SSB Experience at Bangalore SSB Center

SSB is really a magical place to be and I also got that opportunity. But still I am not succeeded in getting recommendation of the board, but I would like to share my learning's with other aspirants, so that they do not repeat my mistakes and learn from it. Here is my experience:

Getting ready to reach the center, Reception at the station

For the first time I appeared in NDA written when I just stepped in 12th class, certainly didn't knew much about it but written examinations were rather easy than expected, then the call letter came for Mysore, that was proud moment. Attended there, totally unprepared, assuming everything will fall into place, but I was wrong.

That was the turning point when I got screened out, it was more of shame. I learnt that not everything falls into place if you don't put efforts. I however couldn't let go of it and the next examination, cracked the immediate following NDA  written examination again and this time call was for Bangalore, still can remember the batch number : N-NDA-68081 24 SSB. Now here I understood what preparation means because I already was. After getting screened out from Mysore SSB, I started finding out reasons studied many documentaries on conduction of SSB etc.

Finally few sequence of things which I did, makes me feel it was the right thing to be done.

1. Studying conduction of Interview.
à Aspirants must know that, in SSB, intimidating situations are created deliberately. That was my first observation. It is to judge you on how you tackle situations which you don't expect.
à Starting with Personal Interview room:
Chair of Interviewer will be at higher altitude than yours, creating dominance. Your position will be away from Interviewer, creating differences.
àThere will be open space and not some wall behind your back (logic behind this is most people feel secured when there is some opaque and strong thing like wall behind them) and aspirants are expected to tackle this situation, however,
à Interviewer is always very friendly and co-operative. But what you're unaware of; I just told you.

2. Ground Tasks

Pranav at the Bangalore SSB Center with peer aspirants

You won't get much time to express yourselves completely to GTOs, so if you can't don't stress out, as they are least bothered about it, its just to make you feel comfortable, just focus on the task. Rest of the events you can get it through any reliable source, I just told you what is not in any books, it’s what I observed myself.

3. Studying body languages on a basic level
This helps you to quickly figure out what people are expecting out of you. This will also work for GTOs, Psychologists and Interviewers because body don't lie. Moreover, you'll know more about your team-mates, ensuring a better understanding.

4. Quick thinking and perception
-Try to practice to memorize long said sentences at once (watch Sherlock Holmes). (I was asked exactly 35 questions at the very beginning, counted on my fingertips however could answer only 20 and rest I forgot)

5. Psychological Tests
For that; a good writing habit is a must. Usual practice from sample questions would do, key is to reflect positive ideas through your words. Enough ingredients, now remaining is quick taste-maker, which is your positive attitude towards situations and confidence.

However I knew all this before Bangalore SSB, I committed few mistakes, resulting in me not getting recommended probably. Those were:
à When GTO was instructing, I was busy looking at obstacles and thinking how to approach them. Don't do this, because what they expect to be done is already said by them.
à Die hard follow rules, try not to break one.
à When you are doing Individual tasks, your adrenalin level is high and therefore more of your concentration is on completing the task rather than doing it the way it has been instructed. Don't commit these kind of mistakes viz. not observing markers. You'll never realize it then, but when you come to bed and ponder you'll know what the things were you weren't supposed to do, and let me assure you, you'll never run out of time, so don't hurry and neither be sluggish.

Still there's lot more, you'll know it when the time comes. The fact is you have already made the decision, just understand why. That is what SSB is.
Good luck. Serve your country well.

About the Author: Pranav Sinha is a college undergraduate pursuing B. Tech. at ICFAI University in Computer Science and Engineering branch, as a Plan-B against his Bangalore-SSB which was always his Plan A. He was highly inspired from his maternal uncle ex-Major Vikrant Khare-16 Sikh Light Infantry. Through this article he wants his peers to learn from his mistakes.