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Dear Fellows!
Interview plays a highly significant role in one's selection. Whether the job be
through PPSC, FPSC or through Departmental Selection Process, interview always
proves to be a determining factor in final selection. Except for CSS and PMS in
almost rest of the recruitments, most of the times, interview possesses more
marks and weight than the written examination. For instance, traditionally for a
PPSC job, the written test has the share of 50 marks in final selection, while an
interview carries 100 marks.
The very first impression is created by the appearance. Therefore one should be
formally dressed up. Next, greeting the panel in a decent, confident and well-
mannered way makes the conditions favorable further for the candidate.
As well as PPSC and FPSC interviews are concerned broadly speaking, the
following are the broader areas which usually come under discussion in these
interviews.
1- Introduction
2- Domicile District Profile.
3- Qualification Related Questions, Largely regarding subjects in graduation and
Masters, Particularly about the Major subject in ones final degree.
4- Job Nature and Department Related Questions.
5- Opinion and Information on Contemporary Issues.
6- General Knowledge based Quiz Type Questions mostly from Pakistan Studies
and Islamic Studies.
Here I briefly explain these areas one by one.
1 - Introduction.
After the formal greetings, the PPSC member who is presiding over the interview
panel usually asks the candidate to introduce himself with the Panel.
Introduction should be brief but comprehensive and precise and presented in such
a way as it generates an interest of the panel in the candidate. Remember both
content and presentation matter here. For capturing the interest of the panel,
don't forget to mention any of your specialty, distinction or achievement which
may distinguish you from others. For instance when I have to introduce myself, I
particularly mention my specialty that often my writings find space in Dawn and
other English newspapers on socio-political issues. Besides that my Article also
made its place in World Times Magazine and I have my blog where all of my
writings I have gathered on one palace . Now this is most likely to catch the
interest of the panel and they may start asking about my writings about which I
definitely can answer impressively. My whole of the interview of Assistant Director
Civil Defense revolved round it and helped me getting selected. Even in my
interview of Assistant Director Anti-Corruption the panel was impressed when I
told about my writings and here also I was able to get selected.
Secondly, I will tell my achievements that I qualified CSS once and PMS twice.
Qualifying CSS and PMS , where on one hand speaks about a sort of achievement
on the other it tells about the struggle also which I have been making and that
also not bad one. Now they may ask questions on these also which obviously one
can answer comprehensively. Like in my interviews, I have been asked about my
CSS/PMS subjects and about my experience.
2- District Profile
Now the second phase is knowledge about one's district. They usually ask about
famous personalities who hailed from that district and made their mark on
national or international arena. Besides that, they also ask about the famous or
historic places in that District. Moreover, they also are expected to ask what is the
history of the city, how it has been named and what are other popular and
interesting facts about the District. For example in my district Alexander fought
against Prince Porus and Second Anglo-Sikh War was also fought here. Secondly,
it has been named after A Saint Bahauddin and it got the status of District in 1993.
Moreover, one of the famous Personalities of my districts is acclaimed Writer and
TV Host, Mustansar Hussain Tarar. So, one has to be cognisant of this sort of facts
about ones district.
Note: Let me make it clear that these are the broader areas which are mostly
discussed in the interviews. However, the order of asking questions on these
broader areas may be changed. Secondly, it is not necessary that they would
follow this scheme always. However, for appropriate preparation of the interview,
one must prepare these areas necessarily on priority basis.