Content Hub

Articles, guides, and resources about careers in the Indian Defence Services.

Founder's SSB Journey

My SSB Recommendation Journey (Part 1): Screening & Psych Tests
SSB
SSB Experience
Screening Test
Psychological Tests
PPDT
TAT
WAT
SRT
Founder Insights
SSB Experience Series

Deepak Parwani (Ex-NDA) shares his detailed SSB recommendation experience (6th attempt), covering Day 0 PIQ, Day 1 Screening (OIR, PPDT), and Day 2 Psychological Tests (TAT, WAT, SRT, Self Description).

My SSB Recommendation Journey (Part 2): GTO Tasks
SSB
SSB Experience
GTO
Group Discussion
Military Planning
Command Task
Founder Insights
SSB Experience Series

Deepak Parwani (Ex-NDA) continues his SSB recommendation story, detailing his experiences and strategies during the GTO tasks (Day 3 & 4), including Group Discussions, Military Planning, PGT, HGT, FGT, Lecturette, Command Task, and Individual Obstacles.

My SSB Recommendation Journey (Part 3): The Personal Interview
SSB
SSB Experience
Personal Interview
PI
Founder Insights
SSB Experience Series

Deepak Parwani (Ex-NDA) continues his SSB recommendation story, sharing a detailed account of his Personal Interview (PI) on Day 4, including the Q&A, his thought process, and key takeaways.

Founder's SSB Insights

SSB Interview: Addressing Strengths & Weaknesses
SSB
Interview Tips
Strengths
Weaknesses
Self-awareness
Founder Insights

Deepak Parwani (Founder, Ex-NDA) shares insights on how to effectively identify and discuss your strengths and weaknesses during the SSB interview, emphasizing honesty and self-improvement.

How hard is the NDA SSB interview actually? What is there to fear so much?
SSB
NDA
Interview Tips
Founder Insights

Insights into the SSB interview's difficulty, focusing on fundamentals and long-term preparation over last-minute cramming. By Deepak Parwani (Ex-NDA).

Important Lessons from Army Training at NDA
NDA
Life Lessons
Training
Founder Insights

Deepak Parwani (Ex-NDA) shares key personal lessons learned during his time at the National Defence Academy.

Navigating SSB Rejections: A Founder's Path to Resilience
SSB
Rejection
Resilience
Mindset
Founder Insights

Deepak Parwani (Ex-NDA) shares insights on handling SSB rejections and turning them into stepping stones for growth and eventual success.

Cracking SSB with "Below Average" Academics & Backlogs: A Founder's Take
SSB
Academics
Backlogs
Mindset
Founder Insights

Deepak Parwani (Ex-NDA) shares insights on how academic performance and backlogs are viewed in SSB, emphasizing attitude and overall substance.

My Journey: Why I Had to Leave the NDA
NDA
Personal Story
Medical Boarding
Founder Insights

Deepak Parwani (Ex-NDA) shares the personal story of the injury that led to being medically boarded out from the National Defence Academy.

SSB Basics: Foundational Advice for Every Aspirant
SSB
Basic Advice
Mindset
Preparation
Founder Insights

Deepak Parwani (Ex-NDA) shares foundational principles and essential advice for every SSB aspirant, covering preparation, coaching, repeat attempts, and mindset.

How Do I Prepare for SSB on a Daily Basis?
SSB
Daily Preparation
Strategy
Founder Insights

Deepak Parwani (Ex-NDA) provides a daily preparation guide covering current affairs, physical fitness, turnout, SSB process understanding, and key interview questions.

SSB Screening Test: A Detailed Guide by an Ex-NDA Cadet
SSB
Screening Test
PPDT
OIR
Founder Insights

An ex-NDA cadet's detailed guide to the SSB Screening Test, covering Day 0 reporting, OIR, PPDT (story writing and group discussion), and essential tips for success.

Common PPDT Mistakes in SSB Screening
SSB
PPDT
Screening Test
Common Mistakes
Founder Insights

Deepak Parwani (Ex-NDA) highlights common pitfalls candidates face during PPDT narration and group discussion in SSB screening.

Advice for SSB Repeaters
SSB
Repeaters
Interview Tips
Mindset
Founder Insights

Deepak Parwani (Ex-NDA) shares crucial advice and mindset tips for candidates appearing for the SSB interview as repeaters.

Mastering TAT: 5 Key Story Writing Tips
SSB
TAT
Psychological Testing
Story Writing
Founder Insights

Deepak Parwani (Ex-NDA) shares 5 crucial tips for Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) story writing in SSB psychological testing, covering timing, plot, handwriting, content essentials, and the blank slide.

Essential General Awareness for SSB
SSB
General Awareness
Current Affairs
Preparation
Founder Insights

Deepak Parwani (Ex-NDA) outlines key areas and strategies for building the general awareness crucial for SSB success, from daily news habits to understanding India's defence history.

SSB Self-Introspection After Conference-Out
SSB
Self-Introspection
Conference Out
Improvement
Founder Insights

Deepak Parwani (Ex-NDA) provides a detailed guide for self-introspection after being conferenced out of SSB, helping aspirants identify areas for improvement.

SSB Lecturette: Key Tips for Success
SSB
Lecturette
GTO
Communication
Founder Insights

Deepak Parwani (Ex-NDA) provides crucial tips for delivering an effective lecturette during the SSB, covering topic selection, structure, delivery, and preparation.

General Advice & Interview Skills

The First 30 Seconds: Crafting Your Initial Interview Impression
SSB
Interview Tips
First Impressions
Body Language
General Advice
Founder Insights

Deepak Parwani (Ex-NDA) shares crucial tips on personality aspects portrayed in the critical first 20-30 seconds of an SSB interview, covering attire, demeanor, and greetings. This advice is broadly applicable.

Common Interview Mistakes to Avoid
Interview Tips
Common Mistakes
General Advice
Founder Insights

Deepak Parwani (Founder, Ex-NDA) lists crucial mistakes to steer clear of in any professional interview.

GD Tip: No Topic Knowledge?
Group Discussion
Interview Tips
Communication
General Advice
Founder Insights

Deepak Parwani (Founder, OpenCanvas) shares strategies for effectively contributing to a Group Discussion even when you're unfamiliar with the topic.

Campus Placements: One-Month Prep Guide
Campus Placements
Interview Tips
CV Writing
General Advice
Founder Insights

Deepak Parwani (Founder, OpenCanvas) shares key tips for preparing for campus placements when you have about a month left, covering company research, CV, interview etiquette, and more.

Addressing Personal Challenges & Background in Interviews: A Founder's Guidance
Interview Tips
Personal Development
Founder Insights
General Advice
Life Challenges

Deepak Parwani (Founder, OpenCanvas) provides advice on how to discuss challenging personal backgrounds or family situations during professional interviews, emphasizing honesty, composure, and focusing on resilience.