“If you take chances in life, you’ll make mistakes. But if you learn from them, you’ll be a better person. It’s how you handle adversity, not how it affects you. The main thing is never quit, never quit, never quit”.  JAI HIND to all future warriors. I am Yashu Nagar from Delhi. I recently got recommended from 1AFSB Dehradun in MET entry, AFCAT 2 2019 in my second attempt.  Reading the success stories of recommended candidates was always cherishing and motivating. I was always hopeful and confident that one day I will be having this privilege to write my success story on SSBCRACK which has been my constant confidante. I belong to a completely civilian background but to don that coveted blue uniform and to do something out of the league always kept me going.

I have been a consistent performer in my academics completing my Engineering in 2017 from GGSIPU, Delhi followed my M.Tech in Digital Communication from AIACTR, Delhi in June 2019. Although I have been fortunate enough to have cracked it in my 2^nd attempt but the main thing which worked for me was introspection and realizing where I had lagged after my first failure and as sooner as u realize this, mark my words..u are coming closer to your dreams.

1^st Attempt-C/O , AFCAT 1 2019,1AFSB Dehradun (July,2019)

2^nd Attempt-MET entry, RECOMMENDED, 1 AFSB Dehradun (October 2019)

Now the common doubt I too faced during my preparation days was to not to approach any attempt of SSB too early and that too from the same board u got rejected but I broke that notion and it is clearly visible that I got recommended from the same board within 3 months. So at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter which board or after how much time gap u approach them for testing, it all plays down to your personality and preparation u have put in to be a better version of what u were before.

”It’s not you, who chooses the uniform. It’s the uniform that chooses you”

Let me now share an insight into my recent successful attempt.

DAY 1-Reporting and Screening

Total of 140 candidates reported and after initial segregation into freshers and repeaters we were subjected to OIR test. Total of 2 sheets(OIR sheet 53 and 55) with 50Q each were given and the time frame was 30mins each. I was able to complete them both before time and it mostly consisted of verbal and non -verbal reasoning and u can tackle them easily with practice over time and “yes they are checked no matter it is a direct entry or written one”. After that in PPDT, a hazy picture with a boy and girl(this is what I assumed)were sitting across a table was shown. I made a short and crisp story with a good introduction, an action I assumed characters were involved in and a good ending to those actions. After that narration was done and finally 43 were screened in.

DAY 1(EVENING)-Psychological testing

After dividing us into groups of 8(mine consisting of 2 already recommended guys), my chest number being 27, we were subjected to a battery of tests.

In my humble opinion, I believe TAT is the most important test of all in the psychological test series. Previously I committed mistakes in TAT by deliberately writing stories totally in contrast to my personality. I used to focus on bringing OLQ’s in all the stories. But instead, TAT is a manifestation of your experiences and ideology which culminates into the framing of a basic idea about an individual. So be honest and free while writing stories. Try to relate it with the PIQ form u would be filling or have already filled.

For WAT I attempted all 60. Try to react in line with your thought process without taking care of the beauty of expression.

In SRT I was able to complete only 45 but I tried to keep my responses practical and viable and as it is rightly said that quality matters over quantity.

In SD I gave an honest overview of the opinion of my parents, teachers, friends towards me. Here it is all right to accept any shortcomings u have but be ready to answer on how u r trying to overcome them.

DAY 2 –INTERVIEW

All decked up, waiting for my turn in the room, keeping a watch on the screen flashing chest numbers. But to my surprise, a peon instead comes up and escorts me to the room of IO(Deputy President). I tried to keep my calm, already prepared that “I am here to give my best and if it is there in me no one can stop me”.The interview started with a warm greeting and lasted for 90mins. Approx with a mix of both personal, family and friends related questions to professional all revolving around my PIQ. Some of them were-

IO: Your father is a businessman, u should continue it ahead. Why joining defence forces on your mind?

IO: U completed your masters with 86 percentile, why not into research field ahead?

IO: How have u helped your friends by going out of the way?

IO: Delhi is known for its rich nightlife and partying and all..(if you are a Delhite u would relate)..how u have stayed away from it all?

IO: U have been just c/o here in July why should I select you now so early. What changes have u made to be deemed fit for us.

These are just a few of those bouncers thrown up at me but yes I had prepared for them all before, while introspecting myself. The key here is answer everything with full honesty and be humble in accepting if u are not aware of an answer to a question and ya keep smiling.

DAY 3(FREE)

DAY 4 AND 5-GTO

We were 08 as a group and all were repeaters so without a doubt there was a chaos in group discussion. I made sure that I spoke 4-5 times without interruption and with high assertiveness. Similarly, in GPE I gave 2-3 valid points and sat back keeping my composure. I did not forget to smile within that chaotic situation. A smile can change the entire course of the discussion. Do not let your ground get away and be confident.

In PGT I felt I was sidelined by everyone but I didn’t let my composure go away and kept chipping in with ideas and tried to help others also in execution. I tried to stay away from the chaos that generates in any repeaters group.

In HGT, the way the group was divided I knew I am under the radar of GTO and I made full use of that opportunity and executed the task in no time.

In Lecurette the key things which come into play are your power of expression the way you can sequence your thoughts in that short frame of time. My Lecurette topic was USA and China relations.

In Command task I was called my 4 of my mates(it is nothing to do with selection )After a short interview of GTO asking about my hobbies, mistakes I felt I did in my last attempt, I was able to complete command task even after the GTO altering the difficulty level many times.

In Individual obstacles, I was able to do 7 of them. I had fractured my hand due to bad landing after a screen jump but I still continued going ahead for the next obstacle. So here a number of obstacles you complete don’t matter but your will and courage to keep going do play a role.

DAY 5 -Conference

Finally, the day which brings hope, excitement and despair. We were dressed up in our formal attire and could see candidates praying to the almighty. As soon as the chest number 26 came out I could feel the adrenaline rush. I was made to wait for 30mins sitting outside before I was called in. I went inside, exchanged greetings with the Deputy President who also took my interview. I was expecting some out of the box questions but instead, I was asked about my stay. There was a moment I felt I had made through when –

Deputy-What are you expecting from results since u have been called inside after such a long wait!!

Me-I am hopefully getting recommended.

I was wished best of luck and finally, when the DSO arrived with the results I was confident enough to have made the cut when he told only 1 candidate has been recommended. He took a deep breath and announced my “CHEST NO 27”. HELL YEAH!! I stood up with little drops of tears in my eyes, walked towards him, said my name and stood by. Tons of other emotions ran throughout my body and then I called my parents and sister to inform them. Finally, I would like to say that for it might be seen as a just a 5 days affair but at the backdrop, I too had those countless sleepless nights people around me are aware off but the thing that kept me going was the aspiration of a  life I had dreamt of having and trust me with my medicals all cleared and just waiting for my joining letter, those sacrifices u make seems all worth it.