IFS, or the Indian Foreign Service exam, is India’s highly reputed and most challenging exam. It comes under group A of the central civil services of the executive branch of the Government of India. Like other civil services, you have to prepare for the CSE conducted by UPSC, through which the IFS cadre is filled.

Stages of IFS examination-

Stage 1- Preliminary written test- 2 compulsory papers of 200 marks each

Stage 2- Main written test- Paper 1- General English- 300 marks, Paper 2- General knowledge- 300 marks, Paper 3,4,5,6- Any two subjects from the list of optional subjects- 200 marks each paper

Stage 3- Interview for personality test

Most of the students preparing for the Indian Foreign Service exam emphasize mainly on the written exams, thereby completely ignoring the interview round, thinking they will somehow manage. But that’s not the case. The last and final stage contains about 275 marks, and they check the communication and analytical skills of the individual thoroughly.

There are two types of questions mainly asked in the interviews-

  1. Current affairs based questions
  2. Bio-data based questions

Now, how to prepare for Current affairs based questions-

  1. These questions are based on how aware you are of the current scenario at the national and international levels. They like to know how you analyze the situations/issues and what approaches you make to resolve them. The best way to deal with these is to keep up with newspapers and magazines. Keep at least 2 hrs a day to read newspapers and note down the important dates or crises going around.
  2. News channels- Sometimes, instead of scrolling through social media apps, you may check into news channels and debates. They always provide a good source of knowledge/information along with speaking skills. As you are interested in IFS, you must concentrate more on international relations, foreign policies, world politics, national politics, national schemes, etc.

How to prepare Bio-data based questions-

  1. These questions are indirect and tricky compared to the current affairs-related questions. Primarily, these questions are based on the profile that you filled in the application form. They get an idea about your personality through your past activities, hobbies, etc. So you must be pretty careful while filling the application form. Also, it would be best if you gave a revision to your undergraduate specialization subjects as they may ask from these too.
  2. Improve communication skills- One of the main things that attract any interviewer is your communication skills. As IFS is related to dealing with international clients and diplomats, you ought to have high speaking and communicative skills to convey your thoughts clearly and build your viewpoint.
  3. Be honest- The panel is not there to entertain your hobbies or boast. They will test factors such as judgment and decision-making capability, patience and awareness in crisis, morals and diligence, etc. Try to answer the questions by heart and don’t give them unnecessary claims.

Always remember that the number of selected candidates is twice as compared to the number of vacancies. Hence, don’t neglect the mock interviews and remember to be confident/truthful. Take your time and prepare for each round separately.