DEFENCE CAREER

ACADEMY

Indian Military’s Service Selection Board (SSB) Interview at a glance

REPORTING DAY - DAY 1
* Checking of documents and Call-Up letter and Candidates are assigned their Boards.
* Filling up of the FIRST Personal Information Questionnaire (PIQ) form.
* Assigning of Chest Nos.
SCREENING TESTS:- DAY 2
Filling up of the OIR(Officer Intelligence Rating) card.
1. Intelligence Quotients Tests (Written) (IQ):
* Verbal Test (Basic Knowledge of English)
* Non- Verbal Test (Basic Knowledge of Logical Maths and Numbers)
2. Picture Perception and Description Test:
* Write a story on a given picture:- describe the situation ,
characters, what led to the situation,
a problem with a possible solution with no fantasies
3 major things,
* marking of a person/s in the picture with age(nearly as
that of yours),sex(same as yours),mood(+/-).
* write the action he is performing in the picture(what
you can see).
* write a story on this action with a positive note,
easy/difficult problem where the main character is not
a cause but a remedy for the problem.
* Narration of the story in front of the group one by one and the assessing officers viz., one
interviewer, one psychologist, one GTO.
[Put your story forward with the best of your knowledge, fluency and command over voice and
while narration or discussion never look at any of the assessing members, look at your group].
* Discussion and drawing of a common story from the group.
Put your story forward with the best of your knowledge, fluency and command over voice.
Never oppose anybody instead appreciate and give chances with a JOVIAL face.
In the whole span of time of about 15 mins. Even if you speak for 20-25 secs. continuously
and everyone listens to you quietly, YOU ARE IN. It is not necessary that you take a starting
gallop in the discussion, wait for the chance but not too long and when you take your chance
make sure that everyone listens.
It is possible that your story may not be the group story but you should be with the group and
never make any amendments in the final story.
Wait for results after these tasks.
SCREENING RESULTS:
* Interviews Starts in the Afternoon.
* Filling up of the SECOND Personal Information Questionnaire (PIQ) form.
* Assigning Of NEW Chest Nos.
ACTUAL SELECTION PROCESS STARTS:
3. Psychological Tests (Only Written Tests)(Why not ‘Tasks’?) - DAY 3
HAVE A GOOD HAND-WRITING AND PRESENTATION.
1. Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)(Basic Confirmatory Test)
This test consists of writing story on pictures shown for a span of 30 sec. and write the story in 4

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mins. In a similar fashion 12 clips are shown out of which 11 have picture and 12th one is

blank(the story for this can be already made in advance).

Always make margins for the story on the psyche booklet test and keep it in presentable form.

The story should be POSITIVE, NOT Fantasy, Central character of a similar age and sex as that

of the candidate. Central character should be a solution and not a cause for the problem.

When no one in the picture seems to be the central character generate one and assume his

presence. When view is clear and there is no blur in the picture write the story right away and

write some of the stories and blank story on your principle hobby.

The assessing officer should see some resemblance in your picture perception attitude and your

PIQ (hobbies ,activities, NCC) and a spark of you bearing the Officer Like Qualities (OLQ’s). Never

imagine yourself as some women or an old person or anything else other than you yourself .Do

not describe the picture and story length must be 110-120 words. When all stories are seen at a

glance the whole artwork should be JAM-PACK. Do not give awards to the central character,

and give him an uncommon name. Never praise the character with direct adjectives like he was a

“leader and a courageous man”, the quality should be seen from his action and deeds performed

in the story.

Do not please anyone in the story and it should be socially and morally acceptable.

Divide the story in “introduction, a mature situation/problem, multiple solutions, conclusion.

The full duration of this task is 54mins.

2. Word Association Test (WAT)(Confirmatory Test)

In this test 60 words are flashed one by one at a time interval of 15 secs. In respect to the 15

(OLQ’s)*4=60. And the candidate has to write an “OBSERVATIONAL” sentence on the word

and the thought that instantly comes to his mind on seeing the word in the 15 secs. itself.

NEVER WRITE: Proverbs, Negations, Advice, Wrong facts, Egoistic & Absurd sentences

ALWAYS WRITE: Observational sentences (try not to leave a blank).

A good piece of work should contain:

Advice 10-15

Egoistic 5-10

Proverbs 5-10

Wrong facts and absurd NIL

Negations NIL

Observational 40-25 (Best is to have 50 observational and balance rest)

Make sentences which have a high level of mature thought, grammatically and semantically

correct and may or may not form a part in the sentence.

Only write the first observational mature thought that comes to your mind when you saw theword.
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This task is completed in 15 mins.

A break of 10 mins. is given after this.

3. Situation Reaction Test (SRT)(Confirmatory Test)

This test contains 60 situations given in a booklet where 4 situations correspond to 1 OLQ.

Make it appear in a presentable form and never skip any situation as if you were not able to

respond to it.

Explain your reaction in 2-3 sentences precisely and to the satisfaction of assessing officer.

On an average 45-55 situations can be attempted giving an appropriate response to your

situation reaction.

About 30-45 mins. are assigned to this test.

4. Self-Description Test (SD)(Final Confirmatory Test) Interviews Starts in the Afternoon.

The Self-Description test is a test which resembles the character of the candidate by the way he

puts himself in the format as provided by the assessor.

The format contain a descriptive passage by the candidate covering the points on how his

1. parents

2. teachers

3. friends

4. and he himself think about him as a person.

Listen to the briefing by the psyche officer carefully as to what he wants in the content.

Go according to his instructions.

Write about yourself in 5 paras consisting of parents, teachers, friends, yourself and your future

plans and strategies to overcome your shortcomings in the near future.

Include 2 positive and 2 negative points about yourself in each para except the last one.

Give solutions and remedies which you can attain and not anything that is permanent and not

correctable.

This test is assigned 15-20 mins.

Interviews are held in the afternoon.

4. GROUP TESTING OFFICER

1: (Confirmatory Tests ) —————DAY 4

(Basically group activity testing day)

1. Group Discussion (GD)

It is an indoor group activity and assessed by a Group Testing Officer (GTO).

The GTO gives two topics out of which the first one has options and the second one is compulsory.

In the first one, two current subjects are given to the candidates by the GTO from which one is to be

chosen and that topic has to be discussed by the group for a span of 10-15 mins.

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The second topic is compulsory and same time is allotted for this one also.

Speak on the subject on which you are quite confident and sure about it. Never misguide the group

with any fake statistics and absurd knowledge about the topic. Keep a brief idea of the current events

and the root cause of such problems, this will help in establishing a good base in the discussion and

also help in enhancing your performance. Always start late in the discussion after listening to

some of the candidates and then put forward your own ORIGINAL point in the way that everyone

revolves around your point and discuss it. If this is not possible then put up new contributions to the

group .

Speak to the point which you yourself feel justified for and can explain it completely to others

even if you are the only one to be at that point. If the group does not take you in participation even

then do not leave your point and never take another candidates point to elaborate and leave your own

point. In the whole affair keep yourself cool and have a jolly face, do not abuse others and deny

anyone’s thoughts. If you like someone’s thought acclaim his thought and connect your points to his

by some means. Keep giving new ideas after a proper thought over it and simultaneously listening to.

the group also

Assigned time duration; 20-30 mins. Be JOLLY and PLEASANT overall.

2. Group Planning Exercise (GPE)

This is also an indoor task where the group is given a situation which contains a set of problems and

the candidates are required to solve the problems one by one by using the given resources and in a

fashion to solve the most problematic condition first or the one to which they are near and then

approaching the other concerned problems.

On the briefing given by the GTO the candidate has to write his solutions on a sheet of paper.

As this is the only part of written task for the GTO keep it very organized, clean, curios and

interesting for the GTO to read.

After this a discussion follows to chalk-out the most appropriate way to solve all problems in

stipulated time.

Always keep the time and distance factor in mind and solve the problem to which you are near and the

one which are at a distance divide your group and use communication media as phones, lift on

highway etc., to reach the destination.

Do not make any amendments in the final group plan and be the one to give the group plan to the

GTO.

While writing your plan put them in points and a possible solution to each problem in stipulated time

and not forgetting the distance factor.

Be the centre of discussion and be fluent and dominating in this activity as it gives ALL OLQ’s.

Allotted time 25-30 mins. Be JOLLY and PLEASANT overall and don’t get angry at anyone.

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3. Progressive Group Tasks (PGT)

This is the first one’s of the various outdoor tasks.

Here a maximum of 3-4 continuous tasks are laid out which are to be crossed by the whole group

with the assistance of helping material such as planks, ropes, some bamboos, a load for making the job

tough and to generate the feeling of responsibility amongst the candidates.

Every task has to be completed and the other one to be started only when the whole group along with

the helping material have reached the end point of the previous task.

Always carry the helping material except the load and be the one to make and execute plans and

solutions. Never dominate others ideas and if you feel that someone has a good plan and not getting

executed then make it sure that it is done and do not sit idle without any remedies. Don’t shout or

abuse others and do not let anyone do it to you even.

Listen to the GTO’s instructions carefully and do not violate any rules. Use colloquial terms instead

of the actual terms for the helping materials like plank= phalli, balli=bamboo/danda,rope=rassi,

load=dabba.

Keep the rules in your mind and keep reminding it to your friends by using the colloquial terms and

not the actual rule statement. Assigned time 20-30 mins.

Color Rule

Group Rule

Distance Rule

Rule of Rigidity Don’t panic and keep SMILING.

4. Group Obstacle Race (Snake Race)

This is another outdoor task where the whole group has to compete against other groups for reaching

the finish line in first position over a number of obstacles and an additional rope or snake which has to

be held by each member while traveling from one obstacle to another and held by a minimum number

on the obstacle as provided by the GTO.

Always try to have an initiative and hold the snake in front or last to guide the group. Try and give

demo of whichever obstacle the GTO asks. Be the first one to cross any obstacle in case of violation

as guided by the GTO.

Give your full JOSH and listen to the briefing by GTO carefully. Never abuse anyone and boost the

morale of your group by saying all sorts of JOSHFUL things.

In any way don’t act dumb to any of the proceedings in any of the group tasks.

This activity is to test the ability of candidate in times of immense stress and his working capacity in

time –bound situations. Keep your mind cool, body in full JOSH and go with the flow and with the

group.

Duration is about 30 mins. Keep SMILING as this will be a bit de-stressing for your team-mates.

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5. Half Group Task (HGT)

Another outdoor task similar to the Progressive Group Task but the group is divided into 2 halves and

hence called so. Here also don’t loose ground and give chances to someone who was very inert in the

above tasks to show your generosity.

Be in full command and have knowledge of your task to a very

fine perspective. The number of tasks maybe 1or 2-3. Make proper use of given resources and your

knowledge and take concern of your team-mates. Ask them for suggestions but in a way to approve

your own idea.

Be creative and look for a venture where nobody is looking. Take care of speaking as

this task is followed after Snake Race and your voice will be fully gone out of order.

Duration 10-15 mins. Remain JOLLY.

6. Lecturette

This is the last task of GTO 1 day and this is the most exhausting day.

This task can be considered outdoor but is actually a sitting indoor task..

The task means to delivering a small lecture on a topic to be selected from a chit on which 4 topics

are written (topmost= most difficult, next two= difficult and easy, last= easiest), for a span of 3 mins.

continuously and fluently only in ENGLISH.

Choose any of the topics but advised to select 2 or 3 for convenience.

Give a brief introduction , actual cause and nature of topic selected, deep mature thought over its

ascent over mankind, its +ve and -ve effects , a small example if possible to explain clearly your

perceived thought.

While giving your lecture, report your topic to the GTO and then proceed. Look into the eyes of

group members and not the GTO while giving lecturette

While preparing make sure you have taken the above points in consideration.

Make a prior preparation of one topic which you like in case that you cannot speak on any of the

topics given then ask for permission from GTO to talk on your topic.

Just before the actual task starts the GTO asks for a brief introduction of all candidates one by one in

the following format,

NAME :.............................................................................................................

FATHER’S NAME :............................................................................................................

FATHER’S OCCUPATION :............................................................................................................

FAMILY BACKGROUND :..................................:.........................................................................

SCHOOLING AND EDUCATION :.....................................:..........................................................

CURRENTLY WHAT ARE YOU DOING :..........:.........................................................................

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WHERE ARE YOU FROM and

HOBBIES

Cover all these points in 45 secs. and do not stumble anywhere, have a good profound fluent voice,

Look at your friends and do not make any hand gestures. Limited hand gestures can be made at the

time of lecture but not many.

Don’t get tense and panic while delivering lecture instead keep a SMILING face..

Duration is per candidate = 3 mins, total about 30 -35 mins.

Interviews in the Afternoon.

5. GROUP TESTING OFFICER

2: (Individual performance day) —————DAY 5

(Final Confirmatory Tests)

1. Individual Obstacles Tasks (IOT)

These outdoor tasks are carried out on the second day of GTO. Overall this is the individual

performance assessing day for each candidate except the Final Group Task which is a group task..

The individual task consists of 10 obstacles laid in a typical fashion.

The 10 obstacles are numbered and the same marks are assigned to the respective task.

A minimum of all tasks should be performed in a span of 3 mins. and if time is left any other task

can be gone over again.

It is not necessary to start the tasks from 1st , but it is left to the wish of the candidate where does he

want to start from.

Try to obtain 74 points ,that is, one round = 55 +9+10 = 74

The obstacles are

1. Difficult jump. (Jump over a small slide from the opposite side.)

2. Long jump. (jump across a 6 ft.* 3ft. drum.)

3. Zig - Zag Balance (walk over a zig-zag balance and complete I and land properly.)

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4. High Screen jump ( jump over a slide and over a screen placed on it and land properly.)

5. Burma bridge (walk across a structure of rope tied between two ends of post carefully. Climb form

any side and climb down from other side.)

6.Tarzan swing ( While taking the leap fold your body and legs and leave the rope at the instant where

you feel it would be accurate for you to jump and cross the line.)

7. Monkey Jump (Climb on a big staircase structure and jump on the land safely.)

8. Double Ditch 8ft.*3ft. and 4ft.*3ft..(cross the 1st ditch with the help of a rope and the second one

with ease ,just by proper leg work..)

9. Commando walk (walk from any side up and down from another, maintain balance..)

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10. Tiger leap (walk up a podium, leap and catch hold of a rope, count 1001,1002 and start coming down,
don’t come rushing down , but do it step by step.).

The best way of doing this is to follow this sequence:

10, 9, 8, 4, 6, 7, 1, 2, 5, 3.
Or if not possible make circular arrangement on seeing the placement of obstacles at the same day itself, but
do it fast.

A prior practice of climbing and running is necessary to enhance your performance.

Duration 3 mins. per candidate, 35-40 mins. overall.

2. Command Task (CT)

The command task is a task where every candidate is assigned a typical task according to his performance
level and the degree of toughness depends on his prior performance and ability to communicate with the
group.

Every candidate is called one by one and the GTO has a pep-talk with him about his ongoing current
activities and future plans etc. This task is alike the PGT but only one task is given here and the candidate has
to guide his way out of the task to reach the other end.

The candidate is allowed to call 2 of his colleagues as his helpers in the task .

The task is explained by the GTO and asked to proceed.

The first thing is to see what all is your helping material and where it can be placed. First see only for one
solution and when sorted out GO for it. Meanwhile keep talking about your plan to your helpers and assign
them some work, don’t keep them idle.

When the GTO allows you to move ahead, you and one helper be the people to move keeping forward.

Always make it sure that you, your helpers and helping material will get out the way you are about to follow.

Do not violate any rules which have been listed above in the PGT.

Single task, Duration: 10-15 mins.

3. Final Group Task (FGT)

This also a PGT like task where the group again comes together to finish 1-2 tasks laid down serially and all
the rules are applied here. Generally the GTO does not assess any performance here but he may do it for
some special cases.

Rest the rules are same and the amount of efforts to be given should not be less since it is the last task for the
day and for the SSB, just in case some candidates may have their interviews in the afternoon.

NEVER VIOLATE ANY RULES, REMIND IT TO FELLOW CANDIDATES, KEEP YOURSELF

COOL, JOLLY AND SMILING.

WHILE GIVING ANY IDEAS LET THE PERSON FINISH WHO IS TALKING AND INTERRUPT
ONLY WHEN THE DISCUSSION IS GETTING MISGUIDED.

Last Spell of Interviews in the Afternoon.

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 INTERVIEWS:
Get to know the name and rank(if he is deputy prez or prez of the board) of your interviewer.

Q. What is your name, meaning of your name, meaning of other member’s names in your family, compare
yourself with them, name of place you come from, currently what are you doing?

Q. Family: How many members, since when living at the same place, description and sort of relationship
with each member, closer to whom, why closer, whom you admire. Compare yourself with any of your
brother/s or sister/s. If alone what would you prefer to have an elder/younger brother/sister? Occupation of
working members in the family, if you are working what is your job profile, salary etc.

Q. Education: Institution where you had your education, since when, any achievements, any responsible
post held during your education at the institution, represented institution at what levels, subjects you liked
most and those you did not like at all, why, teachers you liked most and those which you did not like at all,
why (here include the teacher and subject till all these years of education and not only school), name and
specialty of institution where studied and a brief description about it namely its location, crowd, cultural and
other heritages it carries. What are you currently doing ,what are further options (if not army),why,

Why ARMY, since when liked army?

Q. Friends: What type of friends you like, what type you do not like, where have you gone and where would
you like to go with your friends, why are these people your friends, describe your best friend, compare him
with you (appearance ,height, texture, thinking, something common in both of you), their hobbies and interests,
their way of living life and what do they want to achieve in life.

Q. Why do you want to join the defense forces, if not defense other options, how did you come to the
conclusion that you want to join the forces. Did you try for NDA, why not succeeded? Why not proper
efforts were given?

Q. Your hobbies and interests, how do you pass your time, which task did you find most interesting in
psyche and GTO series, which books have you read, why did you not score well enough in 12th as you
scored in 10th , NCC knowledge, Scouts, RSP, MCC, etc., knowledge.

Q. Your life in college, any memories, what is the difference between your friends at Pune and SSB center .If
given chance what would you like to change in Pune ( Geographical, economical, agricultural, tourism, traffic
etc.) Compare your hometown and hometown friends with friends in Pune and Pune as a place itself. Have
you ever come before to the SSB centre previously. Which places did you visit at the SSB place

Q. Give 5 current national and international political news.

Q. Give 5 current national and international sports news.

Q. Some international matters, international organizations, their working procedure and a

good knowledge of your specialized subject.

Q. How would you organize a football match /hike/cycle race/ local festival /trek/swimming competition.

Q. Why were you weak in some specified sphere, how did you cope up with it.

Q. Have you taken coaching, why, what sort of?

Give examples for any incidences that you are going to explain.

Speak in relevance to your Self-Description test and PIQ and do not give fakes.

Speaking is an art, whatever you speak give proper punctuations, gestures and emotions as necessary in
your speech

SPEAK CLEARLY AND MAINTAIN EYE CONTACT.

Hesitation at the time of answering will cause a bad impression, never tell lies and give a full explanation
of your family, friends, education, current life, future scope, and with an example for each.

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OFFICER LIKE QUALITIES which they are looking for:

1. Effective intelligence - head

2. REASONING ABILITY - head
3. ORGANISING ABILITY - HEAD
4. POWER OF EXPRESSION - HEAD
5. SOCIAL ADAPTIBILITY - HEART
6. CO-OPERATION - HEART
7. SENSE OF RESPOSIBILITY - HEART
8. INITIATIVE - GUT
9. SELF – CONFIDENCE - GUT
10.SPEED OF DECISION - GUT
11. ABILITY TO INFLUENCE THE GROUP - HEART
12. LIVELINESS - HEART
13. DETERMINATION - LEGS
14. COURAGE - LEGS
15. STAMINA - LEGS
Note: resembles that these qualities are inevitable and much more important than the others.
6. CONFERENCE DAY: - DAY 6
* Deputy President’s Talk and Brief description about the whole selection procedure and the listing of
qualities they seek.
* Individual Conference of each Candidate.(Here is the only place where the candidate can see all
the assessing officers, deputy president and the president of the respective SSB.)
7. RESULT (By any of the Psyche Officers.)
8. MEDICAL BOARD - DAY 7-14
Candidates are recommended for the Medical Examinations at the Military Hospital (MH) for a
period of about 6-7 days.)
* Assigning of Medical Board Chest Nos.
* Medical Examinations
9. MEDICAL CONFERENCE
* Candidates who are found fit by the Medical Board are SELECTED and rest are given
Temporary Rejections (TR) over some medical problems by the Special Medical Board, (SMB)

* Those Candidates who are given TR are asked to appear for a Appeal Medical Board (AMB)
conducted by a nearby Command Hospital or Base Hospital and under the supervision of its Officials.

* If candidate is still found unfit after the findings of the SMB and AMB he can opt to appear for
Review or Re-appeal Medical Board (RMB). Hence after the candidate is not told about the result but
it is conveyed to DGAFMS who conveys it to ARMY HQ for further formalities. In case the candidate
has been cleared from RMB he is been given the Joining Instructions otherwise he is disqualified for
that attempt.

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