BARC Interview Guidance

General Instructions:
In BARC interview, main focus will be on engineering aptitude of the candidate rather than the
rough knowledge on the subject. They will examine whether the candidate is just mugging up the
definitions/formulae or understanding the basic engineering phenomenon behind the concept. As
BARC is research organization, they will look forward in conceptual understanding of the
subject.
In General, interview panel will have 6-8 members headed by a Chairman of the Committee.
Each member will ask questions. The candidate will be asked about his/her favorite topics
(generally three) and questions will be focused on those topics. They examine whether he/she
understood the subject or have just read it. They may start with a question and can go into the
minute detail of that, it may happen that you may not answer a question completely but you
know the fundamentals or not. The knowledge of basics impresses the committee very much.
One important thing is that members in the committee are very cordial and co-operative and they
want every candidate to clear the interview. They will provide ample hints and help you
wherever you get stuck. The interview becomes more like a discussion session and a candidate
feels great after coming out of the interview.
If your interview lasts for about an hour or more then you have bright chances for a success.
So, the crux is, identify your strong areas, study in great depth, develop thorough understanding
and be positive and confident. A lot of time is left after declaring the results; you can sharpen
your skills during this time.
The time which u spent in the interview room will give you an indication of your success. If
your interview is getting stretched and you are giving satisfactory replies then you may sense
your success, generally 1.5 hrs to 2 hrs is the time which a successful candidate spends in the
interview room. You will know the result the moment your interview gets over. If you are
selected for BARC Training School you will be given a slip indicating a referral for Medical
examination. If you get that slip, you may congratulate yourself for qualifying what is considered
as the most trying technical interview in the country.
However if your interview lasts for more than an hour and you are not being referred for medical
test, you may still remain positive as you may be selected for other Training Schools of DAE like
NPC Training School, NFC Training School etc.
Final results are however declared in the second or third week of July and joining date will be in
the first week of September
Now, I would like to share some of the interview experiences of my previous students (in their
words):

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Candidate 1:
Dear Sir,
I got the call from BARC on the basis of my GATE score of 2013. The interview was good and
mainly comprised of technical questions. There were total of 7 committees each comprising of 45 members with one president of committee. They asked about what I was doing since I
graduated in 2012. And after that they asked for what subjects I had prepared. I told them:
1.Electric Machines
2.Power systems
3.Circuit Theory
4.Control Systems
The whole interview was concentrated on these four subjects. They started with machines and
the first question was to tell how DC machines works. They made me draw the diagram of it, the
field lines and asked about the torque production, law which governs it, what are the types of dc
motors on the basis of connection between armature and field windings, the characteristics of
these motors. Speed torque characteristic of induction motor, its stability region, why motor
operation is stable in that region, about losses of motors, hysteresis loss, BH curve etc.
After that they gave me a circuit comprising of inductance and capacitor in parallel and
resistance in series, and asked about the current flowing through the circuit, what will happen if
frequency is increased or decreased, what will behavior of current with change of frequency,
difference between series resonance and parallel resonance etc.
They were very supportive and whenever i got stuck they were helping quite a lot so that i can
comfortably give the answers .After this they dived into power systems and asked about
generator synchronization with grid :what are the factors which should be looked into before
adding a generator to grid, how we start getting power from it, which is good: HVDC or HVAC
,why , which should be preferred for different distances of transmission ,equal area criterion .In
control systems they asked about bode plot of second order system ,plot of system with two pole
, how to increase stability of a system, compensator, physical scenario where compensator can be
used to increase stability ,why negative feedback is used etc.
Candidate 2:
Dear Sir, thanks for your guidance. I have chosen machines, networks , power systems, control
systems and power electronics
They concentrated mostly on machines and their properties. The interview time was for 75 mins.
1) Difference between dc machines rotor and induction m/c rotor
2) Graphs of torque vs speed for dc m/c and ac m/c
2) How to increase starting torque in squirrel cage by external means
4) How are induction m/cs used in traction now-a-days
5) Conditions for the two grids to be connected
6) Two transformers having different Z% impedances - can they be connected in parallel and if
yes what may be the problems what is the effect on voltage regulation.
7) adv and disadvantages of dc machines
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8) Derivation of single line to ground fault

9) What are symmetrical components and why are they used
10) Relation b/w bandwidth and quality factor
11) What is time constant - its physical significance
12) What are the valid angles in star - delta transformers?
13) Series R-L in parallel with C - - resonance frequency derivation... and graph between current
on y - axis and freq on x- axis
14) Synchronous m/c- what are v- curves-- are they for generators or motors, the locus of
minimum point on the v- curve-- what is it called
15) Input to series RLC circuit is 100sint R=0.1 L= 10 and C= 0.1 what
freq and voltage across three elements during resonant frequency

is

resonant

16) What is the effect of change in freq on resonance. show how the graph changes b/w current
and frequency.
17) What is 3 db? what is its significance
18) U(t) input is given to the system 1/(s+1) . draw the graph
19) Polar plot for 2 control systems.
20) What are compensators? where are they used practically? draw all varieties of compensators.
21) Draw a circuit to convert 150V AC to 15 volts DC.
Candidate 3:

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Candidate 4:

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Some more standard interview questions in Electrical Engineering:

1. What is the basic difference between Transformer and Inductor? What are the applications of
these two in power electronic converter circuits?
2. What do you understand by step down and step up transformers?
3. Draw the flux waveform in a transformer when its primary is excited by voltage waveform of
(a) Sinusoidal (b) Square
(c) Trapezoidal
4. How can you measure the losses in a transformer? How can you minimize these losses?
5. Is it possible to operate a single phase 110 V, 50 Hz transformer satisfactorily at 200 Hz? If
yes, explain how?
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6. How are the transformer losses affected if pf of a given load is varied?

7. How is voltage regulation of transformer affected by a change in its operating frequency?
8. Two mutually coupled coils act as an ideal transformer. Find the nature of its reluctance.
9. What happens in a transformer if its core is made from high permeability ferromagnetic
material?
10. What are the basic difference between hot rolled and CRGO laminations used in a
transformer?
11. What are the three basic principles for the electromechanical energy conversion?
12. For an electromechanical energy conversion process, reaction of coupling magnetic field on
electrical or mechanical system is essential. Explain in simple words.
13. How is the reluctance torque produced in a rotating machine?
14. Salient pole alternators are more suitable for low speed operation. Explain?
15. Non salient pole alternators are more suitable for high speed operation. Explain?
16. Can a dc generator be converted into alternator? Justify your answer with reasons
17. What is the meaning of electrical angle? How is it different from mechanical angle?
18. What are the methods of reducing space harmonics in a machine?
19. How is a sinusoidal voltage developed in a synchronous machine?
20. Why should the output voltage from a poly phase alternator be sinusoidal?
21. What is the magnetization curve in reference to a dc shunt generator? Explain the procedure
to get it
22. What do you mean by GNA and MNA in a dc machine?
23. What is the motor best suitable for traction applications? Any other alternative you can
suggest
24. Draw the block diagram for a DC motor and then explain speed control of dc motor
25. Explain armature reaction in (a) DC machine (b) Synchronous machine

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26. What is meant by alternator on infinite bus bars?

27. Does a change in the excitation of a synchronous motor affect its speed and power factor?
28. What is meant by synchronizing power?
29. What are different methods to find out voltage regulation of an alternator? Which one is the
best one?
30. What is the purpose of damper winding used in salient pole type synchronous machine?
31. Name three important characteristics of a three phase synchronous motor not found in
induction motor?
32. What is synchronous condenser? Do you know any equipment which will do the same job
without rotating parts?
33. It is desirable that the incoming machine should be little fast at the time of synchronization.
Explain with phasor diagrams?
34. With 3 ph balanced sinusoidal voltages, a rotating magnetic field will produce in 3-phase
induction motor but not in 3 phase transformer. Explain mathematically with neat diagrams
35. Name the two types of three phase induction motors. What are the differences in construction
between the two?
36. How can the direction of the following machines can reverse
(a) dc motor
(b) Induction motor (c) Synchronous motor
37. How does the change in supply voltage and frequency affect the performance of three phase
induction motor?
38. Explain why the starting currents are very high in reference to
(a) dc motor
(b) Induction motor
39. What is induction generator? Name any one popular application in present days
40. Where do we prefer the use of lap windings and wave windings?
41. What is meant by balanced system and phase sequence in three phase systems?
42. Explain two watt meter method in the measurement of power in a three phase system. What
is the nature of pf when, (a) one wattmeter reads zero (b) two wattmeter readings are equal but
opposite sign

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43. What is the basic definition of power system stability? Explain various terms you are familiar
in stability?
44. What is per unit system? What is the use of it?
45. Explain the synchronous machine behavior when three phase short circuit is created at the
terminals
46. What is swing equation and inertia constant?
47. Explain the following terms:
(a) Synchronous reactance
(b) Transient reactance
(c) Sub transient reactance
48. What is meant by capability curve in synchronous machine?
49. What is meant by surge impedance loading in a transmission line?
50. What is operating frequency in India? How many regional grids in India. Do you know any
country in the world is operating with two different frequencies?
51. Explain mathematically, the transfer of power (active and reactive) between two active
sources shown below:

52. What is load flow problem and explain various buses used in load flow study
53. What is the simple algorithm used in load flow study
54. Explain the following concepts with neat sketches
(a) Transient stability
(b) Small signal stability
(c) Voltage stability
55. What will happen if excitation system in a synchronous generator fails? How can you detect
and protect the systems from excitation failures
56. What will happen if prime mover to a synchronous generator fails when it is connected to
infinite bus?
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57. When HVDC transmission system is preferable. Do you know any HVDC links in India?
(Note: to get the answer, visit www.powergridindia.com)
58. Explain various components of HVDC transmission system
59. What do you meant by FACTs? Name any FACTs controllers that you are familiar with
60. Explain the function of SVC and draw simple schematic

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