The IPS exam tops the list when it comes down to the toughest government exams in India. Though thorough practice is key, some candidates struggle to make up despite constant efforts.
The IPS interview questions are prepared by a panel of experts from different fields of study. Questions asked in IPS mock interviews are often perceived as a life-threatening experience for many. A competent performer is often seen facing a crisis when such IPS interview questions crop up.
Among the several interviews that require higher levels of expertise, the IPS exam falls under the same category. Thus, to help the aspiring candidates with their interview hustle, IPS interview questions and the most suitable answer. To make your journey easier, we have curated the best IPS interview questions and answers for 2024, to enable you to experience a smooth round of IPS interview questions.
| An Overview of the IPS Exam | |
| IPS Full Form | Indian Police Service |
| Establishment Year | 1905 ( as imperial Police ) / 1948 ( Indian Police Service) |
| Cadre Controlling Authority | Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India |
| Cadre Strength | 4920 (3270 Direct Recruits and 1650 Promotion Posts) |
| Recruitment Authority | UPSC |
| Staff College | Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy, Hyderabad |
Introduction-Based IPS Interview Questions
IPS interview questions are the most tricky. But on the contrary, tough questions always demand intelligent answers. So with that, let us look at some of the seemingly difficult questions that can help you secure a good impression in the interviewer’s eyes.
Q1. Give a brief introduction of yourself.
While answering this question in an IPS interview, one should confidently mention all the details, including personal details, educational qualifications, professional life, etc.
The answer should be precise and consistent with the resume submitted to the panel. Before the actual interview, you can improve your ability to answer questions confidently by participating in IPS mock interviews.
Q2. What do you count on as your strengths and weaknesses?
The employer seeks to gain a fair idea about your self-analysis skills. The ideal approach would be to mention your strengths and weaknesses in an enlisted manner with a brief description. It would be ideal to correlate your strengths with how they can help you in the career you wish to pursue.
For weaknesses, make sure you have a clear idea of the steps you need to take to address them. If you are pleased with your self-esteem, the interviewer is most likely to perceive you as a suitable candidate.
Q3. What were the driving factors behind opting for civil services?
This IPS interview question falls among the most commonly asked questions that almost all aspiring candidates must undergo in their interview rounds. The question tests your dedication to serving the nation as a government officer. In addition, you can talk about any past instances that made you realise the importance of serving the nation.
Besides, make it a point to highlight all facts that support this IPS interview question. An ideal aspect to discuss is your perception of your motherland and how you can contribute to its betterment.
Q4. Could you throw some light on your hobbies and areas of interest?
Talking about your hobbies and areas of interest gives the interviewer an idea of the kind of person you are naturally. These are the IPS interview questions that you ought to be prepared for without any hesitation at your end. For example, a docile person will reflect calmly in their answer.
On the other hand, a person full of fun and frolic will, in all probability, come up with a solution full of adventure and mystery.
Thus, this is an excellent opportunity to reflect your true self to the interviewing panel. Serving society is one such job that requires a lot of critical analysis of the ideal candidate’s nature. And, the board leaves out no scope in scrutinising you as an aspirant.
Situation-Based IPS Interview Questions
Get ready to tackle Situation-Based Interview questions for IPS (Indian Police Service) with ease! These questions are like real-life puzzles that test your problem-solving skills and decision-making abilities. In this guide, we’ve gathered some questions and helpful tips to help students prepare for their IPS interviews.
Q5. How would you address corruption within the police force?
Corruption is a significant issue that must be dealt with strongly within any organisation. If I come across any sort of corruption in the police force, I will report it to higher authorities and provide concrete evidence to guarantee that proper action is taken.
Q6. How do you handle conflicts between your personal beliefs and the law?
As an IPS officer, I am responsible for upholding the law and maintaining order. While personal opinions are essential, they cannot supersede the values of justice and fairness. I would prioritise following the law while respecting everyone’s rights.
Q7. How will you strengthen police-community relations?
Building trust and transparency between police and the community is critical to effective policing. To bridge the gap between police and the people, I would prioritise conducting community outreach initiatives, encouraging citizen participation, and ensuring timely replies to grievances.
Q8. If you are offered the role of SP, what would be your approach to reducing crime rates in a particular area?
This IPS interview question deserves a place in the tricky IPS interview questions list. Framing an answer to a question as such requires a deep sense of analysis.
However, the answer might be simply because no specific region is mentioned. Instead, the employer seeks to analyse your ability to comprehend a long-prevailing crisis situation.
Different regions of India are symbolic of different types of crimes taking place specific to the area. Thus, it would be ideal to support your answer with an example and a brief description of your plans to deal with crime in the region. Portraying your skills of awareness is also put to the test with such questions.
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Q9. How would you react if you found your close ones involved in illegal activity while investigating a case?
Most aspirants would find themselves out of their wits when faced with such a controversial question. In the true sense, it is a conflict between moral obligation and societal norms. For rightly answering such a question, neutrality is the key. If your answer seems biased, you miss out on the opportunity quickly.
As a person serving society for a better tomorrow, you would be expected to uphold societal norms irrespective of any situation. Thus, ensure to highlight why you would pick one over the other. It is the reasons that are taken into consideration.
Q10. What measures would you take to handle a situation of conflict?
Conflict management is, in itself, a high-value trait that most people are blessed with naturally. Thus, if you wish to ace the answer, the trick is to frame your answer in a way that depicts conflict management as your strength.
For example, it would be ideal to discuss empathy, cooperation, and other humane traits.
The interviewer seeks to understand your approach and attitude towards handling a crisis. If you can support your answer with a plan following your initiatives, that in itself would be a powerful answer that will leave the interviewer in a state of awe.
Q11. How would you define success in your own words?
The word success has no specific definition. Though it holds a meaning, it is liable to multiple phases of interpretation by different people.
Therefore, your definition of success should vary from that of other aspiring candidates. Reflect on each area of success in your life that is relevant at the moment.
As an aspiring IPS candidate, it would be ideal to answer this IPS interview question that makes success a perpetual existence and not just a single or some few incidents. However, it is not the numeric value that can bring about success.
Securing the first position is not all that defines success in life.
Q12. How easy/difficult would it be for you to manage a team?
Portraying oneself as a team player can always help you secure a good enough perspective in the interviewer’s eyes.
For example, your job might not be restricted to a specific region, and you might work with a team of different people. It would be difficult to deal with subordinates and companies from other places.
However, as an aspirant, you would be expected to be a suitable fit in handling a team of members to complete a particular task efficiently.
You can talk about instances in the past where your team management skill was tested, and you went with all flying colours facing the situation.
Detailed Application Form(DAF) Based Interview Questions
The UPSC interview panel asks questions about the candidates’ DAFs. Candidates must prepare for every detail outlined in their DAF. Candidates may prepare the following for the IPS interview.
What is the meaning of your name?
- Do you think you justify the meaning of your name? Please provide us with some examples, if you can.
- Does the meaning of your name justify your personality?
- What is happiness for you? What constitutes happiness? Is happiness just a state of mind?
- Tell us five things that happened in the past couple of years in India that made you happy.
- How is happiness related to prosperity?
- Can happiness be made a metric for national growth? Can it replace GDP?
- What are the challenges?
- Happiness curriculum in schools.
- World happiness report
- Who publishes this report?
- What are the parameters?
- Why is India ranked lower on this list than many underdeveloped and poor countries?
- How are you going to use happiness as a concept in public policy and administration?
- What do you think motivates people?
- Implication in policy making and implementation?
DoB (Date of Birth)
- What is special about your date of birth? Did any important event take place that year?
- Can you tell us something about the Revolutions of 1989? (dissolutions of communist govt)
- Is the US-Mexico wall feasible?
What is your Mother tongue: Bengali
- Famous poets of the Bengali language.
- Classical language status- what are the criteria to define classical language?
- How relevant is it to give classical status to any language?
- Who compiled Bengali grammar? How different is it from Hindi grammar?
- How many speakers of Bengali language are there in India?
- What are your views on one particular language as our National Language?
- Why do some states oppose it?
- What can be an ideal solution for linguistic nationalism?
- Has linguistic reorganisation of states strengthened or weakened Indian federalism?
- What are the constitutional provisions regarding languages and Hindi particularly?
What is your place of residence: West Bengal
- Tell us something about Jor Bangla Temple, Bishnupur.
- Strengths and Weaknesses of your state?
- Tell us something from your state that you find unique and why.
- What lessons can other states learn from West Bengal?
Sundarban Biosphere Reserve:
- What is the difference between a national park, wildlife sanctuary and biosphere?
- Which tree is this biosphere reserve named after? Uses?
- Man Animal conflict?
- Why is it increasing?
- What steps can be taken to avoid this?
- What are Bio- fences? What is a wildlife/habitat corridor? Do we have any in West Bengal?
- Who owns Rasgulla- Odisha or West Bengal? GI tag issues. How are they different?
Current Affairs and GK Questions for IPS Interview
- Can you explain the distinctions between innovation, research, and investigation?
- Provide details on when the Telegram service was initiated in India and when it ceased to be in use.
- What measures has the government implemented to tackle poverty?
- Name the countries, besides India, where the Ramayana festival is celebrated.
- Identify international organisations associated with intellectual property rights.
- Explain the connection between the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and intellectual property. What organisation existed before the WTO?
- What is the meaning of the quote “Demography is destiny”?
- Compare the demographics of India and Japan.
- Define SDGs. Highlight the differences between Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
- Explain sustainable development and list its five pillars.
- Why is PAN linked with Aadhaar? What impact does this linkage have on the tax base? Do you think PAN should be made universal?
- When did India last receive a Nobel Prize in science? Why has there been a gap in India receiving Nobel Prizes in science, and what steps could be taken to change this?
- What are the significant concepts in development economics proposed by Amartya Sen?
- Define the capability approach. Can you provide examples of its application in India?
- How does Aadhaar personally benefit you?
- In India, women frequently apply turmeric to their faces. What are the medicinal properties associated with this practice?
- The Internet’s success is attributed to its openness to all. Do you believe everything should be open to the public, including traditional knowledge?
- What purpose does the permanent address serve in Aadhaar?
- Name some organisations related to space similar to NASA and ISRO.
- An Australian research centre recently detected signals suggesting the existence of aliens. What are your thoughts on aliens? Do you believe they exist? Discuss any recent events related to this topic, counterarguments, and Stephen Hawking’s views. Explain Hawking’s involvement in the field and the reasons behind it.
- Define Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Why should companies, investing their own money and paying taxes, contribute to CSR?
- Should CSR funds be used in Smart Cities?
- Explain the concept of scientific temper. Can a non-engineer develop a scientific temper?
- Why are many engineers considered unemployable?
- What services are provided by post offices, and why do they still exist? Share your observations from visiting post offices in your village and elsewhere, including one in Old Rajinder Nagar.
- In a world with numerous private courier agencies, what is the significance of post offices?
- Why is there limited recruitment in Cyber Security?
- If given the choice, would you prefer “money without fame” or “fame without money”?
- Name some peace prizes from India.
- Does Indian law define cyber attacks and distinguish their seriousness?
- What government initiatives exist for urban development?
- Who is responsible for urban development, the state or local government? How is the state involved?
- What does the term “counter magnet area” mean?
- What type of local government do we have, and what expectations do you have regarding its role in your city?
- Who holds the authority over water-related matters?
- In your opinion, should there be more devolution of powers to local government or the state? Why do states sometimes resist giving power despite constitutional provisions?
- What is the concept of demographic dividend, and can we effectively utilise it?
- How has “Make in India” performed in the defence sector?
- Bangladesh recently acquired defence technology, likely from China. What specific technology was it?
- Explain gravitational waves. Are black holes finite?
- What is India’s nuclear policy?
- What is the status of 4th-generation aircraft manufactured in India? Where is it produced, and which company manufactures it?
- Discuss recent changes in defence procurement policy and the reasons behind those changes.
- Distinguish between administration and management, providing examples.
- Highlight some major provisions introduced by the government in the Companies Act 2013.
- Can you identify some challenges faced by MGNREGA?
- Explain the role and requirements of an independent director.
- What is NDRF, and given the military’s significant role in relief work, do you think it should be discontinued?
- Describe the distinct features of the northeastern states, including the number of states and whether Sikkim is part of the region.
- How can tribal development be effectively implemented?
- Share your thoughts on integrating Northeastern people with the rest of the country.
- Define corporate governance and differentiate between shareholders and stakeholders.
- What are the rules and tools that companies follow to be good and fair?
- The difference in age and ideas between our generation and yours is causing problems in our society. What problems are these?
- Do we build airplane engines in India? Who builds them?
- Where are these engine-making places? They are probably not in India, right?
- We can launch 104 satellites into space, but why can’t we make airplane engines here?
- Should we start making engines in India?
- What is Kaveri all about?
- Why are we spending money to make engines like Kaveri?
- When we buy food, we see the FSSAI logo on the packet. What is it, and are there other standards in our country?
- What is BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards)?
- Where does black money come from?
- Tell me two big accomplishments of ISRO recently and why they are important.
- Name two writers from the editorial page of the newspaper you read.
- Why does the Delhi Government want full statehood, and how can we solve this issue?
- Has the government shared any data on how much black money has returned?
- What are the problems with the Land Acquisition Act?
- Define wasteland and tell me the percentage of wasteland in your state.
- Explain the BSES emission standard for vehicles. Is it the same for all types of vehicles, and what factors are considered?
IPS Interview Preparation Tips and Tricks for Aspiring Candidates
Learning the probable IPS interview questions and preparing for the same is a traditional practice. But, for modern-day interview preparations, the process involves a lot more effort.
Besides the question and their answer guide, here are a few tips and tricks that go a long way in building you up as an ideal candidate:
- Motivation is the key. Failures might come your way but, fighting it out with optimism is all you need to meet success.
- Any aspiring IPS candidate must take a consistent approach. Thus, even while preparing answers, ensure that your sense of consistency is reflected at its best.
- Listening to mock interviews and preparing likewise can be a highly effective method of preparation as adopted by several aspirants by far.
- Be confident with every answer that is thrown your way. A confident answer is far beyond all parameters, be it tricky or seemingly difficult.
- Preparing for the interview round necessitates you to hone your vocational skills. If you are all geared up with your answers but fail to put it through, it will not fetch you anything.
Final Thoughts on IPS Interview Questions and Answers
Cracking the UPSC exams is no fun. Aspirants struggle year after year to achieve what they always dreamed of. Some might even end up in everlasting despair. The IPS examination’s success rate is the lowest; thus, candidates are turned down almost every year. However, there is no reason why one should not try their luck.
You have all the probability of cracking the IPS interview questions with the proper preparation at hand. Materials supporting the syllabus, interview questions, and mock interview videos are all flooded on the internet today.
There are enough resources that candidates today can seek help. And with a little bit of smartness and presence of mind attached to each IPS interview question, you are all good to go. So what else are you waiting for? Go about acing your interview round with the best of preparations at hand.
Frequently Asked Questions on IPS Interview
Q1. What kinds of questions can I expect in an IPS interview?
Answer. An important aspect of an IPS interview is the situational questions. These questions ask you to imagine a particular scenario and then tell how you would behave in such a situation. There are also questions on why you decided to join IPS, your leadership qualities, and your understanding of global issues.
Q2. How should I prepare for IPS interview questions?
Answer. The first step is to get acquainted with the IPS exam syllabus and current affairs. Answer situational questions and show your problem-solving skills and ethical judgement in them. It’s important to role-play your background, achievements and why you decided to enter law enforcement.
Q3. Can you give an example of a situational IPS interview question?
Answer. Of course! For example: “A senior officer is bribed in your presence. Explain the actions that you would take.” Always strive to be honest, follow procedures and value the justice system in your answers.
Q4. What are interviewers looking for in IPS candidates’ answers?
Answer. Even under pressing circumstances, interviewers look for candidates with strong judgment, ethical decision-making capacity, and fast thinking skills. They also consider communication efficiency, capacity for leadership, and authentic feelings for serving society and promoting law abidance.
Q5. How can I effectively structure my answers during an IPS interview?
Answer. Define the problem stated in the question. You can then list the steps to deal with it and examine the ethical implications and possible results. Finally, end it with a summary highlighting the reasons behind your decision, showing your interest in adhering to the IPS’s mission/values.
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