ABOUT SSB
The Service Selection Board is an organization that conducts
interviews and selections for officers in the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force. The
service selection board assesses candidates’ suitability using a standardized protocol of
evaluation system. The SSB Interview Process or Selection takes place over a 5-day
period. Various tests and tasks are administered during these five days to evaluate the
candidacy of the eligible candidates. The SSB interview consists of two stages of testing.
Only after passing Stage A testing does a candidate advance to Stage B
testing.
Candidates applying for the NDA, NDA Foundation, CDS, and Air Force must obtain the
minimum qualifying marks in both the written test and the Officer Potentiality Test.
Candidates applying for the Air Force must also pass the Computerised Pilot Selection System
(CPSS) and the Pilot Aptitude Battery Test (PABT). The PABT Test is only for
candidates whose first choice is the Air Force. PABT is also organized for all
SSB-qualified candidates, with Air Force as one of the options.
The prime aim of selection system in SSB is to explore the potential of
a candidate, which is
must for becoming an officer in armed forces. In order to be fair, the system consists of
three different and independent techniques. Each technique grades and evaluates the
qualities which are essential for defence services by allowing least time and under
stressful condition, which is the practical requirement for an officer during emergencies
like wars.
Age limits , Sex And Marital Status Eligibility
- For IMA : Unmarried male candidates with age between 19 to 24 years only are
eligible.
- For Indian Naval Academy : Unmarried male candidates with age between 19 to 22
years only are eligible.
- For Air Force Academy : 19 to 23 years (Upper age limit for candidates holding
valid and current Commercial Pilot Licence issued by DGCA (India) is relaxable upto 26
years.) only are eligible.
- For Officers’ Training Academy : (SSC Course for men) Male candidates (married or
unmarried) having age between 19 to 25 years only are eligible.
- For Officers’ Training Academy :(SSC Women Non-Technical Course) Unmarried women,
issueless widows who have not remarried and issueless divorcees (in possession of
divorce documents) who have not remarried are eligible; they should have age between 19
to 25 years.
SSB Centres Names And Their Location
| Services |
SSB Center Location |
Name of SSB Center |
| Army |
Allahabad, UP |
Selection Centre East (SCE) |
| Bhopal, MP |
Selection Centre Central (SCC) |
| Bangalore, KA |
Selection Centre South (SCS) |
| Ropar, PB (proposed) |
Selection Centre North (SCN) |
| Navy |
Bhopal, MP |
33 SSB, SCC |
| Bangalore, KA |
12 SSB, SCS |
| Coimbatore, TN |
Naval Selection Board (NSB), Agrani |
| Visakhapatnam, AP |
NSB Visakhapatnam |
| Air Force |
Dehradun, UK |
1 AFSB |
| Mysore, KA |
2 AFSB |
| Gandhinagar, GJ |
3 AFSB |
| Varanasi, UP |
4 AFSB |
Service
Selection Board (SSB) Interview Process
REPORTING DAY
On the reporting day reaching at SSB area , the batch formation and
documentation will be held . Each candidate will allotted a chest number and he will have to
wear it throughout his stay at respective SSB centre.
DAY 1 - SCREENING TEST
On day 1 of the SSB interview candidates must face the screening test. Two rounds are
conducted under this:
- OIR Test
- PPDT (Picture Perception & Description Test)
- OIR (Officers Intelligence Testing) :
The first test conducted in the SSB interview is Officer Intelligence Rating
Test. OIR test is a written exam consisting of approximately 45-50 questions
consisting of simple linguistic, reasoning, logical, analytical, aptitude, and
mathematical questions to test the common sense of the candidates. Candidate
will be given 17 minutes for each booklet.
Key Points of OIR
- The questions asked are comparatively easy when you compare them against other
competitive exams such as Banking and SSC, but the major factor here is time
management.
- There is no negative marking for both tests that are conducted in this
phase.
- In addition to this, taking a watch is not permitted inside the testing area.
- PPDT (Picture Perception And Discussion Test) : The aim of the
PPDT is to test the communication abilities of the candidate. Generally, a
blurred image with a theme is shown to the candidate for 30 seconds, and they
are asked to frame a story on the image from their perspective.
Then, candidates are given a certain time for this exercise and post that they
are segregated into a group of 10 to 15 members approximately for the group
discussion. This gives them the opportunity to sit and discuss with their group,
but every candidate has to present their own perspective in front of the board.
This day is very important for everyone. Those candidates who clear this round
will stay for the further days of the Interview and the rest of the candidates
will be sent back home.
DAY 2 - PSYCHOLOGICAL TEST
- TAT (Thematic Appreciation Test) : There will be 12 picture
will be shown along with a blank page at the last . picture will be blurred and lack
in quality pixels . each image will be shown for 30 sec and candidate will be given
4 minutes and 30 sec to write a story based on pictures ,as they want to understand
candidate’s imagination and interpretations.
- WAT (Word Association Test) : In the series of Psychological
Tests at SSB, the Word Association Test is the second one after the Thematic
Apperception Test (TAT). It is a quick test that lasts for 15 minutes. WAT is a test
of personality and thoughts in which candidates are required to write a sentence
based on the word given. It includes 60 words that appear one after the other for 15
seconds on a projector screen.
- SRT (Situation Reaction Test) : A booklet of 60 situation will be
given. Candidate are suppose of write a response to that situation. Time allotted
will be 30 minutes.
- SDT (Self Description Test) : Self Description test in SSB is one
of the Psychology tests and it is conducted to test what you think about yourself
and the way people around you see you as an individual. In other words, this is
often a test to bring your traits and qualities out from you and check what sort of
person you’re.
Day 3 & 4 - GTO
The Group Testing Officer (GTO) is a key figure in the SSB assessment process, and their
primary role is to evaluate the candidates’ ability to work effectively as part of a
team, their leadership potential, and their overall officer-like qualities. The GTO
conducts a series of group tasks designed to test the candidates’ psychological and team
skills in varying situations.
GTO Process:
- Group Discussions (GD)
- Group Planning Exercises (GPE)
- Progressive Group Tasks (PGT)
- Half Group Task (HGT)
- Group Obstacle Race (GOR) or Snake Race
- Individual Obstacles (IO)
- Command Tasks
- Lecturette
- Final Group Task (FGT)
DAY 5 - PI AND CONFERENCE
In the Personal Interview round, Examiners are unfastened to invite any questions, it could
be associated with your personal lives or perhaps from topics as properly, etc. Well, you
need to respond lightly to each question. There are right hints to appear, act and respond
in the SSB Interview. Learn the whole lot approximately the Interview and be capable of
cracking it.
The convention day is largely a check or activity. This is the day while
you’ll be instructed your result. All the applicants who clean the Interview will continue
for in addition stages of selection. Most possibly that might be a medical examination.
