The SSB interview

TH Sreepathy

In the second and the concluding part of a two-part report on the Services Selection
Board, Avenues brings out the details of the tests conducted at the SSB and
techniques used by the assessors. The tests are conducted over four days. They
consist of intelligence and psychology tests; ground tests and the personal interview.

Intelligence & psychology tests

Day one begins with intelligence and psychology tests. You need not worry about the
nature of these tests. Before the tests, not only will you be briefed about the various
intelligence and psychology tests, but you will also be familiarised with a sample test
of each type. And there is no negative marking.

Intelligence tests

These are administered to assess the basic intelligence of a candidate. The questions
are objective in nature and consist of verbal, analytical and numerical questions. The
questions are in various combinations to suit different entry levels (NDA, CDS,
Service Entry etc).

Psychology tests

Word association test - A set of 60 words will be displayed on a slide for 15 seconds
by the psychologist. You are expected to write a complete sentence on each of the
words. Don’t take it as the usual sentence-making exercises at the schools. There are
words like “mother”, “death” “army” “fight” etc. Don’t just construct any old
sentence. Make sure the context in which the word is used will convey a positive
message; that the sentence does not have any negative connotation. Remember, this is
not an exercise to test your vocabulary or command over the written language. All the
words are simple and straightforward and all sets of words are arranged in such a way
that even anyone can make a sentence.

“There are different sets of words to bring out different OLQs in a candidate,” says
the duty psychologist.

Thematic appreciation test - You will be shown 12 slides depicting some activity for
30 seconds each and you will be expected to write a small story in three-four minutes,
taking clues from the activities.

Here again, the stress is not on your language skills. Remember that your grades in all
the tests will be correlated to the 15 officer-like qualities (see box). And in the officer
quality rating scale communication skills don’t figure — neither in the spoken nor in
the written form. The reason for this is that this is a skill that can be acquired through
training later on. “Language by itself is not everything,” says an officer.

“Your reaction to the situations will be projective of the 15 OLQs. A psychologist

evaluates the reactions and grades candidates on the various OLQs,” says the
psychologist.
Situation reaction tests - Your are given 60 situations in which you have to write your
reaction to each. The total time allotted is 30 minutes.

What the psychologist is looking for is a candidate’s genuine reaction to a potential

real life scenario. If faced with a real situation, you seldom get time to deliberate on
the course of action. You will handle such a situation by instinct rather than by
reasoning power or training. And this is specifically what a psychologist is looking
from candidates through this projective test.

“Your reaction to a particular situation will be projective of your sub-conscious mind.

You tend to project yourself in a way that is unknown even to yourself,” says the
duty psychologist. You can expect situations that are part of daily life or some
situations that are totally unfamiliar to you.

Self-description - The test is essentially a self-assessment. You will be asked to write

about the opinion of your parents about you, ie. what you think that they think about
you; your teachers’ opinion about you; your friends’ opinion; your own opinion and
the qualities you would like to develop.

This is a confirmatory test. “The test brings out the basic intelligence and the
background of a candidate,” says the duty psychologist.

“The test gives us an idea about whether the candidate knows himself or not; if he is
lacking any qualities and if he is aware of his weaknesses,” he says.

“A candidate should be aware of his weaknesses — that means he is ready to make

improvements,” he adds.

And with this ends the written part of your SSB interview and you meet the
psychologist again only at the conference.

Group tests

The group tests are nine in number and you are conducted in a group of 6-10
candidates depending upon the strength of your batch. Here you will be in the charge
of a group test officer (GTO). He will first brief you in general on all outdoor tests.
Before your group tackles a particular task, he will brief you again in detail. Here the
primary concern is to see how you face problems and difficulties and your attitude
towards other members of the group.

Group tests do not require specialised individual skills on your part. Logical thinking,
coordinated work, ability to receive and give suggestions is what is looked for. The
leader of a group should remain in command, yet be approachable. There will be
sketch boards, ladders, ropes, planks, poles and other such things as your tools to help
you in the assigned task.

A GTO’s role in a group test is crucial because unlike the written tests and the
interview a candidate has to perform here within a group. The candidates come from
different backgrounds. A convent educated candidate from Delhi who is fluent in his
spoken language and up-to-date need not be the right person. A candidate from a
remote village may not be able to open up but still be the better choice for the Army.
It is the duty of the GTO to take the candidate into confidence and give him the
opportunity to come out fully. Here, briefing plays an important role. A friendly talk
takes the pressure off candidates. At the SSB, GTO Major Raghuram was quite adept
at handling all sorts of candidates. In his group there were candidates from almost all
parts of the country — Karnataka, Punjab, UP and Bihar and all of them from
different backgrounds. He addressed them as “gentlemen” and enquired about their
psychology tests, their stay at the centre, the food, their outing the previous evening
and about the mosquitoes in Bhopal. He spoke to them in general and was all ears to
each individual response and gave everyone a chance to react.

Group discussion - The group tests begin with the group discussion. The GTO briefs
the batch on the modalities of the discussion, the dos and don’ts.

In the first round your group gets a choice in selecting the topic — you can select one
topic from the given four. The four topics cater to all sorts of candidates — from the
average to the outstanding.

The nature of the topic which the candidates choose helps the GTO in assessing the
intelligence level and the general awareness of the group and based on his assessment
it is he who selects the second topic. If he finds the intelligence level of the group
high the topic he gives them will be of a high level and if the intelligence level is low
the topic will be of a low level.

“If a low intelligence group is given a tough topic they won’t be able to talk. Then
what is the point of conducting a group discussion? I want the candidates to express
their views,” says a GTO.

The GTO makes sure that the tempo of the discussion is retained for the second topic
too. “This is to bring out the best out of a spirited situation,” says Maj Raghuram.

No technical topics are given for the discussion. “A candidate with a technical or a
science background may be able to talk satisfactorily on a technical topic. In this case
the credit should go to the text book rather than the candidate. Keeping this in view
general topics on current and debatable issues are preferred,” says Maj Raghuram.

The topics for the discussion are decided just before the tests. All the GTOs assemble
for the purpose; they suggest, discuss and finally choose 5-6 topics and are
introduced for discussion on their prerogative.

The candidates are allowed to speak either in English or Hindi.

Group planning exercise

A story based on a model with a few problems is narrated by the GTO. You are
required to identify the problem and evolve a practical solution within the given time-
frame. Your individual solution as well as your group’s collective solution will be
discussed.

“Grasp of the situation, aim, priorities, resources, timeplan and solutions — these are
the important factors to be taken care of while attempting the written part of the test
as well as during the discussion which follows to reach a common solution,” says
Maj Raghuram.
Simply put, you should be practical about your suggestions. It will be embarrassing if
you have found the solution but somebody points out that a major portion of the
problem is unattended to!

Also it is obvious that all the members of the group won’t get a chance to discuss
their suggestions and solutions. Convey your feelings without creating ill feelings
among your peers.

Progressive group task

Four obstacles are required to be collectively negotiated by your group along with a
heavy load. About 40-45 minutes are assigned for this task. The ground rules will be
explained to you. Make sure you and your group adhere to them strictly.

The tasks are simple in nature and there is a gradual increase in the degree of
difficulty.

“In a PGT, individual effectiveness in the context of a group is the desired objective,”
says Maj Raghuram.

Accomplishing each task is not an easy job considering the strict ground rules you
have to stick to and the amount of frustration the GTO induces into the group.
Interestingly the aim of the GTO is not how the candidates complete the task; what he
looks forward to is the stability of the group in the event of frustration.

Group obstacle race - Here your entire group has to compete with the other group of
your batch over a set of six obstacles. Each group has to carry a stuffed gunny bag in
the shape of a log from the starting point to the finishing point.

Here again the aim of the test is to examine the stability of the group. Cooperation
and competition go hand-in-hand at this stage and they are of prime concern of the
GTO.

The physical fitness of a candidate also comes to the fore during the GOR. He has to
run, climb and jump during the GOR — all this with the log which should be carried
by all the members of your group while on the ground and by three of them while
clearing an obstacle. And at a stage the log becomes a part of the group. In fact it was
heartening to see the team spirit and urgency by which the candidates clear each
obstacle trying their level best to keep the group intact all the while.

Half group task - Here your group will be divided into two half groups. This division
is key from the view point of a GTO. The task is similar to the PGT. The difference is
that the number of candidates will be smaller so you can’t remain a passenger. You
are required to be an active participant thus allowing the GTO to have a closer look at
your personal qualities.

Lecturettes - You will be given a set of four topics out of which you have to deliver a
three-minute informal talk. The set of topics will be separate for each candidate.
Also, you are given three minutes to prepare for the talk.

The following are some points the GTO notices during a talk:
How do you address the audience (the group)

Your confidence level

Behaviour of the audience

How much light you can throw into the topic

General awareness

You are free to choose any one out of four topics, no matter how easy or tough it is.

Individual obstacle course - The individual obstacle course is conducted on the third
day. There are 10 obstacles and you are given a few minutes to negotiate as many
obstacles as possible on your own. All obstacles attempted must be completed. If the
course is completed within the time limit, you may repeat the obstacles which may
bring in additional points for you.

The degree of difficulty varies for each obstacle. All the obstacles from the
commando walk to the long jump are simple enough and demand no extra physical
fitness provided you retain presence of mind and tackle them without much fuss.

You can be fast while clearing the obstacles which will give you ample time to repeat
some of the obstacles, but what a GTO cannot accept is recklessness. As the GTO
puts it, “He has to lead an army, how can he be reckless?”

The mystery of a GTO’s assessing criteria deepens further when Maj Raghuram tells
me that during the IOC he is not looking for the physical fitness of a candidate but the
lack of it.

Command task - Each member of your group will be put in command of the group in
turn. Here the task is similar to the one in the progressive group task. But the
difference is that you will be the leader of your group. You can choose three of your
group members but they won’t help you in clearing the task. You have to explain the
task to them, give them instructions and complete the task within the stipulated time.

During a CT the frustration is greater and depending upon the nature of the candidate
the GTO increases the difficulty of the task by intensifying the ground rules and
inducing more pressure.

Final group task - Here, once again, the entire group gets together to complete an
assigned task within the given time frame. The task is similar to a PGT. Since you
have already tackled this task as a group as well as individually you are expected to
have greater momentum and coordination.

The aim - The first four of the tests are conducted in groups, the fifth task in a half
group, next three of them individually and the last one again in a group.

The GTO gets a general idea of a candidate during the tests that are conducted in
groups. In a half group he comes to know why a particular candidate is clicking and
during an individual task he confirms his findings. In the final group task he clarifies
his judgement. Simply put it is integration, differentiation and re-integration.

Debriefing - Before leaving the testing area, you will be debriefed by the GTO.

“In case a candidate is rejected he should not leave the SSB demoralised. For
example, NDA candidates are too young to accept a rejection and that may leave a
scar in their mind. The debriefing exercise is aimed at minimising this adverse effect.
He is told that rejection by the SSB doesn’t mean he is incompetent. It may be
because he could not perform to the desired level on those four days. In the second
chance he may come up to speed. Also, it may mean that he is not suitable for a
career in the Defence Forces. There are several other careers which require different
criteria from those of the Defence Forces and he may fit in there quite well,” says a
GTO.

The interview

From day one till day three during the afternoons, you will be interviewed by an
interviewing officer (IO). You will be interviewed only once and will be informed
well in advance. The interview will be an hour-long exercise and the atmosphere
throughout the interview is relaxed and informal.

The IO will be friendly to you right from the beginning of the interview. He may start
by asking about your stay, about the centre and move on to ask about your
educational background, family, friends, hobbies, routine, weaknesses, ambition etc
in detail. He expects spontaneous and genuine reaction from you. (For the board
conference see box).

Medical examination

All those who are recommended by the board stay back for a medical examination
which may take 4-5 days.