According to initial reports, there was a shooting incident at Bathinda Military Station early Wednesday morning resulting in the death of four soldiers. Indian Army sources suggest that it appears to be an internal issue as a rifle with ammunition has been missing for the past two days. Search operations are currently underway inside the military station, which has dense plantation in some areas. The Army has confirmed that four soldiers from an artillery unit succumbed to gunshot injuries during the incident.
The Army further stated that an INSAS rifle along with 28 rounds has been reported missing over the past two days. Fortunately, there have been no other injuries or damages to property reported in connection with the incident. The area has been cordoned off, and the Army is working in collaboration with Punjab Police to conduct joint investigations and ascertain the facts of the case.
At the Tezpur Air Force Station in Assam, President Droupadi Murmu made history by taking a ride in a Sukhoi 30 MKI fighter aircraft. She became the second woman and third President to do so. In the visitor’s book, she congratulated the Indian Air Force and the team at Air Force Station Tezpur for organizing the experience.
The President described the ride as “exhilarating” and expressed pride in India’s defense capabilities covering all land, air, and sea frontiers. She also received a briefing on the operational capabilities of the aircraft and the Indian Air Force, which left her satisfied with their preparedness.
The flight lasted approximately 30 minutes and covered Brahmaputra and Tezpur valley. Gp Capt Naveen Kumar, CO of 106 Squadron, piloted the aircraft at a height of about two kilometers above sea level and a speed of roughly 800 kilometers per hour.
The Sukhoi 30 MKI is a twin-engine, multirole fighter jet designed by Russia’s Sukhoi and built under license by India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). It is one of the most advanced fighters in the Indian Air Force’s arsenal and has been in service since 2002.
President Murmu’s flight took place on April 8, 2023, at the Tezpur Air Force Station in Assam. The station is located in the northeast part of India, close to the borders with China and Bhutan. It is home to several squadrons of fighter jets, including the Sukhoi 30 MKI.
The President’s flight was part of a broader program to showcase India’s defense capabilities to the public. The Indian Air Force regularly organizes such events, where civilians and dignitaries can experience a flight in a fighter jet or watch aerobatic displays.
Before taking off, President Murmu underwent a medical checkup to ensure she was fit for the flight. She also received a safety briefing and was equipped with a flight suit, helmet, and oxygen mask. During the flight, she was seated in the rear cockpit of the Sukhoi 30 MKI, behind the pilot.
The President’s flight covered a distance of approximately 250 kilometers and included several maneuvers, such as rolls, loops, and dives. The pilot also demonstrated the aircraft’s weapons systems and electronic sensors. President Murmu was able to observe the Brahmaputra River and the surrounding landscape from a unique perspective.
After the flight, President Murmu met with the pilots and ground crew involved in the operation. She also signed the visitor’s book and posed for photographs with the aircraft. Her flight was widely covered by the media, and it received praise from politicians and defense experts for highlighting India’s military strength.
The interview plays a crucial role in your recommendation in SSB. It is said to carry the maximum number of marks and is taken by an officer of fairly high rank. Therefore Interview is like that one star-marked question that can change the course of things and fetch you the highest marks on the Test. Obviously, there are a lot of things associated with interviews. Your conduct and your behavior in the interview play a vital role in deciding the course of your interview. And the most important thing in any interview is the questions asked in it.
SSB interview, being no different, has certain questions which decide your selection in the SSB. Obviously, these questions alone won’t get you selected, and you need to work on other things as well, in order to clear it.
So here are few questions that are not specific to our textbook knowledge, these questions are based on your personality, social relationship, surroundings, family background, your day to day activities, intellectualism, and reasoning abilities, in fact, these questions hold more importance than current affairs questions. Your replies to such questions hold more importance than answering current affairs questions, so, you must always prepare about yourself and things around you. Having self-knowledge and of our surroundings is of utmost importance to excel in life.
SSB Interview Questions That Decide Your Selection
Tell me something about yourself: The answer to this one question can speak volumes about you, your life and your personality. If you answer this question well, you create a good impact for yourself. You need to speak in detail about your personality. What a person speaks about himself, in such a short notice tells a lot about that person. Basically, you have to sell your personality in this question in a subtle way.
The comprehensive question: This is a long question, and candidates fear it a lot of times. They forget the questions in between and think that they have messed up their interview doing that. The most important thing about the comprehensive question is the quality with which your answer. Cover all the points. The simple trick is that these questions follow a pattern and can be connected easily. Your confidence in this is very important.
Why you want to join: People think that this is a light question, and like every other private organization interview they attend; they just have to answer it for the sake of answering it. Others go on and say made up things about passion, patriotism, and other stuff which are idealistic. In this question you have to give practical answers, which are related to you, and not something you have read or heard somewhere. You have to be a pragmatist.
Why did you fail/ How is this attempt different from previous: This is an important question for repeaters. Again here you need to answer practically, and the truth. Analyze your mistakes and prepare in a better way. Introspect yourself, and your attempt, then only you’ll be able to answer this question properly.
In relation to your near and dear ones: If you can’t answer questions related to your family or friends properly, this goes on to show how unaware you are of your surroundings. And officers have to be aware of their surroundings. So prepare well about the qualities and work of your friends and family.
Situational questions: In the interview, you are slowly and very smartly pitched in a situation reaction test. The interviewing officer will ask you in a very friendly way that what will you do if your parents won’t let you marry the person you want. Or if you are forced by your parents to not join the Armed Forces, or how did you organize a match of football in your college ( if you have mentioned about playing football) or any other such situation. The key here is not to deny the situation and accept it, and answer in a mature way, corresponding to your personality.
Self-awareness question: Knowing oneself is the toughest task. We can analyze others, comment on them, but very rarely do we know fully about ourselves. Many times you’ll be asked questions which demand an insight into your own personality. Maybe he’ll ask you to back your answers about your hobbies, your routine, as you might have mentioned in the PIQ.
The questions which you don’t have an answer for: Interviews are not meant to check how much you know. They are meant to examine how you deal with the questions you don’t know. The key to this is not beating about the bush and being honest and upfront, yet calm and composed and saying that you don’t have much knowledge about the subject to answer it.
People think that their knowledge and GK help them in getting recommended, however, they are not as important as the above questions.
During the SSB interview, candidates are generally asked a wide range of questions that aim to assess their personality traits, cognitive abilities, social skills, and overall suitability for the job. Some of the most common types of questions that recommended candidates may face during the SSB interview are:
Personal questions about your family, background, hobbies, interests, etc.
Questions to test your verbal and non-verbal communication skills.
Questions related to your academic and professional qualifications.
Questions to assess your problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
Questions to evaluate your leadership qualities and team management skills.
Questions to test your mental and emotional stability under pressure.
Questions related to current affairs, general knowledge, and social issues.
Questions to assess your attitude towards life, work, and society.
Questions to evaluate your physical fitness and medical history.
Questions to test your adaptability and flexibility.
Questions related to your goals and aspirations.
Questions to assess your creativity and imagination.
Questions to evaluate your sense of responsibility and accountability.
Questions related to your ethical and moral values.
Questions to test your decision-making skills in real-life situations.
Not every candidate who clears the SSB interview is guaranteed to join the academy for training. There are cases where recommended candidates may not make it due to either not meeting the required merit standards or being deemed medically unfit. In such cases, these recommended candidates can reapply for the SSB interview and undergo the complete selection process again.
If you have undergone an SSB interview, you may have encountered some recommended candidates in your group who could not join the academy due to various reasons. These individuals are required to go through the entire selection process again, just like any other candidate, to prove their worthiness. There is a common belief that recommended candidates have an advantage over freshers and repeaters. However, whether this is true or not, we will explore in our next article. In this article, we will address the 15 most frequently asked questions by recommended candidates during the SSB interview.
15 Questions Only SSB Recommended Candidates Will Face
Why didn’t you join the academy last time?
What was the reason for being medically unfit?
What was the reason behind not making it in the merit list, what do you think?
Why didn’t you join the academy when you were fit and in the merit list? (For candidates who don’t join the academy even being in the merit list)
You got recommended for IAF/Army/Navy but why are you apply for IAF/Army/Navy this time, why not apply for the same service? (For candidates who get recommended for a different service and again apply for a different one)
What if you are declared medically unfit again?
What if you don’t make it in the merit list again?
How did you improve this time, what changes have you made in your SSB preparation to get in the merit list?
How did you make yourself medically fit?
What if you don’t get recommend this time?
Being a recommended candidate, who do you think is performing well in your group and why?
What was your reaction after knowing that you are merit out/medically unfit?
Do you think you will be recommended this time?
Compare your SSB performance this time v/s last time?
This time what different you did to make sure you make it in the merit list?
There could be more questions, so we ask all the recommended candidates to post them below in the comment section.
More SSB Questions:
How did you prepare for the SSB interview?
What is your opinion on the current state of the armed forces?
How do you handle stress in high-pressure situations?
Can you describe a time when you showed leadership skills?
Why do you want to join the armed forces?
What are some of the qualities that make a good leader?
Can you tell me about a time when you had to work as part of a team to accomplish a goal?
How do you approach decision-making when faced with limited information?
Can you describe a situation where you had to think on your feet and adapt to changing circumstances?
What are your strengths and weaknesses, and how do they affect your performance in a team environment?
AFSB stands for Air Force Selection Board, which is a series of interviews and tests conducted by the Indian Air Force to select candidates for officer-level positions in the Air Force. The AFSB interview is the final stage of the selection process for candidates who have passed the initial stages of testing.
What is AFSB?
The AFSB interview is a comprehensive assessment of a candidate’s physical, psychological, and mental abilities. It consists of a series of tests, group discussions, and personal interviews designed to evaluate the candidate’s aptitude, personality, communication skills, leadership qualities, and decision-making abilities.
The AFSB interview is a crucial step for candidates aspiring to join the Indian Air Force as officers. It requires extensive preparation and practice to succeed in the interview and secure a position in the Air Force.
AFSB Interview Rapid Fire Questions
One of the important parts of your AFSB personal interview is rapid fire questions, these questions are very basic and personal in nature and these rapid fire questions are always asked in every AFSB or SSB interview. In this article we are going to talk more about rapid fire questions in AFSB interview, why IO ask us rapid fire questions and how to answer rapid fire questions.
As you know SSB and AFSB are almost same but you may find some differences here and there, we are telling you the procedure of attending AFSB personal interview.
Candidate will be given a date and time well in advance and he or she is required to report to the candidate waiting room at least 1 hour before.
Candidate must carry his or her documents which include mark sheets, sports certificate and any other achievement.
If you have mentioned in the PIQ form that you have played nationals then make sure you have a certificate for the same. “No Excuses”
Once you reach the candidate’s waiting room, you will see other candidates waiting for their turn, do not worry there will be 2-3 interviews going on simultaneously.
There you will find a display which indicates the chest number once you see your chest number in it, it’s your turn to go for the personal interview.
Before going inside the interview room, one assistant will take your certificate inside and IO will have a look at it for 5 -10 mins.
IO will prepare few question based on your certificate as well.
After few minutes you will be called inside.
AFSB Questions
Name of the place you come from?
The institution where you had your education?
Your 10th class marks?
Favorite subjects in 10th class?
Favorite teachers in 10th class, why?
Teachers you didn’t like in 10th, why?
Your 12th class marks?
Favorite subjects in 12th class?
Favorite teachers in 12th class, why?
Teachers you didn’t like in 12th, why?
Any competitive exam after 12th, what was the result?
Your graduation %age?
Why did you choose BTechh/BSc/etc?
Participated in any extra-curricular activities in college?
Any special achievement in life?
Who are there in your family?
Occupation of each family member?
How is your relationship with your brother/sister?
Whom do you like most Mom or dad?
How do you pass time?
How do you spend your pocket money or income?
Name a few negative qualities in your friends.
Who is your best friend?
Note that these are few questions which you might face, rapid fire questions might have 10-15 questions or may be less sometimes. Every IO has his own way of asking these questions but make sure you are preparing everything.
AFSB Interview Candidate Ready For The Personal Interview
How to answer AFSB rapid fire questions?
Now you know what kind of questions you might face so prepare the answers beforehand.
As you can see that these questions are asked in a chronological order which makes it easy to remember and answer in a correct sequence.
The best way to remember all the rapid fire questions is to listen to the IO when he is asking you without thinking what you are going to answer. First listen to all the questions and print them in your mind in a sequential order.
While answer rapid fire questions, do not be in a hurry, take gaps in between and think before you speak so that you do not miss any questions in between.
It is very normal if you miss a question in between, once you are done you can ask the IO politely if you are missing anything.
Do not worry if you missed to answer a question or answered in a wrong sequence. But try not to do so.
Reasons for Asking Rapid Fire Questions
Putting the candidate in pressure so he won’t get time to fabricate stories and answer what is in real.
Observing the behaviour of the candidate under stress.
This also checks the preparation of a candidate because these questions are must have questions and if you fail to answer these questions which mean you have not prepared well enough and lack self-knowledge/observation.
Hope this will help all the candidates who are going to appear for AFSB interview soon. Post your rapid fire question which you have faced in the comment section below.
More AFSB Questions
The actual questions asked may vary depending on the interview panel and the specific position being applied for.
Why do you want to join the Indian Air Force?
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
How do you handle stress and pressure?
Describe a situation where you demonstrated leadership skills.
What are your career goals?
What are your hobbies and interests?
What do you know about the Indian Air Force?
How do you plan to contribute to the Air Force?
What are the qualities of a good team player?
How do you handle conflicts with team members?
How would you handle a situation where a team member was not performing well?
What do you know about current affairs and international relations?
How do you keep yourself physically fit?
What is your opinion on the use of technology in the military?
How do you handle failure and setbacks?
How To Handle AFSB Rapid Fire Questions
Handling AFSB questions effectively can make a significant impact on your interview performance. Here are some tips that can help you handle AFSB questions:
Listen carefully to the question: Pay attention to what the interviewer is asking and make sure you understand the question before answering. If you are not clear about the question, ask the interviewer to repeat or rephrase it.
Stay calm and composed: AFSB interviews can be challenging and nerve-wracking. Try to stay calm and composed, and don’t let your emotions get the better of you. Take a deep breath before answering and speak in a confident and assertive tone.
Be honest and truthful: It is essential to be honest and truthful while answering AFSB questions. Avoid making up stories or exaggerating your achievements. If you don’t know the answer, say so instead of bluffing your way through.
Give examples: Whenever possible, give examples to support your answers. This will demonstrate that you have practical experience and can apply your knowledge to real-world situations.
Stay positive: AFSB interviews can be challenging, but it’s essential to maintain a positive attitude throughout the interview. Avoid being defensive or argumentative, and try to turn negative situations into positive ones.
Practice beforehand: Practice answering AFSB questions beforehand, and prepare some standard responses for commonly asked questions. This will help you feel more confident and prepared during the actual interview.
Rapid fire is the most crucial part of SSB interview. Rapid fire is a bunch of questions that IO asks the candidate in a sequence and expects the candidate to answer them in the same order. If answered correctly, Rapid fire can feel the performance of a candidate. Aspirants find it hard to face rapid fire as they are not aware of the technique of handling it and fail to give a proper response to the questions asked. Firstly, there are some rules to handle in rapid fire questions.
Remember the questions in sequence
Answer in the sequence
Don’t skip any question
Trick to handle rapid fire
Rapid fire is asked in the sequence as given in PIQ form
Provide limited reply to avoid confusion in sequence and answering
Make a mind map of questions and follow it
Now let’s go through some of the most asked rapid fire questions and an outline over how to drive them as per your personality.
Tell me something about your city
In this question, you have to give some basic points about your city, like a bit history is possible, current architecture, governance, education, tourism placed, etc.
About your family members
This question sticks to the details given in the PIQ form. So whatever you write, just memorize it and stay ready for further probing like a field in which father/siblings working, their future plans etc.
Your relations with family and society
Generally, this question is asked after asking detailed of family members. Here you have to show your, good relations with family and society. Your contribution and help in day to day task in family and relations with the society like casual time spent, topics of discussion with them, playing any sports with them etc.
Tell me something about your education and academics
This is also a question that adheres to the info given by you in the PIQ form. So candidate has to reply as per info of PIQ.
Best teacher/teacher you don’t like
This question needs to be handled carefully. When it comes to your favorite teacher, you must say that all teachers are best but you like XYZ because for his closeness with students and his method of deep teaching. There is no concern about any bad teacher.
Friends you like/ don’t like
Again, this question is almost same like the question above. Here also you have to say that I have many friends from school college, society but out of them, 3-4 are my best friends who are X,Y, Z. none of my friend has bad qualities and I like all of my friends
Reason behind marks fluctuation from 10th to graduation
Most of the students have ups and downs in marks in 10th, 12th and graduation marks. So this question becomes obvious in an interview. That depends on candidate’s marks but generally, candidates should reply that I am an average student and I have worked hard at all these stages. I could have done well, but sir, this is my level. In case candidates have a huge gap in marks, then he must stay prepared with the reason and respective questions from IO.
Sports achievements
The candidate must disclose his sports achievements. Some candidates are also there who have either participated in any sports but don’t have any achievements or any even don’t have any participation experience. So in the second case, the candidate can mention any sports he had played in society or school as just for practice. Red alert: candidates must have knowledge about the sports and some basic experience also. So you are required to gather live experience by playing some sports in society or college.
Extracurricular involvement
It is the simplest question in which you have to answer as per your participation and experiences along with any achievement if achieved. Or you will be asked about the event related question depending on situations.
Any special experience in sports or curricular activities
Every person some experience in these activities, whether good or bad, but stay alerted from other questions by interviewing officer targeting you.
On March 30th, 2023, news broke out of a fake army officer who was caught at Ambala railway station in India, posing as a Brigadier. The incident has since sparked outrage among the public and raised questions about the security protocols in place at public places, especially transportation hubs like railway stations.
He was apprehended by the Railway Protection Force (RPF) while he was waiting to board a train. Upon questioning, He claimed to be an officer in the Indian Army.
The RPF officers became suspicious of his claims after they noticed inconsistencies in his uniform and behavior.
The RPF officers may have asked him to provide proof of his identity and to produce his official credentials to verify his claim of being an officer in the Indian Army. They may have also cross-checked his details with the army records to confirm his identity.
If the officers found evidence that he was not a genuine army officer, they may have detained him and handed him over to the police for further investigation. Depending on the severity of the offense, he may face legal consequences such as charges for impersonation, fraud, or other related offenses.
It is important to note that impersonating an army officer or any other public servant is a serious offense, and it can have severe consequences. The government takes strict action against individuals who engage in such activities to ensure the safety and security of citizens and maintain the integrity of public institutions.
Khushi Pathania, an Agniveer from the Aviation branch, was presented with the Bipin Rawat Rolling Trophy for her exceptional performance. The trophy, which was instituted earlier this month, is one of two awards that will be presented to military personnel for their exceptional services.
During the Passing Out Parade of the first batch of Navy Agniveers at the Navy’s premier sailors training centre INS Chilka, Pathania from Pathankot in Punjab was honored by Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar and Gen Rawat’s daughters.
One of the trophies is for the ‘Women Agniveer Trainee standing first in the overall order of merit’, while the other is for the ‘Most Spirited Officer’ undergoing the Naval higher command course at Naval War College (NWC) in Goa. These awards are being distributed in memory of the late CDS Gen Rawat, who lost his life in a helicopter crash near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu on December 8, 2021, along with his wife Madhulika Rawat and 12 other military personnel.
The recent Passing Out Parade (POP) of the Agniveers was a historic event, as it marked the first time that graduates from any training institution in the country completed ab-initio training and passed out. This achievement is a significant milestone for both the Armed Forces and the nation, symbolizing a new beginning. The POP ceremony marked the end of the 16-week training program for the first batch of Agniveers.
On Monday, Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt informed the Rajya Sabha that there are a total of 1.55 lakh vacant posts across the three armed forces. The Indian Army has the highest number of vacancies, with 1.36 lakh, including a shortage of 8,129 officers in the Army Medical Corps and Army Dental Corps.
Bhatt mentioned that the shortage of armed forces personnel is regularly reviewed, and various measures are being taken to fill the vacancies and encourage youth to join the services. In the Navy, there is a shortage of 12,428 personnel, including 1,653 officers, 29 medical and dental officers, and 10,746 sailors.
The Indian Air Force is also facing a shortage of 7,031 personnel, including 721 officers, 16 medical officers, 4,734 Airmen, and 113 Airmen of Medical Assistant trade, among others. In addition, there is a shortage of 165 personnel in Group A, 4,207 in Group B, and 6,156 in Group C among civilian employees. Similarly, in the Indian Air Force, there is a deficiency of 22 in Group A, 1,303 in Group B, and 5,531 in Group C among civilians being employed.
According to Bhatt, the Armed Forces regularly review the shortage of personnel and take appropriate measures to fill the vacancies and encourage youth to join the services.
A total of 1.55 lakh vacant posts across the three armed forces. The Indian Army has the highest number of vacancies, with 1.36 lakh, including a shortage of 8,129 officers in the Army Medical Corps and Army Dental Corps. pic.twitter.com/2Uu5eect4g
Hi, I’m Akhilesh Goswami, a proud alumnus of Sainik School Ghorakhal. Originally from Haldwani, a small city nestled in the immediate foothills of the Kumaon Himalayas in Uttarakhand, I have a passion for sports. I am a National-level rifle shooter, a skilled golfer, and proficient in chess, volleyball, and squash. In 2019, I had the opportunity to participate in a youth exchange program in Kazakhstan and have attended the Republic Day camp twice.
This was my third attempt at the SSB and my second recommendation for the armed forces. Thanks to the training and upbringing I received at Sainik School, I only ever envisioned the prestigious National Defence Academy as my career option upon completing my intermediate education.
My first recommendation came from 17 SSB Bangalore for the NDA-145 Course on December 18, 2020. I vividly remember calling my father right after the conference, and his emotional reaction was the moment every defense aspirant craves for. My service was in the army, and I secured the 121st rank in the merit position with a total score of 850 out of 1800, with 410 marks in the written and 440 in the SSB. Unfortunately, I was declared medically unfit in that attempt, which shattered my dreams of joining the NDA that I had cherished since my Sainik school days.
In my subsequent attempt for the NDA, which was just three months after my first recommendation, I was conferenced out from 22 SSB Bhopal due to my overconfidence, which got the better of me. After this setback, I enrolled in Delhi College of Arts and Commerce, University of Delhi, and had the opportunity to experience college life. While I enjoyed it, I still missed the parade ground, where I had always envisioned myself sweating profusely.
However, I knew that things don’t always go according to plan, so I prepared for a Plan B. I started studying for AFCAT and passed it in my fifth semester. I received my second recommendation from 01 AFSB Dehradun, and while my family and friends weren’t surprised, I always worried about getting medically unfit again.
Most aspiring defence personnel tend to fear receiving S/O, C/O, or M/O status, but the SSB never intimidated me. For me, the biggest obstacle was clearing my medical examination. It’s been an incredible journey from being medically unfit for the Indian Army while applying to the National Defence Academy, to finally being deemed medically fit for the Indian Air Force. I would like to express my gratitude to SSBCrack for their invaluable guidance and motivation. Without their support, none of this would have been possible.
