SSB Interview: The Game of Psychology

Aspirants you would have heard about the battery of psychological tests which are conducted in SSB to test your psychology. Well if you notice then you’ll realize that not only the battery of psychological tests but most of the tests conducted in SSB’s are a test of your psychology. You may wonder how? Well then let me show you.

Screening Test

This test is conducted on the first day and passing in this test means you’ll stay up to five more days. In one of the two tests conducted in screening you are made to write a story and discuss on it (In PPDT). If you notice you’ll realize that three assessors are sitting when you narrate, one psychologist, one IO and one GTO. The psychology tested here is the aspect of your personality like your positive thinking, friendliness, leadership etc.

Psychological Tests

These tests are needless to say a test of your psychology. They put you under extreme pressure, which is short time constraint and then the true personality emerges since it is said that under stress person speaks the truth.

GTO Tests

All these tests are designed to see your liveliness, adaptability etc. and hence if your psychology is good you’ll do well in these tests.

Also Read

• Improving English For SSB Interview
• Causes Of Failure In SSB Interview
• Special Questions Asked In SSB Interviews

Interview

Here psychology plays a very important role. The whole interview and the questions asked are designed again to put you in pressure and take the real you out. You are made to fill a PIQ form and write your psych tests before interview, this is because the IO checks and rechecks by asking you a number of questions whether whatever you have written is correct or you are boasting about.   So now I think you’ll definitely agree that the whole game is of Psychology hence if your psychology is correct you’ll come out in flying colors. Now I am going to tell a few aspects of psychology which you must try to inculcate in yourself because by and large these only are the few aspects they look for.

Practical Approach

They look for a person who has a practical approach in everything. So while you write your story, situation’s reaction or Self-description you must make sure that you be as practical as possible. If are saying too much about social work and development and you have never done any such thing for the society then saying those things to an extent shows that you are willing to do it but if everywhere you are mentioning about the same thing then it simply means it’s not the real you. So whatever you write and whatever you say to the IO it should reflect a practical approach and not only story type things.

Positive Attitude

When you are shown negative things in Psych tests you must write as much positive thing about it as you can. Now let us see how negativity arises in GTO and IO, suppose you are not able to think of a solution in command task or your commander is scolding you for unnecessary reasons when you have gone as a helper. Negativity arises when your IO is keeping his eyes closed when you are answering him, thus he’s not making an eye contact. But you should keep smiling in negative situations and fight back always.

Ability to keep calm in Difficult Situation

An officer has to undergo various difficult situations where he/she doesn’t panics but keeps calm. Your psychology must reflect this aspect. This is reflected in your psych test papers, in your way of tackling the IO and in GTO. Suppose your group is not able to cross the obstacle in PGT or your IO is speaking all negative about you then must not lose your cool.

Leadership

A true leader cares for their subordinates. Hence don’t be mean, leadership is reflected when you support the weak members and are able to convince your group by logic and not by force.

Adaptability

This is reflected how well have you gelled with your group. This is reflected when you are able to convince your group mates and everybody is willing to listen to you.   Hence keep these few points in mind. SSB is purely a game of psychology and you will win if you have the right qualities. Goodluck.