“Words are like threads, make a web from it and catch the mind of people.” Hey guys this is Mayank Kumar Shukla going to share my story and experience through this. I was recommended back in Sept 2015 from Allahabad in my first attempt but unfortunately I didn’t make it to the academy and was merit out that time. But forgetting the past and moving ahead in life, I boosted up myself for my next SSB. My parents encouraged me a lot; my best buddies, Jyotsana Anand, Ankur Singh and Adarsh Pandey helped me while the preparation. My Social Studies teacher Miss Shashi Singh ma’am also helped me in preparing current affairs and took my interview several times which increased my confidence.
My reporting date for the SSB was 14th March 2016 in Allahabad. I departed from Lucknow to Allahabad on 13th March after seeking the blessings of my parents who came along with me to the railway station. I reached there at 1pm and went with my Uncle Mr. Anand Dubey to his house. I rested there, had food and revised a bit for the SSB in the evening and took a proper sleep in the night.
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Next day, my uncle dropped me at the MCO and from there I joined my fellow candidates who were waiting there. We all went together to the Selection Centre by the army bus and had breakfast there. Then we were called for document verification and were divided into three groups, first The Fresher’s and the screened out, second The Repeaters/conference out and last group was of a previously recommended candidate in which I found myself alone but after few minutes a candidate came out of the repeaters line and joined me. He was recommended few days before from Allahabad for NDA-136 batch. There were total of 231 candidates who reported that day and I was having the last chest number i.e. 231 😛
The screening process went as usual which comprises of Intelligence Tests followed by Picture Perception and Discussion Test (PP and DT). My Intelligence Tests went good and I completed all the questions in given time. Picture Perception test also went good and now it was the time for the discussion test. It went on as it was expected and that room became fish market as soon after the assessor said to start the discussion. After that psychologist decided to divide the group into two sub groups and then conducted the test. Afterward, we were provided lunch and then we went back to the testing hall for knowing the result. The results were announced of Day-1 test and 20 were screened in out of 231 candidates and I got chest no.19. We then filled the PIQ form and then we talked to each other and became friends on the first day only.
DAY-2
The next day was psychological test which comprises of Thematic Apperception Test, Word Association Test, Situation Reaction Test and Self Description Test. We all went to the testing hall and took our seats and the instructions were provided by the assessors before very test. I did 12/12 TAT, 58/60 WAT, 47/60 SRT and wrote the SDT projecting the necessary and positive qualities.
Here I would like to say that one should be true in this test along with plenty amount of managed thoughts in mind. AND your writing speed should also be fast to cope up with the time given for every test. 😛
On completion of these tests, few candidates went for their interview and rest of us went to the candidate’s line. We played different games and enjoyed the company of each other there. I learned the tactics of volley ball from my fellow mates in the evening.
DAY-3
GTO Day-1, the day on which our group effort is checked along with physical strength. We all woke up at 04:30am and got ready like a white angel 😛 We were asked to assemble at 06:30am so we did our breakfast early and gathered near the shed. Everyone was excited for the GTO activities and was discussing how to tackle every situation in those tasks. We had Group Discussion, Group Planning Exercise, Progressive Group Task, Group Obstacle Race, Half Group Task, Lecturette and Individual Obstacle on the first day of GTO only.
GD went good as we all planned earlier in our group that not to make it noisy and to give everyone equal opportunity to express his views. GPE also went good and we all agreed upon the common story very soon. In PGT, group members responded very well and we completed the task before the given time. Then we went to the most interesting, physically challenging and sort of fun-filled task which is popularly known as “Snake Race”. We all did very well in the task and finished first. But all the three groups where cheering and shouting their war cry as every group was thinking that they have won it. I suppose the assessors are so smart that they create certain situations so that every group finishes the race at the same time.
After that we were given a break of 20mins and then we were divided in two sub groups of odd and even chest numbers for HGT and my group completed that task within the given time. Now it was the time of Lecturette, my personal favorite task. I spoke on ‘Strikes and protests: harming or helping the citizens’. We got a 3-4min break in which everyone praised my speaking quality which boosted my morale to the peak. After that, our group was called for IO. I completed 14 obstacles in 3minutes, 5 obstacles more than my previous SSB.
Proceedings of the day end after IO task. None of us was having any further energy left inside and we all hurried to the candidate’s line and lied on our bed like a nonliving object. It seemed like the scene of night in the afternoon. 😛
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DAY-4
GTO Day-2, only two of our tasks were left. Command Task and Final Group Task. We completed it easily. Then I got information that my interview is scheduled at 10am so I have to go direct to the SSB board in the GTO dress only. I washed my face and went to the waiting room of the 14SSB board. After few minutes my chest number flashed on the screen and I entered the room of Dy President. Interview went nice and I suppose interviewing officer was satisfied by my answers. Firstly he asked the questions related to my personal life like about my marks achieved in different classes, family and friends in a rapid fire manner. Then he asked general knowledge questions related to countries and their capitals, currencies, full forms and different organizations of which I answered most of them. My interview went for approx 30-40mins.
DAY-5
It was the Conference Day. We all woke up early, dressed up formally, packed our bags and went to the waiting shed. We were briefed about the conference procedure by the staff member. I waited for my number and then went for my conference. Dy President asked about the differences in between my both the SSB’s experience. He also asked me about the changes I faced after getting merit out. He then asked me for the suggestions of which I answered that all the things were very good and I enjoyed it a lot. BUT he then again asked to suggest him two changes of which I said him to enhance the facility of wet canteen and a space for cricket ground 😀 My conference went for around 15mins. And then we gathered in the room for the results.
The result came within 20mins and I made it once again. Total of four candidates were selected out of 20 candidates. I called my parents as soon as I got time and informed them with tears of happiness in my eyes.
I was medically fit in my first SSB but this time, I got TR for Cardiac murmur, Tachycardia and B/L Flat feet which I have cleared in the medical review. This time, I am hoping for the best and a good rank in the merit list.
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At last, I will say to my fellow Defence aspirants that if u want to see yourself in the olive green you must be determined for it. All the things happen in your life to check your determination. If you are determined towards your goal, you will definitely achieve it. “The secret of life though is to fall seven times and to get up eight times.”
