Hello, I’m Hardik. I’m Btech in ECE and I’m from Delhi. I’ve given total 6 attempts of SSB before making it in merit for ICG Assistant Commandant. And the journey had not been smooth. I gave my 1st SSB attempt in March 2018 for AFCAT entry in Varanasi, AFSB-4. I got recommended there. There I had my CPSS for flying branch. I cleared it too. But fate had some other plans and I got medically unfit for flying branch but got fit in ground duties from which I eventually got merit out. That was the highest point of setback in my life. But after 10 days of my merit release I had another SSB lined up. I grabbed the strength and went for it. 2nd attempt was in Bangalore SSB-12 for Indian Navy. I got recommended in that one too but again got merit out! Again, demotivation. Again got up and courageously went for my next SSBs.
3rd and 4th attempts were from AFCAT entry AFSB-1 Dehradun and ICG entry Noida respectively. And I got conference out from both of them. Heartbreaking. But after so many attempts you already become a fauji in a sense and you just don’t give up.
5th attempt was again ICG, and I got recommended there, cleared medicals and everything. But I had stopped relying of merit lists now so I kept on trying for every entry possible.
Recent was my 6th attempt again from AFCAT entry, again in Varanasi. And I got the worst failure of all my SSB journey when I got screened out for the first time. That was the final nail in the coffin and that’s when I decided to have other things in mind apart from SSBs and have some other back up exams too.
While I was considering other exams and career opportunities, this merit list showed up with my name there! Lesson learnt : After your lowest comes your highest.
Many setbacks came. SSB and non SSB related, but I never let anything hamper my SSB performance, nor was I casual in any attempt. SSBCrack has helped me a lot in all my attempts and I’m glad I took help from them. I have learned a lot from their tips and suggestions.
Ups and downs are inevitable. But as Winston Churchill said “If you’re going through hell, keep going.” That’s the only way out.
The most inspiring officer of ICG, glad to know her personally.