PPDT is the test conducted on the very first day of SSB. It stands for Picture Perception and Discussion Test. The test is very crucial from the candidate’s point of view as it decides their destiny whether he/she has secured his selection for stage-II of SSB.

It is a test which tells about the thought process of a candidate. In this test, candidates are shown a picture for 30 seconds where they are required to write a story about what they have perceived in the picture. For writing the story, you get the first 1 minute to give your story a suitable theme and mark the characters in the box and next 4 minutes to write a full story on the same theme. Here in the starting 1 minute, you need to mark the character on the square box given with age, gender, and mood inside it.

Here I am going to share ten tips with you all, using which might provide you with a higher edge over other candidates in the test.

• The first mistake that the candidates do in this is that they start writing before seeing the picture correctly. So, due to this, they are not able to write a relevant story according to the image. Whenever you get 30 seconds to observe the picture, try to give proper attention to it. Do not start writing in between that time.
• Be as observative as you can. The moment you see the picture start observing all the characters, the background, and situations too. The more you follow the picture, the more you could get inside it and produce a better story.
• Always try to select a main Hero/Heroine for the story. Choosing some main character helps to write a story in more precise and systematic. Not only this used good common sense to predict the age, mood and occupation of the main character.

• Here, there is no need to find a problem forcefully in the picture. Suppose the image is shown in a happy mood then take it as a celebration or happy moments. Apart from this, try to make a Positive story. Though there could be many perceptions for a picture, I will advise that mostly try to write a positive story from the image you get. Try to get a happy ending in the picture.
• It is always advisable to write the story in the past tense. Try to be clear with what you are writing. Be short and crisp with the story.
• There is always a first perception which comes in your mind after seeing any picture. So always write your first perception on the paper instead of making some previously made stories and writing them. Writing the stories you wrote before might put you in trouble.

• Whenever you are writing a story, do it properly. You can use the following steps for this. Firstly introduce the hero/heroine you are choosing in the starting lines. Then talk about the situations which have led to the scenes or the problem you might be seeing in the picture. Later, you can tell some possible outcomes or solutions for the issue you are describing. Writing a story systematically makes it easier to read and narrate.
• If you are talking about any issue or problem in your story, then prefer quick actions over the long-term plans. Try to solve the issue in the story itself, instead of going with future planning and strategies.

• Mostly, I have observed that the candidates make stories like they are writing the script of a film. So, Whenever you are writing a story, keep it as practical as you can. The actions you are performing in the story needs to look real instead of superstitious promises. Try to come up with the solutions which can be implemented in real life too.
• Try to write the story fastly and complete it on time. Instead of long sentences, use commas to write effectively. Though if you are not able to complete it on time, it will not be a big issue as you can always finish it while narrating.

Though, it is a type of test in which initially you might not be able to write good stories but practising more pictures will make you profitable in this test. Just be focussed while performing the test as it will help you to produce a more relevant story. So, these were some of the tips from my side. I hope you will find them insightful.

Thanks and JaiHind!