My SSB(Service selection board) Experience. Recommended from 2AFSB Mysore

My SSB(Service selection board) Experience. Recommended from 2AFSB.

The journey of my ssb lasted almost week. It started on 5th February 2017. The first day early in the morning, 100 candidates reported at the Mysore Railway Station. We were taken in the airforce buses to 2AFSB Mysore. At first all our documents were checked by the officers of the board. *This was the first of the only two times that we get to see all the officers together at a time. After our documents were checked we had our breakfast and after the breakfast the first test was conducted. This was just a simple mental ability test. There were two set of tests each containing 60 questions and about 30 minutes were given for each test.

After this we were shown a picture and asked to write a story. (thematic apperception test). The picture was vague and it contained two middle aged persons. We were given five minutes to write the story. Then we were asked to fold the paper in which our stories were written and we were divided into groups of 15 each. My group was very special because 13 out of the 15 candidates were from Sainik school. So it was a high energy group. We were taken into a room and made to sit in a semicircle. There were three officers to judge us. Everybody was given around one minute to tell their story and after everybody finished their story. The discussion began. Well I had never imagined that the discussion would be such high voltage one because everyone was shouting and trying to tell their story. I gave some points in between but there were two people whom the whole group was very irritated with. Because they were neither speaking anything precisely nor were they allowing others to. In no time the discussion got over. It was as if like for just two three minutes.

After the discussion we were made to Fallin and then the results were announced. To my astonishment 14 candidates from our group had made it into the screening part. Only one couldn't clear. I think because that guy stood up several times in between the discussion and tried to control everyone which doesn't look good and is bad mannerism.

So we were given accommodations for ourselves. The hostel was good. It had facilities like internet, table tennis, tennis, basketball, chess, carrot board, television, library and many more. The food was also good to some extent. Every night we would have roll call which was taken by the duty officers.

The next day our test began. The first test was the CPSS TEST. This is a compulsary test if you want to be a pilot in Indian armed forces. This is a two part test. In the first part there are questions asked and in the second part we have to play certain games in a simulated cockpit. This part is called psychomotor test. For your convenience if you want to know what they are I have made some videos and you can see them. (YouTube blogging is my hobby and it really helped me in my interview) I will provide the link below

there are other videos too. You can check them if you want to. So the condition was that if you want to write the second part of the test then you must clear the first part of the test. Out of 62 that had screened in around 30 of us clear the first test and wrote(player) the second part of the test. There were seven game in total. Some of them were a bit different and difficult. The results were announced on the final day. So this was the end of the CPSS TEST. Later in the afternoon we had our lunch and had some rest.

In the evening the psychology test was conducted. It was full of writing and it spanned for about two to three hours. WAT(word association test), TAT(thematic apperception test), SRT(Situation reaction test), personality test were conducted. The only place here where I thought I could have done better was the SRT. Here I could complete only 38 out of the 60 situations. This ended the second day.

The third day began with the GTO tasks. We were divided into a group of 9.This group too was special because all the candidates were from Sainik schools. And another special thing was that even the GTO officer was from Sainik School. So the GTO tasks were also very challenging ones. At first we had Group discussions on two different topics. Here too the same thing happened as in my screening test but I managed to give some but solid points. Later on we had planning exercises. In this exercise we were given a situation and we had to discuss and come to a conclusion about our solution. First we were made to write our own solution then we had to discuss and give the group story. Here I did better than in the previous two tests. One of my friends told the group story and I had given significant points to it so I was in a safe zone. Then we were taken into the field and we did PGT(progressive group task) and FGT(Full group task). I was completely lost in these two test. I did not understand who the test was going on because I was always pushed back and somebody else started giving orders and throughout the task I was made to hold the rope and just stand as a dummy. At the end of the day I had completely lost hopes that I would make it. In the afternoon we were left to go for outing. At my stay there I made so many friends and had a lot of fun. I watched two movies in theaters on outings as u had already seen Mysore. Before the day finished I promised myself that I would do well the next day.

The fourth day began. The rest of the GTO tests were conducted. The first was HGT(half group task). I did well in this test. It was almost as if I led the group. In individual obstacles too I did the highest among my group. I completed 12 obstacles. Here I did a mistake I could have done more but since I climbed rope for the second time I was completely exhausted. In my lecturate too I did well. I chose the topic “indegenisation”. It was a difficult level topic and I spoke well here. The last one test ie the command task went on smoothly for me. I had understood the techniques of using the instruments properly so I could do all the tasks given to me easily except for one where it took some time. This ended the GTO Tests completely.

The same day in the afternoon I had my interview. I had worn my school uniform for the interview. We were made to sit in a waiting hall and at first all my certificates were seen by the interviewing officer. Then I was called in. I was made to sit in front of the IO on a chair which was at a distance of around 10 feet from his desk. He asked me various questions. The interview lasted for nearly one and half hours. He stressed more upon my peer group and my family background. Since I was the school captain of my school, many questions were asked about my experiences there. Throughout the interview I made it a point to keep it real and truthful and have a smile in my face. Many questions were also asked based upon what I had filled in my PIQ form. I have a picture of my PIQ which I had written back in my school. I can share those pics with you guys.

The interview ended with a good note. So this was the end of my all the tests. The results were announce a day later. At first the results of CPSS were announced and around ten candidates had made it and I was one among them. Later on the ssb results were announced and my number was the first to be announced as it was 10.Totally four candidates could make it. Later on the four of us were made to fill the forms for medicals till 2am in night. Finally I went back home the next day.

Finally when the results were out I was happy to get an AIR of 4 but I couldn't make it into the forces because of some medical problem.