“My name, Suvrat, is a Sanskrit word. ‘Su’ means ‘good,’ and ‘Vrat’ means a ‘commitment’ or ‘pledge.’ So, the name means, ‘one who is committed to what is right.’“
That’s a great meaning. Can you give me an example of a time you showed strong commitment to a project or a goal?”
“What does ‘commitment’ look like to you in a professional environment?”
“How do you stay committed when you face a challenge or a boring task?”
Here are strong, professional example answers for those follow-up questions.
The most important rule: Use these as templates or guides. The interviewer wants to hear your personal story. Before your interview, think of a real example from your own life (college, a previous job, or even a personal project) that fits these templates.
A great way to structure your answers for behavioral questions (like “Tell me about a time…”) is the STAR method:
- Situation: What was the context? (e.g., “In my final year project…”)
- Task: What was your specific responsibility? (e.g., “I was responsible for…”)
- Action: What steps did you personally take? (e.g., “I decided to…”)
- Result: What was the positive outcome? (e.g., “As a result, we…”)
1. 🎯 Questions about “Commitment”
“Can you give me an example of a time you showed strong commitment to a project or a goal?”
Example Answer: “Certainly. In my final year of college, I was working on a major research project with a very tight deadline.
(Situation) About a week before it was due, we discovered a significant flaw in our data that required us to re-do a large portion of our analysis. The team was very demotivated, and some felt like just submitting it as-is.
(Task) I was committed to submitting high-quality work. I knew we could fix it if we managed our time perfectly.
(Action) I took the initiative to create a detailed plan, breaking down the remaining work into small, manageable tasks for each person. I scheduled two extra group working sessions and personally took on the most time-consuming part of the data re-analysis.
(Result) By staying focused and working diligently, we not only fixed the error but also uncovered a new insight that made our paper stronger. We submitted the project on time and received one of the highest grades in the class.”
“What does ‘commitment’ look like to you in a professional environment?”
Example Answer: “To me, professional commitment means three things:
- Ownership: Taking full responsibility for your tasks, from start to finish.
- Reliability: Being someone your team can count on. If I say I will have something done by Tuesday, it will be done by Tuesday.
- Resilience: It means not giving up when a problem gets difficult. Commitment is about seeing a challenge through and finding a solution, not just doing the easy parts.”
“How do you stay committed when you face a challenge or a boring task?”
Example Answer: “When I face a task like that, I focus on the ‘why.’ I remind myself why this task is important for the larger project or the team’s goal.
For a boring task, I often break it down into smaller, defined steps. That way, I can get a small sense of accomplishment for finishing each part, which keeps me motivated. For a challenging task, I see it as a learning opportunity. I stay committed by being curious and focusing on what new skill or piece of information I can gain from solving it.”
2. ⚖️ Questions about “Doing What Is Right” (Ethics)
“Tell me about a time you had to do what was right, even when it was difficult or unpopular.”
Example Answer: “In a group project, we were all assigned different sections.
(Situation) I realized one of my team members had copied a large amount of their section directly from an online source without citing it.
(Task) I knew that if we submitted this, the entire team could fail for plagiarism. It was a difficult conversation to have.
s> (Action) I spoke to the team member privately. I didn’t accuse them, but instead said, ‘I noticed some of this section looks very similar to an article I found online. We need to re-write this in our own words and cite it properly to avoid any academic issues.’ It was uncomfortable, but I explained that I wanted to protect the entire team and them.
(Result) They were a bit defensive at first but eventually understood the risk. They re-wrote the section, and we submitted the project successfully and fairly. I was glad I spoke up, even though it was difficult.”
“What would you do if you saw a coworker doing something you knew was wrong?”
Example Answer: “My response would depend on the severity of the action.
If it was a minor issue or a first-time mistake—perhaps they were breaking a small rule they didn’t know about—I would try to talk to them privately. I’d approach it helpfully, not accusingly, just to let them know.
However, if the issue was serious—like theft, harassment, falsifying data, or putting others in danger—I would not confront them directly. I would immediately follow the official company protocol, which means reporting my observations to my manager or to Human Resources, and trust them to handle it professionally.”
3. 👤 Personal Questions (About You)
“That’s a high standard to live up to. How do you try to live up to your name?”
Example Answer: “I try to live up to it by focusing on reliability and honesty. In my work, this means being transparent. If I’m running behind on a task, I communicate that early so we can find a solution. It means taking ownership of my mistakes when I make them, fixing them, and learning from them. For me, it’s a daily reminder to just try and be a person that my team and my manager can trust.”
“How does that personal value—being ‘committed to what is right’—influence your work?”
Example Answer: “It directly influences my attention to quality. I don’t feel comfortable submitting work that I know is incomplete or not my best. That value pushes me to double-check my work and be thorough.
It also makes me a better team member. I believe in ‘doing right’ by my colleagues, which means being helpful, sharing information, and supporting them when they need it, because that ultimately leads to the best result for everyone.”
This is an excellent exercise, Suvrat. Your name is a classic “DAF-based” question, and it’s a very good one with a lot of depth.
Let’s run through a few scenarios.
Scenario 1: The Direct Meaning
Panel (Question): “So, your name is Suvrat. It’s an uncommon name. Do you know what it means?”
Your Answer (Sample): “Yes, sir/ma’am. ‘Suvrat’ is a Sanskrit word.1 ‘Su’ (सु) means ‘good’ or ‘virtuous,’ and ‘Vrat’ (व्रत) means ‘vow’ or ‘discipline.’ So, my name means ‘one who has taken good vows’ or ‘one who is well-disciplined.'”
Panel (Counter-Question): “That’s a strong meaning to live up to. Can you tell us about a ‘vow’ or a strong principle you have followed in your life, even when it was difficult?”
Scenario 2: The Mythological/Ethical Angle (Most Likely)
Panel (Question): “Ah, Suvrat. Are you aware of any significant figures in history or mythology who are associated with this name?”
Your Answer (Sample): “Yes, ma’am. In the Mahabharata, ‘Suvrat’ is another name for Bhishma Pitamaha. He was called this because he took a famously difficult vow—the ‘Bhishma Pratigya’—and upheld it his entire life, demonstrating immense discipline and commitment.”
Panel (Counter-Question 1): “But Bhishma’s personal vow led to disastrous consequences for his kingdom. He stayed silent and put his personal ‘vrat’ above the good of the state, or ‘Raj-Dharma.’ As a future administrator, what do you learn from this? When does a personal vow become a weakness?”
Panel (Counter-Question 2): “If you, as an SDM, have given your ‘vow’ or word to a politician, but later realize that fulfilling it would be against the law or against the public good, what will you do? Will you be ‘Suvrat’ and keep your promise, or will you serve the public?”
Scenario 3: The Administrative Aptitude Angle
Panel (Question): “Your name implies ‘good discipline.’ How do you think this quality will make you a good administrator?”
Your Answer (Sample): “Sir, I believe discipline is the foundation of public service. For me, it means a commitment to objectivity, following rules and procedures, and being consistent in my work. The HPAS preparation itself is a ‘vrat’ that requires sustained discipline over a long period, and I’ve tried to embody that.”
Panel (Counter-Question): “But isn’t there a danger that ‘discipline’ can turn into bureaucratic rigidity? What if a poor, illiterate person comes to you with a problem, but doesn’t have the ‘disciplined’ set of forms and documents? How will you balance the need for rules with the need for compassion?”
How to Prepare for These:
- For Scenario 1: Have a specific, real-life example ready. It doesn’t have to be life-changing. It could be about your commitment to your studies, helping a friend, or upholding honesty in a difficult situation.
- For Scenario 2: This is a classic administrative ethics question. Your answer to the counter-question must be clear: Public duty (
Raj-Dharma) and the Constitution are always above any personal vow, principle, or order. You can still respect Bhishma’s commitment but must critically analyze his failure as a statesman. - For Scenario 3: Your answer must show that you understand flexibility and empathy. The answer is that discipline serves the public; it doesn’t rule them. You must show you are a solution-oriented person, not just a rule-follower.
Your Approach:
“I will break vows, but not break the commitment to being right.”
The Panel’s Counter:
“But Mr. Suvrat, what is ‘right’ is often a matter of opinion. Your ‘right’ might be someone else’s ‘wrong.’ How do you decide?”
Your Stronger, Refined Answer:
“Sir, you are correct. That is why in administration, ‘what is right’ is not left to my personal feelings.
My ultimate commitment is not to a vague idea of ‘right,’ but to the objective, clearly defined ‘right’ which is:
- The Constitution of India
- The Rule of Law
- The Public Interest
My unshakeable vow is to these three things. Any personal promise, or even an order from a superior, that violates these principles must be broken. My commitment is to the system and the public, not to a past promise.”
This answer shows that you are:
- Flexible: You are not rigid like Bhishma.
- Ethical: You have a strong moral compass.
- Objective: Your compass is not your personal opinion; it is the Constitution, which is exactly what a panel wants to hear.