The exam will be conducted in 2023 and will be aimed at many Air Force aspirants. The exam is very crucial for all Armed Forces aspirants. About 2 months are left in the exam and candidates have involved themselves in the exam preparations. So, to help all the aspirants in the exam, we are here with some tips for AFCAT exams.
Increase Calculative Speed:
Math is all about your calculative speed. The questions in maths are not too tough, but you need to accelerate in maths in order to score high. Maths is all about your practice. The more you practice, the more you will get the speed to solve in less time. Use short tricks and formulas to speed up your calculations.
Current Affairs Matters A Lot:
Current affairs and General Knowledge is the important part of the exam. It is the most crucial and some candidates find it the toughest part of the exam. Start reading current affairs and go through the G.K. part. The current affairs asked in the exams are prominently related to the incidents that happened in the last 4 months.
Indian Airforce Pilots
Reasoning Is All About Your Observation And Mental Drill:
The reasoning is all about your practice. The more you practice, the more you will find it easy to solve the reasoning question. Usually, these questions have a low toughness level, and all you need to solve the reason questions is your observation and go through the variety of the questions, both verbal and nonverbal.
Read Newspaper And Practice For English:
For improving their performance in English, the candidates must opt the habit of reading the newspaper. A newspaper is the best source of improving English vocabulary, sentence framing, and correct use of grammatical words. Apart from this, practicing from sample papers and practice papers will help you in attempting more in English.
Go Through SSBCrack AFCAT Book:
The SSBCrack book is a full pack of AFCAT material. Candidates can practice the diverse kinds of questions, practice questions and previous year questions from the book. The book contains all 4 sections of the exam i.e. Reasoning, Maths, G.K., and English. Apart from this, the book will give you an overview of the exam pattern and will help you in raising your performance in the examination.
Other Short Tips
Mind your speed in the maths section to score more.
Don’t mark questions that you don’t know, negative marking can reduce your marks.
Firstly attempt the section in which you have good knowledge.
Skip the question that is taking more time.
Manage time for the entire paper, rather than any specific section.
Conclusion:
AFCAT exam is just 2 months away and candidates are working hard to clear the exam. The exam is simple and needs a bit dedicated preparation along with a good strategy to attempt the exam smartly. The above point will help the aspirants in making a good strategy for attempting the exam. Prepared hard, be confident and clear the exam this time. All the Best.
Hemanth Swamy has cleared the NDA 2 2021 SSB interview with flying colors and now looking forward to joining the prestigious National Defence Academy. He scored 399 marks in his written exam and 382 marks in his NDA SSB interview from 3 AFSB Gandhinagar. In an interview with SSBCrackExams, he shared his experiences during the preparation and also shared valuable tips for the NDA Aspirants.
SSB Interview Experience Of Hemanth Swamy
Hello everyone this is me Hemant Swamy the reason you are reading this today is because I recently got recommended for NDA 148 from 3 AFSB Gandhinagar. So the catch with my case is I have cleared all the stages of NDA in my first attempt 12th appearing, which is written in November, SSB in February, CPSS, and flying medical in March.
When I was in 11th I was crystal clear is that I am only up for NDA as that was my interest and my dream to be a pilot in IAF. So now the goal was set now the question was how to get started, at that time I was in 11th and I preferred not to give 11th appearing NDA written attempt as it made no sense to me. Later the same year when I just entered 12th I was fully set but the issue was I was not sure whether could I complete the maths portion before the exam.
And then I got the great news that the exams had been postponed from Sep to Nov and also there was lockdown-2. At its peak, this was a golden opportunity that I considered, and there came SSBCrackExamto my rescue. I took their NDA written exam plan and for one month straight, I just dived into their content and surprisingly I was able to complete the maths portion of maths in a single freaking month.
Then approached the exam I had at my center in Bangalore I went there and witnessed the maths portion was a standard one but I didn’t give up I gave it and I was able to make it. Later I prepared for SSB Interview on my own and was able to make it on my first attempt.
This was I was able to successfully able to make my dream come true and I would like to say each and every aspirant out there to believe in themselves and yes hard work is the key.
I hope everyone succeeds in their plans and all the BEST!!!
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Self-description test (SDT) is a stage-II test of the SSB interviews. As the name itself suggests, Self Description Test (SDT) is describing what is “I” i.e., self and everything related to self like what kind of a person you are; what you would like to become; what do your parents, friends, teachers think about you.
Therefore, Self Description Test (SDT) entails asking the candidate to write down, as to what, in his/her opinion the following people think about him/her:
Your parents
Your teachers/employers
Your friends/colleagues
You, yourself The candidate is required to write down his/her own opinion about what the people mentioned in all the above categories think about him/her and what sort of a person he/she would want to become in life. Both, the positive traits of a candidate’s personality and the areas that he/she feels needs to be improved are required to be elucidated in four to five lines for each set.
Salient particulars to be borne in mind while writing a genuine Self Description (SD)
Do not write more than five lines for each set, i.e. while writing the opinion’s of your parents/guardians, teachers/employer, friends/colleagues, and your personal view about yourself be exact and precise.
Never copy someone else’s self-description, be honest and take feedback from all the above set of people to write an authentic self-description.
The self-description must constitute some high and positive points of your personality and one odd perceived area of improvement in each set.
Do not write OLQs or qualities while describing the opinion. Do not label yourself with good adjectives instead make them reflect through your actions and deeds.
While writing about an identified area of improvement in each set, make sure not to use very intimidating words to describe it and also see to it that such shortcoming is not something which is very severe and irreparable.
In case during the interview, the IO asks you about your weaknesses, you should also be ready with some examples from your life.
Lastly, SD is very exclusive to your personality, and hence must be written in your own words and honestly, keeping the above fundamentals in mind.
Examples of Good and Bad Self-description:
NEVER WRITE, “My parents feel I am very hard working, trustworthy and obedient son/daughter”. Rather write about how they identify and appreciate you as hardworking, reliable and obedient. So, WRITE“My parents always include me in all important decisions to be taken at home (shows trustworthy). They always entrust me with difficult tasks and challenges concerning our family matters and issues pertaining to others amongst our kith and kin as they feel I have the ability to handle them well and would never let them down (shows hard working, resilient and obedient person).”
NEVER WRITE, “My friends tell me that I am too choosy while making friends and also that I get aggressive and rude at times”. Don’t overshadow your personality with any kind of negative talk that is either stimulated by self or triggered through peer pressure. So, WRITE, “My friends feel that I take a little bit of time to open up (choosy to make friends), but once I do, I am a highly friendly person and also that I get a bit impatient at times when things do not go my way (aggressive), however, I have started making a conscious effort to remain more composed and accept things as they come.”
NEVER WRITE, “I am stupid, foolish or worthless”. Do not label yourself with negative personality traits. Instead, WRITE “Sometimes I do things that aren’t smart but am gradually revived with an optimistic self-talk .”
NEVER WRITE, “I feel there is no scope of improvement in me, it is complicated and there is no way anything will work for me.” Don’t have self-doubt or keep the negative attitude. Eliminate the theory of negative self-concept. WRITE, “I will give it another try unless I succeed in my endeavours, I’ll tackle it from a different angle and try to make it work in all possible ways.”
NEVER WRITE, “I am too lazy to get a work done.” It is strongly suggested not to mention yourself as lazy because Armed Forces are all about action, toughness and vigour. So, WRITE, “Earlier I wasn’t able to fit work (any particular job or task) into my schedule but can re-examine some priorities and willingly grab the opportunity to learn something new.”
Another important note to be taken is the words we use with ourselves, both aloud and in our mind begin to define the reality that we live. When we describe ourselves as undisciplined, lazy or worthless, we begin to reflect those patterns in our everyday life. On the contrary, when we change the words we use to describe ourselves (both internally and externally) focusing on positive attributes, we begin to display those positive behaviours more frequently. Therefore, it is advisable to change our self-talk. Negative thoughts and attitudes have been shaping our minds for quite some time, at a young age, so subtle we barely recognise them. Simply knowing that pessimistic impressions are damaging in nature, is not enough. We need to consciously replace them with positive self-talk.
When you think positive about yourself, you inculcate positive attributes in yourself and the response you give in self-description test, in the form of thoughts, feelings and actions against the constraint of time, you will not be able to fabricate your responses and hence, your true self will get truly revealed. It is advisable to all aspirants to always do a ‘timed practice’ and be ‘true’ to yourself while carrying out preparation for self-description test. Also, it would be great if you discussed your responses with a professional mentor, who can advise you to modify your natural thinking.
Here, we would also like to caution you that non-mentored self-practice or improper guidance from an unprofessional person may invariably harm your psyche, as the mindsets once formed are very difficult to change.
India has one of the biggest defence systems in the world. Military academies like The National Defence Academy, The Officers Training Academy, The Indian Military Academy, The Indian Naval Academy and The Indian Air Force Academy are top military training academies in India.
Cadets that graduate from these training academies are inculcated with Officer like qualities and are the nations finest who form a part of the Indian Armed Forces.
In this article, we will discuss five of India’s toughest military training academies.
India’s Top 5 Toughest Military Training Academies
National Defence Academy
Established in 1954, the National Defence Academy is the joint defence service training institution for the Indian Armed Forces, where cadets of the Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force are trained together before they join their respective fields.
The academy is located at Khadakwasla, Pune and spreads over 7,015 acres.
To join the academy, one needs to clear the entrance exam and the five-day SSB Interview. Further, a medical examination is carried out to determine whether or not the candidate is fit enough to join the academy. If you clear all three stages, you get enrolled into the academy.
For the first time ever, women candidates will be enrolled into the academy and will train alongside men.
The duration of training is of three years, after which cadets join their respective field training academies, like Military Academy, Naval Academy or Air Force Academy, for further training in their field.
During your tenure at the National Defence Academy, you are holistically developed. From physical fitness to mental training, education, theory, drills, combat, etc., everything is covered from end to end.
The National Defence Academy should be your top choice if you wish to join the armed forces.
The Officers Training Academy is a training institution of the Indian Army that trains officers for Short Service Commission.
It was the very first institution that started training men and women together.
Established in 1963, it is situated in Chennai and Gaya, and is spanned over a 750-acre campus.
The academy trains cadets for all branches of the Army, apart from the Army Medical Corps.
Candidates who wish to join the academy have to appear for the Combined Defence Services Exam, after completion of their graduation, and clear the SSB Interview. Once a candidate clears the entrance and the interview, they are called for the medical exam. If all steps are cleared, a candidate is enrolled into the 49-week course at the Officers Training Academy.
Cadets are trained in every aspect; whether it is golf, riding, shooting, combat, theory papers, drills, etc., the academy makes you physically and mentally stronger.
The upper age limit to join the academy is also comparatively higher which makes it an attractive option for many.
The Officers Training Academy is a fine and one-of-a-kind institution.
Indian Military Academy
Founded in 1932, the Indian Military Academy is the oldest Military Academy in India. Situated in Dehradun, the academy trains cadets for the Indian Army.
The motto of the academy is ‘Veerta aur Vivek’ which translates to ‘Valour and Wisdom’.
Spread over a 1,400-acre campus, cadets are trained in the field of academics, weapons training, combat, sport, leadership, drills, and a variety of fields to make them the finest officers of the Indian Armed Forces.
The upper age limit to join the academy is 24 years, which is why many opt to join the academy after completing their graduation.
One can join the academy after clearing the Combined Defence Services Exam, the SSB Interview and the medical exam.
The Indian Military Academy is a disciplined academy and produces the finest gentlemen cadets.
Indian Naval Academy
The Indian Naval Academy is the service training institution for the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard.
The academy is located in Ezhimala, Kerala and is Asia’s largest and the world’s third-largest naval academy.
The Naval Academy was established in 1969 and follows the motto of ‘Vidyaya Amrtam Asnute’ which translates to ‘Become Immortal Through Knowledge’.
Training is carried out in academics, physical fitness, aquatics, shooting, weapons training, combat, team-building and leadership.
To get admission into the academy, one has to clear the entrance exam, the SSB Interview and the medial exam. Since seats are less, competition is high.
Cadets are enrolled in the academy for a period of four years where they undergo a professional B-tech training curriculum aimed at improving their technical expertise.
The Indian Naval Academy is one of the most reputed service training academies in the world.
Indian Air Force Academy
Established in 1969, this premier institution trains pilots, ground duty and technical officers for the Indian Air Force.
Spread over a 7,050-acre campus, the academy is located in Hyderabad.
One can either join the academy through a brief training period at the National Defence Academy or can directly apply by clearing the Air Force Common Admission Test, AFCAT. Further, one has to clear the interview along with the medical exam to get admission into the academy.
The duration of training is 74 weeks for the flying and technical branch, and 52 weeks for the non-technical branches.
You are trained in the fields of physical fitness and academics. The Indian Air Force Academy produces some of the finest pilots.
Discipline is kept on a high regard, which is why the Air Force Academy is extremely reputable.
The above article lists the five toughest military training academies in India.
All the military academies differ in terms of training and academics. But, one feature that binds them is the strong, disciplined, and fine officers that they produce.
All cadets graduate with Officer like qualities and are the nations elite.
To be a part of the Indian Armed Forces is a matter of pride.
No matter which training academy you go to, you will be well versed in academic material, weapons training, combat, physical fitness, mental fitness, team work, hard work, discipline and leadership.
I hope this article was informative.
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Experiencing 7G sure requires some serious hardware! So the Indian Air Force is striking serious deals taking the IAF’S warfare capabilities to a next level!
Rafale fighter jets:
India has signed a whopping $8.5 billion (USD) with the French defence firm Dassault aviation to purchase 36 states of the art Rafale warplanes to counter the decline in the air forces combat edge.
The Rafale is a highly sophisticated fighter jet boasting lightweight-yet-strong composite materials, with Fly-By-Wire (FBW) controlling and the provision of voice input capabilities. It also features an Active Electronically-Scanned Array (AESA) radar system in its nose and a Canard delta-wing planform has been incorporated to complement its extremely high tolerances and ability to display a multitude of hardpoints for homing, guided and dropping ordnance. The pilot (with co-pilot in some variants) is seated under a large canopy offering the superior field of vision out-of-the-cockpit. Being a twin-engine jet, providing an excellent balance of power and survivability! all in all the rafale is a mean battle tested bird that will bolster our aerial arsenal once in service!
Order of attack and heavy-lift helicopters:
India has given the American aviation company Boeing the order for 22 Boeing AH-64E Apache Longbow attack helicopters and 15 Boeing CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift choppers (which is among the heaviest lifting choppers in the world) in 2015 with the contract being worth $3.1 billion.
The Chinooks will bridge the massive handicap in the Indian air force’s heavy lifting capabilities, giving the air force superior supply capabilities upon induction.
Procurement of single jet aircrafts 2017:
In order to enhance its strike capability and attain the designated fighter squadron strength quickly, the IAF is to start the procurement of a fleet of high-end single-engine jet fighters. The Jets are to be jointly produced in cooperation with foreign aircraft manufacturer under a recently initiated ‘strategic partnership model’ with the objective to in order to enhance its strike capability and bring cuedge defenceefence technology to India.
IAF to receive nuclear-capable cruise missiles in 2018:
The Indian air force has cemented a deal for the delivery of Brahmos nuclear capable supersonic cruise missiles, arming 50 Su-30MKI fighter aircrafts with modifications, upgrading its already devastatingly lethal missile arsenal! The missile operates on the concept of fire and forget and can be dropped on targets from 500-14000 metres, giving the term death from above a new meaning!
With the IAF retiring many of its old birds and on the acquisition of new ones the IAF will reaching full squadron strength by the year 2023, boasting some of the most sophisticated weapons any air arsenal, and 2023 is just around the corner!
Lakshyaraj Singh has cleared the NDA 2 2021 SSB interview with flying colors and now looking forward to joining the prestigious National Defence Academy. He scored 374 marks in his written exam and 442 marks in his NDA SSB interview. In an interview with SSBCrackExams, he shared his experiences during the preparation and also shared valuable tips for the NDA Aspirants.
Hi I am Lakshyaraj Singh, I recently got recommended from 18 SSB Allahabad for National Defence Academy NDA 148 course in my 2nd attempt. My journey begin when I was 10 years old, I was in my village and watching T.V with my Grandfather and my cousins. We were watching. Border movie and when the movie finished on that day I have decided to join the Indian army.
I appeared in NDA 147 course written exam in April 2021 and I failed that. Also got a conference out from 21 ssb Bhopal for TES 45. Back-to-back failures made me feel sad, but there was the belief that I had from my childhood that we are Rajput we don’t give up, so I continued my preparation for the next NDA written exam, this time I took SSBCrackExams 3 months course for UPSC NDA written examination. I used this platform to clear the concept and learn the formulas of maths that are not in NCERT. Took all the classes of English helped me to score 155 out of 200 in English.
And after appearing in the exam on 14 November I was confident of clearing the paper this time so I started my preparation for SSB Interview. This time my main focus is on personality development, I participated in inter-college debates, and a journalism program, started workout at the gym, being more organised and productive in daily life.
Done introspection to find out my strengths and weaknesses. Also wrote a book and published it on Kindle Direct Publishing, started conducting and participating in group discussions, PPDT and Lecturette with other students who are preparing for SSB. Also developed my knowledge of global politics from youtube and newspapers.
In last I would say if we do the following things :
Work hard in a systematic way
Develop Our personality
Nothing and no one can stop us from achieving our goal.
So keep working hard and plan each and every thing in life.
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Father-daughter duo Air Commodore Sanjay Sharma, a seasoned fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force (IAF), and Flying Officer Ananya Sharma, commissioned as a fighter pilot in December 2021, created history in the annals of the Indian Air Force by flying as part of the same fighter formation. On May 30, 2022, they flew in the same formation of Hawk-132 Advanced Jet Trainers (AJT) at Air Force Station, Bidar.
“Flying Officer Sharma is currently undergoing her training before she graduates onto faster and more superior fighter aircraft of the IAF. There has not been any previous instance in the IAF, where a father and his daughter were part of the same fighter formation for a mission,” an IAF officer said. “It was the mission where Air Cmde Sanjay and Fg Offr Ananya were more than just father and daughter. They were comrades, who had full faith in each other as fellow wingmen would,” the officer noted.
Air Commodore Sanjay Sharma was commissioned in the fighter stream of the IAF in 1989 and has had an extensive experience of fighter operations, having commanded a Mig-21 Sqn as well as a frontline fighter station.
Talking of the bond and bonhomie a fighter pilot has with one’s wingman, aptly depicted in the Hollywood superhit ‘Top Gun’, the officer said as young Ananya was growing up, she watched her father, a fighter pilot, nurture this very bond with his fellow squadron pilots.
Having virtually grown up in the IAF, there was absolutely no other profession that she could imagine being a part of, he elaborated, stating that as the first women fighter pilots of the IAF entered service in 2016, Ananya saw that her lifelong dream could now take off.
Having completed her B.Tech in Electronics and Communication, she was selected for training for the flying branch of IAF and was commissioned as a fighter pilot in December 2021.
The fighter stream of the IAF was opened for women in 2016, with the induction of the first batch of three women pilots. In 2020, a woman fighter pilot joined the No. 17 Golden Arrows squadron operating the IAF’s newest fighter jet, Rafales. Also Check Out: Meet Flt Lt Shivangi Singh First Indian Woman To Fly Rafale
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Jai Hind future warriors today we are going to answer a question asked by a defence aspirant on our youtube channel: Why Does Every Pilot Have A Nickname?
What are Call Signs?
All test pilots have call signs(nicknames) starting with trainers. Formation call signs are an operational squadron concept and the leader of the commanding squadron has a call sign that blends with the name of his entire team. For instance, if it is Bravo, then their call signs will be Bravo 1, Bravo 2, Bravo 3, and so on. Each squadron has a family of call signs that are allocated to them and care is taken to make sure that there is no conflict or repetition of these call signs anywhere in the Indian Air Force.
There’s a massive air traffic control system in this country, both civilian and military, so call signs to hold sanctity in this aspect as well. The most important thing when a single aircraft or a formation is airborne is to have a flight plan in place. This flight plan will contain what aircraft, who the pilot is, and what mission is he on, here too, call signs are given. Every flight pilot who is airborne is tracked/ called by his or her call sign. Generally, some pilots instead of being called by their complex names which are hard to pronounce prefer to be called by their nicknames.
Usually, its wordplay uses the shortened version of a pilot’s name or something that describes the characters of a pilot or even sometimes on some specific event of a pilot.
How Do Pilots Feel About It?
Socially, younger pilots from the Indian Air Force feel that call signs are a safer bet when addressing their superiors. Sometimes these nicknames become a friendly banter between batchmates. After some time in the force, pilots are usually accustomed be called by their call signs, and someone calling them by their original names becomes something new. Also, these have a soft corner for them as only people from the force know about it and thus is something of a bonding
Hope this post was informative for you! For more such posts related to defence exams and SSB interviews stay tuned.
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UPSC has published the list of candidates who got recommended in NDA 2 2021 SSB interviews. The list consists of marks scored by all the recommended candidates in the SSB interview and NDA written exam. In this article, you can find the marks of NDA toppers from NDA II 2021.
Siddharth Atmaram has cleared the NDA 2 2021 SSB interview with flying colors and now looking forward to joining the prestigious National Defence Academy. He scored 434 marks in his written exam and 434 marks in his NDA SSB interview. In an interview with SSBCrackExams, he shared his experiences during the preparation and also shared valuable tips for the NDA Aspirants.
Hey defence aspirants, I’m Siddharth Atmaram from Bangalore and I’ve been recommended for NDA-148 from 33 SSB Bhopal. I’m writing this article with the intention to help those who’ve been facing the SSB Interview. I guess my journey has been an absolute roller coaster ride which I hope will inspire and motivate others to persevere in attaining their goals in life.
My passion for the armed forces stemmed from reading a lot about World Wars, especially WW II and the middle eastern crisis. When it comes to the Indian armed forces, I give credit to that one long talk I had with my father that changed my goals in life. I’m a Karnataka state swimmer and I’ve always been very active in multiple sports. So I have always wanted a job where I can follow this passion and enthusiasm in something that was dynamic and one where I can lead and inspire people. My blind love and passion for the most glorious organisation of the nation can also be traced to the books about the Indian forces that I’ve read. I think every defence aspirant, just like me would have an instant smile of awe and respect when they see the uniform and that’s the same for me. My motive is to encourage people to introspect as to why they want to join, what’s that driving force that keeps you awake dreaming about joining, and analyze the major difference between a career as an engineer or a doctor and one in the armed forces. Think within as it will help you realize what you want from life and why you relate to the forces.
I then cleared the NDA 146 written exam and went for my SSB in Bhopal. I was fairly confident that I’d do well. I wrote a story in my PPDT regarding a world war 2 story that involved the Nazi Gestapo and other World War II events. But unfortunately, I got screened out on my first attempt and I left for Bangalore.
Again this paragraph pertains to those warriors who have been screened out or God forbid, to the ones who may. ‘Don’t give up or get disheartened’ – yes this is what everyone says and it’s true. Keep your chest up and work on the areas that could’ve gone wrong which could be your story perception, narration, or group discussion. Repetitive practise is the key. Giving up would only mean low mental tenacity and that you can’t take failure positively.
I then gave my NDA 147 written exam and cleared it again and my SSB was again in Bhopal.
This time I gained knowledge by consulting a colonel in Bangalore and wrote a story that was mellow and realistic, my narration as always was great and my GD went well too.
And luckily I was screened this time. But the job was not yet over. I had the next 4 days to face. My psychology and interview went well. But my GTO was average. Nevertheless, I had hopes of getting through. But the result was otherwise. Now I felt really bad that all my efforts were in vain. And when you get rejected people say you must introspect. I tried and blamed my rejection on my performance in the GTO not being great in the practical tasks and I didn’t work too hard thinking about why I got rejected as a candidate.
Refer to this paragraph once you’re done with the next. I then had the tough TES SSB in Kapurthala and to my surprise, I got screened. I was elated as it was a big deal. I then went along the 4 days just like the previous attempt and this time I was a little more confident. I knew I had slightly more knowledge than the others but it wasn’t used in the right way. I overpowered people and this didn’t help my cause I was eventually rejected again.
Now, this got me thinking. Where am I going wrong? And when a friend of mine told me to think on the basis of a personality or introspect myself as a person I realised introspection required a certain direction.
(This paragraph is I feel the most important for the freshers or the repeaters)
Introspection isn’t a superficial task where you blame your rejection on the task done badly, it isn’t something that you can do and improve in a few hours.
Introspection takes a certain degree of maturity to realise where you’re going wrong as a person, as a personality, and work on it. Use the tasks as a reference to know how you reacted and how others perceived your performance in the group activities. Think deeply and ask yourself a few questions and the main thing I’m reiterating, be truthful to yourself.
I thought within and realised I was overly competitive which made me others down to make myself look like the best and the fact that I’m competitive always made me feel like every task there was a winner which isn’t true.
The other is that I wasn’t receptive enough and felt I was always correct in my perspective and though not deliberately, didn’t respect the others’ opinions.
I also felt I was very critical of myself in the tasks and became my own assessor.
I felt insecure about others not acknowledging my knowledge.
I knew I had to work on these and I did. I changed certain aspects of myself to be acceptable to others.
The people you around make you the person that you are.
I felt my friends in my apartment complex, the friends I made along this journey shaped me.
They are literally like my brothers, they helped me know who I am, helped me identify the best in me and the worst too.
I cleared the 148 written the third and went for my SSB in Bhopal.
This time I went with a very open mind. I consciously decided to be a team person and be with my teammates.
My psychology went very well and my interview was the most different.
The officer asked me a lot of questions based on current affairs. He then asked me some questions my ability of reasoning. After the interview, he said he had enjoyed the brilliant interview with me. That’s when I felt I’d done well and also suggested points to crack the GTO, for he wanted me to clear this attempt. He advised me to be a team man and not to be overcompetitive. I had actually delivered witty and humorous answers in the interview which had impressed the officer.
Here is another tip from the above article. BE THE PERSON THAT YOU ARE, answer in the interview the way you would react in real life, be truthful and don’t force a false personality and be relaxed. Give your answers in a positive manner and one that shows your personality in its true colors. Show that you’re dynamic and congenial.
My GTO went superb.
Unlike the previous attempts, I fully led the team along with another in the Pgt and other practical tasks and during the command task interview, the GTO praised my oratory skills.
I have another suggestion here. Candidates say we should be cooperative and give everyone a chance. Here I disagree slightly. I think the SSB requires a good balance between you being cooperative and not losing sight of your aim.
The conference day finally came and before the result was declared, I began crying because it hit me hard that it was my last attempt and I felt terrible.
Then the officer came and finally called out my chest number and I felt something that can’t be put into words, an inexplicable experience. It was like my journey had come a full circle and was completed finally. That phone to my parents saying that I was recommended can’t be matched, the happiness I felt was on another level, and the fact that I could feel their happiness was absolutely mad.
And gentlemen, I’d like to end by saying ‘Be a person that suits the most glorious organisation in this world’!
THANK YOU!
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