The days of securing a job merely on the basis of performance in a written examination are long over. An interview or personality test as it is often called, has become the most important tool of the selection process as it relates the skill of the aspirant with the requirements of the organisation.
The performance in the interview is critical to one’s final success. It can make or mar the candidate’s chances of being finally selected for the offered position. For the average job-seekers it is a matter of sustainence only but for job-hoppers it is a question of laying claim to better job with higher pay and growth. The call for an interview is most-awaited; be it through e-mail, phone or snail mail-it is an opportunity and a news to rejoice for job seekers. Yet there are not many who go without butterflies-in-the-stomach feeling and are able to take the bull by the horns.
We are living in an era of intense competition. How to push one’s profile and get noticed in the appointing authority’s eyes defines the most important part of selection business. As Dick Lathrop has put it. “There may be others who applied there and could have done the job better than you. But it is true today, and it will ever be true: the person who gets hired is not necessarily the one who can do the job best, but the one who knows the most about how to get hired.” The purpose of attending an interview is to impress the interviewers by your manners, intelligence and attitude and project yourself as the person who is the best suitable for the job. Through this regular feature of Management Special we simulate an interview to impart to the aspiring candidates such skills and techniques. In this article, we will discuss about Mock Interview for the SSC Central Police Organisations (CPO) Sub-Inspectors Exam 2024.
The Candidate: Mock Interview for SSC CPO Sub-Inspector Exam 2024
Tejwant Singh Gill (TSG) has been an above-average and hard-working student in his school days. He did his Senior Secondary from Rajpura and took admission in Mahendra College Patiala. Tall and well-built, he took keen interest in athletics and won several prizes at inter-college competitions. His mother herself a teacher has left no stone unturned to give him a balanced and cultivated upbringing. His father works in the Food Corporation of India (FCI). In view of the aspirations of his son, he had given Tejwant the freedom to pursue a career of his own choice. After completing his graduation, Tejwant took the SSC CPO Sub-Inspectors exam and cleared it in his very first attempt. He was called for interview at, Police Headquarters, New Delhi. Realising the importance of interview, Tejwant practiced mock interviews with his friends and cousins. We are reproducing here one such interview.
Interview Board: Mock Interview for SSC CPO Sub-Inspector Exam 2024
The Interview Board consists of four members. Dr. Brijesh Chauhan (BC) the Director, Recruiting Directorate (UPSC) is the Chairman of the Board. Dr. Karamjit Bedi (KB) is Commissioner (Prisons). Samar Rastogi (SR) is the Sr. Instructor in Police Training Centre, Dehradun. Mrs. Ratna George (RG) is an IPS Officer posted in the Research & Analysis Wing (RAW).
Mock Interview for SSC CPO Sub-Inspector Exam 2024
TSG reaches the Central Police Headquarters, the venue of interview about an hour before the scheduled time. He reports at the reception, fills the necessary form meant for the candidates and is ushered into a waiting room where two other candidates are sitting and discussing something between themselves. Tejwant introduces himself to them and joins their discussion which is mainly about the day’s headlines. He has a fruitful interface with them which is likely to prove an ideal launching pad for the interview. After about half-an-hour, Tejwant is called to appear before the Interview Board in the adjoining room.
Dr. Brijesh Chauhan (BC) starts the interview.
Dr. Brijesh Chauhan (BC): Mr. Gill, we will give you a topic on which you have to speak for one minute. You may organise your thoughts in 15 seconds. Please discuss the “Sources of Law in India.”
After 15 seconds TSG is asked to speak.
TSG: The main sources of law in India are: the Constitution, statutes or legislation. customary laws, case laws, etc., statues enacted by the Parliament/Union Territory and State legislation. Besides, there is a vast body of laws known as subordinate legislation in the form of rules, regulations and bye-laws made by Central/State Governments and local authorities like municipal corporations, municipalities, gram panchayats and other local bodies. Apart from these, judicial decisions to courts like the Supreme Court and High Courts too are important sources of law. The decisions of the Supreme Court are binding on all courts within the territory of India and thus carry the same weight as laws.
BC: What else is taken into account by courts while administering Justice?
TSG: Sir, local customs and conventions which are not against statutes and morality are also recognised and taken into account by courts while administering justice in certain spheres.
BC: What is the main task of the police force?
TSG: Sir, the police force is entrusted with the task of maintaining law and order in the country and with the prevention and detection of crime. Another important task which is a relatively new addition is of combating terrorism, which involves tackling terrorists and disruptive forces. It has made the task of police greatly difficult as it is covert nature of war. Both intelligence gathering and mobilising public support in favour of law are big tasks.
Dr. Karamjit Bedi (KB) takes over at this stage.
KB: Why has the Commissioner of Police in big cities been additionally given magisterial powers?
TSG: Sir, the Indian Constitution provides some fundamental rights of which the right to freedom inter alia states that an arrested person cannot be held in custody for more than 24 hours without being brought before a magistrate. To dispose of crime cases quickly in big cities where the number of arrested person is more, the Commissioner of Police is also given magisterial powers.
Samar Rastogi (SR) takes over at this stage.
SR: Which force is providing pre-induction training to the Indian contingent selected for Peace Keeping Force of the United Nations?
TSG: Sir, it is Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).
SR: Which other tasks have been entrusted to ITBP?
TSG: Several other tasks have been given to ITBP, such as maintaining the security of our northern borders; checking infiltration and trans-border crimes; countering insurgency in the Kashmir valley; providing security cover to High Commissioner of India in Colombo and VIPs besides performing sensitive installation protection duties. During the Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra, the ITBP provides security, communication and medical cover to the pilgrims. It is also the nodal agency for Disaster Management in the Central and Western Himalayan region.
SR: Which force is responsible for maintaining internal security and dealing with riots/riot-like situations?
TSG: The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) is primarily responsible for maintaining internal security and for counter-insurgency or anti-terrorist operations in various parts of the country. The Rapid Action Force (RAF) created in 1992 as an integral part of the CRPF is a specially trained force to handle communal riots/riot-like situations and post-riot rescue and relief operations.
Mrs. Ratna George (RG) takes over at this stage.
RG: You may have watched on TV or read in the newspaper about the police lathi charge on the employees of Honda at Gurgaon a few months ago. Who would you blame for the deplorable incident and why?
TSG: I am compelled to say that I would blame all three parties involved-the management of Honda which let things to come to such a stage and made no worthwhile attempt to resolve the deadlock between themselves and the striking employees; the employees who turned violent and beat a police official with flagsticks, injuring him seriously. And most of all the police who became revengeful and gave inhuman treatment to the hapless employees.
RG: What would you have done as a senior police officer posted there in that situation?
TSG: Surely, I would have sensed the trouble brewing up with hundreds of employees going on strike for several days continuously. I would have called the union leaders and impressed upon them the importance and necessity of remaining peaceful and within law while going on strike. Holding regular consultation with the management would have kept me well-apprised of the ground realities and extent of the discontent. This would have helped me in planning measures to avert a clash, like reinforcing the deployment, diverting the traffic away from the marching employees.
RG: The interview is over Mr. Gill. I’ve enjoyed our conversation.
TSG: Thank you very much, Sirs and Ma’m. (He gets up and confidently walks out of the hall).
Result: Mock Interview for SSC CPO Sub-Inspector Exam 2024
The candidate has fared extremely well in the interview. His qualities of good manners, punctuality, confidence, knowledge and reflection are visible in his demeanour and replies. The Board Members asked him questions related to various aspects of civil security and administration. The Candidate comes out exceedingly well with prompt and appropriate replies. He is sure to be selected with a high rank.