Hyderabad, Apr 22: The Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI), Hyderabad, successfully concluded a three-day high-level training programme on Advanced Interview Techniques for Personality Assessment for Chairpersons and Members of State Public Service Commissions (PSCs). The programme was held from April 20 to April 22, 2026 at the Bella Vista Campus of the Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI), Hyderabad.
The programme saw participation from senior members of Public Service Commissions from several states, including Shri Dilip Kumar Chakma, IAS (Retd), Chairman, Tripura Public Service Commission; Shri Vivek I. Bhimanwar, IAS, Chairman, Maharashtra Public Service Commission; Shri Hasmukh Patel, Chairman, Gujarat Public Service Commission; along with members from the Public Service Commissions of Punjab, Bihar, Nagaland, Odisha, and Tamil Nadu.
Designed to strengthen the quality and objectivity of recruitment processes, the programme focused on enhancing interview methodologies for assessing candidates’ personality traits, behavioural attributes, and suitability for public service roles.
Over the three days, participants engaged in sessions covering key themes such as the psychological dimensions of interviews, techniques for identifying authentic responses, and methods for assessing social empathy, civil society engagement, and public service orientation. The programme also explored advanced interview techniques, drawing lessons from the private sector and global best practices, with comparative insights relevant to India’s Public Service Commissions.
Discussions further addressed strategies for probing beyond rehearsed responses, behavioural assessment in interviews, and approaches to evaluating leadership and problem-solving capabilities. Emphasis was also placed on leveraging competency-based techniques to strengthen recruitment outcomes.
Prof. Ghanta Chakrapani, Vice Chancellor, Dr B.R. Ambedkar Open University and former Chairman, Telangana Public Service Commission, delivered the inaugural address, setting the context for the programme.
The sessions were led by a distinguished panel of experts, including Dr Manas Kumar Mandal, Distinguished Visiting Professor at IIT Kharagpur; Dr G. Padmaja from the University of Hyderabad; Dr B. Janardhan Reddy, IAS (Retd.), Director, Centre for Urban Governance, ASCI; Shri Srinivas Rao Mahankali, former CEO, T-Hub; Dr Subodh Kandamuthan, Director, Centre for Public Policy, Governance & Performance, ASCI; Shri A.R. Anuradha, IPS (Retd.); Pallavi Dhall from Ashoka University; Lt Gen S. Ravi Shankar, PVSM, VSM (Retd.); K.J.A. Swarup, Senior HR Consultant, ASCI; and Dr N. Ramesh Kumar, IAS (Retd.), Director General, ASCI.
The programme concluded with participants gaining practical insights and contemporary frameworks aimed at enhancing the effectiveness, fairness, and depth of personality assessment in public service recruitment.
