SSB Interview

Jan 10, 2023, 16:45 IST

SSB stands for Service Selection Board. It is an organisation that conducts interviews for the selection of candidates for the Indian Armed Forces, including the Indian Army, Indian Navy, and Indian Air Force. The SSB interview is a multi-stage selection process that includes various tests and interviews designed to evaluate the personality, intelligence, and aptitude of candidates.

The Service Selection Board (SSB) is an organisation established by the Indian Ministry of Defense. The candidates that clear written exams such as CDS, NDA, AFCAT and others are then called for SSB Interview. It is a 5-day, two-stage process in which candidates who have been selected undergo medical examinations and many other tests.

Overall, the ssb interview preparation is a comprehensive and demanding process that aims to identify the most suitable candidates for officer training in the Indian Armed Forces. It is important for candidates to be well-prepared and to demonstrate their leadership potential, intelligence, and psychological stability during the interview.

If you are interested in serving your country as a part of the Indian Armed Forces, read this complete article to understand the SSB interview process and how to pass the interview on the first go

SSB Interview 2022: Overview

The Indian Armed Forces use the SSB interview, which is a multi-step process, to judge the personality, intelligence, and skills of candidates for officer training. It is designed to identify individuals who have the potential to become effective leaders and officers in the military.

Candidates to the Army/ Navy/ Naval Academy and Air Force must obtain the minimum qualifying mark on the written exam and Officer Potential Test to go for an interview. Here, until nda ssb interview date 2023 is not released candidates can see 2022 dates, including all procedures till the selection procedure.

SSB Interview Round

Candidates must pass one of the exams to take part in the SSB Interview. The examinations are

• National Defence Academy & Naval Academy Examination
• Combined Defence Services Examination (CDSE)
• Air Force Common Admission Test (AFCAT)

Qualified candidates will be called for an army SSB interview, followed by additional examinations. All qualified candidates have to go for SSB Interview for final selection. The final selection will be on the candidates' performance in the examination and the SSB Interview. Candidates should report for ssb interview dates specified in their interview invitation letter.

You can also check for the best book for ssb interview.

SSB Interview Procedure

The SSB Interview Procedure includes two phases of selection: Stage I and Stage II. Only candidates who pass Stage I will take part in Stage II. The complete procedure is as follows:

• Stage 1: This phase includes Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) examinations and the Picture Perception & Description Test (PP & DT).
• Stage 2: It is a preliminary screening. The candidates will be selected based on their combined OIR Test and PP & DT scores.
• Stage 3: The duration of this phase is four (4) days. The second stage comprises psychological tests, group testing officer tasks, an interview, and a conference.

Five Days SSB Interview Procedure

The Service Selection Board interview is after examining candidates through various parameters for 05 days. The candidates are eliminated on the first and fifth days of the program. Candidates who aspire to serve the nation must have a thorough understanding of the SSB Service Selection Board process and prepare themselves accordingly.

The SSB selection procedure includes physical, psychological, personality, and intelligence examinations. But how is it carried out? What would the candidate do? Curious? Find the SSB Service Selection Board's daily procedure. You can also check for ssb interview best book.

SSB Day-1 Reporting Day

As soon as candidates come to the reporting centre, they must fill out a form with their personal and educational details. After completing and submitting the documents, candidates are assigned a temporary chest number. This chest number will be used to communicate with candidates throughout their whole interview with the Service Selection Board.

Candidates will only be called by their respective officials and seniors using their chest numbers. After completing the application, candidates have to take a screening exam. The SSB evaluation consists of the SSB OIR Officer Intelligence Test (OIR Test), the Picture Perception and Description Test (PPDT), and the Story Narration and Discussion Test.

Officer Intelligence Test (OIR Test)

During the SSB Service Selection Board OIR Test, candidates must answer 50 verbal and nonverbal questions, respectively. Each question set is to be completed in 30 minutes by the candidates.

Picture Perception and Description Test (PPDT)

In this test, candidates have either a clear or blurry image for thirty seconds. Candidates must recall the total number of visible characters in the image. Each candidate is then required to compose an approximately seventy-word story based on their observations of the image.

The applicant must include the character's mood, age, and gender. The Picture Perception and Description Test is to assess a candidate's expressiveness and observational abilities.

Story Narration and Discussion Test

The candidates are in small groups for a story narration and discussion. Each group member has one minute to tell their story. The group is then asked to create a story including elements from each of their individual picture stories.

Elimination

After these three exams are conducted on the very first day, the performance of each candidate is analysed both as a group. Other applicants are eliminated from the Service Selection Board interview process if their performance is unsatisfactory.

Candidates whose performance is satisfactory advance to the next round of the SSB Service Selection Board. Only the selected candidates will get housing, while the remaining candidates are requested to leave the centre. Candidates are rejected from the SSB Service Selection Board only on the first and fifth days.

SSB Day-2 Psychology Test

Candidates are evaluated psychologically using a series of psychological tests. During this round of the SSB Service Selection Board, mental health and perception abilities are evaluated. Candidates' personality traits, unconscious strengths, and stigmas are revealed by these psychological tests. The applicants have to answer the questions based on their understanding of the examination.

Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)

The SSB Service Selection Board TAT is conducted to shortlist candidates on the very first day to determine their viewpoint on interpersonal relationships. The applicants are given 12 ambiguous pictures, 11 of which are unclear and one of which is a blank placard. The contenders will get a picture for thirty seconds before being given four minutes to write a story.

Twelve similar images are sequentially displayed. The final image is a blank slide on which candidates have to write a story of their choice. The contestants get 30 seconds to think and four minutes to write a story.

Word Association Test (WAT)

The candidates have sixty simple words for 15 seconds each and asked to answer with the first thought that comes to mind after the stimulus is shown. The Word Association Test (WAT) is performed during the Service Selection Board interview to determine the schemas and information stored in a candidate's brain and memory.

Situation Reaction Exam (SRT)

The candidates are given a booklet comprising sixty questions based on real-world scenarios. The candidates must record their responses to these events within thirty minutes. The SRT helps the SSB Service Selection Board in evaluating the problem-solving and decision-making abilities of the candidate.

Self Description Test

The final event of the day is the Self Description Test, in which candidates have five questions regarding their perceptions of themselves or their closest life associates. The SDT assesses the candidates' self-image, self-esteem, and perspective of the world and other people.

SSB Day-3 (Group Task - 1)

The Group Testing Officer conducts the SSB Service Selection Board Group Exam (GTO). The tasks evaluate the candidate's ability to perform in a group and interact with others. During the interview with the Service Selection Board, the GTO evaluates both the candidates' group and individual efforts. The candidates' third day at the SSB is quite eventful, as detailed in the following list. You can also check for ssb interview questions with answers.

Group Discussion (GD)

The SSB Service Selection Board conducts two 20-30 minute group discussions. Common topics include social issues and current events. The candidates have to give their opinions on the provided subjects, and their speaking abilities, communication skills, and assertiveness are evaluated.

Group (Military) Planning Exercises (GPE)

The candidates are divided into groups of 10 to 15 people and given a model with specific problems. Candidates are expected to identify problems and propose solutions for them. The Service Selection Board interview includes group planning exercises to test the candidates' teamwork skills, problem-solving skills, and empathy levels.

Progressive Group Task (PGT)

The Service Selection Board (SSB) provides candidates with four obstacles and helpful materials. The applicants must utilise the provided materials skillfully and solve the hurdles as an unified group.

Group Obstacle Race (GOR)

The race course will contain six obstacles for the group of competitors. Here, the groups will perform in collaboration. The Service Selection Board uses this task to evaluate the applicant's sportsmanship, competitiveness, and teamwork.

Half Group Task (HGT)

This activity is similar to the SSB Progressive Group Task (PGT). The only difference is that the group is subdivided even further. For instance, if there were 10 people in a group, now there will be five in one group and five in another, competing against one another.

SSB Day-4 (Group Task - 2)

Day 4 of the Service Selection Board interview is packed with tasks for the candidates. The SSB Group Testing Officer (GTO) evaluates the candidates' task performance, which ultimately determines their prospects of advancing to the final day. The following are the activities for the SSB Service Selection Board:

Lecturette

The SSB Service Selection Board Lecturette more closely follows an impromptu speech competition. The contestants have to select a placard containing four topics. Candidates may select a topic of their choice from those provided. The contestants have three minutes to speak on the selected topic.

Individual Obstacles (IO)

In three minutes, the contestants must overcome ten hurdles. The hurdles are numbered from 1 to 10 according to their degree of difficulty, with 1 being the least difficult and 10 being the most difficult. Through this task, the Service Selection Board interview checks the candidate's individual capabilities.

Command Task

The candidates will be given leadership positions. While playing the role of a commander, the candidates must select the subordinates who will help them overcome the hurdles. The SSB Service Selection Board command task assesses the candidate's leadership and observational skills.

Final Group Task (FGT)

As before HGT, the groups of candidates are organised into a larger unit. The contestants must solve certain issues and barriers within a time limit. The task is similar to SSB Service Selection Board PGT, but more challenging.

Personal Interview

The SSB Service Selection Board interview begins on Day 2 and continues simultaneously with other events through Day 4. The interview is by the interviewer. The Service Selection Board's interview questions are based on the personal information candidates gave on day 

The questions are also related to General Knowledge. The candidates are evaluated individually depending on their speaking abilities, body language, and expressiveness. You can also check for dress code for ssb interview.

SSB Day-5 Conference

The final day of the Service Selection Board interview is the day all candidates are evaluated. All officers who are in the evaluation process discuss the candidates' performances. Later, the candidates have to go to the conference room, where a panel of officers asks them questions and evaluates their answers. After analysing each candidate's performance, the SSB Service Selection Board announces its results and recommends qualified candidates for further consideration. You can also check for ssb interview syllabus.

Frequently asked question (FAQs)

Q1. Is ssb interview tough

Ans. The SSB is seen as difficult because just a few candidates are selected from hundreds of applicants. It is a six-day learning experience during which you gain a lot of knowledge about yourself and your strengths. It is simple; it is only a matter of doing the right thing at the right moment.

Q2. Where is the SSB interview held?

Ans. There are four SSB Centres for the Indian Army, each located in a different Indian state. The Indian Army has services selection boards in Allahabad, Bhopal, and Bangalore that propose suitable applicants for Army officer positions.

Q3. How many days does the SSB interview take?

Ans. All candidates for the armed forces must be familiar with the whole SSB Interview procedure. Each day of the five-day SSB interview consists of a series of different tests.

Q4. Where is the nda ssb interview held?

Ans. The SSB conducts the interview in Varanasi for NDA, AFCAT, and CDSE applicants, among others. Varanasi is well-connected to other Indian cities via air, rail, and road and has all the necessary commuter amenities.