DRDO Recruitment Process and Interview Experience

“Success is not measured by the heights one attains, but by the obstacles one overcomes in its attainment."     – Booker T. Washington.

Hello everyone, I am Rajnandani Shaw selected as Scientist B in DRDO and secured AIR 312 in GATE 2020

I am neither a GATE topper nor from IIT/IIIT/NIT’s but just an average student from a very normal engineering college just like many. I had prepared with a full-time job. If I accomplished it, you all can.

DRDO Scientist B Recruitment Process

Earlier DRDO called for interviews directly from the GATE score followed by an interview. From 2019 they shortlisted students in a 1:25 ratio of no. of seats for the descriptive exam.GATE score is only for getting a descriptive exam call and the final result depends on descriptive exam marks and the interview only(refer advt). The syllabus of the descriptive exam is similar to that of the GATE with some extra topics. There were 2 papers and 3 hrs time provided for each paper with 2 hrs break. Note: Go through instructions given in the question paper carefully ‘All parts of question should be answered at one place.

Important Link:

Syllabus: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1gpsL_IpJe0VziBt5NFDRXpneinP1obru?usp=sharing

2019 Question Papers: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1DR6xvORRWSKrO0mpgTWQXyHgXqpWT3oD

As I was preparing simultaneously for GATE 2020(for better rank), I had already finished the GATE portion. But in GATE only MCQs are asked, so for descriptive paper I had to change my strategy accordingly. I wrote the paper neat and clean and tried to answer everything as asked(not under and not over). I only prepared the basics of AI & Machine Learning topics(first time I was going through these topics) from some sites. For Cyber Systems- I referred to the textbook 'Cryptography & Network Security' By Forouzan and searched google for topics not given in the book. For Math extra topics I referred some notes pdfs from IIT available on the internet. According to the marks in written they called candidates in 1:5 ratio for interview.

INTERVIEW

It is 90% hard work and 10% luck. My interview was scheduled on 6th Feb’2020 at RAC DRDO, DELHI at 9.00 am. I had prepared really hard for GATE 2020 so it was kind of rush for me(I had my GATE Exam on 8th), but I couldn’t afford to miss it. I reached RAC at 8.45 am. Many candidates were already present there. They are very punctual so make sure you reach well before time. We were provided temporary ids and then our attendance was taken. Then we were asked to submit our mobiles at the counter. There was a seating area attached to each interview room where our documents were verified. There was also an LED screen that showed how to use the electric pen and screen in the interview room. When our interview started the screen was showing the status and expected timing of interview for all candidates (for me, it was showing 3.00 pm, I think we were called for interview according to our names in ascending order means names starting from A were interviewed earliest, then names with B and so on, as mine starts with R so scheduled on 6th). Then we were served some snacks and tea. Interview of the first candidate went on for around 40 -50 mins and programming questions were like some sorting algo, decimal to binary, etc. according to what they said. The interview was mostly based on what you were currently doing(link masters, job, etc..). Mostly from all of them they asked your favorite subjects and questions were asked from them.

Suggestion(According to me only, Follow what works best for you):

1. They didn’t ask to carry the Final year project report with you, but some candidates did and their interviews weren’t that good. So, if you are 100% about each line and cross-question of the project report then only you should carry.
2. Choose your favorite subject wisely. You can also choose multiple subjects as favorite. I chose three( DS, Algo, and Soft. Eng.). But some students said 5-6 subjects so only basic questions were asked from each sub. Interview weight-age is only 20%.

My interview commenced at 3:15 pm (after lunch) and continued for 30-35 mins. There were 5 persons in the panel including the chairman(Not the DRDO chairman but the chairman of that panel only). Each person had expertise in different fields. So please be honest and do not lie otherwise you will be stuck. All members were very friendly. It was an oval-shaped table and the chairman was seated in the center. Just opposite the Chairman, I was asked to sit where there was an electric screen with a pen. There were some white sheets and pens also if you want to use it for rough work. My interview went like this:(I am denoting Chairman as C and rest members of the panel as I)

Me: May I come in.

Interviewer(I): Yes.

Me: Good afternoon sir.

I: Good afternoon. Please have a seat.

Me: Thank you, sir.

C: Your name is?

Me: Told.

C: You are from?

Me: Told

C: So you passed out in?

Me: 2016

C: Which College?

Me: UCET VBU HAZARIBAGH

C: How far are your college from Hometown?

Me: Told

C: You passed out in 2016, so what are you doing from 2016 to 2020?

Me: Told about my previous(Cognizant) and current job(DVC).

C: OK. How far is your current job location from hometown?

Me: Told

C: What is your salary.

Me: Told

I: You are earning quite good and that too just near your home then why do you want to join DRDO?

Me: Sir, anyone can leave anything and want to join DRDO.(I wanted to say something more but they immediately asked another question).

C: You had applied DRDO through which year GATE score?

Me: 2019.

C: Was it your first attempt?

Me: After preparation, it was my first attempt. I had appeared the first time in my graduation year 2016 but I had just qualified. I didn’t get the chance to prepare before 2019.

I: Your current job is a kind of managerial job and not fully technical. Right?

Me:(As I did not want to lie) Yes sir. Then I explained my techno-managerial job in the current organization. Working with ERP based application and some works related to network elements, servers, switches, LAN, etc. They asked some related questions and I answered them well.

I: What were your job role in Cognizant?

Me: Told about my training and project I was allocated. 

I: It was also content management kind of work and not that much of coding.

Me: Yes sir. But I do some using javascript, HTML, and CSS(Again I didn't want to lie). I explained everything regarding it. 

C: So, are you appearing for GATE 2020?

Me: sir, if I got selected for DRDO then I won’t appear. (They laughed).

I: But results will be declared after some days and the GATE is just a day after tomorrow.

Me: Yes sir I am appearing for that. But I want to work for DRDO.

C: Now tell me your favorite subjects.

Me: Data Structure, Algorithm, and some basics of Software Engineering(I told soft. eng. because I had read this subject many times for ISRO and DRDO interviews also, I remember different models, life cycles, and other portions also except the topic which was asked.

C: Write a program to multiply two polynomial(then they asked to write function only)

Me: I proceeded by writing two polynomials on the rough sheets as we were allowed to use it for rough. I explained the steps in the rough sheet and then on the electric screen with a pen and managed to write the function.

Chairman then indicated the other scientist to ask a question on Algo

I: What is P and NP problem.

Me: Told.

I: Questions on decidability and undecidability, Turing machines, hamiltonian cycle, Euler graph, graph coloring etc. and many related questions were asked

Me: Answered. Then they cross-questioned as I answered them. They stopped on one question which I was unable to understand I asked to repeat the question and they did, but I said sorry I am not getting what exactly you want to ask(They tried to confuse me but I told what I know).

I: You know soft eng. right?

Me: yes sir, some basics of it.

I: what is CMM?

Me: Contract Material & Management.(This term is very frequently used in any govt. org or PSU. So, I answered it promptly).

I: No, in terms of soft. Engineering

Me: Its Capability Maturity matrix. (I was able to recall the full form only)

I: You told u know soft. engineering so what is the CMM level of the application of your organization?

Me: Sorry sir I don’t know exactly. But explained something about my org software.

I: Ok fine you may leave now.

Me: sorry sir. I know other portions of Soft engineering told many topics but it was done.

I cannot forget the face of the interviewer who was asking SE questions. I thought I had ruined the chance to be a part of DRDO but I tried not to be sad as I had my GATE exam on 8th Feb’2020. I had spent the whole year for that and if I scored well in GATE then again I could apply for DRDO.

Result: On the evening of 12th Feb got SMS from RAC, after portal login in RAC it was written Finally recommended for selection as Scientist B in DRDO. Best message. (Same day GATE 2020 official key was out).

It is not necessary to answer all questions to get selected. They have their requirements, if you fulfill them then you are in. If you have any queries, you can reach out to me at LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/rajnandani-shaw-3ab219115.

---