Mon Feb 17 18:20:00 UTC 2025: ## UPSC Interview: IPS Officer Recounts Unique ‘3 Idiots’ Inspired Exchange
**NOIDA, INDIA** – In a recent video podcast, IPS officer Shakti Awasthi revealed a unique experience from his UPSC civil services interview. The interview panel, noting his resemblance to actor Sharman Joshi, asked him to recount Sharman Joshi’s iconic interview scene from the Bollywood film “3 Idiots.”
Awasthi, who secured the 154th rank in the 2019 UPSC exam on his third attempt, obliged. He flawlessly narrated the scene, culminating in the memorable line, “Aap apni naukri apne paas rakhiye, main apna attitude apne paas rakh leta hun” (“You keep your job, I’ll keep my attitude”).
While initially apprehensive about the response, Awasthi scored a remarkable 190 marks in the interview, the highest among all candidates that year. Currently serving as a DCP in Noida, Awasthi’s story highlights the unpredictable and sometimes unconventional nature of the prestigious UPSC interview process, which assesses not only knowledge but also personality and composure under pressure. The Lucknow native, a civil engineer by training, shared that his experience underscores the importance of remaining true to oneself even in high-pressure situations.
First Piper 