Hello friends, I am Praneet Singh. Recently, I got recommended from 18 SSB, Allahabad for NDA-143 AIR-51, on 28^th July 2019. My story is full of twists and turns. I got recommended for NDA-141 on 2^nd August 2018 from the same board in my first attempt. But I was declared medically unfit for a fracture in my elbow, which in fact never happened. It was very disheartening as I was rejected for a false reason. I even missed my NDA-142 written exam as my medical was being conducted during that duration. I appeared for NDA-143 and got a call for SSB. Coincidentally, I was allotted the same board this time also. So, here goes my second experience. I reported for SSB on 23rd July 2019. A total of just 36 candidates reported at the centre. I was surprised and excited as well that I had got the same board and I had occupied the same bed in the candidate’s lines. As I was a previously recommended candidate, I was given the last chest number.

Day 1– My OIR tests went pretty well and so did my story. In the discussion, I was able to perform well and control the group towards arriving at a consensus. Finally, 23 candidates got screened in and again I was allotted the last chest number.

Day 2– The first test was TAT and I found 2-3 pictures quite similar, but somehow I managed to get different plots and I was able to complete all 12 stories. In WAT, some words were quite tough, which put me into a dilemma as to what sentence to frame. Somehow, I managed to do 59 words. After that, we were given 5 minutes break, during which I felt that my performance could have been much better. I had very high hopes from myself, as I thought that the assessor would have higher expectations from me. Anyways, I gathered confidence again. In SRT, I performed quite well and completed 55 SRTs. I had already memorized my SD, so I was able to write it in the allotted time.

Day 3– GTO-1 was quite exciting for me as I had prepared well for GTO tasks before the SSB. GD and GPE were fantastic. In GPE, I had made a good plan and actively participated in the discussion to make group plan. I volunteered to give the plan and everyone agreed to my proposal. In PGT, I had many workable ideas. We had our GOR just after PGT and it was raining heavily. I, being a tall chap, was the first to climb walls and pull everyone up. In lecturette, I luckily got a topic, about which I had studied the previous day. I was able to speak for a complete 3 minutes. In HGT also, I did pretty well. I was happy with my performance on GTO-1.

Day 4– This day started with individual obstacles. I was able to do just 8 obstacles because it was raining and the ground was slippery due to mud. Then, it was time was FGT. Somehow, in FGT, there was great coordination among the group, which I could not see in day 3. In CT, I was given an average task, but to increase the difficulty, the GTO kept removing structures and imposed time penalties as well. But I was able to complete the task in the time I was told to. I was called as subordinate by 3 out of 7 other people in the group.

I was the last person in the batch to be interviewed and it took place after GTO, after lunch. My interview went on for 40-50 minutes and IO was more focused on my in-depth knowledge of the army. Although I was not from a military background, but I think it was so because I had been recommended once. I had a hard time convincing the IO that the reason behind my medical rejection last time was not true and this time, I’ll be medically unfit. The IO was also focused on real-life examples of my answers regarding friends and family. For eg- I said that I and my friends help out each other in difficult situations, so he asked me a recent example of how we have helped each other. Somehow, I was able to answer most of his questions and clearly said “Sorry sir, I don’t know” for the ones I did not know.

I wasn’t very confident about my recommendation this time, until the conference.

Day 5– I was the last one to be called for conference. It was very short. The discussion went on for 1-2 minutes and I was not asked anything in conference, except general question.

Finally, it was time was result. I was surprised when 9 out of 23 of us got recommended, which was completely beyond my estimate about the batch.

So, friends, this was my experience about my SSB. With the grace of God, I’m medically fit this time and waiting for the merit list and joining in December 2019. Thank you very much.