Every  year Indian Army, Indian Air Force and Indian Navy runs national level officers selection programs such as CDSE (Combines Defence Entrance Exam), AFCAT (Air Force Common Admission Test), TGC (Technical Graduate Course Entry), TES (10+2 Technical Entry Scheme), UES (University Entry Scheme), NDA (National Defence Entrance Exam). In these entries some are written exam based and some are direct entry, one thing that is common in all of the them is SSB (Service Selection Board) Interview. SSB Interview is a 5 day selection process that are conducted on the different ssb centres out of those five days; day 1 is called screening day on which selected candidates will undergo screening test and the successful candidates of this screening test will only undergo with the further selection process.
What is SSB Interview 2017 Screening Test
Day 1 of SSB interview is devoted screening procedure, hundreds of candidates arrive at day 1 of the SSB interview out of which only 40 to 50 candidates are screened in.
Screening Test consists of:
- Officer’s Intelligence Rating Test (OIR) – Verbal and Non verbal
- Picture Perception and Description Test (PPDT)– picture story writing, individual picture story brief description and group discussion on the Story
What is Officer’s Intelligence Rating Test (OIR)
After entering the SSB premises on day 1 candidates have to attempt first go through OIR test. The Intelligence Test comprises of two tests — Verbal and Non-verbal tests. These tests have 54-55 questions, and determine the Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) of the candidate. They consist of simple linguistic, logical, analytical, and mathematical questions to test the basic common sense.
Verbal section in OIR test consist of questions based on topics such as: Relationship, Jumbled words, Coding/Decoding, Multiple choice question, Â Antonym and synonym, reconstruction of sentence, one word substitution, Odd one out, common sense and alphabet test, Arithmetic questions.
Non-verbal section in OIR test consist of questions based on topics such as: Which figure is different from the other, Completion of series, Locate the concealed figure, Fill in the correct figure.
What is Picture Perception and Description Test (PPDT)
After writing OIR test candidates have to simultaneously attempt PPDT test. In this test, a picture will be shown for about 30 seconds to candidates and one minute is given to determine the age, sex, mood of the person and to write the action. The next 4 minutes is given to write a story on the same. After that a group of aspirants are made to sit in front of the assessors for the discussion test which is the second part of the PPDT.
Group Discussion in SSB Interview
In general in a group communication a discussion meet the traits like disagreement, conflicts, dissatisfaction, disapproval and emotional disorder. In these cases a skilled person knows how to react to such contradictions. In the group discussion how is everyone competitive mood is the plot of interest for the assessors. Whether are you able to be emotionally stable? Or are you able to maintain the degree of patient listening?
Differences are and bound to happen and one should have the emotional stability to resolve the emotional disturbances and emotional disorders.
Tips on Group discussion:
- Tame your words, tone and gesture when in discussion.
- Taking into consideration of others interest and reciprocating in a very acceptable manner / humble-disagreement show the skill of management of contradiction.
- Positive body language is required it shows mental acuity and intentions of the person, aggression without hard facts and impressive words will cause harmful effects.
- Story should be presented it with an example of valour, brain (strategies and tactics) and humanity, no need to show that you know it all imposing your smartness over others make bad impression on the assessors.
Only thing is make a simple nice story – articulate it well – listen to others – present your point nicely with nice gestures to everybody – don’t let discussion distract from the topic – be good team player.
