How to Prepare for BARC Interview of Chemistry Scientific Officer

Interviews conducted by Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) are different from any other research or academic organisation. These are certainly different from the interviews conducted by PSU or Govt departments. Once candidate is shortlisted for interview in BARC, then the weightage of written exam is not there and interview is decisive factor.

Hence, interviews become very important for selection in BARC. The number of students called for interview in BARC for the Posts of Scientific officer (Chemistry) are 20 times which is highest compared to other organisations. The interviews conducted by BARC are very gruelling, in depth, exhaustive and long. Average duration of BARC interviews is approximately 45 min. Interview conducted by BARC are supposed to be the toughest.

Following are the points that differentiate the interviews conducted by BARC from others:
• Very long duration approximately 45 min.
• Asking in depth concepts
• You need to tell your 5 favourite subjects
• Questions can be asked beyond these subjects too
• You need to use the board and derive some expression if required
• Approach is checked instead of the knowledge
• Even if you give wrong answer but have correct approach, you may get selected
• Simple question is asked where thinking is required.
• Difficulty level of the questions keep on increasing and you need to have divergent thinking for answering the question.

BARC Interview Strategy
Many students ask this question. Students think that reading some different books will help them developing the concepts being asked in the BARC interview. Actually, it is not true. Concepts learned from any book will be sufficient if you have done these properly. Questions asked will be simple but requiring the thinking. So, the best way to learn the swimming is start swimming. Similarly, best way to master the art of interview is start facing these. Start going for the mock interviews of BARC for the Posts of Scientific officer (Chemistry).
The interview questions for BARC Scientific officer (Chemistry) will focus on assessing your knowledge, skills, and suitability for the specific post. There will no HR round, only technical questions will be asked. While the exact questions will vary depending on the specific research area, here are some sample questions to give you an idea:
• Introduce yourself.
• Explain the Aufbau principle and its significance in understanding atomic structure.
• Briefly describe the different types of intermolecular forces and their impact on physical properties.
• Differentiate between acids and bases according to various definitions (Arrhenius, Brønsted-Lowry, Lewis).
• Discuss the factors affecting the rate of a chemical reaction and explain the concept of activation energy.
• Illustrate the difference between spontaneous and non-spontaneous reactions using the concept of entropy and free energy.
• Explain the working principle of a technique used for qualitative analysis (e.g., flame test, chromatography).
• Describe the advantages and limitations of a commonly used quantitative analysis technique (e.g., UV-Vis spectroscopy, atomic absorption spectroscopy).
• Discuss the importance of calibration curves in quantitative analysis and explain how they are prepared.
• Briefly explain the concept of chemical separations and provide examples of separation techniques used in the lab.
• Discuss the importance of safety protocols in analytical laboratories and mention specific hazards associated with common chemicals.
• Explain the concept of resonance and its application in predicting the stability of organic molecules.
• Briefly describe the mechanisms of different types of organic reactions (e.g., nucleophilic substitution, elimination reactions).
• Discuss the factors affecting the reactivity of organic molecules and provide examples.
• Explain the principle behind common organic synthesis techniques (e.g., distillation, recrystallization).
• Briefly describe the applications of organic chemistry in various fields (e.g., pharmaceuticals, materials science).
• Explain the differences between ionic and covalent bonding and provide examples of each.
• Discuss the coordination number and its significance in complex formation.
• Briefly describe the different types of inorganic solids and their properties.
• Explain the working principle of a fuel cell and mention the role of specific elements involved.
• Discuss the environmental impact of some common inorganic compounds and their safe handling practices.
• Explain the concept of equilibrium constants and their application in solving chemical problems.
• Discuss the factors affecting the rate of a chemical reaction according to the collision theory.
• Briefly describe the different types of solutions and their colligative properties.
• Explain the concept of thermodynamics and its relationship to spontaneous processes.

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Interviews Module by YourPedia
Yourpedia is the dedicated and the only online platform mentoring students for interview preparation. The interview is last but most crucial stage in the process of career exploration. You must take this seriously and put as much effort as you have done for clearing the written exam. Yourpedia mentors are trained and expert for guiding you for such preparation. You will be provided the simulated mock interviews where you can check your level of preparation and take it in the right direction. Mentors of Yourpedia will expose to the real interview questions asked in BARC You will also learn from the panel of YourPedia where previous years interview questions of BARC is kept for your reference. So, let’s start exploring and preparing for the interviews of BARC.