism. Considering the present situation, analyze the challenges faced in tackling the Kashmir problem.
7) What are Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN)? How are they circulated? What impact do they have on the security, social and economic scenario of India? How demonetization has impacted the circulation of FICN?
8) What do you understand by Critical Infrastructure? Name certain critical infrastructure in your home district and home state.
9) What is a Critical Information Infrastructure?
10) What is Internet Governance? Which organizations are presently involved in it? What are the developments in this field? What is India’s stand regarding it?
11) What are the methods to address cross border infiltration? Shall India build Mexican wall type wall to protect its border?
12) How does illegal trans-border migration pose a threat to India’s security? Discuss the strategies to curb this, bringing out the factors which give impetus to such migration.
13) What are the security challenges in Border Management?
14) Describe the importance of Integrated Check Posts and Land Ports Authority of India.
15) What are the coastal security threats to India? What measures are being taken to address them?
16) Describe the intelligence setup of India.
17) What is the importance of NATGRID?
18) What are stages of controlling law & order? first laathi charge or tear gas?
19) What is communal violence bill?
20) How to tackle attraction of youth towards ‘ISIS’? will post fall ISIS will turn into Al quida’?
21) What is loan wolf attack?
22) ‘Ghetto’ a potential time bomb
23) What is moral policing, do you support it?
24) What is the difference between a summon and a warrant?
24) What is the difference between Judicial custody and police custody?
25) What is difference between custody and jail?
25) In policing numbers matter or quality?
26) What do you mean by ‘modernization of police forces’?
27) Shall 1/3rd recruits be woman?
28) Shall police be given complete autonomy, and should be detached from political interference?
29) Shall police forces be allowed to form Union? Is it not an issue of their democratic rights?
30) What is curfew?
31) What is the legal basis for implementing curfew?
32) What is the origin of the word ‘curfew’?
30) Are terrorist and Anti-social elements are same?
31) Border areas like J&K and Nagaland, police should be given more powers or military?
32) In which situations Army is called? Who takes decision to call Army?
33) Whenever there is a border emergency why is paramilitary called for even before army?
35) Shall ‘zero tolerance policy’ be followed for breach of law and order?
36) Can we bring criminal activities to zero level?
37) On what criteria Presidential Awards are given to police?
38) What is FIR? Shall it be allowed to file online?
39) How mohalla committee model work for maintaining communal peace?
40) Why is route march? Why it is done?
41) What is Molotov cocktail?
42) Have you heard about weaponization of water? How is it possible? Will India use it?
43) How can China use it against India?
42) Situation based question – you have surrounded a naxal camp on receiving intelligence, made them aware about shootout if anyone tries moving, still some women move about. Will you shoot?
43) Situational question on naxal affected area… The gist is – you are an IPS Officer in a tribal area. You get information about 3 naxals in the village. Strong command from superiors for shoot at sight. You give information in local language to villagers to assemble in a common ground. As they assemble, a man with a child starts running away. Just a few seconds to react, will you shoot or not? no other option, only shoot or not..
44) Now what if the man did not have a child. will you shoot or not?
Terrorism
1) In what ways, technology is used in facilitating terrorism in India?
2) What are the anti terror mechanisms (institutions, laws and strategies) adopted by India?
3) What are the different sources of financing of terrorist organizations?
4) Switch to renewal energy and its impact on naxal financing. (reducing coal reduces rent seeking by naxals)
4) What is the role of civil society in fighting terrorism? Give certain practical examples which you have personally witnesses?
5) What do you mean by narco-terrorism and how are narcotics and terrorism related? Have you ever witnessed certain young people who have ruined their life due to drugs usage?
6) India is a major transit as well consuming country for drugs. Explain the various drugs trafficking routes to India.
7) Discuss the counter measures (institutional as well as legal) taken to prevent drugs trafficking.
8) Recently, we have seen a trend of decreasing left wing extremism in India. Suggest indicators and reasons for this decrease.
9) Why LWE called LWE only?
9) What are the reasons for growth of insurgency in North East? How is Government responding to it?
10) What is counter insurgency?
11) Where is Counter insurgency and Jungle Warfare School (CIJWS) of India? (Verignte, Mizoram)
10) Describe the nexus between organized crime and terrorism. Giving different examples, describe how different types of organized crime support terrorism?
11) Cyber wars
– What is hybrid warfare?
– Cyber warfare is considered by some defense analysts to be a larger threat than even Al Qaeda or terrorism. What do you understand by Cyber warfare? Outline the cyber threats which India is vulnerable to and bring out the state of the country’s preparedness to deal with the same.
– Whether India stands a chance against China when it come to Cyber warfare?
12) Tell the name of 5 terrorist orgainsations?
13) FATF. Name countries in Black and grey list.
13) ULFA is militant orgainsation and SIMI is terrorist orgainsation. What is the difference?
14) Why IED is not used as landmine?