Airforce SSB

My afcat results came and i had cleared it created a frenzy in and around the family for clearing that , though it was a cake walk..

By the way am Tonu N Alex..ya that's my name .... i did my engineering from Chennai.. And am a Keralite,  thts the real name for a mallu..!,  staying in northern part of the Gods own Country...
My date of SSB was on the end of November.. and i reached there a day before by bus.and took a room nearby the staion. I walked into Mysore with a lot of hopes and more of dreams.... and it was all a very very fun filled journney.. I was there for 4 days in mysore and man o man those were the most different days of my life.. its better i say it on day to day account..


 DAY 1

SHOOT OUT (SCREENING)

Mysore was all chill and cold in the night, it was a pleasure being under the blanket.. thn my alrm blew and it was 4:45 am .. a time i never even seen in my semester mornings of my engineering..i snoozed it and waited the alrm to blow again.. and it did... at 5 i was up and did my things in half an hour.. then i wore a jean and shirt... checked my files and took my telegram from ssb and kept in pocket... by 6 i was out and checked out from the lodge.. The morning was misty and the nights chill still loomed around for a bit.. i made the walk to the staion .. whn i reached i saw many lads near the auto bay waitng for the ssb officials.. by 6:15 the bus from airforce came.. we were asked for our telegrams and an id proof... i got into the bus and got one of the last seats... the bus drove some way at a good speed .. and we reached the ssb testing center ..

In the ssb center it was all orderly, neat and pristine.. it looked to be a very nice place to be in.. first impression was the best impression .. We were lined up and had a head count we were 129... we kept our luggage in the ground floor of the auditorium and we went inside.. that was a normal hall with many desks .. properly lightened.. and evthg..we filled in the forms for our TA and submitted it along with our tickets,  then we were asked to give our mobiles to the officer in charge and receve a token for it.. all did the same with unseen obedience from engineering grads.. our profesors would b sooo proud..

Next was screening test... there was 2 sets of questoin papers.. all will b seated in two's.. people next to each other would have different sets.. after we finish the first we were asked to inerchange the question papers... and we did that tooo.... the tests r easy.. and they would teach us how to do them before the exam begins.. but personally i think even that teaching is not necessary...after finishing the test we were asjed to move out and have our break fast.. we had sandwich and coffee.. ssb are famous for its canteen too and i did understand why.. it was real good food every single meal ..
the most important test of day 1 was next... it was Group discussion...
    We were asked to write a story based on a picture shown to us.. the picture was foggy and showed two people..one explaining a map  to someone.. soon after the finishing the story for which 4 min is given we were grouped into 15.. then moved to a room whr 3 officers were sitting to analyze us.. we were asked to reach a common conclusion after all of us finish expaing our stories.. our group did brilliantly and we didint shout we, didint create a market place.. we supported each other and made a good story.. we
Results were announced in 1 hour time.. and it was 65 people in... and others were asked to leave after collecting their TA..
 the lunch was served for us and we did have a great meal..... and we hoped todays day was over... but it was not... the ultimate test was to be followed
Picture perception and psychological tests..
we assembled in the hall again after the lunch.. we were greeted by a set of forms to be filled for about 2 hours.. We filled and our certificates where checkked...
 Then came the psychological test and picture perception which went quite fine...
the day ended at 9pm...

The phone in our mysore ssb had some nags so couldnt reach our parents.. but luckily we had internet cafe so we send a message through 160by2.com ..
 Our dinner was served, again it was impressive..
we got our blankets and pillow and bedsheet .. only thing i remember is closing my eyes..

DAY 2
  The second day was free for me.. but our breakfast was at 6:30 so got ready by then...and had my foood..
Then it was tme to spend freely.. i went to the table tennis rooms.. readuiing rooms.. tv room evthg was soo clean and orderly.. i spent the time in them..

DAY 3

Group tasks and interview
 We had our group tasks.. which is very entertaining  which u need no practice at all.. only thing u can do is practice on some puzzles games...on how to bridge a gap with a plank, bulley and a rope ..and carry our load (for us it was called Aishwarya Rai ...we were asked to carry her safely to finish line without keeping it on ground.. ).. it was easy... and u need to work as a group and help all ur teamates .. they need team players rather than superheroes..
Interview for me was in afternoon
     I waited in the waiting room for 2 hours.. a TV will be therefor us to watch.. so me along with others were watching star cricket.. Australia vs South Africa it was... it was a good match... Then my number was called and i went to the interview room.. i saw a man welcoming me with a smile.. I did my manners tht all do.. and the interview began... he didint ask me anthg on airforce which i had so very well prepared.. but he did ask me 15 questions straight and i was supposed to answer them sequentially.. i almost did them..  then he asked my marks.. my strenghts weakness.. interview u should not bluff..and must be true.. nothing to worry in that.. he was such a great personality..



DAY 4

Individual task and Lecturette

The next day i had my individual task.. which i would have done well if i was doing my 12th... in my engineering i was lazy and my bike made me sit even the shortest of distances... in 3 minutes we should complete 10 tasks.
.               high jump.
              .rope climbing..
              jump over a wall..
              get through a hanging Tyre..
              leap towards a rope from 10 feet above ground...
              monkey crawl a rope..
              balance walk over a log..
              and some simple tasks..
             walk on  a rope 15 feet above ground holding a rope above
             walk a slanting plank (which is the easiset1 point for it )

each task will be numbered and each will have that many marks..
For me these tasks proved how unfit i was.. i burned my fingers during the tiger jump.. in which i was supposed to catch the rope and come down slowly.. but i slipped and all the skin in my palm peeled away.. i was given first aid and it was burning hell..

I could do only 5 tasks.. and i knew this was it..

Lecturette

 WE will be asked to take a card from the table and will be given 3 minutes to prepare.. in each card there willl be 4 different topics.. and we should speak for 3 minutes.. i did it well.. my topic was Nuclear Energy....(.there were other topics in my card like green house effect..population control.. Bio diversity..)

DAY 5

CONFERENCE and RESULT

Conference is hardly a 3 minutes affair.. all the board members around 15 people will be there in front of u... ...one by one each person willl go into the conference room according to chest number which is called...i went in when the other person went out and my number was called..i was asked on my injury.. my stay... experience and for any suggestions... i answered them alll.. and i went out...

NB : if ur conference lasts about 3 minutes then the board will be already sure whter u r in or out.. if they ask some different questions..( like ur most courageous experience in life which was asked to a friend of mine who was selected ...!..)   the board have some doubts within.. so u have a 50-50 chance then...

Result was announced within 1 hour after the conference was out...and i was not selected.. Out of 59 only  7 were selected and were asked to stay back... for medicals and further form filling ..

we were dropped in the same place whr we were taken on the first day... 


Lessons learned

     I should be physically more sound

     i should be more loud in my voice..

     i should not bluff..

     Food in defence is really awesome..

    You get the respect for ur work not ur age.. 

  

 Our airforce officers are very much able and they are deserving the benefits in their life... My respect  towards  them increased a 100 times...

 Each person should visit a ssb once in their life ......man its sooooo awesome... atleast for 5 days u will be a defence personell ... i loved it..

am gona try again and correct everything which i had done ..