Placements

KIET SSB

KIET SSB Academy has been established to provide pre-selection SSB interview training to candidates aspiring to join the Armed Forces as officers. Our training at KIET SSB Academy aims to prepare candidates by inculcating and developing Leadership Qualities, Communication Skills, and Officer Like Qualities (OLQ). This approach enables individuals to confidently and successfully face the SSB Interview. The KIET SSB Academy boasts excellent infrastructure, including a separate training area within the campus with a complete obstacle course. This course features Progressive Group Tasks, Command Tasks, Individual Obstacles, and various other group testing facilities.

Why Training/Grooming is necessary for SSB

The Defence Forces stand apart as an organization that doesn't merely seek the 'best' candidates, but rather the 'right' people to serve as officers. Unlike typical recruitment processes where a selection is made from a pool of applicants based on the number of available positions, the Services Selection Board (SSB) operates on a distinct philosophy: finding the ideal fit. If the assessors do not identify candidates who embody the precise qualities required, they will not hesitate to reject all applicants. Conversely, if multiple candidates demonstrate the 'right fit,' all will be recommended. This rigorous pursuit of the 'right fit,' rather than simply the 'best among many,' is a primary reason for the reported shortage of officers in the Armed Forces, making the SSB interview a uniquely challenging yet critical step.

What we do at SSB?

At the SSB, candidates are assessed by a panel of three distinct officers, each evaluating from a unique perspective:

• The Psychologist assesses your mental attributes and ensures you possess the essential qualities of an officer through a series of specialized tests.
• The Interviewing Officer engages with you one-on-one, drawing conclusions based on your responses and personal interaction.
• The Group Testing Officer (GTO) evaluates your group compatibility, leadership potential, and other social qualities through various outdoor tasks.

A candidate is recommended only if they are approved by at least two (and ideally all three) of these assessors. Crucially, the conclusions of these officers are entirely independent; they do not discuss any candidate with each other until the final board conference, ensuring an unbiased and comprehensive evaluation.

How to clear SSB?

To successfully clear the SSB, a candidate's personality must be consistent across all three assessment methodologies. This means the Officer Like Qualities (OLQs) evaluated by the Psychologist, the Interviewing Officer, and the Group Testing Officer (GTO) must align. Essentially, your written responses in psychological tests should resonate with what you communicate to the Interviewing Officer, and this, in turn, should be consistent with your performance in the Group Tasks (GT series). When a candidate presents their genuine self, free from pretense, the conclusions drawn by all three assessors generally converge, leading to a recommendation.

Day-Wise Schedule and Tests at SSB

The Services Selection Board (SSB) interview is a comprehensive five-day process designed to evaluate a candidate's overall personality and potential as an officer in the Armed Forces. Each day focuses on specific assessments, meticulously designed to reveal different facets of your personality and Officer Like Qualities (OLQs).

DAY 1: SCREENING TEST

Day 1 is crucial as it determines whether candidates proceed to the next stage of the selection process.

Stage - I Testing:

• Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) Tests: These tests comprise a combination of verbal and non-verbal reasoning questions. Typically, each test contains 20 to 50 questions, with time limits ranging from 15 to 30 minutes per test.
• Picture Perception & Discussion Test (PP & DT): Candidates are shown a picture for 30 seconds and then given 4 minutes to write a story based on it. The story must include the action, mood, and marked characters. After story writing, candidates are divided into small groups seated in a semi-circle. A team of three assessors (Interviewing Officer - IO, Group Testing Officer - GTO, and Psychologist) evaluates each group. Each candidate narrates their story (one minute per candidate). Following narrations, a group discussion aims to synthesize a common story, which one nominated candidate then presents.

Candidates are assigned a grade on a five-point scale based on their scores, with minimum passing marks required for each test. Equal seriousness for both tests is advised. Assessors conduct an on-the-spot conference to decide which candidates move to Stage-II testing based on their OIR performance and discussion participation. Results are declared after all groups complete Stage-I. Successful candidates remain for the next 3-4 days, while others are deselected.

DAY 2: PSYCHOLOGICAL TEST

Day 2 involves a series of written psychological tests administered by the Psychologist, where time management is paramount. The Psychologist explains each test with illustrations, and candidates are encouraged to clarify doubts before commencement.
The psychological tests are grouped as follows:

Thematic Apperception Test (TAT):

As the first test, TAT explores the candidate's subconscious mind through stories written based on shown pictures. The stories stimulate imagination and serve as a medium for the Psychologist to scrutinize basic personality characteristics, revealing various traits, temperamental makeup, and emotional attitudes. This specialized technique judges whether the candidate possesses qualities required for an officer.

Word Association Test (WAT):

This is the second psychological test, where specially chosen and arranged words are shown to candidates for 15 seconds each. Candidates must write the first idea that comes to mind in a meaningful, complete sentence. The Psychologist analyzes responses to conclude about the candidate's inherent and latent traits, assessing their suitability as an officer.

Situation Reaction Test (SRT):

The third test in the series, SRT assesses an individual's responses to 60 day-to-day situations within 30 minutes. It aims to judge a candidate's courage and capacity to tackle challenging situations with an alert mind, revealing qualities like clear thinking, logical action, quick decision-making, and stress resilience - crucial for an officer. Candidates should write 2-3 lines per response, leaving questions they don't understand.

Self-Description Test (SDT):

Conducted after the SRT, the SDT assesses a candidate's self-insight. It evaluates whether a candidate understands their strengths and weaknesses, which is vital for personal improvement. Candidates are given 15 minutes to write five paragraphs (6-8 lines each) describing:

• Your Parents' opinion about you
• Your Teacher/Bosses' opinion about you
• Your Friends' opinion about you
• Your Own opinion about you
• The qualities you would like to develop in yourself

DAY 3: GTO TASKS

The Group Testing Officer (GTO) administers a series of indoor and outdoor tests aimed at assessing leadership, teamwork, and physical attributes. While outdoor tests emphasize physical qualities like toughness and stamina, they equally bring into play leadership qualities such as originality of ideas, planning, organizing, confidence, and cooperation.
The GTO tests are conducted in the following order:

• Group Discussion (GD)
• Group Planning Exercise (GPE)
• Progressive Group Task (PGT)
• Inter Group Obstacle Race (IGOR) or Snake Race
• Half Group Task (HGT)
• Lecturette
• Individual Obstacles (IO)
• Command Task (CT)
• Final Group Task (FGT)

DAY 4: INTERVIEW

The primary objective of the SSB interview is to assess a candidate's leadership or 'Officer Like Qualities' through a structured and purposeful conversation with the Interviewing Officer (IO). Beyond appraising the candidate's current capabilities, the IO also evaluates their training potential. Questions are specifically designed to allow the candidate to naturally demonstrate their leadership abilities through their responses.

DAY 5: FINAL BOARD CONFERENCE

The Final Board Conference serves as a crucial forum for all three assessors (Psychologist, IO, and GTO) to share the information gathered during their individual assessments of each candidate. It also provides an opportunity for all assessors to have a final observation of the candidate. Candidates are called in one by one according to their chest numbers, asked a few preliminary questions by the Interviewing Officer, and then excused. This conference is where the final decision regarding a candidate's recommendation is made.

WHY THE KIET SSB ACADEMY?

• We boast a dedicated team of former SSB Presidents, GTOs, and Psychologists from the Army, Air Force, and Navy, committed to guiding you towards success.
• Upon arrival, all students undergo mock tests. Their qualities are thoroughly analyzed, followed by individual counseling sessions conducted by our expert Psychologists, GTOs, and Interviewing Officers.
• KIET SSB Academy is unique in possessing the latest outdoor tasks and individual obstacle courses laid out on our grounds, providing candidates with an authentic feel of the actual SSB outdoor tasks.
• We provide candidates with extensive practice for the screening test, including verbal and non-verbal reasoning, and Picture Perception & Discussion Test (PPDT).
• Each individual's personality traits are meticulously analyzed, and candidates receive personalized grooming to enhance their strengths and address weaknesses.
• All psychological tests are analyzed, explained, practiced, and corrected repeatedly to ensure thorough understanding and improvement.
• Special emphasis is placed on enhancing English fluency and overall personality development of the candidates.

How Training Helps:

• Provides invaluable opportunities to practice in a near-real-time SSB environment.
• Training enables candidates to actively participate in group activities, fostering an understanding of group dynamics that cannot be replicated at home.
• Responses and performance are expertly commented upon and corrected by experienced Psychologists, GTOs, and Interviewing Officers, with their feedback being critical for improvement.
• Candidates learn significantly from observing the behavior and performance of their peer group.
• Ground Tasks can only be effectively practiced on a dedicated ground with actual tasks and obstacles.
• The nuances of language, formats, and design factors of GTO tests/tasks can only be truly understood through personal experience.
• The personal interview experience with an Interviewing Officer cannot be replicated independently.
• Training helps a candidate to objectively discover their inherent strengths and areas for development.
• Training significantly contributes to improving a candidate's confidence levels and communication skills.

Duration of Training & Process of Registration:

Training Duration:

Training will span 12 working days for a batch size of 30 candidates.

Timings:

Regular timings: 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM.

Outdoor tasks: 7:30 AM to 3:00 PM.

Fees:

For students from KIET: ₹ 3,000/-

For outside candidates: ₹ 8,000/-

Registration Process:

• Students must register on the KIET webpage by paying a non-refundable registration fee.
• Registration fee for KIET students: ₹ 1,000/-
• Registration fee for outside students: ₹ 2,000/-

This registration fee will be adjusted against the final payment before the commencement of training.

Student selection for batches will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

Course Commencement:

Courses will primarily commence during summer and winter breaks.

How to Join the Indian Army

The Indian Army offers numerous pathways to becoming a commissioned officer, catering to individuals at different educational stages, whether right after school or after graduation. The selection procedures are characterized by their impartiality and objectivity, uniformly applied to all candidates with the singular aim of "selecting the best."

Types of Commission

The Army provides options for both Permanent Commission (PC) and Short Service Commission (SSC):

• Permanent Commission (PC): Granted through the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun, a PC signifies a long-term career in the Army, extending until retirement.
• Short Service Commission (SSC): Granted through the Officers Training Academy (OTA), Chennai, SSC is an excellent choice for those wishing to serve for a shorter duration. It allows you to serve as a commissioned officer for ten years. Upon completion of this tenure, you have the option to apply for a Permanent Commission, or request a four-year extension, with the flexibility to resign at any point during this extended period.

Entry Schemes

• Permanent Commission (PC) Entry Schemes: NDA (National Defence Academy): For 10+2 candidates (through UPSC examination). Direct Entry: For graduates (through UPSC examination). Engineering Graduates (TGC - Technical Graduate Course): For engineering degree holders. University Entry Scheme (UES) / 10+2 Technical Entry Scheme (TES): For engineering students or 10+2 candidates with PCM.
• Short Service Commission (SSC) Entry Schemes: NON-TECH (Both men & women) TECH (Both men & women) NCC SPECIAL ENTRY (Both men & women LAW GRADUATES)