In Part 1 and Part 2 of this series, I wrote about my experience during Screening, Psychological Testing, and GTO tasks (Day 1 to Day 4). So, here we go in terms of my experience with the Personal Interview.
Day 4: Personal Interview
My Personal Interview happened immediately after GTO tasks were over on Day 4. Your Personal Interview can happen any time after getting screened in till the end of Day 4. This time I was called in straight after GTO tasks were over. As it was raining, I was drenched in water. There was mud all over my white shirt and white shorts. All of it had turned yellow and orange from white. I was trying to get rid of the lumps of wet mud from my shoes and I was disappointed that I couldn’t wear the formals that I had prepared for this day. I was hoping that interview happens after lunch and I get a chance to freshen up. Anyways, it all happened for the good.
Personal Interview lasted for about 30-35 minutes. That’s a guesstimate as you are not supposed to wear watches.
I was called in quickly and with a smile on my face and with the confidence of Usain Bolt, I said “May I come in Sir?” I forgot everything about my turnout.
IO: Yes, Come in please. (He walked towards me and extended his hand. I reciprocated.)
Me: (While we shook hands) Good Afternoon Sir. This is Deepak Parwani from Bhopal.
Interviewer: Have a seat Deepak. Are you comfortable, rains are quite heavy today.
Me: Yes Sir, I am absolutely comfortable.
IO: Good. How was your performance in the GTO, are you satisfied with it, Which task did you like the most in GTO and why?
Me: Sir, GTO tasks were enjoyable as usual and I am satisfied with my performance. I liked Individual Obstacles more than anything else this time. As it is raining quite heavily, it was an experience that I have never had before. (I answered all his sub questions. Hear the questions carefully, let IO complete the question. Don’t jump with your answer. Be patient, maintain eye contact. Individual Obstacles were fresh in my Mind. It just popped out of my mouth.)
IO: How many obstacles were you able to complete?
Me: 5 obstacles Sir.
IO: Only 5? Some other candidates completed all 10 and repeated a few.
Me: It is raining quite heavily today sir. The obstacle area is extremely slippery and as are the ropes and bridges. I am happy that even though I completed 5, I completed them properly. I didn’t shy away from the ropes or bridges because of fear of an injury. I failed in Burma Bridge and Tiger leap during first attempt, but I completed them in the second. This is a positive change from my last SSBs and I am happy with it. (I realized I was speaking too much and I have put an axe on my own foot by mentioning about previous SSBs. Blunder, but it happens when there are butterflies in the stomach.)
IO: How many obstacles did you complete in your previous SSBs?
Me: It was always above 8 sir, in one of the SSBs, I completed 10 and repeated 1. But I am not sure if I did those properly as instructed.
IO: Give an example of not completing an obstacle properly.
Me: Sir, like in Tiger Leap, you have to jump and catch hold of the rope, and come down through the rope. I used to jump and sometimes I didn’t catch hold of the rope and just felt down. After that I moved to the next obstacle thinking this one is done and in the interest of time I should focus on next ones. For more points of course. But now I feel it was not the right away. If you are on an obstacle, you must complete it as instructed and only then move forward. (Again, speaking too much. That’s the disadvantage of giving too many interviews. But after this point I was more precise and effective.)
IO: Good. Why do you think you have not been recommended till now? What is that something which has been lacking?
Me: I told him about the shortcomings that I carried right from my first SSB. These were general awareness, handwriting, speaking too fast which made my verbal communication unclear, trying too hard to come up with ideal stories in TAT, ideal sentences in WAT etc. Then he interrupted me….
IO: What have you done to work on your general awareness?
Me: Sir, I regularly read newspapers and magazines, I also watch news on TV for atleast 30 minutes everyday.
(He asked me which newspaper, which all channels etc. and then) IO: Tell me about 5 topics which are going around in newspapers right now?
Me: I gave him 5 topics. 3 from Politics and Nation, 1 from Business and 1 from Sports. (He asked me in detail only about the topic from Business. He would have noticed my confidence around general awareness this time around.)
IO: What happened in your last SSB, which was just 10 days back here at Allahabad itself. Why were you not recommended in that one?
Me: Sir, I am quite sure that it is not about GTO or Personal Interview. I think I could have done better in psychological testing.
IO: What could have been better in psychological testing, what different have you done this time?
Me: Sir, I have been more natural this time in terms of my responses and my stories. This is my last attempt in terms of 10+2 entries. I have been trying too hard till now to get through, this time I gave myself a chance to be more natural than idealistic in psychological testing.
IO: What would you do if you are not recommended this time as well.
Me: Sir, I am already in my second year of Engineering, I would come back through technical entry for Engineers.
IO: Why don’t you complete your engineering and try then, you are already in second year, complete it. Why do you want to waste time and money already spent on it?
Me: Sir, If I get through NDA, a lot of my parents money would be saved infact. Engineering fees, books, classes, transport for the 3 remaining years is going to cost more. Moreover, NDA is a prestigious academy, it’s a matter of great pride to be a part of it.
IO: It surely is. So, tell me about your daily routine these days?
Me: This was a simple one as 50% of my time was spent in engineering college. I mentioned sports as well after college. I also mentioned things that I do for my home and how I help my mother. I was a day scholar, not in the hostel.
(Sports were a part of my hobbies and daily routine. So, he asked me to plan a football match between my college and neighboring college. I had just 2 days for it. He told me the resources I had to help me out.)
Me: I planned it alright. Right from the permissions, notifications, budget approvals, marking of the ground, practice session, refrees, chief guests, trophies, seating space for crowd etc. I had the college football team to help me with it and I divided them in smaller teams and assigned roles to these teams. (Quite frankly, I had practiced planning picnics, annual functions, matches, birthday parties etc. In every SSB interview before, I was asked to plan one of these.)
(I thought he would ask me deadly counter questions like previous SSBs, but he asked only 2-3 simpler ones. Like what if it rains, what if your captain gets injured a day before, what if one refree does not turn up. These explanation, counter questions etc went on for some time.)
IO: Are you enjoying college life more than school life?
Me: No Sir.
IO: Why? You have more freedom now.
Me: But I have lesser time sir. In school days I got a lot of time for Sports.
IO: How do you manage your daily expenses, now that you are in college, Do you get pocket money from your parents?
Me: Yes Sir, I get Rs 500/- at one go. Once it exhausts, I get another 500/-.
IO: How many days does it last usually. Tell me what all are the usual expenses?
Me: At an average it lasts for around 15-20 days. Mainly the expenses are around Movies, Tea/Snacks in college, Public Transport (Mind you, this is Sept 2001).
IO: You are talking about watching movies with friends in a theatre?
Me: Yes Sir.
IO: How often do you watch movies?
Me: Almost every Sunday Sir. As long as there is one to watch.
IO: Wow. Every Sunday. Which is the latest one you saw. Tell me the story. Did you like it. What did you like/Dislike in it?
Me: I had watched a movie yesterday itself with my group. ‘Tum Bin’ it was. And it was the second time I saw ‘Tum Bin’. I answered all his sub questions. Music was what I loved most about that movie. I didn’t tell him it was the second time. But, I told him all of us went for it.
(IO asked questions around which theatre, who planned it, how did you go there, when did you come back etc.? He also asked me what else did we do as a group in last 4 days.)
Me: Fortunately, being the Allahabad guide for the group, I had done most of the planning and again I answered everything with confidence and a smile. Maintained eye contact. Good body language. I had engraved all of it in my personality, thanks to 5 previous SSB failures. It was the new ME and with each failure I got better.
IO: What changes have you seen in the Allahabad SSB board since the last time you were here. In the last 10-15 days?
Me: I told him about an additional TV in the mess. I also told him about the grass which had been shaved off from a lot of areas. During my last visit it was shabby.
IO: You are an experienced SSB campaigner, tell me who all would get recommended from your group? What are the qualities in these people that differentiate them from others?
Me: I called out 3 chest numbers including mine. Mind you, 2 of these 3 were correct ones eventually. I mentioned qualities around team spirit, leadership, communication, being jovial and well read.
IO: It was great interacting with you Deepak, do you have any questions for me.
Me: No Sir.
IO: See you tomorrow in the conference. Have a great evening. Don’t go to the Sangam in such rains?
Me: Looking forward to the conference sir. Thank you.
Disclaimer: I am not an SSB Guru. A lot of the above may not be appropriate, I don’t know that. But it worked in my case. There were no initial questions around family background, grades, why do you want to join army etc. this time. Because it was my 6th SSB and 5th Interview. There were no ice breakers. IO knew that I have seen it all before and he perhaps wanted to ask what I wouldn’t have experienced.
I had taken notes after this interview in my diary. So that if I am not recommended again, I can at least remember what was asked and what was answered. To improve for the next one, which would have been 7th SSB. Those notes have helped me in writing this piece.
The conference day experience will be shared if there's interest!