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The ultimate step toward getting selected as an officer cadet in the defence is the Inter Services Selection Board (ISSB). Regardless of which force the candidate wants to join, s/he must face the ISSB.
The ISSB is an independent organisation that assesses the candidates in various dimensions, whether they are fit to be military personnel. This organisation's selection process differs greatly from other admission or job examinations. Today we will try to understand what happens at ISSB.
ISSB takes place over 4 days. Candidates for Army, Navy, and Air Force appear in the ISSB together. The first day is crucial for all the candidates. Many are screened out on the very first day.
Candidates are told to report at 7:30 am. They are taken for breakfast. Then they start with the IQ test. Candidates failing to reach the required standard are eliminated.
The IQ test is taken in two phases. The first one is verbals. There are questions with four options. The non-verbal part, however, does not consist of any questions; rather, there are patterns that the candidates need to match.
Candidates can easily find such problems on the internet and practice solving them. After the first elimination stage, they are taken for PPDT ( Picture Perception and Description Test). This is something most candidates have never come across before. A blurred picture is shown for 30 seconds. Based on one's understanding of the picture, s/he has to write a story for which they will get around 4 minutes and 30 seconds.
After writing the story, they will be divided into groups of around 8-12. There, they have to read their stories and give logic to their account.
As the story is written based on a blurred picture, the story of the candidates are unique and, in most cases, completely contrasting. There is no harm in writing a different story, but the story should be logical and represent the candidate's healthy mental and psychological state.
A candidate's presentation skill is also important here. The armed forces would not want a military leader who cannot go in front of his troops and talk boldly.
After the PPDT test, a good number of candidates are sent home. The remaining candidates stay the full length of the ISSB and get the chance to show their full potential in their pursuit of one of the most prestigious jobs in the country.
A candidate must understand that the ISSB is not any general admission test. Rather, it is a personality test designed so that the selectors can know whether that candidate is fit for the military or not.
The military requires people who can obey instructions properly and, when duty calls, can also pass down instructions with utmost confidence.
A candidate should be patient at all times. There will be situations where they will find many illogical, boring and unnecessary things. It should be remembered that all the activities at ISSB are closely monitored, and everything is there for a reason.
A candidate generally does most of the work and tasks in groups. The basic code of the military is comradeship and fellow feelings. A person cannot be selfish there at ISSB. Rather, they should be cooperative at every work.
Candidates must know that there is no specific number of seats in the military. ISSB will take everyone who is compatible with the military.
The group mates are not your competitors; they will be your biggest support. An introverted person can never survive in the military. One has to express his/her heart there. So a candidate must be careful about having a non-diplomatic approach.
The candidate should keep the abovementioned things in mind so that s/he does not show such characteristics during any task at ISSB.
Above all, honesty is the only policy in the military. Over 4 days, there will be many tests that a candidate would not be able to give perfectly. But in no way should s/he try and follow unfair means in the exam.
ISSB will not prohibit anyone from doing anything. Instead, they will silently knock them out of their list.
The first day consists of a psychological test once the primary screening is done. That requires separate attention.
The writer himself is experienced in his field and has been successful there. Therefore, all the suggestions and instructions are shared based on his experience at ISSB.