This is GAURAV TEWARI from HALDWANI (NAINITAL) UTTARAKHAND, I got recommended from 33 SSB Bhopal for Indian naval academy, in my first attempt. Like everyone else it was my dream to wear my heart on my shoulders, and my resume on my chest. To become one in a million and one among a million. To live a life less ordinary. All started in when I was in class 10th when my friends discussed SSB interview. I found it interesting and searched about it on the internet, got to know about the whole procedure through SSBCRACK website. In my First attempt, I failed to clear the written of NDA 1 2017. Got a kick ……..again prepared well and cleared the written of NDA 1 2018 after giving boards and jee mains. Got decent score in JEE got allotted to NIT BHOPAL(chemical engineering) and by luck, the next day, I was allotted SSB centre as 33SSB Bhopal.
As I had already read SSBCRACK ssb guide twice, so I didn’t felt any requirement of coaching. So NDA 141 here I come.
Prathampag.
DAY 0
28 Aug 2018
Our reporting at the Bhopal railway junction at 1400 hrs. The army bus came at 1530hrs. Reached the ssb centre and were allotted rooms followed by document verification, followed by addressing of rules by our HANDSOME GTO. 52 deserving candidates reported in our batch.
DAY 1
SCREENING day
We had to complete 40 OIR questions in 17 minutes. Two similar tests of such kind were taken on succession and I managed to complete 78 out of 80 total questions. (the time given is less, so prior practice is a must). (I will recommend the OIR ebook of SSBCrack, most of the time questions of similar types can be seen in the real ssb OIR tests). A good OIR result is the first impression for your screening and interview (the IO may judge you based on your OIR marks)
Coming to PPDT
Ours was a picture of a hazy girl, to which I wrote a simple practical story portraying a negative mood, starting with hopelessness to hard work and dedication to achieving success.
I narrated my story confidently.
In my GD I spoke only one line regarding the gender of the character for which most of us were confused.
Since I didn’t speak much in my GD so I think that confident narration, good body language and good OIR helped me in getting screened in.
Results were announced after lunch and 24 out of 52 got screened in.
I was allotted chest no. 20.
We had to fill 3 PIQ forms (right only valid data, don’t boast much, NCC and hobby/ interest portion is from where you will be asked maximum questions by the IO)
DAY 2
PSYCHOLOGY TEST
As I practised psych part very well since 5 months and had a brief idea about it from the start (all thanks to SSBCrack), I completed all 12 TAT stories, 58 WAT, and 41 SRT which I thought were less but I wrote action-oriented and practical based (practice as much as you can, a uniform approach in these tests is must)
SDT, I prepared beforehand, asked opinions about me from my friends, teachers and parents beforehand.
Remember, self-introspection is must in SSB, and it is reflected in SDT itself, so prepare SDT with wholehearted efforts and honesty.
DAY 3
This was our GTO day 1. Started off with GD and GPE in which I was not satisfied with my performance as I didn’t speak much and was not able to present many ideas. Then came PGT, I gave 2-3 ideas which were implemented well (prepare well about the cantilever and try to take initiatives only if u have ideas to cross the obstacle, else cooperation is the key).our group did the tasks with cooperation.
I HGT I was satisfied by my performance. All the given ideas were executed well.
Then was GOR – I performed well, kept the josh high but remained in hosh (don’t break any rules set by the GTO, just repeat the obstacle every time uh break the rule and always beware of the red mark)
In individual obstacle I did 10+1 in 3 mins …..courage and Josh is the key here, remember each and every instruction given by GTO and apply in order.
In lecturette, I got topic as politics in sports to which I spoke around 2.5 mins (even if u do not know the content well, organizing the material is important along with confidence and good body language).
As we returned back to the ssb centre from GTO ground, I was told by the PA to freshen up in 5 mins for the interview. I had to give my interview in my GTO dress stained with mud and blood.
At that time I was thinking about my GTO task (GD and GPE) which I was not satisfied with. So in this tension, I went inside the IO room without his ringing the bell. I did that twice and was scolded badly by the IO
for 5 mins before the interview*(remember if u do badly in any of the tasks, don’t worry or think about it, just focus on the upcoming tasks).
So my interview finally started from 1145 hrs to 1300hrs in which I was asked about my family, friends, teachers, special friends and my bonding with them. I was asked questions related to phrsics like a circular motion, banking of roads, forces and applications, Archimedes, and various practical based questions like guessing the dimensions of the IO room and then units conversions and about how I prepared for the SSB.
I was satisfied with my Interview.
(remember never lie about anything, they are very experienced if you lie the probability of selection becomes nil. And whatever you right in the SDT , must match up your personality when assessed by the IO)
We came to our room, discussed our performance, I thought that it is not this time I will make it, as my GTO (GD and GPE) had not gone very well.
But still, hopes were there as other tasks went quite good.
DAY 4
It was 7:00 am, and we started off with the command task, I was called as a subordinate twice by chest no. 17 and 18. As a subordinate, it’s your duty to listen to you commander carefully and act accordingly and not to break any rules.
My command task was quite tough, for a minute I got no idea, but then I remembered the concept of load and fulcrum and completed the task. Also, the GTO helped me when I was complexing the task, and thanks to my subordinates, both got reccommneded with me later on the next day. (choose your subordinates wisely, prefer them who performed well in other tasks.
We came to our room and were guessing that who will get recommended the next day.
I guessed chest no. 3, 18 and 17.
DAY 5
Conference day (hypertension for freshers )
We all were made to sit in the testing hall followed by the IO addressing us . We asked him many questions about the forces. 12-15 officers were sitting in the confrerence hall, I was nervous outside the hall but when I got in, they made me feel comfortable. Asked question about my stay in ssb , how many friends I made and which places I visited during those 5 days and any suggestion for improvement in ssb centre. They asked me if I was expecting my performance to be they way it went.
My answer was that I expected more in GTO as I was not able to give much ideas in GD and GPE. The president of the ssb board told me, not to worry about it as there were other tasks in which they assessed me. This braised my confidence. After lunch, our results were to be announced by the psychologist. I kept my head down, was praying. The call started chest no. 22, chest no. 3………….. then a bit of pravachan started ….
Again …….chest no. 20 and I was all blackout, it was a rewind for me and reached there where I started 3 years back, all the promises, all the boasting, everything, family, friends all came in a flash.
Chest no 18, I was happy for him more than I was for myself as it was his sixth attempt, we hugged each other and cried for about 5 mins.,
Chest no. 17 also got recommended.
It was good to see that in our batch, maximum got recommended and we 4 out of 5 were from the same GTO group.
And that was it .
02 Sept 2018
MANSA VACHYA KARMA
(thanks to my friends who backed me before my ssb days to keep the josh high and thanks to ssbcrack or helping and motivating aspirants like us).
