How to prepare for SSB without Coaching

Let’s start this article with a question “Is it possible to prepare for SSB Interview without coaching?”

The simple answer to this question is yes, absolutely possible. The officers at the Service Selection Board are looking for an average intelligent person and chances are you may be already one. However, it could prove to be a bit difficult for one to clear SSB without knowing every little detail in advance.

There can be many reasons for not taking coaching it could be money, time or personal reason, etc. In this article, we will discuss what are the ways to prepare for SSB Interview without the help of any coaching institute.

First and foremost you must make yourself familiar with an overview of the 5 day SSB procedure and then check the details of each and every task/test of  SSB Interview. For doing this our website SSBGuru.com will prove to be an asset for you.

So Let’s Start

The SSB Interview is conducted in two stages. In the First Stage also known as Screening, Candidates are shortlisted for the next stage i.e. Stage II. In Stage II the actual process starts.

Stage I or the Screening

This is one of the important but a tricky one, at this stage you might find even a previously recommended candidate getting screened out. So what to Do at this stage?

This Stage starts with OIR or the Officers Intelligence Rating test. It is nothing but simple verbal and non-verbal reasoning questions. You can take any book for this purpose but there is some particular type of questions asked in SSB Interview during this test, for those questions you can check out the OIR section of our website.

So we have gone through the first step. Cheers!

Now comes the second part of Stage I. Here all of you will be shown a picture and you are required to write a story based on the picture and thereafter in a group of 10-15 candidates you have to first individually narrate your story and thereafter discuss among the group on the same picture and come to a common agreeable group story.

The first thing you need to do in this part is writing a decent story, your story should be a practical one, don’t think about positive or negative, just write a simple story. Thereafter for Individual narration, you need to practice at home in advance if you are not good in speaking in front of a group. Write few stories at home and turn the paper down and narrate them in front of your friends or in front of a mirror if you don’t find any friends available for this purpose.

Now Comes the discussion Part. Friends the discussion is required because the picture shown will be very blurred and one candidate would find a man while the other will identify the same as a car. So in the discussion, it is judged who effectively you can communicate your views and accept others views. For group discussion, you need to practice in an actual environment. And I want to tell you that most of the times the Group discussion ends up being a Fish Market, your individual skills will be required to handle the situation and more importantly even coaching centers also can’t tell you anyway to handle this situation as it is not in your control. Try to be quiet and control the situation if there is absolute confusion and do speak when you get a chance. If you are going to the SSB for the first time then chances are that you will get many chances during the discussion to speak as all the candidates you will be having in your group will also be those coming to SSB for the very first time.

So, the first stage is over and I don’t think till now you felt any need of coaching to prepare for the above tasks.

Only those candidates who qualify the Stage I will stay for further testing and rest of the candidates are sent back to home. Now comes the second stage or the real SSB Interview.

The first test or task you will be facing here will be psychological tests, in which your psychology will be tested. To give you an example of psychology let’s take a word “Knife” for example. If during your childhood or at any stage of your life you got injured with a knife then automatically while seeing the word knife the first thought that will come to your mind will be like the knife is dangerous or we should be careful while using the knife. Here without saying anything, you told a lot to the psychologist.

Psychology is something that develops over a long period of time and it will be difficult to change it in 14 or 15 days of your coaching for SSB Interview.

For details of all four psychological tests and practice, actual tests check the psychology section of our website. What you should do in advance for SSB Interview especially for these tests is:-

Improve your Handwriting and writing speed – In SSB very little time is given to a candidate for recording his response and this is done deliberately to bring out the first response that comes to your mind. By good handwriting, I don’t mean you should be practicing calligraphy, but if your handwriting gives a soothing effect to the eyes of the checker then for sure you will be at some advantage.

Your response in the psychological tests must be logical ones. For example, there is a situation given to you that the driver of the train in which you are coming for SSB Interview suddenly found unconscious. In your response to this situation, you can’t write that I will drive the train and take it to next station. Be logical in your approach and write only those things that are doable.

The Interview

The Personal Interview during SSB will be a one to one affair between you and the Interviewing officer. The questions asked are very general and basic in nature for which you don’t need any specific preparation. If you always or for most of the things in your life had a rational approach then you can answer them easily and by rational approach, I mean whatever action you are taking in life you know why are you taking that action and what you will get as a result of that action. Let’s take for example you are reading this article, you must know why you are reading this article and what will be the outcome after reading this article. But friends, not always we do things as per our wish, most of you have done B.Tech/B.Sc./BCA/MCA for no reason just because your friend or relative was doing that you also did that.

Newspaper

Study newspaper daily and while reading develop an approach of how and why. Give special importance to the news related to India. You are not expected to know everything under the sun, but you must be well aware of the things happening around you. For example, recently bullet train was in the news, it doesn’t matter whether you will ever travel in it or not but as an active and watchful citizen or you must be aware of the at least the speed of that. Now don’t go and search for the speed, just be here and change your attitude of looking at the things.

Rest of the questions in the interview will be related to your personal life and interests like which is your favorite subject/teacher and do you smoke? So you are the best person to answer these questions, you don’t need a coaching institute to help you answer these question.

Physical Fitness

Make a habit of doing exercise not just for the purpose of SSB Interview but in General also. Exercising not only makes you physically fit, it also makes you mentally very active. Also, for various GTO tasks in SSB interview you must be physically sound (This doesn’t mean bodybuilding: p)).

GTO

As far as GTO tasks are concerned they are just like an outdoor game, here also your active mind will be the key and in all GTO tasks you’re every action must be in good faith of your group.

Be Confident and Cheerful

Who doesn’t like a smiling face? Enjoy your every moment at SSB Interview and don’t be there as if it is forced on you. Be confident with the things you say and do.

Communication Skills

SSB Interview demands a lot of communication skills, in many tasks of SSB Interview you will be required to communicate your views and opinions and for effectively doing that you need good communication skills. Be clear in your speech, all the people who are supposed to hear you must get your voice very clearly. Be Fluent and modulate your voice when required. In order to acquire better or effective communication skills, you need to practice hard from this moment.

Friends, there is no thumb rule for selection in SSB Interview, there is no guarantee that after coaching you will be selected, The fact is that the best way to prepare for SSB Interview is not to prepare at all.

If you have any comments, suggestions or feedback then do comment in the comments section below and stay connected for more such useful articles and tips related to SSB Interview.