As many as 65 candidates, including 44 full-time residents from the All India Civil Service Coaching Centre in the city have been called for the personality test for the civil services (Main) examination held in 2019.
The centre, wholly-funded by State government’s Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms, accepts 225 candidates who have passed the prelims on a first-come-first-serve basis. The candidates come from varied backgrounds, with just one aim -- to clear the Mains and the subsequent interview.
“This year the infrastructure received a big shot in the arm with the Public Works Department carrying out extensive civil and electrical renovations to the tune of ₹65 lakh,” said M. Ravichandran, principal.
To equip the candidates, the centre conducted model personality tests a fortnight ago. All the qualified candidates underwent a rigorous session by six boards of experts that included senior or retired bureaucrats, young officers, a member representing the law and the public, a retired DGP besides academicians from the relevant discipline.
Each board has a psychologist to assess the competence, body language and the eye span of the candidates.
A board member said though it was only a model interview the candidates were grilled with thoroughness and feedback was given to them to enable them perform well.
As many as 180 lectures have been arranged for the current crop of aspirants for the prelims, Mr. Ravichandran said.
The UPSC’s personality test began on Monday and ends on April 3. Many of the candidates at the centre had attempted the civil services several times. There are also some who had qualified earlier but want to improve their performance.
The DPAR provides each candidate ₹2,000 to meet their incidental expenses en route to Delhi.
This year the State government has hiked the monthly food expense from ₹2,250 to ₹3,000 per candidate. The result is that the lunch is richer and more nutritive. The menu is designed by a team of dieticians and nutrition professors, Mr. Ravichandran said.