Muhammad Adeel Khan

13^th in Punjab, PMS 2019-20

 

Jahangir’s World Times (JWT): First of all, please tell us about your educational background?

Muhammad Adeel Khan (MAK): I got my early education from my village. It was ‘The Educators School’, Vehari, which helped me excel in academics. Having passed matriculation and FSc with flying colours, I joined NUST College of Electrical & Mechanical Engineering (EME College) for a degree in Electrical Engineering.

 

JWT: How much helpful did you find Jahangir’s World Times (JWT) in your preparation for PMS exam? And, how was your experience at the World Times Institute?

MAK: I would say PMS may have been possible without JWT, but not that easy. I met my mentor Sir Sarmad at World Times Institute (WTI) and his support had been pivotal in acing the PMS exam. Moreover, I joined WTI for mock interviews and it really helped me in my final interview.

 

JWT: What, in your opinion, is the key to getting through compulsory papers of PMS exam, especially that of General Knowledge?

MAK: The key to getting good marks in General Knowledge paper is thorough study. Moreover, trusting your instinct in the exam hall works wonders as well. Assuming that one has sufficient knowledge to answer the question, one must avoid beating around the bush. Furthermore, I repeatedly checked my answers whether they were relevant, precise and coherent. Moreover, I made an apt use of markers, tables and quotes (verses in case of Islamiat) to stay ahead of others in the competition.

 

 

JWT:  How answers should be written to get maximum marks in the written part of PMS exam?

MAK: In order to get maximum marks in the written part of PMS exam, an aspirant should be able to manage time well. Without writing quality answers to all questions, there is all likelihood that you will end up getting low marks. Interpretation of the vocabulary from the question statement plays a pivotal role in one’s success. One should be able to distinguish between the words like elaborate, analyse and criticize. Lastly, knowledge is the arm and armour of a candidate in the exam hall; therefore, all horizontal and vertical dimensions of the topic should be on one’s fingertips.

JWT:  How did you structure your Essay?

MAK: Firstly, there were two topics I could write on. To avoid the confusion, I wrote thesis statement for both topics and chose to write the one whose thesis seemed more appropriate to me. Then, after choosing the topic, I spent some minutes recalling my knowledge about the topic, and started writing the outline. The whole exercise took 30-35 minutes. Then, I started writing the essay and was able to finish it in time. Paragraphs in an essay for competitive exams, e.g. CSS, PCS and PMS, must be connected like a chain and, while reading the Essay, the examiner shouldn’t feel that he is wandering between numerous incoherent thoughts.

JWT: What was your strategy for the General Knowledge paper?

MAK: This paper requires good memorization skills. I would study it early in the morning while the mind was fresh and working at its best. Then, I would go through MCQs from various sources like past papers, GK books and past papers available online. In the actual exam, I first attempted only those questions which I could answer without looking at the options. They weren’t more than 15 of them. Given negative marking such an exercise is necessary to raise one’s confidence.

JWT:  Should there be some word limit kept in mind while writing answers?

MAK: Given that a candidate is producing quality answers, no answer should exceed 6-8 pages. Restraining oneself is the key to success in competitive exams. As an examiner has a limited time to check a paper, a candidate must take cognizance of this fact and adhere to the word limit.

JWT: Is it better to attempt optional papers in Urdu or one should go with English only?

MAK: Due to paucity of quality content in Urdu, it is better to go with English.

JWT: How one should choose Optional Subjects?

MAK: The very idea of optional subjects is to provide a candidate with the option of playing on his strengths. Keen interest, ease and availability of quality content should be kept in mind while choosing optional subjects. I believe scoring trends are half-truths. 

JWT:  Who deserves the credit for your success?

MAK: There are many people who served as enablers at various points in my life. I believe they all deserve the credit. But the late-night prayers of my parents deserve special mention.

 

JWT: As interviewers usually grill the interview candidates, how did you manage the situation? 

MAK: It was a very smooth interview in every sense of the word. The panellists did ask some very tough questions which I answered confidently. In case of not knowing the answer I humbly informed the panel of my inability. At one point, a panelist did say, ‘shabaash’ and that elevated my confidence further. Some questions were related to facts and figures and at that moment the panel allowed me some guesswork. In the interview room just don’t crack under pressure.

Advice for Fresh Aspirants

Tough times don’t last, tough people do. Believe in yourself and stay consistent and persistent.

My Interview Experience

In the beginning, Mr Chairman asked some questions related to my family and my preparation strategy for PMS examination. Then, it was mostly related to history, literature and agriculture. One of the panellists tested my knowledge in Electrical Engineering as well and for a while he discussed various aspects of the energy crisis. I avoided sweeping statements.