SSB INTERVIEW

Services Selection Board (SSB) is the Personality and Intelligence Interview spread over 5 days which scientifically analyses each candidate's potential and compatibility for commission into the Armed Forces of India.


There are numerous ways of earning Commission as an officer in Indian Armed Forces, both for civilians (after 10+2, graduation, post graduation), as well as for serving personnel. Whatever be the mode, SSB is the step all have to clear, except for the medical corps. There is no limit on the number of attempts that can be made and the SSB Assessors encourage candidates to appear again for SSB.

The interview exercise is mainly a psychological assessment of the personality of the candidate, to gauge his/her potential as a future officer in Indian Military. The tests conducted by the SSB aim at selecting individuals with OLQs (Officer Like Qualities).

These qualities include effective intelligence, sense of responsibility, initiative, judgment (under stress), ability to reason and organize, communication skills, determination, courage, self-confidence, speed in decision-making, willingness to set an example, compassion and a feeling of loyalty to the nation.

Most of the tests require average intelligence. The SSB attempts to gauge the natural responses of the individuals. The tests are graded into various categories of both individual and group variety and each batch of candidates goes through the subtle testing pattern in the course of a few days. They are under observation not only while they perform in various psychological tests but even as they conduct themselves during the course of their stay at the SSB headquarters, where they are billeted for that duration.

The SSB Board is not concerned with the number of vacancies. Its responsibility is to assess and then, recommend. After recommendation, the candidates appear for Medical Examination and after that is the Merit List. Those who finally make the grade join for training and hence become Commissioned Officers.

Origin of these type of testing belongs to first world war era. In first world war, large number of casualties on battle fields necessitated recruitment of best fighting talent in armed forces. For this need, psychologists designed some scientific based tests which accesses candidate's Officer Like Qualities (OLQs). Over the years SSB testing has been improved based on feedback and has been proved to be an effective and accurate way of selecting candidates who are capable of being at least an average officer after training although SSB is the world's toughest army test.

The candidate who are declared by UPSC as having cleared the written exam, as well as those shortlisted in Direct Entries are called through Call Letters to appear for SSB (Allahabad/Bangalore/Bhopal/Dehradun/Mysore/Varanasi/) at the Centre allotted to the candidate. There have instances when the call-up letter fails to reach the candidate and the onus lies on the candidate to be alert and contact the office after a reasonable amount of time if the letter is not received when UPSC written has been cleared. Similar is the way for service candidates, except for that their movement is intimated to their seniors via movement orders.

• Day 0 (Day of Reporting)

SSB is a two stage process. To qualify for Stage II, a candidate needs to clear Screening Test or Stage I. On the date of reporting, the candidates are picked from the railway station and during the evening, certain Forms and also the Bio Data forms known as “Personal Information Questionnaire” (PIQ) are filled. PIQ is very important- there must be no cutting and consistency in each of the four or five copies of PIQ you are to fill. Candidates are also briefed on testing schedule and general instructions, which must be followed throughout the duration of stay in selection center.

• Day 1 (Screening Tests)

On the next day, is the Stage I, in which candidates are given Intelligence Test (Verbal and Non-Verbal), then there is a Picture Perception test, in which a slide (hazy or clear) is shown and then each candidate writes their story and later have a Group Discussion. This sequence is popularly called PPDT- Picture Perception and Discussion Test. After the completion of these tests, results are announced and those who do not make it in this attempt are dropped back to the railway station and the successful ones are retained for 4 days of detailed assessment.

• Day 2 (Psychology Tests)

1. Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)- Commonly known as Picture Story writing.
2. Word Association Test (WAT)
3. Situation Reaction Test (SRT)
4. Self Description Test (SD), or a variation of this like description from the eyes of parents, teachers, colleagues, neighbours etc.

• Day 3 and Day 4 (GTO Tasks)

Recommended dress for GTO Tasks

Group Testing Officers (GTO) Test (Third and Fourth day)

The following tests are conducted in this category :-

1. Group discussion
2. Group Planning Exercise (sometimes known as Military Planning Exercise)
3. Progressive Group Tasks
4. Half Group Tasks
5. Individual Obstacles
6. Group Obstacles Race or Snake Race
7. Command Task
8. Lecturette
9. Final Group Task

Note:Interview :- (Held during afternoon/evening hours on 2nd/3rd/4th day)

• Day 5 (Conference)

On the final day, every Assessor and the candidate sit together for and have a chat- the fate of the candidate for that SSB is decided by the Assessors collectively there. The candidates are required to appear before the complete Board of Examiners comprising of President,Deputy President, all the psychologists, all the GTOs and Technical Officer.

After the Board Meeting of every candidate is over,the final result is declared within ½ an hour. Selected candidates are required to stay back for their medical examination (takes about 3 to 5 working days) in the Military Hospital near by or at a different place and the remaining candidates are dropped at the Railway Station.

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