It is said to learn from your failures but I say every day is a learning experience and enhancing yourself every day will mould you towards your best personality. Hello, everyone, this is Rakshit Bhatt and I have been recommended for TES-43 entry from 34-SSB Allahabad. Coming towards my SSB experience this was my first opportunity to showcase myself for an SSB interview. As usual, everyone was like Allahabad is a rejection centre and chances are less. To all those, I would like to clear every centre is the same in its testing, do not believe in any myths and never let your confidence down. About 252 candidates reported and I was given chest number 52 among them. We were divided into groups of 20 candidates each. As usual, there was a fish market on the group discussion but you need to find that void in between and speak your part. Again group length doesn’t matter since they further divide the group if not properly heard. 36 candidates got screened in and we were given new chest numbers. I was chest number 21, we all were given our beds and this was my all-new experience.

Never panic in such situations just stay calm and enjoy the beautiful environment. Coming to the 2^nd day we had our psychology tests. Stay what you are as it shows your own personality so never try to be someone else. I followed this strategy and did my tests. I had my interview on the same day where I was asked questions about myself, general awareness, my views on political and social issues & current affairs. My interview went for 30-35 minutes and after that, I went to explore the city Allahabad with my friends.

The 3^rd and 4^th day we had GTO, I actively participated in all tasks and activities and completed all 10 individual obstacles. Again the number of times you participate does not matters what you speak matters so be clear, precise and confident with what you speak. The 5^th day was conference where I was asked about my stay and my experience for the same. It went for 2-3 minutes.

After that, we had our results and it was the best day of my life when my chest number 21 was announced along with my name. 4 of us made it through and we all celebrated the best day of our lives. We were given new medical chest numbers and carried forward with the medical procedures.

I would like to conclude this by saying everyone is a leader and officer in yourself. So stay what you are as you’ll outshine much great then. And you’ll definitely get the best thing of your life if you sincerely work hard.

Jai Hind.

Hello defense aspirants, my name is Ayush Tiwari, I recently got recommended in my first and the last attempt for IMA or I should say It was my first ever SSB from which I got recommended. It was CDS 2 2019 entry for IMA-149. Currently, I am in my final year from national law university- Lucknow and yes I will be first-generation army personnel from my family. So here I will share my whole ssb experience and how I was able to push myself in something which was completely new to me. So as everyone knows that ssb is the most dynamic interview process of all and being aware of it is very important before facing it. So my pre ssb preparation was not just focused on the test of ssb but I was participating in things which will improve my personality, for e.g. disciplined lifestyle, participation in sports and debates, regular running etc. So these things helped a lot apart from specific test preparation.

Starting with my Day 0 that is reporting day, time was 1:30 in Prayagraj railway station where everyone was gathered talking to each other when we were asked to board the bus to the selection board where we were briefed about the documentation process. I suggest everyone double-check their documents before coming to ssb as it will save further hassle for you. So there were 50 candidates who completed their documentation process, in day 1 screening test started with the OIR test which was quite easy if you know the pattern of questions, then came the PPDT where a blurred picture was flashed about a fisherman and 2 people talking to them. So I made a story on how a fisherman explored tourism in his Village apart from fishing and generated employment, after that, I started rehearsing my narration in my mind and narrated confidently and initiated GD and being a fresher group we were able to come to a common story within 3 min.

After that results were announced and 28 got screened-in, after which we’re all made to fill PIQ’s, (please keep it clean, practise it beforehand).In day 2 psychology test, started with 11 very relatable pictures being shown and I framed stories from my life and did not write any extraordinary thing which I would not do and same was with the blank picture, I did not predicide the story rather I expressed my experience about orgainizing a competition. After that I completed all WAT with positive thoughts and tried to avoid giving advices, after that I wrote 37 SRT, for me, I always valued quality rather than quantity and kept responses detailed. Then I wrote my SDT within the time frame which was Preprepared.

Day 3 started with GTO, starting with 2 GD topics which were quite simple and being a fresher group everyone was quite considerate to let the other speak and it went good as I was able to speak 7-8 times. Then there was Group planning exercise ,as the test was explained by our GTO assessor I was formulating the plan in my mind but was not able to complete it in writing but actively participated in gd. After that it was PGT where obstacles were shown to us and we all were easily able to cross all obstacles and complete the task in no time. After that was HGT where our group was divided in half and again it was easy as all you need is the practical and calm mind ideas will automatically flow. Then was the Group obstacle race where everyone gave their best, I helped everyone to climb walls and motivated them where they were a little afraid. After this was Lecturrete where I choosed the topic of ‘ Religion in politics’ where I used ‘mandir vahi banega’ and all other things that came to mind. As it was the last task and it ended positively for me.

Day 4 started with individual obstacle, after reviewing all obstacle I decided my plan but I made a mistake of starting with balancing beam, I was not able to complete it, I tried 2 times and I fell so without wasting any time I moved with the obstacles with most marks and was able to complete 9 in the end. Then the command task started, I was called as a subordinate for 5 times in a group of 10 and as for my task I was able to complete it in 2 min. A smart tip for CT would be that when you call subordinates and till they come you should focus on obstacles and make a layout for your plan as it will help to complete it in no time. Funny thing happened with me in CT as GTO was interacting with me, I mentioned about the blunder I made in balancing beam and how I planned it wrong and he said -” That was really unfortunate” and started laughing and I was really nervous for a moment. After that was FGT which was very quick. After which we were sent to our candidates line and changed quickly for the interview with our best clothes and cleaned our shoes. I came to know that a different board president will take my interview that made me a little nervous but I kept my cool and started singing songs in the waiting room as my chest no. flashed I a took deep breath and I entered the room confidently with a smile and he offered to shake hands which made me comfortable then as things went, initial 5 min. were from my piq and then everything he asked me was a legal related question like my opinion on CAA NRC, status of women in India and laws to protect them, 3 points as why women should be given PC in army and why not as I was really confident with my answers and took a stand for my opinion. Funny thing happened in interview as I was giving detailed answers he shouted at me that “ayush this is not a courtroom where you will give detailed answers keep it short and crisp” To which I smiled and said ” Sir, this is a habit I have developed in my 5 years of law school” To which we both laughed and interview came to conclusion which went for 25 min. I was completely unaware about how my interview went.

Then came day 5 that was conference day as we all dressed, wished each other, and waited for it to start as my chest no. was 23 it was quite late when I realized it’s just going for 30-40 sec. for each candidate as my turn came up I had to wait a little before they called me and I was greeted by 10-14 officers then my interviewer asked me about my stay and then he asked me, If I made incharge of this board what changes you would make to which I answered confidently about more sports court and more interactive accommodation among candidates. After which I was asked to leave and then came the time everyone was waiting for results when the officer came and said that he will keep it short and crisp and said 2 of us got recommended and he announced chest no.s, 12 (my friend) and chest no. 23( me) and I was numb for a second, I shivered while shouting my name and walking in front. We both congratulated each other while we said goodbye to our friends. Happiest and proudest moment for me and my family which I can never forget.

It is said “War is lost before it even starts if you have mentally accepted failure.” To me everyone said that ssb is hard to crack in first attempt and that too when you spent 5 years in college and giving first ssb at the age of 23, I never paid heed to it and focused on my preparation and never really cared about result all I did was enjoyed those 5 days. In the end to all the defense aspirants, ssb is meant for you so you have to keep your personality in front not the moulded one by coachings you cannot hide it. It’s good to know the procedure but it does not matter much to have experience of it in coachings. Keep ssb as a normal test nothing more nothing less and enjoy it, that’s the key to the recommendation.

Hi defence aspirants, how’s the josh, my name is Tushar Singh Jeena, I belong to Nainital in Uttrakhand, and I am currently living in Lucknow with my family. I recently got recommended from 34 ssb Allahabad in the first attempt dated on 6 Feb – 10 Feb for NDA JULY 2020 COURSE and also got medically fit for the army. Being from a civilian background and first among my family members, going to be a part of NDA, it’s a moment of proud for me as well as for my family. “BEFORE BECOMING AN OFFICER, FIRST FEEL LIKE AN OFFICER” this is what I followed during my whole journey of preparation. I am going to share my ssb experience, some ups and downs, one blunder.

SCREENING DAY: Its started with the OIR, 50 questions of verbal and non-verbal reasoning each with time allotted 30 min each. I did all and made 5-8 guesses because there is no negative marking. In ppdt we were shown a picture in which 3 people are standing, I perceived two as doctors, one as patient and made a simple story of providing medication to a patient. In the gd, I narrated well crisp and clear, through the point. In gd, I gave logical points but we were not able to come to a common story.

RESULTS: 35 candidates got screened in out of 55 and I was one among them.

2^nd day (psychology test):  I was very nervous on 2nd day and all the time I was saying to myself “ ALL IS WELL”. In TAT I presented my true personality, not mugged up stories even some of my stories are well relating to PIQ, in the blank story I wrote about organizing annual sports day because I was a sports captain. In WAT I did all 60 wats and most of the words shown there I practised already. In SRT I did only 38 out of 60 but I have given quality to SRT rather than writing just reaction in some words and for self-description, I prepared it by introspection I made it look raw rather than showing off vocab which I don’t know because my English is weak and I admitted in sd. So I was satisfied with my performance in the psych test.

INTERVIEW : my interview was on same day of psych with the president of 34 ssb allahabad. All the happiness of pysch test changed into dejection after interview. I lost the hope of getting recommendation after interview. So basically my interview started as normal with question like hows your journey, from where you belong to etc. Most of the question were from piq and some current affairs. All question I answered confidently without any hesitation but one blunder I did was telling a lie and got caught. In the interview I forgot the name of college in which my friend was studying and I told a lie that “he is studying in lpu”, now when the interviewer asked how he went there I said a stupid answer “sir through UPTU”now I got caught and believe me guys  I also know that through uptu you get colleges of UP  not  punjab. After that there was a silence he didn’t said anything and wroted it in a paper. My interview went for 50 min and this was my last question. So after that I lost hope of recommendation, I even called my parents and said that I am not going to get selected, that night I was not able sleep.

3^RD and 4^th day (GTO) :  It started with gd as usual with topics food security, technology. I gave 4-5 logical points in each gd and also let others to speak. Next was GPE and it was simple and I participated in group well and  gave ideas and helped group in solving problems. My GOR  went excellent. I helped my group in climbing the walls and I was shouting the war cry with full enthusiam and energy. Although we got 4^th place but my contribution in group is commendable. In PGT, HGT  i gave most of the ideas and helped group in tackling obstacles. In lecturette I spoke on topic TRADE FAIR for 3 min, loudly with speech modulation although content was not so good.

Now last day and my best day. It started with individual obstacles for which I am waiting eagerly because I am a strength athelete and fitness is a part of my life. I did 15 IO in 3 min , highest in my group. Next was command task and I was called by 5 members in a group of 9 members and I was called in second last and my task was different and difficult from others. I even remembered that GTO asked me what is kept inside this circle, I answered “SIR CONTAINER PAINTED RED” and GTO said “ok Tushar now imagine there is your call letter inside container and you have to get it”. Now most of others have said it a bomb and I said something different, I completed my task in just 5 min even after gto interruption. In FGT I didn’t give any idea and let others to give and I supported them just.

5^th day(conference) : my conference was of around 4-5 min. Most of the question were like hows you stay, how many friends you make etc, now the moment he asked me how much will you rate your performance out of 10 I said 8 he asked why??, here I admitted my blunder in interview and  said “I was not able recall the name of the college of my friend but later I recalled it” and I told the name of the real college. So that’s how my 5^th day ended.

AFTER AN HOUR MY RESULT WERE DECLARED, TOTAL 10 WERE RECOMMENDED AND I WAS ONE AMONG THEM. I WAS HAPPY BUT CONFUSED ALSO HOW I GOT RECOMMEDED BUT ITS MAY BE THAT”ACTION SPEAKS LOUDER THAN WORDS”… SO THANKYOU FEIENDS FOR LISTENING MY STORY… ALL THE BEST TO ALL FOR THEIR RESPECTIVE ENTRIES

JAY HIND

“I am Ritika, a B.Tech in Electronics and Communication Engineering. I am a previous three times recommended candidate and an ardent bibliophile. I wish to contribute my knowledge to the aspirants regarding the process through the experiences that I’ve gained in this journey so far. Personal Interview is touted to be one of the trickiest parts of the SSB interview. True that. It also supposedly carries the maximum weightage amongst all the techniques. True that, too. And if such is the considerations then it becomes colossally important to ace the same. Having an adequate experience of appearing in the interview and subsequently getting recommended a couple of times, I have some important pointers to share with the aspirants.

• DO NOT GO WITH THE FLOW – They say, ‘GO WITH THE FLOW’, but this might just not apply to the interview part of the testing. Do not come into a confession mode and unknowingly slip irrelevant details to the IO (Interviewing Officer). This would only welcome cross-questions and could raise suspicions in him. Instead, stick to your humility and answer in a lucid manner. Even if you mistakenly revealed your weakness, make sure you simultaneously tell him your efforts to overcome it. Getting over-personal and over-friendly with the IO is not your job. Clearly, demarcate the information you want to pass on to him by staying extra attentive during the whole course of the interview. Be honest but a tad bit of diplomacy never harmed anyone.

• MAKE PIQ YOUR BIBLE – You can undoubtedly rely on your PIQ (Personal Information Questionnaire) for cracking the interview with a good score. Each and every word written on the PIQ should be to the best of your knowledge and concern. Let’s break it further, for instance; if my hobby is to read novels then I should be thorough with each and every aspect of it. When did I start doing it, favourite novels and authors, gist of a few known novels, my learning out of them, currently reading which novel and likewise. Such related questions could be asked from your hobbies and interests so go ardently prepared. The same set of questions could be asked from the sports and extra-curricular activities that you’ve mentioned. Furthermore, refrain from putting any impertinent information in the PIQ which can put you in troubled waters with regard to extra questions. Practice filling the PIQ at home a few times, pluck out probable questions out of it and thoroughly practise them. See, you won half the battle there itself.

• BODY LANGUAGE WILL TAKE YOU PLACES – The first thing marked and noted by the IO is your demeanour and conduct. Both the attributes get clearly revealed by your body language. Sit with your spine straight, a very stable eye contact and a steady pitch modulation. Take adequate pauses, have a slight smile on the face and take all the uncomfortable and dicey questions in your stride. Do not necessarily blink too much; the objects placed in the room should not grab your attention and do not become slouchy on the chair after a while. Also, do not unnecessarily get over excited on easy questions and similarly do not lower your voice or look panic during dicey questions. Maintain the same level of voice tone throughout.  Adhering to the above pointers will definitely increase your focus and you would be able to answer better. 

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• DO NOT READ EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN – It’s good to go prepared but it’s foolish to go ultra-prepared and end up remembering nothing. Read the news and facts which will be important for you from the SSB points of view. Under this you’ve to be thorough with latest national and international happenings, latest defence acquisitions, sound knowledge about the service you’re about to join, your graduation subject and the areas you’ve mentioned in your PIQ. I’ve come across my mates who read the entire History, Geography and Polity of the country and end up mixing the facts and the knowledge. Doing this is completely superfluous. Only read what concerns the country today and in the long run. Speak in the interview with facts and figures. Quote lines of the recent magazine that you read or the name of any of your source. This surely will create a good impression as your preparation will speak for yourself.

• KNOW YOURSELF – ‘He who knows others is wise, he who knows himself is enlightened’. – Lao Tzu.

Start introspecting your past activities, important decisions that you took in life, why you took them, what makes you happy, what do your friends like the most in you, what is the one thing you’re regretful of, your strengths, weaknesses and many more basic questions. The last two paragraphs of your SD (Self-Description) will also come handy here. You can use those two to frame your answers. The headings are, ‘What kind of a person you are’? and ‘What kind of a person you want to become’?. Linking your SD with your interview will automatically corroborate your personality.

Here the catch is to remember the incidents associated with each of the questions. For instance, if you mentioned ‘being cooperative’ as your strength, then you might encounter a question as to quote an example where you showed cooperation with your friends? If you know yourself well, then there would be a spontaneous answer. The ball will be in your court.

• BE OPINIONATED- Many aspirants would agree with me that the IO is more interested in knowing your opinions on the news rather than the features of the news. To hold this area, read editorials of all the leading national newspapers. Aspirants can download, ‘Opeddiction’ mobile app which posts editorials of leading national dailies. You have to also make sure to not put apolitical viewpoints in front of the IO and likewise do not flatter the current government to a great extent. Speak your mind and put factual points forward. Be optimistic in presenting your opinions and show your faith in the policies.

Thus with the above pointers, I believe I have covered all the paramount things related to the Personal Interview. Rest, be confident and logical.

All the best to you for your endeavours!