Hi to all defence aspirants there, this is Prashant Thakur a graduate from govt. PG college Dharamshala HP. Today I want to share my experience of coast guard PSB and FSB with you guys . This was my 2nd attempt overall but first attempt for coast guard. In first attempt I went to AFSB Mysore and got conference out there. Now my PSB [Preliminary Selection Board] was on 23rd JAN. I started my journey from Baijnath Himachal Pradesh on 22nd night and reached Delhi on 23rd. I got freshen up at my friends house and reached coast guard board Noida at 12 pm .
On reaching there I got to know that due to electricity cut , they were behind the schedule and the morning batch had not been concluded , so we all candidates had to wait there for around 4 hours for our written and document verification. At around 4 pm they called our lot of 127 students for documents check.
So I ran fast and got into first seat for documentation, the Navik sir checked my documents , after that, I got some relief . They took around another half an hour for the document check of other candidates and in the mean time I did my lunch and that too from my friends tiffin which I made there J . At around 5 Pm the officer there started giving us our answer sheets . The officer was too slow that he took another half an hour to give us our answer sheets. Then we entered the room where an officer instructed us about the test.
The test was in 7 parts, the first section was of 10 questions and mind it that first 5 questions were like demons , I couldn’t even touch them so I just made guesses to them ,u guys also don’t worry about the first 4-5 questions because they are made hard intentionally just to intimidate you and check your mental balance . Hardly one can crack them , so just chill. The other 5 questions were of blood relations , those one I cracked.
Hence, I got a momentum after that and started cracking other sections. As a whole the test was moderate but the only thing which make this test hard is the time constraint. For every question there , hardly one gets few seconds varying from 4-45 , and as they show the questions on a projector screen, the question would be flipped after its limited time of few seconds . So u can’t even recall a question even if u spare some time at the end.
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After the test I was not sure about my written because I thought the questions were too easy to crack and hence many candidates would have given their best , hence the merit would be high. Me and my friends ( which I made there) were discussing our responses and were laughing that aisa ch***a test aj tak nii dia. After around 10 mins the results came and the officer started announcing the names.
The names were in alphabetical order so I was having my mind on that . My heart started pounding as he was about to reach letter (p) , but in a flow he announced my name PRASHANT THAKUR . I got delighted and started focusing on my PPDT. At the end we 35 only qualified the written. I was pretty much amazed that instead of having such an easy test many could not crack it down, may be due to the time constraint.
Then they made 3 groups for the PPDT . In my group there were 12 guys. The PPDT picture was a bit strange as there was a terrorist kind of creature in that. I don’t know why I chose to make a normal story of a student preparing for exams and relaxing in hills . in the GD I got to know after hearing all other candidates story that mine is totally different and I can’t take much part in the discussion .The other candidates there made story on defence operation or about some officer etc. so what I did is that I collected imp. Points from each one’s story and started putting emphasis on making a collective story as my group was nice so they gave assent to that and in that way I controlled 50 % of the discussion.
Everyone was giving assent to my suggestion of taking points from each one’s story ,I elaborated their points by adding my ideas too. In the end, the officer asked us to make a common story . we nominated one guy from our group ( who got recommended later on ). He started the story with his own points and that’s why the officer interrupted him and asked the whole group that is it his story or the group story , we said the group story and also said that he would add the common points in between.This thing was important because the officer was just trying to see that do we have faith on our chosen fellow or not .
After hearing that the officer sent us outside. I was pretty much sure of my selection. My chest number for the GD was 14 . In 5 mins the result came and the officer announced my chest number in the first go . I was happy and started anticipating my next step. 6 out of 12 got through for the next FSB procedure.
The whole day went very well for me, I was happy that my whole effort didn’t go in vain. Then they did our biometric and told us to look on the site for the FSB date. The next day I came to my hometown again and started introspecting about my mistakes of previous AFSB at Mysore. Friends only thing which will save you in ssbs is introspection. I analysed that myself description wasn’t up to my personality last time. So I took guidance from a very nice person ( Sanjeev Bhaiya ) whom I met in AFSB Mysore ( He has got recommended from diff. ssb’s thrice ) .From his experience he gave me valuable advice to be just myself .
The only thing I would suggest u guys is that whatever u think about something whether it is good or not , say or write only that as an instance if in WAT a word comes WOMAN then whatever comes in ur mind as a first thought put up that only there , In my mind there came attraction , so I made a sentence like that only. Hence, with a changed view for the ssb this time I went.
On 7th of Feb, my reporting was there at coast guard selection board at 1 pm. I reached there timely with all my luggage. They again checked our documents.
After that they allotted us our rooms and bedding. In coast guard u have an option of residing outside the board also so if anyone resides in Delhi only or wants to reside at some relatives place is free to do that. In FSB I made my first friend Akarsh , a very nice fun loving guy, we chose to reside in the same room. The next day we had our psychology test and in the morning they gave us our chest nos. I got 23 chest number. I don’t know the moment I got that chest number I started feeling lucky. I told my fellow friends that guys now am lucky and u will see that on the of conference I would be standing in front of u with recommendation. They started laughing and I also amused. For psychology, they took us in a theater room.
In my TAT I made simple and real type of stories. The only suggestion for TAT is that make simple , happy and whatever u see in the picture stories. Even if there is some negativity try to mould that negativity in your story like if u see some robbery then put up a simple tactical solution for stopping the robbery . IN WAT I made sentences on the very first thought came into my mind whether it is wrong , negative, positive,foolish, anything which came in mind first. If u find it difficult to put up your original idea by thinking that it is vulgar or something then u can mould your sentence but don’t mould the thought.
In SRTs I did only 40 but again the original ideas according to my capacity and knowledge. One incident happened there with me is that after the SRTs I forgot to submit the SRT booklet WhIch I gave after my SD. The officer there scolded me for that and noted my chest number too. One guy there tried to intimidate by saying that they have noted your chest number and now u r screwed , but I maintained my temper and again said to him in a amusing manner that on conference I would be there in front of u standing robustly. After lunch some people were having there GTO’s but my group was free. So I chilled and prepared some G.K .
The next day I had my interview after lunch with the president of the board . I prepared myself again , got dressed in a robust manner and sat with other candidates waiting for interviews. I had to wait around 3 hours for my interview call. When they called I was exhausted of waiting but still maintained my decorum and entered the room. The interviewer was a great personality of 6 feet height and well dressed in a suit. I said namashkar sir and greeted him , he asked me to take my seat.
My interview went for around 45 mins and he asked me about my family, friends , my hobbies ,where I hail from, my education background. My current job profile ( I work as a teacher in my Father’s school ).He screwed me in physics ,Bio, current affairs but I politely tried to give those answers I knew and said I don’t know to those I didn’t know. He asked me –
Why I want to join this ?
Me- for good pays and allowances.
But there are other jobs also having good pays and allowances ?
Me- sir the kind of personality I want to see in me in the coming future suits this job that’s why .
he asked me an SRT to which I gave my thought. He asked me more about my routine in working days and on Sundays. He asked about my life in Himachal and why I went to Himachal after mt 12th from Delhi. So overall my interview was nice ( means average 😉 ).
Next day I was having my GTO’s- in which first we discussed on the topic of the reason behind increase in crime related to women , the next Gd was on the topic India as an emerging superpower. I didn’t say too much in both the GDs because from my past experience at Mysore AFSB , barking like dogs in GDs doesn’t fetch that much , so I spoke little but gave relevant points and facts. In the first topic related to women the whole group went against me when I said that media and this internet has also paid a share in this because as we all know that rate of watching porn in India is at the peak.
There was a guy who even shouted at me that watching porn doesn’t mean the guy is a rapist . I gave him a practical reply to which nobody could contradict and I guess the GTO noted my point. The next was group planning exercise which went fine, so my buddies always be free to express your ideas but be ready to defend them with a proper conscience also. Then was the lecturette which I spoke fluently and everyone was saying that it was the best among us.
Next day I was free and went to see my friend at Connaught place. On Friday our conference was there. Though one the first day I was pretty much confident about my recommendation but coming through all the procedure and few weird instances , I was then neutralised and was ready to face the consequences.
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When the Navik sir called my chest number for conference my heart started pounding and as I entered the room and said may I come in , the president told me to wait for few moments more. I could not understand That gesture may be they were talking about me. Then they called me and told me to have my seat and asked me-
So Prashant what is the most cheerful thing of this morning ?
Me -Sir , my conference.
So tell me Prashant what u will do to liberalise the stress on students who prepare for IITjee ?
Me- I told them about the current govt. scheme of making up 12th percentage in IIT Jee evaluation, and as my thought I told them that 10th weightage also should be added to it .
So Prashant u r a teacher, do your students like u and if they like u why do they like u ?
Sir off course they like me because I always tell some stories to them related to the topic and my experiences too.
So what story did u tell them lately ?
Sir there are some students who are preparing for NDA and as I went to afsb Mysore recently so I shared my whole experience with them , the mistakes I did there , the things I learnt there.
Ok Prashant thank you and good luck.
Then we all waited inside a room, till around 4 o clock the conference went . the officer came after few minutes gave an inspiring speech ( blah blah blah hehehe ) . then he started the chest numbers , the whole 5-day procedure was going in my mind and as the officer said 21 my heart started pounding more but god wants that and chest number 23 came and I stood called my name and stood by my fellow mates for coast guard. After that the friends congratulated me and also amused me by saying – tu saaale bada confident tha pehle din se – well done yar )and I said thanks to them.
So my friends this was my whole experience . at the end I would say just be confident and sochke jao ki iss bar to hona hi he recommend and work for that , prepare urself in ur own way, take guidance from people u think are relevant. At the end I would like to murmur few words which always inspired me through – kaash har hindustaani ke dil me jalti hui lou ko parr lag jayen orr us lou ki parvaz se sara jahan roshan ho jaye – APJ Abdul Kalam. Thanks.
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