How Indian Armed Forces Recruit Officers ?

I attempted 17 times to get into the Indian Armed forces, unfortunately I could not make it till the end. But I learned a lot of lessons, and it excites me how the Armed Forces get the right people for the right job.  

 Armed Forces of India comprises of three services - the Indian Army, Indian Navy, and Indian Air force. The Indian Armed Forces have set up various academies across India, such as the National Defense Academy, Indian Military Academy (Army), Indian Naval Academy (Navy), and Indian Airforce Academy (Air force). The Indian Armed Forces never compromise on the qualities of the candidates they bring in as these candidates are the future leaders of the Armed Forces; they will be the leading men in battles and emergencies.  

  There is a set procedure and protocol of and right practice to recruit the best candidate who will be converted into future commissioned officers of the Armed Forces.  

 a) Entrance Exams (Aptitude Exam)  

                 - UPSC conducts (National Defense Academy and Combined Defense Services exams)  

 b) Service Selection Board (5-Day Procedure)  

                - This a 5-day procedure that happens at the Service Selection Board (SSB), where candidates are examined on their mental, physical, and verbal strengths.  

c)  Medical Examination Procedure (can vary from 7 to 10 days)  

 d) All India Merit List (After which candidates join the prestigious academy and become Gentlemen Cadets)  

  SERVICE SELECTION BOARD  

 Candidates who are interested in joining the Armed Forces go through entrance exams. These exams mostly examine the candidates' aptitude and thinking ability. After qualifying the entrance exam, the candidates get a call from the Service Selection Board. SSB examines candidates on various officer-like qualities by making candidates perform multiple tasks.  

 OFFICER-LIKE QUALITIES (OLQs)  

• Effective Intelligence 
• Reasoning Ability 
• Power of Expression 
• Self Confidence 
• Determination 
• Organizing Ability 
• Initiative 
• Courage 
• Cooperation 
• Sense of Responsibility 
• Stamina 
• Group Influencing Ability 
• Liveliness 
• Social Adaptability  
• Speed of Decision  

 SSB Day 1: (Testing and Elimination)  

After reaching the SSB Center, candidates go through the Screening and Testing Procedure.  

      - Verbal and Non-Verbal Test  

      - PPDT (Picture Perception and Discussion Test)  

 Here the candidates are shown some random pictures on which they are instructed to make a brief story with various characters and emotions. Later, the candidates are assigned to a batch where they must perform a group discussion on their stories and come to a common conclusion. This is an elimination round, and many must pack their bags and go back home.  

Note: In group discussions, there are three officers who can be psychologists and ground task officers, and they judge the basic OLQs of the candidates.  

 SSB (DAY 2 - Day 5)  

 Candidates clearing Day 1 procedure will continue in the center for the next four days for various battery tests.  

 Psychological Test: It is a projective test; all tests are used to check the psychological ability of the candidate to be an officer.  

 Candidates write their responses based on the test. Here the time limit is very crucial, because of time pressure it is invariable you will only write and perform in accordance to your real nature, and you won't be able to fake your performance (Mental Ability)  

           - Thematic Apperception Test [TAT]: 11 pictures are shown with last slides as blank and will be shown for 30 seconds; 4 minutes are given to write a story on each slide.  

           - Word Association Test [WAT]: 60 words will be shown back-to-back, and each word remains on the screen for 15 seconds - you need to write a sentence for each word.  

            - Situation Reaction Test [SRT]: There will be 60 situations given in a booklet, and candidates are required to write a response to those situations within 30 minutes.  

           - Self Description Test: Candidates are asked to write an opinion about themselves from their parents, friends, teachers, and themselves as well, and things they would like to develop in the future. Time allotted is 15 mins.  

Ground Tasks (Day 3 to Day 4)   

 This has a series of outdoor tasks; the main aim of this task is to judge candidates' qualities during group performance. Most of the tasks in this series are group tasks; candidates are required to support the group with the best of their abilities and not to compete with them in any manner.  

• Group Discussions: There will be two topics given on current affairs for group discussions. 
• Group Planning Exercise: Each candidate writes his planning for the given problem and map; later group members are required to discuss the problem and have to come with a common plan with a common consensus. Later one of the group members must explain the common planning with the help of a pointer and map.   
• Progressive Group Task: These are obstacle tasks which the candidates have to cross with the entire group using materials like ropes or wooden planks.  
• Half Group Task: This task is the same as the Progressive group task, but the group size would be half.  
• Individual Obstacle Task: Candidates are required to attempt ten obstacles individually.  
• Command Task: Candidates will be commanders and lead a group to cross the obstacle.  
• Snake Race/Group Obstacle Race  

  Personal Interview Stage:  

The interviewing officer assesses the candidates on various personality traits.  

 Conference Stage:  

Each candidate will be facing all the board members and will be asked questions about their stay and what they learned from the tasks. The conference is just to observe whether to recommend the candidate as an officer in the Indian Armed Forces.   

  All in all – Your personality assessment is about your Karma (Action), your Vacha (Verbal), and Manasa (Mental Strength) - if they are of the level of a commissioned officer of the Armed Forces