Hello buddies, my name is Dhruv and I am from Rewari, Haryana. I recently(actually in August but was waiting for the merit list) cracked the SSB interview in my first ever attempt and got RECOMMENDED FOR NDA-143 course. I never actually prepared for the written examination ,as I was taking coaching for IIT passing NDA written was a easy for me.But I never had interest in IIT, I always wanted to join the armed forces but due to parents pressure I took the coaching and as a result could not score a good rank. Actually it was my THIRD SSB chance, I was not able to give the previous 2 SSB due to unforeseen circumstances. But this time I was determined to crack it. I would like to inform you that I have no one in my family who could guide me about SSB procedure, so I took help from one of my TES-42 RECOMMENDED friend and DEEPAK PARWANI bhaiya.These two people guided me through the entire process and I will always be thankful to them. Even my father was not sure me cracking the SSB without coaching ,I still remember he said “BETA GHOOM KE AAJANA, AGLI BAR COACHING LEKAR JAANA”.But I wanted to crack it in my first attempt and without any coaching. So I started preparation by nourishing my CURRENT AFFAIR knowledge. I used to make notes about everything I either used to watch from YouTube or read in the newspaper. I bought 2 books-“SSBCRACK’’ and “SSB INTERVIEW” and  started practicing innumerable WAT’S,SRT’S,TAT’S. I  used to send them to Deepak bhaiya for suggestions and he would use to tell me the areas I needed improvement. Even at night I used to send him my stories and bhaiya used to give his suggestions  at that time also. I kept on improving my sentences and started practicing with time limit. Being a debater ,there was no shortage of self-confidence in me which was a plus point. I did not prepare for any GTO task specifically but watched some videos to get a brief about the proceedings which takes place. I prepared my self-description well in advance and took views from all my teachers, parents and friends. This was all I did for my SSB preparation but preparation is of no use if you do not perform on the D-DAY.

I had my SSB reporting on 20^th August and SSB from 21^st  August because it was a NDA ENTRY. I reached the centre well before time along with my friend and roaming outside the centre for 4 hours. Then the bus of reporting candidates came and we all were taken to the reporting area for our documentation. The documentation process was smooth and I was given chest number 1 and wearing it gave me good feeling I do not know why. Then the next day we had screening ,I had previously practiced quite a few OIR questions so it was easy for me to pass through the OIR test. Then came the PPDT test as I was chest number 1 I narrated the story first and had an advantage of listening to other candidates stories more attentively. Our GD was smooth and I was selected to narrate the common story which I did with confidence. After that our screening result were told I was given the chest number 17.I was happy with my performance on day 1.The next day we had our psychological test as I had prepared for it in well in advance I was easily able to complete 12 STORIES,58 WAT’S AND 42 quality SRT’S.On day 2 also I was satisfied with my performance.

Then came the GTO TASK day. We were taken to the ground by the NCO and were divided in 3 groups. I was the first member in the group so I was the one who performed all the task first(still wondering if it was good or bad for me).I completely dominated the GROUP DISCUSSION AND GROUP PLANNING EXERCISE  and was chosen to tell the final solution of GPE  which again I did with full confidence but the assessor did not seemed satisfied. Then we had FGT  and HGT  both of which were not quite good for me, as the students who took coaching and came had better ideas so I agreed with their ideas. Then we had our GROUP SNAKE RACE and our war cry was “VANDE MATRAM” but I was the only one shouting the war cry all the way with only a little support from my group members and as a result I had a sour throat but was happy that I did the task with full “JOSH”. Then we had “INDIVIDUAL OBSTACLE TASK” in which I was only able to complete 8 but did them without any fear and with perfection.Then we had INDIVIDUAL OBSTACLE TEST in which I was  only able to complete 8 but with perfection. This was our last GTO task on that day and we headed back to our centre from the ground. Our GTO DAY-1 was over and we headed back to our rooms. I was 75% satisfied with my performance .All my friends went around the city of BHOPAL but the NCO told me not to go because their were chances of my interview happening the same day. On our GTO DAY-2 we had “COMMAND TASK” in which I was given a moderately difficult task which I completed within the time limit. But to my utter disappointment nobody called me as their sub-ordinate in their command task. I was totally shocked and depressed by this because it will definitely affect my performance. I forgot about this and tried focussing on my next task which was “LECTURETTE” as I had participated in many speech and debate competitions I was sure of performing well and did that. My topic was “SPORTS LEAGUE” and I gave a good intro about the topic and completed it in style. Then we had PGT again the coaching guys took over and I underperformed. With this our GTO TASK ended and I was not at all satisfied with my skill display. The next day was my  INTERVIEW and I was ready for it despite having a bad day at GTO. My interview was normal and was a mixture of personal and current affairs as I wrote my hobbies as collecting information . I was not able to answer 3-4 questions and told the IO that I will tell the answer in conference. I was quite satisfied with my performance overall but had a feeling of packing bags and booking a ticket. Then came the “FINAL DAY” I mean the “CONFERENCE DAY” I was made to wait 20 minutes before I was called and then I entered the room and saw a group of officers sitting in a semi-circle. I was told to greet the PRESIDENT OFFICER so I did and then came a flurry of SRT’S  and I answered accordingly the assessor again did not feel satisfied and this time I was 199 % of packing up my bag. My conference lasted for 20-30 minutes and as I came out my friends started telling “TU TO PAKKA RECOMMEND HOGA”  I just smiled and told nothing. After 2 hours we were called in the reporting hall for the result. The officer came with a file and gave a brief motivational talk and then asked everybody to guess chest number everybody ”CHEST NO 17 …. CHEST NO 17”(which was my chest number)  and the assessors announced my chest no 17 .That feeling is not comparable to any emotion in this world, no other thing can give me the same amount of happiness as those words from assessors mouth while calling my chest number gave. I stood up shouted my UPSC roll no with all the energy I had and walked to the stage. Along with me 12 other candidates were recommended. So friends this was my first and thank god last SSB experience.

I hope that those reading this also go through this feeling someday and feel proud of themselves.

At last I would like to say “GIVE YOUR BEST,NO MATTER HOW MUCH PEOPLE TRY TO DEMOTIVATE YOU, REMEMBER PEOPLE ONLY CRITICIZE SOMEONE WHEN THEY KNOW THAT HE/SHE HAS THE CAPABILITY OF CONQUERING THE WORLD”.

ALL THE BEST TO EVERY SSB ASPIRANT.

JAI HIND!!!!!!!

Hello friends, I am Prabhjeet Singh, from Ambala, Haryana. My story might be a bit long , So I request your some time. To start, since childhood I too had a dream to join DEFENCE FORCES as an Officer. So I started preparing for NDA right from class 11. I gave my first attempt in Sep 2017, Cleared the exam and went for my first SSB at 1 AFSB- Dehradun. And got conferenced out. With heavy heart I again appeared for NDA written in April 2018  cleared it and this time I had OVERCONFIDENCE that this time I will get screen in easily. I watched a lot of youtube videos about SSB. But unfortunately got screened out from 2 AFSB,Mysore. It was very disheartening for me as well as for my parents. My father who himself is a Captain in Indian Army. I got a bit emotional. I took a year drop to prepare for NDA and JEE-Mains. I went to Kota like many others to prepare for JEE-Mains. Till this time I had filled form for TES twice but did not got call for SSB as I did not cleared the cut off. Luckily I got call for SSB for TES-41 , reported SSB,Bangalore and got screened out this time also. I did not knew what was going with me. But I did not lost hopes.

Again I appeared for NDA written in September 2018 , cleared it, I was very happy. Got SSB Allahabad as centre, my friends told me that it is REJECTION Centre. But I had confidence. Reported SSB, Allahabad. Got screened in …. OHHHH. What a relief I got now. I performed well in the rest 4 days BUT my dear friends this time too I got Conferenced out. I did not know what to do now. As I was thinking with what face I will go home now? How will I face my parents?

This time in 2019 I got 86.7 percentile in JEE-Mains and I was not getting any good college. At one point of time I thought that I have wasted my one year- And NO COLLEGE, NO RECOMMENDATION.

 But I had one last chance left for NDA so I appeared for NDA one last time in April 2019 , cleared it and again got Allahabad as my centre. By this time I took admission in a private engineering college in Pune. So I had my last but not the least SSB in Allahabad, went to Allahabad from Pune, and got conference out there also. When I called my mother after results, my mother got a bit emotional but I consoled her. I had also lost 1 week,s attendance in college. At this point of time I was just praying to god that please give me one last chance for SSB, I want to prove myself and make my parents happy. After coming back to college, I just prayed. And my prayers were answered when I got call for Navy 10+2 B.tech entry. Here my happiness cannot be explained. I informed my parents. After this I was a different person. I wrote down all my mistakes of past SSBs and filled 4-5 pages, made a complete plan of how would I change myself in next 2 months.(my next SSB was on 4 Oct.) I changed many of my habits. Regularly I discussed about SSB with my father and the friends who got recommended previously. 24*7 I used to think and work on myself to change and have a good personality. I took motivation from reading others Success stories. I used to burn midnight oil. Regular reading of news on THE Hindu App, youtube videos, self introspection helped me a lot. This time I was a bit confident of my preparation. And told my college about my SSB so I’ll not give mid term exams, and they told me to go on my own risk. Now the real story begins. I reported to SSB, Bangalore once again. Total 124 candidates reported, normal documentation was done, we were told about next day’s schedule. On talking with other candidates I came to know that only I was the most experienced one 🙂 .

Day 1: My OIR was normal as I did only 69/90 questions. PPDT was easy, I wrote a simple,natural story, gave a confident narration, initiated in the GD and participated nicely.

When results were announced, I prayed to god that please not again.( Atleast Screen in to kardo). And luckily my chest no. was called on third last. (Reliefffff). Total 40 candidates were in. I felt bad for others.

Day 2: I completed all 12 TAT, wrote very simple and practical stories., completed 60 WAT, 42 SRTs. Interesting thing that happened here was that I wrote a different SD from one which I learnt,

Day:3 Some had GTO and others had interview. I had my interview, focused on myself and talked a bit with friends in waiting room, I tried to calm myself. My interview went for only 15 mins. IO asked only general questions,2-3 technical,2-3 GK questions.

Day:4 GTO. I initiated in both GD, gave logical and simple points 3-4 times, GPE went nice and I helped group to conclude. Then in PGT, HGT, GOR I helped my group gave ideas, all accepted many of my ideas. Delivered a confident lecturette for 3 mins. I did 9 individual obstacles, my command task was medium-high level, with help of GTO I completed it. In FGT also I gave ideas and completed it with help of group.

This time I was confident of my performance but I had mixed thoughts.

Day5: Conference day! I had to wait for only 2-3 mins outside and inside I was asked general questions, about my performance.

And when results came, when my chest no. was called I shouted my name and spelling. Total 10 candidates got recommended. All shook hands with each other and hugged.

In medicals I got one TR for eye ( myopia), I will go for Appeal Medical in 3^rd week of Nov. I hope and pray that I join INA in Jan 2020.

I give credit to my parents, friends, Pushpendra, Hritik, Nitesh and the GOD.

All the best to all those working hard and remember your day will come. Thank you!

Why do you want to join the army? I surmise regardless I don’t have the exact answer to this question. A solid excitement of energy, an inclination that you generally feel went underexpressed when described to others? Hi everybody, I’m Pankaj Kadyan who got recommended in the eighth attempt after 6 c/o and 1 s/o. I’m writing down my experience to help candidates who where it counts have faith in themselves, regardless of how frequently they face failures, one day they’ll prove that Yes, they have what the SSB is looking for. My journey began in 2015 when I showed up for my first NDA SSB at Allahabad. Incredibly underprepared and incognizant of self I packed my bags the fifth day.

I was so desperate to join the forces that I took SSB to only an another test. I began perusing stories from internet without understanding it’s effect on my performance during the selection process. Post second attempt, I was great with my GTO and Interview yet the rote memory was hampering my pysch responses, bringing about disappointment once more. At this point I was campus placed during my MBA program for a decent CTC and job profile related to my studies.

As I understood my shortcomings, I was showing up for sixth time (second AFSB), yet got screened out. I was stunned as I would consistently make it to second stage. The following 7^th attempt was again AFSB in April 2019. I did well all through, was called by 6 candidates in a group of 9 during command task (has nothing to do with selection except for shows your group confides in you) yet some way or another didn’t make it this time either. Though I had build confidence and was happy with my performance. By this time I was settling in corporate workplace and was quickly adjusting to this new job and bearing responsibilities. I could state my stint at my office likewise helped me in getting recommended. I knew there was a general improvement in my social and intellectual qualities. And, I promised to myself of this attempt being the last one.

Showed up for SSB in August one final time. The haunting psych test were no more sweating me. I took every photo of TAT and related it to my background. I was not making my hero to be an IAS, IPS official. (For example on the off chance that there was a dull room, I took it to be a store room which required cleaning)

The hint, according to my understanding of SSB, is to relate it to your life. What’s more, in the event that you know where you lack, you have the most obvious opportunity to make it.

My interview went on for about 100 minutes and was asked everything from my childhood to my work profile. Ground tasks were great, I was listening to others when my ideas won’t work and help implement them, took my group out of situation when it was stuck in PGT. CT went well, the GTO asked how much time I would require to complete the task. “ I’ll do it in 10 Sir”. “You have 15 minutes” I along with subordinates and helping material crossed over to the finish line well within 10 mins. The GTO then increased the difficulty levels and asked me for “any more ideas”. After completing the task by putting in about 30 minutes and 6-7 different methods, I was asked to leave. The conference as always was scary, as I entered the board prez asked what changes had I brought in myself after these many attempts, the Psych kept writing. He then asked 2 pros and cons of being 6’. Everyone laughed and posed no further question.

4 of us got recommended that day.

“When you need to be acknowledged, acknowledge others without anticipating anything from them in return. If you need to be listened, first listen to other people”

“The secret of life, though, is to fall seven times and to get up eight times” ~ Paulo Coelho. Hello and Jai Hind Aspirants. It’s a privilege and honour to share my journey of success on this very platform from where many of the aspirants of the defence forces gain confidence and get motivated to achieve what they have dreamt of, yes to don that coveted and prestigious uniform of our elite armed forces. I am one among you all. Yes, I have also read all such inspiring and motivating stories and learned the never say die attitude here itself. Very warm wishes to all of you, myself Shubham Kumar, I belong to Samastipur district of Bihar, a proud Indian Airforce Brat, NCC CDT ( 8 KAR AIR SQN, The Flying Flacon 🛩️) and recently completed my MSc in Physics from University of Mysore, Karnataka. After many failures, to be precise 2 screen outs and 5 conference out I finally made it and got recommended in my 8th attempt from 2AFSB Mysuru for MET branch, IAF on 18Oct,2019. Well, the best part was it all started from 2 AFSB back then in 2017 and it happened at 2AFSB finally 😁 . It truly wasn’t a cakewalk, rather a journey full of ups and downs and it requires to grit one’s teeth and keeps moving. It requires your determination and above all your patience as you might have heard “Keep your head up, God gives his hardest battles to his strongest soldiers”. Yes, you are one of his strongest so keep the faith and keep fighting.

I too have faced those heartbreaks of getting screened out, conference out, that numbness of failure, joining all strength to call back home and tell ” Nahi Hua”, leaving the selection centre with all the grief and pain hidden inside those wet eyes, listening from peer and relatives ” kuch aur bhi soch le defence ke alawa”, that travelling in unreserved train compartment, rejoining strength for the next attempt, crying alone in a silent room, and with the fightback attitude, burning the midnight oil, having those sleepless nights, gruelling path with these setbacks as bed of thorns finally comes the success 😇.

Well indeed SSB has the part in transforming my personality from where I  was in the beginning till where I am today. I often tell to a person going for SSB that there is nothing to lose in it, failure may just be the result but the outcome will be what it’s worth going for. You will definitely find some changes in yourself irrespective of the result of the test. So never give up.

Let me now share my experience from not only the successful attempt but a combined experience of all my attempts and give you all an inference of it.

Stage One:  The testing includes the OIR and PP&DT.

Now for OIR test it totally depends on your cognitive skills and aptitude as designed by Defence Institute of Psychological Research(DIPR). It doesn’t require to bang your head out and prepare for it daily but a basic practice and brush up from some samples available on various sources out there will keep this test to move on smoothly. There will be 2 sets of OIR test with 50 questions each and time allotted 27-30 mins each. ( No negative markings and you can amend your answer, so do attempt all ques)

For PP&DT which holds the majority of chances of getting screened in, the points to remember is to write the story which resembles the given stimulus as closely as possible and keep it realistic. This will also keep your narration to come out with confidence and if you come up with this you will be in eyes of the assessors and even a fish market kind of discussion with a point or two from your side will mostly hit your target of getting screened in.

 ( Now it happens many a time even deserving candidates gets SO, as even assessors believe that this stage-1 process is not a scientific process, so don’t get disheartened of its result because your best teacher is your last mistake. )

Stage-2:

Well, it begins with some form fillings and documentation, but most importantly the filling up of your PIQ. It’s a very important piece of paper, it goes to the Interviewing Officer as well as the Psychologist so it plays a big role in your assessment and so one must pay attention while filling this form.

Psychological Testing:

• This test is nothing but a dossier of a set of 4 testings namely TAT, WAT, SRT and SD.
• For TAT as said for PP&DT same case applies here keep your story to resemble what is shown in stimulus, a realistic one and cover the details of it.
• For WAT make sentences resembling your thought process.
• For SRT again your cognitive skills will come into play, keep your response clear cut and try to attempt a maximum of it.
• SD one can prepare beforehand and the genuine response will be appreciated, so take advice and write it without any ambiguity.

( It’s all time-bound testing so practice is a must for it )

Personal Interview :

Here in PI, I will tell you all in short, it’s like a seismic wave (😅 indeed an earthquake), I mean it’s a process of emerging waves starting from a focus and going outwards. Now to make you understand the focus is ‘YOU’, so know about yourself then family, friends, society, place, state, country, world and the waves continue. So this should be the strategy to prepare.

GTO:

Well, Ground Testing is the lengthiest one as it takes two days to complete all the task in it. Now here you see it requires both your mental and physical efforts. To start with the GDs and for that case Lecturette too, you need to be updated from what’s happening around and so keep yourself prepared for it, the GPE and further tasks like PGT, HGT, GOR, FGT requires your skills of working together in a group and how well you gel in the group. Tasks like CT, IO is all to show your courage and both mental and physical stamina.

(Keep apart that fizzing attitude of picking up the helping materials and rushing in all such obstacle related tasks and with the calmness try to figure out the solution to the problem first )

Conference:

Last but definitely not least is this process of the conference. Though broadly speaking the assessment is already being done, but you never know it may become the “drowning man catches at straw” thing for you.

(Keep in mind all the questions that you may haven’t recalled during your PI, the assessors may ask it again in the conference, keep the morale high irrespective of the performance, what is done is done, greet the board members with a pleasant smile)

Today with great respect to all of you striving hard to achieve your goal, let this add to one among your million reasons to step forward and stomp it even harder with all your efforts.

Wish you all very good luck comrades. Jai Hind