Every time I was down I used to read this poem by Shri. Harivansh rai Bachchan &it boosted me up back:
“लहरों से डर कर नौका पार नहीं होती
कोशिश करने वालों की हार नहीं होती
नन्हीं चींटी जब दाना लेकर चलती है
चढ़ती दीवारों पर, सौ बार फिसलती है
मन का विश्वास रगों में साहस भरता है
चढ़कर गिरना, गिरकर चढ़ना न अखरता है
आख़िर उसकी मेहनत बेकार नहीं होती
कोशिश करने वालों की हार नहीं होती
डुबकियां सिंधु में गोताखोर लगाता है
जा जा कर खाली हाथ लौटकर आता है
मिलते नहीं सहज ही मोती गहरे पानी में
बढ़ता दुगना उत्साह इसी हैरानी में
मुट्ठी उसकी खाली हर बार नहीं होती
कोशिश करने वालों की कभी हार नहीं होती
असफलता एक चुनौती है, स्वीकार करो
क्या कमी रह गई, देखो और सुधार करो
जब तक न सफल हो, नींद चैन को त्यागो तुम
संघर्ष का मैदान छोड़ मत भागो तुम
कुछ किये बिना ही जय जय कार नहीं होती
कोशिश करने वालों की हार नहीं होती “
Hello everyone, I am Ashish Kumar Singh Chandel from Navi Mumbai, AIR-1, Electronics engineering, recommended by 34SSB Allahabad.I have been screened out 10 times, C/O 4 times and recommended once.
I have appeared for all these SSB’s in last 3 years(Jan 2015-Dec 2017):
1.UES Army,22 SSB Bhopal-Jan 2015:S/O
2.UES Navy,NSB Vizag-FEB 2015-C/O
3.TGC 121,22 SSB Bhopal-March 2015-S/O
4.SSC TECH-45,20 SSB Bhopal-July 2015-C/O
5.SSC TECH-46/TGC 122,21 SSB Bhopal-OCT 2015-S/O
6.SSC GS(X),NSB Vizag-NOV 2015-S/O
7.TGC 123,24 SSB Banglore-Feb 2016-S/O
8.PC NAIC.NSB Coimbatore-FEB 2016-C/O
9.SSC TECH-47,20 SSB Bhopal-MAY 2016-S/O
10.TGC 124,19 SSB ALD-SEP 2016-S/O
11.SSC TECH-48,24 SSB Banglore-DEC 2016-C/O
12.TGC 125,14 SSB ALD-FEB 2017-S/O
13.SSC TECH 49,21 SSB Bhopal-Apr 2017-S/O
14.TGC 126-34 SSB ALD-SEP 2017-S/O
15.SSC TECH-50,34 SSB ALD-DEC 2017-Recommended
I am writing this as there are many of you like me who are trying again and again but not getting success.I would share some of my mistakes that I did previously & how I improved, hope it helps you all in some way.This article is going to be a bit long but will be worth reading if you want to avoid mistakes in SSB.
Being a son of a sailor (Indian Navy), I always dreamt of becoming the first officer in my family. After every failure, i used to speak to myself “No, I didn’t start to quit, karunga mai karunga”. I always did an analysis of what went wrong & practiced it.I always respected & accepted the results that came my way. I am 2015 passed out from Mumbai University, worked for approximately 2 years with Tata Technologies, Mumbai & side by side prepared for SSB.
I gave up all my outings with family & friends as i used to utilize my leaves for SSB’s. These 3 years made me more mature day by day as i was a spendthrift, so slowly when I used to run short of money, I used to manage things only as per my needs.This period helped me increase my patience level.It’s all about management guys.if you have enough money,you go to malls & enjoy,but when you run short you use it wisely.SSB also taught me adjustment factor,when I don’t use to have train reservations I have traveled way back in all compartments whether it be AC,Sleeper,General & Sometimes slept on floor.
But everything is worth when you achieve it finally & these failures only help you to grow daily.Its very simple,’If you have a dream, then there is no if’s and but’s in it”.
And even if you don’t achieve success in SSB, it’s journey is so beautiful that one will certainly do well in outside world.So never rely on SSB,always keep a second plan for future,one never gets everything he wants in his life.
Because of SSB I started running small distances every day, increased my distances slowly and till date completed 6 marathons & 1 Triathlon successfully,4*10kms & 2*21kms with the best timing of 1:57:59 in 21kms Mumbai Marathon.
Day 1: Screening test:
The verbal & non-verbal test is very easy and everyone is able to do best in it.After that comes the story writing test.Why we fail in this is because we take coaching,we mug up limited no.of stories & go and write that & when we are shown some other picture on which we haven’t prepared we get anxious and write anything.Psycology test is all about practice,the more you practice in writing,the more ideas you will get and it will help in bringing flow while writing.But never mug up what you are practicing in psycology otehrwise you will fail again.But yes,it may happen that you may get same pictures again which you have practiced writing & again you will get same ideas,but that’s normal you can continue to write with it,but my only suggestion is never mug up stories.These 30 seconds in which picture is shown is more than enough to give the theme if we see it properly.The mistake we do is we hardly see it for 5-10 seconds and end up writing mugged up stories.Even i used to write very high funda stories,but slowly slowly i realised SSB requires very simple,practical stories.Keep yourself in place of main character you have selected & think what you could have done in this situation/or have you faced similar situation and then pen it down.
After story writing you get 5-10 mins break.Kindly utilize this time in practicing rather that wasting talking to others.Keep only one thing in mind that you have travelled several 1000-2000kms to SSB centre across India and you have not come here to get screened out & that you will give best narration in the group.The more you speak & boost yourself,it will increase your confidence.Just take good deep breath before narration and do well.Also keep a good eye & ear contact while others are narrating.
Next comes GD, I know being a repeater many may ask what to do when GD turns out into fish market.
1. Never participate in fish market.You are a gentleman & gentleman always behaves properly & doesn’t create problems for others.So it’s better to keep quiet in such situations.And when the discussion is heated up slowly slowly people will realize their mistake and try to calm down,this is the right time when you can take advantage,kep your point & try to sort out the problems team members are having in discussion.
2. I always preferred raising my right hand and asked my team to allow keep my point as it is a professional way to request someone to let you speak.
3. One more way the GD can be healthy is that if you suggest and convince team members to discuss the theme first and mood.age,sex later on.
For eg: If you know you are preparing butter chicken, you can easily gather correct ingredients according to it and vice versa if you are thinking about ingredients and don’t know what to cook then what’s use of collecting the ingredients.
4.Keep a good, calm & smiling face during the entire PPDT process.
This ends with day 1 process.The results are never in your hand, one can only give his best.So leave it to them & accept things that come your way.
PS: Writing & speaking skills are of utmost importance for one to get selected. Practice everything in writing & you will feel the difference in your writing & ideas.Try speaking in front of mirror every day for some time to help you grow more confident while speaking in front of others.
DAY 2: PSYCHOLOGY TEST:
1.TAT:I have discussed most part of story writing in PPDT phase.Again i would suggest practice every test of psycology in writing everyday.It is not that only 10 days before SSB we will start practicing, practice writing 2-3 images everyday & try practicing more on weekends. Take help of Google, various SSB App’s on androids to download images & practice all. For blank story, prepare a story on something you are good at. Eg:Your hobby, how you have improved it & practice it.I wrote on my running practice,how i started running smaller distances,practiced it & finally ran half marathons after participating in 10kms event.So write something interesting related to your own personality.
Note:Don’t write stories related to social issues like swach bharat,water management,demonetisation etc etc because we are not samaj sevaks.In our daily lives we do help people around but not to this extent.So write stories related qualities you have mentioned in PIQ & display your own personality.
2.WAT:Again practice a minimum of 20 WAT everyday.Hardly it will take 3-4 min.Practicing WAT helps to give more sentences for a single word.I practiced around 900 words before my 15th attempt & found it easy to attempt all 60 words.
Note:Write the very first thought that comes in your mind,don’t think whether it’s positive or negative,it’s your prception.If you re-think of writing someother rosy sentences you will end up missing that word & in anxiety you might miss another 3-4 words.
3.SRT:No special preparation is required for this.This is a person’s capability to tackle the problems one faces.Just write the solution in organized way & in a sequence.
Eg:If you find someone injured on road.So write it in a sequence of event like rush injured to hospital,give immediate first aid in between,admit him & inform police & family and don’t write in unorganized way like first inform police,family and then take actions to cure him etc etc.
Again no.of SRT’s doesn’t matter.Write best in each SRT & in proper way rather than thinking of attempting all SRT’s.Definitely try to do as much as possible but more than 35-40 is enough if you have reflected your OLQ’s in it.I was able to attempt 42 SRT in my recommendation attempt.
4.SD:Everyone knows the 5 questions on which you have to write SD.One best way that i used to prepare SD is by keeping a paper in my wallet.Note down your good/bad qualities anytime you come to about yourself.SD can’t be prepared in one single day because one has many qualities & he can’t just write all in one single day.So keep a paper & keep writing whenever you come to know.So this will help you give a good content of qualities before your SSB,just summarize it & prepare a good SD.I used to write 4 good qualities & 1 bad quality.Your bad qualities should be very normal & one which has been improved.
For Eg:
–>I used to spend lots of money during college days,but then i realized it’s worth when i started earning and used it wisely & contributed well to my family.
–>I was weak in household work,so i started washing my own clothes,utensils & helped my mother in household work which helped me become more independent.
Don’t write aggressiveness, stubborn and all these because forces don’t require such people.
Note:Prepare well for SD & memorize it well because you need to answer this in questions when personal related questions is asked in Interview.Give answers to personal related questions as per what you have mentioned in SD.What you have written in SD relating yourself & what you are speaking in interview should definitely match.
NOTE: Psychology is a test of perception/one’s personality.So end up writing things in very simple words instead of making things more rosy showing off your vocabulary skills.High funda English skills is not required here.
My psychology went very well as my regular practice had given me flow and i wrote thigs in very simple & practical way.
Interview:
Three types of questions can be asked here:-
1.Personal related questions: As i told prepare SD well,speak according to it in interview.Use SSB IO App available on playstore for practice.
For rapid fire related quetions,listen questions calmly instead of worrying about no.of questions being asked.Keep your ears wide open when question is being asked,answer them & request to repeat questions in case if you have missed out at any.
2.GK/Current affairs: Again have a daily habit of reading newspaper and read quality news like International issues,National issues instead of rape/murder etc.GK/Current affairs can’t be developed 10 days prior to SSB,so make it a habit of making notes in a diary so that it will help you in quick revision at the end.
3.Technical questions/Final year project/Mathematics questions: Very basic questions are asked related to your branch,so get your basics cleared.For maths related questions be strong on quick calculations,coversion from one unit to other.
NOTE: This is not a private job interview where you can impress by saying rosy things and get selected.It also doesn’t matter here how much you have answered,it matters how well you have handled questions & don’t staright away say ‘NO’ to things you don’t know,atleast try answering them by telling how much you know.Accept your mistakes gracefully & don’t argue.Say sorry to the questions which you don’t know completely,instead of trying to impress him by saying rosy things.
My interview was taken by the president 34 SSB board & it hardly took place for 15-20 mins.All personal related questions were asked & i answered as it came from my heart and mind.All of sudden inerviewer said thanks and i left.I had mixed feeling regarding my performance as it was too short,but then i thought of doing well in the upcoming tests.
GTO:
1.GD:I have discussed some of my ways to tackle GD earlier & i used the same here.It is very much important to listen to other & participate equally.Show activeness and discuss as a team as you discuss with your friends in outside world.My GD was fine as i contributed well.We were a group of 7 out of which 3 were previously recommended,so it was very important for me to give my best.
2.GPE:My GPE turned out into fish market.But then i tried to sort it out with my team.I discussed their points if some solutions were possible or not & also accepted others suggestions & gave mine.Usually people waste time discussing on 1st issue itself.Give importance to all situations & discuss about them.Tell the approximate time & distance & plan GPE on the sequence in which problem is first going to arrive as per the time mentioned in story.
3.PGT:Be a leader,lead your team.Mostly i was forward implementing ideas with help of others.We aslo exchanged our places if someone had good idea.Listen to others also & try implementing ideas rather than thinking & wasting time if that idea will work or not.Stop when GTO asks to & listen to his hints which will help you out.Behave properly & don’t use slang language while doing PGT.
4.OR/Snake race:This is the most fun/enjoyable tasks in GTO in which many qualities can be displayed.GTO will tell you,the team which reaches first will win,but that shouldn’t be your primary concern.Always be with your team instead of running forwards just to win.Repeat yourself & asks others to repeat incase of touching red part instead of hiding it,GTO is noticing everything,Volunteer if GTO asks to do so.Also there are some team members who find difficult to climb walls,so help them.It is important to win,but it should not be individually,you should win with your team.Do it more quality wise rather than thinking of just winning it.
5.HGT:HGT is same as PGT with half of initial team members.So do well if you couldn’t do well in PGT.
6.Lecturette:I got 4 topics out of which i was not confident enough content wise to speak on first 3 topics,so i chose the 4th easiest one ‘My role model’,so i chose my family.I hardly prepared for it,i just prepared to organize it well & speak,like approx 1 minute each for my father,mother and sister.Choose your topic on which you are very much confident & can speak freely.Use 3 mins to make a gist like u will first give intro,advantage,diadvantage& Conlusion for the topic.
7.Individual Obstacles:Do regular exercises.Do obstacles as much as possible.Be careful & avoid touching red part.Don’t behave like a superman & hurt yourself.Believe in quality & do it properly.I could complete all the 10 obstacles when the whistle blew.
8.Command tasks:I was given a task of bringing out a newspaper(similar to bomb related command task) kept in middle of the circle.There were 3 different approach to do it,i was given two planks & one bully.I was not able to do from first approach ,GTO didn’t allow me either to try from next approach nor take help from my subordinates,but i kept on trying.Whenever i got idea & tried placing plank that part turned out to be red.I wasted more than 15 mins in it trying as my GTO didn’t allow me to move.He said last 2 mins and move to next approach.Again i failed as before as this structure was more difficult.Then he gave me 1 min to try from last structure,again i tried and failed.Finally he said last 30 seconds and i finally requetsed my subordinate to help me out & GTO kept quiet this time.I quickly implemented idea suggested by one of the subordinate and ran quick and brought the newspaper.I was down while returning thinking that this was the opportunity which i should have grabbed.
9.FGT:This is same as PGT where all of us are back again as a team & closure of GTO test series.
After this GTO briefed our group saying that in every test you can’t perform well & everyday is not sunday.He gave briefing for sometime & wished us luck for our conference.
NOTE:GTO tasks are more about teamwork.So work well with your team,help them and definitely teamwork will help you clear GTO tasks.
Conference day:
The deputy president briefed us about conference and everyone was called one by one,i was chest number 19.After 18 came out of room,i was called in quickly after sometime and asked about my stay,suggestions and finally asked to rate all SSB centre which i have visited from one to five.I rated them taking food quality as my basis and ranked NSB Coimbatore first,second was SSB Allahabad and rest i spoke randomly.My eyes went towards right were my GTO was sitting,he was smiling all time i was answering.Everyone inside conference laughed when i told them that i rated them on the basis of food quality.Finally president wished me luck for the results and i Left.
Few mins after final chest no.24 came out,one of the GTO’s came out with the results.He told us about the story of an ant,how it falls again and again but finally reaches its destination and prepared us mentally for the results.He asked us to tell the name and DOB of whoever gets selected and all of sudden told chest no.19…………….I still don’t remember whether i told my name and DOB and rest i could only hear 20 & 22(2 of the previously recommended candidates got selected again),so finally 3 of us got selected.The tears of Joy started rolling down very badly as recap of all my hardships went rolling inside my mind.Everyone came and hugged me told “Bhai agar tu kar sakta hai toh hum bhi last tak try karenge”….
It was around 10.30am & i called up my parents & friends but no one received my phone,Only after sometime mother called me up and congragulated on hearing the news.
Suggetsion:Take help of google,youtube,SSB related app’s on playstore like SSB Crack,SSB guide,SSB IO etc.These are more than enough for practicing daily.
I know i have written very big article as my experience was so much that i wanted to share everything with you all.Thanks to God who helped me achieve my dream and making me do so much hardwork which will help me in future,also special thanks to Parents,friends and whoever has helped in every possible way.
Finally,I would suggest ki mehnat karo,apne par bharosa rakho,Improve & practice he sab kuch hai,Virat Kohli bhi 100 marne se pehle practice karke aata hai ………Sab acha hoga at the end!
Bless me and wish me all the best for the future ahead.
JAI HIND!
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