“Starve yourself to an extent that if success comes to your plate it must not break free”
I took that line away too seriously and got myself recommended in the very first go. Ladies and gentlemen my name is Chetan Vats, a simple boy of the motherland, recommended from 1 AFSB Dehradun on 26th February 2021 to join NDA 146 course.
My love for the nation started back in June 2020 when I filled the form for UPSC NDA (ll) 2020 exam, like every other love story there was a major obstacle in mine too i.e. I was a fat chap weighing over 95 kgs. Apparently, to join the academy I had to grind 40 kgs of body weight along with written and SSB.
In the month of September, I appeared for the written exam which consists of two parts MATHS(I) and GAT(II). Aspirants, I’ll suggest everyone practice PYQs which’ll familiarise you with the pattern exam holds.
The results were out, as expected 0861335, there it was in the written results list.
By now bodyweight 78kgs and still deflating.
“You will become, what you think”, I always imagined those blue stripes (later stars) on my shoulders which kept me moving. By end of December 66kgs and still deflating.
Here it is the D-day, 22nd February 2021, 1AFSB Dehradun 0600hrs, around 200 motivated chaps with a dream to fly high reported there.
We were served the breakfast and hence screening started, we were given 2 sets of OIR, 50 questions each and soon after we’re taken to a large hall where we were shown a picture and every single chap jotted down the best they can, followed by narration and a healthy discuss thereafter, the screening was done.
And here I was screened in along with 59 others, alloted chest no. 37, which will be clinging to me for next 5 days.
I was fortunate enough to have my psychology test as well as interview on the very first day of testing.
Psychology:
Psychology test consists of four batteries i.e. TAT, WAT, SRT and SD on the basis of which psychologist marks you.
Aspirants, I’ll suggest to practice psychology as much as you could so that you’ll end up giving beautiful and workable ideas to the psychologist. I used to practice it from SSBCrack books and they regularly uploaded the videos on their YouTube for motivation.
Interview:
My interview was scheduled in the afternoon just after the psychology test, it was a healthy discussion between me and a senior officer, who asked me several questions about my FAMILY, FRIENDS, TEACHERS, SPORTS, HOBBIES/INTERESTS and SELF, he also asked a few questions about current happening of my own choice. My interview lasted around an hour and I was motivated by the interviewer to do best in GT. Aspirants, I’ll suggest you to be honest with the officer
For next two days I was completely free and spend the time with some newly made friends, from them some will be my coursemates soon.
Ground Tasks:
In this we were tested how logically we can give answers to the simple hurdles made to find out natural leaders on the ground, our GT officer was a man of humour and always motivated us. There were tasks like Group discussion, Group planning exercise, Progressive group task, Half group task, Lecturette, Command task, Individual obstacle, and Final group task to test the candidates.
Aspirants, I’ll suggest keep giving workable ideas and always corporate with your teammates.
Here it came 26th February, the conference day. I saw a weird fear in each aspirant’s eye, constant prayers and discussions regarding their performance can be heard from each corner of the waiting area.
Soon I was called in, a huge panel of the officers was sitting there, conference lasts around 40-50 seconds and I was sent out for the result,
I was waiting when an officer came holding a small piece of paper on which the names of some fortunate ones was inscribed.
He started announcing the chest numbers and moment came when he called,” chest no.37″ we were instructed to call our names and DOBs upon recommendation, with my chest puffed out two inches, I did so with excitement,
Met my teammates and hugged them for being there with me all these days.
Soon our documentation was done and we were allotted medical boards, due to some medical condition I couldn’t join airforce and was allotted MH Bhopal for medical testing.
On 10th march, I reported there, by time weight was 62kgs and still deflating.
Given TR for 5 kg overweight, soon cleared it in just two weeks.
Thanked my mother for her blessings and prayers, there it was in the medical register, “CHETAN VATS CHEST NO. 37 D-NDA/499 FIT FOR ARMY”
What a romance it was to shed some skin and soul, just to scream it out loud,” YES I HAVE IT IN ME”
