SSB Experience Series: Got recommended from 2AFSB for flying branch - Part2

In Part 1 of this series we saw how the GTO, Psychology and PABT were handled after clearing the Screening round. Now lets see the remaining part of the story where other rounds are also handled successfully and it becomes a success story.

Click here for SSB Experience Series:  Got recommended from 2AFSB for flying branch - Part1

Day 6- Interview

The interview slots were displayed and my interview was the last interview of the AFSB. I came to know that my interview will be taken by the Board’s President who was of the rank of Air Commodore. I had plenty amount of time to prepare for the interview as I had two days break. With the trend of questions that I came to know by the candidates who had gone to the president, I concluded that there is no point of preparing. Finally the time came for the final obstacle and probably the most important one i.e the Personal Interview. Before going into the interview hall, my file went inside. I was called after 10 minutes. My game plan for the interview was that just be honest and straight forward and don’t let that subtle smile fade from your face. Speak liberally if you know and say No frankly if you don’t: simple. That was exactly what I wrote in my SD about myself; straight forward and blunt. So finally I was called to the interview hall. I entered the room, greeted the Interviewing Officer and sat by his permission. The ambience of the hall was very comforting. There was nothing scary about it. The IO was very friendly and was smiling throughout. That was exactly what I wanted. The course of the interview was completely about my personal life. He started the interview by asking me about my institution (Aligarh Muslim University). What I like about it, how many departments are there and what is the mode of entry into the institution for the various courses. He asked about my friends, family, girl-friend and about the people I don’t like. He interrogated very deeply about my love life. He asked me to compare myself with my friends. The question which perplexed me the most was when he asked me the qualities of the people I detest. He asked me some technical questions for which my answer was – “Sir I am not that technically sound, so I may not be able to answer in a very effective manner, you can even see my grade sheet which is full of C and D grades” (you see honest and straight forward) which he liked and smiled in an affirmative manner.  From that point he didn’t touch the technical part. He was keen to know about my extra-curricular as my PIQ form was full of extra-ordinary achievements and events. So he asked numerous questions on that of which I gave answers quite convincingly. He asked about my ideas and opinions on various issues persisting in our country and the plausible solutions. He inquired about the Indian Air Force and its aircrafts to check how motivated and desperate I am to join the IAF. I just told him one thing that I have skipped my semester examinations just for the AFSB (which I really did). He was very excited to hear this and so was I. He asked me that why only Air Force and not the other division of Armed Forces. I quoted various instances which motivated me to join IAF. The first being when i was in 4th class. I had visited Palam Air Museum in Delhi. There i got an opportunity to get a photo clicked in the cockpit of Folland Gnat , the fighter planes of 1971 war, this was my very first acquaintance with planes. The second, when I visited Vayu Bhavan, the national headquarters of IAF with my uncle. There I saw the officers in the uniform and was so infatuated by the grace of the IAF dress that I started imagining myself in that uniform. The ultimate inspiration came from my college, where I spent 4 years just looking at the MIG-23 parked at the epicenter of the campus. The thought of being the first person from the family to become the pilot acted as the icing on the cake. He seemed to be convinced and with a broader smile he concluded the interview with a remark which left me amused. He said, “Piyush you really deserve to be in Air Force”. I came out of the hall with a winning face. I was that my chances of getting recommended are very high now.

My Advice- The interview is the phase having the highest marks among all the rounds. So it is to be taken very seriously like any other phase. Make sure you are confident enough and with a light mood when you enter the interview room. The IO will keep a check on every body movement you make to check what are you going through, are you nervous, are you confident or are you anxious. Don’t try to hold the nose the other way round. Be honest and straight forward in your answers. Answer to the point and convincingly. That shows how confident you are and have a clear cut idea of what you know and what you don’t.  If don’t know anything just say Sir I don’t know. Be clear and assertive in answering, that’s it. Try to ensure that you look consistently into the eyes of the IO and not anywhere else. Sit relaxed, straight and breathe normally and keep a smile on your face.

Day7- Conference and final result

The judgment day had come. The day of the final conference. I was the 63^rd candidate to go inside. We were instructed to talk to only one officer who will be interacting with us and we were not supposed to look at the other officers sitting. I entered the conference room and I was terrified to see the 24 officers sitting at a semi-circular table. That was the perhaps the most terrifying situation I had faced in my life. But i don’t know how I kept my calm and looked extremely confident. I took about 10 seconds to figure out that who is talking to me. Eventually I spotted and greeted the officer interacting with me. He asked few questions to me like what my city is famous for, why I want to join the Air Force and how did I like the stay in Mysore. The conference was over and we were made to sit in the auditorium for the results. I think I had never been so nervous earlier in my life. Finally the list came and the one of the officers came to the podium and started to announce the results. He started with the results of those candidates who cleared PABT. Fortunately my number was there. Then came the turn of the list for which I was preparing from past one year. He started chest no 1, chest no 50, chest no 51, chest no 63…….wait! Did I hear 63, seriously? The biggest applause came up for me. I just wanted that walk to the podium to continue forever. The best moment of my life so far. There was a flashback of events running in my mind that happened in past one year, perhaps a very gloomy phase of my life when I was preparing for my ultimate dream. And now everything seemed so bright and colorful. My life changed from that moment. I controlled my tears anyhow. I was happy for only one thing, that now I could be the reason of pride for my parents. So finally 96 was announced and out of 117 or say 257, we were recommended. The rest were sent back with their luggage and we 5 were taken in for further formalities. And so in this way the pursuit to realize my ultimate dream continued for 7 days.

My Advice- Stay positive and believe in God. You did what you could have done. This is simply the judgment phase.

My experience and tips to the candidates

I enjoyed a lot there. The experience of being interviewed for continuously 2 hours was simply awesome. I spilled out everything about my personal life which I had not shared with anyone else earlier and was very relaxed at the end of the interview. The experience at the final conference round where I was briefly interviewed and observed by 24 officers of various ranks was unprecedented. It was a very learning and rejuvenating experience for lifetime. I got an opportunity to interact with the candidates of multifarious languages, culture and region and the best part was that initially we didn't know each other and by the end of the AFSB, we were the best pals. The days I spent there was completely worth of skipping the Mid Semester examinations. Apart from the testing process, the rest of the time we used to spend playing TT, basketball and on a very unsuccessful attempt at playing lawn tennis. It was my first time staying in the hostel and i came to know what i have been missing throughout my life. 

My advice to the aspiring candidates is to have positive mindset towards SSBs. People are generally apprehensive about the selection in SSB in the first attempt but a fresher has a very fair chance of getting selected. Obviously the selection ratio is very small, but if you have it in you, they will find you. You just don’t need to prove that you have the officer like qualities, they are adept enough to figure it out. You just need to be what you actually are. Honesty and the ability to carry other people with you in a team is what they are looking for in you. If you try to fake it out, you will be the first to be in their hit list. Subjective study should go side by side but most importantly develop yourself as a person. On the concluding note, I would like to say that don’t be afraid of dreaming big. That dream may not be in fashion or different from what majority aspires. You may find yourself alone in the pursuit or you may be required to isolate yourself from people around you, but that’s a very small price to buy your dream.

Hope you must have learnt a lot from the experience. Groups like SSB Vision are there to help the aspirants manyfolds by keeping yourself updated with the latest topics of GD and lecturette and also with the latest happenings in the defense world. These groups and blog provide us with a platform to interact with the peers and share the journey of success and failure. If you liked this article share it with your friends, follow SSB Vision and subscribe for email notification so that you do not miss on any important update related to SSB. All the best for your dreams.

About the Author: Piyush Varshney is a final year engineering student (Electronics) from Aligarh Muslim University. He gave his AFCAT in August 2014 and appeared for the AFSB on 16th March. He got recommended in his first attempt and has been medically fit. He is getting ready to join IAF from July 2015 .