My name is Ajay Kumar and I recently got recommended by the Services Selection Board (SSB) Kapurthala for CDS OTA Entry, subject to merit list. And I would like to share everything with you all, a little at a time. Let’s break this down a bit. Attempt :- It was my fourth attempt overall for the SSB. One of it had been for NDA, and two of them for TES Entry and evidently, none of the previous ones went as good as this one. I got conference out the first time and the next two times, I was screened out. After graduation this was my first SSB.
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The Journey :- Unlike the mostly conceived perception, my preparations didn’t begin a month before or even two. It began right after I gave the written for CDS 2, 2017 because I was certain that I’ll get through to the SSB part which I had to make through, this time. So, in the beginning, I started to prepare my ground by watching videos Of Dr. Cdr. NK Natrajan about SSB on youtube, which was a big help because strong base supports a strong building. Later, Later on, when I returned from Canada, as I was working as a Marine Engineer on merchant ships, I decided to practice and give myself an environment exactly like that of SSB to locate my mistakes and areas that I lacked in.
AFPA (Armed Forces Preparatory Academy) helped me a lot by helping me in realising where I was and where I wanted to go. I kept myself updated with current affairs and various international issues which played a crucial role during the interview, the group discussion and the lecturate.
There were 54 candidates reporting on the first day of the SSB in Kapurthala. 24 out of a total of those 54 candidates got screened in and I was one of them, thankfully. The 24 candidates were then divided into three groups of 8 candidates each.
Psychology Testing:- In my perception, I wrote a very basic and appealing story which was more related to the daily life and most importantly, it was more related to the picture itself. It didn’t seem irrelevant at any point.
In the Word Association Test, I attempted 59 of the words and my sentences reflected my belief system which I believe is this test all about.
I attempted 34 SRTs out of a total of 60, focusing on action and quality of each one that I attempted. I was a little scared by the fact that I had attempted only a little more than half of the SRTs but in the end, it wasn’t really the quantity but quality that mattered.
GTO:- In GTO testing, I enjoyed a lot as it was a group activity and AFPA had helped in gain a lot of experience and had provided me with the necessary exposure which is more than likely to provide you with the confidence necessary to perform well. In my opinion, keeping a neutral pitch is very important and what you say matters and is dependent upon how you say it. Countering the other points should be done logically.
PGT can be dealt with by applying logical approach and it is necessary to remember all the rules. In Individual Obstacle, I completed the 1 round and an extra obstacle that was double platform but I believe that quantity isn’t as important as the quality that you bring into the approach you apply.
Interview:- My interview went on for about an hour and an additional 20 minutes. There were four rapid fire rounds and most of the questions raised questions about my upbringing, education, perception and where I came from. They also asked me technical questions as well as a lot of current affairs. Though, I wasn’t aware of a couple of questions, but I searched about them after my interview was over.
Conference:- June 5 was the judgment day and everybody was anxious to know whether they made it or not. In my conference, they asked me normal questions covering and focusing on the areas of improvement and selection centre’s facilities and amenities.
Out of a total of 24 candidates that had been screened in on the first day, only 3 of them were recommended and me, luckily, being one of them. The three of us then, stayed back for the documentation and medical purposes. Medically, I got declared as fit.
At last, I want to say one thing that if we desire something and use or natural power to achieve that thing then, we can make it. Thank you, my mentor, Dr. Cdr. NK Natrajan for grooming me a lot from the point to being a hope less guy who had struggle speaking and commanding his own language to the point where I got recommended and am writing a success story. If anybody wants to take any learning from my story, I believe, it should be that all you need to do is listen to what your teacher says and try to implement it because, I believe, If I can do it, everybody can do it.
Nothing comes for free, you need to put in the work and spend hours beating and mastering your craft. Victory needs preparation, and that is what all of us are in this world have come to do.
