Overview

• Jaishankar said he appeared as the first candidate at Shahjahan Road for his UPSC interview on March 21, 1977, the day the Emergency was lifted.
• He credited the tide of election results and the rejection of Emergency rule with giving him the confidence to articulate his responses under pressure.
• He recalled learning both the value of clear, tactful dialogue in high-stakes settings and the danger of remaining insulated in a “Lutyens’ bubble.”
• The minister called the UPSC interview an “Agni Pariksha” or trial by fire, emphasizing that it remains the most demanding phase of the selection process.
• He urged the fresh batch to think decades ahead toward a Viksit Bharat by 2047 and to embrace roles that reinforce democratic values, national security, and global representation.